Sunday, June 18, 2023 Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

 Today is Father’s Day and we wish Happy Father’s Day to all fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, etc. 

This Sunday is also being observed by some congregations as Indigenous Sunday, in preparation for National Indigenous Day on June 21st. 

Hymn       You Servants of God #342VU

Scripture Lessons:        Romans 5:1-8

                                      Psalm 116:1,2, 12-19 p.836VU

                                      Matthew 9:35-10:5

Hymn       All the Way My Saviour Leads Me #635

Reflection

Prayer:  Look at your hands, see the touch and the tenderness— God’s own for the world. 

Look at your feet, see the path and the direction— God’s own for the world. 

Look at your heart, see the fire and the love— God’s own for the world. 

Look at the cross, see God’s Son and our Saviour— God’s own for the world. 

This is God’s world and we will serve God in it. ( from the Iona Community’s Wild Goose Worship Group, A Wee Worship Book, 1989 and printed in Bread of Tomorrow edited by Janet Morley.) 

Hymn      Take My Life and Let It Be #506

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. Next Sunday will be Communion Sunday in both churches. Howick will also be holding an outdoor service (weather permitting) at the church as there are some questions about the Knox Cemetery, so bring your lawn chair, sun hat, and possibly bug spray as well. 

Many thanks to Riverfield Presbyterian Church who has donated a significant amount to Howick United Church in the disbursal of their remains funds. 

Best wishes to the members of the Lacolle United Church and the Lacolle community who are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Odelltown United Church this weekend with a concert on Friday night, a picnic on Saturday and a special service on Sunday at 11:00. 

We hold in our thoughts and prayers the many families that have lost family members this year. In particular this week we remember Irene Hamilton who died over a week ago. The public celebration of her life will be held Saturday, June 24th at the Ormstown Curling Club from 2:00-5:00pm. 

The Official Board for the Ormstown-Franklin Pastoral Charge will be meeting Tuesday, June 20th at 7:30pm in the Franklin United Church. 

There will be a presentation by Martine Myre on the preservation and restoration of antique books Wednesday, June 21st from 1:30-3:30 at the Riverfield Curling Club. All welcome to attend. 

St Paul’s will be holding its Strawberry Social as a takeout again this year. It will be held on Thursday, June 29th from5-8:00pm. The cost will be $8 for adults and 5.00 for children 5-10 years old. We will also need volunteers to help fix the strawberries on Wednesday, June 28th at 1:00 in MacDougall Hall. Please, if you can, bring your own bowls, knives, and apron. 

There will be a special service held at Kanewake United Church for our area and South Shore cluster on Sunday, August 13th at 10:30am, followed by a meal at a special gathering spot. If you are planning to attend, please let Barbara know to help the planners prepare for the meal. 

Sunday, June 11, 2023

 In Ormstown this is known as Fair Sunday, the closing day of the Ormstown Fair, where we can go to meet friends, family, and neighbours as well as admiring many animals: cows, sheep, horses, among many others. 

Hymn.      Praise to the Lord the Almighty #220

Scripture Lessons:  Genesis 12:1-9

                                Psalm 33 p.760VU

                                Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

Reflection 

Prayer:  O God, source of our love, you journey with us, offering endless compassion and enduring visions. Hear our prayers as we seek to join with you in weaving patterns of healing and hope wherever the fabric of life is torn. We pray for all whose lives are diminished by difficulty, suffering or loss we name before you now: for those in need of healing…..

       For those facing difficulty….

       For those suffering from injustice…..

       For those seeking courage…..

       For those harmed by violence……

       For those in sorrow…..

       For those we name before you now…

May strength be theirs. 

May comfort be theirs. 

May love uphold them. 

May we, in turn reveal compassion to them in our words and our ways. 

Source of our mercy: journey with us now as we seek to walk your path of blessing. Amen. ( adapted from a prayer by Kerry Wehlander’s printed in Circles of Grace.) 

