Welcome to Westminster United Church

Transcription

1 Welcome to Westminster United Church th Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 1G7 T: / F: E: reception@westminsteruc.com W: westminsteruc.com Easter 4 April 17, 2016 We acknowledge with respect the history, spirituality and culture of the peoples of the Blackfoot Confederacy in whose traditional territory we worship. We honour also the heritage and gifts of Metis and Cree peoples. May we, as Treaty people, be wise stewards of these lands. Akwe Nia'Tetewá:neren [aw gway-- nyah day day waw-- nay renh] which means All my relations. Prelude LIFE AND WORK: SHARING THE PEACE: We are a faith community building relationships with God, all people, and our world. (When you see this symbol, please rise in body or spirit, as you are able) One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. PROCESSION OF CHRIST CANDLE: Your Love Is Amazing Refrain Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing. 1 Your love is amazing, steady and unchanging, your love is a mountain, firm beneath my feet. Your love is a myst ry, how you gently lift me. When I am surrounded your love carries me. Refrain Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Your love makes me sing. CALL TO WORSHIP: MV26 One: Rise up! All: We come to worship you, O God! We are ready to be filled with your presence. One: Rise up! All: All honour and glory and blessing are yours, O God, forever and ever! One: Rise up! All: We lift our hands and praise your name! You are the good shepherd who cares for the flock. We hear your voice and we follow you. One: Rise up!

2 All: We answer your call to be present in your communities; to go beyond these walls, praising your name, sharing mercy, and witnessing to the transforming power of your love. Rise up! HYMN: Be Thou My Vision VU Be thou my vision, O joy of my heart; naught be all else to me save that thou art, thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping thy presence my light. 2 Be thou my wisdom, my calm in all strife; I ever with thee, and thou in my life; thou loving parent, thy child may I be, thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee. 3 Be thou my battle shield, sword for the fight be thou my dignity, thou my delight, thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tower; raise thou me heavenward, O power of my power. 4 Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise, thou mine inheritance, now and always; thou and thou only, the first in my heart, great God of heaven, my treasure thou art. 5 Great God of heaven, after victory won, may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O ruler of all. OPENING PRAYER 1 : One: God of the Calling Voice, how seldom we sit in silence, waiting, listening for your voice to speak. ALL: The Good News that will change our lives One: When we stand on that in between place of water and shore, of coming and going, of giving and holding back, we need to listen in silence for the sound of your voice and ALL: The Good news that will change our lives. One: When we yearn for a closer walk with you, for healing and renewal in your hurting world,, let us listen in silence for your voice telling us ALL: The Good News that will change our lives. Amen CHILDREN S TIME: HYMN: I Have Called You by Your Name MV I have called you by your name, you are mine; I have gifted you and ask you now to shine. I will not abandon you; all my promises are true. You are gifted, called, and chosen; you are mine. 2 I will help you learn my name as you go; read it written in my people, help them grow. 1 Written by Fern Gibbard, Gathering, L/E 2016 Pg.41. Used with permission

3 Pour the water in my name, speak the word your soul can claim, offer Jesus body given long ago. 3 I know you will need my touch as you go; feel it pulsing in creation s ebb and flow. Like the woman reaching out, choosing faith in spite of doubt, hold the hem of Jesus robe, then let it go. 4 I have given you a name, it is mine; I have given you my Spirit as a sign. With my wonder in your soul, make my wounded children whole; go and tell my precious people they are mine. PRAYER OF CONFESSION 2 : One: The Love that made us yearns for each one of to be restored and whole. Freedom for guilt and shame is the promise of the walk of faith. ALL: Rock of ages, you know how flinty we can be. Lover of the universe, you know how cold we can be. One: Soften us with gentle waves of grace. Warm us with the wondrous music of forgiveness ALL: That we may find our way to forgiving others and join the deep current of redeeming love. ~Amen. WORDS OF AFFIRMATION: Good News! We are forgiven people: restored, reconciled and made new. RESPONSE: Alleluia Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (2X) PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION: MV54 Holy God, You design an infinitely complex creation; you nudge us into attentiveness; and you astonish us with the resurrection of Jesus. May the words we hear now humble our conceit; shake our complacency and open us to wonder. Amen BIBLICAL NOTES SCRIPTURE: Acts 9: In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, Please come at once! 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead 2 Written by Robin Wardlaw, Gathering L/E 2017 pg 40/41. Used with permission

