If not now

Worship Resources:

Thursday Worship and Commitment Service

The following is the last worship and closing worship service for the United Methodist Women's National Seminar, August 7, 2003.

[Prepare “rocks” with positive words imprinted on them to represent those things which will be present in the new kingdom.]

Isaiah 65:17-25 (read slowly) Power Point of about 8 Response Magazine Covers as the Scripture is read (covers can be copied for use among United Methodist Women without getting additional permission, as long as the full cover with Banner, dates, etc. are projected as one unit.) Piano plays in the background, “Morning Has Broken”

[The stone bearers leave the congregation at the last verse of “My Heaven” and stand ready to bring in the final stones. Have about a dozen words and have two words read between each verse. The bearers enter two at a time, turn to face the congregation, wait for the verse to end, hold up their word and shout each and then continue to chant their word in an intense whisper while the next verse is read. When the next song begins, the stone bearers place their stones on the altar.]

Unison Blessing: We have nurtured and been nurtured. We have served and been served. We have taught and been taught. The Holy Spirit is creating in us, something new. Thanks be to God! AMEN

*Unison Blessing: There is no place we can go where God’s love cannot find us. Let there be no child, no woman, no man, not even the whole planet be forgotten by us---because God does not forget Gods’ own. Even though a mother forgets her child, God remembers! Praise the God of all creation. AMEN!

Voice: Women of God, we have been following Jesus to Jerusalem. We were the stones crying out for justice in a world which cares very little for God, and even less for God’s people.

ALL: We waved our palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna to the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Why is there still such sadness in the world? Why is there such deep sin?

Voice: Every generation asks these questions. Every generation is invited to follow. Women of God, what will you do?

[You might have a reader for each paragraph. If you have a cordless mic they can start from two sides of the room. They “wander” into the center of the room, telling their part of the story. They then hand the mic to the next person as they “wander” across the front. The reader can stop in the center and face the congregation to finish their paragraph. Then walk over to the other side. Use your judgment about how this works best. You could also have people stand where they are in the congregation and read each of these. If you have a balcony, they could be read from behind the congregation so you would not use the “wandering” effect.

Voice: We know the road following Jesus is usually not easy. There were many women following Jesus to Jerusalem….to the cross…..and finally to the tomb to witness the resurrection. Women were often condemned by the male disciples for doing what they thought was right, but Jesus always defended them. When Jesus was killed on the cross, his followers thought that everything was over. Despair set in and most went into hiding.

A few women went to the tomb after the Sabbath to anoint his body. There they met fear, hope, jubilation and confusion---all of which was part of the early church as it tried to understand the meaning of this God person who had taught them, healed them, died for them, resurrected for them and now….called them like never before into all the world to teach the world what Jesus had taught them.

When YOU follow Jesus, you may end up at an execution, a tomb, or a resurrection. In all cases, you will need the community of believers, you will need to be reminded of your own commitment. You will need to write your commitment down---just as the early believers wrote theirs down. Because they wrote it down, we now have our Scriptures. We must help each other to understand the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.

Listen to the words of the early believers as we have them in the four Gospels. They will be read simultaneously so you will hear their unison and divergent voices. If at times it seems chaotic, you can be assured that the multiple accounts of Jesus in the early church were often a cacophony which had to be sorted out. Listen and let the three stories flow over you. First the women who anointed Jesus; second, the women at the cross; finally the women at the empty tomb.

Remember, this is the story which compels us to be in mission to those in need in the world. It is the story of God with us, it is in part the story of women’s witness to these world changing events.

[The lights go down. About 6 people with flashlights go around the auditorium shining the light in participant’s faces looking for something. Sometimes they wave another person over and point to one or two participants and whisper about them.

Two readers have gone up to the stage and sit in a pose like “The Thinker.” The flashlight people convene in the front with flashlights still pointing at the congregation searching out trouble makers. Suddenly they turn and shine their lights on the thinkers. The light carriers split into two groups and back off to two sides of the stage, keeping their lights on the readers.]

[About 6 people go into the congregation looking around, they huddle together pointing at individuals. They go to a few and pull them to their feet without speaking. If they try to sit down, motion to them to stay standing.]

Two readers have gone up to the stage and sit in a pose like “The Thinker.” The searching people convene in the front and stand at either side of the readers pointing at them.]

[Readers alternate every two verses. A microphone is a must if they read sitting down. If they stand up and read loudly, have them read like they are afraid. Without getting humorous, have them look over their shoulder a few times and look with fear at those pointing at them. They can huddle together and tell the story to the congregation.]

[When the readers finish, the searchers turn on the congregation and they wander around the room asking out loud, “Whom shall I send for such a time as this?” They search the crowd shining the light or pointing at the participants.]

Leader: “Whom shall I send for such a time as this?” Will you stand and say, “Here I am Lord, use me!”

[Repeat once or twice with enthusiasm. Lights go up each time people say, “Here I am Lord, use me!”]

Litany: Representatives from each of the issue groups read their phrase written by their group.

Write on the post card, one of your gifts, one action you plan to do and one phrase of encouragement for yourself to receive in about one year from now.

As the song is sung baskets will be passed and the cards will be placed on the altar. [If you want to take an offering, this is a good time.]

