Worship Offerings

For January 29, 2012 -- Epiphany 4B

2012-01-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

COMMISSIONING:
We have gathered as God's people,
we have sung, prayed, read, and listened.
And now we go back out,
out into the world which cries out for the love of God.
As you go, carry with you the teachings of the faith,
so that we may pass them on to those around us. Teaching in word and in deed of the Way that God would have us live.
May God be with you and bless you in your living and in your teaching.
Always and everywhere. Amen.

For January 22, 2012 -- 3rd Sunday After Epiphany

2012-01-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

COMMISSIONING:
We live and serve in the midst of the real world,
A world where conflicting and confusing messages and practices surround us.
We are members of a community,
And so we pledge to support each other in faith and love
As we struggle to sort out which way is most beneficial,
We go with God, who is there to guide and strengthen us as individuals and as a community.
Thanks be to God!
Thanks and Praise! Amen.

For January 15, 2012 -- 2nd Sunday After Epiphany, Year B

2012-01-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
When we awoke this morning,
God was there, watching us wipe the sleep from our eyes.
When we entered the sanctuary,
God was there, greeting us with the voice of a friend.
As we centre ourselves for worship,
God is here, filling our hearts and souls, challenging us to grow in faith
...time of silence...
Gracious God, in this time of worship,
search us, know our hearts.
God who has been with us from the beginning,
God who is with us til the end,
open our eyes, minds, and hearts this morning.
And lead us in the way everlasting. Amen.

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God, you have searched me. you have known me,
you know my thoughts, you know all my ways.
You see if there is any wicked way in me
You know the good and the bad that lives in my heart and shows in my actions.
In the good we know, strengthen us, in the ways we fall short of the goal renew us.
And lead us in the way, lead us in the way everlasting.
...time of silence...
God, who does know all our ways, who knows us so well, does lead us in the way. When we stray from the way God calls us back with words of love and forgiveness.
Lead me in the way everlasting. Thanks be to God. Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
As we rise to leave this time of worship,
God goes with us.
From the furthest East to the furthest West,
God goes with us, holding our hand, guiding us onward.
And so, go with God, as the people of God, to share in the work of God.
We go to share the Good News that we are not alone, that God close at hand, always. Thanks be to God!
And for all your days, may God lead you in the way everlasting.
So Be It! Amen!

For January 8, 2012 --Baptism of Jesus Sunday

2012-01-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

OPENING PRAYER
Spirit God, in the beginning you moved over the waters primeval,
bringing forth life.
You call us to come to the water,
to be refreshed, to be renewed, to bring forth new life.
As a baptizing community,
we encourage each other to grow and to learn together what it means to be washed with water and the Spirit.
In this time of singing and praying and listening,
open our ears, our eyes, and our hearts to hear, see, and feel what it means to be a baptized and baptizing community. And then send us out to live what we have discovered.
This we pray in the name of Jesus, who taught his friends to pray by saying...

COMMISSIONING:
Our time of worship closes,
our time of service in the world continues.
In our time together we have re-committed ourselves to live out our Baptismal faith,
which means we go as people who have been washed by water and the Spirit.
We go out as Spirit-filled people,
ready to fulfil the vocation God has given, to share the love and justice of God with all we meet.
And as we go out to live and serve, we can trust that God lives and serves with us.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

For December 18, 2011 -- 4th Sunday of Advent, Pageant Sunday

2011-12-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Come, take a break from the busy-ness of Christmas preparations,
we have come to hear the old story, to sing the old songs, to remember the promise of the season.
In a few days the calmness of the night will be rent by the cries of a newborn, the songs of angels, and the praises of shepherds.
Here this morning we come to see the story through meeker eyes.
God, in this time of prayer and song and remembering,
allow us to see the gifts that are brought to the manger,
help us see again the wonder of Christmas through the eyes of the young,
move us to rush with joy to see the child of whom angels and animals sing.
Then, when we return to the busy-ness of the season,
help us carry the joy, the wonder, the hope of the story in our hearts and souls.
This we pray in the name of the child whose birth we await, and who would later teach his friends to pray saying...

COMMISSIONING:
Children run Joyfully! Jesus is born!
Joy to the World! The Lord is Come!
We have gathered with the stable beasts to witness a remarkable event.
We have welcomed the child into our midst.
Now go, tell it on the mountain, the street corner, the dinner table
Unto us a child is born! A saviour who is Christ the Lord!
As we join the angel song we trust that God sings with us,
Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward all! Hallelujah!

Be Not Afraid Advent Candles (redux)

2011-11-22T16:56:00.000-07:00

THis Year I am slightly reworking, but mainly reusing, this liturgy from 2008. Here is the Redux version:

Advent 1 – November 27, 2011 – Be Not Afraid a new world is coming

(one person reading paper, tosses it down in disgust)

Reader 1: What's the matter?

Reader 2: Oh I just find the news so depressing these days. It seems that there is nothing but bad news out there.

Reader 1: I know what you mean. Between the Occupy protests, and the crackdown in Syria and people relying on food banks it sounds really bad doesn't it.

Reader 2: You said it. Sometimes I wonder if it is really worth trying to improve things any more.

Reader 1: Oh it is always worth trying to make the world better. And things will get better. I am sure of it.

Reader 2: How can you be so sure?

Reader 1: I guess I just have faith. Remember that the Bible keeps telling us that there is a new time coming, a new world? Well I just believe that is true and that the new world will be better.

Reader 2: You really think so? I am not sure. I wish I could be as sure as you are but I am afraid for us right now.

Reader 1: Don't be afraid. God is with us even when the world seems to be falling apart. And all will be well some day.

Reader 2: I hope so. As we light a candle as a sign for our hope in that new world let's sing #90 in More Voices “Don't Be Afraid”. In fact, let's sing it twice.

(they light 1 candle and then return to their seats while the song is sung)

Advent 2 – December 4, 2011 – Be Not Afraid Prophetic Peace be with you

Reader 1: May the peace of Christ be with you.

Reader 2: And also with you. But what do you mean?

Reader 1: Pardon? I don't know what I mean. I was just following the minister's instructions to pass the peace.

Reader 2: But what does “the peace of Christ” mean?

Reader 1: Well, uh, uh, I guess it means everybody getting along and being nice to each other and...well(trails off) Why are you asking?

Reader 2: Well I was reading about the prophets the other day, and they don't always sound peaceful. Sometimes they sound really angry. Sometimes they talk about people getting punished. John the Baptist talks about axes and fires attacking people...

Reader 1: Really, well is that all?

Reader 2: No, they talk about these things happening to bring peace to the world, to make the world a better place.

Reader 1: Maybe that is what we mean by the peace of Christ. That time after the struggle and change.

Reader 2: Maybe. Anyway, it's time to get on with the rest of the service. Why don't we light some candles for peace while we sing #90 in More Voices “Don't Be Afraid” a couple of times.

(they light 2 candles and then sit down while the song is sung)

Advent 3 – December 11, 2011 – Be Not Afraid Justice shall be done

Reader 1: You know, sometimes I think that life really isn't fair.

Reader 2: Why do you say that?

Reader 1: Well the news keeps telling us that the rich get richer while the poor fall farther behind. It sometimes seems that nobody really works for the people who have the least. It just isn't fair.

Reader 2: Well you know, nobody ever promise life should be fair. But you are right. It just doesn't seem right that so many people have so little to live on.

Reader 1: No it doesn't. Where is the justice in all of it? Aren't things like food and shelter basic to life? Why don't we find a way for everyone to get them? When the revolution comes...

Reader 2: (interrupting) Ok ok, down off the soapbox. Take a breath. I agree with you. Well maybe not the revolution part, but I do agree with you. And you know what?

Reader 1: What?

Reader 2: God agrees with you too. God wants us to live in a time of justice when everybody has what they need to live.

Reader 1: Really?

Reader 2: Yep. The Bible talks about it all the time. It is a big part of what people of faith pray and work for. And I really believe it will happen some day.

Reader 1: I hope it happens soon. I am afraid of what might happen if things don't change.

Reader 2: Oh try not to be afraid. Fear gets in the way a lot. While we light candles to remind us of God's light and justice why don't we sing #90 in More Voices “Don't Be Afraid”. We'll sing it twice.

(they light 3 candles and then sit down while the song is sung)

Advent 4 – December 18, 2011 – Be Not Afraid sing for joy

Reader 1: (sings 1^st verse of Joy to the World)

Reader 2: How can you sound so happy?

Reader 1: What do you mean?

Reader 2: Well with everything that is happening around us. With all the bustle of trying to get ready for Christmas. How can you be so happy and relaxed?

Reader 1: It's Christmas! How can anyone be anything but happy? All I need to do is look at the excitement of the kids and the bright lights and listen to the cheery music. Then it is easy to be happy.

Reader 2: But aren't you worried?

Reader 1: Sometimes I am. None of knows for sure what next year will bring.

Reader 2: But you're happy anyway?

Reader 1: Yep. I made a choice to not let the worry take over. God is coming to live among us as a baby. That's more than enough reason to sing!

Reader 2: You made a choice?

Reader 1: That's right. I chose joy and hope over fear and worry. It's Christmas! Don't be afraid, sing instead. In fact let's light candles while we sing #90 in More Voices “Don't Be Afraid”. We will sing it twice.

(they light all 4 of the candles in the wreath and then sit down while the song is sung)

Christmas Eve – December 24, 2011 – Be Not Afraid the Baby means Change

Reader 1: Christmas Eve is here at last. Soon we will hear about angels and shepherds.

Reader 2: And the angels will remind all of us not to be afraid.

Reader 1: The candles on our wreath remind us not to be afraid to. One reminds us to not be afraid of the bad news around us because a better world is coming (lights a candle)

Reader 2: And this one reminds us to not be afraid of the tough choices and changes that need to come before we have peace in the world. (lights second candle)

Reader 1: This pink candle reminds us that even when the world is going crazy we can choose to be less afraid, we can choose to sing for joy (lights candle)

Reader 2: And this last candle reminds us that when we work past the fear we can see God's hope for justice in the world. (lights last candle)

Reader 1: Now there is only one candle left. The one in the middle.

Reader 2: That's right. What does it remind us of?

Reader 1: Well Christmas is about a baby right? And a baby means change right? Well some people think that change is very scary.

Reader 2: So let's light this candle to remind us of the Baby, and of the changes that might happen, and to not be afraid of those changes (lights centre candle)

For November 20, 2011 -- Reign of Christ Sunday

2011-11-15T12:36:00.002-07:00

COMMISSIONING:
We have gathered together. We have prayed. We have sung. We have listened
And now it is time for us to return to the mission field.
Go out into the world to feed those who hunger in body and spirit, to provide company to those who are alone, to comfort those who are afflicted.
As we go, may we see the face of Christ in all we meet.
And may they see the face of Christ in you.
Amen

For November 13, 2011 Proper 28A

2011-11-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
From our homes and workplaces, from our school and playspaces,
we have been called. Called to gather for worship and refreshment.
God of Grace, in this time of music and prayer and reflection,
open our hearts, minds and souls to feel your Spirit blowing through our lives.
As we sing and pray and listen,
may we hear you calling us to a new way of living.
And when our time together concludes,
send us back out ready to take the risks that come with using all the gifts we have been given to their full potential. Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
Challenging God, we go out now to make a difference in the world
We will take risks with what we have been given
We will explore what talents we have to share
We will us what we have to the best of our ability
We will be accountable for our choices.
We WILL make a difference in the world
Go with God, who will help you to do all these things.
Amen

For October 23, 2011 -- 19th After Pentecost, Proper 25A

2011-10-18T14:20:00.000-06:00

COMMISSIONING:
We have heard the story, we have been reminded of the Rule above all Rules.
And now we go back into the world, the mission field, to live out the Rule of Love.
We have shared Love's feast, been fed in body and soul.
And so we are refreshed, ready to share the Love we have met with the world around us.
What words guide our going out this day?
Love God. Love Neighbour. Love Self.
May these words echo in our faces, in our words, in our actions.
May it be so. Amen.

Past, Present and Future -- a candle-lighting liturgy

2011-10-04T13:35:00.000-06:00

(response based on Light One Candle by Peter Yarrow)
Whenever you hear:
Don't let the light go out
Please respond:
As it has shone for so many years, may it shine through our love and our tears

We remember the founders and builders.
People who had a dream for a church in this place.
People who helped it to grow.
People who created space for worship, for study, for faith to be nurtured.
We remember those who lit the light of faith.
And as we light their candle we pledge:
Don't let the light go out
As it has shone for so many years, may it shine through our love and our tears

We remember the outreach.
We remember how Jesus called us to be like lights set high on a lamp-stand for all to see.
We remember how Jesus called us to serve the least of his brothers and sisters.
And so we remember all the ways the people of this place have lived those out.
Providing a home for community groups, pushing for needed resources in the wider community like a place for people to sleep or a friendship centre.
Supporting the community in which we live work and have our ministry to the best of our ability
And we light a candle, setting it high so all can see and saying:
Don't let the light go out
As it has shone for so many years, may it shine through our love and our tears

We remember the programmers.
CGIT, Explorers, Messengers, Scouts.
Sunday School, Junior and Senior Choirs, Handbells,
Bible Studies, Faith Discussions, Presentations.
Places people have grown their understanding of faith and the world, places people have found a way to express their faith.
As these experiences have helped the light shine brighter, we light a candle and promise:
Don't let the light go out
As it has shone for so many years, may it shine through our love and our tears

We think of the present.
Those of us who are here now.
We give thanks for the gifts shared by those who have prepared the way for us.
We pledge ourselves to make good use of what they have passed down.
We light a candle and commit ourselves to it saying:
Don't let the light go out
As it has shone for so many years, may it shine through our love and our tears

And now we come to our central candle, our light of hope for the future.
This candle stands for those who will gather in this place in the years to come.
We light it as our promise that we will pass on the light of God.
We light it to show our trust in the promise that life continues, that faith continues, the there is indeed a future to await with joy and expectation.
As we light this candle we ask:
Don't let the light go out
As it has shone for so many years, may it shine through our love and our tears

For September 18, 2011 -- Proper 20A, 14th After Pentecost

2011-09-12T12:47:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Lift your voices, sing praise to the Holy One!
Praises for all that God has done.
Lift your hearts in thanksgiving!
Thankful for all the gifts the God has given.
Open your eyes to see the great breadth of God's generosity!
God's mercy is as wide as the sea, as deep as the ocean,
During this time of worship,
may our hearts be opened:
to see the breadth of God's generosity,
to accept God's generosity without envy,
to celebrate with those who are given what they need rather than what they have earned.
And may we leave this place,
ready to tell the good news of a merciful generous God who is alive and active in the world.
We pray in the name of the one who taught us about God's mercy and grace, and who taught his friends to pray by saying...

For September 11, 2011 -- Proper 19A, 13th After Pentecost

2011-09-06T12:00:00.000-06:00

OPENING PRAYER
God of life, as a new season begins, we come with hopes and wonders,
in our time of worship open our eyes to see the world as You see it, open our hearts that Your love may flow through them, open our ears to hear you calling us forward.
And when our worship is ended,
may we go out as people who have been fed in body and spirit, ready to live and serve. Amen

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

When we feel hurt, or threatened, or attacked;

we instinctively want to strike out, to re-pay pain with pain.

When we reach a moment of victory in the struggles of life,

we instinctively want to celebrate, to sing and dance, even if it means rejoicing in the suffering of others.

But, God of Forgiveness, you call us to a different Way.

You call us to offer forgiveness instead of vengeance, to seek justice for all, to forgive not once, but 77 times. And we know that we find this difficult. We know that sometimes this is beyond us.

...time of silent prayer...

God, who calls us to forgive, sets out the model of forgiving. Not once, not even 77 times, but over and over, forever and ever, God sets aside our actions, not holding our faults against us. We are a forgiven people!

Thanks be to God. Amen.

For July 31, 2011 Proper 13A 7th After Pentecost

2011-07-26T12:44:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
In the midst of our summer we hear a call:
everyone who thirsts, come to the waters... Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price... Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live
God, we have come together seeking food and water for our souls,
in this time together refresh and nurture us. Remind us of our calling to feed the hungers that surround us, to be good stewards of the gifts you have given us. And then prepare us to go out to live and serve as best we can with the resources we have.
We pray in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, who taught his friends to pray saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

The needs of the world press in around us.

