Sunday, April 28, 2024 The Fifth Sunday of Easter

 

April 22nd is not only Earth Day, but also the beginning of Passover for our Jewish sisters and brothers. As they gather around a table to celebrate Seder, we pray for God’s blessings upon them and for peace on this earth. 

Hymn        All Creatures of our God and King #217VU

Scripture Lessons:       I John 4:7-21

                                     Psalm 22:25-31 p. 740 VU

                                     John 15:1-8

Message

Prayer:  Creating God, you have called us to be in loving relations with all the Earth, living with respect in creation, choosing love and seeking Justice at all times. 

   Instead, humankind has acted in hateful ways, exploiting natural resources, choosing power and seeking wealth in the present over future abundance. 

   We need your help to fight for a better future! 

    Help to reawaken our love for Creation, that is so magnificent that we, with all our creativity and knowledge, could never articulate it, and so passionate that we, with the personal price and communal cost, would still fight for it. 

    Help to deepen our relationships and love for each other: affirming the wisdom of youth strikers, so that we are not discouraged by empty platitudes and naysayers; and growing our community of allies, so that we can create a sustainable and faithful response to the imminent climate crisis. 

     For the sake of your majestic creation and for the love of all our relations. Help us to fight for a better future. Amen. ( a prayer written by Alydia Smith and adapted and shared by the United Church for Earth Week 2024.)

Hymn       For the Beauty of the Earth #226VU

This Sunday’s services will be in Franklin at 9:30 and in Howick at 11:00. Next Sunday we will be gathering in Ormstown at 9:30 and in Howick at 11:00. 

Many thanks to all those who stepped up and in to help out while I was away on educational leave last week. It is greatly appreciated. 

We hold in our thoughts and prayers the family and friends of Madeline Cavanaugh, who died this past week. A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, April 27th at St Malachi Church, beginning with the visitation at 10:00 and the service at 11:00. 

We also continue to hold in our thoughts and prayers the family and friends of Willard Orr, whose death took place a few weeks ago. 

Congratulations to Robert Patton and the Kahnawake United Church, who will be celebrating Robert’s ordination together with the Nakonhaka Regional Council on Saturday morning at 11:00 in the Kahnawake United Church. 

St Paul’s United Church will be planning another Craft and Activity Day for Sunday, May 12th at our 11:00 service. All young people and families are invited to come and share in the fun. 

The Executive Secretary of the United Church’s General Council, Michael Blair, will be in Montreal and making a presentation on the State of the Church: Leaning into God’s Future, on Monday, May 5th from 3:30-5:00 in St George’s Anglican Church of Stanley Street in Montreal. The presentation is free but registration is requested and can be done through the QR code on the poster on the bulletin board in the churches, or through montrealdio.ca/state-of-the-church. The Convocation celebrations for both the United Theological College and for Montreal Diocesan College will follow at 7pm in the church. 

Applications for the Hugh Duncan and IFE bursaries made available through the regional council are now available. The deadline for applying is June 2nd. Copies of the applications may be found in the churches, on the regional council’s website, nakonhaka.ucc.ca or by contacting Barbara. 

Sunday, April 14, 2024 The Third Sunday of Easter

 

Hymn.      Jesus Stand Among Us #396 VU

Scripture Lessons:     Acts 3:12-17

                                   Psalm 4 p.727VU

                                    Luke 24:36-48

Message

Prayer:  Jesus, you are risen! You are with me. Keep me ever mindful of how you are a part of my life in a deep and profound way. Surprise me with a touch of your love in places where I never thought that I would find you. Fill my heart with hope. May the gift of your presence transform every moment of mine into a sacred place where you dwell. Help me to see this gift through the eyes of Faith. Fill me with your peace. Amen. ( a prayer by Joyce Rupp, printed in May I Have This Dance)

Hymn        The Strife is O’er #159VU

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Franklin, 11:00 in Ormstown (followed by a congregational meeting called to discuss and decide on a plan to make our church more sustainable through the United Church’s Faithful Footprints program). There will also be a service in Howick at 11:00 with Debbie Beattie. 