Gathering: [Have the youngest participants pick up the fronds from the altar and lead the group out to the lawn to make a circle. Participants pick up a candle with a drip guard and move to the lawn outside of the hall and make a circle. Arrange for an inexpensive BBQ grill to be in the center where the fronds can be burned. Have other assistants bring to the fire trays of cups with oil (about 1 per 10 people) Keep singing the chorus

Voice: We burn these palm branches to remember both the joy and the suffering which comes from following Jesus.

[Once the fronds have been burned, use a metal spoon and sprinkle a little of the ashes in the cups. If it is a small group, you might use a cast iron skillet or a wok.]

Voice: Women of faith, you have heard the call to the mission of Jesus the Christ. It is a servant ministry requiring commitment and strength. Our grandmothers in mission went into mission when they were told they were not welcome; they managed their own funds when they were told that was men’s work; they resisted slavery in both the north and south; they made a place and a way for immigrants, made education possible for many who were locked out. It is into this great journey of Evangelical and Methodist women that we take our place. It is the journey of following Jesus the Christ.

Voice: Among Christian traditions oil is anointed as a sign of welcome, a sign of healing, a sign of joy, a sign of royalty and a sign of the Holy Spirit’s annointing. The woman who anointed Jesus welcomed him, announced his royalty, celebrated his life and prepared him for death. Ashes are a sign of repentance. Tonight, we mix them and anoint each other. Bring a partner to the five stations in the circle and anoint each other on your hands as we commit our hands and heart to the service of this lowly king riding on a donkey. As you anoint your partner’s hands, say to her,

Voice: You are called to witness to the power of resurrection in your own life and in the life of the world. Women! You have been called!

ALL: We are not afraid! God is with us! Jesus died for us, rose and walks with us on the journey. We will go!

Instructions: Where the boldface italics begin on one line, the next voice comes in with the underlined text while the first voice continues to read. Where the text is boldface, all the voices read at the same time. For instance, three read the scene where Jesus tells the disciples to leave the woman alone (Matthew, Mark, John); all four voices read the scene at the tomb while the drums are rumbling.

Choral Reading

You might open and close with congregational singing of the African-American spiritual “O Mary, Don’t You Weep.”

Leader: Mary is another name for Miriam. There were at least four Marys in Jesus’ group: his mother, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany (Martha’s Sister) and his aunt Mary who is only mentioned once. Their identities in the Bible step forward and slide back, they merge together and speak for themselves.

The following scripture choral reading is from all four gospels where they name the women who anointed Jesus, stood by him at his crucifixion and were the first to witness his resurrection. When you hear silence from one or the other reader, it is because that gospel writer made no comment.

Hear the collage of the women’s stories we have in the Bible. If at any point you are confused, remember the early church had only the first hand stories of witnesses, heard in snippets, rumors and various versions. Hearing the four versions together helps us hear some of the confusion and differing perspectives of the early church.

John: Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.

Matthew: Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,

Mark: While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table,

Luke: And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment.

John: Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Matthew: a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.

Mark: a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head.

Luke: She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.

John: But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)

Matthew: But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, “Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.”

Mark: But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

Luke: Now when the Pharisee who had invited them saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.

John: Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Matthew: But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.

Mark: But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me.

Luke: Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “Speak.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.”

Matthew: By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”

Mark: She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.

DRUM HEART BEAT (Use a deep sounding drum—you might try an inverted 5 gallon plastic drum-hold the drum so one end is open to get the most sound—experiment with your hand or use a wooden spoon with cloth wrapped and duct-taped on—check with your high school for a bass drum or get a small group to use a regular table top—use the fleshy parts of fists to do heart beat and rumble.) BEAT 6 HEART BEATS

John: Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “here is your mother.”

Matthew: Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Mark: There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. They used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

Luke: And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Matthew: After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Mark: When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.

Luke: But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared.

John: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

PAUSE... Drums Begin TO RUMBLE..... Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John at one time...

Matthew: And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

Mark: [The women] had been saying to each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw the stone, which was very large had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look there is the place they laid him.

Luke: They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the Dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”

John: Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. The Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

Matthew: SUDDENLY Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.

Mark: Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out several demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

Luke: Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

As John is reading, Matthew, Mark, Luke lean toward John and place a hand on her shoulders. (Person furthest from John can put her hand on the person next to her. All lean slightly as if looking into the tomb as she reads “...she bent over to look into the tomb....”.

John: But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her “Mary! She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbauni!”

All four readers say “Rabbauni!” together. The usual pronunciation is “rah-bóne-aye” but whatever you agree to will work.

Questions for Discussion

[The following questions are for use in small group presentations, not usually in a worship context.]

1. What does it mean to you that there are four different versions of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection?

2. In the various versions of the anointing of Jesus, in one his head is anointed, in another his feet, and it is not always clear if it is the same Mary who is doing the anointing. What are some possible understandings of these variations?

3. Why do you think John emphasized the encounter between Jesus and Mary Magdalene in his gospel?

4. Compare the women’s role in the events surrounding the Passion to the male disciples.

5. The oldest version of Mark has no resurrection account. What impact does this have and how should we relate to the inserted accounts of the resurrection at the end of Mark?

This choral arrangement is copyright © Women’s Division, General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church. Scriptural quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.

This reading may be reproduced with credits by United Methodist Women’s groups. Others should write acraig@gbgm-umc.org or call (212) 870-3737 for permission