martin luther church in all our homes€¦ · pictures in the presentation are from our partner...

Martin Luther Church in all our homes

slide1 29 March 20201



Mt 20,282



The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give

his life a ransom for many (Mat 20:28 NRS)

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A warm welcome to all of you reading ad meditating our worship service now at home or in smaller group of people.Now we are facing the total cut off and lockdown of direct interaction and meetings BUT we are Martin Luther Church and Christian wherever we are and now decentralised and isolated but nevertheless called by God to celebrate and be together and think of each other, pray for each other and experience our connectedness also in these difficult circumstances.Caring for each other can mean now all of the sudden not to meet physically but in spirit, thoughts, prayer, calls …This online service is the second attempt to celebrate worship – prepared by myself with a few inputs of Vashandiri and based on the liturgy of the World prayer day.It was planned to celebrate the World Day of Prayer on this Sunday together as an interactive worship service with members of Vashandiri and Zvapupu – now only request were sent around to get online replies.

Our partners worldwide have celebrated this service on the 06th of March using the liturgy that the World Prayer Day team here in Zimbabwe had prepared. So in many churches – and even in our Partner circuit Zimbabwe and our situation was displayed, mentioned, taken into the prayers and concerns.

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Worldwide information about Zimbabwe were shared – here a few examples you might have a look into later:

From the Churches in Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_JO_DhEzMk

From Australia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyP4a8ZZhf0

And here are the songs that a used in the liturgy sung be local choirs:https://wicc.org/world-day-of-prayer/music-downloads-for-wdp-2020/

Pictures in the presentation are from our partner circuit Steinfurt-Coesfeld –Borken taken by kerstin Hemker, Olaf Goos, Heike Bergmann and others as well as from the Protestant congregation in Schüren/ Dortmund – thanks to all of them for sharing them. While we have been last year visiting all of them – the world prayer day was already topic and ideas and good were shared.

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To our online service we need your feedback:

Please share you wishes, needs, adjustments … - we all have to learn new forms of worship life for the time being.



Today we follow the official World Prayer Day Liturgyand therefore it will be different than normal at MLC

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https://wicc.org/wp‐content/uploads/1‐Audio‐Track.mp3



Prayer of PraiseLeader : God of peace and freedom, we welcome you in our midst.Leader: We praise you for your love, which surpasses all understanding.Leader: We praise you for who you are, now and forever.All: You are an amazing God.Leader:: Creator God, we praise you for the natural resources we are called to care for, like the vegetation, minerals, big animals, waterfalls, and forests of Zimbabwe.All: You are a gracious God.Leader: Jesus, we praise you for the gift of respect, the dignity of human life, love for one another, and for the friendliness of Zimbabwe’s hardworking people.All: You are the Bread of life.Leader 3: Holy Spirit, we praise you for enabling us to gather in worship in Zimbabwe and around the world.All: You are the Spirit of truth who unifies us in prayers and action.



HYMN“Holy, Holy”

https://wicc.org/wp‐content/uploads/2‐Audio‐Track.mp3

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Prayer of ConfessionLeader : Merciful God, we come before you as a nation, recognizing that we need a change.Leader: We have sinned against you and our sisters and brothers through our negligent words and actions.Leader : We have disobeyed you and done things that we should not have done.All: We confess our wrongdoings and ask you for courage to change.With your forgiveness, in your grace, hear our prayer.Leader: We see women, men and children suffering in poverty, hunger, and violence and now of the Corona virus we hardly know.All: Grant us compassion to help those who are suffering.Leader: There is a lack of integrity in our lives. We fail to love and to unite those who are divided for reasons of ethnicity, language, or political views.All: Forgive us and heal our hearts and minds.Leader: Jesus asks : “Do you want to be made well?”All: We use so many excuses to avoid changes. Have mercy on us and sustain our searching for healing and forgiveness. In your grace, listen to us.Leader: Let us take a moment for personal silent prayers of confession.Brief moment of silenceLeader : “Give thanks for God is good, for God’s steadfast love enduresforever. Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousnessat all times” (Ps. 106:1, 3).

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Kyrie eleison - Song

Word of GraceJesus calls also us: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Mat 11:28 NRS)There we all should know that In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for you, and for his sake God forgives you all your sins. To those who believe in Jesus Christ he gives the power to become the children of God and gives to them the Holy Spirit.

