Welcome and introduction “Jai Bhim”

Call to worship: Leader: The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

We come to offer our praise and thanks to Christ who alone gives life in all its fullness. All: We celebrate the presence of the risen Christ, active among his people.

Singing the Faith 297 Hymn Christ is alive! Let Christians sing. His cross stands empty to the sky. Let streets and homes with praises ring. Love, drowned in death, shall never die. 1/5

Christ is alive! No longer bound to distant years in Palestine, but saving, healing, here and now, and touching every place and time. 2/5

In every insult, rift and war, where colour, scorn or wealth divide, Christ suffers still, yet loves the more, and lives, where even hope has died. 3/5

Women and men, in age and youth, can feel the Spirit, hear the call, and find the way, the life, the truth, revealed in Jesus, freed for all. 4/5

Christ is alive and comes to bring Good news to this and every age, Till earth and sky and ocean ring With joy, with justice, love and praise. Brian Wren (b. 1936) © 1969, 1995, Stainer & Bell Ltd. Reproduced with permission.

Prayers of adoration and confession Generous and loving God, for the wonders of your creation which thrill and excite our senses, from the vast expanses of space to our own tiny planet, from the largest tree to the smallest plant, from the largest creature to the most minute organism, Lord of life - We adore you.

Lord of life - We adore you. Spirit of God, you have given us the inquisitive mind which seeks to increase knowledge and understanding of our world, the creative mind of the inventor and the persevering mind of the carer, seeking to improve the lives of those in need. Lord of life - We adore you.

Lord of life - We adore you. Amen. Jesus, Son of God, through your death and resurrection you have given us life in all its fullness and have opened the door to eternal life. Lord of life - We adore you. Amen.

Help us to know and do your will Lord, we confess we have not been good stewards of your creation; enjoying it for ourselves but indifferent about its future. We have treated it as our playground rather than our neighbours’ home. Lord forgive us. Help us to know and do your will

Help us to know and do your will Fearing change, we have stifled the creative inspiration of your Holy Spirit, lest you make demands on our time, lifestyle and money. Lord forgive us. Help us to know and do your will

Help us to know and do your will In our disobedience, we have been quick to criticise and condemn, yet slow to enable and encourage others to reach their potential. Lord forgive us. Help us to know and do your will

Lord of all life, reach out and touch us with your creative and healing spirit that we, in turn, may reach out and touch others. Amen. Thanks be to God.

Old Testament reading Ezekiel 37:1-10

Story one: Training the trainers Alwan Masih, General Secretary of the Church of North India (CNI), describes the work of Revd Shirley Lall, Coordinator for Women and Children’s Concerns at CNI.

Training the trainers Manisha Varsha Seemaben

Singing the Faith 619 Hymn Thanks for friends who keep on loving, finding ways to help us grow, celebrating our achievements, sharing in our pain and woe. God is glimpsed where love is faithful: mirrored here in time and space. Thanks to God for friends who love us: Christ revealed in every face. 1/4

Singing the Faith 619 Other people help to shape us when they take the time to share words of wisdom, honest actions through our journey in God’s care. In our faithful, honest learning we discover things unknown. Thanks to God for friends who teach us: seeking talent yet ungrown. 2/4

Singing the Faith 619 When we find our friendships challenged through mistakes and different views, we discover deeper living as the love of God renews. For in Christ we see forgiveness; know a strength still to embrace. Thanks to God for friends who keep us: making real the gift of grace. 3/4

Singing the Faith 619 Praise to God for this great gifting of relationship and friend: imaging divine relating; found in heaven with no end. Bless us Maker, Word and Spirit as companions on the way. Thanks to God for friends who help us to fulfil our lives each day. 4/4 © Gary Hopkins (b. 1984). Reproduced with permission

Gospel reading Luke 8:41-55

Story two: Boarding hostels for girls Revd MU Kasab, Bishop of Marathwada Diocese, CNI, Ruhame Khare and Linda Crossley

The hostel at Aurangabad

The Jalna Hostel

Music for reflection

Story three: Rescued from repression Meena Varma, Dalit Solidarity Network

READ awareness programme

Family Forum Network

Singing the Faith 693 Hymn Beauty for brokenness, hope for despair, Lord, in your suffering world this is our prayer. Bread for the children, justice, joy, peace, sunrise to sunset, your kingdom increase! 1/5

Singing the Faith 693 Shelter for fragile lives, cures for their ills, work for all people, trade for their skills; land for the dispossessed, rights for the weak, voices to plead the cause of those who can't speak. 2/5

Singing the Faith 693 Refrain: God of the poor, friend of the weak, give us compassion we pray: melt our cold hearts, let tears fall like rain; come, change our love from a spark to a flame.

Singing the Faith 693 Refuge from cruel wars, havens from fear, cities for sanctuary, freedoms to share. Peace to the killing-fields, scorched earth to green, Christ for the bitterness, his cross for the pain. 3/5

Singing the Faith 693 Rest for the ravaged earth, oceans and streams plundered and poisoned ─ our future, our dreams. Lord, end our madness, carelessness, greed; make us content with the things that we need. 4/5

Singing the Faith 693 Refrain: God of the poor, friend of the weak, give us compassion we pray: melt our cold hearts, let tears fall like rain; come, change our love from a spark to a flame.

