WEEKLY MESSAGE March 27, 2022 Lent 4
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Greeting
As follower of the One who was Teacher and Healer: we open our hearts that we might pray with honesty and await answers with renewed faith; we open our hearts that we may feel the breath of the Holy spirit. The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Call to Worship
The news is bleak.
The power of faith is strong.
The world is bleak and scary.
The love of Christ can drive out all fear.
Let us latch on to the wisdom and power of Christ’s peace.
May it transform our living in this time of worship.
Opening Prayer
O God, we come in worship, seeking your presence in our lives. There is much around us that is contradictory to your way of life for us. Many forces assail us; many things would tempt us from knowing your presence. Open our hearts to hear your call; open our spirits to the power of your Holy Spirit. Equip us to go forth into the world to be your voice crying for justice and peace; through Jesus the Christ we pray. Amen.
*Opening Hymn VU 235 O Worship the King
O worship the King all glorious above,
O gratefully sing God's power and God's love;
our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendour and girded with praise.
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O tell of God's might! O sing of God's grace,
whose robe is the light; whose canopy space;
whose chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and broad is God's path on the wings of the storm.
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The earth with its store of wonders untold,
Almighty, your power has founded of old;
has stablished it fast by a changeless decree,
and round it has cast, like a mantle, the sea.
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Your bountiful care what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
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Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in you do we trust, nor find you to fail;
your mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.
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Scripture Readings
Hebrew Scripture Joshua 5:9-12
Responsive Psalm 32
New Testament 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Hear what the scriptures are saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 333 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.
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Come, almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
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Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee,
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise
Gospel Reading Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
This is the Good News of Jesus the Christ.
Praise be to God!
Prayer of Confession
Holy and Welcoming God, you offer protection and direction to us, your chosen. You repeatedly show us the holy way. Yet we fail to accept your love when we go off on our own. Too often we act as if we do not need or want your care. Forgive our selfishness, we pray in the name of the One who protects, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Words of Assurance
God greets us as a parent greets a wayward child returning home. We are surrounded by God’s steadfast love. Know that love. Experience the joy of forgiveness included in that love.
We are a forgiven people! Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 112 O God, How We Have Wandered
O God, how we have wandered
and hidden from your face,
in foolishness have squandered
your legacy of grace.
But how, in exile dwelling,
we turn with fear and shame,
as distant but compelling,
we call us each by name.
And now at length discerning
the evil that we do,
by faith we are returning
with hope and trust to you.
In haste you come to meet us
and home rejoicing bring.
In gladness there to greet us
with calf and robe and ring.
O God of all the living,
both banished and restored,
compassionate, forgiving
our peace and hope assured.
Grant now that our transgressing,
our faithlessness may cease.
Stretch out your hand in blessing
in pardon and in peace
Prayer of Illumination
Let us pray—we find ourselves here, O Lord, because your love invites us and waits for us. We come with our joys and sorrows our questions and our certainties, our good judgment and our errors. We ask you to awaken our senses to perceive your presence to hear you and find you in the readings today. We ask that you awaken our sensibilities which have been dulled, and ever renew in us our thirst for you.
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Message ‘Let Us Come to Our Senses’
‘Lord of the Rings’ by JRR Tolkein, is a fictional book with interesting characters, who are a hairy–footed people, known as hobbits. I want to share with you an interesting custom of these hobbits, (I’m sure I have shared this custom with you before, as it is one of my favourite ideas when it comes to birthdays).
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A hobbit, does not receive a gift on a birthday from family or friends. Instead, a birthday-celebrating hobbit gives gifts to family and friends and perhaps even throws a party for them. At first when I learned of this practice, it really did not appeal to me. What! My birthday and I am to throw a party and buy gifts for others. I think my birthday is a time for me to be somewhat pampered and treated. But, as I think of this, imagine the number of gifts and parties I might attend in a year if I were to be like a hobbit? I would not just celebrate my birthday entertaining others, but I would receive gifts and be entertained each time a family member or friend had a birthday.
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This custom of the hobbits suggests that they might understand the famous story we heard in scripture this morning, ‘The Parable of the Prodigal Son.’
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As Jesus tells it, a prosperous land owner has two sons. The younger cannot wait till daddy dies so he might have his inheritance. Despite the insult, the father gives this younger son his share of the family property. And, the son runs off to first century ‘Las Vegas’, squanders it all, and ends up eating beans and mush alongside the hogs that he is reduced to feeding.
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Not so pleased with the situation he decides he’ll take a chance and return home—even if his father takes him in to be one of his hired hands it would likely be better than this.
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‘Help us come to our senses, O God!’
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Finally, the Prodigal Son had come to his senses, scripture says.
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But not before he had created a life
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messier than five nauseated frogs on a clean lily pad, ten moments after the proverbial pebble dropped at the other end of the pond.
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He thought his father too traditional, so he demanded his inheritance be turned to cash.
He perceived that his father’s settled life lacked the luster of the exotic.
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Didn’t he tell his father just that? What a mess!
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He believed the farmlands too dependent, so he turned his worn shovel in, and set his face to the gate.
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He perceived that these workers must be unhappy obeying the orders of a master.
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Didn’t he tell the labourers just that? What a mess!
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He knew his brother was unimaginative and too bound to being good, so he risked his time and life more than anyone else in the family ever had.
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So, he left without saying goodbye to his brother and, indeed, he risked all he had pursuing a call. His brother felt the truth and insult, though no words were exchanged. What a mess!
Now I judge his dreams as too undefined, and his golden era too vulnerable to lies and schemes to be made real.
