Trinity-St. Andrew’s United Church
Order of Worship
Sunday, October 06, 2024 – Communion Sunday, Anniversary Sunday
Prelude
Words of welcome, announcements
Lighting the Christ Candle
We light this candle as a sign of God’s Spirit that is still at work in the world. May its light brighten our spirits, and may the light of God shine through us to brighten the world.
Introit There is a Time MV 165
- There is a time that we must rise.
There is a time that we must stand.
There is a time that we must come together.
Refrain: For blessed are our lives,
blessed our love,
and blessed the promise gathered now.
- There is a time that we must leave,
go from the place where hatreds breed
and, turning, feel the spirit breathe us together, Refrain
- There is a time we know the way,
there is a time we watch and pray,
in living faith we make our way together, Refrain
- Upon the dry a cloud will rise,
and truth will shine among the lies
and wisdom sing as we arise together, Refrain
- There is a bow within the rain
and it will come and bend again
and colours shine where we have been together. Refrain
Call To worship
From Psalm 26 we hear these words: We love the house in which God dwells and the place where God’s glory shines forth. In the midst of the congregation, we praise God’s holy name. We gather together today to remember all that God has done in the past to build us up. We celebrate what God is doing here today to mend this broken world. We proclaim God’s name to all the world! For God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Hymn Let Us Build a House (All Are Welcome) MV 1
- Let us build a house where love can dwell
and all can safely live,
a place where saints and children tell
how hearts learn to forgive.
Built of hopes and dreams and visions,
Rock of faith and vault of grace;
Here the love of Christ shall end divisions;
All are welcome, all are welcome,
All are welcome in this place.
- Let us build a house where prophets speak,
and words are strong and true,
where all God’s children dare to seek
to dream God’s reign anew.
Here the cross shall stand as witness
And as symbol of God’s grace;
Here as one we claim the faith of Jesus:
All are welcome, all are welcome,
All are welcome in this place.
- Let us build a house where love is found
In water, wine and wheat;
A banquet hall on holy ground,
Where peace and justice meet.
Here the love of God, through Jesus,
Is revealed in time and space;
As we share in Christ the feast that frees us:
All are welcome, all are welcome,
All are welcome in this place.
- Let us build a house where hands will reach
Beyond the wood and stone
To heal and strengthen, serve and teach,
And live the Word they’ve known.
Here the outcast and the stranger
Bear the image of God’s face;
Let us bring an end to fear and danger:
All are welcome, all are welcome,
All are welcome in this place.
- Let us build a house where all are named,
their songs and visions heard
and loved and treasured, taught and claimed
as words within the Word.
Built of tears and cries of laughter,
Prayers of faith and songs of grace;
Let this house proclaim from floor to rafter:
All are welcome, all are welcome,
All are welcome in this place.
Prayer of Approach
Eternal God, long ago you spoke to our ancestors by the prophets. You have spoken to us through your Son, who is our brother Jesus. May we become again like children and receive your kingdom in our midst. Today we remember all our ancestors did to respond to your call, and we celebrate their faithful witness. May we be strengthened by these memories and by your spirit, so that we too can be a faithful witness to your abiding love. Amen.
Welcome of a new member: Mary Schmieder
A New Creed
Refrain: We are not alone, We are not alone,
We are not alone, god is with us (x4) … now.
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.
Refrain
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.
Refrain
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Refrain
Gospel Reading: Mark 10:13-16
Hymn Tell Me the Stories of Jesus VU 357
- Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear,
things I would ask him to tell me if he were here:
scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
stories of Jesus, tell them to me.
- First let me hear how the children stood round his knee,
and I shall fancy his blessing resting on me;
words full of kindness, deeds full of grace,
all in the lovelight of Jesus’ face.
- Tell me, in accents of wonder, how rolled the sea
tossing the boat in a tempest on Galilee!
And how the Master, ready and kind,
Chided the billows and hushed the wind.
