Prelude: LIFE AND WORK:

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1 Welcome to Westminster United Church th Street SE, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 1G7 T: / F: E: reception@westminsteruc.com W: westminsteruc.com January 31, 2016 Epiphany 4 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: 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) CELEBRATIONS: (Birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) We celebrate with you, we celebrate with you May God richly bless you, We celebrate with you SHARING THE PEACE: Let us greet one another with the peace of Christ today, as we open ourselves to give and receive the spirit and peace which connects us all. May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. PROCESSION OF CHRIST CANDLE: Do We Dare Do we dare eat the produce of the hills? do we dare touch the gifts of the earth? Do we dare dip our feet in the oil? Do we dare try God s new thing? Do we dare? Do we dare see the spring inside the rock? Do we dare count the stars overhead? Do we dare cross the river into promise Do we dare try God s new thing? Do we dare? Do we dare let the grain die in winter? Do we dare feel the sun once again? Do we dare spread the seed in a new place? Do we dare try God s new thing? Do we dare? As for me and my house we serve the Lord! Let the soles of our feet touch the rivers we ford. Baptism blessings for our new beginnings yes me and my house we dare to serve the Lord.

2 CALL TO WORSHIP 1 : All: All: All: All: All: The Psalmist cries: In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. The one who is bound in turmoil cries: In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me. The one filled with fear reaches out their hands and cries Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. The persecuted one cries Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked; from the grasp of the unjust and cruel. And all of these worship God, and all of these lift up their hearts and cry out: For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother s womb. My praise is continually of you. Come, let us worship God! HYMN: Unbounded Spirit, Breath of God MV Unbounded Spirit, breath of God, refreshing water, cleansing flame, we give allegiance, through your call, to Christ, and to no other name. 2 Receive and open for review the work we do, the word we preach, and school us, as we teach and learn, in careful thought and truthful speech. 3 Uncover all the hopeless ways we run, resist, rebel, or hide. Unwrap with love and bathe in light our pain, our sadness, and our pride. 4 Assemble, leaven, mix, and knead our clashing norms, opposing views and bake a loaf of joy and peace that hungry hearts will not refuse. 5 Inscribe on every growing skill, on every action, every vow the living name of Jesus Christ, beginning here, beginning now. OPENING PRAYER: Holy Spirit, Creator and Christ, please join us today in our worship of you. Be with us as uniting Spirit. Be with us as both the Source and Object of our worship. Touch our lips to give us words with which to praise you, words that bring your realm into being on earth as it is in heaven. Fill our hearts, our souls, our lives and Your Church. ~ Amen. CHILDREN S TIME: Lord s Prayer 1 Based on Psalm 71: 1-6

3 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: Like A Rock MV 92 Like a rock, like a rock, God is under our feet. Like the starry night sky God is over our head. Like the sun on the horizon God is ever before. Like the river runs to ocean, our home is in God evermore. PRAYER OF TRANSFORMATION 2 (Unison): Compassionate One, we have arrived at a time when we once again seek your forgiveness. We wonder why we have encouraged these transgressions for which we are truly sorry. The word spoken in haste, the action that caused harm, our interpretation of another s words and their actions that brought discord when there was no intention. Forgive them all, gracious God, and bring to us new understanding and wisdom in all that we are and will be. For we wish to be true disciples of your kin-dom. Amen WORDS OF ASSURANCE 3 : People of God, once more we are surprised by grace! God looks into our hearts and sees love. Through grace, this love flourishes, and we see the world anew and we see the joy that is to be found in sharing this love with others! PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION 4 : Loving God, we come into your presence today: we are filled with words, and seek silence; we are filled with questions, and seek peace; we are filled with doubt, and seek faith; we are filled with tiredness, and seek rest. May your Word be all this and more for us today. Illuminate the words we need to hear To dare to be your people in the world. Amen. BIBLICAL NOTES SCRIPTURE: Hebrew: Jeremiah 1: Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. 6 Then I said, Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy. 2 Written by Jim McKean. Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany Used with permission.. 3 Written by Sandy Ferguson. Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany Used with permission. 4 adapted from Susan Lukey, Gathering ACE 2015/16 p42

4 7 But the Lord said to me, Do not say, I am only a boy ; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. 9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, Now I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant. Response to Word: God s word to God s People All: Thanks be to God ANTHEM: A Manger Lament SCRIPTURE: Gospel: Luke 4: Then he began to say to them, Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, Is not this Joseph s son? 23 He said to them, Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, Doctor, cure yourself! And you will say, Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum. 24 And he said, Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet s hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. Response to Word: In this is the gospel of the Christ All: Praise be to Christ Choral Response to Word: Christ is Born VU 41 Christ is born; give him glory! Christ is born; give him glory! MEDITATION: HYMN: Long Before the Night VU Long before the night was born from darkness Long before the dawn rolled unsteady from fire Long before she wrapped her scarlet arms around the hills there was a love this ancient love was born 2 Long before the grass spotted green the bare hillside Long before a wing unfolded to wind Long before she wrapped her long blue arm around the sea there was a love this aching love rolls on 3 Long before a chain was forged from the hillside

