St. Francis Church Biblically minded. Mission Driven.

The Right Reverend John C. Bauerschmidt--Bishop of Tennessee

The Reverend Joseph B. Howard--Vicar

Order of Worship

The vision of St. Francis Church is to be a community dedicated

to the transformation of lives with the Gospel of Jesus Christ
for the Kingdom of God.

The Fifth Sunday of Lent

A note for visitors: We’re thankful that you could join us for worship today, and
we pray God blesses you in your time here. The service is printed in your bulletin and
insert. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask someone around you!

St. Francis Church wants to encourage families to worship together. The practice of
dividing families for worship is a modern invention and is often detrimental to the goal
of worshipping as a body. In order to be a community where all ages feel welcome,
we provide coloring materials for children to use during worship and seek to be a
community that understands the specific gifts and challenges that children bring. We
encourage you, should you feel comfortable doing so, to sit toward the front with your
children, as little-ones are often more attentive if they can see what is happening.

That being said, we understand that there may be times when it is best to take
advantage of child care, which we have available in the room immediately through the
Kitchen off of the entryway. All parents are provided with vibrating beepers to inform
them should anything come up requiring their attention.

In Preparation for worship: We invite you to take a few moments before the service
begins to be still, and rest from the business of your lives. Take time to breathe deeply,
and reflect upon the past week. When you’re ready, you might say the following prayer
or one like it in preparation for worship.

O Almighty God, who pours out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and
of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to you, from coldness of
heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled
affections we may worship you in spirit and in truth; though Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

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 The Word of God
Processional: All my hope on God is founded Hymnal 665

Opening Acclamation:

Celebrant: Blessed be the God of our salvation

People: Who bears our burdens and forgives our sins.

Collect for Purity:

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are
hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we
may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Kyrie

Celebrant: Lord have mercy

People: Christ have mercy
Celebrant: Lord have mercy
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Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Let us pray.

Collect of the Day:

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners:
Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that,
among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed
where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14

All sit.

A Reading from the book of the Prophet Ezekiel.

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord, and
set me down in the midst of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me round among
them; and behold, there were very many upon the valley; and lo, they were very dry. And
he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, thou
knowest.” Again he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, O dry bones,
hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause
breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh
to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live;
and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I
prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to
its bone. And as I looked, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and
skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy
to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come
from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” So I
prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and
stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great host. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these
bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our
hope is lost; we are clean cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord
God: Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people; and I
will bring you home into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when
I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit
within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land; then you shall know
that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it, says the Lord.”

Reader: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

The Psalm of the day:

Remain seated.

Psalm 130
De profundis
1 Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice; *
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 let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.

2 If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, *
O Lord, who could stand?

3 For there is forgiveness with you; *
therefore you shall be feared.

4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; *
in his word is my hope.

5 My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning, *
more than watchmen for the morning.

6 O Israel, wait for the Lord, *
for with the Lord there is mercy;

7 With him there is plenteous redemption, *
and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

Second Reading: Romans 8:6-11

A Reading from Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome.

To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For
the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, indeed
it cannot; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh,
you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have
the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are
dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will
give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you.

Reader: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

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Sequence Hymn: O bless the Lord, my soul Hymnal 411

Gospeller: The Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ according to ______.
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ

Gospel Reading: John 11:1-45

Now a certain man was ill, Laz’arus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose
brother Laz’arus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God,
so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her
sister and Laz’arus. So when he heard that he was ill, he stayed two days longer in the
place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go into Judea again.”
The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone you, and are
you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one
walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if any
one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” Thus he spoke, and
then he said to them, “Our friend Laz’arus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of
sleep.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus
had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus
told them plainly, “Laz’arus is dead; and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so
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that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow
disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Now when Jesus came, he found that
Laz’arus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two
miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning
their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while
Mary sat in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would
not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will
rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection
and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and
believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe
that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.” When she had
said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying quietly, “The Teacher is here and is
calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had
not yet come to the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the
Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they
followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Then Mary, when
she came where Jesus was and saw him, fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had
been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews
who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled; and he said,
“Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the
Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the
eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, deeply moved again,
came to the tomb; it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor,
for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you would
believe you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up
his eyes and said, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. I knew that thou hearest
me always, but I have said this on account of the people standing by, that they may believe
that thou didst send me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Laz’arus,
come out.” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face
wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Many of the Jews
therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him;

