Trinity St. Andrew’s United Church
Order of Worship
Sunday, May 10th 2026
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Prelude
Welcome & Telling Our Story
GATHERING
Gathering Chorus “Love Can Build a Bridge”
Call to Worship
God is not far from us.
In God, we live and move and have our being.
We come seeking the One we do not fully know.
Yet God is already near, already with us.
Come, let us worship God together.
Amen.
Hymn: For the Beauty of the Earth VU 226
- For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies,
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.
- For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light, Refrain
- For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild, Refrain
- For each perfect gift sublime
to our race so freely given,
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven, Refrain
Gathering Prayer & Assurance of Grace
Holy and mysterious God, you meet us in places we expect and in places we do not. You are present in our certainty and in our questions, in our clarity and in our confusion. Like those in Athens, we confess that we do not always recognize you. We name many things as greatest, we give our attention and devotion to what cannot give us life. And yet, you are gracious. You continue to reach out, to reveal, to invite. Open our hearts this day: that we might sense your nearness, that we might hear your voice, that we might respond with faith. Gather us in your Spirit, and lead us into truth and life. Amen.
Friends, hear the good news: The God who made us knows us fully and loves us deeply. Even when we fail to see God clearly, even when we search without understanding, God is not far from us. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Time for the Young & Young at Heart
Kids Song: “Jesus is the Rock”
Hymn: O Beautiful Gaia MV 41
Refrain: O beautiful Gaia, O Gaia, calling us home,
O beautiful Gaia, calling us on.
- Soil yielding its harvest,
O Gaia, calling us home.
Soil yielding its harvest,
calling us on. Refrain
- Waves crashing on granite,
O Gaia, calling us home.
Waves crashing on granite,
calling us on. Refrain
- Pine bending in windstorm,
O Gaia, calling us home.
Pine bending in windstorm,
calling us on. Refrain
- Loon nesting in marshland,
O Gaia, calling us home.
Loon nesting in marshland,
calling us on. Refrain
WORD
Scripture Reader: Leslee Gervais
Psalm 36, VU 762
Acts 17: 16-34
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
Sermon
Anthem “If I Planted a Garden”
RESPONSE
Thanksgiving & Offering
All that we have and all that we are come from the God who gives life and breath to all. We do not worship a distant God in need of our gifts. We worship a generous God who invites us to participate in the work of love and justice in the world.
So, we offer our gifts this day as signs of gratitude, as acts of trust, as ways of joining in God’s ongoing work. Let us give with thankful hearts as we sing together while seated MV104 Know That God is Good.
Offertory Song Know That God is Good MV 104
Know that God is good, (3x)
God is good, God is good.
Offertory Prayer
Gracious and generous God, all that we have and all that we are come from you. You give us life and breath and call us to share in your work. Receive these gifts we offer today, and use them to bring hope, healing, and new life in the world. Shape us also to be a generous people: ready to serve, to love, and to bear witness to your grace. We offer these gifts, and ourselves, in gratitude and trust. Amen.
Hymn: Shadow and Substance MV 44
- Shadow and substance, wonder and mystery,
spell-binding spinner of atoms and earth;
soul of the cosmos, person and energy,
source of our being, we sing of your worth.
- We are your image, formed in community,
sisters and brothers of Adam and Eve.
You gave us colour, custom and history;
Teach us to honour what others receive.
- Naming the nameless Spirit of unity,
scanning the heavens for signs of your care;
God of the ages, give us humility;
guide us to mystical union in prayer.
Pastoral Prayers & The Lord’s Prayer
Holy God, in whom we live and move and have our being, we come before you with the prayers of our hearts. We pray for those who are searching for meaning, for belonging, for hope. For those who feel far from you or unsure of your presence, draw near in ways they can recognize and receive.
We pray for your world: for places where voices are silenced, where justice is delayed, where fear and division take root. Raise up leaders, prophets, and communities who will speak truth with courage and compassion.
We pray for those who are burdened by grief, illness, anxiety, or loneliness. Surround them with care, and remind them that they are not alone. We pray for your Church: that we may be attentive to where you are already at work, that we may speak of you with humility and boldness, and that we may welcome all who seek you.
