2. The tree of life (logo of the World Federation of Methodist & Uniting Church Women) A symbol of unity for women around the world

3. Nutmeg tree What provides flavour and zest to our lives?

4. Fig tree What fruit are we bearing in our lives?

5. Breadfruit tree Do we use all the resources God has given us?

6. Winter tree Can we see beauty in barrenness?

7. Budapest memorial tree How do we remember and commemorate suffering?

8. Tree of health How can we engage in healing in our communities?

9. Transformation The cross is transformed from a tree of death into a tree of life

11. Singing the Faith 651 Prayer of approach/Introit Lord of life, we come to you. Lord of all, our Saviour be. Come to bless and to heal with the light of your love. Catherine Walker (b 1958)

12. Call to worship

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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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. 5/5 Brian Wren (b. 1936)

18. Introduction to

19. Prayers of adoration and confession Creator God, you designed a world of beauty and wholeness: for colours, textures and scents which delight our senses, we adore you for the understanding of science and nature which heals our bodies, we adore you for music, art and conversation which soothe our spirits, we adore you.

20. Jesus, Redeemer of the world, you demonstrated a life of abundance and sacrifice: for your humility in coming amongst us to share our frailty, we worship you for your self-emptying upon the cross that we might be healed, we worship you for your Resurrection from the dead, announcing that death is not the end, we worship you.

21. Holy Spirit, your winds of reconciliation and healing blow throughout the world: for your work in our lives, giving us courage and energy, we praise you for your gentle touch upon us, restoring hope, we praise you for your power within us, enabling us to forgive and be reconciled, we praise you.

22. Lord of all, we have not always appreciated and shared your creation, Lord have mercy we have not always lived out your message of death and resurrection, Lord have mercy we have not always been open to the change your Spirit brings, Lord have mercy.

23. (A moment of silence) Leader: Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, you hear our prayers and forgive our sins. Fill our worship and work through our lives that we may be your agents of healing and reconciliation in the world. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

24. Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 47:6-12

25. The Church as a healing community in Kenya. Maua Methodist Hospital, Meru, Kenya

26. Photo: Stephen Gitonga Rural living in Kenya

27. Kanja’s home Photo: Stephen Gitonga

28. Kanja and her family Photo: Stephen Gitonga

29. O God of hope, your prophets spoke of days when war would cease: when, taught to see each person's worth, and faithful stewards of the earth, we all would live in peace (we all would live in peace). Singing the Faith 708 Hymn 1/5

30. We pray that our divided world may hear their words anew: then lift for good the curse of war, let bread, with justice, bless the poor, and turn in hope to you (and turn in hope to you). 2/5

31. Earth’s fragile web of life demands our reverence and our care, lest in our folly, sloth and greed, deaf both to you and others’ need, we lay our planet bare, (we lay our planet bare). 3/5

32. Earth’s rich resources give us power to build or to destroy: your Spirit urges us to turn from selfish, fear-bound ways, and learn God’s selfless trust and joy, (God’s selfless trust and joy). 4/5

33. The Prince of Peace is calling us to shun the way of strife: he brings us healing through his pain; our shattered hope is born again through his victorious life, (through his victorious life). 5/5 Basil Bridge (b. 1927) (alt.)

34. Gospel Reading: Luke 9:1-6

35. The Church as a reconciling community in Croatia Photo: Touch of Hope Ovchara: place of execution of 200 Croatian men

36. Ecumenical women’s reconciliation workshop Photo: Touch of Hope

37. Training facilitators for reconciliation workshops

38. “Draw a healthy person” Reconciliation workshop led by “Touch of Hope” Photo: Touch of Hope

39. For the healing of the nations, Lord, we pray with one accord; for a just and equal sharing of the things that earth affords. To a life of love in action help us rise and pledge our word. Singing the Faith 696 Hymn 1/4

40. Lead us forward into freedom; from despair your world release, that, redeemed from war and hatred, all may come and go in peace. Show us how through care and goodness fear will die and hope increase. 2/4

41. All that kills abundant living, let it from the earth be banned; pride of status, race, or schooling, dogmas that obscure your plan. In our common quest for justice may we hallow life’s brief span. 3/4

42. You, Creator-God, have written your great name on humankind; for our growing in your likeness bring the life of Christ to mind; that by our response and service earth its destiny may find. 4/4 Fred Kaan (1929-2009)

43. New Testament Reading: Revelation 22:1-5

44. The Church bringing vision in Sri Lanka Photos: TMCP The sign at Navajeevanam Tamara Wray, Methodist Youth President 2013-14 (Eating string hoppers in Sri Lanka!)

