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 9th, 2018-Creation Time: Earth Sunday
“Let the heavens be glad and let Earth rejoice” Ps. 96.11
* please stand as able
Announcements The Work of Church and CommunityWE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
GreetingLet us pause to remember that in this region we live and work and worship on lands that are, by law, the unceded territories of the Wabanaki peoples—predominantly the lands of the Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, and Passamaquoddy. May we live with respect on this land, and live in peace and friendship with its people.
One: The peace of Christ be with you. All: And with your spirit.
*Introit O Beautiful Gaia MV 41
In the name of God, who creates planets, the name of Christ, born on planet Earth, and the name of the Spirit, who envelopes our planet. Amen.
Holy! Holy! Holy! Earth is filled with God’s presence.
Call to Worship
Planet Earth, spinning silently through space:
Celebrate your beauty and your grace,
your special place in our solar system,
Planet Earth, gleaming green and blue:
Rejoice in your ocean currents,
as they dance and swirl with hope.
Planet Earth, pulsing with life:
Join in praise with all your fauna and flora
as they sing their songs to the Lord.
Planet Earth, enveloped in the breath of God:
Bless all your creatures this day
with the life-giving breath of God.
Planet Earth, our precious, fragile home:
Celebrate, with all your children,
God’s presence in our planet home,
We celebrate the song of our planet!
Sing, planet Earth, sing!
The names of other creatures or areas of the planet may be added by members of the congregation.
We celebrate the song of the planet!
Sing, planet Earth, sing!
*Hymn This Is God's Wondrous World VU 296
Prayer for Healing A Remembering
A small piece of sage, basil, other herb or some other symbol of remembrance is given to each person as a reminder of our past connection with creation.
As we rub this symbol in our hands we remember our wonder when we first saw Earth as a green-blue planet spinning in space.
O God, we thank you for our planet home.
We remember and confess how we have violated and polluted our garden planet.
Christ, born on planet Earth, hear our cry.
Assurance of Love
Christ hears your confession and forgives your sins against the planet.
Christ, teach us to love Earth as our home and the planet as a precious sanctuary.
I invite you to celebrate Earth as your home and to revere this planet as God’s sanctuary.
Shalom! Shalom! Earth is our home!
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
Genesis 1:1–25 And God saw that it was good.This is the witness of the Hebrew people. All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 33 The earth is full of your constant love. VU 760
*Hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful VU 291
Opening the Word and the Lord's Prayer
Gospel Acclamation
John 1:1–14 The Word becomes part of the Earth
This is Good News! All: Thanks be to God.
Opening the Word 2
WE RESPOND IN FAITH
* Hymn We Praise You Creator VU 293Minute 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
Prayers are offered, concluding with:
Jesus Christ, teach us to be at one with Earth. Make our spirits sensitive to the cries of creation, cries for justice from the seas, the skies, and the land.
Jesus Christ, make our souls sensitive to the songs of our kin, songs of celebration from the sea, the land, and the air. Christ, teach us to care for our planet home. Amen.
WE GO TO SERVE GOD
* Hymn All Praise to You VU 297*Commissioning and Blessing
May the Spirit of God, who is above all and in all and through all, fill you with the knowledge of God’s presence in Earth and with the pulsing of Christ in creation, through whom all things are reconciled and renewed.
Go in peace, serving Christ and loving Earth!
We go in peace, serving Christ and loving Earth.
*Choral Amen