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I can say for sure that he made a mess in everyone’s life…well, at least for those who could really offer their strength and care for him. And I might safely say that the pebble dropped just as he stepped out of the gate. Years later, the ripples met him, and his life took the shape of a great mess, too.
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Then he came to his poverty, to his illness, and he came to his senses,
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And scriptures say that others had to find ways through their own projections of the younger son, and the same story continued from there… like the story of the pebble’s ripple,]
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So, home the younger son goes. He is prepared for rejection and/or humiliation. But, as he comes over the hill in sight of his home town, his father runs to meet him with his arms open wide. For many weeks the son has rehearsed a groveling speech, but has no chance to speak about how he deserves nothing more than hired- hand status before his father has wrapped him in the household’s best robe and placed a ring on his finger. It is the royal treatment, literally. Before he can blink the tears away, the fatted calf has been killed and most of town has been invited to a spectacular party. It is definitely a gala, by today’s standards.
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If we stopped the story here, we might think that Jesus is telling us that the kingdom is like a birthday party. Rather, it is like any person who has returned to God—God celebrates our return like a birthday party. However, the story goes on.
At this point Jesus brings the other son into the picture. A big brother, who is miffed by this reception. He has not insulted his father. He has not squandered his inheritance on prostitutes and good times. He was the son who stayed by his father working day after day, week after week, year after year and yet his father has not once thrown even a goat party for him and his buddies. He will not set foot in the raucous, rich bash---just listen to the music and the festivities of noise from out here in the back forty!!
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Most of us here, can relate to the big brother. We have been responsible. We are well behaved. And, we have taken prudent care of our inheritance.
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But in Jesus parable, little brother, who has sinned is not reprimanded for his behaviour, but is getting the party of the year!
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As Jesus tells the story, the father does not berate or side with the older brother, nor does he defend the younger brother. Instead, he shifts the attention away from both sons and turns his attention to his own love and bounty. No one will run short---“all that is mine is yours” (Luke 15:31).
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This is not your younger brother’s party, rather it is my party, this party that I throw for many. I am on the lookout for all my loved ones. I am working for them and ready to celebrate with them even before they can think of giving anything back.
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Behind Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, lies profound and overwhelming truth about God’s kingdom. As humans we were lost, mired in sins of sensuality and greed [and self-preferential resentment,] hip deep in the pig slop of envy. Before we knew it, God reached out in the people of Israel and then in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. God raised us up and called us home. It is not just about you and me, your sin or my sin.
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It is about God, and God’s life-giving love and mercy. Every time God’s active, stretching, searching, healing love finds someone and calls that person back home, it does not mean that there is less for the rest of us. It means there is more; more feasting; more music; more dancing. It means another bigger party.
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Just maybe, those hobbits are onto something!
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Let us pray,
O God, help us to come to our senses. Only your love sets us free from all of our projections and judgments. More complete than any mess is your gracious response. May it be that in moments when we touch the mess of life, you come to our senses, and we know your embrace at the gate when finally, we return. Even in this moment of worship, sick with troubles, we open our living to your freedom and gracious response, O God. Come to complete your love within us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Let us take a moment to reflect.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 21 There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy
There's a wideness in God's mercy
like the wideness of the sea;
there's a kindness in God's justice
which is more than liberty.
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There is no place where earth's sorrows
are more felt than up in heaven;
there is no place where earth's failings
have such gracious judgement given.
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There is plentiful redemption
in the blood that Christ has shed;
there is joy for all the members
in the sorrows of the Head.
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Troubled souls, why will you scatter
like a crowd of frightened sheep?
Foolish hearts, why will you wander
from a love so true and deep?
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For the love of God is broader
than the measures of the mind,
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.
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*A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Offering Invitation
As God reaches out to us and raises us up, more of everything is offered to us. More feasting, more music, more dancing. May we offer more to others as we share what we can, of what we have. May our offerings help in our church community, in our local community and in the global community.
*Hymn VU 543 We Give Thee But Thine Own
We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be:
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O God, from thee.
Prayer of Dedication Gracious God, we thank you for your faithfulness, which endures all our frailties, for your patience, which calls us home, for challenges, which coax us into growth, and for your love, which sets us free to live new life. Receive our offerings, we pray that we, and these gifts, may be signs of hope in your world. Turn our service to your purposes, for the sake of the world you love. Amen.
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A Lenten Candle Ceremony
When nighttime comes, we are afraid of the things we cannot see. We look for a light to shine on the pathway ahead. When hatred rises, we are afraid of the evil we cannot see. We look for truth to shine on the pathway ahead. When terrorism strikes, we are afraid of the weapons we cannot see. We look for wisdom to shine on the pathway ahead. We are open to the love of God that brings light to the scariest corner.
May God’s light guide us, now and always.
(Four purple candles are extinguished.)
Through the shadows we now journey, open to the light of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
Prayers of the People Loving God, who meets us on the mountain peaks and the valleys of our lives, we take this time to meet you in the silence of this moment to invite you to fill our minds with new thoughts, to inspire our spirits, to stir our enthusiasm, and to cradle our wonderings and broken places with love.
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We celebrate that you call us into being, that you create us to do wondrous things, and that through our voices and actions you inspire others to be the best they can be. Holy God, help us to see how our actions, which we may consider small and insignificant, may have great effect on another and that our words bring great truth and insight into our relationship with you. Help us to realize the potential that each of us has and that we are all so needed in this community you call the body of Christ.