5 Long before a voice uttered freedom's cry Long before she wrapped her bleeding arms around a child there was a love this ancient love was born 4 Long before the name of God was spoken Long before a cross was nailed from a tree Long before she laid her arm of colours 'cross the sky there was a love this ancient love was born 5 Wakeful are our nights and slumbers our morning Stubborn is the grass sowing green wounded hills As we wrap our healing arms to hold what her arms held this ancient love this aching love rolls on MINUTE FOR MISSION: Keeping the Clock of Life Ticking At the end of 2015, thanks to support from United Church Women, Mission & Service partner Morogoro Women s Training Centre had provided maternal health worker training to over 500 women working as traditional birth attendants, or midwives, across Tanzania. Collaborating with the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, this program is part of a national objective to reduce mother and infant deaths in Tanzania. The training builds on existing skills and expertise for women already working as traditional birth attendants. For many it is their first formal training. Some learned their skills from mothers, aunts, and grandmothers, and many others through lived experience. All are deeply committed to caring for mothers and infants and improving the outcomes of deliveries. One of the women, Molen Abdul, has been delivering babies in her village for more than 47 years. During that time she has encountered many challenges and is happy to learn more about how to manage potential crises for the benefit of mother and child. Molen says, This is very important to me. It is like it keeps the clock of life ticking. Norah Robert Mallya has helped deliver babies in buses, churches, and all the surrounding villages. She is happy to have received training that will improve her skills and knowledge. We are thankful for our gifts for Mission & Service that support our partners to make a real difference in the lives of women and children in Tanzania. 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 OFFERING/ DOXOLOGY : God of All Good VU 539 v1 (Tune VU 378) God of all good, our gifts we bring to you, use them your holy purpose to fulfil; tokens of love and pledges brought anew that our whole life is offered to your will. DEDICATION 5 (Unison): We offer you our wounds and our worries. We offer you our brokenness and our struggles. We offer you these gifts and our very selves. Bless us and what we offer, O God, bringing transformation for discipleship within your call. Amen. 5 Written by Gord Dunbar. Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany Used with permission.

6 INVITATION TO PRAYER: Bathe Me in Your Light MV 82 Bathe me in your light, O God of All, Creator; Help me walk the sacred path of harmony and peace. May I be attentive to the musings of your presence, Drinking from the well of hope that brings the heart release. PRAYERS OF GOD S PEOPLE: God of Love, All: Hear Our Prayer CLOSING HYMN: This Little Light of Mine 1 This little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, This little light of mine, I m gonna light it shine, This little light of mine, I m gonna light it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. 2 Hide it under a bushel? No! I m gonna let it shine, Hide it under a bushel? No! I m gonna let it shine, Hide it under a bushel? No! I m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. 3 Don t let anyone blow it out, I m gonna let it shine, Don t let anyone blow it out, I m gonna let it shine, Don t let anyone blow it out, I m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. 4 Let it shine all around the world, I m gonna let it shine, Let it shine all around the world, I m gonna let it shine, Let it shine all around the world, I m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. 5 This little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, This little light of mine, I m gonna light it shine, This little light of mine, I m gonna light it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. COMMISSIONING/BENEDICTION 6 : All: Drive us out of here, Holy Spirit, and help us slip through the forces that seek to silence the voice of Christ within us. Unleash your Word upon the world. Let it pour forth from our lips and our actions, plucking up all that is not of your realm and planting your love and justice wherever we go. And as we go, beloved, receive the promise of Jesus. CHORAL AMEN: VU 974 Amen! Amen! Hallelujah, amen! SENDING FORTH: I Am the Light of the World 'I am the light of the world! You people come and follow me!' If you follow and love you'll learn the mystery VU 87, v3 6 Written by David Lander. Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany , page 44. Used with permission.