Glory be to God in the highest

Prayer of the Day (Any one of the home church might be asked for)

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Hebr. 5, 1-10

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Hymn“Zadzisai Chirevo”

(“Fulfill Your Promise”)

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https://wicc.org/wp-content/uploads/3-Audio-Track.mp3



Gospel ReadingMk 10,35–45

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RakanakaVhangeri

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Apostolic Creed

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I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.He was conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church,the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

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HYMN“Uyai mweyawakachena”

(“Come Now, O Holy Spirit”)(no link to MP3 given – unfortunately – sorry!

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We wish that all the children at home will be together with their parents and reflect and draw pictures on the topic…

Get up, take your mat and walk .. Stories of own experiences

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Sermon - MeditationJohn 5:2–9a

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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you wherever you are.

Let us pray.

Our God, we are in our homes, in gardens, in places separately from one another and we all would have loved to be called into you Church, our Martin Luther Church. But you are celebrating with us and for us services wherever we are , wherever this new crisis has put us . You are calling us not depending on church buildings, but on our open hearts and ears and minds – help us to celebrate differently and to experience the power of your word in the midst of all our worries and joys. And let us experience and not forget that today we are linked to so many people all around the globe who have put Zimbabwe in the middle of their worship services on the world prayer day – a wonderful sign of your encouragement also for us today. In your Holy Name we pray. Amen



Dear Brothers and Sisters, A well-known text the World Prayer Day committee in Zimbabwe has chosen Let us focus on three aspects: : 1. What do we want? Jesus is asking: Do you want to get well? Jesus is asking, is not acting without asking. How often, do we think we know what is the best for the other and just do it. Or we think ton know what is the best for the children and then later on after e.g. buying something one might realize, they were looking for quite something else. Jesus is not imposing his wish or will, but is asking, is looking for the consent of the other, for the buying in, for the wishes and the hopes of everyone.And Jesus expects concrete answers -Jesus asks for concrete answers! Not like the “fine” on the question of “how are you”- real answers, serious ones, honest ones, no nice face and troubled thoughts… rather to tell it as it is: the biggest longing, the biggest shortcoming, the huge misunderstanding, the needs and the biggest wishes. Jesus was asking those days the man waiting for healing or the solidarity of the others.

Dear Brothers and sisters, let us stop here a little and may discuss at home what you really touches you, makes you feeling bad.



2. Let us apply our current situation to Jesus question.

How do we deal in the moment with the fact that despite so many people are crying for healing, for help even the medical systems in some countries like Italy are overwhelmed, cannot care for everyone? We all were called by Pope Francis to join the Lord’s prayer on last Wednesday:

• “As trustful children we turn to the Father. We do it every day, several times a day; but right now we wish to beg mercy for mankind, so sorely tried by the coronavirus pandemic. And we do this together, Christians of every church and community, of every tradition, of every age, language and nation," Francis said, according to a translation.

• "We pray for the sick and their families; for health workers and those who help them; for the authorities, law enforcement agencies and volunteers; for the ministers of our communities.“

Some are criticizing the Pope that he like many other church leaders has closed the churches in the time of crisis. Again and again one can hear in Europe that Elderly say: ‘even in the worst time of the Second World War the churches were opened.’ And he is praying in churches and on places alone. But in the current situation specially in a country like Italy where the infection rate now after some weeks of isolation and lockdown goes for the first time dawn, while still so many are dying, the Pope gives an example how to cope in the crises and to care for each other and to be connected in prayer and physically worship even alone, but in care for others and constantly in prayers.

Therefore the closing of churches is based on the care for another in Italy, in Europe, America, Southern Africa and even here at our church. But more and more people are staring to reconnect and to support each other – like the activity yesterday of Vashandiri to send messages and texts of encouragement to each other - to stick together and to take from the sister one cannot see in the moment, but hear and read her messages. It was and it uplifting reading the responses on the Vashandiri platform.

For many of us it might be a constant question why is God not intervening, why is God not stopping – we all don’t have answers and know it is a challenge to our faith. And it calls us like those days the Israelites being far from home, oppressed and under permanent fear, to trust in God despite all the atrocities, to discover God in the helping hands that are stretched out, in the words of encouragement – in the time of passion we are reminded that God is there where people are suffering, where people are not seeing a way out and where we all can cry out to God –like the Pope did.

It is a help that we share with God our fears, our questions, our pleas and not to get more and more silent – reading only the next messages of desperation and falling deeper into it.

On the way to Gethsemane Jesus was asking his disciples and friends just to pray to together, to be next to each other, not to complain, but just being there – and this we can do alone at home, in the family or friends’ setting together at home – taking up the concerns of the other one and share on internet, in calls or just in thoughts even with our partners far and our relatives in countries spread around the world - this is a beginning of a healing process and a process gaining trust in a future , in God despite all terrible news around us.

