Weekly Bulletins
Sunday November 18, 2018
26th Sunday after Pentecost November 18th, 2018
Welcome to: SUNDAY WORSHIP!! IT’S A SINGING SUNDAY!!
Minister: The Reverend Jope Langejans
Special Guests: The Corpus Christi Male Chorale (CCMC)
THEME: And What Is Our Rock and Our Foundation?
A Service of Prayer, of Song, and of Moving With the Spirit!
And here’s the quote for this Sunday (sometimes called ‘Children’s Sunday):
” After church one Sunday, the young lad announced that he wanted to become a preacher... “Wonderful,” says Mom… “And what made you decide?”… “Well, since I go to church anyway, I’d rather be standing up and yelling instead of sitting down and listening.”
Gathering *Gives you the opportunity to stand if you wish to…
Prelude
Welcoming and Announcements
Lighting of the Candle of Christ
Introit: “The Lord is My Light” (CCMC)
*Call to Worship or Gathering and Coming Together:
Leader: Welcome to each and every one…welcome to this time of worship. What is worship really? What is it meant for?
ALL: To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God. In our coming together, we are saying firstly that “we believe” and secondly, “that we are willing to act upon our belief.”
Leader: So if worship is a statement of our belief and the actions which are around it, then what is the purpose of worship?
ALL: To worship is to feed the mind with the truth of God. To worship is to purge our imaginations by the beauty of God.
Leader: So then, how are we to put our beliefs into action and how does this work for us as not only a congregation but also as those who may receive?
ALL: To worship is to open our hearts to the love of God and to devote our will to the purpose of God. To worship is to fill out ‘toolbox’ for what we need to mend our broken world – person by person. So come, let us join together in song as we sing one of the timeless hymns of many years ago:
*Opening Hymn: VU # 264 “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”
Sunday’s Reflection of the Heart: (Unison)
ALL: O Holiest One, O God of us all, we open our eyes to find that you have blessed each of us with a new day even before we thought to ask – it’s just here for us to enjoy. We thank-you, O Holy One, for your generous provision. Help us and all those present this morning who have gathered here in Lakeview United Church to discover your less obvious blessings. Give us:
the courage to ask that our church and its mission be
vital and life-giving;
the stamina to search for Christ-like pathways;
the boldness to knock and confess our need of the Holy
Spirits’ power;
And the grace to walk through doors you open for us.
We give thanks, o God, that through Christ we know you both listen and respond. Come into this place of worship and surround us with your presence so that each of us may be a gift to others…Amen.
Time for All Ages: “”
Corpus Christi Male Chorale “ The Animals are Comin’ ”
“ Down By the Riverside ”
Engaging 1 SAMUEL 1: 4-20 (Gwen Jamieson)
Samuel is born to Hannah and Eli….
HEBREWS 10: 11-14 (Gwen Jamieson)
Provoke one another to love and do good deeds…
*Hymn: VU # 635 “All the Way My Saviour Leads Me”
MARK 13: 1-8 (Rev. Jope)
Not one stone of the temple shall be left standing…
Message: “Our Rock and Our Foundation”
Responding
*Hymn: VU # 716 “My Life Flows On”
Offering: (CCMC) “Soon All Will Be Done”
*Offertory Doxology: VU # 541
“Praise God from all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures high and low;
give thanks to God in love made known:
Creator, Word and Spirit, One.”
Prayer of Dedication (Rev. Jope)
Blessing
Corpus Christi Male Chorale “It Is Well With My Soul”
Prayers of the People (ending with The Lord’s Prayer) (Rev. Jope)
Commissioning (unison): As we go, may we know the blessing of God in every place we find ourselves.
May we see God’s blessings in everyone we meet.
May we be God’s blessing to everyone we meet.
God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God…Amen.
Choral Benediction (CCMC) “Grace Be Unto You”
Postlude
Deepest thanks from all of us at Lakeview United Church to The Corpus Christi Male Chorale in their sharing of their gift of music!! You are all truly blessings indeed!!
November 11, 2018
God’s People Together Lakeview United Church
WELCOME TO YOUR TIME OF WORSHIP!!
A SUNDAY OF REMEMBRANCE
Welcome to Your Service of Prayer, Song, and of Continual Blessings.
“Some folks live throughout their lives with only seeing a hopeless end…
I would rather live my complete life through believing that there is an endless hope!”
Gathering *Indicates please rise as you are able
Prelude
*Processional
*Presentation of Colours
*Laying of the Wreaths
*Last Post (Thomas Joiner – Trumpet)
*Minute of Silence
*Reveille
In Flanders Fields (James Cameron & Lucas Pope)
The Soldier’s Cry / Words of Remembrance
Leader: They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old…age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them
ALL: We will remember them.
(You Tube, Remembrance Day Videos, Canada)
*O Canada
Announcements
Lighting of the Candle of Christ
*Introit: VU # 556 “Would You Bless Our Homes and Families” (Verses 1 and 4)
Call to Worship:
Leader: Through every generation, through times of hope and times of fear,
ALL: through times of war and times of peace,
Leader: through times of loss and times of joy,
ALL: you are God!
Leader: In the first moment of grief,
ALL: in the long, empty nights,
Leader: in the chaos of war, in the search for answers,
ALL: you, God, are with us!
Leader: When we pause in the midst of our busy lives,
ALL: when we remember those who suffered and those who died,
Leader: when we pray to you saying, your kingdom come,”
ALL: you are God!
Leader: Today we wear our poppies as symbols of the right to freedom:
ALL: the crowd responding to the words of Martin Luther King Jr,
“I have a dream…”
Leader: This is the symbol of the desire for justice and a symbol of God’s
love overcoming evil and hatred.