And like the disciples we are moved to send people off to fend for themselves

Jesus says: “Give them something to eat”

And we are surprised, wondering how we could ever do that for so many.

Jesus asks: “What do you have?”

And we look at our lists, sure that it isn't going to be enough.

God, when we are struggling to know how to respond to the hungers of the our world,

open our eyes to what is possible, help us know that what we have will be enough.

And when we are frozen or overwhelmed by the enormity of the task,

warm our hearts, thaw our souls, melt away our fears.

...time of silent prayer...

God, who calls us to respond to others needs, gives us tools and resources to use in that task. Through God's grace we are able to respond to the best of our ability.

Thanks be to God! Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
As worship closes we return to the mission field,
a field where many hunger for many things.
As we go out into the world the words of Jesus go with us:
“Give them something to eat. What do you have?”
And so we go, committed to do what we can.
Being good stewards of the gifts God has given us, being agents of love and justice in a world that sorely needs both.
As you go to live and serve, remember that you do not go alone.
We are not alone. We live in God's World. Thanks be to God. Amen.

For July 10 -- Proper 10A, 4th After Pentecost

2011-07-04T14:57:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
A sower went out to sow...
are we the soil, waiting to catch the seed?
A sower went out to sow...
are we the seed, bursting with potential?
A sower went out to sow...
are we the sowers, called to spread God's gifts?
God of soil, of seed, of sowers, in this time of singing, praying, and listening
open our hearts and minds to the possibilities in our stories, in our experiences, in our lives.
Help us to find our place in the stories of life.
And then to live our part with our whole being.
We pray in the name of the Storyteller, Jesus of Nazareth, who taught his friends to pray saying...

COMMISSIONING:
A sower went out to sow...
and we are the soil, ready to provide whatever nourishment we can to enable the seed to grow.
A sower went out to sow...
and we are the seed, sent out to places both likely and unlikely to bear fruit as best we can
A sower went out to sow...
and we are the sower, given a bagful of Good News, called to spread it prodigiously wherever it may fall.
A sower went out to sow...
and wherever we find ourselves in the story we go out to help God's Word of life grow and spread, so that the harvest of Love will be plentiful. Amen.

For June 26, 2011 -- Proper 8A

2011-06-15T16:07:00.001-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Come join the circle, for Jesus is calling,
We join in this gathered community of worship to pray and sing and listen for God's voice.
This is a place where God can be met, a place where God's love can be experienced.
This is a place where all are welcomed openly and freely, a place where everyone can become a part of the circle.
As God has welcomed us,
so may we welcome others.
Welcoming and challenging God,
once again You have brought us together in this place.
As we sing and pray and listen this morning,
refresh us, open our hearts, minds and souls to Your Word of Life, empower and prepare us to go back out to the world where we live and serve.
We pray in the name of the One whose name we bear, Jesus the Christ, who taught his friends to pray by saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

Gracious God, the circle of your love and community is wider than we can imagine,

for those times we want to draw it closer, forgive us.

The circle of your love and community is always open,

for those time we accidentally close it, not letting others in, forgive us.

You call us to welcome all Your children,

and yet sometimes, both intentionally and unintentionally, we act in ways that make that welcome hard to find.

For those times when our hospitality is lacking, when we fail to share the Love and Life you have given us,

forgive us we pray.

...time of silent prayer...

God calls us to a New Life. God calls us to a New Way. When we stray from the path, God calls us back, not with judgement but with forgiveness. We are a forgiven people.

Thanks be to God! Amen.

Lighting the Christ Candle Responses for Pentecost and the Season After

2011-05-30T12:46:00.002-06:00

We light this candle as a sign of God's Spirit at work in the world,
may its light brighten our spirits, may the light of God shining through us brighten the world.

For June 5, 2011 -- A service focussing on Scripture in light of the KJV turning 400

2011-05-23T14:44:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
This is the day which the Lord hath made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.    (Psalm 118:24, KJV)
O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together           (Psalm 34:3, KJV)
O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.    (Psalm 95:1-2, KJV)
God, you are made known to us in many ways,
in stories and songs, in words and letters, in family and friends.
As we gather here this morning,
open our hearts and souls and minds to your presence. Help us to experience the many ways we come to know your love, your hope, your path.
We pray in the name of the One we meet in Scripture and in our lives, the Risen Christ, who taught his friends to pray by saying together...

PRAYER OF CONFESSION              (Based on Psalm 51)
God we join with the Psalmist and cry out:
Have mercy on me for I have done what is evil in your sight.
Gracious God, you desire that we live in the path of truth and life,
so teach us wisdom in our heart.
For those times we have strayed from your Way,
Forgive us and change us.
Cast us not out of your presence do not take your Spirit from us.
Create in us a clean heart O God, and put a new and right Spirit in us
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God is Gracious. God is Love. God is Forgiving. God gives us a new start, washes away our guilt, and sets us free to live again. We are a liberated and forgiven people!
Thanks be to God! Amen.

For May 29, 2011 -- 6th of Easter

2011-05-23T12:36:00.000-06:00

COMMISSIONING:
Now our worship ends, and so we go back out into the world,
A Cosmopolitan world where we meet many different faiths and philosophies.
We go to share the God we know, the Love we have been offered, the Hope we have for the future.
We go knowing that God, in whom we live and move and have our being, goes with us wherever life takes us.
Thanks be to God!
Amen

For May 22, 2011 -- 5th of Easter

2011-05-17T13:48:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
We come to one of the many crossroads of life and ask:
Which way do we go? Where do we turn?
In a world with many voices claiming to have the Truth we ask:
How do we know? Is there one real Truth?
In a world where abundant life is denied to many we ask:
What is life in abundance? How do we find and share it?
We bring all our questions to this place.
Here we trust that we will find answers.
God has called us here to explore life, to challenge truth, to find the way,
God open our hearts and minds and eyes as we pray together...

COMMISSIONING:
Our time of worship draws to a close
our time of service continues.
We go from this place out into the world,
we go as people committed to following the Way of Christ, to sharing the Truth of God's bountiful love, to seeking the abundant Life of the Spirit.
Go with God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer
Always and everywhere, God is with us. Thanks be to God!

For May 15, 2011 -- 4th Sunday Of Easter

2011-05-10T11:08:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Listen! Do you hear the Voice?
A Voice that is familiar. A Voice calling us out. A Voice that we trust.
We hear the Voice. We know the Voice. And so we come.
Trusting that we will be led to green pastures and clear waters. Trusting that the Voice will stay with us to comfort and protect.
Shepherding God, always beside us,
lead us in paths of righteousness. Guide us on the daily journeys of life.
And way the way grows dark,
protect us with your rod and staff, help us find the path back into the light.
In our time of worship this morning,
remind us that we can trust in the Good Shepherd who leads us. Remind us also that we who have been led by the shepherd are also called to lead others.
May this time of song and prayer and reflection,
empower and embolden us as we go out to feed and tend those of your flock who share our lives. Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
The Risen Christ asks us: Do you love me?
And calls us to feed his lambs, to feed his sheep.
As people who have been fed, who follow the Good Shepherd,
we go into the world where we live and serve, a world where so many need feeding, comforting, who need to know they are loved.
We go to share the love of the Shepherd, to help people find the path through valleys of darkness, to work together to find green pastures and clear water.
As we go out to serve the Shepherd may we always remember that we are not alone, that the Shepherd never abandons the flock.
Thanks be to God!
Amen

For May 8, 2011 -- 3rd Of Easter

2011-05-02T15:17:00.000-06:00

COMMISSIONING:

We have gathered as a family of faith.

In our gathering the Good News of faith was shared.

And now we go back out to the world where we live and serve

We go out to share God's Good News with the sisters and brothers we meet on life's path

As part of God's larger family,

we go out singing praises to God our Mother, our Redeemer, our Sustainer.

And may our hearts burn with God's love as we journey together.

Amen

Candle lighting responses for Easter

2011-04-26T09:30:00.003-06:00

LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE
In this Easter Season of new life and new hope,
may the light of this candle remind us that light and life have the victory over death and darkness.

Prayers at the Foot of the Cross (for Good Friday)

2011-04-22T09:35:00.002-06:00

God of life, today we pause to remember the power of death.
Today we tell the story of what happens when someone angers those in power.
Today we tell a story of betrayal by a friend, trial by empire, execution as a way of silencing the one who names injustice.
Today we tell a story that happened long ago in a land far away.
Today we tell a story that continues to happen today in places close at hand.

As we remember the story today help us to see its truth.
As we tell of Jesus' trial and execution remind us of those who are found legally guilty for doing and saying the right things.
As we tell of the friends who are conspicuously absent from the cross remind us how easily we slip away when the struggle for justice becomes dangerous or challenging.
As we look at the cross remind us of the power of empire in any age, and remind us of our duty as people of faith to proclaim a different empire, a different kingdom, a new way of living together.

God of life, today we pause to remember the power of those in charge to run the world.
Today we remember the many people near and far who are broken by that power:
those who live in places where peace is just a word, not a reality, not even a dream
those who are pushed to the margins because of their race, their gender, their bank balance, their marital status, their orientation, or any of the countless other ways we find to set people apart
those who live with nothing so that others may live with abundance
those who choose to challenge the injustices in their world and are crushed beneath the feet of those in charge
...time of silent prayer...
But even as we remember that power we remember that day follows night, hope replaces despair, and life will conquer death.
And now, as we prepare to leave this gathering, may we do so ready to challenge the empires of our world, even if such a challenge leads us to a cross outside the city gates.
We pray in the name of the one who showed us the depth of his passion for Your Kingdom, who taught us to live in love and justice, in whose life, death and resurrection we can find the path to Kingdom living, and who taught his friends to pray by saying:
Our Father, who art in heaven...

A Maundy Thursday Service

2011-04-19T14:32:00.000-06:00

WE GATHER TOGETHER
Lighting of a Flame:
God is the light in our darkness. As we gather for this meal we light a flame to remind us of God's presence, to remind us that God is part of our circle and part of our worship.
May the flickering light of this flame sustain us as the story of our faith grows darker.

Opening Prayer
God of life, you have called us to gather in this place,
open our hearts to your love in this time together. Open our eyes to see the world around us as you see it. Open our souls that we would be willing to embrace the path of servant-hood. We pray in the name of Jesus, who is our Servant Lord. Amen.

Hymn VU593 Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with your Love

Scripture: John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Reflection

Washing Each Other's Hands

A Meal Prayer
As we prepare to share this meal, help us remember the blessings we have been given.
Day by day we are fed in body, in mind and in spirit. May the food we share strengthen our bodies. May the friendship we share strengthen our hearts. May the story we share enable us to be people of love. Amen.

We Eat Together

Scripture Exodus 12:1-14
Pesach & Passover (Reflection)

Our Meal Continues

Scripture 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
A Special Meal (Reflection)

Bread and Cup are Shared

We Finish Our Meal
Blessing
We have come together, we have broken bread together
sharing a meal of memory and fellowship.
And now the meal has ended and we go back to the rest of our lives,
we go as people who have been called to be servants to the world.
We go to share the love of God with all we meet,
we go trusting that the Light of God will shine even when the world grows darker.
Go with God, who feeds us in body and soul, who frees us from bondage, who walks with us as we live and serve. Amen.

Hymn: VU278 In the Quiet Curve of Evening

Easter Intro

2011-04-12T09:45:00.000-06:00

This is how we will open our Easter Service, it leads into the joyful proclamations: (in the service it will be accompanied with PowerPoint slides)

This Week In Jerusalem

GOOOOOOOOD Morning Jerusalem!, and welcome to KJER in the morning. If it's happening in Jerusalem we'll tell you about it.

IT has been a busy and exciting week here in Jerusalem. OF course the Passover festival always brings large crowds and a great deal of excitement but this has been even more pronounced this week.

The week began 7 days ago with a strange parade into town [next slide] seen here in an artist's reconstruction. An itinerant preacher and miracle worker from Nazareth came riding into town on a donkey while his supporters threw clothing on the road and waved branches. Upon reaching the city this Jesus went to the temple where he overturned the tables of the money changers, drove animals out of the temple precinct and generally caused a great ruckus. Sources say that this was the last straw for Temple leaders, who were already worried about the excitement caused by this man.

The next story about him came 4 days ago. [next slide] Jesus and his friends held a Passover meal together – as did we all – but unconfirmed reports claim that at this meal Jesus invited his friends into some sort of ritual cannibalism, claiming that the bread and wine was his body and blood. I repeat, this is an unconfirmed report, we are not accusing anyone of such a horrible thing.

Later that night Temple authorities, aided by one of Jesus' friends, were able to have him arrested. Following a quick trial they were able to convince Pilate to have him executed. [next slide] Accordingly, he was taken to the execution place and crucified. [next slide] Following his death his body was laid in a tomb which was then placed under guard because of fears the body would be stolen so his followers could claim he had risen from the dead.

Elsewhere in the city...[next slide] oh wait, I am told we have a breaking story. This must be a joke. NO? A mistake then. Just read the story you say? Alright then.

Early this morning Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. [next slide] And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. [next slide] Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

On that note it is time for a break. KJER will be back with more on this amazing story later today...

For April 17, 2011 -- Palm Sunday

2011-04-11T12:04:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
As we gather along the roadside we feel the excitement filling the air.
Something is happening! We want to join in!
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Look! Your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he – humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey!
God, we join in the crowds, the jubilation, and the adoration.
The excitement is contagious, we have high hopes for what may come.
In the time of worship;
feed us in mind and body. Remind us where our loyalty truly lies.
And send us back out to proclaim the coming of the king, in whose name we pray.
Amen

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

God, on this day of great joy and excitement,

it is easy to get caught up in the hopes and the shouting.

But there is something else lurking around the corner,

a shadow of doubt and testing. A shadow of death and devastation.

Even as we join in the joy,

we admit that we may also join in the voices of another crowd, shouting NO in the face of your offer of a new world.

For the times we choose the easy parade over the hard road of change. For the days we choose to remain in the shadows...

forgive and strengthen us. Set us free from fear so that we can proclaim openly the coming of your Reign.

...time of silent prayer...

As we wave the branches we proclaim that the Reign of God is here and now! As citizens of God's Kingdom we are forgiven in our doubts and our mis-steps. We are set free of the past to move toward a hope-filled future.

Hosanna! The King is here! Praise and thanks to God! Amen

COMMISSIONING:
We have sung, we have eaten, we have celebrated.
Now we go out to live as citizens of God's kingdom
As we walk forward we see a shadow looming on the horizon
but beyond the shadow we see the brightness of a new day
And so we go out bravely, willing to face the tests that will come.
Ready to proclaim the coming of the one who comes in God's name. Ready to share the Good News of hope in a world too often given to despair.
And we go knowing that the God of Life, of Light, of Love is with us from celebration to cross to celebration.
Hosanna! Amen.

For April 10, 2011 -- 5th Sunday of Lent.

2011-04-05T10:53:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
In a world where death seems to have the power,
we come seeking life.
As people of faith,
we proclaim that life wins.
We have been called together by God,
who calls life from the tombs of our world, who unbinds us from our chains, who is the God of the living.
In this time of worship,
may the tombs of life be opened, may our hearts be unbound, may we be reminded that in the end life will always win!
We pray in the name of Jesus, who came to bring abundant life, and who taught his friends to pray by saying together...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

God of life, you promise us that life is always going to be the winner.

But we look around us and are moved to doubt the promise. The powers of death seem so strong.

You call us to come out of the dark tombs of the world and be set free.

And we have to admit that sometimes the comfort of the familiar overpowers our wish for abundant life.

You see a valley of dry bones and see possibilities.

And we see desolation and ask “Can these bones live?”

For all the times we lose hope, for all the times we doubt the promise, for all the times we prefer the comfort of the tomb to the unknown of new life,

Forgive and strengthen us, unbind us and call us to live again.

...time of silent prayer...

Christ says: I am the Resurrection and the Life. Those who believe in me will live”. Living in Christ we are strengthened, freed and forgiven. We are called to new life, new hope, and new possibilities.

Thanks be to the God of life! Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
Jesus calls us out of our tombs, unbinds us, and sends us out.
We go to share the good news of a life that will always win!
Even when the way grows dark and danger lurks around the corner,
we share faith that light is beyond dark, that hope replaces despair.
Go out trusting in the God who gives life, who calls us to live, who is with us every step of life's journey!
Always and all ways! Amen!

