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.