*Hymn: MV # 154 “Deep in Our Hearts”
Morning Prayer & Blessing (Unison):
(With this opening prayer we will be utilizing VU # 278
“In the Quiet Curve of Evening”)
ALL: O God of many names, we pray for peace within ourselves, in our relationships, in our communities, in our world. May we be empowered to do the work of peace wherever we may find ourselves so that you may work through each of us. We give you thanks today for the devotion and courage of all those who have offered military service for this country: for those who have fought for freedom.
(Sing: “In the Quiet Curve of Evening” verse #1 VU # 278)
ALL: Where there is terror or fear, may we help create calmness. Where there is the silence of repression, may we help to give voice. Where there is only violence, may we help to show other ways. With all of our hearts we pray for peace which flows from Holy Love, which permeates all living beings, which permits children to play – open and unafraid and not living with fear or anger.
(Sing: “In the Quiet Curve of Evening” verse #2 VU # 278)
ALL: O Holy Wisdom, you inspire us to remember and live with our memories both of combat and of peace…for we know that peace is generosity, peace is compassion, peace is justice, and peace is extended to all. O God, hear our prayer and help us be the answer.
(Sing: “In the Quiet Curve of Evening” verse #3 VU # 278)
A Time for All Ages: Painting Peace
*Blessing of Each Other as We Share in the Peace of Christ
(Let us all be mindful that it is flu season and a simple Namaste is maybe all which is needed…)
Engaging With the Sacred Text
Older Testament Reading: RUTH 3: 1-5; 4: 13-17 (Barb Penhale)
Ruth marries Boaz and restores the family line…
Gospel Reading: MARK 12: 38-44
(Rev. Jope)
Message: “God’s Strength is Found in Our Weakness”
Hymn: VU # 713 “I See a New Heaven”
Offering: Dona Nobis Pacem (LUC Choir)
*Doxology: (Sung to the tune of VU 217 “All Creatures of Our God and King”)
“We give so we can further peace;
We give so we can mend our Earth;
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.
We give because we care for all
And wait upon a brand new birth.
Sing praises, sing praises,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.”
Prayer of Dedication (Rev. Jope)
Closing Meditation: (Rev. Jope)
Lord’s Prayer (Unison)
*Commissioning: We go from here ready to take risks for the sharing of the Good News. We go from here ready to give of ourselves for the
gospel of Christ. We go from here certain that God is with us. We go knowing that we are never alone…Amen!
*Hymn VU # 684 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
*Benediction
*Recessional
Postlude
Deepest thanks to all of the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Ventures, their Leaders and their Parents and Families
for participating in today’s special Remembrance Sunday Service…You are all truly blessings!!
November 4, 2018
GOD’S PEOPLE TOGETHER LAKEVIEW UNITED CHURCH
Welcome to Worship
Leading Worship Today: Bob Gibennus, Licensed Lay Worship Leader
Gathering *Indicates please rise as you are able
Music for Gathering
Greeting: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Response: And also with you.
Acknowledging the Territory
Welcome to Lakeview United Church, located near the banks of the Elbow River and the Weaselhead conservation area. We acknowledge with respect the history, spirituality and culture of the Indigenous Peoples for whom this was once the sacred gathering ground of the buffalo and the healing place of the Medicine Tree, the peoples with whom Treaty 7 was signed. We recognize our responsibility, as signatories to that treaty, to live with respect on this land and in peace and friendship with its people.
Welcoming & Announcements
*Gathering Hymn: Come in, Come in and Sit Down VU #395
*Blessing of Each Other as We Share in the Peace of Christ
Call to Worship:
(written by Kate Crawford, Huron Shores United Church, Grand Bend Ont. Gathering, Pentecost 2 2018, page 46. Used with permission)
Leader: People of God, prepare your hearts!
All: We prepare them, as many have done in this place before us.
Leader: People of God, prepare your spirits!
All: We prepare in spirit and become aware of the great communion of saints all around us.
Leader: People of God, prepare to worship!
All: Generation after generation have lifted their voices in worship, and we take our place among them, faithful to the tradition we have inherited, breathing new life into it in our own day, passing it along to those who come after us.
Leader: Let us worship God!
Lighting of the Candle of Christ
*Hymn: In Loving Partnership We Come VU #603
Opening Prayer: For the Communion of Saints VU #719
God of the ages, we praise you for all your servants who have done justice, loved mercy, and walked humbly with their God. We praise you for all who have sought your new creation, and who, by their steadfast faith, have shown their discipleship in Christ Jesus. We praise you for those we have known and loved, and pray that we, with them, may follow in the way of Christ, and, at the last, dwell in your holy city, sharing the inheritance of the saints in light, through your son, our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen
A Time for All Ages: Stained Glass Saints (Peggy Gibennus)
*Hymn: Let There Be Light VU 679
Engaging with the Sacred Text
Matthew 1:2-6a The genealogy of David the son of Abraham
Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world
Reflection: Does Your Light Shine? (Bob Gibennus)
*Hymn: Spirit, Open My Heart MV #79
Responding
Pledgefest
Offering: Blest Are They (words and music by David Haas) LUC Choir
*Doxology “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” VU #541
Prayer of Dedication
Blessing
Lighting candles for the saints
Prayers of the People (and Lord’s Prayer)
Transitioning the light of the Christ Candle
*Commissioning:
And now into God’s world we go, with our faith refreshed and renewed. May we pass the faith of the saints on to our children and their children. Amen
*Sung Benediction “Go Now in Peace” Don Besig and Nancy Price
Music for leaving
October 28, 2018
God’s People Together Lakeview United Church
Welcome to Worship
Leading Worship Today: Bob Gibennus, Licensed Lay Worship Leader
Music for gathering
Gathering *Indicates please rise as you are able
*We sing together: “Where Two or Three Are Gathered” MV #14
*Blessing of Each Other as We Share in the Peace of Christ
(Let us all be mindful that it is flu season and a simple Namaste is maybe all which is needed…)
Welcome and Land Acknowledgement
Welcome to Lakeview United Church, located near the banks of the Elbow River and the Weaselhead conservation area.
