Sunday, October 13, 2024 Thanksgiving Sunday

 Our Jewish sisters and brothers continue to mark some of their most solemn holy days. Rosh Hashanah has passed and on Friday, Oct 11th at sundown until night on the 12th, it is time for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, a time for fasting and for prayer. 

We also pray for peace in the Middle East, for Israel, for Gaza, for the West Bank, and for Lebanon, for all people, families, and children. 

Hymn      Come You Thankful People Come #516 VU

Scripture Lessons:      Joel 2:21-27

                                    Psalm 126 p.850VU

                                    Mark 6:24-33

Hymn         We Plough the Fields and Scatter #520

Message 

Prayer:  L:  For the beauty and wonder of creation, we thank you God. 

For our daily food, for our homes, families, and friends, we thank you God. 

For minds to think and hearts to lose, we thank you God. 

For health, strength, and skill to work, and for leisure to rest and play, we thank you God. 

For those who are brave and courageous, patient in suffering and faithful in adversity, we thank you God. 

For all who pursue peace, justice, and truth, we thank you, God. 

For all that is gracious in lives of men and women, revealing the image of Christ, we thank you God. 

Today we give thanks for those we love and for all the saints whose lives have reflected the light of Christ, we thank you God. Amen. (from the United Church’s worship resource, Celebrate God’s Presence.)

Hymn     Now Thank We All our God #236 VU

This Sunday’s services, will be a Thanksgiving Sunday service held at 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. In Ormstown we will be collecting food for the food bank, both seasonal produce and non-perishable food items. 

We hold in our thoughts and prayers the family and friends of Jean (Robinson) McClintock, who died this week. A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, October 18th from 2-5:00 in the Dining Hall on the Fairgrounds. Please come and share your memories of Jean. 

We hold also in our thoughts and prayers the family and friends of Milton Reddick, including the members of the Georgetown Presbyterian Church, following his death this past week. 

We also hold in our thoughts and prayers the family and friends of Kelsey Watt, following the celebration of her life held on Saturday. 

Howick United Church wishes to express its thanks for the support it received for its BBQ chicken fundraiser, it was a great success. Many thanks again to those who helped make it happen, as well as those who supported it, both from the churches and from the community as well. 

Next Sunday, October 20th, in Ormstown there will be a craft activity day for children and families. It will take place in the church along side the 11:00 service. All welcome. 

Sunday, October 27th, we will once again be holding a pumpkin and pizza Sunday in Howick, with our 11:00 service. Families are invited to come and share in the beginning of the service and then to decorate a pumpkin and to prepare a mini-pizza for lunch. All are invited to stay for lunch following the end of the service. 

St Andrew’s United Church in Chateauguay (46 DuPont W, Chateauguay) will be holding its 2nd annual Music Celebration, with lots of singing on Sunday, October 27th, beginning at 7pm. The music celebration will be followed by “everything apple” desserts. A free will offering will be taken to support the local food bank. 

The funeral service for the Rev. Lois Wilson will be live-streamed on the United Church’s YouTube channel this Tuesday, October 15th at 11:00, from Metropolitan United Church in Toronto. 

Sunday, October 6, 2024 The Fifth Sunday of Creation

This week begins the Jewish high holidays, beginning with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which comes to an end today, and followed by the Yom Kippur and the Day of Atonement, some of the most solemn days of the Jewish calendar. Shanah Tovah! 

Hymn        Great God We Sing that Mighty Hand #529VU

Scripture Lessons:       Job 1:1, 2:1-13

                                     Psalm 26

                                     Hebrews 1:1-4

Message

Prayer:  Loving God, be with our family and friends today, hold them in your love. 

THROUGH OUR LIVES AND BY OUR PRAYERS YOUR KINGDOM COME. 

Be with the poor today, show them you care. 

THROUGH OUR LIVES AND BY OUR PRAYERS, YOUR KINGDOM COME. 

Be with the suffering of our world, give them peace. 

THROUGH OUR LIVES AND BY OUR PRAYERS, YOUR KINGDOM COME. 

Be with the depressed, hold out your hand to them. 

THROUGH OUR LIVES AND BY OUR PRAYERS, YOUR KINGDOM COME. 

Be with the lonely, let them know you are with them. 

THROUGH OUR LIVES, AND BY OUR PRAYERS, YOUR KINGDOM COME. 

Be with the homeless, shelter them in your arms. 

THROUGH OUR LIVES, AND BY OUR PRAYERS, YOUR KINGDOM COME. 

Be with us and stay with us, we need you, God. We need you! Amen. (from the Iona Community’s Praying for the Dawn, edited by Ruth Burgess and Kathy Galloway.) 

Hymn       In Suffering Love #614 

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. It will be Communion Sunday in both congregations. 

St Paul’s Session will meet Wednesday, October 9th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

Next Sunday, October 13th, will be Thanksgiving Sunday. In Ormstown we will be collecting food, both non-perishable food items and seasonal food items for the local food bank, La Bouffe Additionelle. Services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. 

In Ormstown there will be a craft activity day for families on October 20th, in the church, in combination with the 11:00 Sunday service. 

In Howick we will be holding a pumpkins and pizza day on Sunday, October 27th for families. Come and join in the fun, preparing individual mini-pizzas and decorating pumpkins for Halloween, beginning with the 11:00 service in Howick. 

Sunday, September 29, 2024 The Fifth Sunday Creation

Tomorrow will be National Truth and Reconciliation Day across Canada (aka “Orange Shirt Day”) so people are invited to wear, if you can, an orange shirt to church if you are coming, and/or on Monday to mark this day. 

