Bulletin – 2nd Sunday Season of Creation / Baptism
Windsor Park United Church
2nd Sunday Season of Creation
Baptism
September 20, 2026
We Gather as People of Faith
Welcome
The covenant of baptism celebrates the fullness of God’s grace throughout the story of salvation: in creation and in exodus, in wilderness and in exile, in birth and in death. In his baptism, Jesus received the Holy Spirit and was declared God’s beloved, he opened himself to repentance and forgiveness, and marked a new beginning in his ministry. In our baptism we are similarly claimed, called, and commissioned.
Our baptismal identity is both individual and communal. Baptism honours the diversity of individuals and challenges us to be a community of equals.
Lighting the Christ Candle
Christ, the true light, the one who lives and breathes in God, enlightens everyone and embodies all creation. The light of wisdom and truth has come into the world. Let us light the Christ Candle and the diversity candle reminding us that our hope rests in God.
Please join in the singing of the Hymn: “Gather Your People” (by B. Hurd onelicense.net)
Gather your people, O Lord.
Gather your people, O Lord.
One bread, one body, one spirit of love.
Gather your people, O Lord.
Draw us forth to the table of life,
Brothers and sisters,
Each of us called
To walk in your light.
Gather your people, O Lord.
Gather your people, O Lord.
One bread, one body, one spirit of love.
Gather your people, O Lord.
We are parts of the body of Christ,
Needing each other,
Each of the gifts
The Spirit provides.
Gather your people, O Lord.
Gather your people, O Lord.
One bread, one body, one spirit of love.
Gather your people, O Lord.
No more harm on the mountain of God:
Swords into plowshares.
Free us, O Lord,
From hardness of heart.
Gather your people, O Lord.
Gather your people, O Lord.
One bread, one body, one spirit of love.
Gather your people, O Lord.
Wash us, Lord, in the waters of life:
Waters of mercy,
Waters of hope
That flow from your side.
Gather your people, O Lord.
Gather your people, O Lord.
One bread, one body, one spirit of love.
Gather your people, O Lord.
Call to Worship
One: O Creator God, you call us to be the light of the world. In these coming weeks, help us to bring light and hope to our communities. As we gather in faith,
All: Help us to receive your light
One: As we hallow Your name this season,
All: Help us to receive your light
One: As we seek to follow you
All: Help us to shine.
One: As we recognise your presence in others,
All: Help us to shine.
One: Be with us today to set a fire in us the flames of your love and justice, peace and mercy. Amen
Prayer of Confession
We are born as God’s precious ones held in awe and wonder. God follows us through the splendour of our lives when we walk through times of desert dryness or endure the torments of storms at sea. Even when we feel lost and alone and forget we are made in God’s image. God searches us out and finds us. We need not fear or be frightened.
Words of Assurance
God calls each of us by name, in faith we follow the risen Christ that we may know God. Who rests in us. We meet the holy in all those we meet. Even if we falter in faith, we are held fast. God desires to love us and care for us. We are God’s creation. We are not alone. Amen.
Sung Response – “Grant To Us Your Peace” (Voices United #955)
Grant to us your peace on earth,
Grant to us your peace, O God.
We Hear God’s Word
Scripture Readings
The first scripture reading is from the Prophet Isaiah 43:1-8, 10-11
1 But now thus says the Lord, the one who created you, O Jacob, the one who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; 6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up’, and to the south, ‘Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth—7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.’
8 Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! …
10 You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am the one. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. 11 I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no saviour.
The second reading is from the Gospel of John 1:1-16
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
May God speak to us through these readings of scripture.
Thanks be to God!
Reflection
We Respond to God’s Word
Please join in the singing of the hymn – “Blessed Assurance” (Voices United #337)
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of the Spirit, washed in Christ’s blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight!
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blessed;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with God’s goodness, lost in Christ’s love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Baptismal Liturgy
The sacrament of baptism
proclaims and celebrates the grace of God.
By water and the Spirit,
we are called, claimed, and commissioned:
we are called God’s own,
welcomed as children of God;
we are claimed by Christ,
united with Christ,
Presentation of Candidates
On behalf of the congregation of Windsor Park United Church, I present William Desorcy, son of Leannae and Matthew Desorcy for initiation into the body of Christ through baptism:
Profession of Faith and Promises
One: Do you believe in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
Parents: I do, by the grace of God.
