The Service

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Scripture Readings 

First Lesson: Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, 14

For everything there is a season,
     and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
     a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
     a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
     a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
     a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
     a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
     a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
     a time for war, and a time for peace.
I know that whatever God does endures forever;
     nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it;
     God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him.
 

Psalm 23 (King James Version)

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
 

Second Lesson: II Corinthians 4:16 – 5:9

We do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling– if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord– for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
 

Gospel: John 11: 21 – 27

Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world."
 

Scriptures are taken from the New Revised Standard Version

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