Sunday, Oct 07/18 Bulletin

October 07, 2018    World-Wide Communion Sunday/Thanksgiving Sunday

(Portions of the service that are in BOLD are to be said by all.

All points marked * those who are able are invited to stand.)

Approach

Gathering song VU #227 – “For the Fruit of All Creation”

Welcome, lighting of the Christ Candle, and Announcements

Call to Worship

One:    We come today weighed down by sorrows of the past.
All:      Grace and love to you and peace from the God who is, who was, and who is to come.

One:    We come today with hope, knowing that the presence of God will not be limited by our human knowledge.
All:      Grace and love to you and peace from the God who is, who  was and, who is to come.

One:    We come today thankful, discovering abundance not because of what we own, but of the heart.
All:      Grace and love to you and peace from the God who is, who was, and who is to come.

One:    We come today humble, worshiping God with thankfulness, singing and praise.
All:      Grace and love to you and peace from the God who is, who was, and who is to come.

*     Opening Hymn VU #218 – “We Praise You, O God”

Prayer of Approach and Confession

Faithful God, you draw near to us in our joy and in our grief, in our hope and in our despair. We come to you to give thanks for all that we are, all that we have, and all that we will be.

 Yet life is not always full of joy and happiness, it also comes with struggle. When we are bowed down, you raise us up. We turn to you now in search of your healing touch. We know that there are times when we are not thankful for what we have been given, when our lives are more about us then about you. We turn away and struggle to live our lives in the fear and loneliness of this world.

  God of compassion and love, move among us this hour. Open our eyes, dispel our fears, and show us the real life you have to offer. We pray this in the name of the Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Passing of the Peace

Dedication of Angela Moodie’s Memorial Window

One:    In the name of the holy and triune God: Creator, Christ, and Spirit,
All:      we dedicate this window to the glory of God.

One:    With gratitude and reverence,
All:      we dedicate this window to the glory of God.

One:    For the beauty of this holy place and for the sake of all God’s people,
All:      we dedicate this window to the glory of God.

One:    In remembrance of Angela Moodie,
All:      we dedicate this window to the glory of God.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Anthem – “I Will Rise” (Dedicated in memory of Angela Moodie)

The Word

& Scripture Reading: Job 1: 1, 2, 2: 1-10
1 Timothy 2: 1-7

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
THANKS BE TO GOD!

Meditation – “Trust in a time of strife?”

(a quiet time for your personal reflection and prayer)

The Response

* Offering / Response (VU #538):

            For the gift of creation, the gift of your love,
            And the gift of the Spirit by which we live,
            We thank you and give you the fruit of our hands.
            May your grace be proclaimed by the gifts that we give.

Communion Liturgy

One: As the seed which was scattered to all corners of the field comes together to make bread on our table,

All: So God’s people gather from all corners of the world to share the great banquet of thankfulness and hope.

One: At God’s table there are no divisions. At God’s table all are welcome to share in the bounty of abundant life.

All:Here at God’s table we join with all who seek to follow The Way. Here we taste the grace eternal. Here we know that God is Good.

One: Spirit of the Living God be with you all

All: And also with you.

One: In this harvest season we pause to give thanks to God.

All: It is a good thing to give thanks for all God has given us.

One: God of growth, God of harvest, God of gifts, here we pause to give thanks for the abundance of our lives.

All: For the fruit of the earth, for the food on our tables, for the love of our brothers and sisters in faith around the world.

One: For the promise of hope in a world given to despair, for the   possibility of peace in a world torn apart by violence,

All: For these, and many other, things we offer our thanks and praise.

One: We remember the stories of our forefathers and mothers in the faith,

All:People like Sarah and Abraham, Miriam and Moses, Peter and Mary.

One: Prophets and leaders and all who have proclaimed your hope over the centuries.

All:We lift up the countless saints who have gone before us to teach about the possibilities of being your people.

One: And so we lift our voices in song, singing together the praises of ages:

(MV #203 tune: Kingsfold)

O holy, holy, holy God….

One:     In the middle of our thankfulness we give special thanks for a man from Nazareth, Jesus, the one we call Christ. Child of Mary …….

Let us lift up in prayer those today whom we pray feel your presence in their lives, God of mercy and healing….(prayer list)

All:      Here, now, as we gather at the table to which Jesus calls us, we remember another table long ago and far away.

One:     At that table Jesus gathered with friends to tell again the ancient story………

And in our remembering we sing the mystery of faith:

(MV #204 tune: Kingsfold)

Sing Christ has died and Christ is risen…

One:     Transforming God, you call us ……….

May the presence of the Spirit make this meal an occasion of transformation for we who gather to eat it together.

All:      Amen.

One:     God of the Banquet that is and is to come, on this day we gather with people all around the world to share this meal.

Creator, our Source of Love; Christ, Love Incarnate; Spirit, Love’s flowing power be praised, now and forever.

And the people all sang:

(MV #205 tune: Kingsfold)

Amen, amen O Holy One!….

One:     And now, as beloved children of a loving Parent, we pray:

All:      Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…

One:     The Bread we break is the Bread of Life.

The Cup we Share is the Cup of Love.

These are the gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God. Come and eat, the banquet awaits.

Prayer after Communion

We have eaten, we have drunk, we have tasted your goodness. May this meal we have shared here today fill our souls with Love. May the meal we share with all the world fill the world with Hope. May we leave this table refreshed and replenished, ready to be recipients and agents of Grace. Amen.

*   Closing Hymn VU #481 – “Sent Forth by God’s Blessing”

*   Commissioning / Benediction

*   Response:

                Ancient words, ever true,
               Changing me, and changing you;
               We have come with open hearts,
               O let the ancient words impart.
               We have come with open hearts,
               O let the ancient words impart.

***

Rev. Patrick Woodbeck, Minister                    Laura Steidl, Music Director Heather Karavas, Office Administrator               Myrna Hagues, Organist       Edna Erickson, Liturgist                                  Gina Grant, Custodian

Welcome Ministry: Gwen Polak, Bev Baker, and Janice Loiselle

The yellow flowers in the sanctuary this Sunday were donated by the Foster Family in memory of Isabelle.