  

Hymn.      Praise to the Lord, the Almighty #220VU

Scripture Lessons:       James 5:13-18

  

                                     Psalm 124 p.848VU

                                     Mark 9:38-50

Message

Prayer:  Today we wear orange to remember and honour all the indigenous children who went to residential schools.

   Today we wear orange and we pray for the residential school and intergenerational survivors who are still struggling. 

   Today we wear orange and we are thankful for those speak the truth, and who work to shine a light on injustice. 

    Today we wear orange in the name of compassion and the spirit of truth and reconciliation. 

     Help us, God, to remember and act on this and every day. Amen. 

In the light of the events of this past week:  O God, maker of the whole human family in heaven and on earth; stand by those who sorrow; that as they lean on your strength, they may be upheld, and believe the good news of life beyond life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

We trust that beyond absence there is a presence, 

That beyond the pain there can be healing, 

That beyond the brokenness there can be wholeness, 

That beyond the anger there can be peace, 

That beyond the silence there may be the word,…. 

That beyond silence … there may be Love. by Anonymous.

Hymn.         Tell Me the Old, Old Story

This Sunday there will be a combined service that will be held in St Paul’s in Ormstown at 11:00. We will begin at 10:30 with coffee and goodies. 

We hold Debbie Beattie and her family in our thoughts and prayers at this time. 

We also hold Debbie Templeton and family in our thoughts and prayers following the death of her mother in Ottawa. 

Once again Anne Carpentier will be ordering United Church calendars for sale. This year we are inviting you to let Anne know if you would like a calendar. They are $15.00 due to increases in the cost of the calendar and shipping. She will be making the order in a few weeks, so please let her know if you would like one (or more). 

Next Sunday will be Communion Sunday in Ormstown (9:30) and Howick (11:00). All welcome to share in this sacrament. 

This will also be the Sunday Howick will be holding its BBQ chicken fundraiser. We are taking orders for Benny &Co chicken dinners, either $20 for adults, a quarter chicken with fries and cole slaw, or a children’s order with chicken nuggets for $12.  Orders need to be received by Wednesday, October 2nd, and are required. Meals can be eaten in the church as a community meal or taken out to share family or friends. 

Sunday, October 13th will be Thanksgiving Sunday. Services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. In Ormstown we will also be collecting food for La Bouffe Additionelle, our local food bank. Both fresh and non- perishable food items would be welcomed. 

Sunday, September 22, 2024 the Fourth Sunday of Creation

 

This is the first Sunday of Autumn. We celebrate the gifts of harvest and abundance in this beautiful and blessed season. 

Hymn      Great is Thy Faithfulness #288VU

Scripture Lessons:     Proverbs 31:10-31

                                   Psalm 1 p. 724VU

                                   Mark 9:30-37

Message 

( I will admit that I recorded this on Tuesday, so the situation may change through the week. Nevertheless, the question remains, is greatness based on what we achieve for ourselves, or the difference we make for others.)

Reflection and prayer written by Lois Wilson — Veils

It’s a bit of a shock to see veiled women.  

Why can’t they be like me? 

Even the girls at the Ecumenical Centre will draw the sari across their mouths and noses in the presence of a dignitary

A sign of modesty.

I suppose it might be rather interesting to go through all of life

always peering out at other people. 

But it’s part of the culture I find hard to fathom. 

And we without veils….

What do our faces reflect? 

           Anxiety? 

              Despair?

                 Frustration? 

                    Boredom? 

                        Preoccupation? 

May my face O God reflect like a mirror your presence in my life.

May my face Christ Jesus transparently announce to all that You live in me. 

May my face Holy Spirit be shining with love and holiness. ( from Lois Wilson’s Like A Mighty River, published in 1981).

Hymn       I Love to Tell the Story #343

This Sunday’s services will be Ormstown at 9:30 and Howick at 11:00. Next Sunday we will holding a combined service in Ormstown, at 11:00, with coffee etc. beginning about 10:30. All welcome. 

For those who would like to contribute to the Faithful Footprints project at St Paul’s, donations may be made by e-transfer to: ucwormstown@gmail.com. The security question is project funds and the password is church1234. Please include your fill name and address in the message box for the tax receipt. Donations may also be made by cheque to St Paul’s United Church 19 Lambton Ormstown QC J0S 1K0, or dropped off to the Treasurer. 

Howick is trying out a different kind of fundraiser: on October 6th we are offering Benny &Co chicken dinners, (including fries and cole slaw) to be picked up either for eating in or taking out. Adult dinners will be $20 and children’s dinners (nuggets) will be $12.  Meals can be picked up at noon, following the 11:00 service. Meals must be pre-ordered. Please contact Wilene Cullen for tickets. 

Worship Schedule for October:  October 6th Communion Sunday 9:30 Ormstown    11:00 Howick

                                                       (Howick’s fundraiser will follow at noon)

        October 13 Thanksgiving Sunday.  9:30.  Howick.     11:00.    Ormstown ( Ormtown will continue its tradition of collecting food for La Bouffe Additionelle, our local food bank. Both non-perishable food and fresh items would be appreciated)

        October 20 World Food Sunday 9:30.  Howick.     11:00.    Ormstown Craft Activity Day in Ormstown

        October 27       9:30.  Ormstown.     11:00   Howick    Pizza and Pumpkin activities for Howick

Riverfield Curling Club is planning its Homecoming Celebration for Saturday October 12th, beginning with a Scottish Lunch, followed by exhibits and games for the children, then a BBQ in the evening. Tickets are available from RCC members and the RCC website, at a cost of $10. 