Hymn.     Pass Me Not O Gentle Saviour #665

This week there is no service in Howick United Church, due to the Ormstown Fair, but there will be services in Franklin (9:30) and in Ormstown (11:00). Next week there will be services in Howick at 9:30 and Ormstown at 11:00. We are planning an outdoor service for Howick on June 25th at 11:00, weather permitting, so plan to bring your lawn chairs and your sun hats (and maybe your bug spray too).

We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Irene (Robinson) Hamilton this past week. She was a faithful member of St Paul’s United Church and its UCW. The public celebration of Irene’s life will be held on Saturday, June 24th from 2-5pm in the Ormstown Curling Club. 

Next week there will be a week of meetings:

  There will be the presentation offered by the Howick WI on Organ and Tissue Donation with Wendy Sherry Tuesday at 7pm in the Howick United Church. All welcome. 

St Paul’s Stewards will be meeting Wednesday June 14th at 7:30pm in the hall.

Howick’s Stewards will be meeting Thursday, June 15th at 7pm in the hall. 

The Official Board of the Ormstown Franklin Pastoral Charge will meet on Tuesday, June 20th at 7:30pm in the Franklin United Church. 

St Paul’s United Church in Ormstown will be holding its Strawberry Social Thursday, June 29th as a Takeout only, from 5-8pm in MacDougall Hall. Prices will be $8 for adults and $5 for children 5-10 years old. (Volunteers will also be needed to prepare the berries on Wednesday afternoon, from about 1:00 in the hall. Please bring your bowls, knives, and aprons!) 

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. 

Sunday, May 28, 2023 Pentecost Sunday

 

Invocation:  Come Holy Spirit, come. 

Come into our time of worship this day. 

Come into each heart, each prayer, each song, each life this day so that we may live and love with purpose, courage, and enthusiasm serving our world this day and everyday. 

Hymn.     Spirit Divine, Attend our Prayers #385

Scripture Lessons:     Acts 2:1-21

                                   Psalm 104:24-24

                                    John 20:19-23

Hymn       Breathe on  Me Breath of God #382

Meditation 

Prayer:  Come Holy Spirit, come:  enter our lives. Free us from all fear. Give us strength to carry on. Give us hope and joy sufficient for each day. 

Come Holy Spirit, come:  give us power to be the church. Impart to our members, that we may be the body of Christ’s presence in the world. Free us from all fear, and renew our life together.

Come Holy Spirit, come. Bind us close together. May we rejoice with one another’s joys and weep with one another’s sorrows. Bind us together, not only with the sheep of this fold, but all of Christ’s people around this community and the world. Forgive the pride, prejudice, and self-righteousness which separate us from one another. 

Come Holy Spirit, come:  that all may be one in Christ, source of all true unity, who is with us today and always, even to the end of time. Amen. ( a prayer by RuthC. dDuck printed in Bread for the Journey) 

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

This Sunday Howick United Church will be holding its Anniversary Sunday celebration, beginning at 11:00. This will include a brief worship service, some family friendly activities, and a sandwich lunch. The sandwiches will be supplied but donations of cash to cover the cost, veggies and sweets would be greatly appreciated. 

Franklin United Church will be holding a Pentecost Sunday service at 9:30. 

This weekend is the final weekend for beginning or renewing a subscription to Broadview. The cost is $25 for a year’s subscription. Please let Wilene Cullen know if you are interested. 

St Paul’s Session will be meeting on Wednesday, May 31st at 7:30pm in the hall. 

The Howick Women’s Institute will be holding an information evening with Wendy Sherry (nurse clinician at the MUHC) on Tuesday, June 13th at 7pm in the Howick United Church. All welcome. 

Howick United Church Stewards will be meeting on Thursday, June 15th in the church at 7pm. 

