May 29, 2022 The Seventh Sunday of Easter

 

Hymn       Blest be the Tie that Binds #602VU

Prayer: Lord, teach us to pray. 

   Help us to come with boldness to the throne of grace. 

   Make us conscious of your presence in our midst. 

   Give us the freedom of the Holy Spirit. 

   Enlarge our vision and increase our faith. 

   And May our words and our thoughts be now acceptable in your sight, O Lord our rock and our redeemer. Amen ( a prayer by Frank Colquhoun from Contemporary Parish Prayers.)

Scripture Lessons:       Acts 16:16-34

                                     Psalm 97 p.817VU

                                     John 17:20-26

Meditation

Prayer: God of history, you share our joys and crushing sorrows, you hear the cries of the afflicted, you fill the hungry, and you set free the oppressed. We pray for an end to all injustice and violence. Inspire us with the all-embracing love of God, challenge us with the sacrificial love of Jesus, empower us with the transforming love of the Spirit, that we and all God’s children may live and be free. Amen. (a prayer from the Iona Community’s Iona Abbey Worship Book, adapted.)

Hymn      What a Friend We Have in Jesus #664

 

This Sunday May 29th there will be a single combined service for our three congregations to be held in Howick United Church at 11am. All are welcome to come and share our celebration. 

Next Sunday will be Pentecost Sunday. There will be a 9:30 service in Ormstown and in Howick it will also be Anniversary Sunday, with an 11:00 service and a light lunch to follow. There will not be a service in Howick on June 12th due to the Ormstown Fair. There will be services held in Franklin (9:30) and in Ormstown (11:00). 

The deadline is approaching for those who would like to apply for the Hugh Duncan or IFE bursaries through the Nakonhaka Regional Council. The deadline is June 3rd and is available to confirmed members of the United Church of Canada. More information and the application form are available at the region’s website (nakonhakaucc.ca), in our churches, or by contacting Barbara directly. 

Also, it is still possible to register to attend the UnitedSpiritCamp offered through the Regional Council. The camp will be held June 26- July 2nd for young people between the ages of 8-15. The camp will be held at Camp Biblique d’Action  near Richmond QC. The cost for the camp is $400. and help with this cost may be made available. The registration form is available in our churches or online at the camp’s website. 

Sunday, May 22, 2022 The Sixth Sunday of Easter

 

Hymn.     Shall We Gather at the River #710VU

Scripture Lessons:        Acts 16:9-14

                                      Psalm 67

                                       Revelation 21: 10, 21:22-22:5

Hymn      I’ve Got Peace Like a River #577

Meditation 

Prayer:  O God, we come to you in the assurance that you are present with us now. We do not have to seek your presence. We are daily living in your presence. Make us aware of it. Make it real to us. And help us in these moments of prayer to know that we are speaking to one who is near and not far off, whose love is all around us and who knows our every need. We ask it through our Saviour Jesus the Christ. Amen. (a prayer by Frank Colquhoun and published in Contemporary Parish Prayers edited by F. Colquhoun.)

Hymn           Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah #651VU

This Sunday there will be services in Franklin (9:30am) and in Howick (11:00). Next Sunday there will be a combined service for all three congregations in Howick at 11:00. 

The following Sunday will be Pentecost Sunday. There will be a 9:30 service in Ormstown and in Howick an 11:00 service. In Howick this will also be our Anniversary Sunday and the service will be followed by a light lunch of sandwiches and cake. 

There will be no service in Howick on June 12th, Fair Sunday. 

The time has come to apply for the Hugh Duncan or IFE bursaries, provided through the Nakonhaka Regional Council. The bursaries are available to members of the United Church, both college and university students. The deadline is June 3rd. Forms and more information are available on the region’s website (nakonhakaucc.ca) or you may contact Barbara for the form and more information. 

The UnitedSpirit Camp, a camp of the Nakonhaka Regional Council is inviting registrations. The camp will take place June 26th to July 2nd at the Camp D’Action Biblique for young people between the ages of 8-15. The cost is $400.00. For more information, check out the registration form on the bulletin board or contact the camp directly: campunitedspirit@gmail.com. 

Sunday, May 15, 2022, The Fifth Sunday of Easter

 

Hymn.     Come Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love #57

Prayer: O Christ, had we faith enough to move mountains, without love what would we be? 

