Sunday, March 16, 2025 The Second Sunday of Lent

 This weekend there will be many St Patrick’s Day celebrations (even though St Patrick’s Day is Monday). We can remember that this day is also a day to celebrate our faith, as well as Irish heritage. 

Hymn.       Great is Thy Faithfulness #288

Scripture Lessons:        Genesis 15:1-12, 17, 18

                                      Psalm 27 p.754 VU

                                      Luke 13:31-35

Message

Prayer:  Mothering God, you watch your children grow AND YOU LET US GROW. 

Mothering God, you teach us what is true AND YOU LET US GO. 

Mothering God, you show us what is just AND YOU LET US GO. 

Mothering God you give us what we need AND YOU LET US GO.

Mothering God, you shelter us under your wings AND YOU LET US GO. 

Mothering God, be our light and salvation, this day and always. AMEN. (adapted from a prayer written by Ruth Burgess and printed in the Iona Community’s Lenten Resource, Eggs and Ashes)

Hymn.       My Faith Looks Up to Thee #663

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. March 30th there will be a combined service in Howick at 11:00, with a fellowship time beginning at 10:30. 

We express our sympathy to the family if Jim Chisholm, following his death this past week. 

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

Howick United Church’s Stewards will meet on Tuesday, March 25th at 7pm in the church hall. 

The new Gifts with Vision has now been launched. It can be found at giftswithvision.ca and includes projects such as supporting a girls’s school, a kindergarten in a refugee camp, food for the north, or a centennial gift celebrating the centennial of the United Church of Canada. Gifts can be given through the website or by calling 1-844-715-7969. 

Nakonhaka Regional Council is now inviting applications for the IFE and Hugh Duncan bursaries for post-secondary studies from confirmed members of the United Church. Applications are available on the Regional Council website (nakonhaka.uc.ca) or Barbara may provide a copy. The deadline for applying is June 2nd. Please let Barbara know if you have questions. 

The United Church of Canada will be holding an online Cross-Canada Check-in with the General Secretary Michael Blair and other members of the GCE on Wednesday, April 2nd at 6pm. Registration can be done through CHURCHx (churchx.ca). 

Sunday, March 9, 2025 The First Sunday of Lent

 Ramadan Mubarak! A blessed Ramadan to our Muslim sisters and brothers. We may be giving something up for Lent, but our brothers and sisters fast (food and water) from sunrise to sunset for the month of Ramadan.🙏🏽

Happy International Women’s Day to all the women of our congregations and our communities! 💐

Hymn       Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah #651VU

Scripture Lessons:       Deuteronomy 26:1-11

                                     Psalm 91:1,2,9-16 p.807VU

                                     Luke 4:1-13

Message

Prayer:  Jesus the Christ, you refused to turn stones into bread. 

Save us from using our power, however little, to satisfy the demands of selfishness in the face of the greater needs of others. 

Jesus the Christ, you refused to leap from the temple top. 

Save us from displaying our skills, however modest, to win popularity in the face of nobler calls on our abilities. 

Jesus the Christ, you refused to bend a knee to a false god. 

Save us from offering our devotion, however weak, to cheap or easy religion in the face of a harder path on which you bid us to follow you. 

Jesus the Christ, 

Give us wisdom to discern evil; and in the face of all that is deceptively attractive, help us to choose the will of God. Amen. 

Hymn       O Jesus I Have Promised #120VU

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. This will be Ormstown’s annual meeting service where the worship service will be combined with the annual meeting. It will take place in the hall. (Please note: it is spring forward Sunday, so it will feel like 10:00!) 

Many thanks for all who supported and volunteered at the Shrove Tuesday Waffle Dinner. It was greatly appreciated! 

St Paul’s Session will meet Wednesday, March 12th at 1:00 in the hall. 

Howick UCW will meet Wednesday, March 12th at 7pm in the church. We will be discussing the situation of migrant workers in our area. (I said in the email that it was technology questions, but that is next month, sorry! )

There will be a Cross-Canada check-in with the General Secretary and members of the General Council of the United Church held online on April 2nd at 6pm online. This is an opportunity to ask questions and express opinions that may shape conversations and decisions going forward to the General Council meeting this summer and into our second century. If you wish to register to take part in this event, it can be done through Churchx. More information is available on the General Council website, generalcouncil.ca.