Bulletin – Sunday, June 21, 2026 – National Indigenous Peoples Day / Father’s Day / Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, June 21, 2026
National Indigenous Peoples Day
Father’s Day
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
We Gather as a People of Faith
Welcome
Lighting the Christ Candle
When we light these candles we are reminded the light of Christ, our wisdom guide is illuminated within in each of us and all around us. The gifts within each of our hearts and in our collective work shine for the world to see.
Minute Person
Announcements
Call to Worship
One: We come as members of the Body of Christ, to renew our hearts, to refresh our minds. We offer our time with gratitude that the spirit is always with us.
All: Ready to greet us as family and friend. Come O’ Creator God meet us where we are. Be with us now and always as we sing our praises and thanks to you.
Please join in the singing of the hymn “Come, O Holy Spirit” (More Voices #23)
Come O Holy Spirit, set the Church on fire;
Strike it as the lightning hits a posing spire.
Burn away the structures and consume the sham
Of our “holy” systems; Come, in Jesus’ name!
Come, come, come in Jesus’ name!
Take our hearts by storm.
All the world lies open: Pentecost is now!
I said a-come, come, come in Jesus’ name!
Take our hearts by storm.
All the world lies open: Pentecost is now!
Blow away the cobwebs of our stubborn past.
Come, send flying from us myths unfit to last.
Wind of change, refresh us and disturb our calm;
Teach us what true love is, take our hearts by storm.
Come, come, come in Jesus’ name!
Take our hearts by storm.
All the world lies open: Pentecost is now!
I said a-come, come, come in Jesus’ name!
Take our hearts by storm.
All the world lies open: Pentecost is now!
Free us from the babble of our Babel mind;
Spark in us a language all can understand.
Lighten then our darkness, come and show us how;
All the world lies open; Pentecost is now!
Come, come, come in Jesus’ name!
Take our hearts by storm.
All the world lies open: Pentecost is now!
I said a-come, come, come in Jesus’ name!
Take our hearts by storm.
All the world lies open: Pentecost is now!
Amen!
Prayer of Approach and Confession / Words of Assurance
One: Creator of the universe whose hands threw the constellations in all their splendour and stars in the myriads into the endless velvet depths of space. God of Creation who fashioned earth and sea and skies, who shaped the mountains, coasts and valleys seeking out places we could recognise as home,
All: Teach me to follow you, and I will be your truth. Always keep me faithful.
One: When failure spreads a cloud of gloom above us and fogs of apathy confuse our every step, and when the endless drifts of mizzle. Douse the barley glowing embers of our faith.
All: O’ Risen Christ spirit of truth and wisdom relight the fire!
One: When the demands of life encroach on quiet moments, when pressures grind our spirits into dust, when time dries up like water in a desert, and prayer is pushed into mere words like dried-up husks,
All: O’ Risen Christ spirit of truth and wisdom kindle the flame!
One: God of ancient yesterdays and hope of bright tomorrows. Empower your people. Lift us from futile passivity or a clinging to rocks of ages past.
All: O’ Risen Christ spirit of truth and wisdom, stay with us by the warm fire!
One: Help us remember, God, that you are the Alpha and Omega, that all the story lies within your hands. You are at our beginning and endings. You are still moving; O’ one of stillness, God of travelling people, ever drawing us inward, calling us closer, pulling us deeper,
All: Calling us on… and on.
One: Make us those of new beginnings, to ride the rocks across life’s adverse seas, to see the silver in the boulders dark and barren, release potential, follow where you lead.
All: To journey on wherever your presence guides us nourished by Your life finding home in Spirit, word, and prayer. Teach me to follow you, and I will be your truth. Always keep me faithful. With all my heart I thank You. Always keep me close. Amen.
(adapted from Celtic Daily Prayer: Book Two Piran: A Call to New Beginnings)
Sung Response – “Kyrie Eleison”
Kyrie Eleison, Christe Eleison, Kyrie Eleison”
Time for All Ages:
We Hear God’s Word
Scripture Reading:
The first scripture reading is from the Prophet Isaiah 65:17-24
17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. 20 “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. 24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.
The second reading is from the Letter of Paul to the Philippians 4:1-9
1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
May God speak to us through these readings of scripture.
Thanks be to God!
Reflection
Please join in the singing of the hymn “Spirit God, Be Our Breath” (More Voices #150)
Spirit God: be our breath, be our song.
Blow through us, bringing strength to move on.
