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
October 2nd, 2016-Creation Time; World Communion Sunday
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 For the Beauty of the Earth verse 1 VU 226
Call to Worship
One: Jesus often spoke of the great banquet:
All: People coming from east and west and north and south
to share in the new reality that God is bringing into being.
One: We are not there yet.
All: Sometimes it seems that there is a long, long way to go;
we are travel-worn and discouraged.
One: Today there is a table spread to refresh our souls;
it reminds us of the hard way Jesus has already walked in love for
us and it points to the shining promise of what will be.
All: From east and west and north and south, with sisters and
brothers far and near, in faith and in longing, we come.
Opening Prayer
Life is your gift to us, O God,
and life is sustained by this planet earth,
our wondrous, fragile home.
As we praise you for your goodness and love,
may we be inspired to cherish
what you have entrusted to us,
treating all things with respect and tender care.
May your Spirit help us find wisdom
to be your partners in the keeping of creation
until all is healed and made new.
We pray in the name of Jesus
who marvelled at the birds of the air
and the lilies of the field. Amen.
*Hymn When We Are Living VU 581
Prayer of Confession
Merciful One, do we wear you out with our confessing?
You have shown us what is good
—to do justice and love kindness and walk humbly—
and yet, we keep on getting it wrong
and coming back to ask your forgiveness.
We would like to promise that this time will be different
but we know ourselves too well.
We are always in need of your mercy.
Our hope is that you will always be merciful,
ready to embrace our hurt and failure
and send us on our way again,
trying to find the fullness of what you have shown us.
We pray in the name of Jesus
who sat at table with sinners like us. Amen.
Lamentations 3:19–26 Great is God’s faithfulness
One: This is the witness of the Hebrew people.
Kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy on us. VU 946
Assurance of Pardon Based on Lamentations 3:22-24
One: Hear the words of one who lamented a nation broken,
a way of life vanished, a people oppressed:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
God’s mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning.”
All: Great is your faithfulness, O God,
we will hope in you!
One: Trusting in God’s never-ending mercy,
let us live daringly for what is good.
We are forgiven.
All: Great is your faithfulness, O God,
we will hope in you!
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
Lamentations 3:19–26 Great is God’s faithfulness
One: This is the witness of the Hebrew people.
All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 137 By the rivers of Babylon, we wept. VU 858
Psalm 137 By the rivers of Babylon, we wept. VU 858
*Hymn Shout for God VU 246
Opening the Word
The Gospel Acclamation
Luke 17:5–10 Faith as a mustard seed; we’ve done as we ought.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. All: Thanks be to God.
Opening the Word 2
WE RESPOND IN FAITH
Minute for Mission *Offering Prayer
*Hymn I Come with Joy VU 477
Sacrament of Communion Insert, cover of Voices United
Distribution Hymn One Bread, One Body VU 467
WE GO TO SERVE GOD
*Hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness VU 288*Commissioning for Mission
*Benediction
May the Creator who gives us life
bless all our living.
May the Christ who gave himself for us
bless our self-giving.
May the Spirit who fills all things
fill us with a deep joy and a lively hope.
*Choral Amen
This service adapted from one written
by John Moses, ministry team member responsible for worship and
pastoral care at Trinity United Church in Charlottetown, PEI. Found
at
http://www.letallcreationpraise.org/fourth-sunday-of-creation-time-2010