And we pray for ourselves that our faith may grow, that our understanding may deepen, and that our lives may reflect your love. We gather all these prayers together in the words Jesus taught us by praying… Our Father…
SENDING
Hymn: Called by Earth and Sky MV 135
Refrain: Called by earth and sky,
promise of hope held high.
This is our sacred living trust,
treasure of life sanctified,
called by earth and sky.
(Last time only)
called by earth and sky, called by earth and sky.
- Precious these waters, endless seas,
deep ocean’s dream,
waters of healing, rivers of rain,
the wash to love again. Refrain
- Precious this gift, the air we breathe;
wind born and free.
Breath of the Spirit, blow through this place,
our gathering and our grace. Refrain
- Precious these mountains, ancient sands;
vast fragile land.
Seeds of our wakening, rooted and strong,
Creation’s faithful song. Refrain
- Precious the fire that lights our way,
bright dawning day.
Fire of passion, sorrows undone,
our faith and justice one. Refrain
Sending Forth
Go now into the world, not as those who have all the answers, but as those who trust in a God who is near. Go with eyes open to where God is already at work. Go with hearts ready to listen, to learn, and to love. And as you go, remember: the One who made you, who knows you, who calls you is not far from you. In that assurance, go in peace. Amen.
Sung Blessing Go Now in Peace VU 964
Go now in peace, go now in peace.
May the love of God surround you everywhere,
everywhere you may go.
Postlude
Not Far From Us
Acts 17:16-34
As I was reflecting on the scripture and the sermon, I was reminded of Moana, standing on the shore, feeling drawn to the ocean in a way she can’t quite explain. Everything around her tells her to stay, to be content with what she knows—but something deeper keeps calling to her. She doesn’t have the language for it yet, she doesn’t fully understand it, but she knows it’s real. You may remember some of the lyrics from the song “How Far I’ll Go” which go like: “I’ve been standing at the edge of the water, long as I can remember ever really knowing why. I wish I could be the perfect daughter But I come back to the water No matter how hard I try.”
When I was studying at McGill, I was very interested in history. Specifically Greek and Roman history. Now that I think about it I’m pretty sure almost every early adolescent male was interested in the Greeks or Romans at some point but that’s neither here nor there. I knew I had wanted to take more history courses but sometimes you’d end up with a professor who was absolutely brilliant but their lectures were not as stimulating as if it was produced by Steven Spielberg. In many ways there was this passion within me to discover more about the ancient world but there was something missing for me to really want to fully immerse myself. Courses felt like there was something missing. Perhaps that was because you had to do the generic 200 level courses before taking the more “interesting” or specific history classes. As you’re sitting there in those auditoriums with the awkward 1/3 of a desk you really start to wonder if it should be the focus of your bachelor of arts … but then I had a professor, Dr. John Serrati, who made history come alive more so than others had. The way he interpreted primary source documents, presented his lectures and his passion for that subject helped it to come alive and helped everything gel together. Where I was able to see more clearly that the study of history didn’t have to be dusty but that it could be in fact cool. To be fair I may be biased in how I think others view ancient history … Those courses and the pursuit of the major in ancient history was made a more complete pursuit through Dr. Serrati’s courses. The questions we were encouraged to ask led me to become more and more curious about the stories that civilizations and cities tell about themselves and why that’s significant. With each passing day it felt like I was getting closer and closer to what God was calling me towards and the learning that I had to do.
I imagine that you’ve had a moment where you felt like you were reaching for something—trying to name something meaningful or holy—but couldn’t quite put words to it. Perhaps you’re still there trying to fit in that last piece of the puzzle of purpose and meaning. Because we live in a world that is still searching—naming things as ultimate, hoping they’ll give us meaning, trying to make sense of God in ways that don’t always quite fit…
Trying to discover deeper meaning or purpose. In this “shopping” or “trial and error” we find ourselves always on the lookout for something else, something better, or more innovative or something that releases more dopamine or helps us feel more protected or more important…
Paul sees a city full of devotion—but also full of uncertainty—and among all the altars, one stands out: “To an unknown god.” God as Creator, not contained, near to all, now revealed in Christ to reconcile all the peoples to God… In Paul’s eyes, there’s no moment where God was apart of humanity. That every philosophical or religious expression would reveal something about our relationship with God. That every paper that’s been published, every spiritual practice experienced and every church that was established was never far from the presence of God. In the gospels, especially that of John, witnesses to the notion that the idea of God, and the worship and following of Him, cannot be adequately described in hymnals or prayers. Nor can it be fully shown in stained glass windows or buildings of stone, brick or steel. That all of these things point towards something more mysterious, something more holy. All of these signposts guide us toward the destination which is faith in God through Jesus. Paul delivers his sermon on the Mars Hill not condemning their debates and numerous altars- but applauds them for their engaging with humans relationship with one another and the Divine. He does emphasize how that now that God’s intentions were made clearer in Jesus, that they should feel drawn to Jesus’ message as the complete expression of what they’ve been debating and writing about for generations.
