Sunday, June 2, 2024 Anniversary Sunday

Hymn.      The Church’s One Foundation #331VU

Scripture Lessons:       I Samuel 3:1-10

                                     Psalm 139:1-18

                                     II Corinthians 4:5-12

Message

Prayer: O Christ, you are within each of us. It is not just the interior of the church’s walls:  it is our own inner being you have renewed. We are your temple not made with hands. We are your body. If every wall should crumble, and every church decay, we are your habitation. Nearer are you than breathing, closer than hands and feet. Ours are the eyes with which you, in the mystery, look out with compassion on the world. Yet we bless you for this place, for your directing of us, your redeeming of us, and your indwelling. Take us outside, O Christ, outside holiness, out to where soldiers curse and nations clash ( where families and children weep) at the cross roads of the world. So shall this building continue to be justified. We ask it for your own name’s sake. Amen. ( a prayer, adapted, from one from the Iona Community printed in the Iona Abbey worship book.)  

Hymn.       How Firm a Foundation #660VU

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Ormstown and 11:00 in Howick. In Howick, we will be holding our anniversary Sunday service, followed by a waffle and sausage lunch. We will also be saying “thank you” to Debbie Beattie and Sally Kyle for their worship leadership to our congregation.

We extend our sympathy and support to the family and friends of Bill Blair of Franklin, who died this past week. 

This Sunday, June 2nd is the deadline for applying for the Regional Council bursaries. Forms are available in the churches or on the regional council website, nakonhaka.ucc.ca. 

Next Sunday June 9th there will not be a Sunday service in Howick as it is Fair Sunday. There will be services in Franklin (9:30) and Ormstown (11:00). 

St Paul’s Session will be meeting this week, Wednesday, June 5th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

The United Church will be holding a pre-Centennial celebration as we begin our 100th year. The celebration will be held on Sunday, June 9th at 4pm in the Metropolitan United Church in Toronto. It will also be live-streamed on YouTube for the whole church. 

There will be an Outdoor service in Howick with Communion on Sunday, June 23rd at 11:00 to be held on the church grounds. This will be followed by a lunch for attendees. From 1:00-3:00 there will be an Open House for community members to view the renovations that have been completed. 

Please keep the Strawberry Takeout in Mind! St Paul’s will be holding it Thursday, June 27th from 5-7:00 (new hours!) in MacDougall Hall. There will be a Bee on Wednesday the 26th at 1:00 in the hall to fix the strawberries. If you can come and help, please bring your own bowl, knife, and apron. Your help would be greatly appreciated. 

On Sunday, June 30th Franklin United Church will be holding its final service at 11am. This will be a celebration of the many years of ministry that the Franklin United Church has offered its community. All are welcome to share in this service, as well as the lunch that will follow the service. 

June is Pride Month in Canada. Many events are being planned and the Moderator has prepared a message which can be found on the United Church’s website, its YouTube channel or on Facebook. 

Sunday, May 26, 2024 Trinity Sunday

 

Hymn.       Holy, Holy, Holy #315VU

Prayer:  O God our Maker, God beyond us, we adore you. You are the depth of all that is. You are the ground of our being. 

God the Redeemer, God beside us, we adore you. You are the perfection of humanity. You have shown us what human life can be. 

God the Spirit, God around us, we adore you. You are the power within us. You can make us the people we are meant to be. God our Maker Redeemer and Sustainer, God beyond, beside and around us, we adore you. Amen. (adapted from a prayer of approach from the UCC service book.)

Scripture Lessons:      Isaiah 6:1-8

                                    Psalm 29 p.756VU

                                    John 3:1-17

Hymn       God Reveal Your Presence #391VU

Message

An Affirmation:  We believe in a loving God, whose Word sustains our lives. GOD IS LIFE. 

We believe in God’s Son amongst us, sowing the seed of life’s renewal. He lived with the poor to show the meaning of love. JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. 

We believe in the Holy Spirit of Life, making us one with God, renewing our strength with Her own. THE SPIRIT IS LOVE. ( written by John Harvey and printed in the Iona Community’s Fire and Bread)

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

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Franklin and 11:00 in Howick. Members of the Joint Board in Franklin are asked to meet at 9am, prior to the service to review and discuss plans for the closing service of the church. 

Many thanks to all who have helped out and supported the renovations in Howick United Church, undertaken in partnership with the Faithful Footprints program of the United Church. 

We hold in our thoughts and prayers the family of Margaret (Bryson) Littler who died this past week. 

