UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA MELFORT ETHELTON PASTORAL CHARGE Office: (306) 752-2288 Email: melfortuc@sasktel.net Website: www.melfortunitedchurch.com Ministers: All of us Lead Minister: Emmanuel Menyereye Music: Jodi Allen Music Director: Mavis Peters Office Administrator: Denise Todosichuk Caretaker: Faye Greier Today s Greeter: Bill Koroluk Scripture Readers: Judy Meier, Chris Corbett ORDER OF WORSHIP Third Sunday after Epiphany Year B [Holy Communion Service] Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan. 18 25) WE GATHER AS A COMMUNITY OF GOD S PEOPLE As we gather for worship today we acknowledge that the land on which we gather is Treaty 6 Territory. We honour the Cree and Métis people for whom this place has been a homeland for thousands of years. We respect the sacredness of our home and the ground on which we walk and we are grateful to gather here in peace and hope. ANNOUNCEMENTS, ANNIVERSARIES & CONCERNS: CALL TO WORSHIP: Come, with undivided attention, to meet God who calls you away from old routines. Our souls wait for God in silence. We hope in God, our rock and our salvation. Come without anxiety or fear, for God cares for you. We come with devotion to our Sovereign. In whom time is fulfilled and life has meaning.
-2- Enter the realm of God, which is here and now, as well as beyond time and place. We pour out our hearts before God whom we trust and honour. Let us rejoice and be inspired by our time of worship. HYMN (VU 563): Jesus, you have come to the lakeshore OPENING PRAYER: (in unison) Great God, our fortress and refuge, we seek comfort and reassurance in your presence. We bring our commitments and our works before you because yours is the only standard that finally matters. We open ourselves to your direction, confident that you see value and purpose in our lives that we ourselves cannot discern. Deliver us in this hour from all that separates us from experiencing communion with you. Amen. HYMN (MV 120): My soul cries out PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE: (in unison) Merciful God, you have made us one family, but sometimes we quarrel like siblings. You have called us to unity in the Holy Spirit, but we prefer to divide ourselves into different denominations, different spiritual practices, and all sorts of other dividing lines. Help us, God, to remember that the cross of Jesus
-3- was meant for all of us, your salvation for everyone. Amen. [Written by Wanda Winfield, A/C/E 2017-2018 Year B Gathering, page 47]. WORDS OF ASSURANCE: The call of God comes upon us in unexpected moments and unpredictable ways. We need not fear the journey, however, for God is there to offer support and guidance, to give us reason for hope, and to encourage us along the way. Be assured of that presence now and always, and be thankful. Amen. [Written by Bill Steadman, A/C/E 2014-2015 Year B Gathering, page 46]. PRAYER RESPONSE (MV 81): Love us into fullness SPECIAL MUSIC Featuring Megan and Madison McAvoy WE LISTEN FOR GOD S WORD TO US ESPECIALLY FOR THE CHILDREN: HYMN (MV 33): Jesus came bringing us hope NEW CREED (VU P.918): MINUTE FOR MISSION:
-4- SCRIPTURE READINGS: RESPONSIVE: PSALM 62:5-12 (VU pp.779): Be still, my soul, and wait for God. HEBREW: JONAH 3:1-5,10: Jonah calls Ninevah to repent. GOSPEL: MARK 1:14-20: Jesus calls Simon, Andrew, James, and John. SERMON: OFFERING: OUR RESPONSE OFFERTORY HYMN (MV 191): What can I do? PRAYER OF DEDICATION: (in unison) We have answered your call, and have brought today not only our money, loose or in envelopes or by PAR from our bank accounts, but also ourselves, prepared to follow you wherever you may lead us. Amen. (A/C/E Epiphany 2014-2015 Year B Gathering, page 44). SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION HYMN (MV 194): Bread of Life COMMUNION LITURGY: A star has brought us to this place. Its warm glow has set our path.