Paul, in his speech, wholeheartedly believes that the Greco-Roman world needed to break decisively with its religious past in response to the one God who now invites all to be part of the renewed world as revealed through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. For him it was the logical as well as spiritual next step in the Athenians journey. Just as many of us have taken next steps in our own faith journeys. And that journey goes beyond “finally believing” in God. But it’s a dialogue that continues yet sustains us every day of our lives.
The life and ministry of Jesus is lovingly given proof that God desires us. Paul’s speech builds on the fact that God wants the Gentiles (those that are not already followers of the God of Israel). God desires those who desire idols or those who believe they’re undesirable, unknowable or believe their actins or words are irreconcilable with a life of faith. In the Scripture lesson we witnessed this rhetoric of desire that Paul is using to speak of God. His speech is driven by the irrepressible longing of God to embrace wayward creatures by any means possible. Jesus is proof of that… When we explore our faith or discipleship or even our spirituality we are by no means condemned nor is God shaking his head. When we got lost in the Bulk Barn of idol options God isn’t sighing and thinking “here we go again”. But I believe there’s a cosmic smile there. Another opportunity for the Creator to reach out and make a connection. Another opportunity for us to seek them out and to have that spiritual dialogue. As we are reminded each Sunday through the Assurance of Grace: there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. There is nothing that we can do to make God desire us any less. As hard as that is to believe. The God we have faith in or at the very least are curious about- desires us to be reconciled with Him. Put differently – God loves you and wants you to believe that His love is unconditional. So, no matter how much we try and seek out the Holy Mystery that is God in the mall, food court, grocery store, sport accolades- that does not disqualify you from God’s steadfast love for you. In the person of Jesus God made that promise irreversible. In the life of Jesus, humanity received the opportunity to put our hope and purpose in God rather than in sculpted idols, bedazzled altars or in shiny trophies and accolades.
Paul communicates that the Athenians already know God. The Stoics and the Epicureans already have an understanding of God and what God is about. There’s just something missing. He believes that they know God’s presence – they just need the language to express that interaction, that journey of faith. We too are fellow travellers on the road. We too are desired by God. We too are loved by God. In all that we do and all that we are- God is not far from us. God will never distance themselves from us individually or collectively. Like the curious Athenians in the Areopagus, we also wonder how we be reconciled with God. We want to know how we can come to terms with the grace filled fact that God longs for and loves us.
Paul’s words aren’t just for Athens—they’re for anyone who has ever sensed that God might be near, but wasn’t quite sure what to do with that. In Jesus—through his life, death, and resurrection—God is no longer unknown. God has acted to reconcile, to restore, to draw us near… And that doesn’t just change what we believe—it changes how we live.
I know this isn’t the season of Lent, but I would invite you to give something up for a few days; ideally something that you’ve been worshipping for better or for worse. No, you can’t give up volunteering… but you can join another ministry team. (Kidding). Also, now this one will work if you use the alarm function on your phone or if you have an agenda. If you have an alarm on your phone you can add a title for your alarm. In that text box put “God loves me or God is close by”. I’d aim to set this alarm or put that line in your planner at the busiest time of your day or put after something you know is going to be difficult. And in that moment when you’re tempted to believe that you’re alone or that you have to conform to some ideal to be of value to others- you can be reminded that there’s no earning God’s love; it’s already been unconditionally given.
Now imagine we become a people who believe that ALL people are desired by God. That God deeply and passionately wants to be reconciled with each of His children with no exceptions…the God we once struggled to name has already come near—and is still drawing the world into reconciliation. I believe this can have a huge impact on our living. God calls to each one of us. May we have the courage to believe in the grace that God is always close at hand. Amen.