- Into the city I’d follow the children’s band,
waving a branch of the palm tree high in my hand;
one of his heralds, yes, I would sing
loudest hosannas! Jesus is King!
- Show me that scene in the garden of bitter pain;
and of the cross where by Saviour for me was slain.
Sad ones or bright ones, so that they be
stories of Jesus, tell them to me.
Sermon “One More Time”
Special Music
The offering
We give thanks for everyone who continues to support TSA and our many ministries. Your gifts of support and encouragement mean a lot to us. You can get more information about making a donation by contacting the church office or by visiting our website. For all the gifts you share, for all the people you bless by your serving and giving as a disciple of Jesus, we give thanks.
Offering Song Know That God is Good MV 104
Know that God is good, (3x)
God is good, God is good.
Offering Prayer
Loving gracious God, we come before you as we mark another year in the life of this church. We give you thanks for your guidance, leading us through this past year. We celebrate the many gifts of the spirit that are been shared here today, and we rejoice for the many acts of caring that are being given for the good of our community. For you are the God who opens hearts, opens minds, and opens doors to new possibilities. So on this anniversary Sunday we do not stand only looking backwards. We also look forward. We open our hearts to having you walk with us into the coming year in the life of this church. May you inspire our ministries that they may continue to bless our community. May you strengthen the bonds of fellowship as we welcome new hearts into our circle of care. Bless the givers and all the gifts that are being shared here today, so we might go forward together in a spirit of hope and joy. Amen.
Hymn All Who Hunger VU 460
- All who hunger, gather gladly;
holy manna is our bread.
Come from wilderness and wandering.
Here, in truth, we will be fed.
You that yearn for days of fullness,
all around us is our food.
Taste and see the grace eternal.
Taste and see that God is good.
- All who hunger, never strangers;
seeker, be a welcome guest.
Come from restlessness and roaming.
Here, in joy, we keep the feast.
We, that once were lost and scattered
in communion’s love have stood.
Taste and see the grace eternal.
Taste and see that God is good.
- All who hunger, sing together;
Jesus Christ is living bread.
Come from loneliness and longing.
Here, in peace, we have been led.
Blest are those who from this table
live their lives in gratitude.
Taste and see the grace eternal.
Taste and see that God is good.
Service of Holy Communion
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
Always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Lord God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
In the beginning, O God our Creator, you hovered amidst the chaos and spoke beauty into the world. At the sound of your voice, lights shimmered, land masses shifted, trees towered and flowers blossomed. You became incarnate in every living thing you created. You spoke a word that gave life to the beetles and butterflies, frogs and fish, monkeys and moose. Your song lit up a melody of life, a world teeming with life and energy sang in harmony with you. And you formed us, O God; from the dust of the stars and the dust of the earth.
Your breath of life fills us. And it is very good.
But we did not appreciate the goodness of your creation. We found what we thought were faults and tried to fix them—only to realize we had introduced brokenness into the world. We spoke our own words of destruction that threatened to drown out your voice of creation. We forgot how you were already incarnate and present in the world. And so you again entered the chaos embodied in Jesus of Nazareth. You again spoke to us and filled us with life. You again touched our bodies, and we were made whole. And though this
Your breath of life fills us. And it is a blessing to share this gift of life.
So, with those who gather around tables of peace and hope in every corner of our world, and with those who are with you in glory, we offer our praises and join the unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one
who comes in your holy name.
Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ whom your Spirit anointed to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim your salvation. Christ Jesus spoke words of peace and walked in the way of peace. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and shared meals with sinners. By his life, death, and resurrection, O God, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. This morning we join with the church universal in proclaiming the abundant life you offer to all as we gather at this table.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
As we gather at this table, may we feel your presence. As we reach out, may we grasp your grace. As we share this meal, may we be fed by your love.
