Rosedale Presbyterian Church

Transcription

1 Rosedale Presbyterian Church A Member of the St. James Town Ecumenical Coalition Fourth Sunday of Easter April 22, :30 am 1

2 PRELUDE GATHERING Maestoso Pater noster, qui es in caelis - Denis Bedard Prelude on Psalm 91 - Denis Bedard WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS HYMN #482 Christ is made the sure foundation (The Book of Praise, navy blue colour) CALL TO WORSHIP (standing) Your steadfast love, O Lord, is better than life. Therefore our lips will praise you. We will bless you as long as we live. We will lift up our hands and call on your name. For you have been our help and in your presence we sing for joy. PRAYER OF APPROACH (standing and in unison) Eternal God, be with us as we worship in the light of the risen Christ, remembering his mission and ministry: his strength while rejected, his willingness to confront the power structures, his insistence on following the truth rather than the easy way. And so, may we be encouraged by your message of hope, Strengthened by your sustaining presence, when we do not know where to turn. As we are upheld by your presence in worship, call us to sustain others in our mission and service, in this community and beyond. Amen. CALL TO CONFESSION (seated and sung) Let us now with a sincere heart and humble voice, seek the forgiveness of God. Lord, have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us O God, make clean our hearts within us And let thy Holy Spirit dwell in us. PRAYER OF CONFESSION A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR QUIET PRAYER 2

3 ASSURANCE OF PARDON THE LORD S PRAYER THE WORD OF GOD PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (seated and in unison) God of the Risen Christ, we celebrate your presence with us. Open our hearts and minds to your Word so that we may come to know you more fully and live the mystery of resurrection each day. Amen. EPISTLE Romans 14 & 15 (selected verses) Reader: The Word of the Lord All: Thanks be to God RESPONSIVE PSALM 91:1-16 (burgundy book, Refrain 1) HYMN #471 We are one in the Spirit TIME WITH THE CHILDREN (Children are invited to the chancel steps) ANTHEM I am the Vine - John Bell I am the Vine and you the branches, pruned and prepared for all to see; Chosen to bear the fruit of heaven if you remain and trust in me. Stay close and root my words within you: what you request you soon shall have Until you carry fruit in plenty, nourished and fertile through my love. So let my joy complete and cheer you in whom my hope and kingdom lies; Loving each other as I loved you, Savour that love which never dies. I am the Vine and you the branches, pruned and prepared for all to see; Chosen to bear the fruit of heaven if you remain and trust in me. GOSPEL John 15:1-11 Reader: The Word of the Lord All: Thanks be to God HYMN #481 Blest be the tie that binds SERMON Please Don t Shoot Your Wounded! 3

4 THE RESPONSE TO GOD THE OFFERING ANTHEM This Joyful Eastertide - Dutch arr. W. Harris This joyful Eastertide, away with sin and sorrow! My Love, the Crucified, hath sprung to life this morrow: Had Christ, that once was slain, ne er burst His three-day prison, our faith had been in vain; but now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen, arisen! My flesh in hope shall rest and for a season slumber till trump from east to west shall wake the dead in number: Death s flood hath lost its chill since Jesus cross d the river; Lover of souls, from ill my passing soul deliver: PRESENTATION OF THE OFFERING (standing Book of Praise #830) Praise God from whom all blessings flow Praise him, all creatures here below Praise him above, ye heavenly host Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. PRAYER OF DEDICATION (standing and in unison) Generous God, all good things come from you, so with gratitude we return to you what is yours. May these, our gifts, serve to proclaim your love, here and in all the world, through Christ our Lord. Amen. PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION 4