For March 27, 2011 -- 3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A

2011-03-21T15:14:00.002-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
God of Living Water, you call us to come and drink.
And we have heard you.
All who are thirsty, come to the fountain.
We come to dip our souls in the stream of life, to drink deeply and satisfy our thirst.
God of Living Water, the spring that never fails,
may this time of worship refresh and revive us. May it energize us. May the drink we take today fill us so that we overflow with love, ready to share what we have found with all we meet.
We pray in the name of Jesus, who we know as the Living Water, and who taught his friends to pray by saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

God of Living Water, you call us to come and drink.

So why do we sit here and complain that there is not enough water?

You call us to strike the rocks of our world and let your Living Water flow.

But we do not trust enough that the spring is there. We want to find the water on our own, using our own wisdom.

You call us to share the Water of Life with the world around us.

But we believe that the water is limited, not abundant and so we are tempted to save it for ourselves.

For all the times we turn away from your Water, for all the times we sully the Water by misusing it, for all the times we let others go thirsty instead of offering a drink,

Forgive us we pray.

...time of silent prayer...

The Water of Life flows with abundance to fill us with hope, to cleanse us of our guilt, to float us to a new life. Washed in the Living Water, we are forgiven and set free to live abundant life.

Thanks and praise to God. Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
God of Living Water, you called us to come and drink.
And we came. We drank. We were washed.
And now we prepare to return to the world.
Carrying with us the knowledge that the Spring of Life is always available to us.
May we be bearers of life-giving Water to all we meet.
Helping them to find ways to slake their thirsty souls, helping them to drink deeply.
Go with God. Float on the Stream of Life.
Amen.

For March 20, 2011 -- 2nd Sunday of Lent, Year A

2011-03-15T10:43:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Like Nicodemus, we come, sliding away from the world we know,
seeking to learn more about this man who comes from God.
He tells us the we need to be born from above, born anew,
and like Nicodemus we are unsure what this means.
As we pause now to pray, to sing, to listen,
may the God made known in Jesus speak to us. May our eyes and hearts be opened to see the possibilities of being reborn. May we allow the wind of the Spirit to blow through our lives.
And as our worship time closes,
may God send us back out into the world as a people of hope, of love, of life. May God send us out ready to testify to the glories God has done. So be it. Amen.
We pray in the name of Jesus, who taught his friends to pray by saying together...

COMMISSIONING:
The wind of the Spirit blows us where it will,
leaving us to trim the sails and enjoy the ride.
The wind of the Spirit blows us back out into the world,
the world where we, who have experienced new life, share the promise and hope of re-birth.
God loves the world so much that God wants the world to be saved.
We go out to share God's love with God's World.
And God goes with us. Always.
Thanks be to God!

For March 13, 2011 -- First Sunday of Lent Year A

2011-03-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God, you lay before us a road to travel in life,
but so often we are tempted to turn away from the Way.
You call us to be a people set apart, with a different vision for the world,
but the world around us tempts us to share its vision.
You challenge us to listen for your voice, to see with your eyes, to love as you love,
but sometimes these things are hard, and we are tempted to follow the easy path.
For all the times we have been swayed by the world, for all the times we have wandered from the path of wisdom,
forgive us, strengthen us, and bring us back to the life you would have us live.
...time of silent prayer...
God calls us to live in this world, temptations and choices and all. God calls us to follow God's path but God also knows that we will wander at times. And so, before we even know we need it, God offers forgiveness and grace. We are a forgiven people.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
Our time of worship comes to a close,
Our time of service continues.
Now we go out to be the people God has called us to be
people of love, people of justice, people of hope
Despite the many diversions along the road,
we will strive to avoid the temptations we find along the way.
Go now, be strong and courageous, know that God walks with you always
Thanks be to God, our strength and our guide. Amen.

Christ Candle Responses for Lent

2011-03-08T13:45:00.001-07:00

LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE
We light this Candle to light our way as we journey to Jerusalem, the cross, and the tomb.
May it's light strengthen us where the road is hard, embolden us when our hearts lose courage, and and bring hope as the road grows dark.

For February 20, 2011 -- 7th Sunday After Epiphany Year A

2011-02-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
We hear God calling us:
Uyai Mose, tinamate mwari, Uyai mose zvino
come all you people, come and praise your maker, come now and worship the Lord.
God calls us together as a people set apart
a people striving to live the law of love,
God calls us to go out as a people committed to justice
a people seeking to resist injustice without trading violence for violence.
We have come together as God's people,
we come to listen for God's voice in our busy world.
In this time of worship
may God embolden us to act lovingly towards our friends and enemies alike.
In this time of worship,
may God awaken in us a desire to take action against the injustice in the world.
After this time of worship,
may we leave this place ready to make a difference in the world.
We pray in the name of Jesus, who taught his friends to pray together...

COMMISSIONING:
We are a people of love
we go to share the love of God with all we meet.
We are a people of justice,
we go to name and resist the injustices in our world.
We are a people of hope,
and so even when we are challenged do things that make no sense we trust in God's wisdom.
We are a people of peace,
and so we seek God's Shalom for friends and enemies, next-door and around the world.
We are the people of God, sizohamba naye
we will go with God.

For February 6, 2011 -- 5th Sunday After Epiphany Year A

2011-01-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

OPENING PRAYER
God, in this time of worship,
open our hearts, minds, and souls to your presence.
God, in this time of worship,
give us a sense of what it means to be salt and light, remind us of our call to enhance the world around us.
God, at the end of this time of worship,
send us back out to the world, ready to let Your light shine through us.
We pray in the name of Jesus, who calls us salt and light,and who taught his friends to pray saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

God, you call us to a life that is rich and flavourful,

so why does it sometimes seem so bland and humdrum?

God, you call us to enrich the lives of those who are around us,

so why do we sometimes withdraw into our own silos, caring for our own interests above all others?

God, you tell us that we are lights, meant to shine brightly,

so why do we sometimes feel like we are always in the dark?

God, you call us to share our light with the world,

so why are we sometimes afraid that there is not enough light, that we might go dim if we shine too brightly?

God, for all those times when we have chosen not to season the world, for the times when we have kept our light hidden,

forgive us we pray.

...time of silent prayer...

God is the salt in our lives, the light in our darkness. When we start to run out, God graciously fills up our shaker and refills our lamp. We are a forgiven and rejuvenated people!

Thanks be to God! Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
Jesus said that we should be Just Like Salt
enhancing the lives of those around us.
Jesus called us Light of the World
shining brightly into dark places
Go now to be Salt and Light

For February 13, 2011 -- 6th Sunday After Epiphany Year A

2011-01-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
When the alarm went off this morning you had a choice.
Roll over and go back to sleep or get up and get ready.
And you chose to come here.
Indeed we did. We chose to gather together to worship.
Who has gathered us here today? Paul, your family, your teachers from years past?
No. God has gathered us here. God has called us to be God's people.
And so, Gracious God, we offer words of thanks.
Thanks for this place and this people, thanks for all those who have prepared the way, thanks for those who feed and water, thanks to you for the growth that ensues.
During this time of singing and praying and listening,
may we be fed and watered. May we continue to grow in Your way. Amen.

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GOD'S GRACE

God, daily you set before us a choice.

On one side is the path that leads to abundant life and love for all, on the other the path that leads to abundance for some with the price paid by others.

AS we deal with the choices of life,

we are tempted by the easy road, tempted to trade the long-term blessing for a quick reward.

And so God forgive us,

forgive us where we have chosen rashly or badly, forgive our quarelling and jealousy and lead us in the path of blessing and growth.

...time of silent prayer...

It is one of the mysteries of faith that whether we feel worthy or not we are forgiven. When we realize that we chose unwisely we are given a chance to choose again. Through Grace God forgives all of God's beloved children. We are a forgiven people!

Thanks be to God! Amen

COMMISSIONING:
We have gathered together for worship,
we have listened for God's voice, we have been fed, we have been refreshed.
And now it is time to go out from this place.
As we leave these doors we enter the mission field of life.
In that mission field may we all be ones who seed and water so that God can provide growth
May we share the good news that God offers us blessing and life and those in abundance.
God in the love and care of God. Amen

For January 30, 2011 -- 4th Sunday After Epiphany Year A

2011-01-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God of grace, source of wisdom,
we admit that we often find your wisdom to be foolishness.
God of foolishness, who calls us to be fools,
we admit that we are swayed by the wisdom of the world around us.
God of strength made evident in weakness,
help us to embrace foolishness and weakness. Help us find the path to wisdom and strength.
God of life, who calls us to be people of abundant life,
forgive us when we choose foolishly, strengthen us when we feel weak.
...time of silent prayer...
God is gracious, foolishly wise, strong in weakness. In God's wisdom forgiveness and grace are given freely and prodigiously. We are a forgiven and strengthened people!
Thanks be to God!

Responses for Ligthing of the Christ Candle

2011-01-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE
We light this Candle to remind us of the light in our world, and to remind us of our call to carry the light wherever we go.
Thanks be to God: our Light, our Hope, and our Strength.

For January 9, 2011 -- First Sunday After Epiphany, Baptism of Jesus Sunday

2011-01-03T16:01:00.002-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER

In the wilderness of life we hear it

A voice crying out, calling us to a new way.

Intrigued, wondering, we come to hear more.

Seeking to hear Good News, seeking to know more about living in God's Way

And so here we are,

here we are, ready and open to the words the Voice has for us today

God, whose Voice gathers us together,

in this time of singing and praying and listening,

open us to hear words that are both easy and hard,

remind us that we are Beloved children,

and send us out to live and serve. We pray in the name and memory of Jesus, who taught his friends to pray saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

Gracious God, over and over you call us to repentance.

You challenge us to examine our lives openly and honestly. You challenge us to name where we have strayed from the path of wisdom and to acknowledge where we have fallen short of what we could be.

Such a thing is hard to do. Such honesty scares us.

But still you call through the wildernesses of the world, calling us to turn to your Way.

For all the times we stray from the path, for all the times we choose unwisely,

forgive us, we pray.

...time of silence...

God is gracious, God is merciful, God is loving. And God stands with open arms when we turn back to be followers of The Way. We are a forgiven people!

Thanks be to God! Amen.

For December 19, 2010 -- 4th Sunday of Advent

2010-12-08T13:25:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Less than a week till Christmas. Are you ready?
Maybe. Maybe not.
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season we have gathered here,
for a time of peace, for a break in the rush.
In the midst of the noise of the season we come together
for some quiet time, for a reminder of what it's all about.
We come to hear stories passed down through the centuries.
God, invite us into the story this day. Amid the hustle and bustle, help us to remember what the season is about.
God open our hearts,
and fill them with the true gifts of Christmas: peace, hope, joy and love.
May this time of worship refresh and energize us,
so that we can be beacons of Christmas light a world that so sorely needs it.
We pray in the name of the baby whose birth is just around the corner, and who would later teach his friends to pray saying...

COMMISSIONING:
We have heard the story again, maybe from a different perspective
but it remains the same story.
And now we go back into the busy world,
where we do the most of our service and ministry.
In this Christmas week, go out to share the gifts of God with the world around you.
And may God bless us, everyone.

For the Later Service on Dec 24

2010-12-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

OPENING PRAYER
From St. John's Newfoundland to Tofino BC, from Point Pelee Ontario to Alert Nunavut,
All across the nation people of faith gather to hear the story told again.
And so God of Christmas we gather together,
seeking to hear the old story and sing the old songs.
In this time of worship,
Open our ears to hear the angel song, open our eyes to see the child who has been born, open our hearts to the promises of love, hope, joy and peace that are Christmas gifts to the world.
May we be changed by our encounter at the manger.
May we be filled with the Spirit of Christmas not just tonight but throughout the year to come. Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
The story has been told, the Baby is born
We join the angel song “Glory to God in the highest!”
Having heard the story and sung the songs,
we go out to share the “good news, which shall be for all people”
May the Peace, Joy, Love and Hope of Christmas shine in your lives
And through us shine on all we meet. Amen.

For January 2, 2011 -- Sunday Before Epiphany

2010-12-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Have you heard the great news?
What news?
A baby has been born!
Really? That's wonderful!
Come along as we go visit the family
We'd love too!
Do you know how special a baby this is?
All babies are special.
You're right. All babies remind us that God is creating new life and hope.
But this baby?
They say he is hope for the whole world. They say he will change the world.
Then we should give thanks to God!
Thanks and praise indeed.
And may we who visit the baby be moved to work for the changes he brings. Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
We have come to see the one born to be King
we have brought our gifts and praises.
Now we go out to change the world.
We go to share the love, hope, peace and joy he brings.
Go with God. Amen.

For the Early Service on Christmas Eve

2010-12-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

Lighting the Advent Candles
We light this candle to remind us of Hope. Hope for the world, hope that lightens the darkness of despair.
Light of Christmas, shine in our hearts and in our world
We light this candle to remind us of Peace. Peace in a world that is rocked by violence, peace based on a world where all can live in comfort and safety.
Light of Christmas, shine in our hearts and in our world
We light this candle to remind us of Joy. Not just being happy and merry but a deep Joyfulness that fills our hearts and souls with a sense of well-being and contentment.
Light of Christmas, shine in our hearts and in our world
We light this candle to remind us of Love. Love is the way we live together, love as the cure for the dis-ease that rocks the world.
Light of Christmas, shine in our hearts and in our world
And now the night has come. The baby is going to be born. And so we light our center candle to remind us that the Light of the World lives among us all.
Light of Christmas, shine in our hearts and in our world

Echo Prayer
Thank you God,
Thank you for Christmas.
Thank you for coming as a baby.
Help us to remember
what Christmas is about.
Help us to share gifts
of love, hope, peace and joy
with everyone around us.
Amen.

BLESSING
The night is still, and yet...
The air rings with angel song
A child is born
And so we rejoice
Go out to share the Christmas Joy. Go to proclaim the Christmas Peace and Hope. Go assured that we live in the Christmas Love. Amen.

For December 5, 2010 -- 2nd Sunday of Advent

2010-11-29T13:53:00.001-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER (uses words from "In the Bleak Midwinter" by Christina Rossetti [#55 in Voices United])
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind makes moan,
blowing across the snowdrifts, chilling the body to the core.
Earth stands hard as iron, water like a stone,
frozen and lifeless, cold and unforgiving.
Snow is falling, snow on snow,
as we gather to share the promise of life and warmth
God of life, death, and life beyond death, in this time of worship,
open our eyes and hearts to see new shoots coming from dead stumps, to see flowers blooming in the midst of the desert.
And in the end send us back out,
as people of life and hope, as people of peace and justice, as people who know that life still wins.
We pray in the name of Jesus, whose birth we prepare for, and who taught his friends to pray by saying together...

COMMISSIONING: (uses words from an Israeli traditional song "Joy Shall Come" [#23 in Voices United] which echoes Isaiah 35)
Joy shall come even to the wilderness!
A shoot shall spring forth from the stump of Jesse!
The parched land shall know great gladness!
As a rose, like a garden, the desert will blossom
The Anointed One is coming!
And in response we sing songs of Good News
Go out from this time of worship ready to proclaim the promise that life conquers death, that life still wins!
We go with God, who calls forth life. Amen.

For November 28, 2010 -- 1st Sunday of Advent Year A

2010-11-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
The nights are growing steadily longer.
And there is a lot of darkness in the world.
The thermometer keeps going lower.
A coldness too often matched by how people treat each other.
The darkest and coldest time of day is just before dawn.
We await the coming day with hope.
God, we wait for you to break into our world yet again.
Coming as a child, weak and helpless.
As dawn breaks over the horizons of our lives,
may the light reach into the deepest corners, bringing peace and hope, love and joy.
We pray in the name of the child whose birth draws near and who taught us to pray saying...

COMMISSIONING:
Day is breaking! Time to greet the dawn!
We go out to walk as people of light.
The time is now! God's time is now!
We go out as people of hope, sharing that hope with all we meet.
Go as the people of God, go with God. Amen.

For November 21, 2010 -- Reign of Christ Sunday Year C

2010-11-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
In the midst of a world where many call for our loyalty
we gather to celebrate the coming of the King of Kings.
In a time where we are told to look out for ourselves,
we gather to acknowledge that we serve the Lord of Lords.
In an era where leadership and power are often viewed with suspicion
we gather to look for a different model, a different King.
God who calls us together,
awaken in our hearts this day an awareness of what it means to live into your kingdom.
We pray in the name of the one called King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who taught his friends to pray by saying together...