We acknowledge with respect the history, spirituality and culture of the Indigenous Peoples for whom this was once the sacred gathering ground of the buffalo and the healing place of the Medicine Tree, the peoples with whom Treaty 7 was signed.
We recognize our responsibility, as signatories to that treaty, to live with respect on this land and in peace and friendship with its people.
Lighting of the Candle of Christ
*We sing together: “We Are One” (verses 1,2,4) VU #402
Call to Worship:
Leader: This is the day that God has made.
ALL: We will rejoice and be glad in it!
Leader: If you’ve had a great week, and are ready to begin a new, even better one …you’ve come to the right place.
ALL: We bring our joys and celebrations to God!
Leader: If you’ve had a difficult week, and need comfort and reassurance…you’ve come to the right place.
ALL: We bring our sorrows and brokenness to God!
Leader: If you are worried or concerned about something or someone in your life…you’ve come to the right place.
ALL: We bring our fears and concerns to God!
Leader: This is the day that God has made.
All: Something good will happen to me today!
Praying into the presence of God:
Leader: God of all peoples; We have come to this place to meet you; to walk with you; to be blessed by you; and yet…There are times, God, when we feel like we have to shout to get your attention.
All: Come to my heart, Lord Jesus; (VU 661 V.1 without refrain)
Teach me to walk in your way.
Come to my heart, Lord Jesus;
Come to my heart today.
Leader: There are times, God, when we behave in ways we wish we hadn’t. Help us to be the kind, loving people you created us to be.
All: Fill me with love, Lord Jesus; (VU 661 V.2 without refrain)
Teach me to walk in your way.
Fill me with love, Lord Jesus;
Fill me with love today.
Leader: Remind us, O God, that the Risen Christ lives deep within each of us. May this sacred hour we spend together with you, and each other spark something wonderful in us.
All: Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus; (VU 661 V.3 without refrain)
Teach me to walk in your way.
Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus;
Answer my prayer today.
A Time for All Ages: The Christmas Guest (Peggy Gibennus)
*We sing together: “Spirit of the Living God” VU #376
Engaging with the Sacred Text
JOB 42: 1-6; 10-17
Job Acknowledges God’s Power; Job’s fortunes are restored.
MARK 10: 46-52
The healing of blind Bartimaeus.
Bob Speaks: “Where is God?”
We sing together: “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry” VU #644
Responding
Life and Work of the Church (Announcements)
Gathering our gifts:
*Doxology VU #541 “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Prayer of Dedication
Blessing
Prayers of the People (and Lord’s Prayer): (Gwen Jamieson)
Transitioning the light of the Christ Candle (Bob)
*Commissioning:
And now into God’s world we go,
to continue our walk with Christ
in all the places life calls us to be.
May we go in joy and peace.
*Sung Benediction “Go Now in Peace” Don Besig and Nancy Price
Music for leaving
October 21, 2018
God’s People Together Lakeview United Church
WELCOME TO YOUR TIME OF WORSHIP!! October 21st, 2018
A BAPTISMAL SUNDAY IN THE SEASON OF PENTECOST
Welcome to Your Service of Prayer, Song, and of Continual Blessings.
“It’s not what we eat but what we digest which makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save which makes us richer; not what we read but what we remember which makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice which gives us integrity.”
(Francis Bacon 1561-1612)
Gathering
*Indicates please rise as you are able
Prelude
Processional
Land Acknowledgement: We acknowledge that we are worshiping today on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, as well as in Treaty 7 territory which includes the Siksika, Piikani or Peigan, Kainai or Blood, Tsuut’Ina, and Stoney Nakoda Nations.
Announcements
Lighting of the Candle of Christ
*Introit: MV # 12 “Come Touch Our Hearts”
Call to Worship:
Leader: Out of the scramble and busyness, the pains and competing choices of our lives, we all come together on this Sabbath morning to worship. We come to witness living water upon foreheads as the Spirit comes alive.
ALL: We come to give our thanks for this special time as we ground ourselves once more in our faith, once more in our belief that we can, and will, make this world a place of shalom – a place of peace.
Leader: This place, this sanctuary, gives us freedom from the many conflicting messages swirling around us to consider the question, “What must we do to perform your works?”
ALL: So on this Sunday, this day of rest, we are reminded of the faith which we have to build bridges and not walls, to construct meaningful dialogue and not words of hatred.
Leader: So we call upon our God to quiet us in this time together. May we know that in this time of worship we may draw closer to what is truly important in the life which has been so freely given to each of us.
ALL: And once again, we say thank-you for this time to live into our faith, once more in what is truly empowering and truly real.
*Hymn: VU # 333 “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
Morning Prayer & Blessing (Unison):
Leader: “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (Psalm 81:10)
ALL: Come, O Holy Spirit…help us to replace the busyness of life with a simpler lifestyle, so that we focus on ‘the deeper things’ in life and allow time for others. Nourish our yearning to understand and to appreciate ourselves; keep us from being too self-oriented and unmindful of others’ needs. Fill us with trust in your consoling presence. Calm us when we are anxious and troubled about many things. Help us to have the courage to empty ourselves of everything that does not contribute to the transformation of this world. Continue to create a deep hunger for you within us. Feed us with “the finest wheat” of your joy, your peace, and your love. Often replenish our weary spirits with an enthusiasm and energy that comes from surrendering our lives to you. Be our wisdom as we search for meaning in a world fraught with pain, suffering, hostility, and division. Keep us hungry for you, O Source of Life, so that we will always ache and yearn a bit for you...Amen.