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We take a moment to remember how we are all connected with this world that you love so very much. Help us to remember those in need, who may feel disconnected from you and your creation. We take a moment to remember that your living spirit touches every corner of the earth we call home…(silence).
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Holy One, in this season of light and darkness we call Lent, help us to see, not only the places within each one of us filled with your light, but also those places that we are ashamed of, those burdens we think we must carry alone, those questions we are afraid to ask of you. Help us to see that the darkness and the light are the same to you and that your desire is to bring reconciliation and birth, a new way of being to each one of us.
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So we take a moment in silence to pray those thoughts that are closest to our hearts, that you can take and transform them, as we give them to you…(silence). We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ who taught us to pray, “Our Father…Amen.”
*Hymn VU 135 Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand:
the shadow of a mighty rock
within a weary land,
a home within the wilderness,
a rest upon the way,
from the burning of the noontide heat
and the burden of the day.
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Upon the cross of Jesus
my eyes at times can see
the very dying form of one
who suffered there for me;
and from my smitten heart with tears
two wonders I confess,
the wonder of his glorious love,
and my unworthiness.
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I take, O cross, your shadow
for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
the sunshine of his face;
content to let the world go by,
to know no gain nor loss,
my sinful self my only shame,
my glory all, the cross.
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*Commissioning
Go into the world that needs the joy you bring, the hope you share, the faith you live.
Go with confidence, and the blessing of God be upon you, now and always.
Stay well. Stay safe. Keep a song in your heart.
God Bless
Rev. Janet
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WEEKLY MESSAGE March 20, 2022 Lent 3
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Greeting
God calls us each day and every moment of the day.
God calls us through the tears of sadness.
God calls us through the tears of joy.
Our choice to gather to worship is one way we accept God’s call.
The Peace of Christ go with you.
And also with you.
Call to Worship
God calls us to follow Christ along the road of our daily lives.
Courageously and intentionally to pursue justice, truth, and love in all our actions.
Then, having done our best, to leave the results to God.
And walk on in gentleness and peace.
Opening Prayer
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Put a new spirit within me.
Like the fig tree that bears no fruit, we seek to be more.
Our deepest longing is to be fruitful.
Sprinkle us with water and we will grow.
Surround our roots with your presence,
And we will overflow with plenty.
*Hymn VU 337 Blessed Assurance
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of the Spirit, washed in Christ's blood.
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[Refrain:]
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Saviour all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Saviour all the day long.
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Perfect submission, perfect delight!
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love. [Refrain]
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Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Saviour am happy and blessed;
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with God's goodness, lost in Christ's love. [Refrain]
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Scripture Readings
Hebrew Scripture Isaiah 55:1-9
Responsive Psalm 63:1-8
New Testament 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Hear what the scripture is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 651 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand;
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
feed me till I want no more,
feed me till I want no more.
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Open now the crystal fountain
whence the healing stream doth flow;
let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
be thou still my strength and shield,
be thou still my strength and shield.
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When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death, and hell's destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side:
songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to thee,
I will ever give to thee.
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Gospel Reading Luke 13:1-9
This is the Good News of Jesus the Christ.
Praise be to God!
Prayer of Confession
We need forgiveness, God, for we are not the people you would have us be, and we are not the people we would like to be. Time and again, the love that lives within us remains unspent. Time and again, the compassion that stirs inside us remains restrained. Time and again, the life of abundance you call us to live and share remains only a dream. Forgive us and set us free to be all we can be.
Assurance of Pardon
Children of God, you are forgiven, restored to faith by your quest for pardon.
*Hymn VU 657 He Leadeth Me
He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate'er I do, where'er I be,
still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.
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[Refrain:]
He leadeth me! He leadeth me!
By his own hand he leadeth me!
His faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me!
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Sometimes 'mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom,
by waters calm, o'er troubled sea,
still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me. [Refrain]
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Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
nor ever murmur nor repine,
content, whatever lot I see,
since 'tis my God that leadeth me. [Refrain]
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And when my task on earth is done,
when by thy grace, the victory's won,
even death's cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me. [Refrain]
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Prayer of Illumination
We have come here seeking a beacon for your path, guidance for our journey, and companions on the way. Open us to your promise and your will, O God, as we receive your word today. Amen.
Reflection ‘Second Chances’
The Gospel lesson sounds harsh, but in reality, the message is one of consolation and encouragement. It is asserting that it is important for people to turn away from the belief that God is controlling the bad things that happen to humanity and all creation. Instead, God is there giving strength to the survivors, giving comfort to the mourners, and giving a second chance at a fulfilling life for all. Do we look for God in the bad and the good?
Do we take advantage of our second chances?
On one level this passage is a pastoral moment, calling for a response from Jesus addressed to the deepest thoughts and aches of the human hearts. Common sense suggests that if there is a demonstrable effect, then there is an explainable cause.
The desire to comfort by explanation is part of who we are as human beings. It comes with the territory. In varying ways, the friends of Job reflect that logic in Job 4:8, “As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same,” said one friend to Job when Job’s world fell apart.
So, when Jesus spoke to those who came to him telling of a terrible human tragedy, he dealt directly, emphatically, and bluntly with this almost natural human tendency. In Luke 13: 2-3, Jesus asked, “Do you think that these Galileans, were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus?” I tell you, NO.”
Frankly, if God was in the business of handing out judgment and curses in relation to our sins, there probably would not be anyone left on this planet. In this text, Jesus says NO to simplistic answers to deep and complex questions, NO to attempts to solve deep troubles with quick fixes, and NO to shallow theological thinking. Clearly Jesus is here responding to a pastoral human ache.