The Lord’s Prayer
Sharing of the Bread and Cup
Words of Institution
This is the body of Christ, broken for us all. The bread of life is given, to feed us all. Take and eat, the gifts of God, given for you. May God bless you and feed you always. This is the blood of Christ, shed for us all. This is the cup of blessing, to heal you in body, mind and spirit. Take and drink, for God’s Spirit is given to you. May God bless us all as we share in this feast together.
Prayer after communion (unison)
We give thanks, loving God, that you have fed us at your table by sharing with us the presence of Jesus Christ. Strengthen our faith, we pray. Increase our love for one another. Send us into the world united in a spirit of courage and peace. Amen.
Hymn Joyful, Joyful we Adore You VU 232
- Joyful, joyful we adore you,
God of glory, life and love;
hearts unfold like flowers before you,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
drive the gloom of doubt away;
giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.
- All your works with joy surround you,
earth and heaven reflect your rays,
stars and angels sing around you,
centre of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
flowery meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing mountain,
sound their praise eternally.
- You are giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
wellspring of the joy of living,
ocean depth of happy rest!
Source of grace and fount of blessing,
let your light upon us shine;
teach us how to love each other,
lift us to the joy divine.
- Mortals join the mighty chorus
which the morning stars began;
God’s own love is reigning o’er us,
joining people hand in hand.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music leads us sunward
in the triumph song of life.
Benediction
We leave this table, as a people who have tasted the living bread and the gift of life. We go into the world, with a spirit of courage. Wherever you go, Set a place for all who hunger. Fill the cup of all who thirst. And as you go, May the Spirit of divine love attend you, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ uphold you, and may the great faithfulness of our God sustain you, now and forever. Go now in peace. Amen.
Choral Amen Wherever You May Go MV 216
Refrain: Wherever you may go, I will follow,
and your people shall be my people too.
Wherever you may go, I will follow,
for I would be faithful, loyal and true.
- Say the word and I will stay,
I will never go away,
we will travel side by side
and God’s love will be our guide. Refrain
- From beginning to the end
I will always be your friend,
when you need me, I’ll be there,
you can trust my faithful care. Refrain
Postlude
“One More Time” Anniversary Sunday, October 5 2024. Text: Mark 10:13-16
By Rev. James Murray at Trinity-St. Andrew’s United Church, Renfrew.
On the cover of the bulletin this morning is a photograph of a stone cairn that is on the Burnstown Road, about half way between Renfrew and Burnstown. It marks where the Canaan Church once stood. The Canaan church was the first Presbyterian church that served what is now Renfrew. They chose the name Canaan, because that was the name of the Promised Land. The plaque on the cairn says “They sought a country.” These Scottish pioneers came to Canada seeking a new beginning. They were searching for a new promised land where they could build a life. It wasn’t easy leaving their homes in Scotland to come to this untamed wilderness. They left behind centuries of tradition and culture to create a new life in this brave new world. After several decades of meeting in peoples’ barns and homes, that wooden chapel was the first visible sign that they were a community. This was the first public building in the area. It served as their meeting place and their school. It helped them to overcome the isolation that the long Canadian winter brings.
While it was Scottish Presbyterians who built the Canaan church, the congregation welcomed in many different people. They welcomed in the Irish Presbyterians of Ulster, the French Huguenots, the English Protestants, as well as the European Reformers. They were a very diverse group of people. They were like innocent babes lost in the woods, who knew they needed the support of each other if they were to thrive in this wilderness. The harshness of the Canadian climate helped nurture this spirit of co-operation in the community. For all the European and American immigrants who made the long journey up to the Ottawa Valley, they had to find a way to look beyond their differences and trust in their need for each other in order to thrive.
In time, the community grew to the point that they closed the Canaan Church, and built new churches in Renfrew and Burnstown. Our current building is the third one to stand on this site. So our church is much more than this modern building. We are a community that has been supporting one another for 200 years.
The Christian faith teaches us to build up our community by treating everyone without distinction. Saint Paul teaches us that “In Christ there is no Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.” For we are all one in Christ Jesus. In Christ the old distinctions lose their power to divide us. This does not mean that we will be all the same. The goal is not for us to become some sort of clone army. It does mean that in Christ each of us are free to share our particular gifts for the good of all.
