How do we mark the anniversary of a traumatic event in our church communities? We often think of milestones and anniversaries as celebrations of good things, but it is equally important to acknowledge the difficult times and, following the example of the psalms, leave room for both lament and the hope we place in the goodness of God. This opening portion of worship was planned to mark the one-year anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 lockdown but has been modified for broader use. In the weeks leading up to this service, the congregation was asked to share where they had seen God’s goodness. Those testimonies were woven into the litany found below. You can present your community with the same invitation and arrange their responses in the sections designated for Reader 2. Alternatively, you may write some testimonies on behalf of your community and adapt the introduction accordingly. The response of Ruth Ann Schuringa’s congregation was so enthusiastic that she repeated the litany a number of times to be able to include all the testimonies. —RWService IntroductionAbout [number] year/s ago, [name the event] happened in our community. We continue to feel the impact of this event in so many ways. [Name the laments, the pain, the difficult circumstances that resulted.] Yet we are not a people without hope, and so we declare amid the pain that our God is a good God. As we begin our worship today, we will spend time reflecting on [past event] using . . . [Use whatever will best help your worshiping community spend time in reflection. Our congregation watched a video of the song “Amazing Grace,” but you could have someone sing an appropriate song. If the event you are marking has photos associated with it, consider playing a slide show during this time. You could also reflect in silence.]Come, let us worship our good God. Time of Reflection Introduction to “This Is My Father’s World”Who knew that when we worshiped together on [date of the last Sunday before the event] that it would be the last day of the life that we knew? We didn’t know what we were all about to lose. [Name the losses.]How do we celebrate the goodness and faithfulness of God in such a time as this? Is that even possible?Habakkuk 3:17–18 says: Though the fig tree does not bud     and there are no grapes on the vines,though the olive crop fails     and the fields produce no food,though there are no sheep in the pen     and no cattle in the stalls,yet I will rejoice in the Lord,     I will be joyful in God my Savior.As we lament, can we still praise God for God’s goodness? Scripture teaches us the answer is yes. This is not a naive praise. This is in spite of [the event]. The prophet Habakkuk recites his complaint and then says, “Yet I will rejoice.” We believe in the sovereignty of God even when we can’t see it, even when we don’t understand it. Our faith stands on the solid foundation of God’s goodness and faithfulness despite the circumstances and the doubt. We believe our world belongs to God—even as we question, even as we grieve. Trusting God isn’t always easy, and it doesn’t mean that we never struggle with doubt. Sometimes trust and doubt coexist, and we cry, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” It’s like singing the words of faith to a minor tune. Let’s express our faith against the backdrop of our doubt by singing “This Is My Father’s World.” You are invited to listen while [name of soloist] sings the first stanza on our behalf and then join on the remaining verses.  Song of Faith “This Is My Father’s World” Babcock, LUYH 21, GtG 370, SSS 17[Sing the first two stanzas in a minor key before transitioning to major for the third stanza. For the score in minor, see the attachment to “Is This My Father’s World?” at ReformedWorship.org.] Goodness of God LitanyIndeed, this is our Father’s world. This congregation has testified to that with the words of gratitude you sent in that will now be read by [name of Reader 2]. The words [name of Reader 1] will be reading are the words of Desmond Tutu. Reader 1: “Goodness is stronger than evil.” Reader 2: [Read some congregational words of gratitude.]Reader 1: “Love is stronger than hate.” Reader 2: [Read some congregational words of gratitude.]Reader 1: “Light is stronger than darkness.”Reader 2: [Read some congregational words of gratitude.]Reader 1: “Life is stronger than death.”Reader 2: [Read remaining congregational words of gratitude.]—Desmond Tutu, “Victory Is Ours,” An African Prayer Book, © 1995 by Desmond Tutu, p. 80. Permission pending. Song of Response Options “Goodness Is Stronger than Evil” Tutu, LUYH 707, GtG 750“When Peace like a River” (refrain only) Spafford, LUYH 451, GtG 840, SSS 305 

Six Ideas  If you have teachers in your congregation who teach different ages, invite them to lead the prayer corresponding to their class level or to pray their own prayer. Alternatively, have a parent of a student pray for that age group. Give students stickers with words or phrases appropriate for each age group (e.g., “Wonder” for elementary students, “I Belong to God” for middle schoolers, “Breathe” for high schoolers, “Hope” for college students, and “Balance” for adult learners.  A few weeks ahead of time, start putting notes in the bulletin or on social media inviting all students to bring their backpack or some other school supply (textbook, notebook, laptop, picture book, crayons) to a “Blessing of the Backpacks” service. At the service, have students hold their items as they are prayed over. Alternatively, place the items somewhere visible to the congregation and then place a Bible on top of them to symbolize the Word of God as the most important, all-encompassing text for our lives. (You may also choose to put the Bible down first to symbolize God’s Word being the foundation of all learning.)  Have each student write their name, grade or course of study, and school on a paper, and pin the list to a bulletin board or other display. Invite congregational members to pick the name of a student for whom they promise to pray, and encourage them to check in with that student throughout the year (though you should get caregivers’ permission before giving out contact information). Consider including students who have a connection to the church but may not be regular worship attenders.   Give students pencils with a Bible verse or something else that sets the pencil apart as a gift from the church. Ask them to put it in their backpacks and pray this blessing:May your minds, like your pencils, be ever sharp, may your mistakes be forgiven and erased, may your conduct, like this pencil, be straight, and may the words you write and the pictures you draw bring God glory.—Bethany Besteman, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike   6. Don’t forget to pray for the educators in your congregation, including parents who homeschool.