Sunday, July 2,2023

 Happy Canada Day! 

Hymn      Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life #681VU

Scripture Lessons:  Romans 6:12- 23

                                Psalm 13 p. 734VU

                                Matthew 10:42-40

Reflection

Prayer:  Lord Christ, I know not where this journey will lead, but you do not leave me unguided: Thank you for those whose lives, by word, deed and example, have become a signpost for me. 

Lord Christ, I know not where this journey will lead, but you do not leave me in solitary joy: Thank you for those whose lives overflowed to mingle with mine in the celebration of your love. 

Lord Christ, I know not where this journey will lead, but you do not leave me uncomforted: Thank you for those who, in love and compassion, have met me in my brokenness and brought healing. 

Lord Christ, I know not where this journey will lead, but you do not leave me unsheltered: Thank you for those who, with warmth and generosity, have made their lives places of ‘home’ for me. 

Lord Christ, I know not where this journey will lead, but you do not leave me unchallenged: Thank you for those whose words and questions have stretched me and sent me out to search for you. 

Lord Christ, I know not where this journey will lead, but you do not leave me to walk alone: Thank you for those who, in the sharing of their lives, have become my companions on the way. 

Lord Christ, we know not where this journey will lead, but it is enough that you are its beginning and its end, and that you travel with us. Amen. ( a prayer by Pat Bennett printed in the Iona Community’s Barefeet and Butterflies, edited by Ruth Burgess.) 

Hymn       What a Friend We Have in Jesus #664VU

This Sunday’s services will be at 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. Next Sunday there will be services at Franklin at 9:30, 11:00 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick with Debbie Beattie. 

Congratulations and best wishes to our local students, particularly those celebrating their graduations. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Gosnell family following the death of Joan this past week. A service in celebration of her life will be held next week in Prince Edward Island. 

We have also been saddened by the news of the death of Donald Hooker this past weekend. We hold his family in our thoughts and prayers. 

Many thanks for the support of St Paul’s Strawberry Social this past Thursday. It is greatly appreciated.  

While Barbara is on holiday, there is a special combined service being planned for our cluster of churches (South Shore and the Valley). It will take place Sunday August 13th, beginning with a service in Kanewake United Church at 10:30 and concluding with a visit to the Tipi Project, including lunch. Please let Barbara know if you are planning to attend so she can let the planners know. 

Sunday, June 25, 2023 The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

 This Sunday is the first Sunday of  summer and is also being observed as the Indigenous Day of Prayer, following National Indigenous Peoples Day last Wednesday. 

Hymn      Great is Thy Faithfulness #288

Scripture Lessons:     Genesis 21:8-21

                                   Psalm 86:1-10, 16, 17 p.803VU

                                   Romans 6:1-11

                                   Matthew 10:24-39

Reflection 

Prayer:  O Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds, and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me, I come before you, one of your children. I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made, my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise, so that I may know the things you have taught my people, the lesson you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength not to be superior to my sisters and brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself. Make me ever ready to come to you, with clean hands and straight eyes, so when life fades as a fading sunset, my spirit my come to you without shame. ( a prayer by Yellow Hawk, a Sioux chief) 

Hymn.     I Need Thee Every Hour #671

This Sunday we will be celebrating Communion in both Franklin and Howick, in Franklin at 9:30 and in Howick at 11:00. This Sunday will also be an outdoor service in Howick (weather permitting), so please bring your lawn chairs if you are able. 

St Paul’s United Church will be holding its Strawberry Social again, as a Takeout, on Thursday June 29th from 5-8pm in MacDougall Hall. Cost will be $8 for adults and $5 for children 5-10. 

Volunteers will also be needed to fix the strawberries on Wednesday, June 28th from 1:00 in the hall. If you are able to help us out, please bring your own bowls, knives, and aprons if you can. Many hands make light work! 

Worship Schedule: July 2.  9:30. Ormstown.    11:00 Howick

       July 9.  9:30. Franklin. 11:00.  Ormstown.    11:00.  Howick, with D Beattie

       July 16. 9:30. Howick.  11:00. Ormstown

       July 23.  9:30. Franklin.  11:00. Howick

       July 30.  Combined service at Howick, 11:00

August Barbara will be on holidays from July 31- September 4.

There will be a combined regional service held on August 13th in the Kanewake United Church at 10:30am, followed by a visit to the Tipi Project. Please let Barbara know if you are planning to attend so she can let the planners know how many people to expect. 