Barbara will be away this week in Continuing Education leave. She will be back in the office Monday, April 22nd. Debbie Beattie will be leading the worship services in Howick (9:30) and Ormstown (11:00).

FYI, the results for the remit concerning an autonomous indigenous organization within the United Church of Canada, has passed across the church. 

On Monday, May 6th Michael Blair, the Executive Secretary of the General Council, will be speaking on The State of the Church: Leaning into God’s Future. This will be held at St George’s Anglican Church, on Stanley Street in Montreal from 3:30-5:00. This is a free event, but registration is requested. This may be done with the QR code on the poster or at montrealdio.ca/state-of-the-church. The convocation service for the United Theological and Montreal Diocesan Colleges will follow at St George’s Church at 7pm. 

St Paul’s UCW will be holding a closing meeting April 17th at 1pm in the front room at the Residence. All former members are welcome to attend. 

Keep in mind the Earth Day Forum to be held at CVR on Saturday, April 20th, as well as the Pulled Pork fundraising dinner being held that evening in the hall in Ormstown. Lots going on at the moment! 

The deadline for applying for the bursaries made available through the Nakonhaka Regional Council is June 2nd this year. The Hugh Duncan bursary is offered to full-time university students who are confirmed members of the United Church of Canada; the IFE bursary for college and part-time  students and there can also be help with travel expenses as well. Application forms can be found on the Nakonhaka website, or copies can be made available at the churches. 

Sunday, April 7, 2024 The Second Sunday of Easter

 Yes! It is still Easter! It is always Easter because we continue to celebrate Christ’s rising, each and every Sunday (at least). So we will continue to sing our Easter hymns and our hallelujahs. 

Hymn:       The Day of Resurrection #164VU

Prayer:  Risen Jesus, we thank you for your greeting, “Peace be with you.” The shalom of God, deep lasting peace; peace that brings inner calm; that keeps a person steady in the storm; that faces the persecutor without fear and proclaims the good news with courage and with joy. This is the peace that reconciles sister to brother, black to white, rich and poor, young and old, but not a peace that is quiet in the face of oppression and injustice. This is the peace that passes understanding. Amen. ( a prayer by John Johansen-Berg and printed in Bread of Tomorrow, edited by Janet Morley.) 

Scripture Lessons:      Acts 4:32-35

                                    Psalm 150 p. 874VU

                                    John 20:19-31

Message

Prayer: We praise you, O God, that by the life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ, you have delivered us from the power of death, making us alive to serve you. 

   Free us from pride of self that we may live in community with one another and with all your people. 

   Free us from fear of the principalities and powers of this world that we may live and speak with courage, guided by your Spirit. 

   Keep us rooted and grounded in your love, and fill us with the power of your Spirit. 

   Be glorified in our life together; through Jesus our risen Saviour. Amen. ( from the Book of Worship of the United Church of Christ) 

Hymn:        Christ the Lord is Risen Today #157 VU

 

This Sunday’s services will be held at 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. Hope to see you there! 

We want to thank everyone who has helped with the renovations in the basement of Howick United Church. Work is proceeding and we hope to complete the project soon. 

We also want to say “Thank you” to those who have supported the renovation work in Howick United Church. If you wish to make a donation, it can be done by cheque, or by e-transfer ( or, of course, with cash!)

As a result of the work being done in the basement, there will be no Pancake Lunch this Sunday. 

St Paul’s Session will meet this Wednesday, April 10th at 1pm in the hall. 

St Paul’s will also be holding a congregational meeting on Sunday, April 14th following the Sunday worship service. This is being held to decide on the application to Faithful Footprints, the United Church  program for making church buildings more sustainable. 

Hopefully, we will rise again!