The deadline for applying for  the Hugh Duncan and IFE bursaries from the Nakonhaka Regional Council is now approaching. The deadline is June 2nd. Application forms are available from our churches, from Barbara, and from the regional council website, nakonhaka.ucc.ca. 

There will be a pre-anniversary worship held in Metropolitan United Church will be held on Sunday, June 9th at 4pm. This service will also be live-streamed on the United Church YouTube channel. 

Next Sunday, June 2nd will be the anniversary service for Howick. We will hold our anniversary service, followed by a waffle and sausage L/Brunch. This will also be our opportunity to say our thank yous to Debbie Beattie and Sally Kyle for their leadership in our worship services over the years. 

St Paul’s Session will meet on Wednesday, June 5th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

There will be no Sunday service in Howick on June 9th, as it is Fair Sunday. 

On Sunday, June 23rd Howick United Church will hold an outdoor service (if the weather cooperates). This will also be a Communion service followed by lunch. There will also be an Open House held in the afternoon from 1-3:00 for those who would like to see the completed renovations in the church.

Sunday, June 30th will be a combined service for our 3 congregations. It will also be the closing service for the Franklin United Church. All are welcome to come and share in this celebration of their ministry. 

Sunday, May 19, 2023 Pentecost Sunday

 

Hymn      As Comes the Breath of Spring #373

Scripture Lessons:       Ezekiel 37:1-14

                                     Psalm 104:24-34, 35b p. p.827VU, pt 2

                                     Acts 2:1-21

Message

Prayer: May the enthusiasm of the Spirit leap incessantly within you and help you to live a vibrant life. 

May the warmth of Spirit’s fire be extended through your concern and care for all those who need your love. 

May the blaze of Spirit’s courage enable you to speak the truth and to stand up for respect, dignity, and justice. 

May the undying embers of Spirit’s faithfulness support you when you feel spiritually dry and empty. 

May the strength of Spirit’s love sustain your hope as you enter the pain of our world. 

May the clear light of Spirit’s guidance be a source of effective discernment and decision-making for you. 

May Spirit’s patient endurance be yours while you wait for what is unknown to be revealed. 

May the steady flame of Spirit’s goodness within you convince you every day of the power of your presence with others. 

May the joyful fire of Spirit dance within you and set happiness ablaze in your life. 

May the spark of your relationship with Spirit catch fire in the hearts of those with whom you live and work. 

May you be mindful of the Eternal Flame within you. May you rely on this Source of Love to be your constant ally and steady guide. (a blessing for Pentecost by Joyce Rupp, published in Out of the Ordinary.) 

Hymn       Breathe on Me Breath of God #382

This Sunday’s services will be 9:30 in Howick and 11:00 in Ormstown. We will be celebrating Pentecost, one of the great festivals of the church calendar. 

On Monday, May 20th members of the Howick UCW are invited to come to help cleanup the kitchen after the renovations. We are in the home stretch now! 

On Wednesday, May 22nd a pilgrimage to Ottawa is being held to call for a fair and sustainable peace in the Middle East, with a number of leaders of national churches. Members of this regional council are invited to participate. 

Next weekend the Regional Council will be meeting and will also hold a Celebration of Ministry service at Montreal West United Church on Friday May 24th. Beryl Barraclough will be ordained at this service. If there are those who would wish to attend, you are requested to register so the planners will know how many people to expect. The service will also be available online. 

The deadline for applying for the Hugh Duncan and IFE bursaries is approaching. These bursaries are for university and college students who are confirmed members of the United Church of Canada. The deadline is June 2, 2024 and is available in our churches, on the regional council website (nakonhaka.ucc.ca) or from Barbara. 

On Sunday, June 2nd Howick United Church will be holding its anniversary celebration, and will be followed by a lunch. Debbie Beattie will be present as well, so we can say our “Thank yous” to her. 

On Fair Sunday, June 9th there will be no Sunday service in Howick. There will be services in Franklin (9:30) and Ormstown (11:00).

Nakonhaka Regional Council will be offering a workshop on worship on Saturday, June 8th, from 9-4:00 at Cedar Park United Church in Pointe Claire. If you wish to attend, you are asked to register so the planners can prepare properly. 

On Sunday, June 9th at 4pm the United Church of Canada will be holding a special pre-centennial celebration to kick off our preparations for our centennial in 2025, at Metropolitan United Church in Toronto. This service will also be available online on the United Church’s YouTube channel. 

