Bulletin – Sunday, November 7, 2021

Sunday, November 7, 2021
Remembrance Sunday / Communion

Approach

Lighting the Candle

God of Light and Love, as we light this candle today we pray for a world of justice, peace, and reconciliation; when the challenges seem too many, this light reminds us of your resurrection power, when the task seems overwhelming, this light reminds us of the miracle of love, and when apathy threatens us, this light reminds us of your vision of a world made whole. This light reminds us that we are called to hope that the impossible can happen and live as if it might do so today.

Call to Worship

One:   Can you hear it…it is the silence
All:      that holds all our stories the hurt for which there are now words, the pain that cannot be expressed from war.

One:   …it is the silence
All:      that shares the ache of the past and knows the deep cost of conflict that always costs too much yet there always seems more to give.

One:   …it is the silence of a God
All:      who has no words left for a love that has nothing left to give yet will give even that.

One:   May we gather in the clutch of such a silence
All:      for it is in this silence and no other we hold together the perplexing truth of poppy fields and our honest turmoil of emotion.

One:   Here in this place, in the midst of silence, we gather in remembrance.
All:      We gather in remembrance, in worship, in silence, we do not forget.

(adapted from Roddy Hamilton)

Hymn – “When Quiet Peace is Shattered”

When quiet peace is shattered by dreadful noise of war,
And we are bruised and battered by fighting’s constant road;
Lord, break the silence of your word and let your healing voice be heard.
O let your healing voice be heard.

When troubles still our love-song, and fear beats hard within,
When anger drowns the dove’s song, and life’s a noisy din,
Lord break the silence of your word and let your healing voice be heard.
O let your healing voice be heard.

When clashing wills divide us, and hearts refuse to mend,
When feelings scream inside us, and agonies won’t end,
Lord, break the silence of your word and let your healing voice be heard.
O let your healing voice be heard.

Opening Prayer

O God, you broke down the barriers when you crept in beside us.

In Jesus, your hands touched all, and touched us. You opened our eyes to see how the hands of the rich were empty, and the hearts of the poor were full. You took the widow’s mite and the child’s loaves and used them to show us the Kingdom. You call us to be your people of peace and justice, not people of empire and colonization. You touch our hearts, opening them to the ravages of conflict and war, hatred and marginalization.

Here in the company of the neighbour whom we know and the stranger in our midst, and the self from whom we turn, we ask to love as Jesus loved.

Make this the place and time, good Loving God, when heaven and earth become one, and we are in word and flesh know ourselves and all others a beloved. Amen.

Prayer for Justice

One:   Pray for those who are hungry.
All:      Pray harder for those who will not feed them.

One:   Pray for those who struggle each week to pay their bills.
All:      Pray harder for the wealthy who do not care.

One:   Pray for those who are homeless.
All:      Pray harder for those who deny them shelter.

One:   for the sick and lonely.
All:      Pray harder for those who will not give them comfort.

One:   Pray for those who cry out for dignity.
All:      Pray harder for those who will not listen.

One:   Pray for those oppressed by unjust wages.
All:      Pray harder for those who exploit them.

One:   Pray for those who bear the yoke of prejudice.
All:      Pray harder for those who discriminate against them.

One:   Pray for those whose basic needs are denied.
All:      Pray harder for public officials who cater to the greedy and ignore those bound unjustly.

One:   Pray for those who are victims of war and conflict.
All:      Pray harder for those who make a profit off the war machine and put their desires above the desires of whole societies.

One:   Pray for justice and peace in our world today.
All:      Justice as God seeks justice, true justice, peace and mercy for all peoples. Amen.

Hymn – “Peace for the Children”

Peace for the children, peace, peace.
Peace for the children we pray.
Following the path of One of peace,
We work for healing, we work for peace;
Peace for the children today.

Peace for the nations, peace, peace.
Peace for the nations we pray.
Following the path of One of peace,
We work for healing, we work for peace;
Peace for the nations today.

Peace for our planet, peace, peace.
Peace for our planet we pray.
Following the path of One of peace,
We work for healing, we work for peace;
Peace for our planet today.

Time for all Ages

The Word

Scripture Reading:           Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17

¹ Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. ² Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. ³ Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴ When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.” ⁵ She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.”

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the LORD made her conceive, and she bore a son. ¹⁴ Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! ¹⁵ He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.” ¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. ¹⁷ The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Scripture Reading:           Mark 12:38-44

³⁸ As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! ⁴⁰ They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

⁴¹ He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. ⁴³ Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. ⁴⁴ For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

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

Meditation – “Radical Church and the Cost of Our Faith!”

Anthem – “Song of Peace”

The Response

Communion

One:   The Lord is here.
All:      His Spirit is with us.