St Andrew’s United Church in Chateauguay will be holding its 2nd annual Music Celebration on Sunday, October 27th at 7pm featuring music from local choirs and Everything Apple Desserts. A free will offering will be taken for the Châteauguay Food Bank. 

A date and time have been chosen for Lois Wilson’s funeral, which will be live-streamed on October 15th at 11am from Metropolitan United Church in Toronto ON on YouTube for the wider church. An endowment fund in her name is also being created to support UCC program work. Contributions would be gratefully appreciated. 

Sunday, September 15, 2024 The Third Sunday of Creation

 This weekend, September 14th and 15th has been named Days for migrant workers. Let us give thanks for their hard work and pray for their safety and security. 🙏🏽

This coming week has been named the week of prayer for Peace in Israel and Gaza. Let us pray for peace for our brothers and sisters there and everywhere. 🙏🏽🌍

Hymn     Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross #142VU

Scripture Lessons:      Proverbs 1:20-33

                                    Psalm 19 p.740-1VU

                                    Mark 8:27-38

Message

Prayer:  We offer you our praise and our worship, O God, knowing we do so under the shadow of the cross, sign of human shame and divine wisdom and love. Like Jesus, we would follow faithfully in your way; like Jesus, we would live to you and die to you. We are your people; we belong to you. We offer you our worship and our lives. May your name be glorified in the lives we live; in the love we share; and by Christ’s church, through Jesus the Christ, our Saviour and our Lord. Amen. ( a prayer adapted from the United Church of Christ’s Book of Worship.)

Hymn      When I Survey the Wondrous Cross #149VU

This Sunday’s services, September 15th will be Howick 9:30 and Ormstown 11:00. Next Sunday’s services, September 22nd will be the reverse: Ormstown 9:30 and Howick at 11:00. 

I have just received the notice of the Very Rev. Lois Wilson’s death. She was the first woman Moderator of the United Church as well as a long time minister in our church, as well as a former Senator in the Canadian Parliament. Well done, good and faithful servant! 

Howick’s Stewards will meet on Tuesday, September 17th at 7pm in the church hall. 

Howick UCW (Unit C) will meet for supper Wednesday, September 18th. 

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

Sunday, September 29th will be a combined service held in St Paul’s in Ormstown at 11:00. We will begin with a fellowship time at 10:30. 

Howick United Church will be trying out a new fundraiser: on October 6th following the 11:00 service, (noon) Benny and Co’s BBQ chicken will be available for eat-in or takeout. Prices will be $20 for adults (breast or leg) and $12 for children (nuggets). If eating in, a drink and a dessert will also be provided. Pre-orders will be necessary. Tickets and sign-up sheets are now available. 

Please keep in mind these community events:  the O-HO Quilt Show Friday, September 20th and Saturday, September 21st at the Ormstown Curling Club, 10 - 4:00. Entry $5.00, which includes the tea. Proceeds will support local charities. 

Alyson Champ’s art show, Etalements, as part of the LBA’s Fall Festival, beginning Friday, 4:00 in the new dining hall on the Ormstown Fairgrounds and continuing through the weekend. 

Riverfield Curling Club’s Homecoming Celebration, Saturday, October 12th marking its 200th anniversary. This will include a Scottish Lunch, games and exhibits in the afternoon and a BBQ in the evening. Tickets are available from RCC members, or from the website, at a cost of $10. 

Sunday, September 8, 2024 The Second Sunday of Creation

 

Hymn     O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing #326 VU

Scripture Lessons:       James 2:1-10, 14-17

                                     Psalm 125 p. 849VU

                                     Mark 7:24-37

Message

Prayer: Eternal God, you are the author of life; all living beings depend on you; you care for all the earth. We pray for our neighbours whose expressions of faith are different from ours; the longings of whose hearts we do not always comprehend. Teach us to know that you love all peoples; help us to respect  what we do not yet understand; and to rejoice in the words and acts of truth, beauty, and love wherever they may be found. Enable us to love others as you love, and to live with others in ways that build your gracious rule over all of life. We ask this in the name of him who gave himself for all, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. (a prayer from With All God’s People, from the World Council of Churches.) 

Hymn       In Christ There is No East or West #606VU

This Sunday’s services are: 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. Next Sunday will be the same. The next Sunday, September 22nd, the reverse. Sunday, September 29th will be a combined service in Ormstown, 11:00, with fellowship time beginning at 10:30. 

Good news! The work on the Faithful Footprints project, making our church in Ormstown more sustainable (both environmentally and economically) will be beginning this week. The oil furnaces and tanks will be removed from both the church and the hall and replaced with electric furnaces and heat pumps. We appreciate the funding provided by the church (up to $30,000!) but will also be hoping for additional donations to cover our $60,000 project. 

St Paul’s Session meeting was delayed to the Wednesday, September 11th at 7:30 in the hall. 

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

Please keep in mind the O-HO Quilt Show taking place Friday, September 20th and Saturday September 21st from 10-4:00 in the Ormstown Curling Club. The cost to enter is $5, which includes the tea. Proceeds from this event will be used for local charities. 

Also keep in mind Alyson Champ’s show at the new Dining Hall in the Fairgrounds that will take place Friday, September 20th from 4:00. 

