Sunday, March 28, 2021 Palm Sunday

 Today we begin our journey through Holy Week. We will be holding a drive-in service in Ormstown today (Sunday) at 11am and next week in Howick, an Easter Sunday drive-in service, also at 11am. 

Hymn     Hosanna Loud Hosanna #123VU

Scripture Lessons:      Philippians 2:5-11

                                    Psalm 118:19-29 p.837 pts 3 & 4

                                    Mark 11:1-11

Message

Prayer:  Holy God, you come to us in Jesus, a poor man, riding on a donkey; we thank you for this witness of the power of love, despite the powers of this world. We thank you for all who have withstood evil, who have suffered the jeers and worse of the crowds, who have been tormented, even put to death, and still refused to use the weapons of hatred. We thank you for the times we have been able to let go our defences, give up control, and live with open hands and hearts. We thank you with “hosannas” and with joy in our hearts, in the name of Jesus, our leader. Amen. (from the UCC’s publication, Celebrate God’s Presence).

Hymn       My Song is Love Unknown #143VU

Best wishes again to Joyce McKell who celebrated her 100th birthday this past week. Congratulations, Joyce on a good life well-lived. 

We will be holding drive-in services this Sunday and next. This Sunday, March 28th we will be holding a Palm Sunday at St Paul’s in Ormstown at 11am. The frequency on the radio dial will be 87.7FM. 

Next Sunday there will be a drive-in Easter Sunday service at the Howick United Church on April4th at 11am. The frequency will probably be the same. All are welcome at both of the services. 

There will be blogs for both Good Friday and Easter Sunday next week as well. One way or another, we will celebrate Easter! 

There will also be a Good Friday service led by the Moderator of the United Church of Canada offered to all members across Canada. It can be found on the United Church’s YouTube channel, youTube.com/unitedchurchofcanada at 9:30am on April 2nd. If possible, you are invited to bring a glass of water, a flower, and a candle to the service. 

Sunday, March 21, 2021 Lent 5

This weekend marks the beginning of spring. I hope this will indeed be a season of new life, new light, and new hope for all people. May we continue to celebrate that hope as we prepare to mark Holy Week and celebrate Easter once again. 

Hymn   As Comes the Breath of Spring #373 VU

Scripture Lessons:      Jeremiah 31:31-34 

                                    Psalm 51:1-12 p.776-7VU

                                   John 12:20-36

Hymn     What Wondrous Love is This #147VU

Message

Prayer:  God who dwells within, God who is in good times and in bad, we turn our hearts again to you and we proclaim: nothing can come between us and your love for us, even if we are troubled or worried or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. 

     We can grow through difficult times because of this power of your love at work in our lives. For we are certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, no height or depth, nor any created thing, can come between us and your love which has been made visible in Jesus. We lean upon you and we offer you our thanks. Amen. ( a prayer by Joyce Rupp, published in May I Have This Dance.)

Hymn    My Faith Looks up to Thee  #663VU

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Gordon Brooks, who died last week. A memorial service will be held, hopefully, in the spring. 

The plans now seem to be set: we will be holding a drive-in service in Ormstown on Palm Sunday, March 28th at 11am. Please plan on driving to the church, parking in the parking lot, and listening to the service on your car radio. The Easter Sunday service will be held in Howick in the same way, at 11am. All are welcome to either or both services. There will also be an additional blog posted for Good Friday. If the numbers continue to be good here in Quebec we may be able to plan in-church services in the spring. 

There will also be a Good Friday service led by the Moderator for the whole United Church. It will be posted on the United Church YouTube channel. It can be seen at 9:30am EDT on Good Friday, April 2nd. 

If you are attending, you are invited to bring with you a glass of water, a flower, and a candle. 

While you attend the service, you can also pick up a copy of the annual report. We will have them available on the day. They are also available from Barbara or in the church on request. 

I have not heard from anyone about the offer to hold a Zoom activity (sometimes known as Messy Church) for families and children. Shanna Bernier, the regional youth and family ministries staff person would help me to lead this. If you know of people who would be interested, please let me know by phone or email. Barbara

March 14, 2021 Lent 4

 Did you pause to remember those we have lost in the pandemic on Wednesday? Hear some bells ring? Light a candle? Attend on online service? This week we mark a year of this pandemic and all of the challenges and changes it has brought to our churches and to our communities, country, and world. Thank you to all who have continued to be faithful in so many ways. 

