ORDER OF SERVICE SEPTEMBER 2ND 2012

 

September 2, 2012

Creation Time: Planet Earth Sunday & Sacrament of Baptism

* please stand as able

Thoughts around which to gather as we worship: Today is Planet Earth Sunday. Earth refers to the fragile aqua-green planet, a chunk of stardust in the solar system we call home. Earth provides us with a source of nurture, inspiration and renewal, and is filled with God’s glory and presence. This week we worship with our planet home, celebrate God’s relationship with creation, and cul­tivate our own relationship with, and appreciation for, our home Earth.

Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2011 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSION p. 39

Season of Creation • Pentecost 2 2012

Announcements The Work of Church and Community

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Welcome and greeting one another with the Peace of Christ.

One: The peace of Christ be with you.

Response: And with your spirit.

* Introit O Great Earth

O Great Earth so green and so blue, This is the promise that I’ll make to you: To care for your waters, for waters can hear the rhythm of your heartbeat.  

Words unknown, tune Linnea Good.

Copyright © 1995 Borealis Music. Used by permission.

* Call to Worship

One: I am the circling hawk dancing with joy for life.

All: God, you invite us to join in the dance!

One: I am the faithful soil nourishing each life I touch.

All: You invite us to join in the caring.

One: I am the swift stream singing my thanks for life.

All: You invite us to join in the song.

One: I am the blazing star bringing wonder to life.

All: You invite us to join in the wonder.

One: I am the voice of creation praising the God who shapes life: All: You invite us to join in the praise.

* Hymn: Out of Deep, Unordered Water VU453

Opening Prayer

Generous God, creation is your song of love. May we stop to listen and open our hearts to the melody so that we might join in the singing. Amen.
 

Prayer of Confession

One: For times when we have viewed Planet Earth as a source of endless resources All: Forgive.

One: We have polluted Earth’s waters with toxins All: Forgive.

One: For times when we have cared more about progress than Planet Earth All: Forgive.
 

Words of Affirmation

One: Planet Earth is our sanctuary home. All: We celebrate Earth as our home, and live in the good­ness of God’s forgiveness. Amen.

WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD

Genesis 1:1–25 A wind from God swept over the waters

One: This is the witness of the Hebrew people. All: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 33 Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe VU760

Sacrament of Baptism (insert) (St. D.)

Received today by Baptism and Profession of Faith:

Travis Stephen Parsons

Received by Transfer of Membership:

Margaret (Ripley) MacIntyre

Baptism Hymn I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry VU644

Hymn (St. M.) Peace is Flowing Like a River Printed

The Gospel Acclamation

John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word.

One: This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection on the Word

WE RESPOND IN FAITH

* Hymn: For the Beauty of the Earth VU226

Offering Our Gifts to God

* Offering Song/Doxology VU 541

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

The Lord’s Prayer

WE GO TO SERVE GOD

* Hymn: Let All Things Now Living VU242

*Commissioning and Benediction

One: May the joy of soaring birds be yours. May the peace of star-filled nights be yours. May the hope of sprouting seeds be yours. May the strength of flowing rivers be yours. May God’s love for all creation be yours.

* Choral Amen

CREATION TIME IN THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST

CREATION TIME

During this four week season
we experience the deep impulse of God’s
word which calls forth creation, and stirs
life. We affirm our kinship with everything
God has created and is creating, are
made conscious of the crisis of human
domination, and encouraged to live in
and toward a vision of new heavens and
new earth.

 Season of Creation

The Season of Creation began in the year 2000 and has
grown in its use around the world. Increasingly churches
recognize the need for us to spend some time thinking about
creation, our place within it, and how we are to interact
with it. According to the Season of Creation website (www.
seasonofcreation.com) we are encouraged to “celebrate
Earth as a sacred planet filled with God’s vibrant presence.”

The season covers the first four Sundays of the month of
September, chosen for their proximity in the calendar to the
feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4. St. Francis was
well known for his passion for creation and our need both
to appreciate it and to care for it.

The four Sundays this year are Planet Earth, Humanity,
Sky, and Mountain. The scripture texts for each week help
us think about the theme and explore how it connects with
our own living.

Many churches like to use this season to get involved
in programs that help to serve creation. Outreach programs
deal with recycling; cleaning up parks, highways, or
streams; or outreach to helping agencies – remembering
that people are part of creation, too!

We are all a part of creation. Sometimes we want to think
that somehow we – human beings – are unique and different
from other things, but scripture reminds us that we
are really all one and the same. This year’s readings for the
Season of Creation help affirm that. For the first two weeks
of the season we read from Genesis 1, probably the most
“famous” of the Bible’s several creation stories. In this one,
God’s spirit hovers over the waters at the very beginning of
time. It’s intriguing to think, even before God created, there
was something – water – already there.