Sunday, May 12, 2024 Christian Family Sunday

 

Hymn.     Praise My Soul the God of Heaven #240

Scripture Lessons:       Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

                                     Psalm 1 p.724VU

                                     John 17:6-19

Message: 

Prayer:  Today, O God, on this Christian Family Sunday, we give thanks and we pray for families. We thank you for families rooted in love, where character is formed and values are learned, where lives are filled with hopefulness and laughter. We acknowledge that families can disappoint us. People fight; people hurt one another. Forgive us, gracious God. Where there is pain, resentment, or bitterness, enter with your healing love. Open our hearts to families who suffer abuse and violence. Increase our compassion towards all with painful memories. We pray with hope that all families may be a source of blessing and abundant life. Amen. (a prayer written by Ted Dodd, from the United Church’s worship resource, Celebrate God’s Presence, slightly adapted) 

Hymn.       For the Beauty of the Earth #226

This Sunday there will be services in all three of our services, 9:30 in Franklin, 11:00 in Ormstown, and 11:00 in Howick with Debbie Beattie. 

St Paul’s in Ormstown will be offering a craft activity day this Sunday, May 12, for children and families. All welcome to participate. This will take place in the sanctuary during the 11:00 service. 

The Franklin Joint Board is called to meet at 9:00 to discuss plans for the closing of the church on Sunday, May 26th, at 9:00 before the 9:30 service. 

Nakonhaka Regional Council is inviting applications for the Hugh Duncan and IFE bursaries for college and university students, who are confirmed members of the United Church. Copies of the application form are available in our churches, on the council website (nakonhaka.ucc.ca) and from Barbara. The deadline for applying is June 2nd. 

Next Sunday will be Pentecost Sunday. The Moderator has prepared a Pentecost message for the church which can be seen on the United Church’s website (united-church.ca), on Facebook, and on the United Church’s YouTube channel. Take a look and a listen! 

I am hoping to produce a newsletter for next Sunday. If anyone has any news to include, please let me know. 

Registrations are now being received for Rendezvous-Vous 2024, which is a gathering for Young Adults, which takes place July 3-6 at Brock University in Ste Catherine’s ON. The theme is Audacious Hope and there is some help for travel costs available. 

Congratulations to the UCC graduates from the United Theological College, Marie Silvenie and Adedeji Akintayo, who received their testamurs at the Convocation celebration this past week. 

Sunday, May 5, 2024 The Sixth Sunday of Easter

 

Hymn.       Joyful Joyful We Adore You

Scripture Lessons:       I John 5:1-6

                                     Psalm 98 p. 818VU

                                     John 15:9-17

Message

Prayer:  O God, hear our prayer:  breathe kites high into blue skies, Sow bright mirth into circles of friends, embroider brilliance into stars of night, and teach us how to joy. 

Paint the air with lilac’s fragrance, feast the earth with gentle rain, clothe each creature with a whimsy, and teach us how yo joy, 

Dance the seasons with new colour, caress each face into a smile, splash creation with your laughter, and teach us how to joy. (a prayer by Keri K. Wehlander, and printed in Joy is our Banquet.)

Hymn       Rejoice the Lord is King #213 VU

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

Next Sunday in Ormstown there will be a craft activity for young people and families. It will take place at 11:00 in the sanctuary, along with the service. 

St Paul’s Session is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, May 8th at 7:30pm in the hall. 

The time has come to renew (or start a new) subscription to Broadview, the United Church’s magazine. The cost for a year’s subscription is $30 and the deadline for renewing us May 19th. Please let Wilene know if you wish to renew and you can pay your subscription by check, cash, or by e-transfer. If you are starting a new subscription, please give Wilene your name and address as well. 

Congratulations to Gordon and Thelma Lang, who have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this past week! ( and also to Joanne Brown and Doug Lang who have welcomed a new grandchild into the family, Eliza who was born in Fredericton this week.)

Please let university and college students know of the Hugh Duncan and IFE bursaries that are available to confirmed members of the United Church through the Nakonhaka Regional Council. The deadline for applying is June 2, 2024 and the forms are available in the churches, on the council’s website (nakonhaka.ucc.ca) or from Barbara. 

Tomorrow, May 6th. Michael Blair, the Executive Secretary of the General Council will be speaking in Montreal, at St George’s Anglican Church, from 3:30-5:00. That evening the Convocation for the United Theological College and the Montreal Diocesan College will be held. 

Registration has now begun for Rendezvous 2024, an event for young adults in the church. It takes places July 3-6 at Brock University in Ste Catherine’s ON. More information is available on the United Church website ( united-church.ca) and the First Third Ministries (formerly Youth and Young Adults) will be holding an online information session on Tuesday, May 7th at 6:30pm. 

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.