However, there is a missional moment and message here as well. After Jesus says no, he goes on to speak of responsibilities of those who hear his words. “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? I tell you no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. After applying this understanding to another tragic situation, Jesus tells a parable about a gardener determined to tend a fruitless fig tree because he (the gardener) is open to a future possibility that he does not control.
Facing the reality of mystery and the limits of what we can know is not an excuse to stand still and look sad; as Luke describes some of the disciples, paralyzed at the time of the death of Jesus. Jesus is on a mission. Those who would be disciples of Jesus, who would follow in his way in the power of his Spirit, are on that mission too. Much is unknown. Many questions will remain unanswered. In the end, the future is God’s, but we share in the mission of unfolding the future.
That is clearly where our responsibility lies. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
In faith we need to take our best step, and then leave the rest to God. The missional side of this Gospel reading may be that those who would follow in the footsteps of Jesus are charged with witnessing to the world, in the name and Spirit of Jesus. The results of this witness are not ours to know. The working out of God’s kingdom is not ours to figure out. Our task is to labour, without having all the answers, we are to acknowledge the deep mystery of it all. The task of the disciple is to witness and then wait, to take our best step and ‘leave the rest to God.’ We work now for a future we are not meant to control. Did Jesus not teach us to pray, MY kingdom come, or OUR kingdom come, but he taught us to pray, ”THY kingdom come, thy will be done?”
No statement of faith could say it all. No prayer can fully express our faith. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the church’s mission. We plant the seeds that will one day grow. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. It is up to us to always put our best step forward and leave the rest to God.
Let us take time to reflect.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 577 I’ve Got Peace Like a River
I've got peace like a river,
I've got peace like a river,
I've got peace like a river in-a my soul,
I've got peace like a river,
I've got peace like a river,
I've got peace like a river in-a my soul.
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I've got joy like a fountain,
I've got joy like a fountain,
I've got joy like a fountain in-a my soul,
I've got joy like a fountain,
I've got joy like a fountain,
I've got joy like a fountain in-a my soul.
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I've got love like an ocean,
I've got love like an ocean,
I've got love like an ocean in-a my soul,
I've got love like an ocean,
I've got love like an ocean,
I've got love like an ocean in-a my soul.
*A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Offering Invitation
It is Lent. We often look on Lent as dour and solemn, not big on fun, introspective, sacrificial. Yes, lent is a prep time for Holy week, to remember Jesus. It may have been difficult for Jesus and for God, but it was a time of motivation, determination, passion and compassion, single-mindedness, appreciation of gifts and people. God has joy in dreaming the hope for humanity; in going for the gold, the giving. May we also have that joy as we present our morning givings.
*Hymn VU 543 We Give Thee But Thine Own
We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be:
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O God, from thee.
Offering Dedication
You have been our help, and in the shadow of your wings, we sing for joy. Receive these gifts from our hands and transform then into love incarnate, so that through what we offer, the world may be renewed and your kingdom come. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
A Lenten Candle Ceremony
The pillar for the life of all believers comes from faith.
The energy for the life of all believers comes from hope.
The meaning for the life of all believers comes from love.
Now let us be open to faith, hope, and love.
We celebrate faith, hope, and love with God’s people everywhere.
(Three purple candles are extinguished)
Through the shadows we now journey, open to the light of Christ.
Thanks be to God!
Prayers of the People
Take us now, O God, into the heart of your love. Lead us into the quiet refreshment of your living water, where we find peace, joy, and fulfillment. Be our good shepherd, rabbi, saviour, friend. God, we know how much you love us. You gave us Jesus, and watched in horror as he died. Yet we know, also, that you did not let death, darkness, and chaos have the final word. You raised him from the dead, proclaiming your power and the power of your love of life.
We seek to live in the power of that love in each day you give us. We seek to know you, to come to you with fresh, open hearts and spirits that are green, wet, and growing, knowing your care and tenderness. Transform us to live as people of this Life, people of hope, generosity, and peace. We trust that, through your Spirit, we will become the people you would have us be.
Hear our prayers this day for the poor. We admit our own poverty: the poverty of our faith, our trust, our hope; the poverty of our fascination of material things. Yet we know, too, that the circle of hungry people extends around the globe, and into our own backyards. May your love of Life so fill the hearts of all your faithful people that the poor and hungry of the world will know your love and our care.
In the desert of Lent, O God, we are aware of the wars within us and around our planet. We know the wars inside us as we struggle the right and do it, seeking your will and not merely our own self interest. We know the war against, as humans exploit and consume its resources. We know the wars of guns and knives, the abused bodies of women, the ruined lives of men, the innocent suffering of children. O God of hope and compassion, heal us: heal your broken world, that light and love, may shine in the eyes of every creature and friend.
Deepen us, God, deepen our trust, our hope, our love. Deepen our vision of what may be, teach us how we may be creative agents of change, so, that guided by your Spirit of Life, earth may again be a garden. In Jesus’ strong name, we pray, “Our Father…Amen.”
*Hymn VU 675 Will Your Anchor Hold
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife,
when the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
will your anchor drift or firm remain?
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[Refrain:]
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love!
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It will surely hold in the straits of fear,
when the breakers tell and the reef is near;
though the tempest rave and the wild winds blow,
not an angry wave shall our bark o'er flow? [Refrain]
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It will surely hold in the floods of death,
when the waters cold chill our latest breath;
on the rising tide you can never fail
while our hopes abide within the veil. [Refrain]
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When our eyes behold, through the gathering night,
the city of gold, our harbour bright,
we shall anchor fast by the heavenly shore,
with the storms all past for evermore. [Refrain]
Commissioning
Go into a world too often profane and too often violent. Go in caring love, for it is still God’s world. May the name of the Most High give you strength and hope as you go.
