March 22, 2026
Fifth Sunday in Lent
John 11:1-45 | "Unbind" 

Call to Worship
Leader:	This is not the time for platitudes,
		for simple answers and tired clichés. 
		This is the time for breaking hearts and weary spirits. 
Assembly:	Let our worship be arms
		that can hold all that grieves us. 
Leader: 	This is not the place for blame,
		for pointing fingers and second guessing.
		This is the time for angry tears and aching wails.
Assembly:	Let our worship be a witness
		to journey alongside us as we break. 
Leader:	When we are standing at the edge of the tomb
		staring into the truth of the death-dealing forces of our world,
		when there is nothing left to do but to go
		and weep,
Assembly:	Let our worship be the song
		calling us forth from the grave 
to the community that can unbind us and set us free. 

Invocation
In this hour, as we look death in the face, 
stay with us, Weeping Jesus, stay with us. 
In this hour, as we try to hold on, 
try to believe, 
try to hope,
stay with us, Tender Love, stay with us. 
In this hour, as we risk the vulnerability of love, 
the possibility of joy, 
the dream of freedom,
stay with us, Sweet Spirit, stay with us. Amen. 

Seeking Transformation and New Life
∙	Call to Transformation
The story of Lazarus rising from the dead, our gospel reading for today, feels like it has grief written under every line.  Under Lazarus’ illness and Jesus’ absence.  Under the disciples’ questions and the danger of returning to Judea. Under Martha’s believing and Mary’s weeping. Under the stone and the stench of death. And it is through this grieving that transformation becomes possible.  So, today, let us seek transformation and new life, not through confession or accountability, but through our grieving of the death-dealing forces in our world, for all that binds us to the death machine.  Let our love for what death will touch open us to vulnerability, open us to these rites of grief.   

∙	Time of Silent Reflection
○	[As a way to embody this time of reflection, you might invite people to give audible expression to their grief through groans, humming, wailing, sighing, or crying]
○	[If you wanted to foster deeper interpersonal engagement, instead of silent reflection, you could invite folks to turn to their neighbor and share briefly something they are grieving in this moment]
○	[Instead of silent reflection, you could sing a song that helps open people to their grief.  One Body or Apprentice by Alexandra Ahlay Blakely or Have you Died Before by Lindsey Nye or These Days Are Troubled or War Song by Tracy Howe would be good, simple unaccompanied songs to use.]

∙	Prayer for New Life
Leader:	For the violence that brings death
		and death-dealing that brings violence,
		we grieve, 
Assembly:	God, have mercy. 
Leader:	For the blood in the streets
		and the blood on our hands, 
		we grieve,
Assembly:	Christ, have mercy. 
Leader:	For heartbreaking loss
		and the loss of hearts soft enough to break,
		we grieve,  
Assembly:	God, have mercy.
Leader:	From all that binds us and steals our breaths, 
Assembly:	turn us around, Holy One. Amen.

∙	Words of Grace
Leader:	Let your soul receive this rest: 
		on this road, there will be comfort, 
		in this grief, there will be companions,
		when death seems to have the last word, there is still, Jesus. 
Assembly: 	Praise God, who weeps with us, 
		and calls us by name back into life,
and into the community that unbinds and frees us.
		
∙	Song of Commitment 
○	Apprentice by Alexandra Ahlay Blakely
○	These Days Are Troubled by Tracy Howe

Unbind: A Prayer Ritual of Release
Materials needed: strips of cloth, rope or yarn, 18in-2ft long

Content Warning: This ritual invites people to bind or tie their wrists or hands.  Given the histories of slavery, police violence, criminalization and incarceration, some members of the community may have strong reactions to this gesture.  Letting folks know ahead of time, giving multiple options for ways to participate, and inviting folks to opt out as needed can help, but do discern if this ritual would be a good fit for your community. 

Introduction
When Lazarus emerged from the tomb at the sound of Jesus’ voice, the story tells us that his hands and feet were still bound by strips of cloth.  He’d made his way back to life, but the clothes of death were still keeping him shackled.  

Jesus says to the community gathered around Lazarus, “unbind him, and let him go.”  
Liberation is collective. Resurrected needs a community. None of us are free until all of us are free.   

In his poem “Imagine the Angels of Bread” Martín Espada writes: 
If the abolition of slave-manacles 
began as a vision of hands without manacles, 
then this is the year [for unshackling].

How might we help each other imagine release from whatever is shackling us? How can we help unbind each other?  

During our time of prayer, you are invited to consider what aspects of death-dealing systems, structures and actions are keeping you or this community bound.  How are the clothes of death, the things that prevent flourishing and fullness of life, clinging to you and/or us?  As you consider one or two things you and we are longing for release from, wrap or tie the strip of cloth/piece of rope or yarn around your hands or wrists.  Let the yourself feel the weight and restriction of this binding, and your yearning for freedom.  

After a few moments, I’ll invite you to turn to a neighbor to help you unbind your hands or wrists.  Share a word about what is binding you that you want help releasing.  Take a moment together to imagine what it would take to unbind you or your community.  
Prayer
○	Lazarus Blessing by Jan Richardson
○	A Prophet’s Blessing by Jan Richardson

Invitation to Generosity
Resurrected life takes community.  It takes all of us together to unbind ourselves from the ways of death and move toward the ways of life.  How are you being called to awaken to, rise into an ethic of sharing rather than scarcity so that we all might have life and have it abundantly? What do our relationships and commitments to collective liberation ask of us an our resources so that we can experience freedom together?  Let us offer our gifts in ways that unbind us all.  

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication
From these offerings, Holy One, create freedom. 
From these hearts, Holy One, raise up love. 
From these hands, Holy One, bring life. 
From every one of our gifts, 
in the sharing of our resources, 
may we be unbound, 
and called forth into a new day together.  Amen. 

Benediction
May your grief be a blessing
of opening to vulnerability
of loving what death will touch

And in the weeping 
always know,
you are not alone. 

May you hear the voice of the Holy One
calling you by name
singing you into life
where there will be companions waiting
to bless you
unbind you
and set you free.  
Amen. 

Unbind: Service Prayers for the Fifth Sunday in Lent was written by Dr. Sharon R. Fennema who serves as a free-range facilitator, ritualist, activist, teacher, and writer whose work lives at the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, disability, and embodied spiritual practices. She is a founding member of the Liberating Lineages Collective.