7 of what you were meant to do and be. 3 To free the prisoner from all chains, to make the powerful care, to rebuild the nations with strength of good will, to see God's children everywhere! I am the light of the world! You people come and follow me!' If you follow and love you'll learn the mystery of what you were meant to do and be. Postlude Assisting with the Service This Morning Elder-in-Charge: Melanie Rattai Scripture Reader: Rae Wahl Minute for Mission Reader Linda Kinvig Greeters & Ushers: Betty & John Sidlick, Linda Kisell, Val Fedorwick Coffee Hosts & Stair Glide Operators: Rae Wahl Sound System Operator: Pat Evans Counters: Joyce Shannon and Val Fedorwick STAFF Ministers: All the People Clergy: Rev Jan Stevenson and Rev. Chelsea Masterman Book Keeper: Sara Stickel Jr. Choir Leader: Anna Marie Hancock Nursery: Kimmie Goodwyn Director of Music: Chris White Secretary: Cheryl Finnie Custodian: Chris White Security: Kelly Grozell Announcements/Upcoming Events Please think before your spray! Many people are severely allergic to perfumes, colognes, scented hairspray, etc. Your cooperation in refraining from using these products is greatly appreciated. Winter Study program: "The Spiritual Brain: Science and Religious Experience" with Dr. Andrew Newburg will be held Mondays from 7:00 9:00 pm in the nursery.. Come to learn about 'your brain on God''. All welcome. If you missed the first sessions, you can borrow the DVD to catch up. The Sunday School is looking for excellent used condition hats for an Easter Bonnet project. Also, if you have artificial flowers, feathers, beads, etc. to decorate the hats, those would be much appreciated as well. Please bring any you have to the office, or give to Lynnette on Sunday. MHART is getting ready to greet our Syrian refugee family. Saturday Feb 6, 9:00 am is our first clean-up & Saturday, Feb. 13 is set-up day. We need volunteers for both days, also trucks on Feb. 13 to move beds in around 2 pm. Speak to Jan if you can help. Upcoming Meetings and Events: Monday, February 1, 2016, 7:00 pm Property Meeting in Westminster Room.

8 Friday, February 5, 2016, 5:00 pm Messy Church Mardi Gras in Memorial Hall. Pancakes for supper in recognition of Shrove Tuesday; reflection, activities, crafts, music and lots of fun. Messy Church is a joint activity with the local United Churches. All are welcome. Tuesday, February 9, 2016, 4:00 pm Finance & Stewardship Meeting in the Lounge. Wednesday, February 10, 2016 (Ash Wednesday) 7:00 pm Medicine Hat Ecumenical Lenten Worship at Unity Lutheran Church (8 Palliser Place NE). Guest preacher is Rev. Nancy Cocks. Tuesday, February 16, :00 pm Board of Elders Meeting in the Lounge. Wednesday February 17, 2016, 7:00 pm. Medicine Hat Ecumenical Lenten Worship at Fifth Avenue Memorial United Church (476 4 Street SE). Guest preacher is Rev. Shane Hein. Sunday, February 21, 10:25 am: Annual Congregational Meeting Wednesday February 24, 2016, 7:00 pm. Medicine Hat Ecumenical Lenten Worship at St. John s Presbyterian Church (504 2 nd Street SE). Guest preacher is Rev. Jan Stevenson. Sunday, February 28, 11:30 am: UCW Soup and Bun Luncheon immediately following the worship service. Wednesday March 2, 2016, 7:00 pm. Medicine Hat Ecumenical Lenten Worship at St. Barnabas Anglican Church (635 4th Street SE). Guest preacher is Rev. Jim Hillson. Wednesday March 9, 2016, 7:00 pm. Medicine Hat Ecumenical Lenten Worship at St. Peter Lutheran Church (758 8 th Street SE). Guest preacher is Intern Nam-Ok Yoo. Wednesday March 16, 2016, 7:00 pm. Medicine Hat Ecumenical Lenten Worship at Westminster United Church (101 6th Street SE). Guest preacher is Rev. Jeff Decelle. BOARD SUMMARY: The WUC Board of Elders have not been on hiatus... although you haven t heard from us, the Board of Elders have been doing the work expected of us. Highlights of the November Board Meeting: A motion was carried to accept the generous offer by Stan & Pat Bohnet to put up another outside sign providing Clergy names and Worship times. The Sound System box needs a lift! Thanks to Lorenz Fedrau for your carpentry skills and donation of a chair for the Sound System Operator to perform the functions more ergonomically. As no volunteers have come forward to re-design the Website, this item has been removed from the Agenda. Rev. Chelsea has stepped down as Chair and Lynette Burry and Marg McCulley have resigned as representatives from Christian Development. This leaves multiple vacancies on a very important committee for the Church. Kathryn Hofely gave an excellent presentation on Stewardship at the November meeting of South Alberta Presbytery (SAP). Highlights of the December Board Meeting: The Board approved the Lease Contract for a new copier for the office; it has not been replaced since before The Board approved the 2016 Budget presented by the Finance Committee, to be presented to the Congregation at the Annual Meeting in February. A letter of Resignation from Custodian, Betty Ann Smith, was accepted with regrets and many thanks for her diligent work around the Church the past four years.

