Chilliwack United Church Sixth Sunday of Easter Sacrament of Holy Communion 10:30 a.m. We Gather to Celebrate God's Presence

Transcription

1 Prelude Chilliwack United Church Sixth Sunday of Easter Sacrament of Holy Communion 10:30 a.m. We Gather to Celebrate God's Presence Welcome and Greeting Gathering Song & Lighting the Christ Candle No. 28 MV (Verse 1) God of the Bible, God in the Gospel, hope seen in Jesus, hope yet to come, you are our centre, daylight or darkness, freedom or prison, you are our home. Chorus: Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise, God always faithful, you do not change. Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise, God always faithful, you do not change. God of the Bible Call to Worship God has made this day, and God has made us to rejoice in it. Let's gather at the river of Life, where there is blessing forever. No. 710 VU (Verse 1) Shall We Gather at the River Shall we gather at the river, where bright angel feet have trod; with its crystal tide for ever flowing by the throne of God? - 1 -

2 Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river; gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God. Out of God's heart flows a might river of peace and healing and hope, free for all who seek it! No. 710 VU (Verse 2) Shall We Gather at the River Ere we reach the shining river, lay we every burden down; grace our spirits will deliver, and provide a robe and crown. R Let us praise this God who has filled our world with light and life and love. No. 710 VU (Verse 3) Shall We Gather at the River Soon we'll reach the shining river, soon our pilgrimage will cease, soon our happy hearts will quiver, with the melody of peace. R Prayer (In Unison) Brilliant God, the light of your eternal love floods into our lives each day. Open our hearts that we might receive your healing presence. Give to us visions of the way love and justice will reign. We pray in the name of Christ. Amen. Theme Conversation A New Creed Anthem Page 918 VU Meditation for Communion - 2 -

3 Prayers Psalm 67 Refrain: Page 786 VU R* Let peoples praise you God, let the nations shout their joy. Be gracious to us, O God, and bless us; and let the light of your face shine upon us. (we pray for needs in our church community) R* so that your ways may be known upon the earth; your saving power among all nations. (we pray for needs across the world) R* Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the people with equity and guide the nations of the earth. (we pray for those in positions of leadership and power) R* The earth has yielded its harvest, and you, O God, have blessed us. (we give thanks for God's provision) Your blessing, O God, be upon us; may all the ends of the earth revere you. R* God's Word in Scripture & Sacrament Hebrew Scripture Acts 16:9-15 During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading - 3 -

4 city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home. And she prevailed upon us. Gospel John 14:23-29 Jesus answered him, Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, I am going away, and I am coming to you. If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Thanks be to God! Amen. Reflection Communion Hymn No. 559 VU Keeping Jesus' Word Come, O Fount of Every Blessing Sacrament of Holy Communion (See Insert) - 4 -

5 Sung Response Halle, halle, hallelujah! Halle, halle, hallelujah! Halle, halle, hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! No. 958 VU Responding to God The Life & Work of the Church Presentation of Our Offering Sung Response We give you but your own, whate'er the gift may be; all that we have is yours alone, we give it gratefully. No. 542 VU Prayer of Dedication (In Unison) God of new beginnings, we offer these gifts and dedicate them to your work. We offer our community to all who are lonely; we offer our hearts to all who are grieving; we offer our hope to all who have lost their way; we offer our lives to all who are tossed aside by the world. Bless all that we offer, and give us freedom to love as Christ has loved. Amen. Hymn No. 481 VU Sent Forth by God's Blessing Commissioning & Blessing - 5 -

6 Sung Blessing No. 649 VU - Sing Twice - (You are invited to join hands with those around you to form a blessings circle ) Walk with me, I will walk with you and build the land that God has planned where love shines through. Postlude The church has a supply of hearing units for improved sound in the sanctuary. If you wish to use a set for the Sunday service, please pick one up from the sound booth at the back of the sanctuary. Announcements Leading the Service Today: Clergy; Rev. Heather Anderson Musician; Lynda Mundstock Music Director; Marilyn Taves Scripture Reader; Thelma Dumville Communion Servers; Donna Logan, Ann Stewart, Sandra Jacob Lectionary Readings for May 8, 2016 Christian Family Sunday (Mothers' Day) Acts 16:16-34 Psalm 148 Revelations 21:1-6 John 13:31-35 Today is Easter Sunday (also known as Pascha) according to the Julian Calendar. A very happy and blessed Easter to Orthodox Christian friends and neighbours! A HUGE thank you to the Celebration Ministry Unit, Ministry & Personnel Committee, Carolyn Gaunt and Marlene Vlahadamis for 'looking after' worship on Sunday, April 17 when our minister was speechless with laryngitis (and a personal THANK YOU from Rev. Heather)

7 Budget Summary Average Weekly Revenue Required to Service our 2016 Operating Budget $ 3, Average Weekly Revenue to March 31, , Deficit as of March 31, 2016 (13,065.00) Deficit as of March 31, 2015 (10,126.00) Average Mission & Service Weekly Revenue Required to Service our 2016 Objective $ Average Mission & Service Weekly Revenue Received to March 31, Mission & Service Funds Received to Date March 31, , Mission & Service Funds Received to Date March 31, , For your information, complete regular Monthly Financial Statements are posted in the Narthex on the bulletin board next to the ramp. Keep on top of the latest news! Be sure to contact the church office at or chwkuc@shaw.ca, and add your name to our list! SAVE THE DATE! Our Congregational Picnic will be held on Sunday, May 29 following our morning worship service. Debora & Bill Soutar have invited us to hold this much loved, annual event at their home at 9809 Williams St. Bring a lawn chair and, if you wish, a contribution to dessert. We will provide hot dogs, watermelon, chips and beverages. An invitation has been extended to other United Churches in our area; Carman, Rosedale and Mt. Shannon

