Notes on the Notes – November 4, 2018

This week’s theme:

Homecoming/60th Anniversary of Windsor Park United Church

This week’s scripture readings:

Ruth 1:1-18    Mark 12:28-34

This week’s music:

“The Church is Wherever” (VU #579)

“The church is wherever God’s people are praising,
Singing God’s goodness for joy on this day.
The church is wherever disciples of Jesus remember his story and walk in his way.

The church is wherever God’s people are helping,
Caring for neighbours in sickness and need.
The church is wherever God’s people are sharing
The words of the Bible in gift and in deed.”

Carol Rose Ikeler was a staff member of the Board of Education of the United Presbyterian Church (USA) when she wrote this hymn.    The tune is a traditional English Christmas carol, known as the setting for “Tomorrow Shall be My Dancing Day.”  The arrangement used in Voices United was made for The Hymn Book (1971) by F.R.C. Clarke, composer and organist at Sydenham Street United Church in Kingston, Ontario.  This hymn was especially popular at WPUC in the 1970’s.

“God of Life” (VU #528)

The text of this hymn was commissioned for the 175th anniversary of a Presbyterian church in Ohio.  It fits well with our anniversary theme of “Remember, Celebrate, Imagine!”  The tune, BEECHER, was composed by John Zundel, organist at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. (1870).

Original Windsor Park United Church building

“God of life, in Christ you lead us, guiding us along the way.
In our past, through joys and sorrows, you have been our strength and stay. 
Keep us faithful, true disciples, in our learning and our praise,
Celebrating past and present, consecrating future days.

God of words and Word Incarnate, words that challenge and embrace,
Grant us boldness in our speaking, while we know your loving grace.
Give us words both clear and winsome, loving hearts and listening ears,
Celebrating past and present, consecrating future years.

God of music, psalms and anthems, help us sing your faith anew:
Melodies expanding worship, harmonies enriching too.
May our lives be hymns in action, tuned to Christ in note and rhyme,
Celebrating past and present, consecrating future time.

God of days and years and eons, still you call as in the past.
Work undone demands our labour; justice yearns for peace at last.
Yours the vision and the challenge; ours the mission and the praise,
Celebrating past and present, consecrating future days.”

“Faithful God, You Have Been Our Guide”

“Faithful God, you have been our guide, year by year walking by our side,
Blessing challenge and healing strife, leading us on the way of life.
Faithful God of the living covenant, lead us onward in this new day.

God, whatever the future holds, keep us faithful as life unfolds.
Write your covenant on our hearts; send the gifts that your love imparts.
Faithful God of the living covenant, lead us onward in this new day.”

This hymn was written by Ruth Duck in 1995 for the celebration the 125th anniversary of Covenant United Methodest Church in Evanston, Illinois.  Expressing a theology of covenant, it grew out of stories about the church’s history.  The words remind us that God has been with us along our journey and continues to be with us into the future.  It is sung to the tune, LINSTEAD, which is a Jamaican tune adapted by Doreen Potter for use with Fred Kaan’s text “Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ.”

“God Be Praised”

“God be praised for sisters and brothers keeping faith with us and You;
Joining heart and hands with others, as Your call to us comes true.
With the cross our only standard let us sing with one great voice:
“Praise and honor, give God the glory!
Gratefully we now rejoice.”

God be praised for people of faith who by Christ’s love have been set free,
And for faithful servant-leaders guiding us in unity.
Sweet the psalm and sweet the carol when our song is raised as one:
“Praise and honor, give God the glory as on earth God’s will is done.”

Teach us how to love as You have loved through Jesus, Your holy Son.
As He taught may we so teach that the world may be as one.

For Your love bears all things, believes all things, and hopes all things!
For Your love endures all things, it has no end.
Your love shall never end!

God be praised and honored ever as we serve, both young and old.
Guide us in each new endeavor for Your Kingdom, make us bold.
Mold and use us for Your mission;
Make us one we now implore:
“Praise and honor, give God the glory,
Through the ages evermore.”

God be praised for sisters and brothers keeping faith with us and You.”

This week’s anthem is a hymn of praise to God for the life and work of our congregation. The words are written by R. K. Powell, quoting from 1 Corinthians 13:7. The music is by Lloyd Larson (2007). This anthem was also sung at our 50th anniversary service in 2008.

“One More Step” (VU #639)

“One more step along the world I go…from the old things to the new, keep me traveling along with you:

and it’s from the old I travel to the new; keep me traveling along with you.

Round the corner of the world I turn,
More and more about the world I learn;
All the new things that I see you’ll be looking at along with me…

As I travel through the bad and good, keep me traveling the way I should;
Where I see no way to go you’ll be telling me the way, I know…

Give me courage when the world is rough,
Keep me loving though the world is tough,
Leap and sing in all I do, keep me traveling along with you…

You are older than the world can be,
You are younger than the life in me,
Ever old and ever new, keep me traveling along with you…”

This folk-hymn by Sydney Carter was written in 1971.  The words of the hymn emphasize that living a faith-filled life is more about the journey than about having all of the answers.  It also speaks of our desire to have God with us as we live and learn.  This hymn was sung at Rev. Sharon Wilson’s last service as minister of WPUC.

To Ponder: Who is it hard for you to include in God’s love?  Why?

Worship starts at 10:30 a.m.

Come at 10:15 a.m. to see our Memory Video!