There will be a Flourishing Event with the Moderator, the Rt Rev. Carmen Lansdowne held Saturday, September 21st from 9:30-4:30 at Cedar Park United Church in Pointe Claire. If you are interested in attending, please let Barbara know and she will send you the link or help you to register. 

Riverfield Curling Club will be holding its Homecoming Celebration on Saturday, October 12th. This will include a Scottish Lunch, exhibits and games for kids and families in the afternoon, and a BBQ later in the day. Tickets for the lunch will cost $10 and are available from RCC members, from the website, or by calling 450-825-2577. 

Barbara will be printing a newsletter before the end of the month. If you have news to share, please let her know. 

Sunday, September 1, 2024 Labour Day Sunday

 This Sunday is also be known as Creation Sunday, beginning the Season of Creation that finishes on Thanksgiving Sunday. Let us give thanks for God’s wonderful world!

Hymn.      All Creatures of our God and King #217VU

Scripture Lessons:       Song of Songs 2:8-13

                                     Psalm 45:1,2, 6-9 p.769VU

                                     James 1:17-27

Message

Prayer:  Praise and thanks to you, O God, for all you have done for us. 

   We thank you for the splendour of the whole creation, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love. 

   We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for loving care which surrounds us on every side. 

   We thank you for the delight we find in finishing well our daily tasks, and for helping us find comfort in you, even in failure or distress. 

    Above all, we thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ; for the truth of his word and the example of his life;  for his faithfulness, his dying, his rising to life again, by which we, too, are raised to life anew. 

   Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know Christ, and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, May give thanks to you in all things. Amen. (from Voices United, additional prayers, p.930VU)

Hymn      For the Beauty of the Earth 226VU

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. 

St Paul’s Session will meet Wednesday, September 4th in the hall at 7:30pm. 

Good news! The work on the heating systems in Ormstown in both the church and the hall will be done this month. This is made possible in part through the United Church’s Faithful Footprints program. If you wish to donate to support this work to lower the church’s carbon footprint and make the church more sustainable, contributions may be made by cheque or cash to the Treasurer. We are also hoping to organize an e-transfer option as well. 

The memorial service for Bob Buttars will be held Friday, September 13th at 2pm in Howick United Church. The service will be preceded by a visitation at 1:00 in the church and it will be followed by a reception at the Town Hall. We continue to hold Norma and his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers. 

Please keep in mind the OHO Quilt Show that will take place Friday, September 20th and Saturday, September 21st at the Ormstown Curling Club from 10-4:00. Cost to enter will be $5.00. 

Also Alyson Champ’s art show Etalements to be held at the LBA Fairgrounds’ Dining Hall September 20-22. 

The Moderator’s Flourishing Event will be held in our region on Saturday, September 21st, from 9:30-4:30 at Cedar Park United Church in Pointe Claire. Please contact Barbara if you are interested in attending, and she will send you the link or help you to register. 

The Riverfield Curling Club will be kicking off their 200th anniversary season on Saturday, October 12th with a Scottish lunch, cost $10, afternoon activities, and an evening BBQ, also $10. Tickets can be purchased on the RCC website, from members, or at 450-825-2577.

Worship Schedule: September 1        9:30    Ormstown      11:00    Howick

                               September 8.       9:30.   Howick.          11:00.   Ormstown

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

                               September 22.     9:30.    Ormstown.     11:00.   Howick

                               September 29.     Combined service in Ormstown 11:00, fellowship time beginning at 10:30 in the church. 

Sunday, August 25, 2024 The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

 Best wishes to teachers and to students who are preparing to go back to school shortly. 

Hymn      Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah #651VU

Scripture Lessons:      I Kings 8:22-30

                                    Psalm 84 p.800VU

                                    John 6:60-69

Message 

Prayer:  Each day, O God, we receive so much that is good:  a rainbow of colours, a symphony of sounds, a banquet of flavours, a bouquet of aromas. 

   As the seasons turn, we receive again: the crunch of amber leaves underfoot, the fragrance of cut grass in the sun, the warmth of soup when snow is falling, the first crocus to appear from the cold ground. 

   As moments come, as moments go, we receive even more: the song of a sparrow to lift our hearts, the smile of a friend to set things right, the grace of a deer to fill us with wonder, the laughter and love shared around a table. 

   For all we have received, O God, we say with you, “It is very good,” and we give you grateful hearts in return. Amen. ( a prayer written by Keri Wehlander’s and published in Circles of Grace)

Hymn      Blest be the Tie that Binds #602VU

This Sunday there will be a 9:30 service in Ormstown and an 11:00 service in Howick. The service in Howick will be a special music service with guest musician Bruce Barr accompanied by Emily, followed by a lunch that will be provided. Some desserts to finish the lunch would be appreciated. A free will offering will be taken to cover costs. 

We hold Norma Buttars in our thoughts and prayers, following the death of her husband Bob on Friday. 

St Paul’s Stewards will meet Wednesday, August 28th at 7:30 at the hall. 

For those who wish to know, Donald Sutherland’s visitation and memorial service will be held in London, through the Logan Funeral Home, next Friday, August 30th (visitation) and Saturday, August 31st. We continue to hold his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers. 

There will be a Flourishing event held in our Regional Council with the Moderator on Saturday, September 21st, from 9:30-4:30 in Cedar Park United Church in Pointe Claire. If you wish to attend, please let Barbara know and she will provide the registration link or info. 