PRAYER FOR REIGN OF CHRIST SUNDAY
Look! There is the king!
That baby in a manger? You must be kidding!
Look! There is the king!
That man on the hillside? I don't think so!
Look! There is the king!
The one leading the parade? Now you are talking!
Look! There is the king!
Hanging on a cross? Not possible!
Look! Where is the king?
Good question.
God whose Kingdom is all around us and yet not quite here, help us to look in odd places to see in new ways.
Remind us that the Kingdom of God is something different. Remind us that there is another way to live together. Help us make the ancient prayer “thy kingdom come, thy will be done” a practice of the heart and not just words we say by memory. Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
As our worship ends,
we go out into the mission field.
We go as citizens of a place that is here now and is being brought into existence.
we go as citizens of the Kingdom of God. We go to share the Good News of God's Shalom with all we meet.
Amen

Communion Invitation

2010-11-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is the Table of the One God. It does not belong to St. Paul's or to the United Church of Canada, but to God who has created and is creating, who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, who works in us and others by the Spirit. And so we have no right to bar anyone from coming to eat and drink from it. All those who seek to share int God's abundance and who strive to live in God's Way are welcome here. Come and taste the grace eternal, come and see that God is good.

For November 14, 2010 -- 25th Sunday After Pentecost

2010-11-01T13:40:00.001-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Living in a world that seems to be falling apart,
we come to find hope for the future.
Living in a world where the forces of destruction seem so strong,
we come to hear about the One who Creates and Re-Creates.
Living in a world where old habits and hatreds seem to live forever,
we come to hear God proclaim “Behold, I am doing a new thing”
God who has gathered us together,
open our hearts and minds to see the new creation in our midst.
In this time of worship,
may we be refreshed and renewed as people of Love.
We pray in the name of Jesus, who taught his friends to pray together saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

God of the “now and the not yet”,

We admit that it is frustrating living in times of re-creation. We confess that often we would prefer certainty to the “wait and see”. We admit that we get impatient when things don't happen as quickly as we would want.

God of destruction that makes way for re-creation,

We confess that we want to hold on to what is comfortable, or at least familiar. We confess that we sometimes mistake our vision of what the world should be for your vision of what the world will be. Forgive our impatience, our arrogance, our shortsightedness and our self-centeredness. Open our hearts to the reality of your graciousness.

...time of silent prayer...

Over and over God tells us “Behold, I am doing a new thing”. God is re-creating our world and ourselves. This is grace and acceptance and forgiveness.

Thanks be to God! Amen.

COMMISSIONING:
As our time of worship closes,
we go out into world around us to live and to serve.
As those who have eaten at God's table,
we go to share food for body and spirit with God's created and re-created world.
As those who believe God is active in the world,
we go to counter the despair of destruction with the hope of a new world.

For October 31, 2010 -- Reformation Sunday

2010-10-25T13:23:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Ezekiel was called to the valley of dry bones;
and wondered if those bones could live.
We have been called to this place,
and sometimes wonder what the future will bring to the church.
Who has called us here?
The God who brings life.
Why are we here?
To be refreshed, to be renewed, to be sent out with hope.
As we sing and pray and listen,
may God open our hearts and minds to new possibilities
And when our worship is ended?
May we go out ready to meet a changing world. Amen.

COMMISSIONING
Ezekiel stood in the valley of dry bones
and saw how God could bring new life.
Sometimes our churches feel like that valley
and then the breath of God blows through and brings new life.
Sometimes our world looks as desolate as sun-bleached skeletons,
and so we are called to speak God's Word of hope and life.
As we go into the world,
May we carry hope, and promise of renewal. May we be agents of Life.

For October 24, 2010 -- 22nd Sunday After Pentecost, Year C

2010-10-18T12:05:00.000-06:00

OPENING PRAYER
God of our pride and our humility, move among us in this hour of worship. Open our eyes to the realities of being beloved, imperfect beings. Fill our hearts with the promise that we are special and worthwhile. And then send us out to share Your love and promise with all we meet. We pray in the name of Jesus, who taught his friends to pray together saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

Gracious and Loving God, you call us to a life of balance and realism and hope.

But sometimes we lose our balance, we see the world through filters that twist what we see.

For those times we become too quick to blow our own horn and blind to our own mis-steps;

forgive us and remind us of the reality of being imperfect beings.

For those times when we fail to recognize how special we are, when we feel worthless and ashamed;

forgive us and remind us that we are beloved and worthwhile, created in Your image.

...time of silent prayer...

In the beginning we are told that God looked at the imperfect Creation and proclaimed it to be very good. As part of that Creation we are loved and accepted, flaws and all. When we wander from The Way, we are forgiven and drawn back.

Thanks be to God! Amen.

COMMISSIONING
As worship draws to a close, service continues.
And so we leave this place to live and to serve.
Go, remembering that you carry God's love with you,
and so we will strive to remind all we meet that they are Beloved, that they are worthwhile, that they are accepted.
And we go to make that reality a force for growth in our world
AMEN

For September 26, 2010 -- 18th Sunday After Pentecost, Year C

2010-09-20T14:38:00.000-06:00

PRAYER FOR HOPE
God, when the world is falling to pieces around us,
help us remember that we are people of hope and promise.
When the enemy is at the gates and the world is being changed,
give us the courage to buy a piece of land, trusting that it will be ours again some day.
When we are tempted to give in to despair,
strengthen us and remind us that we are not alone.
God of our past, present and future,
it is a time of uncertainty and we aren't sure what will come next.
And so remind us that there is always hope,
help us believe that all will be well some day. Amen.

BENEDICTION:
In a world where despair and destruction seem to have won,
we go out carrying a word of hope and renewal and growth.
In a time when the future is uncertain,
we trust in the Promise and live as people of Hope.
As people of Hope, go out to perform acts of hope, showing the world that things can, and will, be better.
As people of Hope, we go trusting that God is with us. Amen.

For September 19, 2010 -- 17th Sunday After Pentecost Year C

2010-09-12T21:28:00.001-06:00

NOte: This is a repost as these were also used in 2007 (that post also includes and offering dedication):

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Jesus said: no slave can serve two masters.
And we remember the times our loyalties have been divided between not just two, but many places.
Jesus said: You cannot serve God and wealth.
Ooh, that one hits close to home. We admit that sometimes we have a hard time choosing between those options.
There are so many things that call for our money.
So many times we think of the things we need, so many times we confuse what we need with what we want.
For the times our actions show that our loyalties have been misplaced,
For the times that we choose to honour our wallets and wants over Your cry for justice, forgive us God.
…time of silent confession…
While God asks for our loyalty, perfect performance is never demanded. Even when our thoughts are swayed by worldly concerns God is still there. God is the Master that always welcomes us back with open arms.
We are a forgiven people. Thanks be to God! Amen.

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
Whoever is faithful with little will be faithful with much.
We go now, striving to be faithful with what the abundance God has given us.
Go out to be honest stewards, go out to be wise with your gifts.
We go now, striving to put our priorities where our mouths are, seeking to serve but one Master.
Go out knowing that the Creator God, the Redeemer Christ, and the Sustaining Spirit are there to lead and guide you always.
Thanks be to God, the One who we serve. Amen.

For August 29, 2010 -- 14th Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 17, Year C

2010-08-24T13:34:00.000-06:00

Call to Worship/Opening Prayer
The invitation has been given:
Come and gather, come on and all, come as you are!
The welcome mat is laid out:
Come in and sit down! Join us!
We gather to sing and listen,
we gather to pray and be refreshed.
Hospitable God, welcoming God,
may this time together fill us with vision of what it means to embrace Radical hospitality.
Challenging God, coaxing God,
may this time together push us to ask ourselves hard questions about ourselves and push us to new actions.
Loving God, encouraging God,
we pray in the name of Jesus, who teaches us how to welcome others in your Kingdom.
And who teaches us to pray together saying...

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE

Merciful God, we try to live in the Way of wisdom, but sometimes we get confused. There seem to be 2 sets of rules and it is hard to choose. The common sense of the world seems much more attractive than the Radicalness of Your Way. For all the times we play it safe, when we stay in our comfort zone, forgive us.

...time of silent prayer...

God's Way is not always easy or comfortable. But it is always available. When we make other choices God is always there to lead us back, never holding our wanderings over our heads. God is Gracious and Forgiving. We are a forgiven people.

Thanks and Praise to God! Amen.

BENEDICTION:
God called us here together, welcoming us just as we are.
And God calls us to welcome others, just as they are.
As we go out into the world,
We go remembering that all are welcome in God's kingdom.
Which means that we have a message for the world,
we share God's message of welcome, of Radical acceptance and hospitality
As you go to welcome the world, go out knowing that the God who creates, re-creates, and sustains us is with you every step of the way.
Thanks be to God! Amen!

For August 22, 2010 -- 13th Sunday After Pentecost, Year C

2010-08-16T13:30:00.000-06:00

BENEDICTION:
When we are bent over and tired...
God is there to set us free.
As those who have been called to stand up straight...
we go out into the world to share the promise of freedom.
As you go out, know that the God who sets us all free, who helps us stand straight, who gives us strength to go on is with you every step of the way.
Thanks and praise to God. Amen

For August 15, 2010 -- 12th Sunday After Pentecost Year C

2010-08-11T11:00:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER
Each of us had a choice to make this morning
We could roll over and go back to sleep or we could come to worship.
Each of us has many choices to make in life
Do we follow the world's wisdom or God's wisdom?
We gather here to receive guidance and strength to make these choices.
God, grant that in this time of song and prayer and listening our hearts and beings are opened to Your presence, to Your dreams, and to Your wisdom.
And in the end send us out to live and serve,
making hard choices, choosing to follow Jesus, choosing Your way over the world's ways.
We pray in the name of Jesus, whose path we try to follow, and who taught his friends to pray by saying together...

ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God is gracious beyond all our hopes and expectations.
Whenever we drift into error, whenever we make unwise choices, God gently draws us back onto the Path of Life
We are forgiven and loved. Always.
Thanks and praise to God! Amen!

For August 8, 2010 -- 11th Sunday After Pentecost Year C

2010-08-04T14:30:00.000-06:00

PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God we admit that we let the comfortable get in our way. We confess that we sometimes let religion get in the way of being faithful. For all those times when we have been diverted from living out Your love, forgive us we pray.
...time of silent prayer...
God is gracious and forgiving. When we stray from The Way of wisdom God gracefully draws us back. WE are loved and forgiven.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

For August 1, 2010 -- 10th After Pentecost, Year C

2010-07-27T18:29:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP/OPENING PRAYER

Who has brought you here?

We have come in response to God, who calls us to be God's people.

Why are you here?

We come to experience God's Presence, to hear God's Challenge, to feel God's Love.

We come to worship and learn together. Let us pray...

God, some weeks it seems like it would be so much easier to stay home and relax on Sunday morning. But still You urge us to get up and come to worship together. We have listened to Your urging today.

In this time of song and speech and silence open our hearts and minds to Your presence. May this time together remind us of what is truly important. And may we leave this place committed to live as people of The Way, people of Love. We pray in the name and memory of the Risen Christ, who before his death taught his friends to pray together saying...

BENEDICTION:
Our time of worship comes to a close
Our time of service continues.
Now we go out into the world
Ready to examine our priorities, ready to put the important things first, trusting that this will make a difference in our world.
As you go out into the world to live and to serve, go confident in the promise that God: Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, is with you always and all ways.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

Prayer to close a Pastoral Relationship

2010-06-26T21:27:00.002-06:00

God of community, you call us to live and work and minister together in communities of faith.
You encourage us to grow together, to love together, to celebrate together, to weep together.
We know that in our communal life there are times when people come and times when people go.

9 years ago we began a new ministry relationship.
New friendships were formed, new bonds began to be built.
Promises of mutual support were made, a covenant of mutual ministry was built.
In the time since, bonds of care and concern have grown.
We have shared the good and the bad with each other,
we have laughed, and cried and raged with the events in the world.
We have learned and disagreed and discussed.
And for all of those 9 years we give thanks. For friendships and support, for challenge and growth.

But now the time has come to mark the end of that relationship.
We move forward into a future that is always uncertain.
As we move forward we name that, although the ministry relationship of the past 9 years is now ended, the bonds of care and concern, the ties of friendship, still endure.
Today we release each other from the promises made at our covenanting.
Today we look forward as we each go our own ways and while there is sorrow there is also excitement and hope.

God who has walked with us all these years together, we trust that you will continue to walk with us as we walk along the path of life.
May the connections formed in this relationship strengthen all of us to face what the world may have in store.
May the learnings shared enable our continued growth as followers of The Way.
And may we all be better for the laughter and the tears and the time we have shared together.

WE pray in the name of the One whose name we bear, Jesus of Nazareth, the one we call Christ. Amen.

Prayer for the 85th Anniversary of the UCCan

2010-06-05T19:18:00.000-06:00

Prayer for the History and the Future of the United Church

God of our history, we remember with praise and thanks those men and women of vision who came before us. We give thanks for their seemingly impossible dream of a United Church and for the hours and years of faith-filled and prayerful labour to make it a reality.

God of our triumphs, we remember with pride the great things that have been accomplished in the last 85 years of witness and worship. We give thanks for those who heard Your voice calling and stepped forward in leadership. We celebrate those who offered prophetic critiques of our nation and our church when it was needed. For those with courage and heart to make the difficult choices in a faithful manner we say thanks and pray that we can learn from their example.

God of our regrets, we acknowledge that our story has its times of shadow as well. There are times when we have not lived up to the ideal of what it means to be Your people. We remember the stories of residential schools and our interaction with the First Nations people of this country. We remember times when we as congregations and as a national church have chosen to remain silent when a prophetic voice was needed. We remember and regret all those times when people have been made to feel unwelcome or unworthy by member of this United and Uniting church. And as we share our regrets we offer our repentance, praying that we would learn a better way by reflecting on our past.

God of our present, we know that all is not well with the church today. In congregations and Presbyteries and Conferences across the country there is much anxiety and dis-ease. We worry about “greying” membership and declining numbers. We fret about finances. We wonder if there will be a 100th anniversary. In the midst of our worrying it can be easy to notice the good times, the signs of Your Spirit blowing new life into our midst. In the middle of our dis-ease, reawaken our hearts with words of hope and comfort.

God of our future, we can not know what the future will bring. Sometimes that unknowing brings excitement at the limitless possibilities. Sometimes it just makes us fearful at our lack of control. And so we attempt to shape the future in our own way, according to our own vision instead of opening our hearts and minds and souls to what Your vision may be. As we move forward in to the clouded uncertainty that lies ahead, help us to remember that we are not alone. Open our eyes to see and ears to hear what possibilities are out there. And whatever the future may bring, strengthen us to face it faithfully and as people of hope.

Challenging God, over the centuries You have challenged people of faith on countless occasions in innumerable ways. We are challenged constantly to live the old story in new times, to sing the old songs in new places, to keep the faith when it would be easier to let it fall by the wayside. At the same time we are challenged to hear new stories that intersect with the old, to learn new songs that capture the faith of the ages, to allow our understanding of You and Your world to grow and develop. Help us face the challenges of the present and the future with the knowledge that, just as you were with all those who faced challenges in the past, you are and will be with us as we face our own. All this we pray in the name of the One whose name we bear, Jesus of Nazareth, the One we call Christ, who taught his friends to pray by saying together...

For APril 4, 2010 -- Easter Sunday

2010-03-30T19:07:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
Mere days after their world was torn apart,
two women go to visit and tend the grave of one they love.
And when they get there they find that the grave is open and empty.
What new horror is this?
Not horror but gift. Christ is Risen!
Christ is Risen indeed! Hallelujah
We come together to worship.
We come to share praise and joy!

OPENING PRAYER

This is the day that God has made!

We will rejoice and be glad!

God of new life and new hope, today you do a new thing!

With the dawning of the new day you have brought a new creation into being!

As we celebrate the resurrection today,

empty the tombs and dead spaces in our lives,
renew our hope for the future,
remind us that the coming Reign of Love, Peace and Justice may be slowed but can never be stopped.
As we walk to the tomb with the disciples,

open our eyes to the power of resurrection.