But you love us. 

Without your Spirit who lives in our hearts, what would we be? 

But you love us. 

Taking everything upon yourself, you open for us a way towards the peace of God, who wants neither suffering nor human distress. 

Spirit of the Risen Christ, spirit of compassion, spirit of praise, your love for each one of us will never fail, and we thank you. Amen. (a prayer from the Taize community, adapted.)

Scripture Lessons:       Revelation 21:1-6

                                     Psalm 148 p.871VU

                                     John 13:31-35

Hymn.      O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go #658

Meditation 

Prayer:  God, kindle within our hearts today a flame of love for our neighbours, for our foes, for our friends, for our people, for the brave, for the cowardly, for the thoughtless ones. 

O Christ, son of Mary, in all that we love May we serve you, from the lowliest thing that lives, to the name that is highest of all. Amen ( a prayer from the Scottish Celtic tradition published in the Iona Community’s Wild Goose Worship Group’s A Wee Worship Book, 4th incarnation.)

Hymn.      Love Divine #333VU

This week’s services will be held in Howick at 9:30 and in Ormstown at 11:00. (The service in Ormstown will also be available from the parking lot on a car radio at the frequency 87.7.) Next week’s services will follow the usual pattern, 9:30 in Franklin and Howick at 11am. The following Sunday, May 29th is a fifth Sunday and a combined service will be held at 11am in Howick. All are welcome. 

June 5th will be Pentecost Sunday. There will be a 9:30 service in Ormstown and in Howick this will be Anniversary Sunday as well. The 11:00 service will be followed by a lunch of sandwiches and cake. 

It is now the time to start or to renew a subscription for Broadview, the United Church’s magazine. The cost is $25.00 for a year’s subscription. You can give the cash or send the money by e-transfer to Wilene Cullen. Please clearly identify that this is for Broadview and if it is a new subscription, please include mailing details as well. 

St Paul’s Session will be meeting Tuesday, May 17th at 7:30pm at the hall. 

St Paul’s Stewards will meet on Wednesday, May 18th at 7:30pm at the hall. 

Sunday, May 8, 2022 Good Shepherd Sunday

 This Sunday is also Christian Family Sunday and we pray for God’s blessings on all families, and on all the women of the community, who may be mothers or grandmothers, aunties,  foster mothers, or caregivers and who make God’s love live in our homes and communities. 

Hymn       Praise My Soul the God of Heaven #240

Prayer: Loving God, Father, Mother of our being, recall to my heart always your tender love and faithfulness. Like children who can look eagerly toward their mother’s kiss and their father’s embrace, may I run freely toward your open arms, yielding myself totally to the joy you hold out to me. Amen. ( a prayer from Jacqueline Syrup Bergman and S. Marie Schwan’s Taste and See.)

Scripture Lessons:      Acts 9:36-43

                                    Psalm 23 p.749 VU

                                    John 10:22-30

Hymn.       The Lord’s My Shepherd #747VU

Meditation

Prayer: We give you thanks, Gentle One who has touched our soul. You have loved us from the moment of our first waking and have held us in joy and in grief. Stay with us, we pray. Grace us with your presence and with it, the fullness of our own humanity. Help us claim our strength and need, our awesomeness and fragile beauty, that encouraged by the truth we might work to restore compassion to the human family and renew the face of the earth. Amen. (a prayer from More Than Words by Janet Schaffran and Pat Kozak)

Hymn        He Leadeth Me #657VU

For members of Howick, or those who would like to receive the Broadview magazine, the time has come! The cost is $25 for the year and can be given to Wilene Cullen or sent by e-transfer. Please identify the envelope or e transfer as for your Broadview subscription. The deadline for renewing or subscribing is May 22nd. 

Worship Schedule: May 8 Christian Family Sunday 9:30 Franklin    11:00 Ormstown

                                          11:00 Howick with Debbie Beattie

May 15.    9:30.   Howick.      11:00.     Ormstown

May 22.    9:30.    Franklin      11:00.    Howick 

May 29.    11:00.    Combined service in Howick 

June 5.      9:30.     Pentecost service in Ormstown.    

                 11:00.     Pentecost and Anniversary service in Howick, followed by sandwich lunch and cake