-5- For this star is not fixed in the heavens. This star is the presence of the Divine in our midst. This star is not aloof and distant This star is in the here and now, part of our story, the foundation of our story. This star does not stop We may pause under this star but it propels us forward - forward as people of faith forward to serve all of creation. For in the glow of this star we see with great clarity. The fear, the hate, the intolerance that this star will elicit: For this star causes us to focus upon those things that hurt the children of the Divine: Intolerance, misogyny, homophobia, economic disparity, racial or religious intolerance. Because the star of Jesus calls us to see with great clarity The work that we are called to do as the people of God. And to do this work we need to be fed. Fed by the Spirit, food for our souls and bodies. For as the star demands so much of us our spiritual acuity is enhanced only when we work together in community. For together we are the people of God. And so we gather around this table to share these simple elements of bread and the fruit of the vine. We remember when the star was at its brightest
-6- that horrible night when the Empire flexed its power, that night when the radical hospitality of Jesus was shattered. Take and eat this body, this community, this communion of the faithful who have been healed, and hallowed, who have touched hope. This is my blood: our vocation to give life, affirmation, justice to those people who have not seen the star or have taken it for granted. Because of their burdens, those who have been weighed down by the spiritual toxins of the world, those who have known only hopelessness. So we gather in the glow of the star reflecting its warmth, reflecting its power, reflecting the infinite possibility of holy love. And we share in this meal in the glow of the star in the depth of the universe in the hollow of God s hand. When we break open our lives and share them with others on the journey, we understand that bread, broken and shared, brings us Christ s life. When we pour out our lives and share them with others on the journey, we understand that the wine of our living, poured and shared, brings us Christ s life. Bread and cup remind us that Christ is with us on the journey as we begin again. Loving God, send your Spirit upon these gifts of bread and grape juice with your blessing, that through them,
-7- we may always remember you in our life. Hear us as we say together the words of your prayer for us THE LORD S PRAYER: COMMUNION ANTHEM(S): (MV 202): Bread for the journey (VU 471): Eat this bread and never hunger (VU 469): We gather here (Come, share the Lord) (VU 480): Let us break bread together SENDING FORTH HYMN (VU 562): Jesus call us COMMISSIONING & BENEDICTION: Friends, leave this time together ready to live your lives full and well for Christ s sake and for the sake of the world. Go in confidence, knowing God is with you, that nothing can ever defeat you, that you can rest in God, that you can trust God in this world and the next. The blessing of God is yours, the blessing of readiness, the blessing of trust, the blessing of hopefulness. And, best of all, God is with us! Amen. [Written by Bob Root, A/C/E 2017-2018 Year B Gathering, page 47]. CHORAL BLESSING (MV 221): I am walking a path of peace
-8- PRAYER RESOURCES: Seasons of the Spirit SeasonsFUSION Advent, Christmas, Epiphany 2017-2018; Prayers to Share Year B; Whispers of God, Liturgical Resources for Year B; Advent, Christmas, Epiphany 2014-2015 Year B Gathering Resources for Worship Planners. Used with permission. NEXT WEEK S (JANUARY 28 th ) READINGS: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 111 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28. ANNOUNCEMENTS We welcome you all to worship, especially our visitors or guests. We are glad that you have chosen to worship with us today. Please remember to sign our guestbook at the entrance of the church. Please stay back for a cup of coffee and conversation at the CE Centre immediately following the service. THIS WEEK AT MELFORT UNITED CHURCH Monday, January 22nd @ 2 pm Naomi Unit Tuesday, January 23 rd @ 10:30 am Finance Meeting @ 5:30 pm Confirmation Class
Wednesday, January 24 th @ 7 pm - Choir -9- Thursday, January 25 th FundScrip Deadline @10:30 am Bible Study @ 4:15 pm Bell Choir @ 7 pm Church Board Meeting FundScrip The next FundScrip order date will be Thursday, January 25 th, 2018. The order will be available for pick up on Thurs. February 8th. 2018 Offering Envelopes The Offering envelope packages for 2018 are on the table in the CE foyer. MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC you won t want to miss a Sunday! January 28 Reach out to your Neighbour featuring our children of the choir. Call for Board Members for 2018 If you are interested and willing to be a board member next year please call Don Neher @ 752.4913 or Lorne Anderson @ 752.2414. There are also signup sheets for each board committee on the easel in the CE foyer. MUC Annual Congregational Meeting The annual congregational meeting is Sunday, March 4 th.
-10- Rev. Emmanuel s Office Hours & Contact Information Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10:00 am 4:00 pm Office Number: 306.752.4312 Cell Number: 306.930.4093 For emergency pastoral care call 306.930.4093 Draft Statement -Boundaries Commission A copy of the draft statement from the Boundaries Commission and resulting draft copies of both the Canadian and Saskatchewan map are posted on the bulletin board in the CE foyer. Melfort Ministerial Association Annual Scholarship Information about the scholarship and an application form are posted on the bulletin board in the CE foyer. Financial Flash The profit from January s noon lunch was $368.79. Thank you to the UCW for a delicious luncheon. Stewardship Seconds Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit; good stewardship is practicing good self-care.