4 woman, he said, Tabitha, get up. She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon. ANTHEM: Be Still My Soul SCRIPTURE: John 10: Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered, I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father s hand. 30 I and the Father are one. CHORAL RESPONSE TO SCRIPTURE: A New Creed VU 918 We are not alone, we live in God s world. We believe in God: who has created and is creating, who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit. We trust in God. We are called to be the Church: to celebrate God s presence, to live with respect in Creation, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope. In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God. MEDITATION: God is Calling Will you Answer? HYMN: Will You Come and Follow Me VU Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?

5 Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known, will you let my life be grown in you and you in me? 2 Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name? Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same? Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare? Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me? 3 Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name? Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same? Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen, and admit to what I mean in you and you in me? 4 Will you love the 'you' you hide if I but call your name? Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same? Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around, through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me? 5 Christ, your summons echoes true when you but call my name. Let me turn and follow you and never be the same. In your company I'll go where your love and footsteps show. Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me. MINUTES FOR MISSION: Kathryn Hofley, regional Financial Development Officer for The United Church of Canada OFFERING/ DOXOLOGY Grant Us, God, The Grace VU 540 Grant us, God, the grace of giving, with a spirit large and free, that ourselves and all our living we may offer faithfully.

6 DEDICATION: 3 God, you are like a shepherd to us and you lead us in green pastures. When our cup overflows, inspire our generosity so that we may give joyfully and generously for the work of the church, both here and far away. In your name we ask it. Amen INVITATION TO PRAYER: O God, We Call VU 411 O God we call, O God we call, from deep inside we yearn, from deep inside we yearn, from deep inside we yearn for you. PRAYERS OF GOD S PEOPLE: One: God of Love All: Hear our Prayer Lord s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever: Amen. HYMN: Spirit God, Be Our Breath MV Spirit God: be our breath, be our song. Blow through us, bringing strength to move on. Our world seems inward, defensive, withdrawn Spirit God, be our song. 2 Patient God: soothe our pride, calm our fear. Comfort us. When we know you are near we brow more certain, our vision is clear. Patient God, calm our fear. 3 Loving God: be our voice, be our prayer. Reaching out, joining hands as we share, we seek your guidance through friendship and care. Loving God, be our prayer. 4 Spirit God: be our breath, be our song. Blow through us, bringing strength to move on. Through change, through challenge, we ll greet the new dawn Spirit God, be our song. COMMISSIONING/BENEDICTION: CHORAL AMEN: Amen, Amen, It Shall Be So MV 112 Amen, amen, it shall be so! Amen, alleluia! SENDING FORTH: Draw the Circle Wide MV 145 Refrain: Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still. Let this be our song, no one stands alone, 3 Written by Kate Crawford, Gathering L/E 2016 pg.43. Used with permission.