(Joyce Rupp, Out of the Ordinary: Prayers, Poems and Reflections for Every Season)
A Time for All Ages: H.C. Booth Day
*Blessing of Each Other as We Share in the Peace of Christ
(Let us all be mindful that it is flu season and a simple Namaste is maybe all which is needed…)
“All Who Are Thirsty” (Rev. Jope)
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism
THOMAS JOHN HARRISON
IVY BRYNN KATHLEEN STARKO
The New Creed
Baptismal Benediction Hymn: VU # 454 “May God Who Creates You”
Introduction of New Members to Lakeview United Church.
META LYNAS
HEATHER DORIN
Engaging With the Sacred Text
First Reading: JOB 38: 1-7; 34-41 (Heather Dorin)
God’s rebuttal to Job’s complaint…
Second Reading: HEBREWS 5: 1-10 (Heather Dorin)
Christ learned obedience and was made perfect…
Gospel Reading: MARK 10: 35-45 (Rev. Jope)
James and John request to sit on Jesus’ right and left…
Message: “Obedience vs Holy Desire”
Hymn: VU # 560 “O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee”
Offering: “Jesus, Be the Centre” (LUC Choir)
*Doxology: (Sung to the tune of VU 217 “All Creatures of Our God and King”)
“Come to this place with open hearts
And see what God freely imparts;
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.
It’s love and blessing; peace and joy,
That nothing ever can destroy.
Sing praises, sing praises,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.”
Prayer of Dedication (Rev. Jope)
Closing Meditation: A Blessing for You (Rev. Jope)
Lord’s Prayer (Unison)
*Commissioning: The Spirit blows us into places unexpected. We go to find those like us, lost and alone, to build a network of loving kindness. God’s grace blesses us and keeps us. We go to proclaim the blessing of the good news, sharing Jesus’ story in word and in deed. May we now go in peace, in love, and in compassion for each other…Amen
*Hymn VU # 264 “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”
*Benediction
Postlude
October 14, 2018
GOD’S PEOPLE TOGETHER Lakeview United Church
Guest Minister: Rev Rob Taylor
Gathering * indicates “Please rise as you are able” Greeting and Welcome Announcements
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love. (2 John 1:3)
Jesus said: “All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27)
“And the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name.” (John 14:26)
This day as we gather in worship we give glory to God who reveals himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
“Lighting of the Christ Candle”
Officiant: Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.
People: Alight no darkness can extinguish.
Officiant: May his word be a lamp to our feet and a light upon our path.
People: That we may walk before God in the light of life.
( Psalm 56:13)
O Gracious Light, pure brightness of the everlasting Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the rising of the sun, and our eyes behold the dawning brightness, We sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are worthy at all times to be sung by happy voices, O Son, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.
Officiant: Let us praise the Lord our God.
People: Let God’s name be praised, Alleluia!
Introit: VU #356, “Seek Ye First”
Call to Worship: The Song of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36. 24-28)
I will take you from the nations, and gather you from every country, and bring you home to your own land. I will pour clean water upon you, purify you from all defilement, and cleanse you from all your idols. A new heart I will give you, and put a fresh spirit within you; I will take from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, that you walk in my commandments and observe my ways. You shall dwell in the land I promised to your forebears; we shall be God’s people and He will be our God.
*Opening Hymn: VU #341, “Beautiful Saviour”
Gathering Prayer: Almighty God, in our baptism you adopted us for your own. Enliven, we pray, your Spirit within us, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
A Time for All Ages:
*Hymn: VU #289, “It Only Takes A Spark”
Blessing of Each Other as We Share the Peace of Christ.
Engaging with the Sacred Texts First Reading: Job 223:1-9, 16-17. Job makes known his his complaint against God!
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16. The word of God is living, active, sharper than a two-edged sword.
Gospel Reading: Mark 14:17-31. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.
Message: “From the Garden to the City of God” Rev. Rob Taylor
*Hymn: VU “I See a New Heaven”
Offering: “Lord, have mercy” LUC Choir
*Doxology: VU #541, “Praise God from whom all Blessings Flow.”
Prayer of Dedication: God of Life, you provide us these gifts of the earth, these resources of our life and our labour. Receive them, offered in great thanksgiving, and use them to set a table that will heal the whole creation; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Light. Amen.
Prayers of the People: Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Our Father…
Hymn: VU #661 “Come to my Heart”
*Closing Prayer Holy and compassionate God, shape us to be humble and courageous. May your words come to life in our serving and in our witness, that we might speak a living voice of healing and justice to all the world, through Jesus Christ, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
*Hymn: VU #884 “Joy Shall Come.”
*Benediction
Dismissal: Officiant: Go in Peace. Sound the good news. People: Let God’s name be praised, Alleluia
October 7, 2018
God’s People Together
Lakeview United Church
WELCOME TO YOUR TIME OF WORSHIP!! October 7th, 2018
THANKSGIVING SUNDAY/WORLDWIDE COMMUNION
Welcome to Your Service of Prayer, Song, and of Continual Blessings.
“Grace is available for each of us every day – our spiritual daily bread – but we’ve got to remember to ask for it with a grateful heart and not worry about whether there will be enough for tomorrow” (Sarah Ban Breathnach)
Gathering *Indicates please rise as you are able
Prelude
Processional
Land Acknowledgement: We acknowledge that we are worshiping today on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, as well as in Treaty 7 territory which includes the Siksika, Piikani or Peigan, Kainai or Blood, Tsuut’Ina, and Stoney Nakoda Nations.
