April 12, 2015 Holy Humour Sunday God has brought laughter for me, everyone who hears will laugh with me. Genesis 21: 6 WE GATHER IN HOPE Prelude * indicates to stand as able Response printed in bold Welcome Lighting of the Christ Candle *Gathering Come and listen to the roll of laughter, the gift of mirth in Creation. What do you mean? Come and enjoy God s wry sense of humour. God has a sense of humour? Come and worship God the iron: since God is the ground of our being and since there is so much irony in the world, God must be iron. That s a terrible pun - and what s the point? The point is to come and have your funny bone tickled, responding to life by faith. You re inviting us to come in faith and laugh? Isn t faith a serious gift, something to be treasured? Now you re getting the idea! God invites us into hilarity? The Spirit invites us to dance, to sing, to guffaw, to abandon our care into the wind of Spirit. LIFE AND WORK OF OUR CHURCH This Week Unbinding the Soul Prayer Journey continues at Westfield United: Sunday, April 12 6-7:30 pm Sunday, April 19 9-10:30 am Sunday, April 26 6-7:30 pm Sunday, May 3 9-10:30 pm Peninsula Prayer Journey will begin April 7. For more information please contact Ida MacPherson (763-2412) or idave@treefrogventures.com Looking Ahead Rev. Elizabeth will be on sabbatical April 6 - June 30. Worship will be led by a combination of groups from within our congregations and pulpit supply. Pastoral care will be covered by a number of clergy in the area. For pastoral emergencies April 6- May 6 and May 16 - June 30 please contact Margaret Stackhouse after office hours at 217-0063; during office hours 738-8436 ext. 101. May 7-15 contact Chris Patstone 757-1011 This sabbatical is only possible through a wonderful congregation and gracious colleagues. Many Thanks, Rev. Elizabeth TWO RIVERS PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Bayswater-Summerville Long Reach Westfield ******** Clergy: Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Stevenson 763-2373 e-mail: esteven@nb.sympatico.ca Music Director/Organist Peter Boyce Joan Small (LR) 763-2479 Bertis Sutton (W) 757-2531
*Benediction:Go Now In Peace Go now in peace. Never be afraid God will go with you each hour of every day. Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true, know God will guide you in all you do. Go now in love and show you believe, reach out to others so all the world can see. God will be there watching from above. Go now in peace, in faith and in love. Amen Amen Amen Today s Worship resources: Gathering & Opening Prayer: Adapted from work written by Gord Dunbar gathering, L/E/P 2012, page 41. Used with permission. Prayer of Confession: Adapted from Seasons of the Spirit. Used with permission. Sung Benediction: Words by Don Besig and Nancy Price. Music by Don Besig. Reproduced with permission under Licensing #605755. Today we join the World Churches in prayer for the people of: Readers: Greeters/Offering: Anne Carvell (LR); Gina Coffin (W) Anne Carvell & Joel Crabbe (LR) Bev, Adam, Ella & Paige Mosher (W) Because...? Because Jesus resurrection is a good joke on death. You mean taking our faith seriously means to trust? No doubt about it! So let s respond to God s invitation in prayer. Chuckling, chortling God, who lifts our hearts when we feel most down, who strikes the light of joy in the midst of despair s gloom, who surprises us with wonder and awe, enter into our hearts this morning, we pray. Open our minds to the endless possibilities you create for growing closer to you with a giggle. Open our eyes to your presence in all things, allowing us to respond in joy. Amen. *Hymn: Make A Joyful Noise Voices United 820 Prayer of Confession: For those times when we move in the shadow, unaware or unwilling to be aware of how our actions affect others, we come together, in the light, to find our joy in God. For those times when we deceive ourselves - not revealing to ourselves or others the true nature of our vulnerabilities and fears, we come together in the truth, to find forgiveness in fellowship. For those times when life has been revealed, and we have ignored or denied it, we come together to touch grace in the presence of the Spirit of Christ.
Assurance of Pardon: Peace be with you. Do not be afraid. Thanks be to God. We are a forgiven people. A Story for All Ages *Hymn: The Spring Has Come Voices United 187 Offering Offertory Hymn: Take these gifts and let them be used as blessings sent from thee. Take our lives and use us all for your glory and your call. WE LISTEN WITH HOPE Scripture Reading John 20: 19-29 Reader: This is the witness of God s people. *Hymn:(remain seated) Halle, Halle, Halle Voices United 958 *Closing Hymn: Give To Us Laughter Voices United 624 Sending Forth: Go into the world with the delight of faith. We go forth to dance and to sing the resurrection story. Go into the world with spirits filled by the Spirit s joy. We go forth to celebrate new life given and proclaimed. Choir Selection Reflection Laugh Thomas Laugh Rev. Dr. David E. Leininger WE RESPOND IN HOPE Pastoral 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 those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen *Benediction: Go Now In Peace Go now in peace. Never be afraid God will go with you each hour of every day. Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true, know God will guide you in all you do. Go now in love and show you believe, reach out to others so all the world can see. God will be there watching from above. Go now in peace, in faith and in love. Amen Amen Amen
From Church Bulletins! (?) The sermon this morning: Jesus Walks on the Water. The sermon tonight: Searching For Jesus. Ladies, don t forget the rummage sale! It s a chance to get ride of those things not worth keeping around the house, Bring your husbands. For those of you who have children and don t know it, we have a nursery downstairs. Miss Charlene Mason sang I will not pass this way again, giving obvious pleasure to the congregation. Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get. The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon. This evening at 7 pm there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin. Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 pm. Please use the back door. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare s Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 pm. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy. Don t let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
From Church Bulletins! (?) The sermon this morning: Jesus Walks on the Water. The sermon tonight: Searching For Jesus. Ladies, don t forget the rummage sale! It s a chance to get ride of those things not worth keeping around the house, Bring your husbands. For those of you who have children and don t know it, we have a nursery downstairs. Miss Charlene Mason sang I will not pass this way again, giving obvious pleasure to the congregation. Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get. The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon. This evening at 7 pm there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin. Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 pm. Please use the back door. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare s Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 pm. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy. Don t let worry kill you off - let the Church help.