24 February 2026 – Chapel – Drew Theo Chapel

Gathering Music

Ayúdanos, oh Dios
Words and Music: Mark Miller, OneLicense #A-729109

Ayúdanos, oh Dios,
Concédenos tu paz.
Ayúdanos, oh Dios,
Concédenos tu paz.

Oh, help us, save us,
Grant us peace, O God!
Ayúdanos, help us,
grant us peace, O God!
Ayúdanos, oh Dios,
Concédenos tu paz.

Call to Worship

Benin Shekawongo

Based on Psalm 130

Leader: Out of the depths I cry to you, O God.
All: God, hear my voice!
Leader: Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
All: I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in your word I hope;
Leader: O people, hope in God! For with God there is steadfast love.
All: Thanks be to God.

Opening Song

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior (UMH 351)
Words: Fanny J. Crosby, Music: William H. Doane

Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
hear my humble cry;
while on others thou art calling,
do not pass me by.
Refrain:
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry;
while on others thou art calling,
do not pass me by.
Let me at thy throne of mercy
find a sweet relief,
kneeling there in deep contrition;
help my unbelief.
(Refrain)
Trusting only in thy merit,
would I seek thy face;
heal my wounded, broken spirit,
save me by thy grace.
(Refrain)
Thou the spring of all my comfort,
more than life to me,
whom have I on earth beside thee?
Whom in heaven but thee?
(Refrain)

Opening Prayer

Jess Barrett

Adapted from enfleshed

Leader: Compassionate Spirit, our hearts break for all that we are losing and all we have lost. We are disoriented by our grief for the world. The love and longing for justice we carry feels like they have nowhere to land. We refuse to harden our hearts by swallowing our cries. God With Us, guide us. Move with us through the flow of grief. Ground us in the shared experience of sorrow. Console us with hope for connection and joy even amidst pain.
All: Amen.

Scripture Reading – John 11:28-38

Crystal James

28 When Martha had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when Mary heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come to the village but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 The Jews who were with her in the house consoling her saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus began to weep. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.

Sermon

“The Power of Tears”

Yaheli Vargas-Ramos

Musical Response

Lament: My Heart Is Breaking
Words: Adam Tice, Music: Mark Miller, OneLicense #A-729109

My heart is breaking, my fury shaking,
my soul is tired, my breath is gone.
I ask, “How long, Lord, this evil season?”
Unending pain and tears.

My heart is breaking, my fury shaking,
my soul is tired, my breath is gone.
I cry, “How long, Lord, this evil season?”
Unending pain and tears.

Use our anger to melt the swords of hate.
Use our tears to water thirsty ground.
Give us courage to love all you create.
Come to us and turn the world around,
come to us and turn your world around.

Our hearts are breaking, our fury shaking,
our souls are tired, our breath is gone.
We cry, “How long, Lord, this evil season?”
Unending pain and tears.

Use our anger to melt the swords of hate.
Use our tears to water thirsty ground.
Give us courage to love all you create.
Come to us and turn the world around,
come to us and turn your world around.

Blessing

Yaheli Vargas-Ramos

Sending Song

In Our Sorrow (v.2 & v.3)
Words: Laurie Zelman, Music: Mark A. Miller, OneLicense #A-729109

May we offer our lives as the ground.
May we offer our lives as the ground.
Now our fears we forsake,
Let the seeds stir and wake.
May they grow in the peace
that we’ve found.
May they grow in the peace
that we’ve found.

It’s a mystery – who knows
How the harvest grows?
With our hands and our tears in the soil,
From the ground feel it rise,
Filled with joy and surprise.
‘Til the laughter like water flows!
‘Til the laughter like water flows!

So give thanks and rejoice at the sound!
So give thanks and rejoice at the sound!
For the song rises still,
And our arms God will fill.
Oh the harvest of love will astound
Yes the harvest of love will astound!