Prayer: This one thing only, loving God plant firmly in my heart,
Amidst our work to hear your word and choose the better part;
Lord show us when to labour on and when to stop and rest,
To hear your voice and so restored, to serve you at our best.
O give this gift, O loving God, and this one grace please give:
To know one thing above all else and in this one thing live. ( a hymn by Charles Spence Freeman, inspired by Luke 10:38-42, can be sung to the tune McKee, the tune of In Christ There is No East or West.)
Hymn Jesus Shall Reign #330VU
This Sunday’s services are Howick 9:30 and Ormstown 11:00. Next Sunday July 27th will be our final service before the vacation period. The services will be 9:30 Ormstown and 11:00 Howick.
The 40th edition of the Valley Flower Show will take place on Saturday, July 26th from 1-4:00 at the Ormstown Recreation Centre. Admission will be $7 and this year’s proceeds will go to La Bouffe Additionelle. Come and join in the birthday party!
Quilts, Cars, and Community, a family fundraising event for Ukraine will be held on August 17th from 11-4:00 at the Georgetown Presbyterian Church, 920 Rte 138 Howick, QC. Admission will be $10 to see the quilt display inside and the vintage vehicles outside and will also spotlight A Stitch in Time, a quilting activity with federal inmates under the direction of the Rev. David and Susannah Shantz. A box lunch is available with a donation to the church.
Prayer: For all Christians throughout the world, that each person may be a servant of Christ, truly and faithfully, Lord we pray. (Sometimes followed by a response such as Lord have mercy, or Lord, hear our prayer.)
Renew your peace in our hearts, and give us the courage of faith in our daily life, Lord we pray.
Free us from all prejudice and fear, deepen our understanding and our love, Lord we pray.
May those in authority work to establish justice and freedom in their countries and throughout the world, Lord we pray.
Show us the way to bring your compassion to the poor, the sick, the lonely, and the unloved, Lord we pray.
For all who are striving to follow in the steps of Christ, and for those who are longing for the gift of faith, Lord we pray.
For those who seek to be bearers of friendship to young and old, across the age-barriers, Lord we pray.
For all who are in prison, condemned, or exiled from their home, Lord we pray.
For parents and teachers and all those entrusted with the care of children and young people, Lord we pray.
Forgive those who oppress us or distort our best intentions; forgive us also and remedy our acts of injustice. Lord, hear us we pray.
For all, through addiction, have lost their health and freedom, give those who care for them patient understanding and a persevering love, Lord we pray.
Console those who are bereaved or in sorrow, Lord we pray.
God our Maker, you care for us and know all our needs, may we rest in your love. Amen. ( a prayer from the Taize community)
Hymn Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life #681VU
This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown.
The Board of Stewards of Howick United Church will meet on Monday, July 13th at 7pm in the church.
Prayer: We join together in prayer for the stillness that renews, and for the striving that drives us onward; for the resting in grace, by a lake with a book, and the blessed unrest that fashions new futures; for the deep peace of being here and now, and the wrestling with what’s past for the sake of tomorrow.
We give thanks that the whole of it is held together by the one we call the Christ, that the peace and the struggle of our lives is not in vain, but is an offering of love to this unfolding story of the universe that we are telling with our lives. Amen. ( a prayer written by Bruce Sanguine, printed in If Darwin Prayed)
Hymn In Christ There is no East or West #606VU
This Sunday Ormstown will be having its usual 9:30 service in the church. In Howick we are hoping to hold the annual Outdoor service at 11am at the church. We are hoping it will be dry enough and not too hot so we can gather near the river beside the church. If it is looking promising, please bring your own lawn chair (and sun hat and sunscreen) if you can.
Howick United Church’s Stewards will meet at 7pm on Monday, July 14th in the church hall.
There will be no Stewards meeting in Ormstown this month.
Prayer: O Breath of summer, Come! Come with your warm winds. Breathe on all within us that resists growth. Temper our desire to be in control. Raise up some wildness in us. O come!
O Fireflies of beautiful evenings, Come! Come enchant us with your mystic dance. Brighten our evening with your little lights. Lead us away from day’s duties. Lift our spirits into your carefree flight. O Come!
O gardens of plenty, Come! Come bless us with your wealth. Sustain us with your abundance. Remind us of the world’s hunger. Nudge us to give from our fullness. O Come!
O dazzling sun, Come! Come with your golden rays. Anoint us with your energizing beams. Recharge us with your radiant vitality. Refresh our overworked spirits. O Come!
O festivals, fireworks, feasts, and fairs, Come! Come with barbecues, crafts, and games. Unite us in the common bond of our desire for joy. Entertain us with the simple things of life. Deepen our gratitude for all things good. O Come!
