Bulletin – Sunday, October 16, 2022 – World Food Sunday
Sunday, October 16, 2022
World Food Sunday
Approach
Lighting the Christ Candle
Creator, as we light this candle today we ask that you come to conspire with us to create a world where all have access to nutritious and sustainable food sources, and none live with scarcity or food insecurity. Redeemer, as we light this candle today we ask that you come to save us from oppressive and unjust systems. Mobilize us to be a part of a world response that works in partnership with those of good will to foster equitable resource sharing. Sustainer, as we light this candle today we ask that you come to cultivate our resilience and expand our imaginations, so that we might continually find new ways to answer the call to end hunger—until all may flourish. As we light this candle we ask that you come to help us change this world. Amen.
Call to Worship
One: Our Creator has designed a beautiful world,
All: a world where each one can have what is needed to live fully
One: when we nurture and share Earth’s sacred abundance.
All: As we gather for worship, we do so with gratitude.
One: Let us worship our Creator God,
All: for we have been deeply blessed,
One: and renew our commitment to be a blessing.
Hymn – “Give Thanks, My Soul, for Harvest”
Give thanks, my soul, for harvest, for store of fruit and grain,
But know the owner gives so that we may share again.
Where people suffer hunger, of little children cry,
With gifts from God’s rich bounty may thankfulness reply.
Give thanks, my soul, for riches of woodland, mine, and hill,
But know that gold and timber are the Creator’s still.
God lends us, as stewards, abundance we might share,
And thus provide earth’s children the blessing of God’s care.
Give thanks, my soul, for labours, that strength and days employ,
But know the Maker’s purpose brings toil as well as joy.
Show forth, O God, your purpose; direct our will and hand.
To share your love and bounty with all in every land.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
O beloved Creator, we open our hearts to your wisdom: to the thoughts that calm us, the ideas that provoke us, the teachings that expand us, the insights that challenge us, the ideas that inspire us. Work in us as we worship today. We are open and ready for your wisdom’s unfolding.
We know that we have not been equitable in sharing the abundance of this world. We know that many times our eyes and ears are closed to the pleas of those for whom food security is a challenge. We know that we would much rather turn away from the hungry among us rather than work towards enough for all.
Call us back to being your people. God enliven our hearts that we might be renewed in our work towards equality and equity for all persons. Help us to truly hear your call to us this day and every day. We ask in the name of your son, Jesus. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Time for All Ages
Hymn – “God of the Bible”
God of the Bible, Bod in the Gospel,
Hope seen in Jesus, hope yet to come,
You are our centre, daylight or darkness,
Freedom or prison, you are our home.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
God in our struggles, God in our hunger,
Suffering with us, taking our part,
Still you empower us, mothering Spirit,
Feeding, sustaining, from your own heart.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
Those without status, those who are nothing,
You have made royal, gifted with rights,
Chosen as partners, midwives of justice,
Birthing new systems, lighting new lights.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
Not by your finger, not by your anger
Will our world order change in a day,
But by your people, fearless and faithful,
Small paper lanterns, lighting the way.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
Hope we must carry, shining and certain
Through all our turmoil, terror and loss,
Bonding us gladly one to the other,
Till our world changes facing the Cross.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.
The Word
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 55:1-13
Hear, everyone who thirsts; come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your earnings for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Now you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out in joy and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle, and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Scripture Reading: James 2:14-17
What good is it, my siblings, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it? If a sibling is naked and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!
Meditation – “The Ultimate Invitation”
Offering / Response
Grant us, God, the grace of giving,
With a spirit large and free,
That ourselves and all our living
We may offer faithfully.
The Response
Prayers of the People
One: As we being to pray, I invite you to take some deep breaths and be open to God’s wisdom and grace.
One: In the silence of your hearts, give God thanks for one food you enjoy. (silence) Give thanks for someone you love breaking bread with. (silence) Give thanks for a food producer or farmer you know. (silence) Give thanks for a group addressing food insecurity. (silence) Give thanks for Mission and Service partners who are supporting people who are facing food insecurity. (silence)
One: Creator, conspire with us to create a world where all have access to nutritious and sustainable food sources, and none live with scarcity or food insecurity.
One: Redeemer, save us from oppressive and unjust systems. Mobilize us to be a part of a world response that works in partnership with those of good will to foster equitable resource sharing.
One: Sustainer, cultivate our resilience and expand our imaginations so that we might continually find new ways to answer the call to end hunger—until all may flourish.
All: Our Father, who art 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 them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Hymn – “Draw the Circle Wide”
Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
Let this be our song, no one stands alone,
Standing side by side, draw the circle wide.
God the still-point of the circle,
‘Round whom all creation turns;
Nothing lost, but held forever,
In God’s gracious arms.
Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
Let this be our song, no one stands alone,
Standing side by side, draw the circle wide.
Let our hearts touch far horizons,
So encompass great and small;
Let our loving know no borders,
Faithful to God’s call.
Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
Let this be our song, no one stands alone,
Standing side by side, draw the circle wide.
Let the dreams we dream be larger
Than we’ve ever dreamed before;
Let the dream of Christ be in us,
Open every door.
Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
Let this be our song, no one stands alone,
Standing side by side, draw the circle wide.
Benediction
May God strengthen our inner being with power through God’s Spirit, that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith, rooted and grounded in love. May we know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge such that we are filled with the fullness of God. And may God who, by the power at work within us, is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, be and abide with us now and forevermore. Amen.
Response – “Sent Out in Jesus’ Name”
Sent out in Jesus’ name, our hands are ready now
To make the world the place in which the kingdom comes.
Sent out in Jesus’ name, our hands are ready now
To make the world the place in which the kingdom comes.
The angels cannot change a world of hurt and pain
Into a world of love, of justice and of peace.
The task is ours to do, to set it really free.
O, help us to obey, and carry out your will.
Sent out in Jesus’ name, our hands are ready now
To make the world the place in which the kingdom comes.
Sent out in Jesus’ name, our hands are ready now
To make the world the place in which the kingdom comes.