Sunday, June 18, 2023 Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

 Today is Father’s Day and we wish Happy Father’s Day to all fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, etc. 

This Sunday is also being observed by some congregations as Indigenous Sunday, in preparation for National Indigenous Day on June 21st. 

Hymn       You Servants of God #342VU

Scripture Lessons:        Romans 5:1-8

                                      Psalm 116:1,2, 12-19 p.836VU

                                      Matthew 9:35-10:5

Hymn       All the Way My Saviour Leads Me #635

Reflection

Prayer:  Look at your hands, see the touch and the tenderness— God’s own for the world. 

Look at your feet, see the path and the direction— God’s own for the world. 

Look at your heart, see the fire and the love— God’s own for the world. 

Look at the cross, see God’s Son and our Saviour— God’s own for the world. 

This is God’s world and we will serve God in it. ( from the Iona Community’s Wild Goose Worship Group, A Wee Worship Book, 1989 and printed in Bread of Tomorrow edited by Janet Morley.) 

Hymn      Take My Life and Let It Be #506

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. Next Sunday will be Communion Sunday in both churches. Howick will also be holding an outdoor service (weather permitting) at the church as there are some questions about the Knox Cemetery, so bring your lawn chair, sun hat, and possibly bug spray as well. 

Many thanks to Riverfield Presbyterian Church who has donated a significant amount to Howick United Church in the disbursal of their remains funds. 

Best wishes to the members of the Lacolle United Church and the Lacolle community who are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Odelltown United Church this weekend with a concert on Friday night, a picnic on Saturday and a special service on Sunday at 11:00. 

We hold in our thoughts and prayers the many families that have lost family members this year. In particular this week we remember Irene Hamilton who died over a week ago. The public celebration of her life will be held Saturday, June 24th at the Ormstown Curling Club from 2:00-5:00pm. 

The Official Board for the Ormstown-Franklin Pastoral Charge will be meeting Tuesday, June 20th at 7:30pm in the Franklin United Church. 

There will be a presentation by Martine Myre on the preservation and restoration of antique books Wednesday, June 21st from 1:30-3:30 at the Riverfield Curling Club. All welcome to attend. 

St Paul’s will be holding its Strawberry Social as a takeout again this year. It will be held on Thursday, June 29th from5-8:00pm. The cost will be $8 for adults and 5.00 for children 5-10 years old. We will also need volunteers to help fix the strawberries on Wednesday, June 28th at 1:00 in MacDougall Hall. Please, if you can, bring your own bowls, knives, and apron. 

There will be a special service held at Kanewake United Church for our area and South Shore cluster on Sunday, August 13th at 10:30am, followed by a meal at a special gathering spot. If you are planning to attend, please let Barbara know to help the planners prepare for the meal. 

Sunday, June 11, 2023

 In Ormstown this is known as Fair Sunday, the closing day of the Ormstown Fair, where we can go to meet friends, family, and neighbours as well as admiring many animals: cows, sheep, horses, among many others. 

Hymn.      Praise to the Lord the Almighty #220

Scripture Lessons:  Genesis 12:1-9

                                Psalm 33 p.760VU

                                Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

Reflection 

Prayer:  O God, source of our love, you journey with us, offering endless compassion and enduring visions. Hear our prayers as we seek to join with you in weaving patterns of healing and hope wherever the fabric of life is torn. We pray for all whose lives are diminished by difficulty, suffering or loss we name before you now: for those in need of healing…..

       For those facing difficulty….

       For those suffering from injustice…..

       For those seeking courage…..

       For those harmed by violence……

       For those in sorrow…..

       For those we name before you now…

May strength be theirs. 

May comfort be theirs. 

May love uphold them. 

May we, in turn reveal compassion to them in our words and our ways. 

Source of our mercy: journey with us now as we seek to walk your path of blessing. Amen. ( adapted from a prayer by Kerry Wehlander’s printed in Circles of Grace.) 

Hymn.     Pass Me Not O Gentle Saviour #665

This week there is no service in Howick United Church, due to the Ormstown Fair, but there will be services in Franklin (9:30) and in Ormstown (11:00). Next week there will be services in Howick at 9:30 and Ormstown at 11:00. We are planning an outdoor service for Howick on June 25th at 11:00, weather permitting, so plan to bring your lawn chairs and your sun hats (and maybe your bug spray too).

