Sunday, February 16, 2025 The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

 Hope that your Valentine’s was a good day! Now we continue to celebrate God’s love revealed to us each and every day! 

Hymn.       Unto the Hills         842VU

Scripture Lessons:        Jeremiah 17: 5-10

                                      Psalm 1 p.724VU

                                      Luke 6:17-26

Message

Prayer:  Rock and Refuge, Stronghold of Souls, Unshakeable One,

 infuse your strength into the places where I feel the greatest weakness. 

Permeate the parts of my life that continually challenge my patience. 

Increase an ability to accept those who seem to be most unacceptable. 

Lessen any tendency in my spirit that gives way to a loss of hope. 

Reinforce an awareness of the daily manifestations of your presence. 

Boost my spirit when I think I can not manage what is mine to be and do. 

Provider of Purpose, Firm Foundation, Enduring Love, 

Support my determination to give the best of my self to others. 

Fortify the forgiveness you have placed and nurtured in my heart. 

Sustain a solid belief that I can get through what appears to be insurmountable. 

Bolster my efforts to be a person who reaches out to those who suffer. 

Foster greater trust in you when worries and anxieties attempt to prevail. 

Impart the courage I need to change what appears to be unchangeable. 

In you I find sufficient strength, abounding love, and secure security. Amen. 

(A prayer for Strength from Joyce Rupp’s Prayer Seeds) 

Hymn.       Blest be the Tie that Binds.      602VU

This Sunday’s services are planned for 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. (Considering the weather forecast for Sunday, please keep in touch. We will see what God has in mind for us!)

Good news! The annual reports have been printed and are available for review. 

An official Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 19th at 1pm in the hall in Ormstown. 

St Paul’s Stewards will meet on Wednesday, February 19th at 7:30pm in the hall in Ormstown. 

Howick United Church’s annual meeting will be held on Sunday, March 2nd at 11:00, in combination with the worship service. 

St Paul’s United Church’s annual meeting will be held on Sunday, March 9th at 11:00 in combination with the worship service. 

If there are those who would be interested in receiving a printed copy of the United Church’s Lenten Study, Something Sacred, please let Barbara know soon so she can order them from UCRD. If you wish to have the study in ebook form, please check out ucrd.ca. 

The United Church has issued an urgent appeal for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Donations may be made to the Global Emergency Response Fund, supporting the Eglise du Christ au Congo support the 400,000 people displaced by this crisis. 

Sunday, February 9, 2025 The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

 We continue to observe Black History Month, remembering and celebrating the contributions of people of colour to our society and communities.

Hymn          Jesus Stand Among Us #396

Scripture Lessons:        Isaiah 6:1-8

                                      Psalm 138 p.860VU

                                      I Corinthians 15:1-11

Message 

Prayer:  O God, as we reflect on the meaning of hope and resurrection in the midst of winter, we give thanks for the message of our faith and the witnesses who share that hope with us. 

   We pray in hope for peace in the midst of fear; for healing in times of pain; for comfort in times of sorrow and grief. We pray for renewal and transformation for ourselves and our world. We watch and wait and hope for signs of new life, now and always. Amen. 

Hymn.       Christ the Lord is Risen Today #157VU

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

The Session of St Paul’s United Church will meet Wednesday, February 12th at 1:00 in the hall. 

The Official Board for the Ormstown-Franklin Pastoral Charge will meet on Wednesday, February 19th in the hall at 1:00. 

The annual meeting for the Howick United Church will be held on Sunday, March 2nd beginning at 11:00, in combination with the worship service. 

The annual meeting for St Paul’s United Church, Ormstown will be held Sunday, March 9th at 11:00 in the hall, in combination with the worship service. 

The season of Lent is approaching. There are a number of Lenten studies available both in print and online. The United Church prepares a Lenten study each year, both in print and as an ebook. This year the study is a reflection on faith and music. If people are interested, an order could be placed for print copies, or individuals could order their own ebook. The study is titled Something Sacred. The cost for the print book is 16.95 and for the ebook is 7.95. 

Sunday, February 2, 2024 The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

 This Sunday begins Black History Month, a time to reflect and remember how people of colour have been part of the history of our church, our communities, and our country and to address questions of racism that have been part of that history and continue to arise today. ( I did manage to overlook Muslim Awareness Week this past week as well as the anniversary of the attack on the Mosque in Quebec City in 2017.) 

