July 28th, 2024

10th Sunday of Pentecost

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: Sandy Eagles

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

We Gather 

PRELUDE
“English Suite No 4 Sarabande” -  J.S. Bach

WELCOME

The CHRIST CANDLE
As we come to worship in this Pentecost season
We turn to light the candle which reminds us:
Christ’s Spirit is always with us!
Christ's spirit fills us, heals us, and completes us.
Christ’s light enlivens us, and gives us strength,
for the living of these days.
May it be so!  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.

CALL to WORSHIP
Come people of God!
Come and give thanks to the Creator for life and love.
Come and give thanks with your whole heart.
Come and worship with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
We gather in this Sacred Chapel, this Holy of Holies,
In this place let us find the fire of the Holy Spirit alive in our beings.
In this place, let us kindle the fire of creation,  calling us forward, beckoning us toward newness and the freshest deep-down greening of every little thing!
God’s Spirit calls us to life.
God’s Spirit calls us to actions of mercy and justice.
God’s Spirit calls us to love the world as God loves the world.
God’s Spirit calls us to acts of kindness and generosity.
God’s Spirit calls us to humility, giving all that we have
for the love of God and love of neighbour.
So we come together now, forming again a Sacred Circle,
For here and now, we are one.
We are all related in the circle of God’s love.
We are all valued, we are all loved.
Let us worship now in the light of life, in the vitality of life
And with the Spirit of Life alive within us.  AMEN.

*HYMN:  VU #227
“For the Fruit of All Creation”

1. For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God.
For the gifts to every nation, thanks be to God.
For the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safekeeping, thanks be to God.

2. In the just reward of labour, God’s will is done.
In the help we give our neighbour, God’s will is done.
In our worldwide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing, God’s will is done.

3. For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us, thanks be to God.

OPENING PRAYER
May there be, in my heart and my soul,
a still place of light, O God.
And in that still place, may I find the center-point of your love.
May I find in this centre point, the fire that lights my soul.
May I find in this centre point, the joy that seeks to be expressed.
May I find in this centre point, the love that embraces all things, the love that enlarges my heart to miraculous proportions!
God, may your Spirit stir within us this morning.
May we be filled with the gifts of your Spirit,
And may we use those gifts to the fullest today.
As Jesus fed the multitudes on the hillside of Galilee,
So too feed us on the inside,
With hope and courage, equanimity and grace.
Help us to know that as we are nurtured in our souls,
Our souls will be able to nurture the world around us.
O God, our world is caught in darkness and grief.
There is fear and despair in many places.
People are lost, are starving, are spiritually empty –
Show us the way and we will begin again today.
Make of us a heart-centre here in this place,
a centre-point of light and love
For our community
And for our world….

(a moment of quiet prayer)

As I live every day,
I want to be a channel for peace.
May I bring love where there is hatred
And healing where there is hurt;
Joy where there is sadness
And hope where there is fear.
I pray that I may always try
To understand and comfort other people
As well as seeking comfort
and understanding from them.
Wherever possible, may I choose to be
A light in the darkness,
A help in times of need,
And a caring honest friend.
And may justice, kindness, and peace
Flow from my heart forever.  Amen.

*HYMN:    VU #229
“God of the Sparrow”

1. God of the sparrow God of the whale
God of the swirling stars
How does the creature say Awe
How does the creature say Praise

2. God of the earthquake God of the storm
God of the trumpet blast
How does the creature cry Woe
How does the creature cry Save

3. God of the rainbow God of the cross
God of the empty grave
How does the creature say Grace
How does the creature say Thanks

4. God of the hungry God of the sick
God of the prodigal
How does the creature say Care
How does the creature say Life

5. God of the neighbour God of the foe
God of the pruning hook
How does the creature say Love
How does the creature say Peace

6. God of the ages God near at hand
God of the loving heart
How do your children say Joy
How do your children say Home

We Listen 

SCRIPTURE READINGS
New International Version

2 Corinthians 12:  2 -10
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.  And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.  I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.  Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

John 6: 1-15             
Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick.  Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.  The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”  He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there).  Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”  So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”  Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

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

INTERLUDE
“Little Litanies of Jesus” - G. Grovlez

SERMON: “The Things I KNOW to be true”

We Respond 

*HYMN:  MV #154
 “Deep in our Hearts”

1. Deep in our hearts there is a common vision;
deep in our hearts there is a common song;
deep in our hearts there is a common story,
telling Creation that we are one.

2. Deep in our hearts there is a common purpose;
deep in our hearts there is a common goal;
deep in our hearts there is a sacred message,
justice and peace in harmony.

3. Deep in our hearts there is a common longing;
deep in our hearts there is a common theme;
deep in our hearts there is a common current,
flowing to freedom like a stream.

4. Deep in our hearts there is a common vision;
deep in our hearts there is a common song;
deep in our hearts there is a common story,
telling Creation that we are one.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER:   (VU 910)

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, and 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 #333
“Love Divine”

1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.

2. Come, almighty to deliver;
let us all thy grace receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

3. Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee,
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

*COMMISSIONING

*SUNG BENEDICTION  
“Go Now in Peace”

Go now in peace. Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day,
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true,
Know God will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there, *within, around, above.
Go now in peace, in faith and in love.
Amen, amen, amen.

*alternate words: watching from above

POSTLUDE
“Sonata Opus 10 #2 1st Mov’t” - L. van Beethoven

*****

LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
Call to Worship: written by Rev.Dr John Greg. Smith
As I live every day: this prayer is copyright of Scott Kearns and Gretta Vosper and used here with permission.
Prayers are written by Rev. Dr. John Greg. Smith

HYMNS and SUNG VERSES:
- “For the Fruit of All Creation:” Words: Fred Pratt Green © 1970 Hope Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Music: Welsh folk melody. Words: Hope Publishing Company. Music: Public Domain. One License #608577
- “God of the Sparrow:” Words: © 1983 Jaroslav J. Vajda. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Music: © 1983 G.I.A. Publications, Inc. Words: Jaroslav J. Vajda. Music: G.I.A. Publications, Inc. One License #608577
- “Deep in Our Hearts:” Words: John Oldham, 1995. Music: Ron Klusmeier, 1996. Words copyright © 1995 by John Wesley Oldham. Music copyright © 1996 by Ron Klusmeier, www.musiklus.com. One License #608577
- “Love Divine:” Words: Charles Wesley. Music: Rowland Huw Prichard. Public Domain
- “Go Now in Peace:” Words by Don Besig and Nancy Price © 1988 Harold Flammer Music, Inc. Alternate words used with permission. Reproduced with permission. One License # 608577