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Welcome to this worship service. We are glad you are here! We begin with a prelude, played by Deirdre Morell-Ormerod on our Letourneau pipe organ, and you can follow up by clicking the next link. It contains opening sentences and a prayer to light the worship candle read by Sophia Oldford. If you have a candle in the house, you may want to set it up before you begin. As you light your candle, pause for a moment and become aware of God's light within you and all around. Then join in the opening hymn: It is seeding time! Opening Prayer*: The world is your garden, Creator God, a thing of beauty beyond understanding, a poem that is being written not in words but in colours, wind's whisper, soaring bird, magnolia blossom’s sensuality dandilions’ strong statement rain showers, green grass sunlight's warmth, This world is your garden, Creator God, A thing of beauty beyond our understanding. We are your garden, Redeemer God, branches on your vine. tried but not desperate, bent but not broken, doubting yet living with faith Every day learning to love you and neighbour more deeply. We are your garden, Redeemer God, branches on your vine. Your church is Your garden, Holy Spirit God - a love letter written from you to the world Loosen the tight surface of our fears seed us with patience and courage, tolerance, gratitude and joy water our souls with hope. Your church is Your garden, Holy Spirit people full of potential and full of beauty. A love letter written by you, for the world Holy Spirit God, may this time of worship bring fruit in our lives. Amen. * developed from a prayer by John Birch We are at the height of Spring. How could we not be moved to praise? Hear the poem "i thank You God" by eeCummings, read by the author, or sung-- or both! The readings from sacred scripture:Psalm 1 is read by Lee and Stuart Jamieson 1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, * nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful! 2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord, * and they meditate on his law day and night. 3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; * everything they do shall prosper. 4 It is not so with the wicked; * they are like chaff which the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, * nor the sinner in the council of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, * but the way of the wicked is doomed. This is the witness of Israel. Thanks be to God. The gospel is John 17:6-19 and read by Sophia Oldford Jesus prayed for his disciples: “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.” This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God
Perhaps you will enjoy singing along to this old hymn, an evening hymn, but good any time of the day! The PrayersMinute for MissionTomorrow, May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. This day aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide. The United Church of Canada partners with Affirm United . Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work here: affirmunited.ause.ca The OfferingWe respond to Blessing in our lives by Giving. We invite Blessing by Giving. We create Blessing by giving to others our time, tithes and talent. Please support this ministry by giving via e-transfer to [email protected], or via mail (on this website) or PAR, or through Canada helpswww.canadahelps.org/en/ Offertory Dedication Prayer and Final Hymn Commissioning and Blessing:
May you walk in the awareness of God within you this week, of Christ praying for you and Holy Spirit guiding you in the paths of justice. May the Strength of God pilot us. May the Power of God preserve us. May the Wisdom of God instruct us. Peace. Thank you for staying to the end....enjoy the postlude on our organ, played by Deirdre Morell-Ormerod.
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