Bulletin – Sunday, September 10, 2023 – Creation 1 / Welcome Sunday

Sunday, September 10, 2023
Creation 1 / Welcome Sunday

Approach

Welcome

Call to Worship

One:   Creator, we come together in community, as one heart and body.
All:      Braid us together. Let us be bound in love to one another.

One:   We recognize in community that when one of us struggles, all of us struggle.
All:      Braid us together. Let us be bound in love to one another.

One:   We join together this morning with a new desire for understanding those in our midst.
All:      Braid us together. Let us be bound in love to one another.

One:   We come to sing a song of hope. We come to dance a dance of peace. We come to share the words of scripture that inspire.
All:      Braid us together. Let us be bound in love to one another.

One:   We are here in this place together. Let us be moved to understand the journey of others a little bit better today. And let us be ever mindful of the opportunities that will present themselves to us.
All:      Braid us together. Let us be bound in love to one another.

(Jeffrey Dale, Shining Waters Region, Barrie, ON)

Lighting the Christ Candle

One:   The Christ candle is lit, but what does it mean? Why are we here?… The Christ candle is lit, but does it touch our hearts? Why do we come?… The Christ candle is lit, but does it change anything?… It’s a light that flickers. It’s small and seemingly insignificant. It’s made of ordinary material. It’s rather unremarkable. Yet, still, it speaks to us of Christ. Embracing those qualities, let us join as one in prayer.
All:      We come like flickering candles, Loving God. We come feeling small and insignificant in the larger scheme of things. We come as ordinary folk seeking meaning in life. Show us, risen Christ, as we pay attention, as we give reverence to you, that in our “normal” lives, you give us abundance—just as you gave abundantly of your very self for a broken world. We come to embrace that abundance into our growing wholeness. Amen.

(Gord Dunbar, Kincardine Pastoral Charge, Kincardine, ON Gathering)

Hymn – “Let Us Build a House” (MV #1)

Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live,
A place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive.
Built of hopes and dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace;
Here the love of Christ shall end divisions:
All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where prophets speak, and words are strong and true,
Where all God’s children dare to seek to dream God’s reign anew.
Here the cross shall stand as witness and as symbol of God’s grace;
Here as one we claim the faith of Jesus:
All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where love is found in water, wine and wheat;
A banquet hall on holy ground, where peace and justice meet.
Here the love of God, through Jesus, is revealed in time and space;
As we share in Christ the feast that frees us;
All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where hands will reach beyond the wood and stone
To heal and strengthen, serve and teach, and live the Word they’ve known.
Here the outcast and the stranger bear the image of God’s face;
Let us bring an end to fear and danger;
All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard
And loved and treasured, taught and claimed as words within the Word.
Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace;
Let this house proclaim from floor to rafter;
All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.

Prayer of Approach and Confession

One:   Let us pray.
All:      Merciful god, we come before you to confess that we have not always been the people you intend us to be. You intend us to use our gifts in service, yet sometimes our fears prevent us from offering ourselves. You call us to give our time in service, but we easily fill up our time with unnecessary busyness. Our gifts remain undiscovered treasures. Forgive us and help us to say “yes” to you so that your gifts might be brought to birth in us. Help us say “yes,” so that the world around might be blessed by the good that you can do in and through us. Help us to say “yes” that we might be blessed as we give ourselves in blessing a world in need. Amen.

(Dianne Astle, Hope United Church, Hope, BC)

Words of Assurance

(adapted from Jamie Mille, First United Church, Dryden, ON)

 Creation Connection

One:   Today is the first Sunday in the season of Creation, a period of the church year when we take the time to think about what it means to be Church against the real, urgent, and increasing threat of climate and other environmental crises. Today we are asked to consider what song creation might be singing to God and to humanity at this time. What would the melody and harmony sound like? What words or sounds would be used? Sometimes, a tune can say so much more than an image or words. We are going to watch a video from The Guardian where the creators turn almost 150 years of global temperatures into music. The higher the temperature, the higher the pitch of the note. And the louder the note, the more carbon there is in the atmosphere. Please note that this video was created in 2016 and that 2023 is now the warmest year on record.

Symphony for Global Warming – https://www.theguardian.com/global/video/2016/nov/18/150-years-global-warming-minute-long-symphony-video

One:   Let us pray.
All:      God, as we enter uncharted territory around global climate change, help us to follow the words of Jesus, to love one another. Through our actions, help us to show our love for the whole of Creation, not just our tiny piece of it. When we do not know what to do, help us to learn and work together in your name. Amen.

