Thursday, 30 July 2015

CONNECT ONLINE WITH GENERAL COUNCIL 42

July 30, 2015 

Special Pre-General Council 42 Issue


The 42nd General Council is quickly approaching! Even if you aren’t going to Corner Brook, there are many ways to connect, share, and follow GC42 online. Find out more about the proposals going to Council in the Workbook and then follow along in real time! August 8-14, 2015. 
Live Stream Video
Connect on YouTube Live and follow the GC42 live stream video, including worship, plenary sessions, the vote for the next Moderator, and more! You can also log in using your Google account to share comments and discuss the proceedings directly on the YouTube page. Tune in and see General Council in action!

YouTube
Each day short video clips will be posted on the United Church channel offering new perspectives on General Council. Includes daily introductions, the day's top issues, peeks behind the scenes, and more!

Facebook
The United Church Facebook page will feature ongoing news, commentary, video, and photos throughout the 42nd General Council. Follow the United Church page to share your own comments and keep up to date on all the proceedings! There is also a Facebook group for GC42 Commissioners and others to share and discuss the proposals and work going to Council. Join in!

Twitter
Twitter is a great way to connect with GC42! Follow @UnitedChurchCda for the latest, up-to-the-minute updates! Share your tweets at #GC42 and join in the discussion with others.

Photos
Follow the official GC42 Flickr collection, or join us on Instagram, using #GC42.

Email
Sign up to receive daily news updates from GC42 directly to your inbox! Subscribe here.

Invite Your Faith Community to Join In!

  • Download the GC42 bulletin insert [PDF] and invite your church or group to join us online for GC42!
  • Use this GC42 slide in your digital presentations during announcement time, at the end of service, etc.
  • Use one or more of these prepared worship services to introduce GC42 to your congregation!

Saturday, 25 July 2015

UNITED IN GOD'S WORK--REPORT OF COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW TASK GROUP

From the report "United in God's Work"

We believe God is doing a new thing and is calling The United Church of Canada to be part of a new creation. The Comprehensive Review, which our task group has been leading since the fall of 2012, is about the church listening and responding to God’s call. 

After two-and-a-half years of conversations, consultations, research, analysis, and prayer, we offer the following recommendations, which we believe would best enable the church to participate energetically and faithfully in what God is doing. These recommendations would focus our resources on supporting, enlivening, and accompanying communities of faith to live out God’s mission at this moment in our society. They would enable us to continue to come together to witness to the gospel and vision of Jesus Christ. They would create a more flexible and responsive structure that could change and adapt as God continues to create. 

These recommendations would also change the church dramatically. But we believe God is calling the church to change boldly and the church is ready to hear that call. 

The recommendations will be presented at the 42nd gathering of General Council in August in Corner Brook Nfld. The report and recommendations of the Comprehensive Review Task Group of the United Church of Canada can be found at: 
http://252171b255e88fd7c65a-dec189f157202212a76b23fc4d185c40.r92.cf2.rackcdn.com/crtg_report.pdf

INVERNESS GUYSBOROUGH VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Aug 3-Aug 7


ANNOUNCEMENTS SUNDAY JULY 26TH 2015

Participating through leadership in worship this morning are:
Organist: Al Fougere
Lay Reader: Bob Downard
Greeter: Malcolm Parsons
Collectors: Sally Fox, Heather Deschenes

OFFICE HOURS:
Monday 9-12 noon, Nan at St. Mark's
Tuesday 9-12 noon, Nan at St. Mark's
Wednesday 9-12 noon, Nan at St. David's
Thursday 9-12 noon, Jane at St. Mark's
Friday Minister's Day Off, 9-12 noon Jane at St. Mark's
Food Bank donations received on the last Sunday of the month.
Upper Room for July-August is available.

Summer Services: During the month of:
August – Service will be held at St. Mark’s at 9:30 a.m. NO Service at St. David’s.
During July & August - Secretary’s office hours Thursday & Friday 9:00 am – 12 noon.

We have a new email address!! Please make this change in your list of email contacts. The new address of the church office is stmarksuc@gmail.com

You are invited to One More Step, a vacation bible school for ages 5-12, with leadership opportunities for ages 13-15. This will be held August 3-7, at St. Mark’s United Church, Port Hawkesbury. Registration forms are available at the church office and on inverguyunited.ca . The cost is $5.00 per student or $10.00 per family. For more information and/or preregistration contact: 902-756-3455 or 902-631-4325 or visit inverguyunited.ca

ST. DAVID'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Combined service at St. Mark's at 9:30 a.m. No service at St. David's during the month of August.

