Back to Worship Resources
Spiritual Care Liturgies
Benediction
for a House Lost in a Disaster
Lamentations 3:17-24; 2 Corinthians:4:16a, 5:1
L. The peace of the Lord be with you
C. And also with you
L. We have come to the place that was our home
C. To remember what was, to say good-bye and to look with
hope to the future
Lamentations 3:17-24
L. We look to turn from homelessness to hope:
C. The steadfast love of God never ends.
L. Though we have lost our home:
C. God has not lost us.
Silent or share reflections.
C. O God, help us to hold on to your love in the midst of all that
we have lost. Strengthen our faith in you and give us hope. We ask
this in the name of Jesus the Christ, who although He is your son,
knew what it was like to have no home. Amen.
Responsive Reading: Psalm 61:1-4
L. Hear my cry, O God.
C. Listen to my prayer.
L. From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint.
C. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I;
L. For you are my refuge.
C. A strong tower against the enemy.
L. Let me abide in your tent forever,
C. Find refuge under the shelter of your wings.
C. Gentle God, keep us safely under your wings. We thank you for
all that has been done so far and ask for patience when we need still
more. Give us safe and warm shelter from storm and weather through
the coming months. Gather our scattered community and give us refuge
in Jesus Christ. Amen.
2 Corinthians 4:16a, 5:1
L. Just as a family is more than building, but is made up of the
love shared by those inside;
C. So our relationship with God draws us together in love that lasts
forever.
L. Even though our house is destroyed:
C. We are reminded that our true homes is with God.
Silent or share reflections
C. Eternal God, through the death of your Son, you have bound us
with a love that nothing can destroy. Help us to live out that love
with those around us and guard us from taking out stress, anger,
or bitterness on those around us. Extend to us the peace of our Lord.
Amen.
Responsive Reading: Isaiah 49:13-18a
L. Sing for joy, O heavens and exult, O earth;
C. Break forth, O mountains, into singing!
L. For the Lord has comforted his people,
C. And will have compassion on his suffering ones.
L. But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me,
C. My Lord has forgotten me."
L. Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for
the child of her womb?
C. Even these may, yet I will not forget you.
L. See I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
C. Your walls are continually before me.
L. Your builders outdo your destroyers,
C. And those who laid you waste go away from you.
Silent or shared reflections
C. Creator God, the power of your Word spoke and the world
was created out of chaos. With you gentle hands, you worked in
the clay and formed us in your image. We are tired of the chaos
of disaster and mess of construction; we long to have things finished
and to have peace and order around us. Help us to see your creation
in the work of rebuilding and give thanks even as we grieve what
we have lost.
A candle is lit.
L. The light of Christ shines in the darkness;
C. The light no darkness can overcome.
The candle may be passed around the circle as the following words are spoken.
L. We light this candle as sign that the warmth of love and faith
that once lived in this house, still live on in us.
C. Blessed be the light of Christ.
L. We give thanks to God, who brought us light and life in this
place.
C. Thanks be to God.
L. We give thanks to God, whose love filled this house with warmth
and grace.
C. Thanks be to God.
L. We give thanks to God for the memories, both good and bad, for
all that has been, for all that we have lost, and for all that will
be.
C. Thanks be to God.
C. Gracious God, we commend to you what we have lost; asking for your grace and forgiveness for what was done and undone, and trusting to your grace what is new. Amen.
L. Let us carry this new light with us; reminding us that God's
love, grace, light and life go with us wherever we go.
C. Let us go in peace.
Permission is granted to reproduce the service for one-time use, provided this permission line is included: Copyright: Christine Iverson, 1977.