Our world seems inward, defensive, withdrawn
Spirit God, be our song.
Patient God: soothe our pride, calm our fear.
Comfort us. When we know you are near
We grow more certain; our vision is clear.
Patient God, calm our fear.
Loving God: be our voice, be our prayer.
Reaching out, joining hands as we share,
We seek your guidance through friendship and care.
Loving God, be our prayer.
Spirit God: be our breath, be our song.
Blow through us, bringing strength to move on.
Through change, through challenge, we’ll greet the new dawn
Spirit God, be our song.
Transfer of Membership Liturgy
Presentation of Gayle Henders for Transfer of Membership
Statement of Purpose
The church is a community of people with varied gifts, united by the Holy Spirit.
We gather to celebrate God’s presence, to discern God’s truth, and to follow the way of Jesus.
By our baptism we are made members of Christ’s church. We exercise this membership in the denomination to which we belong, which for us is The United Church of Canada, and within the context of a local community of faith.
We now welcome into this congregation Gayle Henders who is transferring her membership to Windsor Park United Church.
Presentation of Gayle Henders
On behalf of Windsor Park United Church congregation, I present Gayle Henders whom we welcome into the membership of this community of faith:
Gord and Shirley Sharing a Few Words
Commitment of New Member(s) (Minister Candidate)
One: Gayle Henders will you join with us as together we celebrate God’s presence, live with respect in creation, love and serve others, seek justice and resist evil?
Gayle: I will, with God’s help.
Congregational Commitment (stand as you are able)
One: Dear friends in Christ, let us pledge to Gayle Henders our support and care.
All: As your brothers and sisters in Christ, we rejoice in the gifts you bring to us. We pledge to you our love and our support. With God’s help, we will together live out the building of right relations, the seeking of justice and the sharing of the love of God with all we meet.
Corporate Profession of Faith
A New Creed
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.
Welcome
Gayle, in the name of Jesus Christ, we welcome you to the privileges and responsibilities of membership in this congregation. We give thanks to God for your witness among us. And for all of your generosity of heart in caring for others here especially for your leadership skills and theological insights that have emboldened our Bible Study Group and guided the work of the Worship Cluster. On behalf of Windsor Park United Church we give thanks to you.
Comment of Thanks
One: The grace of Christ attend you, the love of God surround you, the Holy Spirit keep you.
All: Amen.
We Respond to God’s Word
An Invitation to Share
I invite you to bring forward the gifts of the people.
Offering Sung Response – “Grant Us, God, The Grace” (Voices United #540)
Grant us God the grace of giving with a spirit large and free,
That ourselves and all our living we may offer faithfully
Offering Prayer
The time of summer is upon us let these gifts like the sun, shine her light on all those who receive them. We lift these up with gracious hearts that we might be for others as God is for us.
Prayers of the People
Invitation to 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…
All: Our Mother and 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
Please join in the singing of the hymn – “Come, Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love (Voices United #574)
Come, let us sing of a wonderful love,
Tender and true, tender and true,
Out of the heart of the Father above,
Streaming to me and to you:
Wonderful love, wonderful love
Dwells in the heart of the Father above.
Jesus, the Saviour, this gospel to tell,
Joyfully came, joyfully came,
Came with the helpless and hopeless to dwell,
Sharing their sorrow and shame;
Seeking the lost, seeking the lost,
Saving, redeeming at measureless cost.
Jesus is seeking the wanderers yet;
Why do they roam? why do they roam?
Love only waits to forgive and forget;
Home, weary wanderers, home!
Wonderful love, wonderful love
Dwells in the heart of the Father above.
Come to my heart, O thou wonderful Love,
Come and abide, come and abide
Lifting my life till it rises above
Envy and falsehood and pride;
Seeking to be, seeking to be
Lowly and humble, a learner of thee.
Commissioning
Though we maybe separate in physical space, we are always joined in spirit. May God embolden us to go out into the world as the Body of Christ seeking justice, caring for one another, showing love to all we meet.
Benediction
Creator God, help us to become the persons that you made us to be with the help of the risen Christ in daring to trust. Help us to see you in our dreams for our life as a community of faith at Windsor Park United Church through the power of the ever-present spirit. May all who meet us, glimpse heaven in us. Thanks be to God. Amen.
The Christ Candle is extinguished.
Sung Response – “May the Grace of Christ Attend Us” (VU #963)
May the grace of Christ attend us,
And the love of God surround us,
And the Holy Spirit keep us
Now and ever. Amen.