Hymn       Come Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love #574

Scripture Lessons:        Jeremiah 1:4-10

                                      Psalm 71:1-6

                                      I Corinthians 13:1-13

Hymn      Jesus Loves Me #365

Message

Prayer:  O Christ, had we enough faith to move mountains, without love what would we be?

But you love us. 

Without your Spirit who lives in our hearts, what would we be? 

But you love us. 

Taking everything upon yourself, you open for us a way towards the peace of God, who wants neither suffering nor human distress. 

Spirit of the Risen Christ, Spirit of compassion, Spirit of praise, your love for each one of us will never fail. Amen. (a prayer from the Taize Community)

Hymn      Love Divine #333

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

Thank you to all who have submitted reports for the annual report. The annual reports should be available shortly. 

The annual meeting for Howick United Church will be held on Sunday, March 2nd at 11:00 in combination with the worship service. 

The Official Board meeting for the Ormstown-Franklin Pastoral Charge will be held on Wednesday, February 19th at 1:00 in the hall in Ormstown. 

The annual meeting for St Paul’s United Church in Ormstown will be held on Sunday, March 9th at 11:00, in combination with the worship service. 

Sunday, January 26, 2024 The Third Sunday after Epiphany

 This Sunday is the closing Sunday of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, when we pray for our brothers and sisters in faith in churches and communities of faith all over the world. 

Hymn      O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing #326VU

Scripture Lessons:       I Corinthians 12:12-31

                                     Psalm 19 p.740VU

                                     Luke 4:14-21

Message

Prayer:  We give thanks, O God, for the unity which is already ours as Christians. We thank you that there is one Body and one Spirit, one hope which belongs to our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Maker of us all. We resolve by your grace that walking with all lowliness and meekness, and forbearing one another in love, we may maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (from Frank Colquhoun’s Contemporary Parish Prayers, slightly adapted)

Hymn      Take My Life and Let it Be #506VU

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

We are now approaching the end of the month. Thank you to all who have been able to submit their reports to the annual report. For those who have not yet sent it in, please get them in as soon as possible. The reports for Howick United Church go to Wilene. The reports for Ormstown or Franklin go to Barbara.

Many thanks to Alan Cullen and Glen Tannahill (and possibly others, too) who completed the flooring project in the basement of Howick, by laying the flooring in the nursery. Another job done! We sincerely appreciate the individuals in both churches who are helping us to make the transition with the heating and other projects to ensure the functioning of the church and its buildings. 

We are discussing when to hold, start, and finish our Confirmation Classes this winter. Please let me (Barbara) know what would be best for those planning to attend. 

For the young people who took part in the Craft activities in in St Paul’s in December, the decorations that were placed on the trees are now in the hall and available to be taken home, if you wish. 

Sunday, January 19, 2024 The Second Sunday after Epiphany

 This week we begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which spans from January 18th to January 25th, the feast days of St Paul and St Peter. 

Hymn      Joyful, Joyful We Adore You #232VU

Scripture Lessons:       Isaiah 62:1-5

                                     Psalm 36:5-10 p.762VU

                                     I Corinthians 12:1-11

Message

Prayer:  O God, we thank you for the wholeness of the whole human family: for people of other faiths and of none, especially those who are friends and neighbours; for the rich variety of human experience and the gifts we bring to one another when we meet in a spirit of acceptance and love; for dialogue in community, and for mutual enrichment and growing understanding; for movements to establish and sustain the legitimate rights of persons of every religious conviction. 

And we pray to you that people of all faiths may enjoy the freedom to set forth their conviction with integrity and listen to one another in humility; that the Church may perform a reconciling ministry in a world divided by suspicion and misunderstanding, and bring healing to those places where religious intolerance fractures human community; that the Church may bear a true and loving witness to the One it calls Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen. ( a prayer from the World Council of Churches’ Worship Book, 1984)

Hymn       Songs of Thankfulness and Praise #101

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

This is the time for annual meetings and annual reports. If you have reports for Howick, they should be sent to Wilene, and if for Ormstown or Franklin, to Barbara, by the end of the month. 

We continue to hold the family and friends of Burton Lang in our thoughts and prayers. A memorial gathering, or celebration of his life where stories and memories of Burton can be shared will be held Saturday, February 8th from 1-3:00 at the Tres St Sacrement Town Hall. 

St Paul’s Stewards will meet on Wednesday, January 22nd at 7:30pm in the hall. 

The confirmation classes planned for this winter will be getting started. Please speak to Barbara if you know of someone interested in taking part, or joining the church. 