Hymn     I’m Gonna Live So #575VU

Scripture Lessons:       Ruth 2:1-13

                                     Psalm 107:1-9 p. 831VU

                                     John 3:16-21

                                     

Hymn        Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life #681VU

Message

Prayer:  O God, as we pause to remember and reflect on the past year of the pandemic, we give thanks for your sustaining strength, power, and wisdom throughout these pandemic days. 

As we reflect on the lives of people of faith, ancient ones like Ruth, all the way to faithful people of today, we give thanks for the difference they have made and the example they give. Help us to learn from them. Help us to be inspired and encouraged by them. We pray for your Spirit to guide us in the living of faithful lives, now and in the future. 

As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, we pray that the story of Jesus, his life, his ministry, his death and resurrection, his faithfulness and his good news, will continue to inspire us to live to live lives of faithfulness and loving kindness. May we find the courage to live in his light and his way, now and always. Amen. 

Hymn      Take My Life and Let it Be#506VU

Easter is getting closer! Keep in touch so we can let you know our plans for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter. We hope to have plans made before too long. At the moment, it looks like we may hold a drive-in service at St Paul’s on Palm Sunday (March 28th) and another at Howick on Easter (April 4th). Keep in touch, we will let you know when things are confirmed. 

We have been saddened to hear of Ruth Graham Petch’s death this past week. We give thanks for her life and good works and hold her family in our thoughts and prayers. 

Please remember Joyce McKell’s 100th birthday, on March 23rd. There cannot be a party but everyone is invited to send a card to her at La Source Bleu. The address is Joyce McKell c/o La Source Bleu, 1575 Rte 201, Ormstown, QC, J0S 1K0. Let’s let her know how much she is loved and appreciated! 

The annual reports are now ready. You can get Howick’s from the church or from Evie or possibly Mac or I can get one to you. If you are looking for Ormstown’s and Franklin’s, you can give me a call or find one in the church. 

Sunday, March 7, 2021 Lent 3

 

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. What are you going to do to celebrate? 

This Friday was also the day we usually held a World Day of Prayer service. This year’s service was prepared by the Vanuatu World Day of Prayer Committee on the theme of Build a Strong Foundation. The service is available on line and I have shared some places on Facebook where it can be seen. If you wish to make a donation to this organization to support their work supporting social justice projects in Canada and around the world, you may do so online at w.Wicc.org or by mailing a cheque to The Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada, 47 Queen’s Park Crescent East, Toronto ON M5S 2C3. Or you can just drop off a donation to Evie Kerr and she will collect them and send them in. 

Hymn     In the Cross of Christ I Glory

Scripture Lessons:    Exodus 20:1-20

                                  Psalm 19 p.740VU

                                  I Corinthians :18-25

Hymn       Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross #142VU

Message

Prayer: When I survey the wondrous cross....

I am reminded of those who suffer, who suffer in body and mind and spirit, and those who suffer and sacrifice for the sake of others.

When I survey the wondrous cross....

I am reminded of the forgiveness, faithfulness, and redeeming love of God. 

When I survey the wondrous cross...

I dare to believe that God is with us in the worst of times, and shares our grief and pain with us. 

When I survey the wondrous cross....

I dare to hope that God will lift us up again, to new life, new light, and new joy. 

Help us, O God, to remember that the cross can mean so much to us, in all the times and places of our lives. Help us to follow in Christ’s way, even if it leads to the cross on the way to the empty tomb. Amen. 

Hymn       When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Last week Shirley and Tom Vandor celebrated their 50th anniversary. Congratulations to you both! 

We were sorry to hear this week that Wally Ryan has died. We hold his wife Linda Janes and his family in our hearts and prayers. There will be no service at this time, but we hope to be able to celebrate Wally’s life at a later date. 

The Confirmation Class will continue to meet. The classes begin at 1:30pm and are held on Zoom. This week participants are asked to bring a Bible to the class ( and maybe even read some of it!) 

The annual reports are now ready. Some are in the church and others can be picked up from Barbara (Ormstown and Franklin) or Evie Kerr (Howick).

Joyce McKell will be celebrating her 100th birthday on March 23rd. We won’t be able to give her a party, but we can send her a card. They can be sent to Joyce McKell c/o La Source Bleu, 1575 Route 201, Ormstown, QC, J0S 1K0. (Taken from Facebook)