O long days of extended light, Come! Come with your wide expansive arms. Open our eyes to the daily miracle of life. Slip into our distracted hearts with every dawn. Expand our ability to see beauty in our world. O Come!
O summer word of God, Come! Come with your transforming breath. Breathe on us until we are ripe with life. Fire us to be light for the world. Nourish us with your healing rays. O Come!
O Source of growth and light, Come! Come encourage us to stretch toward light. Warm us with your abiding presence. Challenge our lethargic spirits. Walk with us into the deep, green, forests. O Come! (from The Circle of Life by Joyce Rupp and Marina Wiederkehr)
Hymn. O Master Let Me Walk with Thee
This week there is just one service, a combined service to be held in St Paul’s in Ormstown at 11:00. Coffee etc. will be offered from 10:30am.
Next Sunday July 6th, Howick United Church will be holding its annual Outdoor service, weather permitting, at 11:00. Please join us rain or shine at the church, and if the weather is good, bring your lawn chair and sun hat! ( St Paul’s will hold a 9:30 service in that church as well.)
We hold in our thoughts and prayers the family and friends of Darel Lang, who died last week and whose memorial service was held yesterday.
Many thanks to all who volunteered and helped out on Thursday, with St Paul’s Strawberry Social. Your support is very much appreciated.
This is the first Sunday of the summer season. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
We can also recall that Friday was World Refugee Day. At a time when we remember how we found a place to live and to thrive, maybe we could consider how other newcomers might add to our country’s and community’s richness and wellbeing.
Hymn. Praise to the Lord the Almighty #220
Scripture Lessons: I Kings 19:1-18
Psalm 42-3 p.768-9VU
Galatians 3:23-28
Message
Prayer: God, Creator and Great Mystery, we praise you for the Sacred Fires that burn today and for the prayer-filled smoke that you receive and bless. We offer our deep gratitude that the Fire’s light informs and guides our journey. We pray, just as the Elders prayed, for renewal and for the restoration of beauty to the land and its people.
We acknowledge the diverse and abundant gifts of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. We recognize that their knowledge and wisdom have benefited generations past and present, and that this blessing will continue for generations to come. We remember the many who are committed to the healing of family, community, and nations.
We pray for Mother Earth, the waters, the winds, for our siblings the animals, birds, and fish, and all of life that surrounds us. We pray that we will walk the good Red Road of life, and that we will walk with courage, honesty, humility, love, respect, truth and wisdom.
We offer this prayer in humility and hope, and in the name of our brother Jesus the one who lights our path to wholeness, justice, and peace. Amen. ( a prayer written by the Rev.Maggie Dieter and Bill Snow, shared by the United Church of Canada)
Hymn Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah #651VU
This week we are back to our usual schedule, 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. Next Sunday will be a combined service in Ormstown, at 11:00, with fellowship time starting at about 10:30.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Rachel Jacob, whose memorial service was held yesterday in St Paul’s.
We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of Darel Lang this week. The plan is for a memorial service to be held on Saturday June 28th at 11am in St Paul’s United Church in Ormstown, with a visitation beginning at 10am. The service will be followed by a reception at the Dining Hall on the Fairgrounds.
Many thanks to those who have been doing work around our churches: painting, reframing the doors and other jobs. It really makes a difference!
In Howick, the annual Outdoor service will be held on July 6th at 11:00. We will not be at the Knox Cemetery, but at Howick United church, so please join us there. Bring your lawn chair if the weather looks good, but we will be holding the service rain or shine, inside or out. (Ormstown will be holding its usual 9:30 service.)
St Paul’s will be holding its Strawberry Shortcake Takeout on Thursday, June 26th from 5-7:00 in the hall. Prices will be $10 for adults and $6 for children under 12.
We will be preparing the berries on Wednesday, June 25th starting at about 11:00 in the hall. If you are able to help us out, please bring your own bowl and knife, (and apron) if you are able to. Your help would be greatly appreciated!
Today is also Father’s Day. We wish the fathers in our congregations a happy day, and also give thanks for many who take on the role of father in their lives.
Hymn Holy, Holy, Holy #315
Scripture Lessons: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Psalm 8 p.732VU
Romans 5:1-5
Message
Prayer/ Statement of Faith: O God, the source of our being and the goal of all our longing, we believe and trust in you. The whole earth is alive with your glory, and all that has life is sustained by you. We commit ourselves to cherish your world and seek your face.
O God, embodied in a human life, we believe and trust in you. Jesus ours brother, born of the woman Mary, you confronted the proud and the powerful, and welcomed as your friends those of no account. Holy Wisdom of God, first born of creation, you emptied yourself of power, and became foolishness for our sake. You laboured with us upon the cross, and have brought us forth to the hope of the resurrection. We commit ourselves to struggle against evil and to choose life.