Sunday, January 12, 2025 The Baptism of our Lord

 This Sunday is also the second Sunday of the Epiphany, when we are invited to reflect on how we see, hear, and know God’s presence with us and love for us, as revealed in Jesus the Christ. 

Hymn       Praise to the Lord the Almighty #220VU

Scripture Lessons:     Isaiah 43:1-7

                                   Psalm 29 p.756VU

                                   Luke 3:15-17, 21,22

Message

Prayer:  O Christ, you humbled yourself and received baptism at your servant’s hands, showing us the way of humility:  help us to serve humbly all the days of our life. 

O Christ, by your baptism you washed away every impurity, making us children of God:  grant the grace of adoption to all who are searching for you. 

O Christ, by your baptism you sanctified creation and opened the way of repentance to all your believers: make us instruments of your gospel in the world. 

O Christ, by your baptism you revealed the holy Trinity, God who calls you his beloved Son, through the Holy Spirit descending on you: renew our hearts and minds and prepare us to follow you, the light of all the world. Amen. ( a prayer based on the Chaldean Rite, printed in the World Council of Churches’ With All God’s People, adapted.) 

Hymn      All Beautiful the March of Days #530VU

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

I have heard recently of the death of Burton Lang this past week. We hold the Lang family and Burton’s friends and neighbours in our thoughts and prayers. 

We are now collecting reports for our annual report for 2024. Reports for Howick should go to Wilene and the reports for Franklin and Ormstown can go to Barbara. Please try to have them in by the end of the month. 

St Paul’s Session will meet on Wednesday, January 15th at 1:00 in the hall. 

St Paul’s Stewards will meet on Wednesday, January 22nd at 7:30 at the hall. 

We have heard from the Philanthropy Department of the United Church of Canada, that the current catalogue of Gifts with Vision will continue until the end of January. A new catalogue for the church’s centennial is being prepared. We have also received thanks from the church for the gifts that were given, despite the post office strike, which helped to feed the hungry, to shelter the homeless, to comfort refugees, and to make a difference in our communities and the world. 

The Moderator of the United Church will be offering a New Year’s address on Monday, January 13th from 6-8:00 EST. This will be online and interactive. It will be a kickoff for our centennial celebrations and its theme will be Visions and Dreams and will be focussed on hope and growth for the church as we prepare for our second century as the United Church. Registration for this event is available on the united church website, united-church.ca under webinars and events or through church’s.ca. 

Sunday, January 5, 2025 Second Sunday of Christmas and Epiphany Sunday

We have now begun a new year, 2025, so happy new year, everyone! This year we are preparing to celebrate the United Church’s 100th anniversary. We are celebrating  deep spirituality, bold discipleship, and daring justice over the past 100 years. 

Hymn        Angels from the Realms of Glory #36VU

Prayer:  Eternal God, the same yesterday, today, and forever:  as we begin this new year, we ask for your help in learning from the mistakes of the past, in facing the problems and challenges of the present, and in renewing our sense of hope for the future, as we go forward in the name of Jesus the Christ our Lord. Amen. ( a prayer printed in Frank Colquhoun’s Contemporary Parish Prayers)

Scripture Lessons:        Isaiah 60:1-6

                                      Psalm 72 p. 791VU

                                      Matthew 2:1-12

Hymn         As with Gladness #81VU

Message

Prayer:  Holy child of Bethlehem, whose parents found no room in the inn, we pray for all who are homeless.

Holy Child of Bethlehem, born in a stable, we pray for all who live in poverty. 

Holy Child of Bethlehem, rejected stranger, we pray for all who are lost, alone, all who cry for loved ones. 

Holy Child of Bethlehem, whom Herod sought to kill, we pray for all who live with danger, all who are persecuted. 

Holy Child of Bethlehem, a refugee in Egypt, we pray for all who are far from their homes. 

Holy Child of Bethlehem, in you God was pleased to dwell, help us, we pray, to see your divine image in people everywhere. Amen. (a prayer by David Blanchflower, printed in Bread of Tomorrow, Prayers for the Church Year, edited by Jan Morley.) 

Hymn       The First Nowell #91VU

This Sunday there will be services in both Ormstown (9:30) and Howick (11:00). 

We will be collecting reports for this year’s annual reports for our congregations. Please have them in by the end of the month. Howick reports can go to Wilene and Ormstown ones should go to Barbara. 

 Howick’s Stewards will meet on Wednesday, January 8th at 7pm in the church hall.