As we see the wonder of new life,

empower us to live as a resurrection people. We pray in the name of the Risen Christ. Amen

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
This is the day that God has made!
We will rejoice and be glad!
We have heard the wonderful news!
Christ is Risen!
We go to live resurrection hope!
Bringing words of life in place of fears of death, sharing the promise the God’s Reign wins out, that God has the final word.
In the name of the God who makes us,
in the name of the Christ who makes us free,
in the name of the Spirit who makes us one.
We go in God’s love and promise always.
Christ is Risen!
Christ is Risen indeed! Hallelujah!

For March 28, 2010 -- Palm Sunday

2010-03-22T12:15:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
If you listen carefully you can almost hear it,
Drifting through the air, singing and dancing.
It gets closer and closer, louder and louder,
Songs of joy and hope.
The Kingdom is coming! Can you see it?
The Kingdom is coming! Will we join in the parade?

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON

God, when we open our eyes and ears we can see and hear the signs of the coming Kingdom,

We want to join in the singing and dancing and rejoicing.

It seems that nothing can stop the good times from coming.

But is that really true? Do we really believe it?

Or do we work to find ways to block the Kingdom?

Maybe. God, for those days when we get in the way of the parade, for the ways we try to interrupt the festivities, for our reticence to embrace the possibility of the Kingdom, forgive us.

…time of silent prayer…

God is the leader of the parade. God calls us to the celebration. Even when we have doubts or try to block the Kingdom, God still calls us to sing and dance for joy. We are forgiven.

Blessed be the One whose kingdom comes on a donkey! Amen.

SENDING FORTH
We have marched and sung with the crowds.
We share their hope for better things to come.
The week ahead will throw cold water on that hope.
But we still try to sing our hope. For even if our voices are stilled the very stones will take up the song.
As we go into the world of hope and challenge, remember that in the hope and in the challenge we are not alone. God walks with us as we journey towards the Kingdom.
Thanks be to God! Hosanna and Hallelujah!

For MArch 14, 2010 -- LEnt 4C

2010-03-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON

God, there are times when we lose our way on the journey of life.

Days when we simply get confused which way we should go and make a poor choice.

God there are times when we intentionally leave the Way you would have us follow.

Days when we turn our back on the wisdom you offer. Days when we demand our entitlement and use it for our own selfish pleasures and purposes.

God, there are times when find ourselves hiding in a corner somewhere.

Days when we are convinced that we are not worth finding. Days when we wonder why you would look for us.

God, for all the times we get lost, when we take the wrong turn in life…

Forgive us and draw us back to The Way…

…time of silent prayer…

The Psalmist writes “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven”. The Gospel reminds us that God is always happy to find the lost, that God is always welcoming us back home with open arms. We are forgiven and loved.

Thanks be to God! Amen

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We who are sometimes lost have been found.
And so the party of life continues.
We go out as people whom God has welcomed with open arms.
We go out to welcome others with open arms as we share God’s words of love and acceptance and hope.
And where ever our journey takes us, when we are sure of the way and when we have gotten lost, we take strength from knowing that we are NOT alone. We live in God’s world and God is with us.
Thanks be to God. Amen

For March 7, 2010 --- Lent 3C

2010-03-02T20:33:00.001-07:00

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Creator God, it is your hope that your people grow and become all that they could be,

But too often we are content to remain stable, not being fruitful.

God of growth, you call us to step forward, enriching the lives of those around us.

But too often we are willing to look after our needs first, and then using our “extras” for the world around us.

God of the Earth, you call us to be good users of life’s soil,

But if we are honest there are many times when we appear to be a waste of soil. For those times when we resist growth, when we are not fruitful, when we are less than we could be, forgive us we pray.

…time of silent prayer…

God is a patient and caring Gardener. God continues to nourish and nurture us, helping us to bear fruit, even when it might seem more logical to start afresh. We are forgiven, we are fed.

Thanks be to God! Amen.

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We go out as children of God, Beloved and nourished.
May we bear fruit in response to the care from the Gardener.
We go out to work in the soil of life, the dirty world in which we find ourselves.
May we help to enrich the soil around us so that all may grow to bear fruit in their own turn.
And remember, we are not growing of our own accord or power. We grow because we are held in the arms and care of the Gardener from germination to maturity.
Thanks be to God who gives us growth! Amen.

For February 21, 2010 -- Lent 1C

2010-03-02T20:31:00.001-07:00

OPENING PRAYER
God who has called us together,
We come here seeking to find the path of Life, wondering who You would have us be.
As we wrestle with those questions of being there are so many tests and possibilities along the way.
And so we seek guidance and strength.
In this time of worship,
Open our hearts and souls to your Way. Give us the strength and wisdom to pass the tests of life. Amen.

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
As worship ends, service continues.
We leave this place to continue following the road that lies in front of us.
On that path there are many options, many times we can turn aside.
But we pledge ourselves to stick to the goal, to struggle with the tests, to be who we are meant to be.
And we remember the great promise of faith. We remember that we never face the tests and trial of life alone.
May the Threefold God: Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, be with us always and all-ways. Amen.

CLosing Prayer for an Annual Meeting

2010-01-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

God of our coming and going,
God of our past, our present, and our future,
we have met, we have celebrated, we have remembered.
We also have visioned, shared hopes, dreamed dreams.
And now we go out into the world in which we do most of our living and our ministering.
As we go out, remind us that we do not go alone.
As we go out, remind us that we go with a mission.
As we go out, fill us with love, hope, and peace to share with the world.
May our lives and our ministry be signs of Your love and promises and possibility for the world. Amen.

Opening PRayer for an Annual Meeting

2010-01-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

God of our past, our present, and our future,
Source of life, in whom we have our being,
One who has created and is creating;
today we gather to celebrate our life together over the last year.
We give thanks for all the ways we have experienced Your presence over the last year.
As we think back over the year we remember those times we have gathered to say farewell to members of our community, we name and remember them again today {read names from Annual Report}. We also pause to remember those who celebrated their relationships and their love over the last year {read names}.
Today we remember also many hours of worship and service together, meals shared with each other and the wider community, shared laughter and tears, shared hopes and dreams, fears and anxieties.
God of our past, our present, and our future,
today we also move from remembering the year that was
to looking ahead at the years that will be.
In our time of reflection and visioning this afternoon,
open our hearts, our minds, and our souls to your wisdom and your guidance.
Inspire us with your vision for how we can flourish as a part of Your global body.
Fill us with a sense of who and how we are called to be in the world.
May our discussion this day re-energize us and cause us to be renewed in purpose so that we can better share your love with the world. Amen.

Celebrate!? Good Times!? Come ON!!

2009-12-22T11:18:00.002-07:00

(A Dialogue Reflection for Christmas Eve 2009)

P= Preacher struggling to prepare for Christmas Eve Service
G= God

P: [singing/listening to We Need a Little Christmas] AUGH! This just isn't working! This has got to be wrong. God! You there God! What am I supposed to say this year?!?!
G: You called?
P: You're darn right I called! You really expect me to talk about tidings of great joy this year?
G: Of course. It's Christmas, you do remember that the Christmas story is about good news and hope and all those things right?
P: Yes yes I know all that. It's just that it doesn't seem to fit this year. I mean Celebrate? Good Times? You have to be joking! Haven't you been watching the news these last couple of years?????
G: So times are tough. That doesn't change the story.
P: Times are tough?? That is an understatement. We have 2 major employers who have been closed for 2 years. The whole world is still struggling out of a major recession. We can't seem to find the will or the path to really address pollution and climate change. These aren't good times. Not even close.
G: SO? Where does it say that Christmas is about Good Times?
P: Pardon???
G: Where does it say that Christmas is about Good Times?
P: Well.. I guess it doesn't.
G: Of course it doesn't. Christmas is about all times. Christmas comes when things are going really well and when it is all falling apart. Christmas is about hope and promise and joy. When do you need those more than right now?
P: Well yeah but...
G: But nothing. What happens at Christmas? What do you talk about?
P: Well there is the story of course. You remember, the baby in a manger...
G: You mean the baby born to peasants who had nothing, not even a place to stay. Go on.
P: And there are the angels appearing to the shepherds...
G: Messengers from me to folk who were among the lowest of the low in their place and time. Messengers bringing good news to people who had nothing. Messengers telling them that I am active in the world. GO on.
P: Well I guess that is about it. But the story is so old. Everybody knows it. What do I tell people that is new?
G: New is over-rated. I mean new is good sometimes, lots of times. But sometimes new and innovative gets in the way. Think about that story again. You must see that there is good news in there for the world today.
P: Well maybe. But it seems odd to talk about joy and celebration these days. What is there to celebrate?
G: Lots. Even when life is going badly there are small things to celebrate once in a while.
P: But joy? So many people are unhappy and anxious. What about joy?
G: Hey! Joy isn't about happiness! Christmas Joy has nothing to do with how much you laughed yesterday!
P: It doesn't?
G: NO! Christmas Joy is about recognizing that something special is happening. Christmas Joy is the rush you feel when you remember that you are not alone. Christmas joy is in the promise that I am active in the world. IT isn't about happiness, it goes much deeper. It's about faith and hope. Joy to the World! Listen to the angel song again. And think about that story. Who is in it? What happens to them? I just told you what was important about it.
P: The story? I told you we all know the story. A baby in a manger, angels and shepherds.[pause] oh, you mean that stuff about the couple who had nothing and messengers to the lowest of the low...
G: Now you're getting it. Do you maybe see what needs to be said this year?
P: Sort of. But...
G: I told you, no buts. That song you were just singing. Did you pay attention to the part where it says For I've grown a little leaner, grown a little colder, grown a little sadder, grown a little older,
P: Yeah, that was the part I really found meaningful this year.
G: well the important part is right after that. Think about what it says: I need a little angel sitting on my shoulder, need a little Christmas now. For we need a little music, need a little laughter, need a little singing, ringing through the rafter, and we need a little snappy "Happy ever after," need a little Christmas now.
P: Hey yeah. That matches what we need to hear right now! We need a little Christmas Joy and hope and promise. We need to remember that the angels are still singing to us about tidings of great joy for all people. We need to join in the song about peace on earth, goodwill to all.
G: And the fact that these aren't good times?
P: That's why we need to hear it! Just like the story is full of people who live hard lives being reminded that You are with them, we need to be reminded that we are not alone. Even with everything that seems to be going wrong around the world we can tell the story again and remember that You continue to break into the world today.
G: Now you've got it! That is what Christmas is all about! I really don't care whether anyone believes that Luke got the story right. Arguing about what really happened when Jesus was born isn't what Christmas is all about. Christmas is all about the future, not the past. Christmas is all about people being able to recognizing that I am active in the world around them. Christmas is a promise that things can get better.
P: Thanks for that! If there was ever a time when we need a little Christmas this is one of them. Joy to the World! God is here, we are not alone. Let's all celebrate! Come ON!

Litany of Hope and Promise

2009-12-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

Note: the final 5 lines at the end of each section come from Seasons of the Spirit.

God, there is so much worry and anxiety around the world.

Things seem so unsettled and unstable.

And yet the story of faith reminds us to hope for the future.

Help us to see the possibilities that always come with birth,

help us to be people of hope,

help us live out Your hope and justice.

Teach us to sing your praise, O God.

Teach us to sing with notes formed by hopes and acts of justice.

Teach us to sing with harmonies shaped by mercy’s wide embrace.

May all the earth join the chorus and dance to your beating heart.

God, through wise ones of old you show us a vision of what could be.

Through mystics and prophets of today you challenge our vision of the present.

Remind us of that vision of peace and justice.

Empower us to live as if we believed it was really possible.

Teach us to sing your praise, O God.

Teach us to sing with notes formed by hopes and acts of justice.

Teach us to sing with harmonies shaped by mercy’s wide embrace.

May all the earth join the chorus and dance to your beating heart.

God today there are many who wonder where their next meal will come from,

today there are many who look for work and income,

today there are many who look for meaning in the face of life's disappointments.

Soon we will sing of a child that is born.

Soon we will here tidings of great joy that shall be for all people.

As we tell the story and celebrate the birth, push us look into the face of the newborn,

and see there a world of possibility.

If indeed the birth of any child is Your message of hope for the future,

may we see that hope this Christmas.

Teach us to sing your praise, O God.

Teach us to sing with notes formed by hopes and acts of justice.

Teach us to sing with harmonies shaped by mercy’s wide embrace.

May all the earth join the chorus and dance to your beating heart.

God, centuries later we hear again the promise of Dame Julian that

All will be well, all will be well, all manner of things be well.

And part of us finds it to be unbelievable that such a promise could be true.

When our despair grows and the shadow threatens to overcome the light,

remind us that we are people of hope.

When we are tempted to find relief from the present in trying to recreate the past,

call us to be people of the future.

When life's music has faded, or become a funeral dirge,

Teach us to sing your praise, O God.

Teach us to sing with notes formed by hopes and acts of justice.

Teach us to sing with harmonies shaped by mercy’s wide embrace.

May all the earth join the chorus and dance to your beating heart.

For December 20, 2009 -- Advent 3C

2009-12-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
In the darkest time of the year,
God calls us to come and seek the light.
In a world where hardship is real,
God calls us to come and hear words of promise.
As we prepare for the coming of a baby,
God calls us to come and worship together.
Let us pray…

OPENING PRAYER

God who brings new life into existence,

we await the birth of hope in our lives.

In our time prayer and song and listening,

open our hearts and minds to the promises of Christmas.

Move within and among us during this hour.

Filling us with hope,

reminding us to look forward to a new future,

calling us to embrace the possibility of new life.

We pray in the name of the baby who is coming, who as an adult taught his friends to pray the words we now sing…

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
Once again we have heard the old promise of a baby
Once again we have heard the gracious acceptance of God’s challenge to carry the child.
We also have heard the promise and hope of a mother foreseeing a new and better world.
As inheritors of that promise we go out to share its hope with the world in which we live and work and play.
As people of the promise, as people of hope, we go knowing that we never walk alone, God walks with us always. Amen

For December 6, 2009 -- Advent 2C

2009-12-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP

Closer and closer the day comes.

Soon the hills and valleys will ring with songs of praise.

As we prepare for the birth of a child,

as we prepare for the birth of hope,

we gather together in worship and praise

OPENING PRAYER
God of Advent, God of Christmas, as we prepare for the coming festival
remind us to take time for quiet amidst the noise and bustle of the season.
In our time of worship and listening this morning,
open our hearts and minds to your voice and wisdom.
We pray in the name of the child who later taught his friends to pray the words that now we sing…

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON

God, you call us to follow The Way.

And we confess that we find it hard at times.

You lay out a set of priorities that lead to life, and that in abundance

But we have our own ideas about what is most important.

For those times when our priorities get in the way of our attempts to follow your path,

forgive us we pray.

For the days when we seem blind and deaf to the messages you are sending us.

forgive us we pray. And open us to see and hear.

…time of silent prayer…

For centuries uncounted God has sent prophets and messengers to call God’s straying people back to The Way. God is loving and forgiving. We are a forgiven people.

Thanks be to God! Amen.

GRIEVING WHAT MAY BE LOST – A Prayer for Many Voices

2009-11-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Note: Each paragraph will be read by a different pray-er, hopefully scattered throughout the worship space

OK God, I think we all know that something new has to come.
It has been too long waiting, we need a re-birth of our economy.
And yet we want it to be the same basic model,
an economy we know and find comfortable.
A new basis for how we work may leave some people behind,
it may mean that jobs we once took for granted no longer exist,
it may mean that new skills and new realities need to be learned.
And that frightens and worries us.
That fear and worry may blind us to the new birth that is possible.
God who creates and re-creates,
Open our hearts to the reshaping of our lives.

Ah God, as the years go by there have been so many changes.
Leaving home, getting married, having children, raising children.
With each change something new and wonderful has been added.
But with each change something else has been lost.
What changes lie ahead? What will I have to give up as I get older?
It is always a trade off I guess.
New in, old out. But sometimes I have to admit that I miss the old.
God who creates and re-creates,
Open our hearts to the reshaping of our lives.

The world is going to pieces around us, we echo the age-old lament.
What will the future bring? Will we recognize it?
Will we know how to adapt to it?
Old ways of communicating seem to be disappearing,
old rules about how to act are being ignored.
New ways are coming in, ways we don't understand.
As the new comes in will we lose too much of the old?
What will the cost be?
God who creates and re-creates,
Open our hearts to the reshaping of our lives.