O God, life-giving Spirit, Spirit of healing and comfort, of integrity and truth, we believe and trust in you. Warm-winged Spirit, brooding over creation, rushing wind and Pentecostal fire, we commit ourselves to work with you and renew our world. Amen. ( from Janet Morley’s All Desires Known)
Hymn Faith of our Fathers #580VU
This week there will be no Sunday service in Howick. There will be an 11:00 service in St Paul’s in Ormstown, however. All are welcome to join us there in worship.
Many thanks to all who made last Sunday’s Centennial celebration in Howick United Church such a special service. Thanks to the Community choir who lifted us up with their music, to the speakers who reminded us of the histories of our congregations, to the people who brought food to share in the lunch and all who worked to plan and prepare for this special celebration.
St Paul’s Stewards will meet Wednesday, June 18th at 7:30pm in the hall.
The Howick UCW will be holding a hymn sing on Wednesday, June 18th beginning at 7pm. All are welcome to join in this event.
Next Sunday June 22nd we will be back on our usual schedule, services will be 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick.
St Paul’s will be holding its Strawberry Social/Takeout on Thursday, June 26th from 5-7:00. Prices will be $10 for adults and $6.00 for children. Your support will be gratefully received.
We will be fixing and preparing the strawberries from 11:00 on Wednesday, June 25th in the hall. If you are able to join us and help out, please bring your own bowls, knife, and apron, if possible.
On Sunday, June 29th there will be a combined service in Ormstown, beginning at 11:00. We will be gathering at 10:30 for coffee and fellowship, in the church.
On Sunday, July 6th Howick will hold its annual Outdoor service (weather permitting). This service will be held at the church, as the driveway to the Knox Cemetery is not usable. ( There will be a 9:30 service in Ormstown in the church as well.)
This Sunday may be observed as Union Sunday in many United Churches, though some have started celebrating last Sunday, leading into the national celebration this Sunday. We are celebrating 100 years!
Hymn O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing #326
Scripture Lessons: Joel 2:21-29
Psalm 104:24-34
Acts 2:1-21
Hymn Breathe on Me Breath of God #382
Message
Prayer: Holy One, we are your church, your people gathered. Since the beginning you have been with us. In the dry and desert-like moments when decline and death surround us, you teach us that we need you and to trust in you. When these truths have been remembered, your people have flourished.
We have been together as the United Church for 100 years. On this historic threshold we remember yet again that we live and move and have our being in you. It is time to dance with the Holy Spirit as we move past this moment. Empower us, loving God, to live by your Spirit, unafraid of where she is taking us. Now is the time to dig deep in our faith! To dare to be your resurrection people, for Christ’s way is our way. Let us be alive by your Spirit’s power! Awaken us to your moving among us, even now, so we can boldly follow your call into tomorrow. Amen. (a prayer from the bulletin of the national Centennial service)
Hymn The Church’s One Foundation #331
This Sunday there will be a single service in Howick United Church, beginning at 10:30, as we celebrate the United Church’s Centennial. We will be sharing the history of the churches in our community, as well as looking forward to the next 100 years. Following the service there will be a BBQ lunch to share: hotdogs, munchies, salads, as well as cake and ice cream. We hope to see you there!
For those who are not able to join us, but who want to share in the celebrations, there are a couple of opportunities to take in the national celebration that will be held in Gower St United Church in St John’s NL this evening. It will be live-streamed on the United Church’s YouTube channel this evening (June 8th) from about 5:30pm, and may be found there later as well, and it will be broadcast on Vision TV on Tuesday evening, June 10th, the exact date of the founding service in 1925.
There is a special envelope offered for this service which will offer choices for making a special gift to the United Church’s in honour of the Centennial. Gifts may be made to the local church, for an endowment fund, or to the indigenous, diasporic, or Francophone churches which would appreciate your support. These envelopes are available in both Howick and Ormstown.
Next Sunday June 15th, there will not be a service in Howick, due to the Ormstown Fair, but there will be an 11:00 service in Ormstown.
On Wednesday, June 18th the UCW in Howick, with the support of the Community Choir, will offer a community hymn sing, open to all who would like to take part. It will begin at 7pm. A lot of favourite hymns will be sung.
St Paul’s will be holding its Strawberry Takeout, aka Social on Thursday, June 26th from 5-7:00 in the hall. We will be preparing the berries on Wednesday, at the hall starting from 11:00. If you are able to help, please bring your own knives, bowls, and aprons, if you can.
There will be a Memorial Service for Rachel Jacob held in St Paul’s in Ormstown, Saturday June 21st at 2pm. The service will be followed by a reception at the hall.
On Sunday, June 29th there will be a combined service in Ormstown at 11:00. We will begin with a fellowship time at 10:30 in the church.