9 At their goal setting Workshop in August, one of the goals the Board chose to focus on this year was restructuring of the Board and updating of the WUC Constitution. This was conveyed to the SAP Oversight Team and the Board was given blessings to move forward. Ongoing discussions and research on transitional board governance is occurring. Representatives from WUC were invited to FAM on January 19, 2016 to hear the report from Joel Den Haan on the Community Engagement survey, he conducted. This work and information has been beneficial for the Visioning Committee that has been meeting to build relationships between the four United Churches in the area. The last of the Sound System Upgrades has been completed, with the approval to purchase higher quality speakers. The recommendations from the report of the SAP Pastoral Oversight visit will be announced to the Congregation in January 2016 by Pat Marshall, Board Chair. The Clergy reported their focus on Worship has been improved by having the PowerPoint operated remotely from the laptop. More volunteers are needed for this task. Training will be provided. South Alberta Presbytery: The Board was asked to respond to a survey on the number of Regions there should be. The Board moved that the lowest number possible is preferred; utilizing non-travel type communication to save on budget funds. UCW reported their upcoming activities with a soup & bun lunch in January; soup & bun lunch on February 28 th ; a Hot Cross Bun Tea on March 23 rd ; chili & bun lunch on April 24 th ; and the next meeting of the UCW will be May 3 rd. Highlights of the January Board Meeting: Kim Sherring presented a draft revision of the WUC Constitution. Edits from the Board Meeting will be made and presented at the next Board Meeting for Board approval to go before the Congregation at the Annual Meeting in February. Kim Sherring presented a Transitional Board Governance Model that Rev. Chelsea received from a colleague, to help get started on the goal of restructuring the Board. Clarifications will be researched and presented at the next meeting for Board approval to go before the Congregation at the Annual Meeting in February. Al Olson gave an oral report from the Community Engagement survey meeting, held at FAM the same day as the Board meeting. Joel Den Haan says that to be a successful church, you need only two things: to connect with God and to connect with community. For further information on the findings of Medicine Hat presented, and suggestions for moving forward to build relationships within the community, please speak to Al Olson, Rev. Jan, or Rev. Chelsea. Pat Marshall also attended this session but has left for warmer climates for a month. The Ministry Oversight Team continues to meet monthly and deal with the benefits and challenges of the Collaborative Clergy Support with Gordon Memorial and Peace United. Reorganization on a final decision of moving the Choir gowns is underway, after receiving an exorbitant quote on the building of a cupboard in the Lounge to store them. Rev. Jan updated us on the MHART-Medicine Hat and Area Refugee Team status. The Spiritual Brain study is underway. Epiphany Explorations (via video) will begin at FAM on January 21 st ; everyone is welcome to attend. Messy Church on February 5 th will be a collaborative and combined family service with pancakes and sausages to celebrate Shrove Tuesday early. Rev. Chelsea and BJ Maddaford attended a meeting on trying something new for Lent. Services will be held at various Churches with Clergy not preaching at their home Congregation. This will build relations with the wider Christian community and allow us to experience something different. Watch the Bulletin and PowerPoint announcements for scheduling. Finance reported that we were able to meet our M&S obligations, although we finished the year with a deficit.

10 WUC will be hosting Earl Raeburn on January 26 th to present a workshop on Ministry & Personnel. Information and registration details have been announced in the Bulletin and PowerPoint. The Board approved the hiring of Chris White to fill the Custodian Contract position for WUC. A Church de-cluttering project will take place in March/April, spearheaded by Kim Sherring. When a date and time are confirmed, she will be seeking volunteers to help with removal of the many unnecessary items that have accumulated within the Church. Archives: Grace Roth remains our Archivist. Vicky McCaig has stepped down from the committee. Discussion took place on the regulations set out in the UCC The Manual, 2013 and the importance of recording each and every meeting held by the Board, Committees, sub-committees, ad-hoc groups, etc of WUC. This is not being done. The Board endorses the regulations set out in The Manual, 2013 and ask that at minimum, informal notes be kept at each meeting and presented to the Church Office for Archival storage. Pursuant to The Manual, 2013 section B a list of members was presented for removal from the Membership and Adherent Rolls, to take effect February 1 st and March 1 st respectively. Nominations to be presented to the Annual Congregation Meeting: It is the responsibility of the Congregation (The Manual, 2013 section B. 5.2 p.57) to elect a governing body The Board. Without a governing body, the Church cannot function. Vacancies that need filling are Chair of The Board and Chair of the Christian Development Committee. Because these vacancies have been impossible to fill, what some committees have chosen to do is a rotation of committee members attending Board meetings. Discussion ensued on whether this may work for the capacity of Board Chair. The conclusion is that it seems people of the Congregation seek one person to be the go to for questions and concerns. Anyone interested in the duties of any of the committees, please contact Kim Sherring for a description, which will be set out in the revised Constitution. Anyone interested in pursuing the positions of Board Chair or Christian Development Chair, please let anyone on the Board know, so your nomination can be recorded in the Agenda for the Annual Meeting. These positions must be filled. Respectfully submitted by Kim Sherring, Board Secretary