Today we are celebrating the fact that our community is being built up and renewed because we have welcomed Mary Schmieder as our newest member of our congregation. Mary brings with her her talents, and her experience. As a result, our community is enriched and becomes something new and something more because she is now part of the Trinity- St. Andrews church family. In Christ the many become one. And when one more is added to the community, we all become something more.
The kind of community Jesus imagines is one where all are welcomed in, and where all of our gifts are shared. Jesus even dares to imagine that even the smallest child and the most vulnerable people we know all have gifts that are worth sharing. This is a radical idea we still struggle to do well even though we’ve had two thousand years of practice. We are still trying to wrap our heads around the fact that our God believes in the power of smallness. God uses the smallest of atoms to create life. God knows small things can make a big difference. God uses the simple, the small, the insignificant things of this world to reveal the Kingdom of Heaven. For the Kingdom of God is among us. As the great writer Leo Tolstoy puts it, “The kingdom of God is within you.” So even the smallest individual contains the power to make a difference.
One of the great symbols of our life together is when we share in communion. In communion, this common union, the many become one. And we are changed by what the one man, Jesus did. The table where we eat together is supposed to reflect God’s generous spirit. But as we all know, a table where we come together can also be sources of conflict. Gathering at a table can be a place where boundaries are expressed. A table can be a place of fear. Jesus addressed this by his actions. As a result, he often faces criticism about who should be welcome at the table. One time Jesus causes a real scandal that disrupts the social order when he welcomes in the woman in with the jar of oil who anoints his feet. When he wants to feed the five thousand, even the disciples wonder out loud if there is there enough to feed everyone. When Jesus does feed the five thousand people, it is a meal of thanksgiving. It is a meal that celebrates the abundance that God provides when we are willing to gather at God’s table. From the beginning of the book of Genesis all the way to the shining end of Revelation, God’s vision is an open table that will feed us all. The prophet Isaiah expressed God’s invitation to the table by saying “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” (Isaiah 55:1)
Despite our doubts and fears about the times we are living in, we dare to have hope. We dare to trust that God does provide. God provides food in the wilderness for Moses. The Hebrew slaves were heading for the promised land but they were complaining bitterly. They said “At least in Egypt we got three square meals a day.” They grumble against God so much that Moses names the place Massah and Meribah which means ‘whining and complaining”. They were hungry enough to ask “Will God feed us in this place?” So even when we doubt, whine and complain, God does provide. God gave those runaway slaves Manna from heaven. God gives us water from the rock. In Psalm 23 we are reminded that even though you have to go through the valley of death, God will lay a table for us all. So the message time and again is Yes, God will provide. God will give us the bread of life.
In the Jewish tradition, their equivalent to our anniversary service is celebrated every year around this time. Their anniversary is called Simhat Torah which translates as Bible Celebration. It’s not a catchy name but it is a great party. Simhat Torah celebrates the fact we have read from the Torah, the Bible every week for the past year. It celebrates that we have told the story of God’s providence and salvation one more time. And we celebrate that we are still here to tell the story of God’s love one more time. It may not seem like a huge accomplishment to gather and tell the story of Jesus for one more year. But it has made a difference in our lives and in the lives of our community. Even the smallest of individuals does make a difference in the world.
So today we celebrate that we have kept the faith, we have shared the story of God’s love one more time, and we are still here to tell the tale. We celebrate that we can join our hearts and lives together through communion one more time. We celebrate that the many can become one, and there is always room to welcome one more in. And we celebrate all this by breaking bread together when we gather for lunch downstairs following the service.
So for this promised land that our ancestors came in search of, we give our thanks. For this gift of salvation that Jesus has shared with us, we give our thanks. And for the gift of the Holy Spirit that inspires us to keep the faith and do it one more time, we say “Thank You” and “Amen”.