Throughout the creation story in Genesis 1, God is in
charge. At times when we feel as though life is shaky, or
scary, it can be reassuring that from the very beginning of
time God has had a sense of order for all creation, and that
somehow things will always work out and fall into place.
Perhaps it was just for times like this that the early biblical
writers developed this story.

As we journey through this Season of Creation, may
we be mindful of the overarching theme for this year –
God’s Word. www.seasonofcreation.com reminds us “The
Word is a deep impulse summoning forth creation, evoking
praise from creation and stirring life in creation.” May we
find our lives stirred that, as part of creation, we might
praise God!

Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2011 Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFUSION Season of Creation • Pentecost 2 2012 13
Season of Creation, Pentecost 2 2012

ANNOUNCEMENTS AUGUST 26 2012

MINISTER’S OFFICE HOURS:

Monday 9-12 noon

Tuesday 9-12 noon

Wednesday 9-12 noon at St. David’s You may drop by for a coffee.

Thursday 9 – 12 noon

Friday – Minister’s Day Off

The Manse telephone number is 625-0407

Nan & Bruce will be house sitting at Dave & Camille’s from August 25^th – Sept. 11^th. They will be checking messages regularly during this time. The Corrigans can be reached at  4633 Hwy 19 Judique ph.787-2610. Nan will continue regular office hours at the churches on Monday to Thursday mornings and can be reached by email, by leaving a message on the church or manse phone, or via her cellphone at 631-5500.

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

Copies of the UPPER ROOM for Sept. – Oct. are available

Return to Regular Schedule:

Worship Service at St. Mark’s - 9:30 am.

Worship Service at St. David’s – 11:00 a.m.

**********

ST. MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

August 29^th – 10:30 a.m. Service at the Nursing Home.

The Ways and Means Committee of St. Mark's as well as the Cookbook Committee would like to keep you all informed as to how our fund-raising is going and what bus suppers we will be catering to. To contribute food, work or make monetary donations, please contact Ruth at 625-2424. The new re-ordered Cookbooks have arrived We will be catering meals to Buffet Supper for bus group on Tuesday, September 11^th. Ruth - Chair of the Ways & Means Committee.

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ST. DAVID’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Next service of the Sacrament of Baptism at St. David's United Church is Sunday, September 2nd. Anyone wishing baptism, transfer of membership or affirmation of faith on that date, please speak to Nan.

Sept. 16^th – Official Board Meeting following worship.

St. David’s Anniversary Service will be on October 21^st at 11:00 a.m. This is a combined Service with St. Mark’s. NO Service at St. Mark’s. Lunch to follow. Everyone is welcome to come.

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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Glendale Kitchen Ceilidhs: starting at 7:00 p.m. September 5th, 19^th, October 3rd, 17^th Traditional Cape Breton music. Admission is free, donations appreciated, with proceeds going to the Fr. John Angus Rankin Cultural Centre. Lunch to follow.

Terry Fox Run 2012 Date: Sunday, Sept. 16^th Time:  1:00 pm
Location: Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre 

Come join us Sunday, Sept. 16th to walk, run or bike 1 km, 5 km or 10 km and help support the Terry Fox Foundation for Cancer Research!  Register online at terryfoxrun.org or just show up at the Civic Centre on the day of the event. For more information to participate or to volunteer, call Sarah at 625-5405. No minimum entry fee. Raising pledges is optional. Donate what you can and join the fun!

Dave Gunning Dinner and Concert 

When: September 22nd, 2012 at 6:30 PM 

Where: Havre Boucher Community Centre 

The dinner is beef tenderloin with all the trimmings.

Tickets are $40.00 each and they go on sale at the Havre Boucher Community Centre on September 1st, 2012 at 10:00AM. First come first serve basis.

ORDER OF SERVICE, SUNDAY, AUGUST 26 2012

13^th After Pentecost-Outdoor Worship

* please stand as able

Thoughts around which to gather as we worship: On every journey we undertake, we may be at home with God wherever we are. Such a trusted dwelling place provides security and hope. But this home is not ours alone. God makes room and invites all to find place and sanctuary. Those often deemed as least and least likely are welcomed. We celebrate together the joy of living in God’s whole community.

Copyright © Wood Lake Publishing Inc. 2008 Seasons of the Spirit™

  Congregational Life Pentecost 1August 23 2009

Announcements        The Work of Church and Community

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Welcome and greeting one another with the Peace of Christ.

One: The peace of Christ be with you.

Response: And with your spirit.

* Introit            Adapted from Matthew 18: 20               MV14

Where two or three are gathered in my name,

I am there, I am there.