Lighten our darkness, breathe on this flame until your justice burns Singing the Faith 693 Lighten our darkness, breathe on this flame until your justice burns brightly again: until the nations learn of your ways, seek your salvation and bring you their praise. 5/5

Singing the Faith 693 Refrain: God of the poor, friend of the weak, give us compassion we pray: melt our cold hearts, let tears fall like rain; come, change our love from a spark to a flame. Graham Kendrick (b. 1950) © 1993, Graham Kendrick/Make Way Music Ltd. Used with permission.

Prayers of intercession (Lighting a candle for each prayer) Loving parent God, we bring to you the needs of your children, especially those world church family members we have heard about today. Come, breath of life; change our love from a spark to a flame.

Jesus, you said to Jairus’ daughter, “Child, get up” Jesus, you said to Jairus’ daughter, “Child, get up”. Show us how to create a world where all children, regardless of race, religion or background, can get up, and can continue growing in wisdom and love. Come, breath of life; change our love from a spark to a flame.

change our love from a spark to a flame. Jesus, you said to the woman who bled, “Go in peace”. Show us how to create a world where people can live together in communities free from persecution, and where communities and nations resolve their issues in peaceful ways. Come, breath of life; change our love from a spark to a flame.

change our love from a spark to a flame. Jesus, when you healed Peter’s mother-in-law, she got up and served you and her other guests. Show us how to create a world where service and caring are valued, and where those who do work that is judged menial have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. Come, breath of life; change our love from a spark to a flame.

Holy Spirit, you dance in the trinity of togetherness, always creating new and exciting patterns. Inspire us to dance with you and with all our partners around the world, so that we may all experience the fullness of life that you want for us. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Lord, who art with us always. A prayer from the Dalit Resource Rentre, Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, “for use by Dalits and non-Dalits together”. . Lord, who art with us always. Let your name be praised in the liberation of the oppressed. Let the kingdom of the meek be established on earth. Let your justice be established with the removal of all unjust forces.

We thank thee for the power of pardon you have given to the poor, women and Dalit. Bless us so that the oppressors repent and seek pardon. Relieve the sufferings of the meek from those oppressive forces. Praise the lord, let his kingdom come. Amen

The offering and dedication of envelopes Please remain seated while the offering is received, singing the hymn quietly and prayerfully.

summon out what I shall be; set your seal upon my heart Singing the Faith 781 Hymn Take, oh take me as I am; summon out what I shall be; set your seal upon my heart and live in me. John Bell (b.1949) Copyright © 1995, WGRG, Iona Community, Glasgow, G2 3DH, Scotland. wgrg@iona.org.uk; www.wgrg.co.uk Reproduced by permission.

The dedication of the offering All stand. Leader: Risen Christ, who gave up your earthly life so that others might live to the full, receive this our offering today.

The dedication of the offering All: We dedicate to you our gifts and our lives for your blessing. May they bring honour to your name, hope to the broken-hearted and abundant life to those who are oppressed. Amen.

Singing the Faith 364 Closing hymn O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise, the glories of my God and king, the triumphs of his grace! 1/7

Singing the Faith 364 My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim, to spread through all the earth abroad, the honours of Thy name. 2/7

Singing the Faith 364 Jesus — the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease; ’tis music in the sinner’s ears, ’tis life, and health, and peace. 3/7

Singing the Faith 364 He breaks the power of cancelled sin, he sets the prisoner free; his blood can make the foulest clean, his blood availed for me. 4/7

Singing the Faith 364 He speaks; and, listening to his voice, new life the dead receive; the mournful, broken hearts rejoice; the humble poor believe. 5/7

See all your sins on Jesus laid: the Lamb of God was slain; Singing the Faith 364 See all your sins on Jesus laid: the Lamb of God was slain; his soul was once an offering made that all may heaven gain. 6/7

In Christ, our head, you then shall know, Singing the Faith 364 In Christ, our head, you then shall know, shall feel, your sins forgiven, anticipate your heaven below, and own that love is heaven. Charles Wesley (1707 -1788) 7/7

Leader: May the God of love enable you to flourish. The blessing Leader: May the God of love enable you to flourish. May the Lord of life raise you up to walk in his way. May the Holy Spirit equip you to stand up for justice and peace.

All: We go, in the power of the Spirit, to live and work to God’s praise and glory.

Leader: We close by remembering the ongoing struggles of the Dalit people for justice as we say together again – Jai Bhim All: Jai Bhim

on behalf of the World Mission Fund. Your local Easter Offering service is prepared by Methodist Women in Britain on behalf of the World Mission Fund. Thank you for your generosity to the World Mission Fund which enables the Methodist Church in Britain and Ireland to give to the work of our 65 Partner Churches overseas.