Hymn – “That We May Be One”

That we may be one,
One with the world,
One with each other,
One in the Lord.

Rooted in earth or soaring high.
Rivers and lakes that touch the sky.
Water and rock, wind and flame,
We join our hearts,

That we may be one,
One with the world,
One with each other,
One in the Lord.

Elder and youth, hopes and fears.
Stories to tell with smiles and tears.
Sharing our dreams, our lives, our faith,
We join our hearts.

That we may be one,
One with the world,
One with each other,
One in the Lord.

The Word

Scripture Reading:           Romans 135:8-14

⁸ Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. ⁹ The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.

¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Scripture Reading:           Matthew 18:15-20

¹⁵ “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ ¹⁷ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!

Meditation – The Golden Rule of Creation

Anthem – “I Will Love the Lord”

I will love the Lord,
I will love the Lord with all my heart,
Mind soul, and strength;
And my neighbour,
My neighbour as myself.

Let no wall divide us now.
Let nothing come between.
In differences our strength be found;
The bonding love of Christ be seen.

I will love the Lord,…

 Offering

(George Allan, Chatham, ON)

Offering Response

For the gift of creation, the gift of your love,
And the gift of the Spirit by which we live,
We thank you and give you the fruit of our hands.
May your grace be proclaimed by the gifts that we give.

(Laura Turnbull, Penticton, BC)

The Response

Prayers of the People

One:   Let us pray. God of Creation, we are thankful for your awesome work in creation, you have weaved all of life together, and it is very good. We are grateful for all that protects and cares for your good works: the sunlight and water that sustains life, the earth that grounds and nourishes life, and the earth beings that care for and protect life. God of Creation, we give thanks for all whose actions care for your good works! And we ask your blessings on the actions we offer here and on the actions of those across the church and beyond during this Creation time. Together,
All:      we are stronger.

One:   As we care for your creation, provide us with the humility and curiosity needed to continually learn about the marvels of your works, and to deepen our understanding of how our actions, good and bad, affect all of creation. God of Creation, we give thanks for the opportunity to learn and grow with your good works! And we ask your blessing on the intentions we offer here today and on the intentions of those across the church and beyond during this time of Creation. Together,
All:      we are stronger.

One:   Although the journey is hard, and our hearts might be afraid and filled with doubts, may we continue to act and learn towards climate justice, with the confidence and strength of your presence guiding us. God of Creation, receive our prayers for the love of your good works. And we ask in your love, to answer the prayers we offer today and the prayers of those across the church and beyond acting together during this Creation time. Together,
All:      we are stronger.

One:   Today we also offer prayers for those in our community who need your encouragement and supporting love around them in their time of need. We pray for Marlene, Liam, Rob, Heather, Barb, Angela, Jodi, Gerry, Jay, Norm, Kieran, Paul, Flo, Haruko, Dollard, Desiree. In the wider community we pray for the people of the Ukraine, the Sudan, those participating in the upcoming Manitoba Election. May we continue to follow in the way that you are leading with hopeful and daring hearts, until we have reached your commonwealth of justice and peace for all. We pray in the name of Jesus, who taught us to say:
All:      Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn – “God Works Through Us”

God works through us and among us lives when we share gifts that the Spirit gives.
Though different skills may to each belong,
Like notes combined, we make a new song.
We will work side by side,
And see our faith applied,
Letting the Spirit guide all that we do.

We plant the seed and we tend the earth, but God gives life and attends its birth.
The loaf we break and the cup we share remind us of the new life we bear.
We will work side by side,
And see our faith applied,
Letting the Spirit guide all that we do.

Christ lays foundations on which we build;
Our efforts joined create hopes fulfilled.
Not walls that separate soul from soul,
But life in harmony is our goal.
We will work side by side,
And see our faith applied,
Letting the Spirit guide all that we do.

Our ties are stronger than what divides;
In peace our common intent abides.
We’re called to forge a community;
In Christ we find a new unity.
We will work side by side,
And see our faith applied,
Letting the Spirit guide all that we do.

Benediction

We are aware of two threads tying our lives to the lives of others: we are members of Christ’s church; and as Christians we are called to come together in love, support and even conflict, putting Jesus’ teachings ahead of our own wants. We are also members of the family of Creation, called to be aware of Creation’s needs and to also put them above our own wants for the good of Creation. As we leave worship today may we be open to hearing God through Creation’s call and through the lives of those around us. Amen.

Response

Jesus, Lord, our true example, you have shown how we must live.
Teach us how to share with others everything we have to give.
Let our days be spent in service: bring us by your grace to know
Healing is the church’s calling, and the path that we must go.