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Kaylee Danielle Blatz Daughter of Kelvin & Leanne Blatz
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Katelyn Hope Richard Daughter of Clayton & Kathleen Richard
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Aidan Ryan Shaw Son of Andrew & Jennifer Shaw |
November 17, 2002 - “Baptism & Membership Sunday”
To what extent do we risk and invest ourselves – our lives – in advancing the good news of Christ? To what extent do we risk and invest ourselves in challenging oppressive and dominating influences of our world? In today’s text we can see that the value of our individual actions is raised when we invest in community life.
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 “Lead Us, O God” by Hopkins
A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle
Call to Worship (Responsive)
One: Jesus said: Love one another.
All: We come to worship God who is love, that we may learn to love one another.
One: Jesus said: No longer do I call you servants; now I call you my friends.
All: We come to worship God, whose friends we are in Christ.
One: Let us sing praise to God, and live in love and friendship; through Jesus Christ.
All: Amen.
One: Let us continue to unite our hearts in prayer.
All: God, may we walk good paths, living on this earth as brothers and sisters should; rejoicing in one another’s blessing, sympathizing in one another’s sorrows, and together with you, renewing the face of the earth.
Children of the congregation and those sharing in the service of baptism come forward during the singing of…
Hymn #644 “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry” vs. 1-4
Jane Clarke: On behalf of the Board of Westminster United Church, I present Kaylee Danielle Blatz, Katelyn Hope Richard and Aidan Ryan Shaw for initiation into the body of Christ through Baptism:
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Kaylee Danielle Blatz Daughter of Kelvin & Leanne Blatz
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Katelyn Hope Richard Daughter of Clayton & Kathleen Richard
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Aidan Ryan Shaw Son of Andrew & Jennifer Shaw |
“Do you desire to have your child baptised and do you accept the responsibility of acting and speaking on your child’s behalf?”
…I do, by the Grace of God.
“Do you believe in the love of God?
…Yes, I do.
Do you believe that God is made known to us in Jesus of Nazareth, who lived and died and lives again?
…Yes, I do.
Do you believe that the Spirit of God is active in the world to direct and strengthen you?
…Yes, I do.
Will you endeavour to explore the Christian life with your child and to journey along side your child in search of ever deepening spiritual realities?
…I will, God being my helper.
Baptismal Promises of the Congregation (Please stand)
Do you receive these children with love and concern?
…Yes, we do
As a baptised and baptising church, do you commit yourselves to support and nurture these children within a community which worships God, resists evil and seeks justice?
…I do, God being my helper
Do you promise to assist in the Christian education of these children who seek the spiritual guidance and nurture of this church by providing the learning, resources, leadership and opportunities that will be required?
…Yes, I do so promise, God being my helper. (Please be seated)
Let us pray
Benevolent and Holy God, we bless you for the gift of life, and, within it, the gift of
water. Over its unshaped promise your Spirit hovered at creation; by water comes the growth of the earth. Through water you led the children of Israel to freedom; in the waters of the Jordan your Child, Jesus, was baptised. Now may your Spirit be
upon us and what we do, that this water may be a sign for all of new life in Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
The Baptismal water is poured (Jane)
The Baptism (All relatives and friends the children who are being baptised are asked to stand where they are seated in the pew).
____________, “I baptise you in the name of the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit, the God who has created and is creating; Jesus Christ, the word made flesh; and the Holy Spirit who works in us and others. With the sign of the Cross, you are marked as Christ's forever.”
People Respond: “Amen.”
Laying on of Hands
(The parents and ministers place their hands on the person baptised to indicate the action of the Holy Spirit.)
____________, “the power of the Holy Spirit work within you, that being born of water and the Spirit, you may be a faithful witness of Jesus Christ.”
People Respond: “Amen.”
The Blessing
The Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord’s face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you
The light of the Lord’s countenance be upon you, and give you peace.
(After the baptisms…)
At this time, we also welcome to our church family, Emily Madison Martin, daughter of Marlo & Michelle Martin, who was baptized at Robert Hall Mission United Church in Prairie River, Saskatchewan on June 30, 2002.