Announcements
Lighting of the Candle of Christ
*Introit: VU # 820 “ Psalm 100 – Make a Joyful Noise”
Call to Worship:
Leader: Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth …make the shuttles sound a rhythmic beat as all the earth weaves a shawl.
ALL: Hear the hum of the potter’s wheel, shaping goodness in our hands. Make the sky, the sun, and the moon emerge from the painter’s brush
Leader: Make a poet’s iambic metre tell the stories of life and of faith.
ALL: Worship God with gladness, come into the Holy presence singing, dancing, painting, sculpting, and making poetry.
Leader: Worship God, all the earth, with sounds and shapes of holiness. In front of us this morning, is the table for the world, a feast which will be spread for all people. No one is rich enough to pay for this meal; no one is too poor to join in.
ALL: This is God’s awesome gift to humankind. With joy and thanksgiving we come. May we now open ourselves to holiness, truth, imagination, openness, and devotion as we come at Christ’s call – to remember, to worship, to live, and to give thanks.
*Hymn: VU # 375 “Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness”
Morning Prayer & Blessing (Unison):
ALL: At this sacred season we come with thanksgiving into this holy place remembering that before the mountains were formed you knew us and patterned the swirls on our fingertips and coloured our eyes. God of infinite variety and magnitude, we praise you for life’s seasons of bittersweet and beauty, sunshine and rain, livestock and fowl, orchards and vineyards, feast days and holidays, for our life, for our breath. Creator God, to you we sing songs of thanks-giving, songs of thanks-living. You have blessed us in these days with an abundance beyond our wildest dreams. We celebrate, on this day, the year which has gone by. We remember rain, sun, heat, and cold. We have watched the crops grow and now we give thanks for all that you have provided. Be with us this day, receive our thanksgiving, and hold up for us the visions of your kingdom that we might be forever grateful….Amen.
A Time for All Ages: BRYON ANDERSON
*A Thank-you Hymn: (Sung to the tune of Edelweiss)
“Thank-you God, on this day, for our many good blessings.
Thank-you God, on this day, for our many good friendships.
Glory to you, may you hear our prayer, guide us on forever.
Thank-you God, on this day, for our blessings and friendship.
Bless our friends, bless our homes, come O God and be here.
May our talk glow with peace, bring your love and surround us.
Friendship and peace may they bloom and grow,
bloom and grow forever.
Bless our friends, bless this day, bless our world forever.”
*Blessing of Each Other as We Share in the Peace of Christ
Engaging With the Sacred Text
First Reading: JOEL 2: 21-27
Do not fear, O soil, for God will provide…
Second Reading: PSALM 126
Those who sow in tears reap in joy…
Epistle Reading: I TIMOTHY 2: 1-7 (Rev. Jope)
Offer prayers for everyone…
Message: “How Do We Demonstrate Our Faith –
Especially in Our Giving and Receiving”
Hymn: VU # 232 “Joyful, Joyful We Adore You”
Offering: “Halle, Halle, Halle,” Hal Hopson (LUC Choir) *Doxology: (Sung to the tune of VU 217 “All Creatures of Our God and King”)
“We’ve come to offer gratitude
For friends and life and air and food -
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.
These gifts that come from your own grace
That put a smile upon our face.
Sing praises, sing praises,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.”
Prayer of Dedication (Rev. Jope)
Service of the Table
Thanksgiving
Leader: Gracious God, we praise you and give you thanks.
ALL: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Leader: For the love we name Creator God, and all that is. For the one we name Jesus Christ and his message of peace, justice, and inclusiveness that is the realm of God. For the renewing strength and freedom of the Spirit always present on the breath of life.
ALL: We give thanks for the presence of God in the midst of life.
The Celebration
Leader: We remember the stories…
All: how Jesus gathered with friends, strangers, and those who resisted him, to tell them of a re-imagined way of living and being.
Leader: A way that did not conform to the standards of the Roman Empire or any other system of governance, that suppressed people until starvation and deprivation resulted in death.
ALL: In this way, Jesus empowered people then, and empowers us now, to imagine alternatives, and to live them out in new relationships and new communities.
The Loaf and the Cup
Leader: So in our time and in this place, with today’s issues before us, let us continue the tradition: to break bread together.
ALL: We remember what that tradition says, how, at the end of a journey, among friends, gathered round a table…
Leader: Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his friends:
ALL: “This bread is broken, as my body will be. Eat this bread and become my body, for Love’s sake in a broken world.”
(bread is broken)
Leader: We remember, too, how Jesus poured a cup of wine, offered thanks for it, and gave it to his friends:
ALL: “This wine is poured out, as my life will be. As you drink, give thanks for all I have given.” (the cup is filled)
Leader: Sharing this bread and wine with his friends, Jesus invited them to eat and drink with thanksgiving:
ALL: “Remember all that I have been to you.”
Leader: Bread….the very stuff of life, in which is gathered up warm sun, rich soil, gentle rain, human labour, and knowledge and skill….Grape juice, our vine….fruit of the vine, nurtured, tended, harvested, and pressed out for us to drink.
ALL: May the Spirit of Love within us be a source of healing and consolation. May the Spirit of Love among us strengthen us when we feel weak, warm us when we are cold-hearted, bend us when we are stubborn, move us when we are uncaring, guide us in the way of love. May the Spirit of Love surrounding us shine in all we do….Amen.
Communion
(Bread for the journey, and wine for our arrival)
Hymn during Communion: VU # 466 “Eat This Bread, Drink This Cup”
Closing Prayers of the People: (Rev. Jope)
*Commissioning: Let us leave this time and place of worship remembering God’s goodness to us: a goodness known in Creation, in our relationships, and most especially known in Jesus the Christ. Let us commit ourselves to lives of thanksgiving and thanks-living, remembering that when we are simply grateful, life is simply great! Let us go now, with smiles on our faces, with joy in our hearts, with purpose and in kindness, to be God’s people in all the places life calls us to be.