ST. MARK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lay Readers for August:
August 2nd-Joyce Oliver Snair
August 9th-David Chapman
August 16th-Jim Chiasson
August 23rd-Brenda MacInnis
August 30th-Jean MacPherson

5TH SUNDAY, AUGUST 30TH WORSHIP AT POINT TUPPER HERITAGE CHURCH.

St. Mark's Courtesy Car: Contact person for the Courtesy Car is Andy Palmer. His telephone number is 625-2748

FundScrip will resume again sometime in early September 2015.


50th Anniversary!
In 2016, St. Mark’s will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary. 50th Anniversary weekend will be June 10th to 12th, 2016. Have an idea for 50th Anniversary Guest Speaker? Pass it along.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Annual Malagawatch Church service will be held today, July 26, 3pm at the Iona Historic Site, in Iona. Special guests will include: Catriona Parsons and the Gaelic Choir, Ruth Matthews, Harpist; Deb Campbell; Murdo MacLean; and others yet to be confirmed. Come along and bring friends.

Tuesday Night Ceilidh (7:30) at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre presented by the Port Hastings Historical Society Free Tea/Oatcakes
July - 28 Tribute to Buddy MacMaster: Kinnon & Betty Lou, Mary Elizabeth MacInnis & Family
August - 4  Dawn & Margie Beaton, Brian England, Sabra MacGillivray & Celtic Touch Dancers
August - 11 Canso Causeway 60th Show
August - 18 Howie MacDonald, Buddy MacDonald, Wendy MacIsaac, Mac Morin
August - 25 Rodney MacDonald, Cyril MacPhee
September - 1 Shelly Campbell, Allan Dewar, Harvey MacKinnon, Broussard Family
September - 8 All Fired Up: Kyle, Keith & Colin MacDonald
September - 15 Anita MacDonald, Ben Miller, Tyson Chen, Decota McNamara
September - 22 Cape Breton Fiddlers
September - 29 Dwayne Cote, Kevin Levesconte, Pat Lamey, Heather Richard
October - 6 Pre Celtic Colours Show

ORDER OF SERVICE JULY 26TH 2015-9TH AFTER PENTECOST

The Congregations of St. Mark’s and St. David’s
United Church of Canada
Port Hawkesbury/Port Hastings, NS
Office: 625-2229, Fax 625-3597, e-mail: stmarksuc@gmail.com
Blog: http://ourcontactonline.blogspot.com/
Presbytery Website: inverguyunited.ca
Ministers: The Whole People of God
Minister: Nan Corrigan D. M.
Minister of Music: Al Fougere
July 26th, 2015-9th after Pentecost

Announcements The Work of Church and Community

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Greeting
One: The peace of Christ be with you. All: And with your spirit.
Introit       O God We Call      x2, 2nd time quietly       VU 411
Call to Worship
We are like a vast tree grounded in your love,
grounded, so when pounded by life’s uncertainties
we will stay strong.
Response after each phrase: Grounded in love…

Pilgrim Prayer & Opening Prayer

Loving God, what a privilege it is to be your people, to 

be party to the mystery and power of the spirit, to be at home 

in the community of Christ, to be fed by your generosity, and to

 feel grounded in your love. We come with gladness and joy to

 honour you. Amen.


* Hymn                      Rejoice, the Lord is King         VU 213

Prayer of Confession
Concluding confession: We fail to imagine that honour belongs to those who struggle and those who lose; those who are quiet; and those with a long, patient view.
Forgive us. Amen.
Words of Affirmation
We are family with all of Earth. When we comprehend this, and comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of God, we respond by a change of view and a change of heart. 
Our view broadens to surpass what we now know and leads us to new and as yet unimagined places. Thanks be to God. Amen.

WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD

Ephesians 3:14–21   More than we can ask for or imagine
One: Herein is Wisdom. All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 14       Fools say, “There is no God.”           VU 735
*Hymn             Jesus Loves Me                VU 365
Opening the Word/The Lord's Prayer
The Gospel Acclamation
John 6:1–21        Jesus feeds the multitude and walks on water.
One: Herein is Good News. All: Praise be to God.
Opening the Word 2

WE RESPOND IN FAITH

* Hymn           Come, O Fount of Every Blessing              VU 559
Minute for Mission & Offering Our Gifts to God
*Offering Song/Doxology           Your Work, O God       VU 537
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Consider the words attributed to American anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, com­mitted citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Consider what you would change if you had the power, then conversely consider what power, i.e. skills and expertise, you would need to create the change.

WE GO TO SERVE GOD

* Hymn            May the God of Hope Go With Us        VU 424
* Commissioning/Sending Out
Travel with the One who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.
Let us travel God’s road with honour, and the deep knowledge that God dwells in our hearts through faith.

*Choral Amen

Saturday, 18 July 2015

OUR "PRAYER FISH" IS ON ITS WAY TO GENERAL COUNCIL


Last Sunday during worship we prepared our "Prayer Fish" to be sent to General Council. A “prayer fish”, which is like a prayer flag, is intended to carry our congregations' prayers and hopes for the church at this time. They will be used to hang vertically in the space where commissioners, from sea to sea to sea, will gather in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. The scales of our prayer fish are post-it notes on which we wrote prayers for General Council, the church and the world. It has prayers on both sides and includes the names of both our churches. 

We are invited to say a Pilgrim Prayer out loud each day in the 40 days of the Prayer Pilgrimage leading up to General Council 42, along with the specific prayer for the day.

This prayer was created in 2010 by Allison Rennie and Diane Ransom and said aloud each day while walking the Camino de Santiago. We are also invited to pray this prayer during each day of General Council.

Pilgrim Prayer
May I love this day and all that it brings
The dust, stones or mud beneath my feet
The air I breathe, food I eat, water I drink
May I open my heart to mysteries along the way
Greet fellow pilgrims with welcome and grace
Move lightly and simply through the day
May I give thanks for the Earth, our fragile home
For all my relations who have gone before me
And for all who will follow... I am not alone

May the spirit and blessing of the One who is love
- Holy One among us, all around us, and within us -
Be with me today, and surround me with love

ANNOUNCEMENTS SUNDAY JULY 19TH 2015

Participating through leadership in worship this morning are:

Organist: Al Fougere

Lay Reader: Lisa Rhynold

Greeter: Malcolm Parsons

Collectors: Sally Fox, Heather Deschenes

OFFICE HOURS:

Monday 9-12 noon, Nan at St. Mark's

Tuesday 9-12 noon, Nan at St. Mark's

Wednesday 9-12 noon, Nan at St. David's

Thursday 9-12 noon, Jane at St. Mark's

Friday Minister's Day Off, 9-12 noon Jane at St. Mark's

Food Bank donations received on the last Sunday of the

 month.

Upper Room for July-August is available.

Summer Services: During the month of:

July – Service will be held at St. David’s at 9:30 a.m. NO 

Service at St. Mark’s.

August – Service will be held at St. Mark’s at 9:30 a.m. NO 

Service at St. David’s.

During July & August - Secretary’s office hours Thursday &

 Friday 9:00 am – 12 noon.

We have a new email address!! Please make this change 

in your list of email contacts. The new address of the 

church office is stmarksuc@gmail.com

You are invited to One More Step, a vacation bible school

 for ages 5-12, with leadership opportunities for ages 13-

15. This will be held August 3-7, at St. Mark’s United 

Church, Port Hawkesbury. Registration forms are available

 at the church office and on inverguyunited.ca . The cost is 

$5.00 per student or $10.00 per family. For more 

information and/or preregistration contact: 902-756-3455 or

 902-631-4325 or visit inverguyunited.ca


ST. DAVID'S ANNOUNCEMENTS


Lay Readers:

July 26th - Bob Downard


ST. MARK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS


5TH SUNDAY, AUGUST 30TH WORSHIP AT POINT TUPPER

 HERITAGE CHURCH.


St. Mark's Courtesy Car: Contact person for the Courtesy

 Car is Andy Palmer. His telephone number is 625-2748


FundScrip will resume again sometime in early September 

2015.


50th Anniversary!