Worship Schedule for September:     

September 1       9:30     Ormstown          11:00.      Howick

September 8.      9:30.     Howick.            11:00.      Ormstown

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

September 22     9:30     Ormstown.         11:00.      Howick

September 29.    9:30.    Combined service in Ormstown, 11:00 fellowship time 10:30

Sunday, August 18, 2024 The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

 

Hymn     Immortal, Invisible #264VU

Scripture Lessons:       I Kings 3:3-15

                                     Psalm 111 p.833VU

                                     John 6:51-58

Message

Prayer:  O God of a thousand names and faces, Mother and Father of all life on earth, you who live in the cells of all life, 

Teach us to know and love you. 

Lady of peace, of love, of wisdom, Lord of all the stars and planets, best consoled, inward guest. 

Teach us to know and love you. 

Giver of gifts and light of our hearts, fill the inmost depths of our hearts. 

Teach us to know and love you. 

Wash what is soiled, heal what is wounded, bend what is rigid, warm what is frigid.

And teach us to know and love you. 

Restore to us our humanness, 

And teach us to know and love you. (a prayer by Sharon Owens, printed in No Longer Strangers)

Hymn      God of Grace and God of Glory #686VU

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown, where we will celebrating the sacrament of baptism. 

We hold in our thoughts and prayers, Jean Niles, who lost her brother last week. 

I have also heard (through the family grapevine) of the death of Donald Sutherland this week. We hold his family in our thoughts and prayers as well. 

We also hold the congregation of Kamloops United Church, whose building was damaged by fire. P

Next Sunday August 25th, in Howick (11:00) we are planning a  music Sunday with a singalong and extra music. Please join us if you can. 

Riverfield Curling Club is planning a Homecoming Event to kickoff their 200th anniversary celebrations on Saturday,October 12th, which includes a Scottish luncheon, an afternoon of exhibits, games for children, and an evening BBQ. Tickets for the meals cost $10 and are available from the RCC website, from members, or at 450-825-2577.

There will be  “Flourishing” event held in our regional council this fall. This is an event with our Moderator, the Rt Rev. Carmen Lansdowne, on Saturday September 21st from 9-4:30pm at Cedar Park United Church in Pointe Claire. This event will invite us to consider bold choices and daring connections and will also offer workshops for congregations. Please let Barbara know if you might be interested in attending and she will provide the link for registering. 

Sunday, August 11, 2024 The Twelth Sunday of Pentecost

 

Hymn      When Morning Gilds the Skies #339

Scripture Lessons:      Ephesians 4:25-5:2

                                    Psalm 130 p.853VU

                                    John 6:35, 41-51

Message 

Prayer:  God of the darkness, we are afraid. There are dangers and memories that hurt us and harm us. We are scared of the dark. 

   God of the night, we are restless. There are snares and distractions that lure us and trap us. We are wary of the night. 

   God of the shadows, we are uncertain. There are questions and risks in believing your promise. We are uneasy in the shadows. 

   Come, God of the night, come in the sun that is rising, shine in the darkness and scatter the shadows. Come warm us with love and with light. 

Hymn        New Every Morning #405

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 Howick and 11:00 Ormstown. Next Sunday’s worship times will be the same. 

This Sunday (August 11th) the annual music service will be held at Beechridge at 1:30. All welcome to share in this service. 

An event is planned with the United Church’s current Moderator, the Rt. Rev. Carmen Lansdowne, at Cedar Park United Church for our Regional Council. It is known as “Flourishing.” It will be held Saturday, September 21st, 9:00-4:30. The event is free, but registration is requested. Please let Barbara know if you would be interested in attending. 

Sunday, August 4, 2024

 Not only was August 1st Lammas Day, it was also Emancipation Day, when enslavement of people of African Descent was no longer allowed in Upper and Lower Canada and across the British Empire, since 1834. Something to celebrate and remember! 

Hymn      Come Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love #574VU

Scripture Lessons: II Samuel 11:26-12:13a

                               Psalm 51:1-12 p.776VU

                               John 6:24-35

Hymn      Break Thou the Bread of Life #502VU

Message

Prayer:  Gracious God, from whom comes all that is good, we praise you for your mercies:  for your goodness that creates us, your grace that sustains us, your power that strengthens us, your patience that bears with us, and your love that has redeemed us. 

      Help us to love you, and to be thankful for all your gifts by serving you and delighting to do your will and walking in your way; through Christ, our guide and companion. Amen. (a prayer from VU services for trial use 1996-7 from the United Church) 

Hymn       All the Way My Saviour Leads Me #635VU

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. (Please note that following the closing of the Franklin congregation, both of our congregations will have 4 services a month, 2 at 9:30 and 2 at 11:00.) 

We hold our family, friends, and neighbours who have lost loved ones in our thoughts and prayers over the past month, including Patsy and Destiny Chisholm, along with the family and friends of Brenda Steele and Shirley Stark. We also pray for the United Church congregation of Jasper AB, whose building was lost in the wildfires last month. 

Sunday, June 30, 2024 The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

 This Sunday is our final Sunday for the blog until August. I will be taking vacation time and I hope you will be enjoying some rest and recreation as well. This Sunday is also the day for our final service in Franklin United Church. Please join us if you can, at 11am. 

Hymn       O Day of Rest and Gladness

Scripture Lessons:        Mark 1:35-39

                                      Psalm 130 (p.853VU)

                                      Mark 2:23-3:6

Message 

Prayer: Generous and loving God, we thank you for your blessings without number. We bless you for the beauty of creation: for day and night, for summer and winter; for sun and rain, for seed-time and harvest; for your bounty supplying all our needs. 