(Rob Root, Peterborough, Ont. Gathering, Pentecost 2, 2018,
page 44, Used with permission)
*Hymn VU # 236 “Now Thank We All Our God”
*Benediction & Postlude
September 30, 2018
God’s People Together
Lakeview United Church
WELCOME TO YOUR TIME OF WORSHIP!! September 30th, 2018
19th SUNDAY of PENTECOST {CREATION TIME #4}
Welcome to Your Service of Prayer, Song, and of Continual Blessings.
“There are sometimes two kinds of Christians: those who complain because God puts thorns on the roses, and those who praise God for putting roses among the thorns……
…so…which one are you?”
Gathering *Indicates please rise as you are able
Prelude
Processional
Land Acknowledgement: We acknowledge that we are worshiping today on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, as well as in Treaty 7 territory which includes the Siksika, Piikani or Peigan, Kainai or Blood, Tsuut’Ina, and Stoney Nakoda Nations.
Announcements
Lighting of the Candle of Christ
GENESIS 1: 24 – 2: 4 Rev. Jope
(The Inclusive Bible – The First Egalitarian Translation)
Introit: VU # 293 “We Praise You, Creator” (Les cieux at la terre)
Call to Worship:
Leader: When you sit in your easy chair in your home, whether it’s in your living room or somewhere else, can you hear the sounds around you?...possibly the sounds of an airplane?.... or maybe the whoosh of a car or a truck?...the hammering of nails?...or maybe the ticking of your clock?...
ALL: These are people sounds. These are sounds which we hear every day – day-in and day-out. Sometimes they grate upon our spirits.
Leader: If you listen closely…and ever so closely when you possibly are in a place of quietness…can you hear the sound of the wind…the sound of the breeze?...the rustle of the leaves?... the song of a bird?...possibly the buzz of a fly?...
ALL: These are nature sounds. They are always there but sometimes hidden under the noises that we make with our ever-moving pace of humanity.
Leader: And if we listen even closer than close, can we hear the distant wash of the waves on a shore?...can we hear the grinding of rocks as tectonic plates shift?...can we hear the roar of a glacier as it calves off an iceberg?...or the vibration of light as it travels the cosmos?...
ALL: These are creation sounds. They are sounds of life and of death and sounds of new life, born once again.
Leader: If we listen ---
ALL: we hear creation speaking, we hear creation shouting, we hear creation crying, we hear creation singing.
Leader: When we listen and speak what we hear, when we help others to listen and speak what they hear, when we speak with those who will not listen, and with those not willing to hear –
ALL: we worship God! Alleluia!
*Hymn: VU # 242 “Let All Things Now Living”
Morning Prayer & Blessing (Unison):
ALL: O Creative and Creating God, you are the sea and you are the sky…you are the rock and the tree and the creature – of song and of rhyme and discord and of perfect harmony…and we know, inside of ourselves, that you are breathtaking in what you can do and in what your imagination can create. We call upon you this morning to bless each of us with knowledge in our bodies, our hearts, and our minds, that you are with us in this moment, and in every moment. Would you bless us with joy of all creation, with your desire for its wholeness, with your will for its renewal…in the most wonderful dance of the Spirit, in the name of the Christ who shone your love to the world, we open with these words of prayer to you, the giver of all things…
Amen.
A Time for All Ages:
*Hymn: MV # 42 “Praise God for This Holy Ground”
*Blessing of Each Other as We Share in the Peace of Christ
Engaging With the Sacred Text
First Reading: EXODUS 3: 1-12 (Jean Scott)
Moses being called at the burning bush…
Second Reading: 1 KINGS 19: 9b -12 (Jean Scott)
Finding God in the silence…
Gospel Reading: MATTHEW 6: 24-34 (Rev. Jope)
Stop worrying about what to eat or drink…
Message: “Where We Are at This Moment Is Holy Ground”
Hymn: MV # 174 “Soil of God, You and I” (Holy Ground)
Offering: “Take This Moment” J. Bell / G. Maule (LUC Choir)
*Doxology: (Sung to the tune of VU 217 “All Creatures of Our God and King”)
“Creator God we call to you
To teach us what we need to do
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.
Healing this planet, healing Earth,
And bring about a brand new birth.
Sing praises, sing praises,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.”
Prayer of Dedication (Rev. Jope)
Closing Prayers of the People: Jean Scott
*Commissioning: The seasons of the church year come and go. The seasons of the calendar year come and go. The seasons of our lives change from one to the next. The call of the gospel remains constant. Jesus’ call to ‘come, follow me” is spoken each day. May God give us what we need to answer:
“Here I am, send me!”…Amen
*Hymn VU # 296 “This is God’s Wondrous World”
*Benediction
Postlude
September 23, 2018
September 16, 2018
God’s People Together
Lakeview United Church
WELCOME TO YOUR TIME OF WORSHIP!! September 16th, 2018
17th SUNDAY of PENTECOST {CREATION TIME #2}
Welcome to Your Service of Prayer, Song, and of Blessings.
“If you hear that someone is speaking ill of you, instead of trying to defend yourself, you should say: “They obviously don’t know me very well, since there are so many other faults that they could have mentioned!” (Epictetus)
Gathering *Indicates please rise as you are able
Prelude
Processional
Land Acknowledgement: We acknowledge that we are worshiping today on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, as well as in Treaty 7 territory which includes the Siksika, Pikani, Kainai, Tsuut’ina, and Stoney Nakoda Nations.
