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
September 2nd, 2018-15th Sunday after Pentecost
* please stand as able
Announcements The Work of Church and CommunityWE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
GreetingOne: The peace of Christ be with you. All: And with your spirit.
*Introit We Praise You, O God Verse 3 VU 218
Call to Worship
One: Valued without distinction
and called without favour;
All: we gather in the love of God.
One: Invited to places of deep change
and entrusted with lives of grace;
All: we gather in the compassion of Christ.
One: Encouraged to be authentic
and inspired to make a difference;
All: we gather in the power of the Spirit.
One: Valued, invited, encouraged, we come to worship.
Opening Prayer
God of surprise and awe, you who can turn
our many hatreds and fears around;
come to us in this time of worship.
Challenge our sure perspectives
and unsettle our fixed opinions.
Above all, instill in us a vision for a new world
and a re-creative way of living wholeheartedly within it. Amen.
*Hymn Here I Am, Lord VU 509
Prayer for Healing
So often, O God, we know the theory,
so often we mouth (and sing) words
of inclusion, compassion, and “justice for all.”
Yet the reality remains – our confession rings true –
it is a truly difficult thing to love our neighbours
as they really are; to feel as they may feel,
and to be as they may be (silence).
We pray, then, for hearts
open to gradual, yet genuine change.
May the encounters we seek
and the trust we help create,
bring us to more hopeful understandings
about ourselves and the world of your making (silence).
May there be peace in our restlessness;
may there be peace in our time, O God. Amen.
Assurance of Love
One: Friends, hear the good news:
The Spirit of God is at work to bring about the peace, wholeness
and healing we so desire.
All: Open and attentive to Spirit’s life-giving ways,
we are a forgiven and loved people.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
James 2:1-10, 14-17 Faith without works is deadThis is the witness of the early church. All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 125 Do good, O God, to those who are good. VU 849
*Hymn Rejoice, the Lord is King VU 213
Opening the Word and the Lord's Prayer
Gospel Acclamation
Mark 7:24-37 The Syrophoenician woman's faith challenges Jesus
This is Good News! All: Thanks be to God.
Opening the Word 2
WE RESPOND IN FAITH
* Hymn Lord of the Dance VU 352Minute for Mission & Offering Our Gifts to God
*Offering Song (Tune: Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow)
Your love, O God, to all you show. We, gathered here, commit to grow. We offer You these gifts, that we, may celebrate diversity.
Prayers of the People (You are invited to lift up your head and hands as you speak the response, and to lower them during each petition…as you are comfortable)
One: Jesus, speak your word of love and let it be so in our lives.
All: Ephphatha (pronounced ef-FATH-a)…be opened.
WE GO TO SERVE GOD
* Hymn Fairest Lord Jesus VU 341*Commissioning and Blessing
Friends, go into this new week being quick to listen,
slow to speak, and fully prepared to be changed
in both heart and mind.
We will follow in the ways of Christ.
We will seek a more understanding
and compassionate world.
And so now
may the love of God,
the grace and generosity of Jesus,
and the abiding friendship of the Spirit
be with us now and evermore.
*Choral Amen