    We bless you for protecting us in our weakness, and renewing our strength of spirit; for guiding us as we resist evil, and calling us to your truth, and to your service. 

   We praise you for sending Jesus to be among us: for his life on earth, his sufferings and death, for his resurrection to new life, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

    Grant, O God, that our hearts may grow in thankfulness for these and all your gifts of grace, so that as the people of new life, we may proclaim your praise; in Jesus’ name. Amen. (from Voices United, Daily Prayer for morning.) 

Hymn      I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say #626

This week we will be holding a single combined service for our three congregations, which will be held in Franklin United Church at 11am. There will be a lunch offered after the service. This will be Franklin’s final worship service. Please join us if you can. 

Congratulations to all the graduates! Well done! 👨‍🎓👩🏻‍🎓

Thanks for the support for St Paul’s Strawberry Shortcake Takeout, which was held on Thursday. You support is greatly appreciated. 

Following this Sunday’s service, Barbara will start her vacation. She will be back in the office no later than August 1st. We will back to worship (and the blog will appear again) on August 4th. The worship schedule will be 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick that Sunday. 

Happy birthday to Bill Templeton who is celebrating his 90th birthday this Saturday, June 29th at his home in Ormstown. Drop in between 1-4:00 and wish him a happy birthday yourself. 

The Executive Minister of our Regional Council, Eric Hebert-Daly, is on a sabbatical, doing the Camino, and he has let us know that he will be praying for our congregations on July 14th. 

Sunday, June 23, 2024

 This is the first Sunday of summer! Let us celebrate! Also, June 21st was National Indigenous Day, which we can remember as we celebrate summer as well, remembering the lessons about this land and how to live on it and in it that they have shared with us. Megwich! 

Hymn          Praise to the Lord the Almighty #220

Scripture Lessons:       I Samuel 17:32-49

                                     Psalm 107:1-9, 23-32 p.831-2, pts 1, 3VU

                                    Mark 4:35-41

Hymn      Tell Me the Stories of Jesus #357

Message

Prayer:  As the green ripens, 

As the flowers blossom, 

As the gardens bear their first abundance, 

As the season turns, 

Warmth and light awaiting us still, 

But soon, so soon the days shortening, 

The nights lengthening—

Let us savour the radiance of each new Dawn, 

And the long unfolding of sunset over waters we so love. 

May our love for this earth deepen and unfold and expand so that we are a blessing to the ground we walk and the air we breathe, and the life hidden in the depths of the waters. 

And as we emerge slowly from these many months careful and apart, 

Still measuring the risk of each step, 

May we make way for bright new beginnings - yet unknown- 

Within us, 

Within our land, 

within our world.

May there be light within our hearts, 

The fierce Light of the noonday sun, 

The tender light of the evening dusk

And the night sky,

The hidden Light within the cloud of unknowing.

A blessed Light, a holy Light, 

For you and me and all the beloved world. 

Blessed be! (written by Jane Doull, printed in Let Us Pray, vol. 4, and shared by Janice MacLean in the Prayer Bench.) 

Hymn        Will Your Anchor Hold #675VU 

This Sunday there will be services in Franklin (9:30) and in Howick (11:00). It will be Communion Sunday in both churches. In Franklin, it will be a traditional Sunday service with Communion. In Howick we will be holding an Outdoor service at the church(weather permitting). After the service there will be a lunch provided and from 1-3:00 there will be an Open House, as we invite the community to come in and see the renovations we have been able to complete, with the help of the Community and the Faithful Footprints program of the United Church. 

St Paul’s United Church will be holding its Strawberry Shortcake Takeout on Thursday, June 27th from 5-7:00 in MacDougall Hall. Prices will be $10 for adults and $6 for children. 

The Bee to prepare the berries will be Wednesday, afternoon in the hall. If you can, you can bring your bowl(s) knife, and apron. All volunteers welcome! 

There will be a celebration for Bill Templeton’s 90th birthday on Saturday, June 29th from 1-4:00 in his home on Prince Arthur in Ormstown. Please drop by to wish him a happy birthday. 

The final service for Franklin United Church will be held Sunday, June 30th at 11:00. The community is invited to come and share in the celebration of this church’s ministry over many years. A lunch will be offered after the service, when we can share our memories and stories. 

Barbara will be having her vacation during the month of July. There will be no services held or blogs posted for the month. If you need help during the month, you are invited to contact one of the elders of your congregation. 

Sunday, June 16, 2024 Father’s Day

 

Today is also being observed as an Indigenous Day of Prayer in many United Churches. 

Hymn.       Great is Thy Faithfulness #288

Prayer:  Spirit of the living God, be the gardener of my soul. For so long I have been waiting, silent and still— experiencing a winter of the soul. But now, in the strong name of Jesus Christ. I dare to ask: 

Clear away the dead growth of the past, 

Break up the hard clods of custom and routine, 

Stir in the rich compost of vision and challenge, 

Bury deep in my soul the implanted Word, 

Cultivate and water and tend my heart, 

Until new life buds and opens and flowers. Amen. (by Richard J. Foster, collected in Richard J. Foster’s Prayers from the Heart) 

Scripture Lessons:      II Corinthians 5:6-10, 14-17

                                    Psalm 20 p, 742VU

                                    Mark 4:26-34

Message

Prayer: Sower of Seeds, you have planted in our hearts the potential for many gifts of your love to grow and develop within us: charity, authenticity, mercy, honesty, humility, forgiveness, loyalty, patience, understanding, courage, kindness, faith, respect, and other qualities reflective of your goodness dwell within us. We give thanks for these seeds you plant within us and pray that they will continue to bear fruit in our lives. We rejoice in the diversity and richness of all we receive and can share and we offer you our thanks, now and always. Amen. (adapted from a prayer written by Joyce Rupp and printed in Prayer Seeds)

Hymn.       Faith of our Fathers #580

This week Sunday services will be held in Howick at 9:30 and in Ormstown at 11:00. We give thanks and pray for fathers, here and everywhere. 