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Hymn #644 “I Was There To Hear Your Borning Cry” vs. 5-7
The Sunday School leaves for classes.
We Remain in God’s Presence Through Confession
God of love and of grace, you know the secrets of our hearts: how blind we are to our own faults, yet harsh in judging others; how swift we are to take for gain, yet slow to give for others; how proud we are of our success, yet grudging in our praise of others…(Silent Confession)
Assurance of Pardon (One)
God the Creator brings us new life, forgives and redeems us. Let us take hold of this forgiveness, and live our lives in the spirit of Jesus. Amen.
Reception of New Members by Transfer
& Reaffirmation of Faith
Jane Clarke: We now welcome into this congregation persons who are already members of the United Church of Canada and have served within another congregation or who come to us from another denomination or rejoin us through reaffirmation of faith.
I present to you: Bob Bildfell, Marj Bildfell, Deborah Bitz, Lois Chambers, Nancy D’Agostino, Jaci Fox, Jacquelyn Heard, Doug Henderson, Bea Hirsch, Pete Hirsch, Joan Jantzie, Mike Jantzie, Ruth Lauder, Denise Maser, Darwin Nikoleychuk, Gerald Nikoleychuk, Linda Nikoleychuk, Ken Playford, Roberta Playford, June Reid, Melanie Reuber, Norman Rud, Violet Rud, Andrew Shaw, Jennifer Shaw, Betty Sidlick, John Sidlick, Al Smith, Peggy Smith, and Rae Wahl so that they may be received into membership within this congregation.
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James: I ask you, therefore, before God and these people, Do you profess anew your faith in God who has created you, in Jesus Christ the Word made flesh, and in the Holy Spirit, your Teacher and Guide?
Answer: I do.
James: Do you declare your intention to join with the people of Westminster United Church as we seek the presence of God among us through study and worship and prayer; and do you now express your hope to enter into the life and work of this church as you support it with your gifts and share in its mission to all people?
Answer: I do, God being my helper.
James: Let us rise to receive these new members.
Cong: In the name of Jesus Christ we welcome you to the privileges and responsibilities of membership in this congregation. Be among us as eager participants in worship, join with us as seekers after truth and walk with us as co-workers in the struggle for the shalom of God.
All: As God has called us, we pledge to you our friendship,
our help and our prayers.
One: God who makes all things new, affirming your promises and renewing our hopes, we give thanks for those persons who have been moved this day to declare again the faith that stirs within them. Give us all a renewed vision of your purposes and use our strengths and our weakness as our gift to you. For the promise of the gift of peace that we meet in your presence we give you thanks and praise through Christ who makes us one. Amen.
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God: who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
The Youth now leave for their class
Biblical Notes
Parable of the Three Servants (Read from the New Revised Standard Version)
One: This is the Good News of Jesus Christ
Hymn #248 “When Long before Time”
We Respond In Giving And Gratitude
Offertory “If I Can Help Somebody” solo by Al Pols
Equipping God, you have entrusted us with gifts, not to be wasted but used well and freely. As we make our offering of gifts, spiritual and material, strengthen us by your Holy Spirit to activate them in the world for Christ. Amen.
Hymn #651 “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”
Commissioning
God be in my head, and in my understanding; God be in my eyes, and in my looking; God be in my mouth, and in my speaking; God be in my heart, and in my thinking; God be at my end, and at my departing.
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 “Postlude” by C. Harris
The Life And Work Of The Congregation
Flowers are placed in the Sanctuary this morning
by the
United Church Women
Thought For Today
One must be poor to know the luxury of giving.
by George Eliot
Westminster United Church
Summary of the Board of Elders Meeting
November 12th, 2002
We are journeying together in God’s love . . .
to discover, nurture and share our gifts.
The November 12th Board Meeting of Westminster United Church was held with 11 Elders and James in attendance.
The Annual Fall Supper was again a success. Jean Riggins, Alice Brehmer, Marg Taylor and Linda Nikoleychuk are to be commended! The dinner realized a profit of $1888.57.
