Grace United Church | United Church in Thornbury, ON

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September 22, 2024 - Sunday Morning Service

Rev Dr John Smith

Sunday, September 22, 2024

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September 22nd, 2024

Season of Creation 3

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: Norine Baron

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

We Gather

PRELUDE
“Little Preludes” (Assorted) - J.S. Bach

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.

CALL to WORSHIP
(Based on psalm 150)
Give praise O people of God to the Maker of Days!
Give praise in the sanctuary of holiness!
Give praise in the cathedral of green!
Give praise in the stained glass shimmering of light!
Give praise in the reflections of light on the lake!
Our hearts and voices and spirits rejoice
In the beauty of creation all around us.
As nature sings its fullness and its bounty,
Our hearts and spirits fill up to the brim
with grace and love and hope.
Give praise with music, with trumpets and lute and harp!
Give praise with flowers, with colourful leaves, with fruits of the field!
Give praise with drums and strings and crashing cymbals!
Give praise with crashing waves and the sound of wind chimes!
As we gather in worship, we give praise!
Along with creation, we rejoice and sing and dance
For the love of our Maker!

*HYMN: MV # 28
“God of the Bible”

1. God of the Bible, God in the Gospel,
hope seen in Jesus, hope yet to come,
you are our center, daylight or darkness,
freedom or prison, you are our home.
Refrain (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

2. God in our struggles, God in our hunger,
suffering with us, taking our part,
still you empow’r us, mothering Spirit,
feeding, sustaining, from your own heart.
Refrain (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

3. Those without status, those who are nothing,
you have made royal, gifted with rights,
chosen as partners, midwives of justice,
birthing new systems, lighting new lights.
Refrain (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

4. Not by your finger, not by your anger
will our world order change in a day,
but by your people, fearless and faithful,
small paper lanterns, lighting the way.
Refrain (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

5. Hope we must carry, shining and certain
through all our turmoil, terror and loss,
bonding us gladly one to the other,
‘til our world changes facing the Cross.
Refrain (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

OPENING PRAYER
O God, Love Eternal,
as we come to you in prayer,
open our hearts, open our minds, open our spirits.
Let us know the comfort of your presence;
let us hear the song of your love deep within.
Let our minds slow down for a bit;
let our bodies relax for these few moments of worship.
As I relax my spirit, let me listen to the cries of my heart.
Let me listen to the areas of my life that are full of anxiety,
my concern for others in my family,
my concern for those who are sick,
or those who are grieving a loved one,
my concern for what is happening in our world today.
Let me listen to the larger song which you have placed in my being;
let me hear the tune of deep creative love.
Let me remember that you are still singing this tune – in me, and through me.
In our prayers, let us be calm.
As we prepare for another day and another week ahead
let our hearts be at peace.
For we place this time, and all the times of our life,
in the palm of your hand. Amen

PSALM READING: PSALM 146
Praise be to you O God.
You are the Divine Lover of my soul.
You are the Divine lover of all the souls of creation!
I will praise you with my whole being:
My soul and my spirit I will lift up to you!
Put your trust not in riches,
But in the things that matter.
Stop falling for illusions;
Let go your addiction to things.
For when our day comes to depart the world,
All we take with us is the love imprinted on our souls.
Blessed are those who trust in the Beloved,
Divine Lover of our souls,
who gives birth to the universe, the heavens, earth, and sea,
and who gives birth to the center of our beings,
The divine spark of eternity alive within each one of us.
The Divine Lover does not abandon us.
God watches over us on our journey,
Sending guides and angels to lead the way;
O that we might become beacons of light to show the way to others!
O Divine One, live forever in our hearts;
Calm our fears and bring peace to our souls.
Give us the words to praise you!
Give us the strength to sing with joy and hope and love.
May it be so!

Theme Conversation

*Hymn:
“There’s a Song of Love in My Heart” - Handt Hanson

There’s a song of love in my heart,
Love is a gift from Jesus,
There’s a song of love in my heart,
Love is a gift from God.
Alleluia, love in my heart is singing praises
Alleluia, love is a gift from God.

There’s a song of joy in my heart,
Joy is a gift from Jesus,
There’s a song of joy in my heart,
Joy is a gift from God.
Alleluia, joy in my heart is singing praises
Alleluia, joy is a gift from God.

There’s a song of peace in my heart,
Peace is a gift from Jesus,
There’s a song of peace in my heart,
Peace is a gift from God.
Alleluia, peace in my heart is singing praises
Alleluia, peace is a gift from God.

We Listen

SCRIPTURE READING
2 Chronicles 9:13-28 (Good News Translation)
Every year King Solomon received over twenty-five tons of gold,in addition to the taxes paid by the traders and merchants. The kings of Arabia and the governors of the Israelite districts also brought him silver and gold. Solomon made two hundred large shields, each of which was covered with about fifteen pounds of beaten gold,and three hundred smaller shields, each covered with about eight pounds of beaten gold. He had them all placed in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon.
The king also had a large throne made. Part of it was covered with ivory and the rest of it was covered with pure gold.Six steps led up to the throne, and there was a footstool attached to it, covered with gold. There were arms on each side of the throne, and the figure of a lion stood at each side.Twelve figures of lions were on the steps, one at either end of each step. No throne like this had ever existed in any other kingdom.
All of King Solomon's drinking cups were made of gold, and all the utensils in the Hall of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's day.He had a fleet of ocean-going ships sailing with King Hiram's fleet. Every three years his fleet would return, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.
King Solomon was richer and wiser than any other king in the world.They all consulted him, to hear the wisdom that God had given him.Each of them brought Solomon gifts—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. This continued year after year.
King Solomon also had four thousand stalls for his chariots and horses, and had twelve thousand cavalry horses. Some of them he kept in Jerusalem and the rest he stationed in various other cities.He was supreme ruler of all the kings in the territory from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border.During his reign silver was as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar was as plentiful as ordinary sycamore in the foothills of Judah.Solomon imported horses from Musri and from every other country.

Mark 10: 17-22 (New International Version)
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

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

ANTHEM
“For Where Love Is, There Is God” Wagner

SERMON: “Time is Grace, not Money”

We Respond

HYMN: VU #672
“Take Time to be Holy”

1. Take time to be holy, speak oft with your Lord;
abide in him always, and feed on his word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
forgetting in nothing his blessing to seek.

2. Take time to be holy, let him be your guide,
and run not before him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
and, looking to Jesus, still trust in his word.

3. Take time to be holy, be calm in your soul,
each thought and each motive beneath his control.
Thus led by his spirit to fountains of love,
you soon shall be fitted for service above.

PRAYER and 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, 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 #651
“Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah”

1. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but thou art mighty,
hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me till I want no more,
feed me till I want no more.

2. Open now the crystal fountain,
whence the healing stream doth flow;
let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer,
be thou still my strength and shield,
be thou still my strength and shield.

3. When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death, and hell’s destruction,
land me safe on Canaan’s side:
songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to thee,
I will ever give to thee.

COMMISSIONING

*SUNG BENEDICTION: MV #209
“Go Make A Difference” Chorus 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
Postlude: “Waltz in A Minor” - F. Chopin

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