We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Irene (Robinson) Hamilton this past week. She was a faithful member of St Paul’s United Church and its UCW. The public celebration of Irene’s life will be held on Saturday, June 24th from 2-5pm in the Ormstown Curling Club. 

Next week there will be a week of meetings:

  There will be the presentation offered by the Howick WI on Organ and Tissue Donation with Wendy Sherry Tuesday at 7pm in the Howick United Church. All welcome. 

St Paul’s Stewards will be meeting Wednesday June 14th at 7:30pm in the hall.

Howick’s Stewards will be meeting Thursday, June 15th at 7pm in the hall. 

The Official Board of the Ormstown Franklin Pastoral Charge will meet on Tuesday, June 20th at 7:30pm in the Franklin United Church. 

St Paul’s United Church in Ormstown will be holding its Strawberry Social Thursday, June 29th as a Takeout only, from 5-8pm in MacDougall Hall. Prices will be $8 for adults and $5 for children 5-10 years old. (Volunteers will also be needed to prepare the berries on Wednesday afternoon, from about 1:00 in the hall. Please bring your bowls, knives, and aprons!) 

Sunday, June 4, 2023, Trinity Sunday

 

This Sunday is known as many things. In many churches it will be celebrated as Trinity Sunday, in some it will be observed as Environment Sunday, and here in Canada some churches will be marking it as Union Sunday, celebrating the 98th anniversary of the creation of the United Church in Canada. This month is also Pride month, and many churches will be observing Pride Sunday as well. 

Hymn.      Holy, Holy, Holy #315

Prayer: God in whom we live and move and have our being: from sea to sea your people gather in prayer; from generation to generation we sing; on this anniversary we give thanks for your care, guidance, and correction. In this heritage of trust we pray for this United Church and for the faithful living on this land, our source of life, Living Word, and Bonding Love. Amen. ( adapted from a prayer by Catherine MacLean. 

Scripture Lessons:      Genesis 1:1-2:4

                                    Psalm 8 p.732VU

                                    II Corinthians 13:11-13

                                    Matthew 28:16-20

Meditation 

Prayer: You are our Maker, God. You have given us a world full of wonder and beauty. You have asked us to care for your world and to care for each other. You are our Maker, and we are glad. 

    You are our friend, Jesus. You tell us stories of seeds and of cities. You confront us with joy and with justice. You call us to life and to death and to new beginnings. You are our friend, and we are glad. 

    You are our wisdom, Holy Spirit. You strengthen us and surprise us, and you dance where you choose to. You listen to our fears and you fill us with courage. You are our wisdom, and we are glad. 

    You love us, God, you know us. You know how we hurt ourselves, how we hurt each other, how we hurt your world. We are sorry, God. We want to change. Help us and heal us. 

Listen to God’s words. I love you. I forgive you. I ask you to act justly and to love kindly. I call you to walk with me. Thank you God. Amen. (From the Iona Community’s Praying for the Dawn, edited by Ruth Burgess and Kathy Galloway.)

Hymn.      For the Beauty of the Earth #226

Next Sunday will be Fair Sunday in our communities. There will be services in Franklin United Church 9:30am) and Ormstown (11:00am) but this month there will not be a service in Howick United Church. Debbie will be back leading the service the second Sunday of the month in July. 

Have you signed your organ donor card on your driver’s license or health card? Do you have questions about this? If so, please join us in the Howick United Church for a presentation sponsored by the Howick WI on Tuesday, June 13th at 7pm. Wendy Sherry, a nurse clinician at the MUHC will be present to answer any questions you might have. All welcome. 

St Paul’s Stewards will meet on Wednesday, June 14th at 7:30pm in the hall. (Please note the change of date, as the 15th was a Thursday) 

Howick’s Board of Stewards will meet Thursday, June 15th at 7pm in the church hall. 

The Official Board of the Ormstown-Franklin Pastoral Charge will meet on Tuesday, June 20th in the Franklin United Church at 7:30pm. 

St Paul’s United Church Ormstown is planning to hold its Strawberry Social again this year, as a takeout. It will be held on Thursday, June 29th from 5-8:30pm in MacDougall Hall. 

Please keep in mind Odelltown Church’s Bicentennial celebrations which will take place at the Odelltown Church in Lacolle June 16-18 and will include a concert Friday night, a barbecue on Saturday 11-4:00 and a church service on Sunday at 11:00. More information can be found on the poster on the bulletin board. 

Our sympathy is expressed to Winnifred Sherry and her family following the death of her brother in law, Eric Moke in Cornwall this past week.