Monday 29 March 2021

There will be Good Friday and Easter Sunday services at St. Mark's

 This is to confirm that there will be a service at St. Mark's at 3 p.m. on Good Friday and also a service with communion at 3 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

Saturday 27 March 2021

Palm Sunday March 28, 2021

   THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

ST. MARK’S COMMUNITY OF FAITH

PORT HAWKESBURY, NS


 Palm Sunday

March 28, 2021 

Pulpit Supply:  Pastor Keith Wiseman, DLM

Music:  Adam Cooke



WE GATHER IN COMMUNITY AND APPROACH GOD


Hymn: ‘He Came Riding on a Donkey’ VU #124


Greeting:

May the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.

And also with you.


Words of Lenten & Lighting of the Christ Candle:


Call To Worship:

Hosanna! Hosanna!

Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!

Christ the Lord is near.

Hosanna! Hosanna!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Christ the Lord is here.

With well-loved songs,

and waving waving palms,

we celebrate his Way!

Hosanna! Hallelujah!

Welcome Christ the Lord, today!                            

Richard Bott



Hymn: ‘Ride On!  Ride On in Majesty!’        VU #127


Gathering Prayer, Prayer of Confession & Words of Assurance:


Hymn: ‘Will Follow You and Serve You, Lord I Will’


WE LISTEN FOR GOD'S WORD


Prayer of Illumination:

God of light and love,

God of prophets and law-givers,

God of revelation,

open us to your word and will this day.

Open us to your ways,

so that when we leave this place,

we can be your people

wherever our journey takes us.                           

Beth Johnston



A Reading from the Psalms:   Psalm 31: 9-16



A Reading From Paul’s Letter to the Phillippians 2: 5-11



A Reading from The United Church of Canada’s Song of Faith:



Reading from the Gospel of Jesus Christ:        Mark 11: 1-11                           



WE RESPOND TO GOD'S WORD



Sermon: “An Alternative Way”



Hymn: Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying’                   VU #400



Prayers of the People and The Lord’s Prayer:



THE LIFE AND WORK OF GOD’S PEOPLE



Announcements and Minute For Mission:



Dedication of Offering:

Receive our gifts O God as you have received our hosannas and praise. Bless both what is given and those who give it. Bless most deeply of al those whose lives will be touched by what we offer here.  Amen                             

Kate Crawford   

                                         


SENDING FORTH




Closing Hymn:    ‘All Glory, Laud and Honour’          VU #122



We Bless One Another As We Go Into The World:

May the grace of Jesus Christ, and the love of our Maker, and 

the friendship of the Holy Spirit strengthen us on our  

journey so that God’s blessings might be known by all 

who meet us.

                                 



ANNOUNCEMENTS:


Church Services for April                                                                    


Scripture Readers                                                                   

April 4th – Clark Brander – EASTER SUNDAY

April 11th – Iaian Langley

April 25th – Vida Hood


Minute for Mission Readers                                                                                                                                                              

April 4th – Anna Marie Langley

April 11th –Yvonne Fox

April 25th – Katherine Langley



Easter Sunday is at 3pm with Communion and lead by Pastor Keith Wiseman.


St. Mark’s will resume weekly church services starting when our new Minister, Barbara Blois MacNaughton begins her ministry with us. So, set your alarms as the date is May 2nd and the time for the services will be back to 9:30 am. 


The next Prayer Shawl Knitting meeting will be April 19th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the Church hall. Masks must be worn. Covid-19 guidelines will be followed regarding safe distancing and sanitizing. There will be no access to the kitchen.


Volunteers are needed to help with the Collection Counting. 

There is a Sign-Up sheet in the Narthex. Your willingness will be greatly appreciated.


Food Bank donations will be received on the last Sunday of each month.



The W&P Committee is planning a thorough cleaning of St. Mark’s building.This will be a volunteer effort from all able, so please watch for an email blast with the dates, times and list of chores to be done. As they say, we need  “All Hands on Deck” for this event. 


The Bulletin and Announcements are now published in full on the blog. The address is 

ourcontactonline.blogspot.com



Community Event:

Good Friday Chowder Supper (Fish or Corn) – Take Out Only.

April 2nd from 4:00 to 6:00 pm

Trinity United Church Hall in Mulgrave.

$10.00 per serving.



.

Friday 12 March 2021

March 14th, Lent 4

                                               The United Church Of Canada, Region 15

St. Mark’s Community of Faith

Port Hawkesbury, NS


March 14th, Lent 4 

                                                           

                                    Pulpit Supply – Margie MacIntyre                               

Music – Adam Cooke



WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

* Please stand if able*



Piano Prelude

Welcome, Announcements and Happy Birthday 



Lenten Candle Liturgy: Anna Marie Langley



Introit

Throughout these Lenten days and nights, (Soloist)

we turn to walk the inward way,

where meeting Christ, our guide and light,

we live in hope ‘til Easter day.