5 HYMN #472 THE DISMISSAL We are God s people THE COMMISSIONING & BENEDICTION CHORAL AMEN POSTLUDE Gibbons 5-part Allegro Sanctificetur nomen tuum (Suite Pater Noster ) - Denis Bedard We invite you to remain in the sanctuary following the Benediction to listen to the Postlude. If you wish to leave, we invite you to do so quietly. Refreshments will be served in the Great Hall. Reader Dorothy Brough Greeter Bunny Lumsden Last Week s Offering $2,330 Operating $1,883 Presbyterians Sharing $ 370 Other $ 77 Last Sunday s attendance 42 ANNOUNCEMENTS The Globe and Faith considering current events in the light of our Christian faith will meet on Wednesday, April 25th at 10:30 am. The Bridge and Scrabble Group will meet on Thursday, May 3rd. This is a casual, friendly group which welcomes newcomers. Tea and coffee will be served at 12:30 pm. Play begins at 1:00 pm and ends at 3:15 pm. Please feel welcome to participate in this group when you re available, even if you re unable to attend regularly. Joint Service of Worship on May 6th as we welcome the Members of the Mount Zion Worship Centre and their Pastor Yonatan Hiruy. The Mount Zion Worship Centre meets in our church building every Sunday afternoon. This congregation is made up mostly of Ethiopian Christians from various denominational backgrounds, many of whom are newcomers to Canada. At Coffee Hour they will be serving Ethiopian food! 5

6 k Upcoming Events k The Globe and Faith Wed, April 25, 10:30 am Bridge and Scrabble Thurs, May 3, 12:30 pm Joint Service with Eritrean Congregation Sun, May 6, 10:30 am Board of Managers Tues, May 8 Knox College Convocation Wed, May 9, 7:30 pm Messy Church Sat, May 12, 3:30 pm 6

7 TODAY S MUSIC Among Jesus seven I AM statements in John s gospel (quick quiz, how many can you name? hint: two more are mentioned in this paragraph) I am the Vine, you are the branches (Jn 15:5) is alone in referencing not just himself, but also us. It could be argued that another traditional 4th Sunday of Easter reading, I am the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11) and I am the Gate for the sheep (Jn 10:9) likewise imply our relationship but in a more diffuse way, as we are called ourselves to be shepherds in our own right as well as the sheep of the Good Shepherd. No, I am the Vine, you are the branches is perhaps the clearest expression of God s parenthood to us, God s ongoing support and nurture (for how could the branches survive without the vine?) and our creation with the purpose of bearing fruit for God s world. This unique passage inspired John Bell of Glasgow s Iona Community to create the simple and succinct song the choir shares first today its language and simple musical setting highlight not just who Jesus says he is. as do all six other I AM statements, but it clearly also captures our life in relationship, in trust, and in nurture. Accompanying this is a delightful setting by William Harris of the Dutch Easter Carol, This Joyful Eastertide, which appears in a substantially altered hymn form at #259 in the Book of Praise. Harris setting of this attractive song is a deeply thoughtful one, spanning Easter s joy, our mortality and sure rest in salvation. I am grateful to the choir and my friend and colleague Thomas Fitches for giving me another Sunday away from RPC. I gather many of you also took a Sunday away in last week s storm (I braved it to play at Fairlawn Avenue United Church in its annual Special Music Sunday ), and I look forward to joining you once again on April 29th. CD 7

8 Rosedale Presbyterian Church 129 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, Ontario M4W 2S3 Phone: (416) Fax: Website: rosedalepresbyterianchurch.ca Office Administrator Hours Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 am 2:30 pm Friday, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Minister Assistant Minister Music Director Christian Education Co-ordinator Church Administrator Church Officer THE REV. WES DENYER wesdenyer@rogers.com (416) (cell) THE REV. SEATON BRACHMAYER theseaton@gmail.com (647) (cell) CHRISTOPHER DAWES cd.orgalt@gmail.com JENNIFER BELL education@rpcc.ca IJEOMA ROSS office@rpcc.ca JOMAR BARCENA co@rpcc.ca Our Mission We witness to Christ in our spiritual vitality and in our social involvement by nurturing all in the Christian life, communicating the gospel to our community, and inspiring faithful devotion & service Our Vision We seek to be a vital, growing community of faith, with a glad and generous heart, that shares the blessings of the Christian life. 8