This week, June 20th will be Refugee Day. Let us consider the joy we can give and the gifts we can receive when we welcome people seeking a safe and a just place to call home. 

We celebrate and give thanks for the ministry of the Rev. Dr Phyllis Smythe who is celebrating the 60th anniversary of her ordination this afternoon with a gathering and special service at Westmount Park United Church beginning at 4pm. 

Next Sunday there will be Communion Sunday in Franklin at 9:30, a traditional service, and in Howick at 11:00 as part of our annual Outdoor service which will (hopefully) take place in the church parking lot. This will be followed by a lunch, which will take place before the Open House we will hold from 1:-3:00, which will enable community members to see the renovations that have been completed. 

St Paul’s will once again be holding its Strawberry Takeout Thursday, June 27th from 5-7pm at MacDougall Hall. (Please note new hours.) Prices will be $10 for adults and $6 for children. We will be holding a Bee to prepare the berries on Wednesday, June 26th, in the hall, in the afternoon. If you can, please bring your own bowl, paring knife and an apron. Many hands make light work! 

Bill Templeton will be celebrating his 90th birthday on Saturday, June 29th. You are invited to drop in and wish him a happy birthday between 1 and 4:00 at his home at 25 Prince Arthur in Ormstown. Best wishes, Bill! 

Sunday, June 30th will be the final service to be held in Franklin United Church at 11am. This will include members of the Franklin Ensemble as well as Kent Sutton. The service will be followed by a lunch. All welcome to share in this special service. 

Sunday, June 9, 2024 The Third Sunday after Pentecost

 Not only is June Pride month, it is also Indigenous History Month as well. We give thanks for the generosity of the indigenous peoples who share knowledge of this land with us and seek reconciliation so we can live together with respect and justice. 

Hymn.      There is Sunshine in My Soul 

Scripture Lessons:       II Corinthians 4:13-5:1

                                      Psalm 138 p.860VU

                                     Mark 3:20-35

Hymn        Be Still My Soul #652VU

Message

Prayer: God in whom we live and move and have our being: from sea to sea to sea we share in prayer; on this anniversary we give thanks for your care, your guidance, and correction. In this heritage of trust we pray for this United Church and for faithful living on this land, our Source of Life, Living Word, and Bonding Love. Amen. (a prayer written by Catherine MacLean for Union Sunday) 

I am leaning on the heart of God.

I am resting there in silence. 

All the turmoil that exhausts me

Is brought to bear on this great love. 

No resistance or complaint is heard

As I lean upon God’s welcome. 

There is gladness for my coming. 

There is comfort for my pain. 

I lean, and lean, and lean

Upon this heart that hurts with me.

Strength lifts the weight of my distress. 

Courage wraps around my troubles. 

No miracle of instant recovery. 

No taking away of life’s burdens. 

Yet, there is solace for my soul, 

And refuge for my exiled tears. 

It is enough for me to know

The heart of God is with me, 

Full of mercy and compassion, 

Tending to the wounds I bear. ( Joyce Rupp from Out of the Ordinary) 

Hymn.      Take Time to be Holy #672VU

This Sunday there is no service in Howick, but there will be services in Franklin (9:30) and Ormstown (11:00). 

This Wednesday, June 12th St Paul’s Stewards will meet in the hall at 7:30pm. 

There will be no Official Board meeting this year for the Ormstown-Franklin Pastoral Charge, due to the closing of the Franklin congregation. 

Sunday, June 23rd will be Communion Sunday in our congregations. Franklin will be celebrating a traditional communion service. Howick will be (hopefully) holding its annual outdoor service, on the church property, with Communion. This will be followed by a lunch for attendees then the public Open House for the community to see the renovations that have been completed with the help of the United Church’s Faithful Footprints program. 

Also, St Paul’s in Ormstown has now been approved for the Faithful Footprints program as well. 

Please keep in mind the Strawberry Takeout that St Paul’s will be holding Thursday, June 27th from 5-7pm in the hall. The costs will be $10 for adults and $6 for children. 

The Bee to prepare the strawberries will be Wednesday, June 26th. Officially this will begin at 1:00, but the strawberries are expected at about 11:00, so come when you can! Please bring your own bowls, knives, and apron, if you can. 

There will be a celebration for Bill Templeton’s 90th birthday on June 29th from 1-4pm at his home at 25 Prince Arthur St. Please drop by for a few minutes or longer to wish him a happy birthday. 

Franklin United Church will be holding its final service Sunday, June 30th at 11:00 and will be followed by a lunch. Please join us to help us celebrate the legacy of faithfulness of this congregation. 