Call to Worship

One: Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good;

All: God’s steadfast love endures forever.

One: God gathers God’s people from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

All: Let us thank God for such all-embracing love.

One: Let us praise God for God’s wonderful works to humankind.

All: We will worship God with thanksgiving and tell of God’s deeds with songs of joy.

One: Come let us worship with praise and thanksgiving.



Opening Prayer (In Unison)

Gracious God, great and wonderful are your works. Your steadfast love is everlasting. You have come among us in Christ Jesus to save us. Where there is darkness, you bring light. Where there is sadness, you speak words of hope. Where there is despair, you bring new possibilities. You bring healing for the sick and forgiveness. You bring justice for the oppressed, speaking truth instead of lies. Stir us with your Spirit, O God, in this time of worship. Awaken our joy and reverence as we offer you our songs and our silence, our prayers and praises. Thank you for this world with beauty, for the abundant generosity of your gifts, your world and your great love for us. Amen.



Hymn ‘Spirit, Open My Heart’ (Soloist)



Prayer of Confession (In Unison)

Gracious God, even as we praise you, we are aware of our failures as your disciples. We take your love and acceptance of us for granted. We are often careless with our relationships, more focused on ourselves than on you or those around us. We spend our days distracted by the news, rather than seeking your light and truth. Forgive us. Awaken our spirit of commitment and compassion.  Give us a new vision of your purposes and our place within them, so we may serve you more faithfully, day by day. 



Words of Assurance

New life is promised to each one of us when we commit ourselves to the challenging, yet renewing way of love, justice and compassion. 

We commit ourselves to God’s way of love, justice and compassion. We commit ourselves to the journey to the cross, for new life is ours



WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD



Prayer of Illumination 


Numbers 21: 4-9 ‘A bronze serpent heals the people’


One: this is the witness to the Hebrew people.

All: Thanks be to God.


Psalm 107 ‘God’s steadfast love endures forever’


Ephesians 2: 1-10 ‘We are not saved by our own doing, but by grace’


John 3: 14-21 ‘For God so loved the world’


One: The Gospel of Jesus Christ  

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

3


Reflection ‘Wonderful Love’



WE RESPOND IN FAITH



Hymn ‘Jesus Loves Me’ (Soloist)



Minute for Mission and Offering Our Gifts to God



Invitation to Offering  



Doxology  Praise God from whom All Blessings Flow’ (Soloist)


Offering Prayer (In Unison) 

Lord Jesus, you gave so much without counting the cost. Bless these gifts with your generous love. Send them and us into the world to bless it with the same hope and healing we have found in you. And let us not count the cost until we too have given all we can for your sake. Amen.



Prayers of Thanksgiving and Concern


WE GO TO SERVE


Hymn ‘Love Divine, All Loves Excelling' (Soloist)



Benediction

Let us go from this place as a new creation, crafted by the Word, conformed to the shape of Jesus Christ, so that all who meet us may know him in us, and come to love him through us. We leave thankful and able to face the road ahead. May you know the love of God surrounds you, the grace of Christ enfolds you and the Holy Spirit gives you guidance each day.  Amen.



Piano Postlude





ANNOUNCEMENTS



Church Services for March                                                                      

The 14th and 28th at 3 p.m.


Scripture Readers                                                                            

March 14th – Wayne Simpson                                                                                        

March 28th – Archie Noseworthy


Minute for Mission Readers                                                                       

March 14th - Larry Evans                                                                                        

March 28th – Barb MacIntyre



Notice of St. Mark’s Board Meeting – March 16th, 2021

Executive Meeting - 6:00 p.m.

Committee Meetings - 7:00 p.m.

Board Meeting - 8:00 p.m. 



The next Prayer Shawl Knitting meeting will be tomorrow in the hall from 1:00 to 3:00. Masks must be worn. Covid-19 guidelines will be followed regarding safe distancing and sanitizing. There will be no access to the kitchen.


Volunteers are needed to help with the Collection Counting. There is a Sign-Up sheet in the Narthex. Your willingness will be greatly appreciated.



The ‘Delivered Roast Beef Supper’ was a great success. A huge Thank You to all involved, the ladies who made desserts, the drivers and delivery folks, and the kitchen crew led by Kyle MacLeod from the Clove Hitch Bistro in Port Hood. We extend a special thanks to Clark & Patsy for being excellent expediters, to Ruth for organizing the desserts, and to Valli and Jean who co-chaired the event. When all the bills are in Treasurer Eric can do his ‘happy dance’.



Food Bank donations will be received on the last Sunday of each month. (March 28th)



The Bulletin and Announcements are now published in full on the blog. The address is 

ourcontactonline.blogspot.com