September 8, 2002 - Recovenanting Sunday

Today’s readings talk about the primacy of love in community life.  In the context of today’s society with so many laws and with lawyers just looking for loopholes, we may lack a full understanding of a law of love.  We have been called to a life of doing more than just what is legal. We risk and love as though loving really mattered, sharing ourselves in service to others.

If you would like to stay seated for any or all of the “standing” parts of the service, please feel free to do so.

Prelude  “Autumn Idyl” by Nolte

Sharing Announcements

A Time of Greeting

A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle

Call to Worship (Responsive from Psalm 149)

One:        Sing a new song to our God!

All:      Praise God in the assembly of all the faithful.

One:        Be glad, Israel, because of your Creator.

All:      Rejoice, people of Zion, because of your sovereign God.

One:        Praise God’s name with dancing.

All:      Play drums and harps in praise of our God.

One:        God takes pleasure in the people and honours the humble with victory.

All:      Let God’s people rejoice in their triumph and sing joyfully all night long.

One:        Let them shout aloud as they praise God.

All:      Praise the Lord!

Prayer of Approach

One:        Let us continue to pray

All:      Welcome Healer, Savior, Mercy-maker, Standing-still-center of our crowded lives.  Hear our deepest pleas for insight and respond to our need and faith.  Do not leave us in our pews this morning, but call us into following you down the roadway of the week to come.  Amen.

Rita Ramage introduces two Colombian families

Back Row: Rita Ramage, Carlos Contreras, Rosemberg Esteban, Elena Esteban,

Joaquin Esteban, Yomaris Trujillo, Jayzuljs Esteban, Zayuris Esteban,

Front Row: Fabian Esteban, Heberney Contreras, Elizabeth Ortega, Heiver Esteban

Hymn #395  “Come In, Come In and Sit Down”

Recovenanting of Leaders and Learners

One:        We gather with a question: how shall we live?

All:      We want to live as followers of Jesus.  Men and women, let us make the journey together.  Walk beside your brothers and sisters moving together.

One:        We gather as a community to serve God.  Through our gifts, our contributions to the food bank, our gifts to the wider church, and all of our various outreach ministries, we seek to answer Jesus’ call to care, to love our neighbours as we love ourselves.

All:      When we help others, we are helping Jesus.

One:        How shall we serve?

All:      We want to serve as followers of Jesus. As one body let the church be moving together. Feel the power of every member moving together.

One:        We gather as a community to worship God.  We celebrate all of those who participate in our worship ministries: musicians, readers, singers, greeters, custodians, worship assistants, preachers, storytellers, dancers, banner-makers, and all of those who sing, pray, and worship God in this place.

All:      Every face, every voice, every person is important.

One:        How shall we worship?

All:      We want to worship as followers of Jesus.  May the laughter of the children keep us together.  May the vision of all the elders lead us together.

One:        We gather to learn.  In Sunday school, worship, Bible study, after-school programs, youth groups, and other settings, we read the Bible, share our stories, and learn from one another how to be God’s people.

All:      Every one of us, young and old, has things to learn, and things to teach.

One:        How shall we learn?

All:      We want to learn as followers of Jesus.

One:        Let us pray together.

All:      Loving God, you call us to be your people.  Today we rededicate ourselves to living as your people in this place.  Guide us by your Holy Spirit to live as followers of Jesus each and very day.  Amen.

One:        The night is nearly over

All:      the day is almost here.

One:        We will no longer carry those things that belong to the dim light of indecent lives and indecent notions, of jealous living and jealous thinking, of wild behaviour and wilder thoughts…(silent prayer).

                The night is nearly over,

All:      the day is almost here.

One:        Let us take up those things that belong to the light of God-embraced lifestyles and God-inspired dreams, of love-filled laughter and love-filled giving, of grace-full moments and grace-full presence, and live like loving matters…(silent prayer).

                The night is nearly over,

All:      the day is almost here.

One:        God loves us, longing for us to pick up the light and travel with it loving, forgiving, moving with God into the light of a new day.

(Seasons of the Spirit)

Biblical Notes

Prayer of Illumination

Romans 13:8-14 From the Epistle Pg. 202

Duties towards One Another

Anthem “Amen, Sing Praises to the Lord”  by Hal H. Hopson

Matthew 18:15-20 From the Christian Scriptures Pg. 26

A Brother Who Sins (Read from the New Revised Standard Version)

One: This is the Good News of Jesus Christ

All: Thanks be to God

Reflection: “The Golden Rule”

Hymn #605 “Jesus, Teacher, Brave and Bold”

Mission Moment Lesley Berg

Our Church Tithes and Offerings

Offertory 

Dedication #544 “In Gratitude & Humble Trust”  

In gratitude and humble trust we bring our best today

to serve your cause and share your love with all along life’s way. 

O God, who gave yourself to us in Jesus Christ, your Son,

teach us to give ourselves each day until life’s work is done.

Prayer of Dedication

God, we are grateful that your Spirit is at work within us, nudging and stretching us, causing us to grow in understanding and service.  May these offerings be an expression of our gratitude for all your gifts; and may our lives be an expression of your love for the world.

Prayer of Thanksgiving, Intercession & Lord’s Prayer

Prayer of reconciliation (Responsive)

Instead of building walls between us

We will dance together under rainbows.

Instead of nurturing balloons of hurt

We will burst them with words of forgiveness.

Instead of accepting all our intolerances

We will eagerly debate what we do not understand.

Instead of learning only bitter silence

We will create the time to listen with each other again.

Instead of suffering in lonely fear

We will make an adventure out of birthing community

Instead of embracing the ways of a dark world

We will build one where God-light infects in every moment.

Instead of a world of division

We claim the space for reconciliation.

(Remembrance of September 11th - Seasons)

Hymn #357  “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus”

Commissioning

We have worshiped God together; now we go our separate ways.  May the spirit which has blessed us here be our spirit in each day that comes. 

Choral Amen

#298 “When You Walk From Here”

When you walk from here, when you walk from here.

Walk with justice, walk with mercy, and with God’s humble care.

Postlude “With Heart Rejoicing” by Harris

Junior Choir practise – immediately following worship in the Lounge.  All children aged between 5 & 12 years old welcome.

Senior Choir welcomes all who enjoy singing.  Please feel free to join us on Thursday evenings @ 7:00 p.m. for choir practice and see how much fun we have!  To love to sing is the only requirement.

Greeters, Ushers and Coffee Hosts - if you are interested in participating, please call Grace Lemon 528-3662, or contact the office.

The ministry of Westminster United Church included remembering two of our members, Ken Kinvig and Mary Scriven whose funeral services were held here this past week. Our hearts and prayers are united with those of their families. 

Flowers are placed in the Sanctuary this morning

in loving memory of

my husband, Ed

by

Alice Felesky

Next Week’s Readings from: Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35