What will the church look like 5 years from now?
Will it still be a part of our community? Will it still be relevant?
Is it relevant now for that matter?
Maybe we need to change how we are the church together.
But what will that changed church look like?
What hymns will we sing? Will the story still be told?
The church needs to be re-born. The church needs to change.
I can see that but it doesn't mean I have to like it!
God who creates and re-creates,
Open our hearts to the reshaping of our lives.

And the people all said amen. Amen.

For November 29, 2009 -- 1st Sunday of Advent

2009-11-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
The day is coming, it is getting nearer.
Soon a baby will be born, soon the world will be changed.
We await the day with hope and joy.
We wait for the child with nervousness and wonder.
Come let us wait for the child together,
Let us worship God who gives life
Let us pray…

OPENING PRAYER

God we await the coming of Christ with hope-filled hearts,

the birth of a child, the birth of a new world.

God we await the coming birth with wondering hearts,

wondering what changes that birth will bring to our lives.

God, we look ahead to a changed life with anxiety,

worrying that we will have to give up things that we cherish.

God, as we sing and pray and prepare this Advent season,

remind us that we are not alone as life gets turned upside down. Remind us that the joy of birth is worth the turmoil.

We pray this in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whose birth is but a few weeks away. Amen.

November 11 Prayer of Invocation

2009-11-10T19:53:00.001-07:00

God of many names, another year has come and gone. Once again we gather in this place on the 11th of the 11th. Once again we pause to remember the fallen, young men and women from many different lands who answered the call of their country and never returned.

God of peace, just as the guns fell silent on this day so many years ago, allowing people to hear the sounds of hope and promise again, may our hearts be quieted this hour. And in that silence may we hear the screams of the dead and dying. In that silence may we hear you calling us anew to a world of peace and justice.

God of life, in this time of prayer and song and memory awaken us to your life-giving presence. May that sense of your Spirit within and among us empower us to be people of peace, true peace. Help us remember that true peace comes not from victory on the battlefield but through justice and abundant life for all people of the world. This we pray in the name of Jesus of Nazareth,who was called the Prince of Peace. Amen.

For the Last 4 Sundays of Ordinary TIme 2009

2009-10-30T07:33:00.000-06:00

OPENING PRAYER
Creating and re-creating God, you have called us together in this place,
move among our gathering, opening our hearts and souls to your presence.
We have come here to be refreshed and renewed,
so that we can go from here as lights to the world.
In our time of worship this morning,
awaken in us a vision of what is possible in the world.
We pray in the name and memory of Jesus who taught his friends to pray together with these words…

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON

God, you have called us to be forward-looking people of vision,

and we confess that it is tempting to look backwards to the “Golden Age”.

You challenge us to work for the creation of a new world filled with justice and hope for all,

and we confess that we let our own definitions of justice cloud our sight of your Vision.

For all those times when our blindness or short-sightedness have led us away from the path to the New World,

forgive us and challenge us to repent and turn a new direction.

…time of silent prayer…

God is ever-gracious, ever-loving, and ever-hopeful. Out of Grace God is ever-forgiving. We are indeed a forgiven people.

Thanks be to God! Amen,

New Beginnings -- A Pageant Service (comments welcome)

2009-10-29T12:47:00.001-06:00

Speaking Parts:
Narrator/Liturgist
Betty: older woman, recently widowed and alone for Christmas (this part could easily be changed into a male role with a few re-writes)
Miriam: single mother, currently staying at a shelter

Setting: Church, day of the Annual Christmas Pageant

Welcome & Announcements (narrator)

Opening Carol: Children Run Joyfully {during this carol Betty and Miriam enter and take seats on opposite sides of the Chancel}

Betty: I do love Christmas. And this is one of my favourite Sundays of the year. Seeing all the little ones dressed up like shepherds and angels, it reminds me of when my children and grandchildren were that age. And now the great-grands are getting there too... I wish they were here this year [sighs]. Maybe I should have gone to spend December in Edmonton like Sam asked me too. But Christmas just isn't Christmas anywhere else. Of course it doesn't really feel like Christmas without John either. I miss him so much. But I need to do this first Christmas alone, I need to be alone with my memories and my tears...

Miriam: Why am I here? I just don't feel comfortable. All these people in their nice clothes and I am lucky to have found some clean jeans without holes in them. Everything has gone wrong since we moved to the shelter. Not that there was much choice I guess – it was either the shelter or sleep in the car. Still, here I am with nothing. If Julia hadn't volunteered to be Mary this year I doubt I would have come. I hate Christmas. It just reminds me how I've failed my kids. But Julia wanted me to come so here I am...

Call to Worship/Opening Prayer (narrator)
Why are we here today?
We are here because God has brought us together to tell the old story again.
It is a story of hope, a story of life.
And yet there is a shadow of fear, of uncertainty.
As we tell the story again,
may God open our eyes to what is being born to us today.
As we fill our hearts with the hope of a baby in a manger,
may God enable us to share the angel song with the world around us.
We pray in the name of the child whose birth is imminent, and who later taught his friends to pray saying...
Lord's Prayer

Carol O Come O Come Emmanuel (verses 1, 4, 7)

Miriam: God, help me make it through Christmas this year. Help me find a way to give Julia something. Help me find a way to celebrate even though my life has fallen apart. I've made so many mistakes in my life. I don't know where to go next. I don't know where I'll be welcomed. God help me find some hope in the world somewhere!

Advent Candles

Betty: God, for 55 years I had someone at my side on Christmas Eve. This year he is gone. God I love and miss him so much. This Christmas I know I need a new start. God help me re-learn how to live without him. God, with your help I know that the Christmas star can still shine brightly in my heart. Please lead me to its light. Amen.

Choir

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-38

Miriam: Now that is a good way out. I wonder if that line would have worked when I got pregnant with Julia? Maybe then my parents wouldn't have thrown me out. Still, Mary must have been just as scared as I was. Pregnant but not yet married. But she was lucky. She had people who supported her. I got trapped into a bad marriage just to stay off the street. Julia is the best thing that has happened to me, but sometimes I wish it had happened later, or that I could have offered her a better life. She deserves it.

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7

Carol: O Little Town of Bethlehem verses 1-3 {Mary & Joseph enter}

Betty: How must that have felt? I can guess. When Sam was born we had nothing, less than nothing in fact. If John hadn't gotten that factory job I don't know what we would have done. But it really didn't matter. As soon as I saw that little boy I knew I was going to be alright. I am guessing Mary must have felt the same way. And I still feel that when I see a new baby. There is just something about babies that gives me a sense of hope.

Carol: Away in a Manger {Angel Choir enters}

Miriam: Huh! Angels choirs singing lullabies? That would have been helpful lots of times. Both for me and for Julia. I remember being so scared. And so alone of course. But at least I had a hospital, not a cowshed. Still, I bet Mary wondered what was going to happen next, what the future would be like. I know I did. I still do. How will we get out of the shelter, where do we find a new start?

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-15

Carol: Angels We Have Heard on High verses 1-3 {Shepherd Enter}

Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-12

Carol: What Child is This? verses 1&3 {Magi Enter}

Betty: And there we go. Baby and angels, shepherds and kings. Look at them all up there. It really makes me remember so many other pageants I have seen. All those times John and I watched our family wearing those costumes. And now I've watched the first one without him. It just wasn't the same. But it is the reality now. Life will never be the same. I just have to live with it
.
{Stable Scene Exits}

Miriam: Oh Good! They are leaving, it must be done. But of course it is done, the story is over. Now what else is left before I can get out of here and away from this group of people who must wonder what I am doing here. (looks at bulletin) Offering! Crap! I forgot to bring anything for the offering. Not that I have anything to give of course. Still, it would be nice to share a little with others. Even just these little coins I guess...

Offering Invitation (narrator)
Carol: Little Drummer Boy {offerings and White Gifts brought forward}
Offering PrayerChristmas is a season of giving and gifts.
And God now we offer our gifts to you and your world.
May the little bits we have to offer,
be tokens of love for a world in need. Amen.

[Betty & Miriam turn and face each other]
Betty: Hello Miriam. I am glad to see you made it today. That was your daughter playing Mary wasn't it?

Miriam: Yes, Julia insisted she had to come, and that I had to come see her. I t was good, but I still don't feel comfortable here.

Betty: I know dear, but just keep trying, it will start to feel like home eventually. (pauses) Miriam, what are you doing for Christmas? I can't imagine that they can do much at the...at the place you are staying.

Miriam: The shelter? I really don't know what they do for Christmas. And I don't know what Julia and I will do. I've been so busy trying to hold life together I haven't had time to think about Christmas.

Betty: Why don't you spend it with me. The house feels so empty these days. And Christmas should be spent with others. I was going to spend it alone with my memories but now I think this would be better. If I have to start a new life someday what better time than Christmas?

Miriam: Are you sure? I don't want to intrude...

Betty: Quite sure. You and Julia are more than welcome. You know, I have been thinking about you a lot these last few weeks. Nobody should spend Christmas alone. And nobody should have to live in a shelter. After New Years, if you want, I'll help any way I can to get you settled again.

Miriam: I'll have to think about that. But yeah, Julia and I would love to spend Christmas anywhere besides the shelter. I mean the people there are nice and its warm but...well...it just isn't like home. Thanks Betty.

Betty: No no thank you dear. You have given me a Christmas I didn't think I could have this year.
[they both stand up and leave together]

Commissioning (narrator)
The old story has been told, the carols have been sung.
And we go back out into a world of birth and life and death
But now we can go with the song of hope ringing in our heart,
now we go out ready to remind the world that new beginnings are possible.
And as we go we do not go alone.
No, we walk together with all people whose hearts ring with the songs of hope.
And may God, made known in a tiny baby in a stable, go with us through all the seasons of our lives.
Amen.

Carol: Go Tell It on the Mountain

Advent Candle Liturgy 2009

2009-10-21T20:56:00.001-06:00

Advent Candles 2009

Birth Means…

Sung response each week is MV#115 Behold, Behold, I Make All Things New

1st Sunday November 29 – Birth Means Tearing Down the Old
1: Happy New Year!
2: Um, aren't you about a month early?
1: Pardon?
2: For New Years. It isn't even December yet!
1: Well yeah, but today is the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the church year
2: Advent? What's that?
1: Advent is four weeks when we get ready for Christmas.
2: You mean shopping and wrapping and baking?
1: No I mean in the church. It's time when we stop and think about what is happening at Christmas
2: Like what?
1: Well Christmas is a time of newness, God is doing something special
2: Yeah, so?
1: Well, if God is doing something new, then we need to make room for the new thing
2: You mean give something up?
1: Maybe. Sometimes making room for new and exciting things means old things have to go away.
2: I'm not sure I like that. I hate giving things up.
1: Well I never said Christmas was always easy
2: But I thought you meant choosing what gift to buy.
1: I know. You know, one of the things we do in the church is light candles during Advent. So let's light one right now. And while we do that let's sing that song in the bulletin, it talks about being comfortable with the new things.
2: OK. [they light one purple candle and go sit down while the response is sung twice]

2nd Sunday December 3 – Birth Means Re-Evaluating Priorities
1: OK, so we have the office party on Friday, and the school fundraiser Saturday afternoon, and the church pageant rehearsal on Saturday morning, and...
2: What are you doing?
1: Oh just trying to figure out when I am going to get everything done. It just seems that there is more stuff than there is time.
2: I know, December is terrible isn't it?
1: Not just December. This is what our calendar is like all year round!
2: I used to have that problem too.
1: Used to? What changed?
2: I did. I decided that we were doing too much so anytime something new started we had to make choices.
1: You mean like one thing in equals one thing out?
2: Sort of, but more than that. We decided that we had to make choices about what was really important to us. We started doing that as soon as we decided to have kids.
1: That long ago??? But why?? I mean we didn't start to feel overwhelmed until a year or two ago, when the kids started getting busy.
2: Oh it wasn't because we were busy. We decided that to be parents meant we needed to re-think what was a priority for our time and energy. We started making different choices about work and non-work activities.
1: Interesting. Anyway, speaking about priorities, what are we doing up here again?
2: Lighting candles. Tell you what, as we light them let's sing that response in the bulletin. And maybe we can think about what choices we might want to re-think this Christmas. [they light 2 purple candles and go sit down while the response is sung]

3rd Sunday December 13 – Birth Means New Beginnings (Pageant)
1: You know what? Some days I wish I could just start again.
2: You mean with a clean slate?
1: Yeah. Just erase the bad decisions I made and start from scratch.
2: Well you sort of can.
1: NO, no you can't, I've tried. But everything keeps coming back to haunt me.
2: Well it can be hard but a new start is possible. We can choose to try a new way of living. We can in fact get re-born to a new life.
1: You mean get born again? Nope, that type of church isn't for me.
2: Yes I do mean born again, and no I don't mean that type of church.
1: What else can born again mean?
2: Well I think that when we are born we have a clean slate. So if we choose to live in a different way, to not make the same mistakes again it is like being born again. We just get to take the wisdom with us.
1: And make all new mistakes right?
2: Probably.
1: Well I guess it is worth a try.
2: Yep, you don't know until you try. And this is a great time of year to do it.
1: Why?
2: Well it's Christmas. We are talking about a baby being born anyway, what better time to think about New Beginnings?
1: And with New Year's only a week afterward it could be like a New Year's resolution
2: Good idea.
1: Tell you what. While I light these three candles and we sing the response, why don't we all look forward to new beginnings in the future? [they light all three purple candles and then sit down]

4th Sunday December 20 – Birth Means Future Promises
1: You know what I like most about Christmas?
2: What?
1: There is just such a feeling of hope and promise, almost like anything is possible.
2: I know what you mean. But I don't just feel that at Christmas. I feel the same whenever I see a newborn baby.
1: Me too!
2: I remember hearing once that a new baby is God's way of telling us that life should go on. Even with all the terrible things we hear about it is easy to have hope for the future when you are holding a new baby.
1: So many possibilities. You know, I guess that is why I feel that way at Christmas. After all Christmas is about a new baby.
2: A special baby. If any baby is God saying that there is hope for the world, the Christmas baby must be that and more!
1: I think the Christmas baby isn't only God saying there is hope. I think the Christmas story is God promising to help make that hope a reality.
2: So what do you hope for this Christmas? What promises do you want to see come true? Let's think about those while singing the response in the bulletin [they light all four candles and then sit down]

Christmas Eve – Birth Means Celebration
1: Merry Christmas!!
2: I know, isn't it great! Christmas is my favourite time of year.
1: Me too. I love the bright lights and the decorations and the singing of carols and the presents and the food...
2: It's all good. I love it all. It's almost like a month long party.
1: And why not? Christmas has a story that is a real reason to celebrate.
2: Really? I never thought about that. Most of the parties I go to never talk about a story, we are too busy having fun.
1: Well think about it. When people have a baby what do they usually do?
2: I guess they are happy, they might get together with friends and family and celebrate. Assuming they aren't too sleep deprived that is.
1: Right. And the Christmas story is about a baby being born.
2: Right...OH! I get it. We celebrate the birth of a baby so that is why we celebrate at Christmas!
1: And what better reason to celebrate. After all any baby gives us hope for the future, a baby is God's clue that life has to go on.
2: And a new born baby is full of promise about what might happen in the future. So yeah, it is a good thing to celebrate. Say if this is a birthday party does that mean these are like birthday candles?
1: Maybe a little bit. But they are also signs of light and hope in the middle of a darker world. As we light them let's all think about our hopes for the future and all those things we have to celebrate this year. [they light all five candles and return to their seats]

For Thanksgiving (and the rest of October)

2009-10-05T12:12:00.000-06:00

OPENING PRAYER
Gift-giver, it is the time of year to gather in the produce of the earth.
And so we give thanks for the gifts of food.
It is the time of year when we admire the bright colours of the season.
And so we pause to give thanks for the beauty of the earth.
In our time of worship this morning,
Move within and among us, awakening us to Your presence, moving our hearts to respond to your grace.
Amen.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Gracious Creator, you have given us so much,

but too often we take those gifts for granted, or as something to which we are entitled.

You call us to live in caring community,

but too often we place our wants and needs first, with those of others a distant second.

You call us to share Your gifts with the world around us,

but we are worried that there may not be enough, and our worrying gets in the way of our sharing.

For all the times when we mistreat and misuse Your gifts, for all the times we assume that we get what we have by ourselves,

forgive us and lead us back to the path of wisdom.

…time of silent prayer…

God is a gracious giver. God is gracious in forgiveness. God calls us to new patterns and new life.