Announcements
Lighting of the Candle of Christ
Introit: MV # 7 “Gather Us In” (piano only as Genesis 1:1-13 is read)
Call to Worship:
Leader: It is time for each of us to listen…to listen very closely; to listen with intention and openness to the Spirit to guide us…
ALL: We sit and listen to the hum of the Earth… (Pause)
Leader: We sit quietly and listen to the murmuring of the swaying grass… (Pause)
ALL: We quietly sit and listen to the rustling of the trees, to the buzzing of the insects, to the song of the sparrow… (Pause)
Leader: Do you hear it?...listen closely…listen closely as the melodies of creation sing…shout…creak…and whisper around us.
ALL: We are listening closely as our hearts sing within us…we are listening as all creation yearns for nurture.
Leader: But do you hear it?...as we take these moments to listen, we remember God’s call of creation: “Let there be!”
ALL: And so, in this time of gathering, let there be honest reflection. Let there be radical discernment. Let there be creative stirring. Let there be space for connection. Let there be nurture and care.
Leader: Come!...all of you!...come and worship with one another and with all of creation!
*Hymn: VU # 278 “In the Quiet Curve of Evening”
Morning Prayer & Blessing (Unison):
(Taken from the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth)
ALL: O Creating God, we know that there is beauty in the forms of creation and we need to voice our deepest thanks and offer our own blessings:
…on smelling fragrant woods or bark, we give thanks and blessings to you who created these fragrant woods.
…on smelling odorous fruits, we give thanks and blessings to you who gives a goodly scent to fruits.
…on smelling fragrant spices, blessings, O God, who created diverse kinds of spices.
…on smelling fragrant oils, we give thanks and blessings to you who created fragrant oil.
…on seeing lightning, falling stars, mountain peaks, great deserts, thank-you, for these creations.
…on hearing thunder, our blessings to you, o God, whose strength and might always fills the world.
…at the sight of the sea, our gratitude for creating such a vast expanse of waters.
…on seeing beautiful trees or animals, blessed are you, our Creator God, who has such as these in the world.
…and on seeing the rainbow…thank-you, O God, for remembering the covenant, faithful to this covenant, and keeping promises…Amen.
A Time for All Ages: “Our Population Clock” https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+humanity&&view=detail&mid=BD74D504B6BD3204819FBD74D504B6BD3204819F&&FORM=VRDGAR
*Hymn: MV # 135 “Called by Earth and Sky”
*Passing of the Peace of Christ to Each Other
Engaging With the Sacred Text
First Reading: PSALM 104: 1-9 (VU # 826) (Barb Penhale)
God’s care over all what has been created…
REFRAIN: “Bless, O my soul, The Almighty,
who rules all creation.”
Reader: Praise God, O my soul.
ALL: Eternal God, you are great indeed.
Reader: You clothe yourself with light like a garment.
ALL: You spread the heavens like a tent; you lay out the beams
of your dwelling on the waters above.
Reader: You make the clouds your chariot,
and ride on the wings of the wind.
ALL: You make the winds your messengers,
and flames of fire your servants.
Reader: You fix the earth on its foundations,
so that it can never tremble.
ALL: You cover the earth with the ocean as with a cloak.
REFRAIN: “Bless, O my soul, The Almighty,
who rules all creation.”
Reader: When the waters covered the mountains,
they fled at your rebuke;
ALL: at the sound of your thunder, they took flight.
Reader: They flowed over the mountains, ran down the valleys to the
place you had appointed for them.
ALL: There you set limits not to be passed, that they might not
again cover the earth.
REFRAIN: “Bless, O my soul, The Almighty,
who rules all creation.”
Second Reading: GENESIS 9: 8-9, 12-13 (Barb Penhale)
God’s setting of the rainbow in the sky…
Message: “The Connection Between
Creation ~~~~ Humanity”
Hymn: VU # 282 “Long before the Night”
Offering: “Abundant Life” (Ruth Duck, Ron Klusmeier)
*Doxology: (Sung to the tune of VU # 541 “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”)
“Creation is for us to hold;
not to be squandered or be sold
so future children may not see
what God envisioned it to be.”
Prayer of Dedication (Rev. Jope)
Closing Meditation: (Unison)
ALL: O God, whose power is great beyond our knowing, whose love runs deeper than our hurtful actions of neglect, who holds all of creation in your tender embrace:
let us love, not only in words or speech, but in truth and
in action,
let us be stewards of deepened relationships and
interactions,
and the givers of life to creation that surrounds us.
We come to you in this quiet place seeking your reassurance and your hope. Come and cradle us in your arms of love. As we inhale, breathe your life into our hearts. As we exhale, help us to let go of heavy expectations and anxieties. Help us to feel your love as close to us as the breath we breathe. Today, o God, we admit to the places where we fall short – where we are not able to give enough, do enough, and nurture enough. Inspire in us a longing to be better stewards and help us to live out our
covenant commitment. Allow the dreams and hopes that we have – for ourselves, for our communities, and for all of creation – to sprout forth with energy and new life…and now, we share in the prayers of the people and then share in words of The
Lord’s Prayer:
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer
*Commissioning (unison): Go from this place, letting your anxious worries cease. May the lilies of the field and the birds of the air inspire you to see God in all you do…Amen
*Hymn VU # 312 “Praise with Joy the World’s Creator”
*Benediction (Rev. Jope)
May the blessing of Jesus, who announced God’s righteousness, of the Creator, who fills Earth with beauty, and of the Spirit, who nurtures awe, bless, inspire, and empower each of you…Amen.