45. The ruined dormitory What was the dining room

46. Rev. Nishanta Guneratne in October 2014. Behind him the rice crop due to be harvested in March/April 2015

47. New growth at Navajeevanam

48. There is a new heaven; there is a new earth; there is a new city that God brings to birth. It lives in the mind of our Saviour this day where tears, pain, and sadness are all wiped away. Singing the Faith 738 Hymn 1/6

49. Come, people of God, your courage renew, for God reigns already, creates life anew. Be faithful and bold to welcome God’s day, that tears, pain, and sadness may vanish away. 2/6

50. The homeless and hungry will sing a new song, For leisure and labour to all shall belong; Distinctions, divisions which hurt and destroy Will all disappear, leaving love, hope and joy. 3/6

51. Come, people of God, your courage renew, for God reigns already, creates life anew. Be faithful and bold to welcome God’s day, that tears, pain, and sadness may vanish away. 4/6

52. The river lifegiving shall stream from God’s throne, with healing, forgiving: war shall not be known. The nations shall gather to live in God’s light, United forever in joy and delight. 5/6

53. Come, people of God, your courage renew, for God reigns already, creates life anew. Be faithful and bold to welcome God’s day, that tears, pain, and sadness may vanish away. 6/6 © Ruth Duck, GIA Publications Inc. Reprinted with permission of Calamus, Oak House, 70 High Street, Brandon, Suffolk IP27 0AU)

54. Prayers for others You are invited to write your prayers for the healing of the nations on the paper leaves and hang them on the Tree of Life.

55. Prayers for others Leader: Lord of all the earth, you know the needs of the world and the desires of our hearts. Some of us are praying for others - for healing, for reconciliation, for forgiveness, for a chance to start again… Some of us are praying for ourselves - for healing, for reconciliation, for forgiveness, for a chance to start again…

56. Prayers for others Leader: You hear our prayers, you know our needs; you know your church around the world, you know the mission partners, the leaders, the volunteers, the communities for whom we pray today. As these leaves are stirred by the breeze, so our lives feel the touch of your breath and our world feels the power of your Spirit.

57. Prayers for others Leader: Receive our prayers, and receive us, with all our limitations, for we look to you, knowing that you can do far more than we could ask or imagine. All: In our lives and by our prayers, your Kingdom come. Amen.

58. The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.

59. The Lord’s Prayer Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

60. Jesus Christ is waiting, waiting in the streets; no one is his neighbour, all alone he eats. Listen, Lord Jesus, I am lonely too: make me, friend or stranger, fit to wait on you. Singing the Faith 251 Hymn 1/5

61. Jesus Christ is raging, raging in the streets, where injustice spirals and real hope retreats. Listen, Lord Jesus, I am angry too: in the Kingdom's causes let me rage with you. 2/5

62. Jesus Christ is healing, healing in the streets, curing those who suffer, touching those he greets. Listen, Lord Jesus, I have pity too: let my care be active, healing, just like you. 3/5

63. Jesus Christ is dancing, dancing in the streets, where each sign of hatred he, with love, defeats. Listen, Lord Jesus, I should triumph too: where good conquers evil let me dance with you. 4/5

64. Jesus Christ is calling, calling in the streets, ‘Who will join my journey? I will guide their feet.’ Listen, Lord Jesus, let my fears be few: walk one step before me; I will follow you. 5/5 John Bell (b. 1949) and Graham Maule (b. 1958)

65. The offering and dedication of envelopes

66. Please stand as you are able: Leader: In Christ Jesus, God demonstrates a longing for healing and reconciliation. As we stand to offer these gifts of money, we pray that they may be used to bring in God’s Kingdom of justice, peace and wholeness.

67. All: Take what we have brought - and what we have left at home. Take what we can do - and what seems to be beyond us. Take our dreams of a better world and let them become your vision of peace. All you have entrusted to us, we now dedicate to you. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

68. The right hand of God is writing in our land, writing with power and with love; our conflicts and our fears, our triumphs and our tears are recorded by the right hand of God. Singing the Faith 715 Closing hymn 1/6

69. The right hand of God is pointing in our land, pointing the way we must go; so clouded is the way, so easily we stray, but we’re guided by the right hand of God. 2/6

70. The right hand of God is striking in our land, striking out at envy, hate and greed; our selfishness and lust, our pride and deeds unjust, are destroyed by the right hand of God. 3/6

71. The right hand of God is lifting in our land, lifting the fallen one by one; each one is known by name, and lifted now from shame, by the lifting of the right hand of God. 4/6

72. The right hand of God is healing in our land, healing broken bodies, minds and souls; so wondrous is its touch, with love that means so much, when we’re healed by the right hand of God. 5/6

73. The right hand of God is planting in our land, planting seeds of freedom, hope and love; in these many-peopled lands, let his children all join hands, and be one with the right hand of God. 6/6 Patrick Eugene Prescod (alt.)

74. Leader: Go in grace and share God’s healing peace. The Peace of the Lord be always with you. All: and also with you. (Share signs of peace with those around as you leave) Blessing

75. 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 the 65 Partner Churches overseas.