ORDER OF SERVICE-OCTOBER 15TH 2017-WORLD FOOD SUNDAY

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: Whole People of God

  Minister: Nan Corrigan D. M.        Minister of Music: Al Fougere

The 19th Sunday in the Season after Pentecost

October 15th, 2017-World Food Sunday

Room at the Table-CFGB Worship

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and church-based agencies working together to end global hunger by:

*Supporting international programs to meet immediate food needs, reduce malnutrition, and achieve sustainable food security;

*Influencing improvements in national and international policies that contribute to ending global hunger; and

*Increasing and deepening the engagement of Canadians in efforts to end global hunger.

Pictures for "Room at the Table" CFGB Reflection

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 What Can I Do? MV191

Call to Worship 

Our God is preparing a feast for all people;
a wonderful banquet with vintage wine and gourmet food,
the choicest meats, and lavish desserts.
And the whole world will be invited!
And God will wipe away the tears from every face,
and lift the despair from every heart.
And together, God’s people will proclaim:
This is our God, in whom we place our trust!
Let us rejoice in the salvation God brings!

Opening Prayer

Gracious God, in love You open wide the doors
and welcome us into Your presence—
saints and sinners alike.
You spread a table before us,
filled with the richest fare—
a feast of love and mercy
for the body and soul.
We come with joy to worship You here,
to eat and drink at Your table,
to taste and see Your goodness,
to celebrate Your grace and mercy in our lives.
May Your Spirit inspire our praise and thanksgiving,
our prayers and petitions
as we worship together in Your presence.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
our host and companion. Amen.

*Hymn We Are One   VU 402

Prayer for Wholeness     Inspired by Psalm 23

Responses: You prepare a table…
All: You prepare a table before us.
One: Overturn the tables…
All: Overturn the tables in our hearts. 

Words of Affirmation 

The good news is that God loves and forgives us, and forever invites us to return to the ways of wholeness. 
We can be new people; we can live with respect for Earth and all her creatures; we can act to end hunger.

WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD

Isaiah 25:1-9 God prepares a feast for all people

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

Psalm 23   You prepare a table before me   refrain 1 VU749

*Hymn Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love VU 593

Opening the Word & The Lord’s Prayer

Epistle  Philippians 4:1-9 Stand firm in the Lord

One: This is the witness of the early church. All: Thanks be to God. 

Gospel Acclamation

Luke 14:12-14 Invitations to the feast

One: This is Good News. All: Thanks be to God. 

Opening the Word 2 Room at the Table

Room at the Table video 

WE RESPOND IN FAITH

* Hymn   When I Needed a Neighbour VU 600

Minute for Mission & Offering Our Gifts to God

*Offering Prayer

Generous God, in Your love and mercy You have provided for all of our needs, and so much more.
In deep gratitude, we offer back to You
some of what You have given to us.
Use these offerings to minister to the world around us,
so that others may find a place at the table,
and live without want or fear. Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession    

WE GO TO SERVE GOD

* Hymn Touch the Earth Lightly VU 307

*Commissioning and Blessing

Let us go out from here as the people of God,
strengthened in our desire to live and act as God’s people
in our hungry, hurting world.
And may the blessings of God –
boundless love, redeeming grace, enduring presence –
be among you and within you,
now and forever. 

*Choral Amen

Prayers, drama and video from 

World Food Day: Room At The Table, 

Canadian Foodgrains Bank, foodgrainsbank.ca/product/room-at-the-table/ Used with permission. 

"Ten Commandments of Food" from the Food for Life Campaign:

I.  Give thanks for the food you eat.
II. Eat food grown as close as possible to where you live.
III. Strive for all people to have knowledge about and access to affordable, nutritious food.
IV. Eat mindfully and in moderation.
V. Do not waste food.
VI. Be grateful to those who grow and prepare food for your table.
VII.  Support fair wages for farmworkers, farmers and food workers.
VIII. Reduce the environmental damage of land, water and air from food production and the food system.
IX. Protect the biodiversity of seeds, soils, ecosystems and the cultures of food producers
X. Rejoice and share the sacred gift of food with all