Postlude
September 9, 2018
God’s People Together
Lakeview United Church
WELCOME TO YOUR TIME OF WORSHIP!! September 9th, 2018
16th SUNDAY of PENTECOST {CREATION TIME #1}
Welcome to Your Service of Prayer, Song, and of Blessings.
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: first – by reflection, which is noblest; second – by imitation, which is the easiest; and third – by experience, which is by far, the bitterest” (Confucious)
Gathering *Indicates please rise as you are able
Prelude
Processional
Land Acknowledgement: We acknowledge that we are worshiping today on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, as well as in Treaty 7 territory which includes the Siksika, Pikani, Kainai, Tsuut’ina, and Stoney Nakoda Nations.
Announcements
Lighting of the Candle of Christ
Introit: MV # 130 “Rise Up”
Call to Worship:
Leader: As the sun endures, and the moon glows,
ALL: changing days speak of God’s glory.
Leader: As the rainbow arcs through grey clouds,
ALL: colours speak of God’s glory.
Leader: As Earth provides sustaining food,
ALL: harvest speaks of God’s glory.
Leader: As people gather to praise God’s name,
ALL: we speak of God’s glory.
Leader: This is a place of refuge, a place where we can be together within the Spirit.
ALL: We pause briefly to refresh our souls so that we may refresh the soul of Creation.
Leader: Let us gather to call ourselves into mindfulness of the sacred gift of time: worship time and Sabbath time. Let us open with song as we share in the words of ‘Long before Time’…
*Hymn: VU # 248 “When Long before Time” (all 6 verses)
Opening Prayer of Approach (Unison):
ALL: O Creative and Creating God, creation sings of your glory and speaks of your goodness:
from picturesque countryside to reaching skyscrapers,
from untamed wild lands to cookie-cutter suburbs,
from spacious ocean beaches to crowded city streets:
wherever we are…there creation speaks.
Forgive us when we fail to join creation in her continual song of praise. Forgive us when, overcome with pride, we forget that creation is not ours to shape and mold; it is yours, and we are a part of it. Forgive us when we abuse, defile, and strike Earth with our greed, selfishness, and ambition. Forgive us when we attack what we are charged to love, and fail to face the stinging reality of our actions and thus sow hardship for future generations to reap. Forgive us, O God, for all the ways we have failed to sing your praises with all creation…Amen.
Leader: God’s grace is a soothing and healing balm that we can never earn or deserve. It relieves pains, heals stings, and frees us to sing God’s praises joyfully. Receive the blessed assurance of God’s grace! Amen.
A Time for All Ages: Creation and its Glory! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_38JDGnr0vA
*Hymn: VU # 289 “It Only Takes a Spark” (Pass It On)
*Passing of the Peace of Christ to Each Other
Engaging With the Sacred Text
First Reading: GENESIS 11: 1-9 (Heather Mayers)
The building of the Tower of Babel and different languages…
Second Reading: PSALM 148 (Heather Mayers)
The Psalm of many praises to where praises need to go…
Gospel Reading: MARK 7: 24-30 (Rev. Jope)
The Syrophoenician woman and her daughter… Message: “Caring for Creation Isn’t New –
Environmentalism Is”
Hymn: VU # 360 “A Woman and a Coin – The Coin Is Lost”
Offering: “Christ in Me,” (John Chisum, Nancy Gordon, George T Searcy)
*Doxology: (Sung to the tune of VU # 541 “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”)
“This place we live on is our Earth
It’s been our home since day of birth;
We need to hold it in respect
And not to fall into neglect.”
Prayer of Dedication (Rev. Jope)
Closing Meditation: (Unison – We will be utilizing
MV # 75 “Veni Sancte Spiritus” )
“Holy Spirit, come to us, kindle in us the fire of your love.
Holy Spirit, come to us. Holy Spirit, come to us.”
ALL: God, Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, Holy Mystery, in the gift of creation you speak for us. The weed protruding through the sidewalk crack speaks of your grace, that with you the unexpected should be expected, the impossible made possible. We pray for those who are without hope…
“Holy Spirit, come to us, kindle in us the fire of your love.
Holy Spirit, come to us. Holy Spirit, come to us.”
ALL: May we hear you speak in the disobedient wildflower, a reminder that your tenacious hope grows in seemingly hopeless places. The plastic bag blowing in the wind speaks of your word to the lonely. We pray for those who feel discarded and rejected by society…
“Holy Spirit, come to us, kindle in us the fire of your love.
Holy Spirit, come to us. Holy Spirit, come to us.”
ALL: May we hear you speak in the gentle wind that lifts up and carries what others have long since forgotten. The horrific powers of the sea speak of your majesty and mystery: we cannot control the waters which build up and tear down. We pray for the many gifts of nature that we cannot understand and we pray for those who have been affected by natural disasters…
“Holy Spirit, come to us, kindle in us the fire of your love.
Holy Spirit, come to us. Holy Spirit, come to us.”
ALL: May we hear you speak in the awesomeness of the elements as we ask for our protection. The colours dancing at the break of dawn speak of your beauty and our gratitude, that we are enhanced and transformed by the diversity of colours that touch every part of our lives. We give thanks for this church community and ask that you bless the individual gifts that you have generously scattered within each of us. The beauty of creation gives voice to these and all of our prayers as we sing together:
VU # 959 ‘The Lord’s Prayer’…
*Commissioning (unison): And now we leave this time and place to continue our journey as God’s people: surrounded by the wonders of God’s creation, accompanied by the One who shared our existence, enfolded in the purposeful caring of the Spirit, to be God’s faithful people in all the places life calls us to be…Amen
*Hymn VU # 249 “Rejoice in the Lord Always”
(Sung three times through…)
*Benediction (Rev. Jope)
Postlude
Thank you to the Jamieson’s for the PPT and bulletin photo submission