8 Salvation Army Food Drive Challenge - We will not be participating in the Salvation Army Door to Door Food Drive. Instead, we challenge everyone to bring at least one nonperishable food item to church on May 8. Items may also be left at the church office Monday to Friday. Once the collection is over, we will deliver them to the Salvation Army Food Bank. Thank you for your support. Make your voice heard! There is a call to include age appropriate curriculum on residential schools, for Kindergarten to Grade 12 students, as part of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action. A petition is in the Narthex asking that the Honourable House urge the Government of British Columbia to fully implement such a curriculum... If you haven't yet signed the petition, make your voice heard by adding your name now. Canadian author, Lawrence Hill, is coming! Lawrence Hill, author of The Book of Negroes, is coming to Chilliwack on Wednesday, May 11. He will read from his newest book, The Illegal, and discuss the present refugee crisis. This event is a fundraiser for our Eastern Fraser Valley Refugee Committee which will be sponsoring 2 families. The event will take place at Cornerstone Christian Reformed Church, 9800 McNaught Road at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $40. and can be purchased at our church office. Its time to renew your annual subscription of The United Church Observer. This award winning magazine looks at the world from a uniquely United Church perspective. In this month's issue Hell and High Water; in Bangladesh, millions of people are trying to adapt to climate change. But flooding and salinization caused by extreme weather may yet force a mass migration. For the first time since 2010, the rate has increased to $25./year. Still a great bargain for such an incredible publication. Each issue still costs less than a small coffee and doughnut at Tim Hortons! Deadline for payment of the subscription renewal is Monday, May

9 Exploring Non-Violent Strategies for a Just Peace in Palestine & Israel Saturday, May 7 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Trinity Memorial United Church, George Ferguson Way, Abbotsford. Tailgate Sale Rental Spaces at Mt. Shannon United Church, corner of Yale Rd. E. and Quarry Rd., for the May 7 Citywide Garage Sale. For more information contact Donna at Summer Volunteer & Employment Opportunities We are looking for someone who can review our financial records once a year in January to confirm accuracy and completeness of our financial records. An honorarium is paid for this job. If this is a job that interests you, contact the church office at Looking to earn a bit of extra money this summer? We are seeking someone to assume the caretaking responsibilities from June to August while our regular caretaker is off work. Contact the church office for more information, We need volunteers willing to operate the sound booth for Sunday worship during the summer. If you are available to help us out a Sunday or two this summer, contact the church office, Maintaining our gardens is a HUGE job! Would you be able to help with weeding? Come any time with your gardening tools and spend a bit of time with your hands in the dirt beautifying our space. No need to make special arrangements, just come on by. Our Chilliwack United Church Women continue to collect postage stamps and Campbell Soup labels. The stamps are collected for Eastern Star and are used to purchase cancer dressings. The Campbell Soup labels are collected for McCammon Elementary School. Naramata Centre is looking for candidates for their Board and committees. If this is of interest to you, see the information posted in the Narthex

10 The Mission Ministry Unit continues to collect food items for the Cyrus Centre for their House on Wellington Ave. They provide shelter and services for at Risk Teens and require items for lunches. Specifically, we are collecting peanut butter, Cheese Whiz and margarine. They also need breakfast cereal. Bring your donations to church for delivery to their house. You are invited to a really high-calibre Sweet Adeline Choir Concert at Crossroads United Church, th St., Delta on Saturday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m. For more information, see the poster in the Narthex. First United Mission - Did You Know? The Shelter staff at First United are dedicated to making each person s stay here as comfortable and successful as possible. They watch residents carefully for signs of trouble, and gently & respectfully intervene to offer or suggest help. Chilliwack United Church Monday, May 2 to Sunday, May 8 Monday, May 2 No meetings scheduled for today. Tuesday, May 3 1:00 Thrift Shop Open 7:30 Choir Practice Come make a joyful noise! Wednesday, May 4 10:00 Thrift Shop Open 10:30 Drop In Bible Study 1:30 Celebration Ministry Unit Meeting Thursday, May 5 10:00 Thrift Shop Open 1:30 Lynnwood Retirement Residence Service Friday, May 6 10:00 Thrift Shop Open Saturday, May 7 10:00 Thrift Shop Open Sunday, May 8 Christian Family Sunday (Mothers' Day) 10:30 All Ages Worship Service 12:00 Congregational Pot Luck Lunch

11 Chilliwack United Church Spadina Ave., Chilliwack, BC V2P 1T4 Phone: Fax:

12 Minute for Mission Ecumenical Chaplaincy The Ecumenical Chaplaincy at the University of Toronto has a presence at the university s downtown Toronto and suburban campuses in Mississauga and Scarborough. Jeannette Unger and Ralph Carl Wushke are two halves of the downtown chaplaincy, which is a partnership between the Presbyterian and United churches on campus and are part of a larger multifaith network of chaplains. The chaplaincy touches on various aspects of campus life. It offers interfaith co-creative programs on ecology and spirituality, as well as a safe space for students who are often struggling in the university environment. Ralph describes one student who was on the verge of suicide. Suffering from depression in his second year, he found his way to the chaplain s office at Knox College. After finding the support he needed, he is now close to getting his undergraduate degree. Students come from small towns and start questioning everything when they arrive. University is also often when mental illnesses appear. We are here to lend an ear and guide the students in the direction they need to go, says Ralph. We are thankful for Mission & Service, which supports the University of Toronto Ecumenical Chaplaincy and is inspiring the transformation of communities and students. Please join me in making Mission & Service giving a regular part of your life of faith. Loving God, we are called to be your colours in the world, to walk with each other, to share in love through our gifts for Mission & Service. Guide us to shine brightly in the world. Amen