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3. “Rise! Take your mat and walk” – This Jesus said to the man and he was cured at once and picked up his mat and walked.

I had asked around in the Vashandiri and Zvapupu platform to get a few remarks what is means. How do we interpret Jesus’ call for us today?Where do we get encouragement from? How can we support each other?

Two responses I got and want to share here.

• May we pray & live by faith without any proof that our request for healing has been granted. May we all stop blaming the next person & take responsibility for ourselves and the different roles we must play in bringing about the desired changes as far as this disease is concerned. May we drop all stories that led to this disease & take God's Word for our protection & healing. (Mrs Tembo-Dube)

• And all things God works for the good of those who love Him. MLC has been granted a chance to intercede for Zimbabwe in the most difficult time expected. The postponement and leading to total failure to worship together with the whole world had disappointed me. But now we have a chance. At a greater level.My prayer is may Zimbabwe’s faith grow through knowledge of God and submission to His word. And God will heal our country. A total healing. Then Zimbabwe will rise and take our different kinds of mats and walk.In Him Together.(Miriam Ratisai)

And I am sure many of you reading and meditating on this Sunday will add other thoughts what is means to get up, take the mat and walk.

Women around the globe interpreted this text on the 06th of March, the actual World Prayer Day and those days the world was still looking different and so the reflections might have been others than today. And I think this one of the thoughts I have learnt in these weeks: There at Bethesa it was one special situation and we are here at MLC in other situations, but to rise again, not to remain sitting, but to get up even now when the space is limited is needed and has various connotations.

One is surely that what Mrs Tembo-Dube is also saying not to focus on a blame game. How many preachers are now coming up and are talking about judgement, about knowing what God’s intention in the moment is …often it can mislead, that people doubt, makes the preacher more famous …- but in lent we are reminded that God who walks with , is the God who even walked with Jesus to Jerusalem – was there even when Jesus was crying out: “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”

now we only walk in a limited space? 25



The second thought is – and again I go along with the contributions of Mrs Ratisai and Mrs Tembo-Dube to reflect what now today and tomorrow it means to take up the mat and walk further. Can it not also mean, to take the times of the lockdown not only as a huge intervention into our lives, but also as a chance to have a little more time for reflection and meditation. Some people are saying: now we can do this for which we hardly had time: to phone or contact every day one person, we had lost contact for quite while. And to include him/ her into our prayers.

Can it not also mean to discover skills again one had lost, to do a drawing or painting with the children, to start story telling again, who we now it from the older generations or our childhood or …

Can it also mean to learn something new: there are now cooking courses for men on the internet or music lessons for all in order to learn new songs, or gymnastic exercises or learning an new language or …

Can it mean all of the sudden to take time to do nothing – an exercise for nearly all of us not more existing in these hectic and demanding times of Zimbabwe’s life. But like in the monasteries of the old days and even current day where people are sent into the garden or a any quiet place to sit and meditate and listen to oneself, to listen what kind of thoughts are coming, to listen what the Spirit of God is telling us … sometimes it might be even good to write down later on the thoughts – a kind of a treasure for the hectic days that might come again.

I am sure, Dear Brothers and Sisters, all of you will discover something new in these days … despite of course of all the worries and fears, what the lockdown means for the own business, for the church, for the communication with others … and even this as mentioned before should be shared and should be not the worries of oneself – may be we all learn new ways of communication.

At least I hope that in MLC we all – like we did in the past – not remain sitting, but that we get up, take the mat (and the mat is our own story, our won experiences, fears and troubles – that we are carrying along and that makes us to the person we are) and walk – even if steps are limited, but in thoughts and words and prayers we can walk far…

And may God help each one of you not to remain sitting in fera and doubts, but helps you to get up and see and walk further. And the peace of God that is higher than all our understanding, may keep our hearts, minds and senses focused on the one living God who always calls us to get up again. Amen

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Hymn“Rise! Take Your Mat and Walk”https://wicc.org/wp‐content/uploads/4‐

Audio‐Track.mp3

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Words of Commitment (you might read together in your homes)• Leader : Let us experience the empowering energy of the dialogue be- tween

the sick man and Jesus. I invite you to bow your heads.• Leader : Jesus asks: “Do you want to be made well?”• All: Yes! Yes!• Leader: Then Jesus says: “Rise! Take your mat and walk!” (Stand and take a

few steps in place.)• Girl: God is love. Let us remain standing with our hearts full of love!• Girl: Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Let us take up our• mats for peace among us! • Girl: God made all things new. In Christ we are reconciled to God. Let us walk

toward reconciliation! Let us walk toward a new life—a life of reconciliation.• All: Amen! Halleluiah!• Leader: As you have heard Jesus’ life-changing question and are willing to “Rise!

