Sunday August 3, 2008 Food Bank Sunday 11:00am
* Please stand if you are able
GATHERING
Prelude (Christ candle is lit)
Welcome and Announcements
*Friendship Greeting (we shake hands together)
*Call to Worship
One: Welcome to the first day in the rest of our lives.
All: Every day brings fresh insights, twists and turns in our journey of life.
One: Wherever God directs us this day,
All: (s)he travels along with us.
*Hymn # 639 “One More Step Along the World I Go”
Prayer (together)
We thank you, wise and loving God, for your great patience with us, stewards of your whole creation. We only dimly see your purpose and only half-heartedly work towards it, never sure exactly where we are heading. But you know the way: you ARE the way and invite us to climb on board. May our friendship here help us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Amen.
LISTENING
Theme Conversation
*Hymn # 355 “For the Crowd of Thousands”
(Children are now invited to Sunday School)
Genesis 32:22 – 33:5 page 38 Good News Bible
*Responsive Psalm 17 page 739 Voices United
*Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.
Matthew 14:13-21 page 21 (N.T.) Good News Bible
*Hymn # 501 “Break Now the Bread of Life”
Sermon
RESPONDING
*Hymn # 272 “Open Your Ears”
*Offering Meditation (together)
Our earth, so richly blessed, is gifted with God’s grace. It’s ours to share, with love and care, throughout the human race. We have an awesome world, with wonders it abounds. If we are fair and take good care, our love will know no bounds.
(Fran Marshall, Royal York Rd.,U.C., Toronto. Gathering Summer 2008 p. 70. Used with permission)
Offering (including our food donations)
*Offering Dedication (# 537 v 2 Voices United)
Because we love you and your work, our offering now we make: be pleased to use it as your own, we ask for Jesus’ sake.
Minute for Mission Shirley Sherman
Invitation to Prayer
*Hymn # 601 “The Church of Christ in Every Age” (t. 529 V.U.)
*Commissioning
One: Our world needs a vision of hope beyond our fear and timidity.
All: God sees beyond our scarcity, to the endless possibilities when gifts are shared.
*Congregational Sung Benediction: (# 419 V.U.)
May the grace of Christ our Saviour, and our Maker’s boundless love, with the Holy Spirit’s favour,
rest upon us from above.
Postlude
Sunday July 27, 2008 11:00am
* Please stand if you are able
GATHERING
Prelude (Christ candle is lit)
Welcome and Announcements
*Friendship Greeting (we shake hands together)
*Call to Worship (based on Romans 8:38,39)
One: Can anything separate us from the love of God?
All: No!
One: Can trouble and hard times? Can poverty or old clothes?
All: No!
One: What about the present or the future?
All: No!
One: Not even death?
All: No! Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love, which we see in Jesus Christ.
One: Thanks be to God!
All: Amen to that!
*Hymn # 234 “Let Us With a Gladsome Mind”
Prayer (together)
God, as time marches on, we notice changes in every aspect of life and wonder at what tomorrow will bring. Over the vast expanse of time, your precious love for humanity never alters, despite all the changes which might unfold. Thank you for being the steady rock of our lives, giving us a clear and certain picture of where life’s priorities truly lie. Amen.
LISTENING
Theme Conversation
*Hymn # 289 “It Only Takes a Spark”
(Children are now invited to Sunday School)
Genesis 29:15-30 page 33, Good News Bible
Romans 8:26-39 page 210 (N.T.) Good News Bible
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 page 19 (N.T.) Good News Bible
*Hymn # 643 “Faith, While Trees Are still in Blossom”
Sermon Rev. Leslie Robinson
RESPONDING
*Hymn # 691 “Though Ancient Walls”
*Offering Meditation (together)
Our earth, gift-wrapped in love, is rich beyond all price. It’s ours to share, with love and care, in willing sacrifice. Our world’s a glorious place, where we can all be free, We will be fair, and take good care, kind stewards we will be.
(Fran Marshall, Royal York Rd.,U.C., Toronto. Gathering Summer 2008 p. 70. Used with permission)
Offering
*Offering Dedication (# 537 v 2 Voices United)
Because we love you and your work, our offering now we make:
be pleased to use it as your own, we ask for Jesus’ sake.
Invitation to Prayer
Sing the Lord’s Prayer # 960 Voices United
*Hymn # 437 vv. 2-5 “We Thank You That Your Church unsleeping”
*Commissioning
One: The energy of the Holy One is unstoppable – it will rise up everywhere, through trouble, through
resistance, through grief, through injustice and brokenness, through fear and despair.
All: The unstoppable spirit of God is rising in us and in the world.
(adapted from the staff of Naramata Centre, B.C., Gathering summer 2008)
*Congregational Sung Benediction: (# 419 V.U.)
May the grace of Christ our Saviour, and our Maker’s boundless love, with the Holy Spirit’s favour, rest upon us from above.
Postlude