We are a forgiven people! Thanks be to God! Amen

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
As our time our worship concludes, our time of service begins.
We return to our living and working amidst a world of need
As you go from this place, carry with you the knowledge that you are recipients of God’s gifts.
As we go, we vow to share those gifts with the world around us.
And may God walk with you as you travel life’s road. Amen.

For October 4, 2009 -- WOrldwide Communion Sunday

2009-09-28T12:53:00.000-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
Around the world people gather to break bread and pour wine.
We gather with them in heart and mind.
Around the world the broken body is made whole.
As part of that body we join in its unity.
Around the world the Banquet of God is prepared for the table.
We, who share in the banquet, come eagerly to be fed.
Let us worship together, let us share God’s bounty.
Let us pray…

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
Grain which once was scattered over the fields
was brought together to feed us today.
Grapes pulled from the vine
squeezed to give us drink today.
Now our time of worship and feasting draws to a close.
Now we are dispersed like that grain, off to give the food of life to a hungry world.
Now we who have shared the Banquet of Hope,
go out as people connected to the vine, go out to bring the juice of life where the world has been drained dry.
As people who have been fed, go now to feed the world. As those who have been given hope, bring hope in place of despair.
May God help us to do so.
And always remember that we are never cut off from the Source. The Bread of Life, the True Vine is with us always.
And so we always share in Hope’s Banquet. Thanks be to The One who hosts the banquet! Amen.

To Go with MArk 8:27-38 Proper 19 Year B

2009-09-14T12:25:00.000-06:00

OPENING PRAYER
God, you have called us to this place and to be your people,
Here we come to be refreshed, to be renewed, but also to be challenged.
You challenge us to explore what we believe and determine how to respond in faith.
In our time together remind us that we do not explore the hard questions alone.
Remind us also that the explorations and struggle matter as much as the answer.
Creator God, send your Spirit in this place.
Fill us with hope and send us out to live and serve and struggle. Amen

Offering Prayer
God who has given us so much, here we share that abundance with your world in need.
May these gifts –
the ones on the plate and the many other gifts of love we share everyday –
be a visible sign of what we believe and why our faith matters. We give them in Jesus’ name. Amen.

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
Who do you say I am? Jesus’ question echoes through the ages
We struggle to find the answer for ourselves and to share that answer with others.
Who do you say you are? The unspoken follow-up haunts the church.
As people trying to be faithful we reflect on the question and live out our faith in response.
As we wrestle with the hard questions of life, as we struggle to determine what we believe, as we strive to share our faith with the world around us,
We know that God is with us in the questions and the answers. We know that God is sharing in all of our lives. We trust that God helps us to find the Way.
Go with God. Walk with God. Struggle with God.
Always and everywhere. Amen.

For a Service Focussing on Inclusivity

2009-09-07T19:40:00.000-06:00

NOTE: These resources use phrases and images taken from Come Join the Circle by Gordon Webber, Draw the Circle Wide by Gordon Light, and The House of Our God by Jim Manley.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Come join the circle for Jesus is calling…

God calls us into the circle of visions and dreams where all are welcome and included

Look around and see who’s here, look at all the faces

God has called us here to celebrate the wideness of God’s community and grace.

Let us worship the God of justice for all times and places together. Let us pray…

OPENING PRAYER
God we hear your voice calling out to us, reminding us to do one thing:
Draw the circle wide, draw it wider still.
As we gather in this place and time open our hearts to the breadth and width of Your vision for the church.
Awaken in us a dream larger than we have dreamed before; a dream of a place and time where all are welcome and included.
We pray in the name of Jesus who taught us about the wideness of your grace and taught us to pray words like these…

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON

The house of our God is not just for the holy, or the wise, or those who fit in

But often we have tried to limit access to God’s house in many ways.

Sometimes we have done it on purpose, sometimes purely by accident.

But still we have shut the doors, leaving others outside.

For the times we have not lived out your call to inclusivity forgive us,

Open our eyes and hearts to the needs of those who wait by the door.

…time of silent prayer…

The God who calls us together welcomes one and all, sinner and saint, old and young. When we stray from God’s Way we are forgiven and given a new start.

We rejoice in the wideness of God’s grace and love. Amen

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We go from this place to draw the circle wider,
May our hearts and love know no borders, may our dreams be larger than before
We go from here to open the circle to those who call us,
Seeking to answer their cry for justice as part of a global community.
And we go to do this knowing that we travel the journey of life with the God whose love encompasses the whole world.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

For September 6, 2009 -- 14th Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 18

2009-08-31T11:27:00.002-06:00

(Note these are based on Readings other than the Lectionary texts for this Sunday)

CALL TO WORSHIP
Lady Wisdom calls out in the streets and markets
We hear her call, encouraging us to listen.
How long will you turn from knowledge?
We hear her ask, and pledge to listen.
The God of Wisdom has drawn us here today
As we worship together let us seek to hear God’s wisdom in our hearts.
Let us pray together…

OPENING PRAYER
God, we strive to be people of wisdom,
But we sometimes get confused about what true wisdom is.
In a world where there are so many voices telling us what the best road is.
It is hard to follow Your path instead of the path of “common sense”.
During this time together reawaken in us a sense of what true wisdom is.
And send us back out ready to use that wisdom is all we say and do.
We pray in the name of the Jesus, who taught us the Way of Godly Wisdom, and taught his friends to pray by saying together…

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
The time of worship is ended, the time of service continues.
We go from this place to be agents of God’s foolish wisdom in a world of wise foolishness.
As agents of God may we always be willing to challenge the ways of the world.
And be ready to offer a different vision.
As you go out to live and to serve remember that God, who gives us the gift of wisdom, is with us always and everywhere.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

Prayer for Luminary Ceremony at Relay for Life

2009-06-19T15:58:00.001-06:00

Creator of the world, giver of life, source of hope,
God of life and death and life beyond death,
Tonight we gather to light flickering candles, symbols of hope in the face of the world's hardships.
May the candles we light this night be beacons of hope and strength to all who struggle.
In particular tonight we remember all those whose lives have been touched by cancer.
We remember loved ones who have fought the disease and survived....
We remember loved ones who fought the disease and died...
We remember family and friends of those with cancer, the ones who gathered to offer support in the fight, we remember that their lives too were changed by the disease.
And as we remember the life-changing effect of cancer we also vow that the disease does not have the final victory.
While it can take our health, and even our life, it can not take our spirit.
Help us to keep the fight strong, help us to work to find a cure for bodies and spirits touched by the disease, help us to be people of hope even in the darkest of times.
And as we continue to walk tonight remind us that each of these lights is a parent, a child, a friend, a partner...
May the memory of their fight empower us to carry the banner forward.
This we pray in the name of your hope and promise, remembering that you are with us in all of our lives, the joys and sorrows, the highs and lows, the healthy and the sickly.
Amen.

For May 31, 2009 -- Pentecost Sunday

2009-05-18T10:08:00.004-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
The wind of life has blown us to this place,
the Spirit has brought us together
Here we celebrate the Church throughout the ages.
Here we seek to see where the Spirit is leading the Church in the future.
Let us worship together, let us pray…

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God, when we are convinced that the church is dying,
remind us of the power of possibility.
When we have decided that survival only happens through our efforts,
remind us that the Spirit is moving among us.
When we forget to stop and listen for guidance along the path,
remind us that your voice is calling us back.
When we stray from the way of justice and love,
forgive us and draw us back we pray,
…time of silent prayer…
The Spirit of God is constantly moving about us, reminding us that we are loved and forgiven, encouraging us along The Way.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

Prayer to end the Good Friday Walk

2009-04-09T10:48:00.000-06:00

God of life, today we pause to remember the power of death.
Today we tell the story of what happens when someone angers those in power.
Today we tell a story of betrayal by a friend, trial by empire, execution as a way of silencing the one who names injustice.
Today we tell a story that happened long ago in a land far away.
Today we tell a story that continues to happen today in places close at hand.

As we remember the story today help us to see its truth.
As we tell of Jesus' trial and execution remind us of those who are found legally guitly for doing and saying the right things.
AS we tell of the friends who are conspicuously absent from the cross remind us how easily we slip away when the struggle for justice becomes dangerous or challenging.
As we look at the cross remind us of the power of empire in any age, and remind us of our duty as people of faith to proclaim a different empire, a different kingdom, a new way of living together.

God of life, today we pause to remember the power of those in charge to run the world.
But even as we remember that power we remember that day follows night, hope replaces despair, and life will conquer death.
And now, as we prepare to break bread together with our brothers and sisters in faith, unite us in heart and mind.
May the sharing of this story and this meal bring us together in a sincere desire that your Reign of Peace and Justice become a reality “on earth as it is in heaven”.
May the food we will now eat strengthen us in body.
May the fellowship strengthen us in heart and mind.
And may we leave this gathering ready to challenge the empires of our world, even if such a challenge leads us to a cross outside the city gates.
We pray in the name of the one who taught us all to pray together,
Our Father, who art in heaven...

For the last 6 Sundays of Easter

2009-04-06T08:46:00.001-06:00

OPENING PRAYER
God, in this season of Easter,
we come looking for new life waiting to be revealed.
In this season of rebirth,
we watch for spring growth leaping from once frozen ground.
In this time of worship,
open our hearts to hear your words of hope, open our eyes to see your deeds of life, open our spirits to your refreshing winds of change.
And when our worship is finished,
send us out ready to be agents of resurrection, transformation and new life.
We pray in the name of the Resurrected One, who taught his friends to pray these words…

Offering Prayer
Life-giving God, you have blessed us with abundance. In this season of growth we share from our abundance. May the gifts we give be signs of resurrection and transformation and life for the world. We offer them in Jesus’ name. Amen.

For April 12, 2009 -- Easter Sunday

2009-04-01T10:54:00.002-06:00

EASTER PROCLAMATION
We journey with the women to the tomb,
Wondering what we will find there.
What we find defies all our expectations.
The stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty.
Christ is Risen!
Christ is Risen INDEED!
Alleluia! Let us rejoice with great gladness!
Alleluia! Let our praises fill the air!

OPENING PRAYER
God, we gather today to rejoice!
We have come to celebrate the power of life over death!
God, we gather today in wonderment.
The empty tomb confounds our wisdom, and breaks our world view.
God, we gather today with a touch of fear.
Fear of the death that comes before resurrection, fear of the transformed life that comes after it.
In this time together fill us with the promise of new life.
And may we leave this place renewed in hope, ready to proclaim resurrection to the world around us. Alleluia! Amen.

For April 5, 2009 -- Palm Sunday

2009-03-25T19:14:00.002-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
Look! Over there! Can you see it?
What? All we see are branches waving?
Listen! In the air! Can you hear it?
What? All we hear is people cheering?
Stop! Open your senses! Can you feel it?
What? That strange electricity in the air?
Yes. The branches, the cheering, the electricity. Something exciting is happening. Hope is coming. The king is near.
What are we waiting for? Let’s go join the excitement!
Good idea! Let us worship together in prayer and speech and song…

OPENING PRAYER
God, today we join with the crowds by the roadside,
cheering and waving in excitement.
As we remember the story today walk with us on the road,
filling us with hope for the coming of the Lord, pushing us to make the path ready.
But also we need our hearts opened to your wisdom,
because we remember that this triumphant parade leads to a bad end.
In this time of prayer and singing and story remind us what kind of kingdom we are actually awaiting.
and forgive us when we fall victim to dreams of glory without the shadow of the cross.
As forgiven and forgiving people we join in the raggedy band parading to the promised land.
And so we march with the one who leads the parade, saying the words he taught his friends…

Offering Prayer
God of palm branches and cheering crowds, the journey of Holy Week reminds us that our life is not our own. As we embark on that path again this year we offer from our abundance to the service of your love. May these gifts help to bring your reign to reality in the lives of your people. Amen

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We have joined with the crowds in the cheering and celebrations.
We look forward to the coming time of glory.
As part of the hope-filled crowd we go to tell those around us of the possibilities that lie before us.
We share the promise of the Peaceable Kingdom found in a king on a donkey.
But off in the distance a shadow looms, a threat to all our hopes.
Nevertheless we will walk boldly towards the shadow, trusting in the light that lies beyond it.
Go out into this Holy Week to walk the path that leads to the cross. Walk that path knowing that we do not walk it alone: the Crucified One goes with us, the Creator is there to strengthen us, the Holy Spirit fills us with hope everlasting. Amen.

For March 29, 2009 -- 5th Sunday of Lent -- Charity or Community – What’s It All About?

2009-03-23T10:51:00.002-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
We come together as a collection of individuals.
And we become something different.
We come together with a shared purpose.
We come to explore how God is active among us.
We come together to be refreshed.
We come to be part of a community of faith.
Let us worship together, let us pray…

OPENING PRAYER
God of community, move among us here today.
As we sing and pray and listen speak to us of how good stewardship of your gifts strengthens the lives of our global community and then send us out ready to keep on the work of embracing your kingdom coming to reality on earth.
We pray in the name of Jesus, who taught his friends to pray the words that we now sing…

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Loving community we seek O God.
In the seeking we sometime find it easily and sometimes find it missing.
And yet the community is made by “us”, not by “them”
which reminds us of the times the community may have been lacking because our efforts at community building have been half-hearted.
You have graced us with great abundance.
Help us remember that with abundance comes responsibility.
As we attempt to be good stewards of what we have,
help us to use our gifts in aid of that loving community we seek.
Even though we may occasionally misuse the abundance God has provided the gift is never withdrawn. God forgives our poor choices, God gives us a second chance to embrace God’s community. We are forgiven, and loved.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

Offering Prayer
Creator God, we who have been given much now share what we have with the world.
We offer these gifts of time talent and treasure out of our desire to build a better community.
May the offering of these gifts change we who give them.
May the offering of these gifts change the world in which we live. We offer them in your name, God of our abundance. Amen.

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We came here from our various homes and lives, now we return to those lives.
But we leave reminded that we are members of a community of faith, reminded that we do not walk alone.
As part of that community we leave as those who have been called and empowered to build God’s community, God’s kin-dom “on earth as it is in heaven”.
With God’s help we commit ourselves to the task.
As you go out to re-build our community go knowing that the Three-In-One: Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer walks and works alongside you.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

For March 22, 2009 -- 4th Sunday of Lent, Cash or Credit??? – Tool, Scorecard or Goal??

2009-03-16T15:32:00.004-06:00

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God, as faithful people we strive to play the game of life and follow your path at the same time.
But sometimes the rules of the game lead us in a different direction.
We lose sight of what the goal is.
We work to build up stores of wealth and treasure in our storehouses and barns.
And yet we wonder why we are not at ease?
God, remind us where our comfort really lies, remind us what the goal of the game really is.
We confess that we have swerved onto a new path.
We confess that the love of money has taken hold in our lives and in our world. We admit that we need to be pulled back onto your path.
…time of silent prayer…
No matter how many times we swerve onto a different path God always calls us back to God’s path. No matter what goals may distract our attention, God always places the true goal in our sights. God forgives our wanderings and distractions.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER
God, these bits of metal and paper only have the meaning we give them. We can choose to make them our goal or merely tools to help reach your goals. In the act of offering them to you and your service we signify our choice. May these gifts be tools of your love and your hope active in the world. Amen.

For March 15, 2009, 3rd Sunday of Lent --Consumption -- Cultural Contagion

2009-03-09T11:41:00.002-06:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
Can you hear it?
What?
That little whisper in the wind.
Yes, it draws us together. It brings us to this place to share God’s presence with each other.
Let us listen to the whisper, let us worship together, let us pray…

OPENING PRAYER
Gracious God, as we come together in this place we bring with us the dis-ease that comes from living in a troubled world. In this time together re-awaken in our hearts a hope for what could be. Remind us what really counts. Lead us to the cure for our dis-ease. We pray this in the name of Jesus, who taught his friends to pray the words that now we sing…

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God of health and wholeness, we come here as people who have been infected.
We confess that we have become ill, that we suffer from the desire to have more and more.
We acknowledge that we have been given much, that we have acquired many things
Looking at all out gadgets, gizmos and what-ya-ma-call-its it is hard to believe we look for the next new thing.
And yet we have accepted the messages around us,
And in accepting those messages we have caught the dis-ease of our time, we have caught consumption.
Help us find the cure to this condition.
Help us bring the cure to the community around us.
Gift giver God, in the silence of our hearts we confess those times we have not been satisfied with the gifts you have given us
…time of silent prayer…
God’s desire for God’s people is health and wholeness. God offers us the path out of our dis-ease. That path begins by embracing the great and wondrous truth that we are loved and forgiven.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER
God who has gifted us with such amazing abundance,
here we step out of the desire to get and choose to give instead.
We give out of our abundance so that others may know abundance of their own.
May these gifts enrich the world around us. May the act of giving awaken in our hearts a vision of what is possible in the world. Amen.