June Worship Schedule:  June 4.   9:30.   Ormstown.      11:00.   Howick

                                         June 11  9:30.    Franklin.        11:00.   Ormstown. (No service in Howick) 

                                         June 18. 9:30.    Howick.         11:00.   Ormstown 

                                         June 25.  9:30.   Franklin.        11:00.   Howick. outdoor service 

Sunday, May 21, 2023 The Seventh Sunday of Easter

 

Hymn.      Sweet Hour of Prayer

Scripture Lessons:      Acts 1:6-14

                                    Psalm 68:1-10

                                    John 17:1-11

Meditation

Prayer:  Gracious God, as Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach us to pray, so we do too. Deep within our hearts we have a great hunger and need for your presence and your guidance. Teach us to pray; teach us to love; teach us to live. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. ( adapted from a prayer printed in Taste and See, by Jacqueline Syrup Bergan and S. Marie Schwan.) 

Hymn.        What a Friend We Have in Jesus #664

Blessing:  In each breath this day, May there be peace. 

In each step this day, may there be grace. 

In each word this day, May there be compassion. 

In eac encounter this day, May God’s presence be known. ( from Keri Wehlander’s Circles of Grace.)  

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

The Howick Stewards meeting has been postponed until Wednesday, June 15th at 7pm in the church hall. 

St Paul’s Session will be meeting on Wednesday, May 31st at 7:30pm in the hall. 

Next Sunday is planned to be Anniversary Sunday in Howick. We will begin at 11:00 with a short service and have a few intergenerational activities planned, to be followed by a sandwich lunch. All welcome to take part. 

Next Sunday is also the deadline for renewing or subscribing to Broadview magazine. The cost is $25 for a year’s subscription. It can be paid in cash, by cheque (made out to Howick United Church) or by e-transfer to Howickunitedchurch@gmail.com.

The deadline for applying for the IFE or Hugh Duncan bursaries made available by Nakonhaka Regional Council for college and university students is June 1st. The application form is available on the Nakonhaka website (nakonhakaucc.ca) or Barbara can provide a copy if requested. 

We continue to hold the Chisholm and Buchanan families in our thoughts and prayers, following the memorial service held yesterday in the Georgetown Presbyterian Church. 

We also hold the family of George Cullen in  our thoughts and prayers, following his death last week. A service to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday, June 3rd at 3:00, visitation being held in the church from 1:30. 

Sunday, May 14, 2023 The Sixth Sunday of Easter

 Today is of course, Mother’s Day or Christian Family Sunday. We give thanks for the gifts of life and love often learned and experienced in families, whether in the families we are born into, the families we choose and make together, or both. 💞

Hymn      Praise My Soul the God of Heaven #240VU

Prayer:  Loving God, like a mother you are always watching over us, always caring for us. On this day, we pray for all those who are like mothers to us— all of those women who wipe away tears, who teach and guide us, who hold us and hug us and listen to our stories and tell us their wisdom. For mothers and grandmas, aunties and big sisters, neighbours and friends, who show us your love in their words and actions, we offer thanks, and ask you to bless the. Amen. (from Seasons of the Spirit 2004)

Scripture Lessons:     Acts 17:22-31

                                   Psalm 66:8-20

                                   John 14:15-21

Meditation 

Prayer:  We thank you, O God, for our family and for what we mean and bring to one another. We are grateful for the bonds of loyalty and affection which sustain us and for the capacity to love and to care. Help us to be modest in our demands of one another, but generous in our giving to one another. May we never measure how much love or encouragement we offer; may we never count the times we forgive. Rather, May we always be grateful that we have one another and that we are able to express our love in acts of kindness. 

      Keep us gentle in our speech. When we offer words of criticism, May they be chosen with care and spoken softly. May we waste no opportunity to speak words of sympathy, of appreciation, of praise. Bless our families with health, happiness and contentment. Above all, grant us the wisdom to build a joyous and peaceful home in which your spirit will always abide. Amen. ( a prayer from Temple Beth Emanuel in Montreal) 

Hymn.    Love Divine #333

This week there are services in all three of our churches: 9:30 in Franklin, 11:00 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick with Debbie Beattie. Hope you all have a happy Mother’s Day, however you choose to celebrate it. 

This coming week the St Paul’s Stewards will be meeting on Wednesday, May 17th in the hall at 7:30pm. 