Stay safe. Stay well. Keep a song in your heart.
God Bless
Rev. Janet
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WEEKLY MESSAGE March 13, 2022
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Greeting
God’s presence in our worship connects us to memories all the way back to our wandering Aramean ancestor. These old stories remind us that God’s eternal love continues to surround faithful people.
The Peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Call to Worship
God calls us together in love,
To reach out to us,
So, we gather as a brood of chicks
Under their mother’s wings:
To be loved into safety.
Let us worship our God of love.
Yes, let us worship God.
Opening Prayer
Merciful God, in this season of waiting and anticipation, we come to you hopeful for the possibilities of new life. We await the coming of spring, when the sleeping creation will break forth and once again verdant life will grow. As we wait cause new life to stir within each one of us, that we might prepare for a renewed and plentiful life. We pray in the name of the one who came to bring life. Amen.
*Hymn VU 108 Throughout These Lenten Days and Nights
Throughout these Lenten days and nights
we turn to walk the inward way,
where, meeting Christ, our guide and light,
we live in hope till Easter day.
The pilgrim Christ, the Lamb of God,
who found in weakness greater power,
embraces us, though lost and flawed,
and leads us to his rising hour.
We bear the silence, cross, and pain
of human burdens, human strife,
while sisters, brothers help sustain
our courage till the feast of life.
And though the road is hard and steep,
The Spirit ever calls us on
through Calvary’s dying, dark and deep,
until we see the coming dawn.
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So let us choose the path of one
who wore, for us, the crown of thorn,
and slept in death, that we might wake
to life on Resurrection Morn!
Rejoice, O sons and daughters! Sing
and shout hosannas! Raise the strain!
For Christ, whose death Good Friday brings,
on Easter day will live again!
Scripture Readings
Hebrew Scripture Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Responsive Reading Psalm 27
New Testament Philippians 3:17—4:1
Hear what the scriptures are saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
Hymn VU 664 What a Friend We Have In Jesus
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
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Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
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Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Christ the Saviour is our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do our friends despise, forsake us?
Are we tempted to despair?
Jesus' strength will shield our weakness,
and we'll find new courage there.
Gospel Reading Luke 13: 31-35
This is the Good News of Jesus the Christ.
Praise be to God!
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Prayer of Confession
Our God is a God of love.
An ever-present Presence in our lives who guides and directs us.
Let us reflect on our lives. Our shortcomings. The moments we did not act out of love toward others or ourselves. The times when we were hurt by the action of words of others. (silence)
Word of Assurance
Our God is a God of love. An ever-present Presence in our lives who guides and directs. God holds tenderly all that causes broken relations in our lives.
Hymn VU 580 Faith of Our Fathers
Faith of our fathers, living still
in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;
oh, how our hearts beat high with joy
whene’er we hear that glorious word!
Faith of our fathers, holy faith,
we will be true to thee till death.
Faith of our mothers, daring faith,
Your work for Christ is love revealed,
spreading God’s love from pole to pole
making love known and freedom real
Faith of our mothers, holy faith,
we will be true to thee till death
Faith of our sisters, brothers too,
who sill must bear oppressions might
raising on high in prisons dark,
the cross of Christ still burning bright.
Faith for today, o living faith
we will be true to thee till death.
Faith born of God O call us yet
bind us with all who follow you
sharing your struggle of your cross
until the world is made anew
Faith born of God O living faith
we will be true to thee till death.
Prayer of Illumination
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Let us hear you come, O God; let us see you and know you; let us recognize you in this reading of scripture and throughout our Lenten journey. Amen.
Reflection
We live in a world obsessed with status and power. Consider the candidates for government office, who sell themselves for something they may not be. They also try to make their opponents look worse than they think they themselves might represent.
At work, a colleague tries to take credit for someone else’s profitable idea. We call this office politics. And yes, in the community of faith, people try to influence the outcome of decisions such as: who will be the next pastor; how mission moneys will be spent; or what colour the carpet will be, when installed in the church parlour. We call this, ‘church politics.’
Some people think Jesus was innocent of the realities of politics. (if not innocent, then maybe ignorant of..) Well, those who think either of these ideas have not read the Gospels closely or correctly.
Jesus was no stranger to political maneuvers. Instead, he was prone to say things like in Luke 13:30---“Indeed when the kingdom of God arrives in its fullness, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” There is nothing that will more quickly alarm those on top, in comfortable positions, than the suggestion that they may not end up on top, but that some of those now relegated to the bottom to last place, will ultimately be first.
Just as these words are spoken by Christ, --the Gospel tells us that some Pharisees arrive, interrupting to tell Christ to flee immediately--because Herod wants to kill him, (verse 31).
This is a peculiar thing to happen, because up to this point in the Gospel story, the Pharisees have not been Jesus’ friends. The Pharisees have been among those threatened by the topsy-turvy kingdom Jesus talks of, among those “first” who may end up “last.” Why suddenly, are they concerned for their safety? Quite likely they have ulterior motives. Perhaps they are in cahoots with Herod and want to drive Jesus out of Herod’s jurisdiction. It could be that they want to drive him into the arms of Pilate and make Jesus, Pilate’s responsibility. This would be, like a Premier in our country today, passing the responsibility to the Federal government. At least then Herod would not be responsible for the results of Jesus actions. Now then, it would be up to Pilate to get rid of Jesus altogether. We can only guess at the motives of the Pharisees who come to Jesus with Herod’s threat. What is clear --is that Jesus responds as if the threats are a political maneuver, “Go and tell that fox for me…” he says, (verse 32), knowing that the Pharisees are up to something, along with Herod.