* Call to Worship 

 At home in the kindness of God

we come to be restored, we come to be changed.

At peace in the welcome of Christ

we come to be restored, we come to be changed.

And at one with the Spirit of Love

we come to be restored, we come to be changed.

Held in the embrace of community, we come to worship God.

* Hymn                 We Are Marching                          VU646

Opening Prayer  

Journey with us, O God, and lead us to our true home, in and with you. Lead us with others, with whom we share that home’s grace and presence. Lead us with Spirit, who gives us strength and hope on the way. Lead us in Christ, who shows us the way. Amen.

WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD

1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43    A beautiful place

One: This is the witness of the Hebrew people. All: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 84             How lovely is your dwelling place, O God.            VU800

* Hymn             Holy Ground                                     Printed

Time with young people/Opening the Word & The Lord's Prayer

The Gospel Acclamation

John 6:56–69 Abide in me

One: This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection on the Word

WE RESPOND IN FAITH

* Hymn            Make Me a Channel of Your Peace     VU684

Offering Our Gifts to God

* Offering Song/Doxology                      VU 537

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

            One: Let us pray to God, saying,

All: Holy God, hear us.

WE GO TO SERVE GOD

* Hymn              Go to the World                                VU420

*Commissioning and Benediction

One: Go on your way as messengers of God’s love.

Bless those you meet. Be people of hope. Give thanks in all you do.

All: We go with the blessing of God –homecoming and strength, author of peace, source of love, power of community, mystery of Christ.

* Choral Amen

REMINDER: OUTDOOR WORSHIP SERVICE

St. Mark's United Church

Sunday, August 26th, 2012   

Outdoor worship service 9:30 a.m. 

Bring your lawn chair and sun hat. 

Sandwich brunch to follow worship.  

Bring sandwiches or sweets to share. Beverages provided.

NAN'S AT GENERAL COUNCIL 41

 

DAY 7--REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONS, CELEBRATION OF THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS AND RETREAT CENTRES, MORE DEBATE ON ISRAEL/PALESTINE, MODERATOR'S BANQUET

These are pictures from my morning walk today. One has to get up very early to get an hour walk in before breakfast at 7:00! What a beautiful capitol city Canada has--this is showing the walk along the Rideau Canal from Carleton University and around Dow's Lake. Beautiful flower beds in Commissioners Park--so nice of the City of Ottawa to have a park in honour of General Council commissioners (wink, wink).
This was the last full day of General Council and I will not likely have a chance to post on Saturday, Day 8 as we share in Closing Worship and the new Moderator is installed and the meeting of General Council 41 comes to a close. It has been a privilege and a blessing to attend this General Council.

NAN'S AT GENERAL COUNCIL 41

 

Day 6--Election of Moderator, Celebrating Partners and Open Space

New Moderator Gary Paterson speaks following announcement of his election.

Gary Paterson responds to the announcement of his election as Moderator.

 

This was a day to hear from and celebrate our global, ecumenical and multifaith partners. We began the day hearing from our partners who have been our guests during General Council.

 

Closing worship, comedian Ann Hines returned, putting on her Baptist personna, leading us in her new lyrics to "Morning Has Broken".

 

Thursday evening we traveled by bus to Ottawa Presbytery "Voices Unite" service in song at Dominion Chalmers United Church. Mass choir from the presbytery in this huge, gorgeous church--large crowd and the sound of the singing filled the space.

Gary Paterson Elected Moderator

Posted on: August 16, 2012 - 21:13 by Kevin Cox

 The rest of this article can be found at this link:

• News

Elected as Moderator--Gary Paterson

A Vancouver-based minister who describes himself as a passionate preacher and poet, the Rev. Dr. Gary Paterson was elected Moderator of The United Church of Canada by the 41st General Council on August 16, 2012.

Paterson becomes the first openly gay leader of a major Christian denomination. At a news conference following his election, he rejoiced that his sexual orientation has been a non-issue.

“One of the most wonderful things for is me that in the time of discerning and in the time of writing responses to people, it’s actually been a non-issue, and I would suspect that is the primary news story,” said Paterson, who was joined at the news conference by his partner, Tim Stevenson.

“What some denominations or some parts of the world see as a huge dilemma and a problem has not within our immediate community been seen in that way at all,” said the Moderator-elect.

Announcements for August 19

Nan will be away until August 23rd at General Council. For emergencies Rev. Heather Manuel is covering.

Nan & Bruce will be house sitting at Dave & Camille’s from August 25th – Sept. 11th. They will be checking messages regularly during this time.

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

Summer Schedule:  During the month of August Service at St. Mark’s at 9:30 a.m. No Service at St. David’s

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ST. MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

REMINDER: St. Mark's United Church -  Sunday, August 26th, 2012  Outdoor worship service 9:30 a.m. Bring your lawn chair and sunhat. Sandwich brunch to follow worship. Bring sandwiches or sweets to share. Beverages provided.