Commitment to Seek Justice and Resist Evil
One: Trusting the gracious mercy of God, will you turn from the forces of evil, and renounce their power?
Parents: I will, God being my helper.
Commitment to Follow the Way of Jesus Christ
One: Will you follow the way of Jesus Christ?
Parents: I will, God being my helper.
Commitment to the Mission and Ministry of the Church
One: Will you join with your brothers and sisters in this community of faith to celebrate God’s presence, live with respect in creation, and love and serve others?
Parents: I will, God being my helper.
Commitment of Godparents
One: Will you grow in faith with this child, trusting that, “you are not alone, you live in God’s world”?
Godparents: We will, God being our helper.
Congregational Commitment
One: Let us pledge to these persons our support and care.
All: As a baptized and baptizing people, we commit ourselves to support and uphold you within the community of faith.
One: May God grant us all the grace to live out our baptism.
All: Amen.
Affirmation of Faith
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.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and the Pouring of Water
One: God be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them to God.
One: Let us give our thanks to God.
All: It is good to give God thanks and praise.
One: Blessed are you, O God, Ruler of the universe, Maker of heaven and earth, Keeper of sky and sea. At the beginning, your Spirit was at work, brooding over the waters of creation’s birth. Again and again you have shown your grace to us through water: cleansing the earth at the flood, parting for the exodus at the Red Sea, flowing from the rock in the wilderness.
All: Blessed are you, O God.
The Act of Baptism: Baptism in the Name of the Triune God
William Gregory Joseph Desorcy
I baptize you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Blessing
One: May the blessing of God, Source of Love, Jesus Christ, Love incarnate, and the Holy Spirit, Love’s power, be with you today and always.
All: Amen.
Marking with the Sign of the Cross
William child of God, I mark you with the cross, the sign of Love Incarnate.
Blessing
One: William may the Holy Spirit, Love’s power, guide you, inspire you, and work within you, all the days of your life.
All: Amen.
PRESENTATION OF GIFTS
Lighting of a Candle
One: William let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works, and give glory to God.
All: Amen.
Presentation of a Bible
One: Receive this book, our Holy Scriptures, and hear what the Spirit is saying to you and to the Church.
Clothing in a New Garment or Baptismal Stole
One: You have put on Christ, in Christ you have been baptized.
All: Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Declaration and Congregational Welcome
Sung Response: “Halle, Halle, Halle” (Voices United #958)
Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!
Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!
Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!
Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!
Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!
Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!
Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Invitation to Share
Offering Sung Response “All That We Have” (Onelicense.net by G. Ault)
All that we have and all that we offer
Comes from a heart both frightened and free.
Take what we bring now and give what we need,
All done in God’s name.
Offering Prayer
O Loving Creator, We ask your blessings on these gifts that we may use them to bring live, love, and nourishment to the world around us. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Christ, love incarnate. Amen.
Prayers of the People
One: God of … hear our prayer
All: Hear our prayer, O God
Invitation to the Passing of the Peace
Please offer one another the peace of Christ in a way that you feel comfortable and respects others’ space.
The Prayer that Jesus Taught
One: Please join me in praying the prayer Jesus taught us to pray: Our Creator who is like Our Mother and…
All: Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
We Go Into God’s World
Announcements
Please join in the singing of the hymn – “This Is The Day” (More Voices #122)
This is the day that God has made;
We will rejoice and be glad!
This is the day that God has made;
We will rejoice and be glad!
Singing hallelu, singing hallelu, singing hallelu!
We will rejoice and be glad!
Singing hallelu, singing hallelu, singing hallelu!
We will rejoice and be glad!
Commissioning
Almighty God, Mother and Father to us all, look upon your planet Earth divided; help us to know that we are all your children; that all nations belong to one great family, and all of our religions lead to you. Multiply our prayers in every land until the whole Earth becomes your congregation. United in love, sustain our vision of a peaceful future and give us strength to work unceasingly to make that vision real.
(Prayer by Helen Weaver, Prayers for Healing: 365 Blessings, Poems, and Meditations from Around the World)
Extinguish Candle
Benediction
Go now out into the world, embracing the Love of God. Walking the path that Jesus carved out for us. Guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Now and Forever, Amen.
Sung Response – “Amen” (Voices United #969)
Amen, Amen, Amen.