Howick’s Stewards will be meeting the following Wednesday, May 24th in the church hall at 7pm. 

Unit B of the Howick UCW will be meeting for a soup lunch at the home of Thyra Ness Wednesday, May 24th at 11:45. 

The deadline for beginning or renewing a subscription to Broadview is approaching, May 28th. The cost is $25 for a year’s subscription. Please get cash or cheque (made out to Howick United Church) to Wilene Cullen or you may make an e-transfer to Howickunitedchurch@gmail.com, including your name and address for the subscription.

Georgetown Presbyterian Church will be holding a flower and plant sale Monday, May 22nd from 9:-12:00. Hanging baskets and bedding plants will be sold on a first come, first served basis. For more information, please call Amy at 450-825-2872. 

May 14th is the application deadline for the Youth Climate Motivators that the United Church is hiring this summer. Applicants need to be between 14 and 19 years of age and will work with faith communities across the country. More information and the application form is available on the Job and Volunteer Opportunites page on the United Church website, united-church.ca. 

The application deadline for the IFE and Hugh Duncan bursaries is June 1st. The bursaries are provided by the Nakonhaka Regional Council to confirmed members of the United Church who are attending college or university. Application forms are available on the regional council website, nakonhakaucc.ca or you may speak to Barbara and she will provide one. 

Sunday, May 7, 2023 The Fifth Sunday of Easter

 This is also the end of Mental Health Awareness Week. We pray for the health and well-being of all God’s people, for both their physical, mental and emotional health. 

Hymn      How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds #344

Prayer: Jesus, you are the Living Stone, chosen by God and precious. We desire to be like you, living stones, built into a spiritual house. Let this time of worship open us to your presence and transform us into a holy priesthood in your name. Amen. (written by Kate Crawford of Huron Shores United Church, Grand Bend ON and printed in Gathering L/E2020) 

Scripture Lessons:      Acts 7:55-60

                                    Psalm 31:1-5, 15,16

                                    I Peter 2:2-10

Meditation 

Prayer: God, we thank you for the hope of a new day and a fresh start. We give thanks for the reminder that “it’s ok not to be ok” and that it’s better to tell the truth about what’s really going on for us, get support and help, than to suffer in silence and alone. We thank you God that you never give up on us even when we feel like giving up on ourselves. We thank you that we can hold onto hope one day at a time. We are grateful for this faith community where we can experience sacred welcome, inclusion, support, and engagement for mental health. Bless us with the power of your Spirit that is holy as we share your love with others in our mission to end the stigma and shame of mental illness. In the name of the Disabled and Neurodiverse God we pray. Amen. (a prayer written by the Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund and included in the resources for Mental Health Sunday.) 

Hymn         Christ is Made theSure Foundation #325

We continue to hold in our thoughts and prayers the family of Charles Harvey following the service of remembrance and thanksgiving for his life held on Saturday. 

The Howick UCW will be meeting Wednesday, May 10th at 7pm at the home of Marina and Scott Templeton, to learn and try out some flower arranging techniques. 

St Paul’s United Church Session will be meeting on Wednesday, May10th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

St Paul’s Stewards will be meeting on Wednesday, May 17th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

Congratulations to the Rev. Patricia Lisson who has been granted an honorary doctorate and the Rev. Ken Delisle who has been awarded the Craig Chaplin Award by the combined colleges of the Montreal Diocesan College and the United Theological College. The awards will be presented at the combined convocation to be held May 8th in the Christ Church Cathedral. 

The deadline for the Hugh Duncan and IFE bursaries offered by the Nakonhaka Regional Council will be June 1st. Bursaries are available for both college and university students who are confirmed members of the United Church of Canada. Application forms are available on the Nakonhaka website (nakonhakaucc.ca) or you may request a copy from Barbara. 

The United Church is hiring 16 Youth Climate Motivators aged 14-19 to work with communities of Faith over the summer. The application date is May 14th. More information is available on the Jobs and Volunteer Opportunities webpage, accessed the the United Church website, united-church.ca.