Sunday, June 13, 2021

 Did you remember that June 10th was the 96th anniversary of the creation of the United Church? There was a service presented on YouTube  on Thursday (you can probably still see it on the United Church’s YouTube channel if you would like.) Happy birthday to our church! 

Hymn      I Sing the Mighty Power of God #231 VU

Scripture Lessons.      II Corinthians 5:16-21

                                    Psalm 92:1-4,12-15 p.810VU

                                    Mark  4:26-35

Reflection

Prayer:  God of sorrows, God of healing: hear the voice of our grief, hear the depth of our loss. The fabric of life has been torn: our spirits are frayed and raw. We ask “why?” and hear no answer. And, thread by thread, our tears fall: the unravelling of our hearts. God of sorrows, God of healing: hear the voice of our grief. We cry out for those who are afraid, for those who are suffering from injustice, for those who are suffering from violence, for those who mourn.

God of sorrows, God of healing: hear the voice of our grief. Mend the threads of our hearts. Sow seeds of healing in our lives and in the lives of all those who suffer. Amen. (a prayer by Keri K. Wehlander from Joy is our Banquet.)

And a blessing:May God’s compassion clothe us. May God’s presence comfort us. May the colours of God’s promise be woven into our hearts and into this world. Amen. 

Hymn     We Plough the Fields and Scatter #520VU

This week we celebrate with St Paul’s United Church in Ormstown which is welcoming 6 new members from the Confirmation Class: Connor Bryson, Caleb Bryson, Jacob Bryson, Spencer Mason, Jackson Rember, and Grace Tannahill. We welcome them into our congregation and into the United Church of Canada. 

We hold in our thoughts and prayers our Muslim brothers and sisters hear in Canada who are feeling afraid and under attack. We pray for greater respect and understanding between people of different faiths and among people of good conscience. On the United Church website there are links to some of the reports on our relationships with people of other faiths, includingThat We Might Know Each Other, 2006, on our relationship with Muslims. 

Services are going to begin in our churches soon. Howick will start with a 9:30 service on June 20th with we hope, an outdoor service (bring your lawn chair and your mask). In case of rain we will move inside. Franklin will start with a 9:30 service on June 27th. Unfortunately, we will not be singing at these services as this is not yet permitted by the government. There is no pressure to join us for these services, for those who feel safer staying at home and I will continue to produce the blog for those who find it helpful.