The Ways and Means Committee of St. Mark's as well as the Cookbook Committee would like to keep you all informed as to how our fund-raising is going and what bus suppers we will be catering to. To contribute food, work or make monetary donations, please contact Ruth at 625-2424.  We will be catering meals to Buffet Supper for bus group on Tuesday, September 11th.      Ruth - Chair of the Ways & Means Committee

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ST. DAVID’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Next service of the Sacrament of Baptism at St. David's United Church is Sunday, September 2nd. Anyone wishing baptism, transfer of membership or affirmation of faith on that date, please speak to Nan.

 
St. David’s Anniversary Service will be on October 21st at 11:00 a.m. This is a combined Service with St. Mark’s. NO Service at St. Mark’s. Lunch to follow. Everyone is welcome to come.

NAN'S AT GENERAL COUNCIL 41

 GENERAL COUNCIL 41--DAY 5

Who was this masked man? Ivan Gregan, minister at Port Wallis United Church, Maritime Conference helped us begin the day in worship that celebrated National Acadian Day (Festival Acadie). A beautiful worship with hymns and prayers in French.

Youth Forum as they gathered with Moderator Mardi Tindal at lunchtime to begin their "pilgrimage" walk to Parliament Hill.

We enjoyed a "free" afternoon and a break from all the work of General Council. This is the CE wing of Emmanuel United Church which is one of the first churches to receive an LEED designation (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Nan visited Emmanuel this afternoon (walking the 5 kms to get there because she missed the ride offered for the tour) and was so glad she made the effort--they have done an amazing renovation to their 60s church building. More pictures below showing some of their green efforts--recycling, composting, rain water collection, reduced water consumption.

NAN'S AT GENERAL COUNCIL 41

GENERAL COUNCIL 41--DAY 4

 

 

 

 

This is my contribution to the General Council Knitting Project--and all I have time to share with you on Tuesday. T'was a very busy, full day in which we dealt with Proposals all morning and then moved into the work of Commissions for the afternoon and until 9:45 in the evening. I am in the "Purple" Commission and we worked through about 30 proposals on this day. I did get lots of knitting done on this scarf that will be given to one of the Missions in Montreal-Ottawa Presbytery. A matching hat is next. The needles and yarn were all donated. Many people are knitting at their table groups. So it will be interesting to see how many articles are brought forward in closing worship offering on Saturday.

NAN'S AT GENERAL COUNCIL 41

Day 3--Still smilin', still shinin'. General Secretary Nora Sanders and Moderator Mardi Tindal share a laugh during proceedings. We are having fun!

Nora Sanders during the General Secretary's Accountability Report--she received a warm reception and standing ovation for all her hard work over the triennium.

Today was a day to celebrate the UCW and its 50th Anniversary. This UCW member was celebrating in grand style as she walked to General Council.

Betty Turcotte, National UCW President gave the report on UCW in layers of shirts--a striptease of sorts.

Lisa Potter, Newfoundland-Labrador, is a member of my Table Group and was the last of the Moderator Nominees to speak today. Way to go Lisa!

Candles for Vespers Jazz Worship

NAN'S AT GENERAL COUNCIL 41

Former Moderator Bill Phipps was one of the "Pop Up Prophets" today and spoke very powerfully and challenged the church to be courageous.

"Why Support Boycotting Settlement Products for Peace and Justice?" was an educational forum I attended today. Pictured are Ramzi Zananiri, International Christian Committee-Jerusalem and Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Interfaith Peacewalks and Shomer Shalom Network for Jewish Nonviolence

Nominees for Moderator--and current Moderator Mardi Tindal

In what Moderator Mardi Tindal described as “an historic moment,” The United Church of Canada has acknowledged the presence and spirituality of Aboriginal peoples in the United Church by adopting additions to the introductory materials to the Basis of Union as found in The Manual and revising the church’s crest.

Commissioners to the 41st General Council gave overwhelming approval today to a proposal to invite Aboriginal people to become signatories to the Basis of Union and to include changes to the crest to recognize Aboriginal spirituality. The crest changes include incorporating the four colours of the Aboriginal medicine wheel and adding the Mohawk phrase “Akwe Nia’Tetewá:neren,” which means “all my relations.”

 Statements of Faith Added to United Church Doctrine

The 41st General Council has decided to expand the document that expresses the beliefs of the founding denominations of the United Church to include the 1940 Statement of Faith, the 1968 A New Creed, and the 2006 A Song of Faith.
They will join the 20 articles of faith in the Basis of Union that were approved at the founding of the church in 1925.