One:   Lift up your hearts.
All:      We lift them to the Lord.

One:   Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All:      It is right to give thanks and praise.

One:   Living God, Father of light, hope of nations, friend of sinners, builder of the city that is to come: your love is made visible in Jesus Christ, you bring home the lost, restore the sinner and give dignity to the despised. In the face of Jesus Christ your light shines out, flooding lives with goodness and truth, gathering into one a divided and broken humanity. With people from every race and nation, with the Church of all the ages, with all those of faith who have gone before and those yet to come, we join the angels of heaven in their unending song:
All:      Holy, holy, holy Lord,
            God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
            Hosanna in the highest.
            Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
            Hosanna in the highest.

One:   God of Peace and Justice, you are the most holy one, enthroned in splendour and light, yet in the coming of your Son Jesus Christ you reveal the power of your love made perfect in our human weakness. Embracing our humanity, Jesus showed us the way of salvation; loving us to the end, he gave himself to death for us; dying for his own, he set us free from the bonds of sin, that we might rise and reign with him in glory.

One:   On the night he gave himself for us all he took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and give it to his disciples, saying: “Take, eat, this is the bread of new life which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

One:   In the same way, after supper he took the cup and give you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: “Drink this, all of you; this is my cup of the new covenant which is given for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

One:   Therefore we proclaim the death that he suffered on the cross, we celebrate his resurrection, his bursting from the tomb, we rejoice that he reigns at your right hand on high and we long for his coming in glory.

One:   As we recall the one, perfect sacrifice of our redemption Father, by your Holy Spirit let these gifts of your creation be to us a constant reminder of your love, forgiveness, mercy, and justice.

One:   Look with favour on your people and in your mercy hear the cry of our hearts as we lift up our prayers to you: where swords are turned to ploughshares and spears to pruning hooks where the guns fall silent and the rumours of war cease. We see the love of God written on the hearts of men and women and offer our thanksgiving prayers to God.
All:      Hear our prayer.

One:   Where man says I am my brother’s keeper and the guardian of his days. Where mothers’ sons grow old in lands free from strife. We see the love of God written on the hearts of men and women and offer our thanksgiving prayers to God.
All:      Hear our prayer.

One:   Where enemies destroy the barriers that divide and no man’s land becomes home to each and all. Where colour, creed, and nation unite not stand apart. We see the love of God written on the hearts of men and women and offer our thanksgiving prayers to God.
All:      Hear our prayer.

One:   Where silent remembering inspires songs of freedom, justice, truth, and sacrifice of old shapes the passion for our future. Where those who gave their lives and youth let us age in years and wisdom. We see the love of God written on the hearts of men and women and offer our thanksgiving prayers to God.
All:      Hear our prayer.

One:   Where courage never fades in the battle for the right and power is given to the weak, the least, the last. Where compassion finds a home to root out fear, mistrust or pride. We see the love of God written on the hearts of men and women and offer our thanksgiving prayers to God.
All:      Hear our prayer.

One:   Where no one feels alone and marginalized for being who they are and all are included, celebrate, loved. Where those who struggle with illness and pain feel that they are seen, recognized, upheld, as we lift us those in this community today…and love and compassion allow all to feel included. We see the love of God written on the hearts of men and women and offer our thanksgiving prayers to God.
All:      Hear our prayer.

One:   For the love of Father, Son, and Spirit is the source of human love the fire of God within us shedding light upon our path write this love upon our hearts God as we offer you our thanks through Jesus Christ our saviour who offers lift to us. Amen.

(adapted from Marjory Macaskill)

One:   We break this bread and we drink from this cup and though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in this one meal together, this meal at God’s table. All things are now prepared, come and join in the feast of life.

Prayer after Communion

God of peace, whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom and restored the broken to wholeness of life: look with compassion on the anguish of the world, and by your healing power make whole both people and nations; send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to fulfill your call to peace, justice, mercy, and forgiveness in our world today. Amen.

Hymn – “Put Peace into Each Other’s Hands”

Put peace into each other’s hands and like a treasure hold it,
Protect it like a candle flame, with tenderness enfold it.

Put peace into each other’s hands with loving expectation;
Be gentle in your words and ways, in touch with God’s creation.

Reach out in friendship, stay with faith in touch with those around you.
Put peace into each other’s hands; the Peace that sought and found you.

Benediction

As we go out into this coming week we ask, Loving God, that you send us out to live lives that glorify you. Help us to be people of peace and justice in the world. Empower us to recognize your call; in our families, in our communities, in our work places and schools, in our churches in our world. And as we go remember that the God of true justice, the God of radical love, the God of gracious peace, goes with you today and every day. Amen

Response

Bread for the journey, food for the way.
Cup of God’s blessing, tomorrow, today.