Sunday Services 10:30 am - All Welcome

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On-Going Events - please see under tab "Community"

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Summer Worship                      10:30 am                          August 2010

 

THE GATHERING

God is in this holy temple; let all the earth keep silence.

(Based on:  Habakkuk 2:20)

                                Hymns are from the United Church Hymnal "Voices United"

ORGAN PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP:

One:         God of the past who whispered in the prophets’

ears so they could know You and tell us of Your ways:

All:          We are here to thank You.

One:         God of the future, who calls us to participate in

creating a new world so Your kingdom can be built in our midst:

All:          We are here because we trust You.

One:         God of the present, who in the wonder of diversity

creates us to be one people:

All:          We are here to praise You.

One:         Past, future and present God, surprise us with

Your presence in this time of worship.

      

OPENING HYMN:

August 22:   326 O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing (Azmon)

August 29:    223 Eternal, Unchanging, We Sing (St. Denio)

 

PRAYER OF APPROACH AND CONFESSION:

One:         God of sunny days and quiet nights,

we listen for Your heartbeat in all of creation.

All:          We feel Your pulse in the beat of a

woodpecker’s beak.

One:         We feel the rhythm of Your Spirit in the loon’s call.

All:          We experience Your call to re-creation in our

vacations and lazy days.  Be with us as we refresh

our bodies and renew our spirits.

One:         As we seek Your presence we become

aware of the ways we have disappointed You.  We

confess the blindness that is not even aware of the

injustice in the world, the pride that dares not admit

it is wrong, the selfishness that can see nothing but

its own will.

All:          We confess the righteousness that knows no

fault, the callousness that has ceased to care, the

evasion that always tries to make excuses, the

coldness of heart that is too hardened to change.

One:         Forgive us, we pray, that our hearts may become

homes where You can dwell. 

SILENT REFLECTION.

Amen.

 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON:

One:         The God of love and mercy never turns away

from a contrite heart.

All:          We trust in the power of forgiveness to set

us free.

One:         Amen!  Praise be to God.

 

CHILDREN’S HYMN:   (children come forward during last verse)

August 22:         359 He Came Singing Love (Singing Love)

August 29:         570 Jesus’ Hands Were Kind Hands (Au Clair de la Lune)

 

LIGHTING OF THE PEACE CANDLE: 

CHILDREN’S MOMENT:

 (Children remain in Sanctuary- SOS Bags available at east side of Sanctuary)

 

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

1^st SCRIPTURE READING:

August 22:        Psalm 71 - Part I (VU 789)

August 29:        Psalm 81 -Part II (VU 797) (Refrain 1)

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God!

 

2^nd SCRIPTURE READING:

August 22:        Jeremiah 1:4-10 (NRSV p. 698)

August 29:        Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 (NRSV p. 227, 228)

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God!

 

MINUTE FOR MISSION:

MINISTRY OF MUSIC:

August 22:        Catherine Robbin

August 29:        Lorne Derraugh

 

3^rd SCRIPTURE READING:

August 22:        Luke 13:10-17 (NRSV p. 76)

August 29:        Luke 14:1, 7-14 (NRSV p. 77)

The Gospel of Christ.

Praise to You, O Christ!

 

HYMN:       

August 22:   374 Come and Find the Quiet Centre (Beach Spring)

August 29:   593 Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love (Chereponi)

 

SERMON:

August 22:        Remembering the Sabbath

August 29:        Risky Business

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH:       p. 918 Voices United

 

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

 

SHARING OUR TITHES AND GIFTS:

Offertory

Presentation:        O God, may we who bear Your Name

by gentle love Your Grace proclaim,

Christ’s gift of peace on earth declare

and Your anointing Spirit share.

Amen

(Old  100^th, VU 541)(Reprinted by permission of the publishers from Touch Holiness,Ed. Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi  ©  1990 by The Pilgrim Press)

 

PRAYERS OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE

 

THE LORD’S PRAYER: VU 921

 

                                            SENDING FORTH

 

HYMN OF COMMITMENT:

August 22:        426 Saviour, Again to Your Dear Name (Ellers)

August 29:        591 Jesus, United by Your Grace (Arlington)

 

COMMISSION:

All: Let us go now into the world ready for the

adventure of faith, convinced that blessed with

our talents and despite our flaws, God has

commissioned us to build God’s kingdom on

earth.

 

BLESSING:

 

CHORAL AMEN: 967

 

ORGAN POSTLUDE

 

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Summer Sunday School- SOS Activity Bags will be available in the Sanctuary for the children during the summer months.  Please come forward to the side pew on the east side of the pulpit to obtain an SOS Bag, and return it after the service for the use of others.

St. John’s is blessed with another Intern! We welcome Paul Shepherd as our new Intern.  Paul his wife, and two children live in Aurora and he will begin his internship with St. John’s on September 1^st, 2010.

Summer Hours for the Church Office -Shona will be in the office each Wednesday for the remainder of the month and will be back to full time hours as of September 7^th.  For security reasons, there may be times when the church doors will be locked.  Please buzz for assistance and someone will be happy to come and greet you.  Thank you for your understanding.

Summer Reading- The St. John's Book Club will be reading "Open" by André Agassi over the summer and will discuss this at their first meeting on Sept.13 at 7:30 in the Dermott Room. Happy summer reading!

United Church Emergency Appeal for Pakistan

The massive flooding in Pakistan has affected about 20 million people.  The continuing monsoon rains have made it sometimes impossible for relief and rescue helicopters to reach the communities.  If you would like to help by contributing to the United Church’s Pakistan appeal, you may donate online at www.united-church.ca/pakistan or cheques can be mailed directly to the United Church of Canada’s national office at 3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 300, Toronto, ON  M8X 2Y4.

Services for August 2010

August 22 - Regular Service (Rev. Elaine Longland)

August 29 - Regular Service (Rev. Elaine Longland)

  

Sunday School for June-August 2010

June 27^th to August 29^th –No Sunday School however; children are always welcome at St. John’s and SOS Bags and Nursery Facilities are available.

 

EMERGENCY PASTORAL CARE

During the summer months and during 2010-11 church year,

Rev. Alf Dumont will be assisted in pastoral care duties by

Rev. Arch McCurdy, Minister Emeritus, 435-6254 and

Rev. Elaine Longland, Volunteer Associate Minister, 435-2046

Rev. Kerrie Perry, Volunteer Associate Minister 435-3459

They will be happy to fill our emergency ministerial needs.

 

CHURCH STAFF

Minister                                               Rev. Dr. Alf Dumont

Minister Emeritus                               Rev. Lorne O’Neill

Minister Emeritus/VAM                     Rev. Arch McCurdy-435-6254

Volunteer Associate Minister             Rev. Elaine Longland-435-2046

Volunteer Associate Minister             Rev. Kerrie Perry-435-3459

Minister of Music                                Dr. Kenneth Inkster (July 25)

Office Administrator                            Shona Reuter

Custodians                                            Orville & Anne Dungey

Church Office                             Tel:  435-6732     Fax: 435-1052

e-mail:                                                stjohnsunitedchurch@bellnet.ca