September 8th, 2024

Season of Creation

Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live

Leading us today in Worship:
     Minister: Rev. Dr. John Greg. Smith
     Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
     Scripture Reader: Shirley Woolner

Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics.
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able.

We Gather 

PRELUDE
“Gnossienne” - E. Satie

WELCOME

LIGHTING the CHRIST CANDLE
The season of creation is a time to pause and reflect
on our place in creation,
our love for creation,
and our care-taking of creation.
Let the Christ candle remind us of our sacred inner light
Which we share with all living beings.
May the Christ light ignite our hearts
With love for all creation!  AMEN!

OUR COMMITMENT to SAFE SPACE & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the LAND
We believe all people are made in the image of God and are entitled to dignity and respect.  At Grace United Church we try to offer a safer, inclusive and generous space for all who are seeking a faith community.  We offer full participation of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, all races, ages and abilities in the life and work of the ministry.
Grace United Church is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Petun, Huron-Wendat, and Mississauga peoples, located within the boundary of the region of Treaty 18 of 1818. We humbly acknowledge the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples of Canada as traditional stewards of the land on which we work and worship and are committed to working actively toward genuine restitution and reconciliation.

Introduction to the Season of Creation and THEME

“To Hope and Act with Creation”

CALL to WORSHIP
Come let us gather together and worship our Creator,
Who has gifted us with this precious life,
And given us the ability to sustain life.
We praise God for every aspect of Creation around us.
Come let us gather together in the love of Jesus Christ, whom we follow.
Let us remember he inspires us through his Spirit, to do acts of courage, justice, and hope.
Come let us move together with the harmony of the Holy Spirit,
As we strive in large and small ways, to establish justice and create hope.
We remember that all great things begin with a single act, a single step, a single beat of the heart towards the future.
Come, people of God,  made in the image of the One True Creator,
who is still creating new life,  even now,  in this very moment.
We open ourselves to our Creating God,
And offer ourselves to the love-project that will remake our world!

*HYMN:  VU #409
“Morning Has Broken”

1. Morning has broken like the first morning,
blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!

2. Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness where God’s feet pass.

3. Ours is the sunlight! Ours is the morning
born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!

PSALM READING: based on Psalm 42
(Responsive)
Just as the deer stops to pause for flowing streams of water;
My soul stoops to drink deeply at the flowing stream of life.
Oh my Beloved, my soul longs for you,
My soul suffers when creation suffers,
For I am one with the deer, the beaver, the songbird.
I am one with the forests, the changing climate, the new silence.
Tears have been my only nourishment for many days and nights.
My friends all ask:  Why are you so forlorn?
I grieve the future world, I say.
I grieve the lack of understanding in our world.
I grieve the easy judgment of those who care deeply.
I grieve the world will seek to change,
But will not change its heart.
Ahh, I am drawn to the music of the waterfalls.
The laughter of the water flowing down the rocks,
The children playing in the stream give me great delight.
Deep calls to deep like the thunder of the waterfall;
Your love O Creator God calls me to dive deep to the rocky core.
Your love is still there, dwelling in my innermost being,
Turning my heart toward prayer,
Calling my body to action.
Seeking to find the threads of hope that weave through the Spirit of Life inside my own Spirit.
Oh my soul, let not the quagmire of the world around me
Keep me from radiating your love for all living beings.
Help us to keep our souls grounded in love,
Our minds turned toward future blessings,
And our hearts turned toward care for creation.
This day, and always!

OPENING PRAYER
God we thank you for this vast and unlimited universe.
We thank you for creating our Earth home here in the backwoods of this galaxy.
We thank you for the beauty of it, for the bounty of it, and for the awesome blessings we see in front of us each day.
You have generously created us out of goodness and light.
You have shown us, through Jesus, how to live with goodness and light.
Help us now, your people, to live true to these gifts
In our Earth’s time of great need.
Help us to change our ways.
Help us to mend and heal.
Help us to hold one another with the hope that all will be well,
While giving us the courage to face up to the facts of climate justice.
O God, we hear you calling this generation.
We hear you calling us to care differently for the earth and all creation.
We hear the mourning cry of the species that have been lost to us now.
We hear the urgent cries to restore and to revive whatever we can.
Most of all, we hear you cry deep within us.
You call us to rise to the challenges around us, not to hide.
You call us to courage, to acts of justice and hope.
You call us to restore the future hopes and joys of the youngest generations
And to do whatever small thing we can do each day
To create a world that works for all.
We pray in Christ’s name,  AMEN

*HYMN:    MV  #135 
“Called By Earth and Sky”
Refrain:
Called by earth and sky,
promise of hope held high.
This is our sacred living trust,
treasure of life sanctified,
called by earth and sky.

1. Precious these waters, endless seas,
deep ocean’s dream,
waters of healing, rivers of rain,
the wash of love again.
Refrain:
Called by earth and sky,
promise of hope held high.
This is our sacred living trust,
treasure of life sanctified,
called by earth and sky.

2. Precious this gift, the air we breathe;
wind born and free.
Breath of the Spirit, blow through this place,
our gathering and our grace.
Refrain:
Called by earth and sky,
promise of hope held high.
This is our sacred living trust,
treasure of life sanctified,
called by earth and sky.

3. Precious these mountains, ancient sands;
vast fragile land.
Seeds of our wakening, rooted and strong,
Creation’s faithful song.
Refrain:
Called by earth and sky,
promise of hope held high.
This is our sacred living trust,
treasure of life sanctified,
called by earth and sky.