Gospeller: The Gospel of the Lord

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ

Sermon: The Rev. Joseph B. Howard

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
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For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Prayers of the People

Leader: Let us pray

In our Diocese we pray for the Order of the Daughters of the King.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for Province de L’Eglise Anglicane Du

Congo The Most Rev’d Dr. Dirokpa Balufuga Fidèle Archbishop of Congo &
Bishop of Kinshasa & Bukavu.

Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;

People: That we all may be one.

Leader: Grant that every member of the Church may truly and humbly serve you;
People: That your Name may be glorified by all people.

Leader: We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;

People: That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacra-
ments.

Leader: We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations of the
world;
People: That there may be justice and peace on the earth.

Leader: Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;

People: That our works may find favor in your sight.

Leader: Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble;
People: That they may be delivered from their distress.
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Leader: Give to the departed eternal rest;
People: Let light perpetual shine upon them.

Leader: We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;
People: May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.

Let us pray for our own needs and those of others.

Silence

Celebrant: Almighty God, to whom our needs are known before we ask, help us to ask
only what accords with your will; and those good things which we dare not,
or in our blindness cannot ask, grant us for the sake of your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

Celebrant: Jesus said, “The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our
God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all
your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is
this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment
greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

The Confession

Most merciful God,

we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Celebrant: Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our
Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the
Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People: And also with you.

Announcements

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 The Holy Communion
Offertory music selected by the musician

All stand for the Doxology: Hymnal 380 (last verse)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heav’nly host
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost

Celebrant: All things come of thee O Lord.

People: And of thine own have we given thee.

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.

People: We lift them to the Lord.

Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who was tempted in every way as we are, yet did not sin.
By his grace we are able to triumph over every evil, and to live no longer for ourselves
alone, but for him who died for us and rose again.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the
company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

The Sanctus: S-130

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Please stand or kneel at this time, as best helps you to pray.

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and, when we
had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus
Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of
us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.

He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a
perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took
bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and
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said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of
me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them,
and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed
for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the
remembrance of me.”

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and
thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son,
the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may
faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and
at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ. By him, and with him, and in him, in the
unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever.
AMEN.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed by thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
People: Have mercy upon us.
Celebrant: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
People: Have mercy upon us.
Celebrant: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
People: Grant us Thy peace.

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for
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you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

ON RECEIVING COMMUNION: All baptized persons who are in love and charity
with their neighbors are welcome to receive communion. If you do not wish to receive,
you are invited to come for a prayer of blessing—simply cross your arms over your chest
to let the servers know that you will not be receiving.

Prayers before receiving can be found on pages 337 (the Prayer of Humble Access)
and 834 in the Book of Common Prayer (the red books available under your chairs).

Communion music chosen by the musician.

Post-Communion Prayer

Almighty and everliving God,

we thank you for feeding us
with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Solemn Prayer over the people

Celebrant: Bow down before the Lord.

all kneel

Look mercifully on this your family, Almighty God, that by your great goodness they
may be governed and preserved evermore; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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The Recessional: O for a thousand tongues to sing Hymnal 493

Celebrant says the dismissal

People: Thanks be to God.

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A Note on Today’s Readings

The Fifth Sunday in Lent—Year A

Welcome to our parish on the Sunday of Lazarus. The story of the raising of Lazarus is the
final one of the Lenten gospels that opens the minds of the baptismal candidates to the
meaning of baptism (and it reminds us of the resurrection life we have already received by
water and the Holy Spirit). We hear in this story the growing awareness of the disciples of
Jesus as the Christ and as the source of resurrection and life.