In 2016, St. Mark’s will be celebrating their 

50th Anniversary. 50th Anniversary weekend will be June 

10th to 12th, 2016. Have an idea for 50th Anniversary

 Guest Speaker? Pass it along.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS


Come to the Ceilidh at Orangedale United Church
Saturday, July 25th at 7:00 pm
Those sharing their talents will be: Margie MacIntyre, Makayla MacNeil, Sibling's Two, Jessica MacLennan, Shirley MacKeigan, Mac Campbell, Gordon MacLean, Wally Ellison, and John Matthews. Free will donation to the M&S fund of the church. Light lunch will follow concert.

Tuesday Night Ceilidh (7:30) at the Port Hawkesbury

 Civic Centre presented by the Port Hastings Historical 

Society Free Tea/Oatcakes


July -  21        Kenneth MacKenzie & Friends


July - 28        Tribute to Buddy MacMaster: Kinnon & Betty

 Lou, Mary Elizabeth MacInnis & Family


August - 4        Dawn & Margie Beaton, Brian England, Sabra

MacGillivray & Celtic Touch Dancers


August - 11 Canso Causeway 60th Show


August - 18 Howie MacDonald, Buddy MacDonald, Wendy

 MacIsaac, Mac Morin


August - 25 Rodney MacDonald, Cyril MacPhee


September - 1 Shelly Campbell, Allan Dewar, Harvey

 MacKinnon, Broussard Family


September - 8 All Fired Up: Kyle, Keith & Colin MacDonald


September - 15 Anita MacDonald, Ben Miller, Tyson Chen,

 Decota McNamara


September - 22 Cape Breton Fiddlers


September - 29 Dwayne Cote, Kevin Levesconte, Pat

 Lamey, Heather Richard


October - 6 Pre Celtic Colours Show


ORDER OF SERVICE SUNDAY JULY 19TH 2015-8TH AFTER PENTECOST

The Congregations of St. Mark’s and St. David’s

United Church of Canada

Port Hawkesbury/Port Hastings, NS

Office: 625-2229, Fax 625-3597, e-mail: stmarksuc@gmail.com

Blog: http://ourcontactonline.blogspot.com/

Presbytery Website: inverguyunited.ca

Ministers: The Whole People of God

Minister: Nan Corrigan D. M.

Minister of Music: Al Fougere

July 19, 2015-8th after Pentecost


Announcements The Work of Church and Community

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Greeting

One: The peace of Christ be with you. All: And with your spirit.
Introit             O God We Call     x2, 2nd time quietly VU 411

Call to Worship

People of God, come close,

you who have been far away, draw near.

Christ has broken down the barriers that separate us from God

 and eradicated all conflict that separated us from each other.

Come close,

together we will build a house based on reconciliation and love.

Opening Prayer

God of all, you have brought us so near to you that we can 

claim to live with you in your household. We open our hearts to

 your peace, we open our consciousness to your call to be your

people reconciled and no longer strangers to one another. 

Amen.


* Hymn               The Church’s One Foundation         VU 332

Prayer of Confession

Each of you has received a Mpatapo today. It is a West African

 symbol of reconciliation, peacemaking and pacification, and

 represents the bond or knot that binds parties in a dispute to a

 peaceful, harmonious reconciliation. Please use it as a source of 

contemplation while the prayer of confession is offered.


Words of Affirmation


Trace your fingers around the Mpatapo design, and while doing so 

breathe in peace and the spirit of reconciliation.


With peace, Christ has broken down the walls that divide,


we are reconciled to God and integrated into God’s household

 as forgiven people. This will be our strength as we join 

together to build a loving community of faith. Amen.

WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD

2 Samuel 7:1–14a David is not the one to build God’s house.

One: Herein is Wisdom. All: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 89:20–37, Sung I will sing of God’s steadfast love. VU 804

*Hymn               It Only Takes a Spark            VU 289

Opening the Word/The Lord's Prayer

Ephesians 2:11–22 Holy citizens, members of God’s household.

One: Herein is Good News. All: Praise be to God.

Opening the Word 2

WE RESPOND IN FAITH

* Hymn           Tell Me the Stories of Jesus            VU 357

Minute for Mission & Offering Our Gifts to God

*Offering Song/Doxology We Give You But Your Own VU 542

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

WE GO TO SERVE GOD


* Hymn             Just a Closer Walk with Thee             Printed

* Commissioning/Sending Out

Take a different path when you go from here,

take the one that makes strangers friends,

and aliens fellow citizens.

Take the one that overcomes hostilities

and breaks down dividing walls.

We go, knowing that God’s spirit of peace goes with us.


*Choral Amen