The Congregational Life Centre representatives, Clair Woodbury and Joyce Madsen, who facilitated the Mission Statement Development workshop will be asked to lead a similar workshop for the 2003 Board Members in early 2003.
The proposed 2003 Budget (presented by Al Pols) was reviewed and discussed, with finalization of same to take place at the December 10th meeting and shall then be presented to the Annual Congregational Meeting on January 26th, 2003 for final perusal.
Salvation Army Christmas Kettle - Persons interested in volunteering a couple of hours in December can phone Donna Scharf at 526-1555 who has kindly agreed to be in charge of scheduling times.
Yours in faith,
Marilynn Piotrowski,
Chairperson.
Reflection for Membership Sunday:
Nothing is ever finished in the church…we learn, we share, we invest in the next phase, act of justice, project, …it never ends and that’s a good thing.
The moment we stop and think we have it all together or think we have it “all done” is the moment we die as a community of faith. If we bury our gifts we miss out on the life God entrusts to us.
Today we celebrate the life and energy and heart of those who have chosen to identify themselves with this congregation and who have shown their desire to get on board, as it were, by declaring their faith and commitment to that which is greater than themselves.
It’s exciting to see young families stand and be counted as they pledge themselves to their infant children and promise to work within and with a faith community to provide a good life for their child…a good educational life and a good spiritual and communal life.
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We had another great conversation this past week at the adult confirmation program. We spoke about individualism …is it good to be an individual?
And where we ended up with that question is “yes” and “no”. Yes, celebrate who you are as a gift of God to the world…celebrate who you are as a unique creature in creation who alone can bring the special gifts that are within you, into the world … you are a gift!
Each of the persons we celebrate with here today… infant or adult is an individual to be cherished as a gift created in God’s image. And since God can not be pinned down to just one image, of course we are all individuals and all created in the image of God.
And the flip-side—No, individualism is not something to be worshipped but to be offered and contributed to the huge mosaic that is life and certainly life within the community.
We are social creatures we are at our best and sometimes we are at our worst in the context of community but whenever we invest in each other through the action of community we are in the process of becoming all that we can be in the presence of God.
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A few weeks ago, a number of folks met to discuss and work through the process of defining who we are as a congregation and to ask where is it that we would like to go.
At such times and in such situations it is always the process that is important. It doesn’t matter what we arrive at as much as it matters that we all participate with integrity in the process of defining a common vision statement.
In that process, some of the core value statements about Westminster United that we identified were as follows:
~ We acknowledge the presence of God in every person.
~ We discover and explore new ideas that enhance our vision.
~ We foster relationships with God through the use of our resources and facilities.
~ We recognize that everyone has gifts and needs, and we offer the opportunity for growth.
From the exploration of the core value statements emerged our mission statement.
We are journeying together
in God’s love . . .
to discover,
nurture and
share
our gifts.
Since it is true that we believe that God is within every person, our journey is shared with everyone and certainly with the family who call Westminster home.
It is true that we discover together in community… and yes, sometimes discoveries are made in the solitude of our individualism …but it is our belief that we help shape each other in our gathering, our sharing, our working together at teas and dinners and church theatre, our studying in bible groups our questioning, our deliberating in the throws of our frustrations and griefs…life is lived and God is known as we share who we are …in essence that God-given centre from within us. We do this in a hundred ways...personally and collectively.
In the weeks and months ahead, expect to hear more about how we can evaluate our goals, our present foci and our aspirations against the mission statement. It should serve us well as we journey into our common future exploring ways of nurturing those within the community and empowering folks to share within the larger community and the world.
I’m encouraged by the faith and commitment of this congregation, by the folks we welcome today and by the spirit of God that moves within us all and nurtures us all as we seek to share our individualism for the strength of the whole body.
To all who stand together today I say work personally and collectively in God’s strength to make a difference right where you are…invest your individual talent knowing it is God’s loving gift to you and to those God has given you to be in community with! Be assured that you don’t struggle for that shalom alone. Thanks be to God! Amen.
