Sunday, February 5, 2023 The Fifth Sunday of Epiphany

 February is Black History Month. How will we observe it this year? Read a book, take a course, attend a lecture? There are lots of possibilities out there! 

Hymn       Jesus Bids Us Shine #585

Scripture Lessons:      Isaiah 58:1-12

                                     Psalm 112 p.834VU

                                    Matthew 5:13-20

Hymn.        

Meditation 

Prayer:  Lord, you placed me in the world to be its salt. 

I was afraid of committing myself, afraid of being stained by the world. 

I did not want to hear what “they” might say. 

And my salt dissolved as if in water. 

Forgive me, Jesus. 

Lord, you placed me in the world to be its light. 

I was afraid of the shadows, afraid of the poverty. 

I did not want to know other people. 

And my light slowly faded away. 

Forgive me, Jesus. 

Lord, you placed me in the world to live in community. 

Thus you taught me to love, to share in life, to struggle for bread and for justice, your truth incarnate in my life. 

So be it, Jesus. Amen. ( a prayer by Peggy M. de Cuehlo, of Uruguay, from Your Will Be Done, Christian Conference of Asia Youth, 1984 and published in Bread of Tomorrow, edited by Janet Morley.)

Hymn.        Give Me Oil in My Lamp 

This week Howick United Church will be holding its annual meeting in combination with our worship service, beginning at 11:00. The annual reports are now ready and can be reviewed before the meeting. 

St Paul’s will be holding its service at 9:30 am. The annual meeting is planned for both Franklin and Howick to be held on Sunday, March 12th beginning at 9am and 11:00 respectively. The Official Board meeting will be held Wednesday, February 15th (snow date the 22nd) at 1:00 in MacDougall Hall in Ormstown. 

I am continuing to invite possible participants for a confirmation class offered this year, probably in the spring. I am going to ask those who might be interested to contact me by February 15th so we can make plans on how to move forward. 

We hold the families of Donald Gruer and Garth Coffin in our thoughts and prayers. Don died unexpectedly last week and a service of remembrance will be held in the summer. Garth died this week after a time of illness and the service of remembrance will be held this week in Prince Edward Island. 

And just for fun….