In today’s language, this means that he has stepped up to the plate of Herod’s challenge and lets the Pharisees and Herod know that he is not politically naïve. He is also fully aware that the kingdom he proclaims is offensive to the politicians of the times. He informs them, that he will work through the provinces to the capital of Jerusalem. And so, Pilate will be confronted soon enough. He does not expect a warm welcome. Jerusalem is the city that kills prophets and murders those sent for its own welfare (verse 33). Today our capital, Ottawa is all too often the place where dreams of a new and more just world will die.
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Jesus expects scorn and violence in Jerusalem, but instead of returning rage with rage, we read in verse 34 that Jesus speech is like a mother’s lament: “How often I have desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing.” These words bring the mighty into a new light: Herod, the Pharisees, the power players in Jerusalem—all the first who would be first, then and now—they want to see themselves as masters of the universe. What has changed in our world today, for those who want to be in control?
But, Jesus names their death-dealing and sees them as barnyard chicks lost in a storm too afraid and stubborn to find shelter under the shadow of the mother hen’s wings. The judgment that will yet fall on them, if they do not change their ways, it will be the judgment of their own self-destruction: “See your house is left to you” verse 35.
The political machinations go on, but there is a true and living God. As much as they think they are—the foxes are not in control.
Let us take time to reflect.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 286 If You Will Trust In God to Guide You
If you will trust in God to guide you,
And hope in God through all your ways
God will give strength whatever betide you
And bear you through the evil days
Who trusts in God’s unchanging love
Builds on the rock that will not move.
God will embrace your pain and weeping
Your helpless anger and distress
If you are in God’s care and keeping
In sorrow will God love you less?
For Christ who took for you a cross,
will bring you safe through every loss.
Sing, pray and keep God’s ways, unswerving
So do your own part faithfully
And trust God’s word though undeserving
you’ll find God’s promise true to be.
God never will forsake in need
The soul that trusts in God indeed
A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Offering Invitation
God calls and blesses us like Abram of old. Though most of us cannot leave our country like Abram did to follow God’s call, let us offer our money for God’s work locally, nationally, and globally.
*Hymn VU 543 We Give Thee But thine Own
We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be:
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O God, from thee.
Prayer of Dedication
Use these gifts O God, to speak of what we know, and testify what we have seen in Christ. May they become a blessing that others may know that you love the world so much that your will for us is not to perish but to have eternal life. Amen.
A Lenten Candle Ceremony
Abraham and Sarah travelled a long way. They often experienced the loneliness of being in a strange land. They sought the understanding of God. They showed the world the importance of living by faith. Abraham and Sarah empower believers in many lands. They were a start of a great line of prophets.
God’s light shines on this Lenten morn.
(two purple candles are extinguished)
Through the shadows we now journey open to the light of Christ.
Thanks be to God!
Prayers of the People
Let us pray:
God, you promised to be with Abraham and Sarah. You offered them new life and a promise of blessing. We pray for your new life and blessing to be on us, too.
As you are with us now.
Loving God, your guiding spirit went with the Hebrew people on their wilderness journey. We thank you for being with us, too, in our wilderness times, in our time of change.
As you are with us now.
God of new birth, we thank you for the life and example of your son Jesus, who challenged Nicodemus to take up a new life rooted in your creative, life-giving spirit. We thank you for your spirit with us, and ask you to guide us to lives of faithful service.
As you are with us now.
Music maker of the universe, we thank you for the gift of music especially in worship this morning. Thank you for the gifts of the writers and those who lead us in singing your praises.
As you are with us now.
Comforting God, we ask your sustaining presence to be with all who suffer, in any way: those who are lonely, those who are ill, those who are unemployed, those who are in prison, those who have lost loved ones through death or separation.
As you are with us now.
This we pray in the name of Jesus the Christ who invites us to pray “Our Father… Amen.”
Hymn VU 660 How Firm a Foundation
How firm a foundation, you servants of God,
is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can be said than to you has been said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
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"Fear not, I am with you; O be not dismayed!
For I am your God and will still give you aid;
I'll strengthen and help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand.
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"When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.
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"When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply:
the flame shall not hurt you, I only design
your dross to consume, and your gold to refine.
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"The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose
I will not -- I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavour to shake,
I'll never -- no, never -- no, never forsake!"
Commissioning
Go from here in peace, for God has gone to the depths of your pain and fear.
Go from here in grace, to go with others to their depths.
Go from here in communion, for God goes with us.
We go to bear witness to this Good News.
Stay well. Stay safe. Keep a song in your heart.
God Bless
Rev. Janet
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WEEKLY MESSAGE March 6, 2022
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Greeting
We seek the presence of God. Our hearts are searching, open, and full. All glory, praise and honour be to God!
The Peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Call to Worship
Now is the time of returning
returning to God, our first love.
Now is the time of turning away,
turning away from the sin that wastes us.
Now is the time of lifting,
lifting guilt’s heavy burden.
Now is the time of renewing,
renewing heart, mind, and soul.
Now is the time:
Lent’s hard, joyful pilgrimage begins.
Opening Prayer
Beneath the winter snow, many things lie concealed:
bits of trash casually discarded, the debris of last year’s garden, the deposits of the neighbour’s pets, the rusting of tools we forgot to put away.