Take your mat and walk,” we invite you to offer your commitments and donations to support the communities as actions of love, peace, and reconciliation.

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HymnJesus loves me yes I know

https://wicc.org/wp-content/uploads/5-Audio-Track.mp3

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Announcements

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Next Services

Will be currently online …All new developments will be sent to all of you

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Collection from last SundayOFFERINGOffering $1610Tithe 1300

Please consider to offer your contribution further even if we cannot see each other, costs are still there!Let's make use of our ecocash merchant code to make payment *151*2*5*146939#bank transfer to our CBZ account 24586640018 and Standard Chartered account 8700216702600

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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTSThe office is closed due to the lockdown now.

But you may approach Rev. Ute and Rev. Siwela online or on phone and whatsapp – we still can be in touch!!

Make sure that we get as many as possible whataspp contacts or email contacts that every member of MLC is reached. Please send updates always to the [email protected] email.

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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS Two weeks ago we had the AGM and as new members of the council the following

were elected: Mulandelwa GumbieSithokozile MrewaSibusisiwe NkomoEmmanuella Mashayo

Our MLC Constitution says that “If there are any objections, may they be made to the chairperson of the Church Council as per section 14 of the MLC Constitution”

Therefore today is the last day that you may indicate your objections to the Chair of the Church Council, Mr G Mpala.

You may contact him via email: George Mpala ([email protected])or on the whatsapp: +263 77 234 4615

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Hymn 533Now Thank we all our

God

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItfKjxkXhMk



1 Now thank we all our Godwith heart and hands and voices,who wondrous things has done,in whom his world rejoices;who from our mothers' armshas blessed us on our waywith countless gifts of love,and still is ours today.

2 O may this bounteous Godthrough all our life be near us,with ever joyful heartsand blessed peace to cheer us,to keep us in his grace,and guide us when perplexed,and free us from all illsof this world in the next.

3 All praise and thanks to Godthe Father now be given,the Son and Spirit blest,who reign in highest heaventhe one eternal God,whom heaven and earth adore;for thus it was, is now,and shall be evermore.



Intercession Prayer (as prepared by the World Prayer Day) Reader : Let us join together with the provinces of Zimbabwe and worldwideto give thanks to God. Let us rise and walk in Jesus’ unconditional love.All: From our corner of the world, we rise and walk.Reader : Please continue to bless us with the gift of life and protection,good rains and fertile soil.All: We are caretakers of God’s creation.Reader : We lament for our brothers and sisters who had to migrate to other countries. We ask you to protect them.All: Help us learn to love one anotherReader: All around the world people are getting infected by the corona virus. We hardly can understand and grap it, what it all means. And we are afraid what is going to happen in the next weeks and moths on this earth. Help in this corona crises wise decisions are made, that soon medication is found, that people are getting healed, that despair and fear is not overwhelming us.All: Give us healing and trust in you and perspective.Reader: We intercede for communities and women who live in fear of violence in families and nations.All: Give us wisdom and grace to be peacemakers.Reader: We thank you for the courageous and hardworking pioneer women of World Day of Prayer Zimbabwe who taught their communities to pray, love, and forgive.All: May we carry on the legacy of courageous women in our communities.Reader: Let us pray together the Lord’s Prayer.All: Our Father, who art in heaven . . .

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BenedictionMay God, who is presentin sunrise and nightfall,and in the crossing of the sea,guide your feet as you go.May God,who is with you when you sitand when you stand,encompass you with loveand lead you by the hand.May God, who knows your pathand the places where you rest,be with you in your waitingbe your good news for sharing,and lead you in the waythat is everlasting.

In the Name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be blessed and be a blessing. Amen

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HymnBless the Lord my soul

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYLKrFOLS‐E



Bless the Lord, my soul,And bless God's holy name.Bless the Lord, my soul,Who leads me into life.

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Have a blessed Sunday & And a good week and let’s keep in touch

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Rev. Ute Email: [email protected]: +49 177 590 45 60Cell: +263 77 9365 231

martin luther church in all our homes€¦ · pictures in the presentation are from our partner...

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