Sunday, June 2, 2024 Anniversary Sunday

Hymn.      The Church’s One Foundation #331VU

Scripture Lessons:       I Samuel 3:1-10

                                     Psalm 139:1-18

                                     II Corinthians 4:5-12

Message

Prayer: O Christ, you are within each of us. It is not just the interior of the church’s walls:  it is our own inner being you have renewed. We are your temple not made with hands. We are your body. If every wall should crumble, and every church decay, we are your habitation. Nearer are you than breathing, closer than hands and feet. Ours are the eyes with which you, in the mystery, look out with compassion on the world. Yet we bless you for this place, for your directing of us, your redeeming of us, and your indwelling. Take us outside, O Christ, outside holiness, out to where soldiers curse and nations clash ( where families and children weep) at the cross roads of the world. So shall this building continue to be justified. We ask it for your own name’s sake. Amen. ( a prayer, adapted, from one from the Iona Community printed in the Iona Abbey worship book.)  

Hymn.       How Firm a Foundation #660VU

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. In Howick, we will be holding our anniversary Sunday service, followed by a waffle and sausage lunch. We will also be saying “thank you” to Debbie Beattie and Sally Kyle for their worship leadership to our congregation.

We extend our sympathy and support to the family and friends of Bill Blair of Franklin, who died this past week. 

This Sunday, June 2nd is the deadline for applying for the Regional Council bursaries. Forms are available in the churches or on the regional council website, nakonhaka.ucc.ca. 

Next Sunday June 9th there will not be a Sunday service in Howick as it is Fair Sunday. There will be services in Franklin (9:30) and Ormstown (11:00). 

St Paul’s Session will be meeting this week, Wednesday, June 5th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

The United Church will be holding a pre-Centennial celebration as we begin our 100th year. The celebration will be held on Sunday, June 9th at 4pm in the Metropolitan United Church in Toronto. It will also be live-streamed on YouTube for the whole church. 

There will be an Outdoor service in Howick with Communion on Sunday, June 23rd at 11:00 to be held on the church grounds. This will be followed by a lunch for attendees. From 1:00-3:00 there will be an Open House for community members to view the renovations that have been completed. 

Please keep the Strawberry Takeout in Mind! St Paul’s will be holding it Thursday, June 27th from 5-7:00 (new hours!) in MacDougall Hall. There will be a Bee on Wednesday the 26th at 1:00 in the hall to fix the strawberries. If you can come and help, please bring your own bowl, knife, and apron. Your help would be greatly appreciated. 

On Sunday, June 30th Franklin United Church will be holding its final service at 11am. This will be a celebration of the many years of ministry that the Franklin United Church has offered its community. All are welcome to share in this service, as well as the lunch that will follow the service. 

June is Pride Month in Canada. Many events are being planned and the Moderator has prepared a message which can be found on the United Church’s website, its YouTube channel or on Facebook. 

Sunday, May 26, 2024 Trinity Sunday

 

Hymn.       Holy, Holy, Holy #315VU

Prayer:  O God our Maker, God beyond us, we adore you. You are the depth of all that is. You are the ground of our being. 

God the Redeemer, God beside us, we adore you. You are the perfection of humanity. You have shown us what human life can be. 

God the Spirit, God around us, we adore you. You are the power within us. You can make us the people we are meant to be. God our Maker Redeemer and Sustainer, God beyond, beside and around us, we adore you. Amen. (adapted from a prayer of approach from the UCC service book.)

Scripture Lessons:      Isaiah 6:1-8

                                    Psalm 29 p.756VU

                                    John 3:1-17

Hymn       God Reveal Your Presence #391VU

Message

An Affirmation:  We believe in a loving God, whose Word sustains our lives. GOD IS LIFE. 

We believe in God’s Son amongst us, sowing the seed of life’s renewal. He lived with the poor to show the meaning of love. JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. 

We believe in the Holy Spirit of Life, making us one with God, renewing our strength with Her own. THE SPIRIT IS LOVE. ( written by John Harvey and printed in the Iona Community’s Fire and Bread)

Hymn.       Spirit of God, Descend upon my Heart #378

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Franklin and 11:00 in Howick. Members of the Joint Board in Franklin are asked to meet at 9am, prior to the service to review and discuss plans for the closing service of the church. 

Many thanks to all who have helped out and supported the renovations in Howick United Church, undertaken in partnership with the Faithful Footprints program of the United Church. 

We hold in our thoughts and prayers the family of Margaret (Bryson) Littler who died this past week. 

The deadline for applying for  the Hugh Duncan and IFE bursaries from the Nakonhaka Regional Council is now approaching. The deadline is June 2nd. Application forms are available from our churches, from Barbara, and from the regional council website, nakonhaka.ucc.ca. 

There will be a pre-anniversary worship held in Metropolitan United Church will be held on Sunday, June 9th at 4pm. This service will also be live-streamed on the United Church YouTube channel. 

Next Sunday, June 2nd will be the anniversary service for Howick. We will hold our anniversary service, followed by a waffle and sausage L/Brunch. This will also be our opportunity to say our thank yous to Debbie Beattie and Sally Kyle for their leadership in our worship services over the years. 

St Paul’s Session will meet on Wednesday, June 5th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

There will be no Sunday service in Howick on June 9th, as it is Fair Sunday. 

On Sunday, June 23rd Howick United Church will hold an outdoor service (if the weather cooperates). This will also be a Communion service followed by lunch. There will also be an Open House held in the afternoon from 1-3:00 for those who would like to see the completed renovations in the church.

Sunday, June 30th will be a combined service for our 3 congregations. It will also be the closing service for the Franklin United Church. All are welcome to come and share in this celebration of their ministry.