When warm days come and the snow melts, all will be revealed.
Sometimes, our lives are like that, God.
We don’t want you to see them; we try to cover up the mess.
But in the light of your presence nothing can be hidden.
Have mercy on us. Amen.
*Opening Hymn VU 343 I Love to Tell the Story
I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory,
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story
because I know 'tis true;
it satisfies my longings
as nothing else can do.
[Refrain:]
I love to tell the story,
'twill be my theme in glory,
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story
more wonderful it seems
than all the golden fancies
of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story,
for some have never heard
the message of salvation
from God's own holy Word. [Refrain]
I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory,
I sing the new, new song,
'twill be the old, old story
that I have loved so long. [Refrain]
Scripture Readings
New Testament: Romans 10:8b-13
Responsive Reading: Psalm 91
Hear what the scriptures are saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 115 Jesus Tempted in the Desert
Jesus, tempted in the desert, lonely, hungry,
filled with dread: ‘Use your power,’ the tempter tells him; ‘turn these barren rocks to bread!’ ‘Not alone by bread,’ he answers, ‘can the human heart be filled. Only by the Word that calls us is our deepest hunger stilled!’
Jesus, tempted, at the temple, high above its
ancient wall: ‘Throw yourself from lofty turret;
angels wait to break you fall!’ Jesus shuns such empty marvels, feats that fickle crowds request: ‘God, whose grace protects, preserves us, we must never vainly test.’
Jesus, tempted on the mountain by the lure of
vast domain: ‘Fall before me! Be my servant!
Glory, fame, you're sure to gain!’ Jesus sees the dazzling
vision, turns his eyes another way: ‘God alone
deserves our homage! God alone will I obey!’
When we face temptation's power, lonely, struggling,
filled with dread, Christ, who knew the tempter's hour,
come and be our living bread. By your grace, protect,
preserve us lest we fall, your trust betray. Yours, above all
other voices, be the Word we hear, obey.
The Gospel Reading Luke 4:1-13
This is the Good News of Jesus the Christ!
Praise be to God!
Prayer of Confession
Have mercy on us, and send the gentle rain of your love, to wash us and re-clothe us, in the greening promise of spring.
We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Words of Assurance
No matter where we are or what we have done, God is ready to
accept our confession and encourage us to begin again. Receive the love of God with joy.
*Hymn VU 375 Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness
(refrain)
Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow thro’ the wilderness,
calling and free.
Spirit, Spirit of restlessness,
stir me from placidness,
Wind, Wind on the sea.
You moved on the waters, you called to the deep,
then you coaxed up the mountains from the valleys of sleep,
and over the eons you called to each thing:
wake from your slumbers and rise on your wings.
(refrain):
You swept thro’ the desert, you stung with the sand,
and you goaded your people with a law and a land,
and when they were blinded with their idols and lies,
then you spoke thro’ your prophets to open their eyes. (refrain):
You sang in a stable, you cried from a hill,
then you whispered in silence when the whole world was still,
and down in the city you called once again,
when you blew thro’ your people on the rush of the wind. (refrain):
You call from tomorrow, you break ancient schemes,
from the bondage of sorrow the captives dream dreams,
our women see visions, our men clear their eyes,
with bold new decisions your people arise. (refrain)
Prayer of Illumination
O God, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy spirit, that as the scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear what you are saying to us today. Amen.
Reflection So What Do We Give Up for Lent?
For most of my life I have given up something for Lent as a spiritual discipline. On Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Lenten season, I would commit to giving up something that was important to me as an exercise in self-denial. I might give up desserts, pizza, or even licorice---my favourite candy or maybe ice-cream, my second favourite treat. It always seemed to be a challenge to stay committed for those forty days.
I took an adult Lenten study quite some time ago, and all that changed for me. What I learned was that perhaps I was coming at this all wrong.If I was committing to give up something as an exercise in self-denial then why would I
not give up something that is truly not good for me. So I don’t consider only my eating habits but rather other habits too, such as not exercising properly or other poor self-care habits.
Now, there is no need to look up Lent in the Bible dictionary because there was no such thing back then. However, there is some evidence that early Christians
fasted forty hours between Good Friday and Easter. The custom of spending forty days in prayer and self-denial did not arise until later when the rush of the Christian adrenaline was over and believers had become more settled about their faith.
When the world did not end as it was thought to do. The followers of Jesus stopped expecting so much from God, they hung a wooden cross on the wall and settled into more or less comfortable routines.
Little by little, Christians became devoted to their comforts ---the soft couch, the flannel sheets, the roasted leg of lamb. These things made them feel safe and cared for---if not by God, then by themselves. They no longer saw the contradiction between being comfortable and being Christian. Soon they could no longer be distinguished by their bold love for one another. They did not get arrested for championing the poor. They blended in. They avoided the extremes. They decided to be nice instead of holy. And God moaned out loud.
With that, Christians began to come to their senses and looked to the Bible for guidance. They read: how Israel spent forty years in the wilderness learning to trust God; how Elijah spent forty days there before hearing God’s voice, and today we read Luke’s story of Jesus’ own forty days in the wilderness; a period of preparation between his baptism and his ministry—during which time he was sorely tested by the devil. This was hard, it was absolutely awful for Christ.
And so, in listening to scripture, the season before Easter, an invitation to springtime for the soul was announced by the church as a season of Lent. The word Lent is from an old English word ‘Lenten’—meaning spring.