7 standing side by side, draw the circle wide. 2 Let our hearts touch far horizons, so encompass great and small; let our loving know no borders, faithful to God s call. Refrain: Postlude Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still. Let this be our song, no one stands alone, standing side by side, draw the circle wide. Assisting with the Service This Morning Elder-in-Charge: Melanie Rattai Scripture Reader Greeters & Ushers: Grace Lemon, Hayley McKim, Pat Evans, Stacey Oster Coffee Hosts & Stair Glide Operators Pat & Stan Bohnet, John and Betty Sidlick Sound System Operator: Pat Evans PowerPoint Operator Faye Moria Counters: Joyce Shannon and Val Fedorwick Sunday School Teachers Anna Marie Hancock, Cheryl Finnie Announcements/Upcoming Events Fifth Avenue Memorial United is hosting a performance of the University of Alberta Mixed Chorus on Saturday, April 23. They are currently seeking billets for chorus members, who they send out in pairs. Do you have room for 2 more people in your home for the night of Saturday, April 23? They will need breakfast and a bag lunch for Sunday April 24 from the host (supper on Saturday will be at FAM). If you are interested in hosting chorus members, please let Chelsea know, at or chelsea@westminsteruc.com Please think before you spray! Many people are severely allergic to perfumes, colognes, scented hairspray, etc. Your cooperation in refraining from using these products is greatly appreciated. Lisa Waites, the Chaplain for the Medicine Hat Ecumenical College Chaplaincy, is collecting nutritional healthy snack bars for students at exam time. Examples of these are: Fruit Source, Protein Bars, Nature Valley Bars (Trail Mix Bars, Crunchy Oats &Honey, Sweet & Salty), Granola Bars, Fruit and Nut Bars or SunRype Fruit to Go Bars. Bring your donation on Sunday, April 17, and we will have a bin for the snack bars. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Flower Fundraising Event. A total of $ was raised for the Youth and Family Activity Group. Your order should be here soon! Finance Committee Update: Required each Month in 2016 for expenses 26, Month of March Offering for Operating Budget 18, Surplus/Shortfall (7,811.60) St. Barnabas Anglican Church is hosting Michael Harvey from A Culture of Invitation, on the evening of April 20th at 6:30pm in the Church Hall. Please join us to learn more about becoming an Invitational Church. Church Leadership teams and congregation members all invited. For more details about Michael Harvey and what he offers please go to Please contact St. Barnabas at or office@stbarnabasmedicinehat.ca to confirm your attendance.

8 Upcoming Meetings and Events: Sunday, April 17, 11:30 am UCW Chili Luncheon, and presentation on Legacy Giving by Kathryn Hofley, Financial Development Officer with the United Church of Canada, in the Lounge at 12:30 pm. Sunday, April 17 Spring Supper at Peace United Church. Ham/Sausage/Perogie Dinner & Auction. Two sittings (4:30 and 6:00 pm). Tickets are $15 for Adults and $8 for children Please call or of see Grace Roth for tickets. Tuesday, April 19, 7:00 pm Board of Elders Meeting in the Lounge. Wednesday, April 20 Jan Stevenson and Al Olson at South Alberta Presbytery meeting in Taber. Thursday, April 21 1:00 pm Mission & Outreach Committee meeting in the Lounge. Sunday, April 24, 10:25 am Camp Sunday. Bring in your photos, crafts, postcards...and memories to share. Pastoral; Care committee will be hosting a hot dog lunch. Funds from the Lunch will go to support Camp Shagabec and Canyon Camp. Also, remember to bring in your Canadian Tire money the camps really appreciate this source of funding as well. Money can be placed on the Bulletin Board by Memorial Hall. Sunday, April 24, 4:00 pm Covenanting service for Esther Baerends for her internship at Brooks United Church, Potluck dinner to follow. Sunday, May 1. (Time to be announced) Covenanting Service for the Reverend David Pollard at Fifth Avenue Memorial United Church. Monday, May 2, 7:00 pm Property Committee Meeting in Westminster Room. Saturday, May 7, 4:00 pm 7:00 pm Family Fun Swim at Crestwood Recreation Centre. Swimming from 4 5 pm, pizza supper around 5:30 pm. Everyone is welcome, but please let us know if you plan to attend so we can make sure we have enough food. Contact Lynnette Burry at or the office at Tuesday, May 10, 4:00 pm Finance Committee Meeting in the Lounge. Sunday, May 15, 11:30 am Spring Brunch in Memorial Hall. Tuesday, May 17, 7:00 pm Board of Elders Meeting in the Lounge.