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We came together as people seeking to follow The Way
And now we go out into the world following the same path
As followers of God’s Path we carry with us a message of hope and challenge
We go with the message that our dis-ease can be cured, our consumption need not be terminal.
And we walk secure in the knowledge that God the Gift-Giver is with us always and all-ways. Amen.

For March 1, 2009, 1st Sunday of Lent -- Creation -- Care and Choices

2009-02-16T20:58:00.003-07:00

(Note: For Lent this year I am going off lectionary for a sermon series The C's of Stewardship so the resources on this blog will match those themes rather than the lectionary texts)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God, the old stories tell us that we are to have dominion over the earth.
And we have interpreted that as freedom to treat Creation as a tool that can be bent to our purposes.
The old stories also tell us about a covenant between God and Humanity, a promise for all time that You will not destroy the earth.
But we have not always lived up to our part. We have not always been good caretakers of Your Creation.
Our current stories encourage us to change our approach to life.
However, sometimes those stories leave us feeling nothing but hopelessness and guilt.
We need to find the balance point.
Help us learn how to live where human activity can continue and also Creation can be protected.
Help us learn from the mistakes from the past.
Help us move past the guilt even as we acknowledge our mis-steps.
…time of silent prayer…
The God who Created is also the God who is Creating. Creating new opportunities, creating new life, forgiving the past in hope for the future. We are a forgiven people!
Thanks be to God! Amen.

Offering Prayer
God who has Created and is Creating, all that we have is a gift from you. As part of using these gifts wisely, we share them with the world around us. May the gifts of our heart enrich all of Creation. Amen.

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We have gathered to be fed in body and soul.
We have been gifted with bread and cup, with Word and fellowship.
And having been fed and energized we go back into the world God has created.
We go to make new choices and encourage new choices about how we use and care for the Earth.
As you go out take strength from the knowledge that the God who has created and is creating goes with you every step of life’s path.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

Invocation Prayer for a Meeting of District Municipal Representatives

2009-01-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

Source of life,
none of us lives for or because of ourselves, we all live as a part of a community.
Help us to work together to build communities that sustain and enhance life.
Awaken in us an awareness of how best to raise up the hopes and dreams of all our members.
Make our communities places where all can live fully and fruitfully.

Source of wisdom,
May those of us who have been selected as leaders within our communities remain open to your wisdom.
Remind us that the common sense and wordly wisdom we have been taught sometimes needs to be set aside in favour of a Holy Wisdom, a new way, a different path.
In the discussions that take place this day open our hearts and minds to sense the wisdom you have to share.

Creative Spirit,
We live and move and have our very being in you and in the world you have created and are creating.
In all we say and do keep us aware of the need to ask how this affects the world around us.
Keep us from forgetting that your creative energy is alive and active in the world today bringing life and hope that flies in the face of despair and death.
In this time of discussion about the realities of today and the possibilities for tomorrow help us all be people of hope. Open us to the promise that all will be well, all will be well, all manner of things be well.

May this time of meeting be blessed by your presence, may they who meet be blessed with your wisdom, may the communities they represent be blessed with your hope. Amen.

For January 25, 2008 -- 3rd After Epiphany Year B

2009-01-19T10:42:00.001-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
It seems that the world is falling apart.
and so we seek comfort in the shadow of the Rock.
In the midst of crisis we seek hope,
we find hope in the presence of God, our Fortress and our Salvation.
In the midst of a troubling world,
we gather together to worship, to be refreshed, to be strengthened.
Come, let us worship together, let us pray…

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We go from this place of worship back to our work in the world,
we go as bearers of light and hope to a world that knows too much darkness and despair.
As you go out into the world remember that no matter how chaotic things may seem God is still our Rock and our Fortress.
In the shadow of the Rock we will never be left without hope.
Walk in the world in the sure knowledge that the Triune God: Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer is with you always.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

For January 18, 2008 -- 2nd After Epiphany Year B

2009-01-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
calling us from lakeside and mattress, calling us to share God’s work.
Loudly and boldly the Creator is calling,
calling us to hear and to heed, reminding us how we should live.
Gently, unceasingly the Spirit is calling,
calling us to be present with God, calling us to be energized and refreshed.
Come, let us worship together, let us pray…

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We live in a world where God is still speaking…
we go out with a desire to listen.
We live in a world where truth is needed,
we go out trying to see and speak God’s Truth, even when it may be unpopular or going against common wisdom.
As we live and work and share in the world we do so in the sure knowledge that God who is the source of loving truthfulness is there to lead and challenge us always.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

Fear and Change Today -- A Christmas Reflection

2008-12-23T10:16:00.001-07:00

Tonight is about birth. Tonight we celebrate the birth of a child in a manger, tonight we celebrate the birth of light in the darkness, tonight we celebrate the birth of hope that counters our fears.

And certainly there are plenty of fears out there. Fears about employment, fears about violence, fears for our children. Just open up any newspaper and you will see a litany of possible reasons to be afraid. If we let it, fear will fill our lives.

There is fear in our story too. The fear of a young woman, a teenager really, pregnant too soon. The fear of shepherds surprised by a bright light. The fear of peasants living under the thumb of the rich and powerful. And (hidden in the shadows of the story) the fear of the powerful that they will be replaced.

Underlying all these fears, the ones in the old story and the ones in our papers today, is change. Ask any parent and they will tell you that any birth means that life is changed, changed irreversibly. And change can be exciting and frightening at the same time. So on this night when we celebrate birth we also celebrate change and the possibility of change. And so the angel song and carols are coloured with uncertainty and fear.

What changes are happening in our lives today? As the economy sputters and struggles are we on the verge of birthing a new and different understanding of what makes for economic health? As people move around to find work what changes happen within families and communities? As our children grow up in a Canada where traditional industries are being replaced with knowledge industries do we wonder what their future will hold? US President-elect Obama ran his whole campaign on a promise of “Change we can believe in”. As we feel the labour pains of that changed world being born we squirm in fear and discomfort.

Christmas is all about birth. It isn't about the birth of a baby in a tiny town long ago and far away. Or at least not only about that birth. Christmas is about the birth of a changed world. It is about the Holy One being born in our midst here and now. Since every birth brings change, what changes does the Christmas birth bring?

The Christmas birth is the birth of light in the darkness. For many of us darkness is a symbol of fearfulness. The shadows hide the unknown. The shadows are where danger lurks. At Christmas light is born, light that overcomes all the darknesses of our lives. The Christmas birth is of a light which will help us find our way in a world of uncertainty.

The Christmas birth is God becoming, again, over and over, part of our world. Christmas is the promise that we are not alone, that God has not forsaken us. As the Holy One becomes incarnated in our lives we see new possibilities for how we can share this tiny blue ball called Earth. Christmas gives birth to the reality that the Reign of God is present among us – even if only in an infancy and needing to grow strong and large.

The Christmas birth is the birth of hope. It is said that the birth of any child is God saying that there is hope for the future. Christmas marks the birth of hope in a world that can, and will, and must, be a better place for all. The baby in the manger reminds us to care for the least and weakest among us. The Christmas birth reminds us of the incredible potential of childhood. This night hope is born again. Tonight hope is born that can face down the worst despair of a world in chaos and change.

And so in the midst of a world that is changing, as we face the reality of change which we can rarely control, in the fear of the unknown, what is the Good News of Christmas here in 2008? The Good News is the same as the angel message to Mary and to the Shepherds. Be Not Afraid! Fear Not! Great things are happening. For unto us, all of us, is born tonight hope, and love, and peace, and light. Christmas means birth. Birth means possibility and promise and potential. The angels don't tell us not to be afraid because there is nothing to fear. The angel message tells us not to be afraid because there is Good News that can bring light to the darkness, hope to those who despair, life where there is death, and love that overpowers fear.

Be not afraid. God is born among us again tonight. And may the light, promise and hope of Christmas carry you forward into this crazy world throughout the year that is to come. Joy to the World! The Lord is come! Amen.

Mary's Fear -- a reading for Christmas Eve

2008-12-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

Don't be afraid the angel said. What a laugh. Here I am minding my own business when an angel shows up and tells me I am pregnant! How else would I feel?

I mean there were so many reasons to be afraid. Once I got over the shock of an angel appearing there was the whole being pregnant before being married thing. Who was going to believe this story? I had a friend once who got pregnant at the wrong time. The best I could hope for was to be sent away quietly, and maybe find a husband who would accept me and my child. Or I could be cast out of my house and family altogether. OR even put to death. Darn right I was afraid.

But then Joseph believed me. My parents believed me. Yeah sure there are people around town who still point and whisper when I walk by. Do they think I don't see them or know what they say? But the people who needed to believe me believed me. That is all that matters.

The other thing that helped me not be afraid was visiting my cousin Elizabeth. She was so welcoming. And while I was with her I had a sense of what wonderful things could happen. God will do wonderful things through our children! And so I sang about God's justice, I sang a song of hope for all people who find themselves poor and desolate, I sang about God turning the world upside down.

But you know what? I am still afraid. Having a baby changes everything. Am I ready to be a mother? What does it mean to raise a child in this world? There are so many things that can happen. It wasn't that long ago that a town nearby was destroyed by the Romans. Will that happen here? It is so hard to live these days, not enough food, no money, always the threat of violence. I am afraid for how Jesus will cope with that. I worry about what it will do to him. And like any parent I worry what kind of a man he will be.

My world is about to change. I am about to become a mother. And I am excited, but a little afraid too.

The Shepherd's Fear -- a reading for Christmas Eve

2008-12-17T20:00:00.001-07:00

Was I afraid? You bet I was. Who wouldn't be? After all it isn't every day that the night sky is filled with angels singing!

I think we were all afraid but most of them refuse to admit it. But when that brightness filled the sky that night I know I was terrified. At first I thought there was a fire coming over the hillside but then I realized the light was up in the sky. I just fell to the ground and wouldn't look up. Who knows what might happen if I looked at that light?

Well the light didn't go away so eventually I peeked. Everyone else was huddled on the ground just like me. Even big strong Josiah, who claims that he isn't afraid of anything. Even he was cowering and whimpering in fear. And then The light spoke. “Don't be afraid”

Something about the voice gave me strength and I stood up to look more carefully at the light. As I looked closely I could see a face in the center of the light. The angel seemed to look right at me. I was still afraid but somehow it was alright now. It was a calm sort of fear, if that makes any sense.

You all know the rest of the story. How the angel told us about a baby that had been born, a baby who would be the promised Saviour, how we ran down the hill to see this baby. But it didn't stop there for me.

You see I am still afraid. All my life I have been told that we have to be careful, we have to avoid getting the Romans angry. Otherwise there will be big trouble, and people getting killed and houses burned. We struggle to survive as it is, we don't need any more trouble. But when I looked into the face of that baby I saw real power. I saw that this was a child who could bring real changes in the world. And one thing I have learned is that the people in power don't really like change – unless they control it of course.

The old stories tell us that the Promised One would change how the world works. They tell us that we will get our land back. I hope that happens. I hope things change. But I am afraid. When this little baby grows up and does what I hope he will do, what will happen? I have hope. I have hope in a new way of life where I don't have to go hungry half the time. But I am afraid of the reaction to those changes. Still it is odd, this fear and hope mixture is strangely calming. Certainly it is better than the fear and hopelessness I see all around me...

Call to Worship for January 11, 2009 -- Baptism of Jesus Sunday, Year B

2008-12-03T18:38:00.004-07:00

The people flocked out to hear John by the river,
they must have found something there that fed them, that gave them life.
So too we continue to gather in God’s presence,
seeking to be fed, seeking new life.
The people chose to be baptised by John,
they embraced the life they had found.
We choose to grow as a baptised and baptising community,
trusting that then we will be enlivened and empowered.
Come all who hunger and thirst, now is the time to worship,
we come into God’s presence with praise and hope.
Let us pray…

For December 21, 2008 -- Be Not Afraid, Justice Shall be Done -- 4th of Advent

2008-12-03T16:04:00.003-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
Just a few days now, the time is coming near.
The child will be born, and what changes he will bring!
We come in anticipation of the celebration,
we come to prepare for the new world to be born.
The birth of justice, the birth of hope, all in a baby in a manger.
We worship the God who sends him, the God of justice and peace.
Let us worship together, let us pray…

OPENING PRAYER
God of Christmas hope, peace, joy and love, we come into your presence with praise and anxiety.
We wonder about the world this Christmas. We worry about the unfairness and hardship we see around us.
In this Christmas season speak to our anxiety and our fear,
remind us not to be afraid. Remind us of your vision for a world of peace and justice. Awaken in us an awareness that the Spirit of the Lord is at work to bring sight to the blind and liberty to the captives.
We pray this in the name of the one who proclaimed that he would bring these things to pass, Jesus of Nazareth, who taught us to pray the words we now sing together…

Offering Prayer
God who gives us so much, our hearts are filled through your grace. At Christmas, and throughout the year, we offer of ourselves that your justice and love would be spread through the world. May we always be blessed with the knowledge that we have gifts to offer, and challenged to offer what we have. Amen.

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
The Spirit of the Lord is among us!
Bringing justice, chasing away our fear.
God looks favourably upon God’s people.
redeeming them, lifting the lowly, feeding the hungry.
We go out as people of God,
sharing the Good News that God is active in the world, telling all we meet that there is cause for celebration, singing songs of joy for Christ is born in our midst!
As you go to prepare for Christmas celebrations carry with you the sure knowledge that God is there to celebrate with you, to strengthen and bless you always.
Thanks be to the God of Christmas! Amen.

For December 24, 2008 -- Christmas Eve

2008-12-02T19:29:00.003-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
The time has come! The promised one is nigh!
Even now the labour pains can be felt, birth is at hand!
Tonight new hope is born. Tonight the world will be changed.
Tonight we come together to sing with angels and wonder with shepherds. Tonight we celebrate the promise of new life.
We have been called to this place in hope.
We worship the one who is born in our lives this day.

Offering Prayer
God of gifts, tomorrow morning many of us will gather around brightly decorated trees,
there we will pause to open gifts lovingly shared between family and friends.
Tonight we give these gifts to the child in the manger.
Tonight we offer our treasures and ourselves to the Prince of Peace.
May the gifts we offer here be our Christmas gift to the world.
May the gifts we offer tonight and tomorrow be signs of love and hope. May they make the light of the world shine brighter. We pray in the name of the child who is born tonight. Amen.

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
The child is born, the labour pains start to fade.
The shepherds and the angels have sung their songs.
We go out into the night of a world being changed.
We go out to be midwives in the birth of a new world.
Birth is a scary and exciting time,
a time of wonder and hope about what will come next.
As we go out into the world that is being born we carry with us the hope we find in the child who lies in the manger. We carry with us the songs of peace, goodwill towards all. We carry with us the promise of God to be active in the world.
May we share the hope, promise, and joy of Christmas with all we meet! Christ is born! Alleluia!

For December 28, 2008 -- Sunday After Christmas

2008-11-25T16:59:00.001-07:00

CALL TO WORSHIP
The child has been born, the angels have sung!
And the rest of the world returns to life as normal.
But the story continues,
And so we gather to hear more about the child, more about the hope he brings.
Here and now we come to sing praises to God who is active in our world.
Together we worship the God of Christmas.
Let us pray…

Offering Prayer
God, the wrapping paper has been torn and tossed; the gifts have all been opened and examined.
No, not all of them. We continue to offer our gifts all year round.
Ah yes, the gift of Christmas fills our hearts with hope.
And out of that hope we offer our time, our talent, and our treasure. May the gifts we offer spread the hope, peace, joy and love of Christmas around our community and around the world. Amen.

Comissioning/Benediction for January 4, 2008 -- Epiphany Sunday

2008-11-25T16:54:00.001-07:00

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
We who have been given much go out into the world,
we go to share our gifts with the world around us.
As we go to share our gifts we go knowing that that Gift-Giver-God, has blessed, is blessing, and will continue to bless us. God be with you as you follow your stars.
Thanks be to God! Amen.