The season of Lent is Forty days, a time for Christians, ‘us’ to cleanse the system and open our eyes to what remains, when all comfort is gone. Forty days to remember what it is like to live by the grace of God alone and not by what we can supply for ourselves.
No one has to sign up for it, but if you do, then you give up the illusion that you are in control of your life.
To enter the wilderness means we must not have the comfort of our habits or our pacifiers of warm homes, a soft pillow at night, or painkillers. But rather to find out what life is like with no comfort but God.
Probably most people need some kind of Linus blanket, whether it be eating, shopping, blaming, gossiping, or taking care of other people never taking a break. The simplest definition of an addiction according to Pentecostal
Theologian, Barbara Brown Taylor, “…is anything we use to fill the empty place inside of us that belongs to God alone.”
That emptiness we feel is not a sign of something gone wrong. Whenever we feel too empty, we find a pacifier to fill the hole. To enter the wilderness is to leave these pacifiers or crutches behind, ---Nothing is Too Small to Give Up. Consider chocolate, it is one of the common pacifiers to be given up for Lent in North America.
For forty days, simply pay attention to how often your mind travels in the direction of a small bit of chocolate. So, ask yourself why it happens and when it happens. What is going on when you a crave a Mars bar? Are you hungry? Are you bored? Are you lonely? Rather than heading for this chocolate fix, try sitting with the feeling and see what you find out.
Chances are you will have a voice in your head that will warn you of what will happen if you give up chocolate. ---you might starve, or you might change so much no one will recognize who you are. If this does not work, the voice will move to level two—chocolate is not a pacifier, it is a tool that you need to be who you are. If you do not fall for that then there is always another, such as: if God really loves you, you can do whatever you want, so go ahead and eat the chocolate.
If you do not know whom that voice belongs to, go ahead and read Luke’s story again. Then, tell the devil to get lost and decide WHOSE you will be, and just what YOU want to do for Lent.
Why not intentionally decide, with the help of God to put your energy and efforts into ridding yourself of something destructive in your life, such as: envy, jealousy, self-pity, procrastination, gossip, blaming, or negative thinking or another negative of your choice? Why not give up something bad for Lent in the hope and with the prayer, that if we can give up that bad thing for 40 days of Lent this year, then maybe, just maybe, God can give us the strength to give it up forever? Expect great things from God and yourself.
Believe that everything is possible. Why should any of us settle for less?
Worship the Lord your God and serve no one else.
Let us take time to reflect. Thanks be to God!
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Hymn VU 371 Open My Eyes, That I May See
Open my eyes, that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear
voices of truth thou sendest clear;
and while the wave-notes fall on my ear,
everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my mouth, and let me bear
gladly the warm truth everywhere;
open my heart and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit
A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Offering Invitation
God has invited us to eat freely from every tree in the garden except for one, but we take more. With eyes wide opened, we know how our lifestyle decisions make life more difficult for others. Let us now give freely back to God, offering gifts that will enable others to know and walk with God.
*Hymn VU 543 We give Thee But Thine Own
We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be:
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O God, from thee.
Prayer of Dedication
At this Lenten time we reflect on the hard choices of Jesus. May these gifts reflect our choice of the Christian way. A way of compassion, healing, support for the powerless, thanksgiving and worship. A way of love. Amen.
A Lenten Candle Ceremony
Through fear and chaos, the people of God travelled. No matter how terrifying it was, they never gave up in despair. Through challenges and uncertainties, the people of God travelled. No matter how uncertain it was, they never abandoned their goal.
(extinguish a candle)
Through the shadows we now journey, open to the light of Christ.
Thanks be to God!
Prayers of the People
God whose name is above all names, you have made this world, as well as each of us. Just as you know our hearts, you know what is happening throughout the ends of the earth.
Holy Spirit hear our prayers…
For the lost and forgotten, may they be found and remembered; (silence) for the victims of violence, abuse, and neglect, may they find peace, justice and love; (silence) for the sick may you bring comfort and healing. (silence)
Today we lift up to you the people of Ukraine as they fight to protect their homeland against one man who claims it is necessary to have their country. We pray for the willingness to embrace the soldiers who are fighting in a war that they do not want. For all those who are caught up in this dreadful war between Russia and Ukraine, we pray for their safety and their families be kept safe. We pray that those who oppress and tear down, may they experience grace that they will in turn liberate and build up. (silence)
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Jesus your hands are equally skilled at ruining evil, administering justice, and judging judges. We pray for such skills for the people of Ukraine as they tirelessly endure the battle of this war. God, we believe in you, the One who parted the seas and became human; we now ask for the audacity to believe that we through your spirit, can become the answers to the cries of the world; able to turn the world upside down by proclaiming and carrying out your good news. Come Holy Spirit, come. Hear our prayers, and all those who pray in the beautiful name of Jesus the Christ praying, “Our Father…Amen”
*Hymn VU 606 In Christ There Is No East or West
In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north,
but one great family of love
throughout the whole wide earth.
In him shall true hearts everywhere
their high communion find;
his service is the golden cord
close binding humankind.
Join hands, then, peoples of the faith,
whate'er your race may be;
all children of the living God
are surely kin to me.
In Christ now meet both east and west,
in him meet south and north:
all Christ-like souls are one in him
throughout the whole wide earth.
Blessing and Sending Forth
May the blessing of God give us strength for the journey;
may the Spirit of wisdom give us vision for the road;
may the love of Christ make us caring companions;
as we go forth together in this Lenten time. Amen.
Stay safe. Stay well. Keep a song in your heart.
God Bless
Rev Janet
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