Sunday, March 26, 2023 The Fifth Sunday of Lent

 

Hymn.      As Comes the Breath of Spring #373

Prayer:  God, breath of life, there are moments when I feel like the dry bones filling Ezekiel’s valley. When those times come upon me, help me to trust in you, to believe in your dance of life in me. Do not allow me to lose heart or abandon hope. You can take the dry bones of my life and enliven them in a way I have never dreamed possible. Bless my dry and dusty spirit with your deep and stirring love. Renew my dreams. Fill me with enthusiasm for life. May I always look to you as my source of Life. Amen. (a prayer from Joyce Rupp’s May I Have This Dance?)

Scripture Lessons:      Ezekiel 37:1-14

                                    Psalm 130 p.853VU

                                    John 11:1-45

Hymn       Breathe on Me Breath of Life #382

Meditation

A Sprin Blessing: Blessed are you, spring, 

bright season of life awakening. You gladden our hearts with opening buds and returning leaves as you put on your robes of splendour. 

Blessed are you, spring, 

In you is a life no death can destroy. As you exchange places with winter you harbour no unforgiving spirit for broken tree limbs and frozen buds. 

Blessed are you, spring, 

You open the closed buds of our despair as you journey with us to the flowering places. 

Blessed are you, spring, 

Free gift of the earth.  Without cost we gaze upon your glory. You are a gospel of good news for the poor and rich alike. 

Blessed are you, spring, 

Your renewing rain showers and cathartic storms nurture the potential that sleeps in Earth’s heart and in our own earthen hearts. 

Blessed are you, spring, 

Season of resurrection, sacrament of promise. Like Jesus you rise up out of darkness, leaving around you a wake of new life. 

Blessed are you spring, miracle child of the four seasons. With your wand of many colours you work magic in the corners of our darkness.

Blessed are you spring, 

Season of hope and renewal. Wordless poem about all within us that can never die. Each year you amaze us with the miracle of returning life. (from The Circle of Life by Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr) 

Hymn      O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing #326

This Sunday Howick United Church will be holding a Pancake Luncheon following our 11:00 service. All welcome. A free will offering will be taken to help to defray expenses. 

The Confirmation Classes will be continuing this week, on Wednesday evening, 6:30-7:30 in the hall in Ormstown. 

Unit C of the Howick UCW is now holding a fundraising bread sale offering Grant’s bread. There are order forms available in the church or orders may be placed with the members of Unit C. The deadline for orders is April 15th and the day to pick up your orders is April 26th from 12-2pm in the church hall.

Applications for the IFE and Hugh Duncan bursaries offered through the Nakonhaka Regional Council are now being accepted. Application forms may be found on the Nakonhaka website (nakonhakaucc.ca) or request one from Barbara and she will make one available to you. 

We continue to hold in our thoughts and prayers the families who have lost members this past week. A memorial service will be held for Robert Ness on Saturday, April 8th at 1pm in Howick United Church. A visitation will be held Friday night in the Town Hall. 

The Women’s Institute is holding a public meeting concerning poverty in our communities. Speakers from Pacte du Rue and Residence-Elle will be present to speak. The meeting will be held in the Village Church Thursday, March 30th at 1pm. All welcome. 

Worship Schedule:  April 2   Palm Sunday service, Communion Sunday in Howick

               April 9   Easter Sunday Communion Sunday in Franklin

               April 16  Confirmation and Communion Sunday in Ormstown 

               April 23 

               April 30  Combined Service in St Paul’s in Ormstown 11am

Please keep in mind a Memorial Tea will be held for Marjorie (Hooker) Templeton on Sunday, April 30th 2-4 pm in the church hall in Howick. This is an opportunity to remember Marjorie’s life and to share our memories and stories of Marjorie.