4. Precious the fire that lights our way,
bright dawning day.
Fire of passion, sorrows undone,
our faith and justice one.
Refrain:
Called by earth and sky,
promise of hope held high.
This is our sacred living trust,
treasure of life sanctified,
called by earth and sky.

We Listen 

SCRIPTURE READINGS
New Revised Standard Version
Updated Edition

Romans 8:  18 – 25  
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God, for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor, and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what one already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Matthew 9:  35 – 38
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

RESPONSE
These words from scripture are meant to guide us, nurture us, and teach us.
Thanks be to God!

ANTHEM
“We Are Called” - Haas/Hayes

SERMON: “The Fact of Beauty”

We Respond 

 *HYMN for COMMUNION:  MV #198
“When We Gather at the Table”

1. When we gather at the table
wine is poured and bread is broken.
Then love claims us, offering healing,
we hear welcome, gently spoken.

2. Jesus offers our thanksgiving
blessing God for life we’re given.
From the earth comes grain to feed us
watered by the rains of heaven.

3. Word of promise claims attention
earth renewed by God’s designing.
All the creatures join in praises,
God’s intended wholeness finding.

4. Come, invited, now draw nearer,
join this holy celebration.
Here be strengthened, called to justice,
living now God’s new creation.

5. Christ, your coming and your hosting
gives us place at widening table
now embracing world and neighbour
Spirit strong, by love enabled.

COMMUNION PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER

THE SHARING of COMMUNION

PRAYER after COMMUNION
For the gifts we have shared:  the bread and wine, the love and grace of God,
The friendship and fellowship of our community,
We thank you God.
Now we pray,  take our newfound hope,  along with the encouragement of our community, and make of us your servants of courage and justice.
And may the spirit of Christ live deep within us,  today, and always.  AMEN

PRAYER of DEDICATION for OUR OFFERINGS
The work of creating a world that works for all,
Requires many gifts, many talents, many resources.
We bring all that we have, our courage, our strength,
Our prayers and our dreams,
Our gifts of time and treasure,
And all the love and acceptance we embody,
To create God’s world of justice and joy.
Thanks be to God.  AMEN

Donate online:   www.graceunitedthornbury.ca,  select “Give” 
     or contact the office by email: accounting@graceunitedthornbury.ca
     or  phone: 519-599-2438 to arrange a cheque pick-up, or an e-transfer.
     Mail: Grace UC, 140 Bruce St. S. PO Box 219, Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0
     or  Offering Plate at the back of the sanctuary.

Tap your debit card at the door of the church, or Donate to Grace United Church through CanadaHelps.org.   Our account is set up with them now and it is easy to register.  Tax receipts are given automatically at the time of giving.

Care, Prayer, Share

What’s Up at Grace?

We Go Out 

*HYMN:  VU #481
 “Sent Forth by God’s Blessing:”

1. Sent forth by God’s blessing, our true faith confessing,
the people of God from this dwelling take leave.
The supper is ended, O now be extended
the fruits of this service in all who believe.
The seed of Christ’s teaching, receptive souls reaching,
shall blossom in action for God and for all.
God’s grace did invite us, God’s love shall unite us
to work for the kingdom and answer its call.

2. With praise and thanksgiving to God ever living,
the tasks of our everyday life we will face.
Our faith ever sharing, in love ever caring,
embracing God’s children of each tribe and race.
With your feast you feed us, with your light now lead us;
unite us as one in this life that we share.
Then may all the living with praise and thanksgiving
give honour to Christ and the name that we bear.

*COMMISSIONING

*SUNG BENEDICTION:  MV #209
“Go Make A Difference”   X2

Go make a dff′rence, we can make a diff'rence
Go make a diff′rence in the world
Go make a diff'rence we can make a diff'rence
Go make a diff′rence in the world

POSTLUDE
“A Gentle Waltz” - O. Peterson

 *****

SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
Call to Worship: written by Rev. Dr John Greg. Smith
Psalm Reading:  adapted from Psalm 42
Prayers are written by Rev. Dr. John Greg. Smith

HYMNS and SUNG VERSES:
- Morning Has Broken:” Words: © Eleanor Farjeon, Children’s Bells, Oxford University Press. Reprinted by permission of David Higham Associates, 5-8 Lower John St., Golden Square, London W1R 4HA England. Music: Gaelic melody. Harmony: ©1982 Church Pension Fund. Used by permission. Words: David Higham Associates. Music: Public Domain. Harmony: Church Pension Fund. One License #608577
- Called by Earth and Sky:” Words and music: Pat Mayberry, 2005; French translation: David Fines, 2006. Arr. Margaret Stubington, 2005. Words and music copyright © 2005 Pat Mayberry. www.patmayberry.com. Arrangement copyright © 2005 by Margaret Stubington. One License #608577
- When We Gather at the Table:” Words copyright © 1995 by Walter Farquharson. Music copyright © 2006 by Ron Klusmeier, www.musiklus.com. One License 608577
- Sent Forth by God’s Blessing:” Words: Omer Westendorf 1964 © 1964 World Library Publications, Inc. Arrangement: © 1972 Contemporary Worship 4: Hymns for Baptism and Holy Communion. Reprinted by permission of Augsburg Fortress Publishers. Music: Welsh folk tune. Harmonized by Leland Bernhard Sateren. Words: World Library Publications, Inc. Arrangement: Augsburg Fortress Publishers. One License #608577
- Go Make a Diff’rence:” Words and Music: Steve Angrisano and Tom Tomaszek, 1997. Copyright © 1997, Steve Angrisano and Tom Tomaszek. Published by spiritandsong.com One License #608577