The Old Testament reading looks forward to resurrection as the final conclusion of God’s
plan of salvation. In the prophet’s vision of the valley of dry bones, note that it is God’s
Word who raises them up, and God’s Spirit who gives them flesh and life. So it is with us
who are baptized. Christ, the Word of God, and God’s Spirit have given us a share in the
resurrection life of God’s Kingdom.

The second reading contrasts those who live in the flesh, that is, the unredeemed world,
with those who live in the Spirit of Christ. All baptized persons live in that Spirit and, says
Paul, God gives life to our mortal bodies through the Spirit.

The resurrection of Christ becomes our resurrection as we engage in the Eucharistic feast
and meet the one who is the Resurrection and the Life.

From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by
Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.

Announcements

Welcome to our guests!

We’re very happy that you chose to worship with us this morning. Please join us after the
service for snacks and conversation, to take some time to get to know us and for us to get
to know you. We look forward to seeing you again soon!

Upcoming events & service opportunities:

I Believe: A Walk through Creed and Catechism

The last of our Wednesday night lenten reflections will be this coming Wednesday. Join us
at 6:00 for soup and salad followed by conversation on the Hope that Christians have.

Acolyte Training:
We have several young people who are interested in being Junior Acolytes. We will be
having our acolyte training on Saturday April 5th from 10:30 until 12:00. If you or your
child(ren) are interested in participating in this, please let Fr. Jody know.

Volunteer opportunities at St. Francis:

If you are interested in any of the following ministries, please let Fr. Jody know after the
service or via email: frjody@stfrancis-tn.net .

Reader/Lector (Read the lessons and lead prayers)

Newsletter & website team (basically contributing to both of these, helping to organize
them, not doing it all. The more the merrier)

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Scheduling (you would basically set up the server schedule each month, email it to the
servers and post it on the bulletin board and web site.)

Sexton team (Several members already volunteer their time and energy to help keep St.
Francis’ clean and tidy. If you would like to join them and volunteer your time, sign on to
this ministry)

Easter Egg hunt

The St. Francis Easter egg hunt will be held on Saturday March 15 at 10:00 am. The rain
date will be Saturday March 22nd.

Schedule for Holy Week

The following is the schedule of Holy Week Services at St. Francis

March 16th: Palm Sunday (regular worship at 10:30 am)

20th: Maundy Thursday service (with foot washing) @ 6:00

21st: Good Friday service @ 6:00 (Stations of the Cross will begin at 5:45 for those who
would like to join us immediately preceding the Good Friday liturgy)

Easter Service will be at 10:30 on Sunday the 23rd

If you would like to make a specific offering of thanksgiving or memorial for a loved one to
go toward the cost of the Easter lillies, please indicate this with a note on your check or in
your offering envelope.

If you would like to have your loved ones remembered in our Easter Sunday bulletin,
please write a note with the name of the person to be remembered and their relationship to
you.

If you have an announcement that you would like in the bulletin, please email it to Fr.
Jody by Wednesday the week before so it can be included.

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 Bishop of Tennessee
The Rt. Rev. John C. Bauerschmidt

Vicar
The Rev. Joseph B. Howard

Mission Council
Ralph Eddy
Linda Palmer
Thom Chittom
Shelley Sircy
clerk: Nanci Frey

Accompanist
Thomas Duffy

Schedule of Ministry:
Preacher & Celebrant: The Rev. Joseph B. Howard Reader: Carlene Johnson
Acolyte/Crucifer: none Prayer Station: Tonya Edwards
Oblationers: Ralph & Karen Eddy Chalicist: Anna Howard
To check the schedule online, visit:
http://stfrancis-tn.net and go to congregational resources-->schedule

To get in touch with Fr. Jody for any reason, you can reach him at the Church, 851-0790, his cell, 440-6492 or via
email at frjody@stfrancis-tn.net.
_______________________________________________________________________________

St. Francis Church

Biblically minded. Mission driven.
812 Meadowlark Ln
PO Box 697
Goodlettsville, TN 37072
Phone: 851-0790
http://stfrancis-tn.net

Cover Image: The Raising of Lazarus

CCLI License No. 2334637

Oneliscence.net No. A-714717

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