Grace United Church | United Church in Thornbury, ON

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September 29 - 2024

Rev John Lougheed

Sunday, September 29, 2024

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September 29th, 2024

Creation Time 4

Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live

Leading us today in Worship:
Guest Minister: (Rev.) John Lougheed
Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
Lay Leader: Jim Oliver

Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics

We Gather

PRELUDE
“Aria” from Goldberg Variations - J.S. Bach

GREETING: (2 Cor. 13:13)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.

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!

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

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. On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, in particular, 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
(Adapted from Psalm 25)
Lead us in your truth, O God, and teach us,
for through you will we know wholeness; we shall reflect your light both day and night.
With your steadfast love, once again, companion us along your way, as we worship together, singing:

*OPENING HYMN
Psalm 100 -VU # 822
“All People that on Earth Do Dwell”

1. All people that on earth do dwell,
sing out your faith with cheerful voice;
delight in God whose praise you tell,
whose presence calls you to rejoice.

2. Know that there is one God, indeed,
who fashions us without our aid,
who claims us, gives us all we need,
whose tender care will never fade.

3. Enter the sacred gates with praise;
with joy approach the temple walls.
Extol and bless our God always
as people whom the Spirit calls.

4. Proclaim again that God is good,
whose mercy is forever sure,
whose truth at all times firmly stood,
and shall from age to age endure.

PRAYER OF APPROACH
Loving God, we gather to worship with open hearts, knowing that we sometimes fall short of your best intentions for us. As we ponder the times we are overcome with amazement at your grace, freely given, hear us now in the silence of our hearts … (silence is kept)

WORDS OF ASSURANCE
(Matthew 11:28-30)
Jesus is remembered for saying:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.”
(Matthew 11:28-30)

We Listen

THEME CONVERSATION: “Hospitality”

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
God of the ages:
As we open the scriptures this day,
Let us take heart, for you are calling to us.
As we seek your will for us,
Free our spirits to receive the truths
That you have for us today. Amen

SCRIPTURE READINGs

PSALM: 121 VU #844 (Responsive)
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where will I look for help?
My help comes from God,
who has made heaven and earth.
God will not let your foot stumble;
the One who protects Israel will not slumber.
The One who protects you
will neither slumber nor sleep.
Refrain:
Our help is in the name of our God
who made heaven and earth.
It is God that who protects you,
your defence at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
God will protect you from all evil,
God will protect your life.
God will protect your going and coming,
now and forever.
Refrain:
Our help is in the name of our God
who made heaven and earth

Mark 5: 21-43 (The Message)
After Jesus crossed over by boat, a large crowd met him at the seaside. One of the meeting-place leaders named Jairus came. When he saw Jesus, he fell to his knees, beside himself as he begged, “My dear daughter is at death’s door. Come and lay hands on her so she will get well and live.” Jesus went with him, the whole crowd tagging along, pushing and jostling him.
A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years—a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before—had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, “If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well.” The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with.
At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned around to the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?”
His disciples said, “What are you talking about? With this crowd pushing and jostling you, you’re asking, ‘Who touched me?’ Dozens have touched you!”
But he went on asking, looking around to see who had done it. The woman, knowing what had happened, knowing she was the one, stepped up in fear and trembling, knelt before him, and gave him the whole story.
Jesus said to her, “Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague.”
While he was still talking, some people came from the leader’s house and told him, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher anymore?”
Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, “Don’t listen to them; just trust me.”
He permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and John. They entered the leader’s house and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and neighbors bringing in casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: “Why all this busybody grief and gossip? This child isn’t dead; she’s sleeping.” Provoked to sarcasm, they told him he didn’t know what he was talking about.
But when he had sent them all out, he took the child’s father and mother, along with his companions, and entered the child’s room. He clasped the girl’s hand and said, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up.” At that, she was up and walking around! This girl was twelve years of age. They, of course, were all beside themselves with joy. He gave them strict orders that no one was to know what had taken place in that room. Then he said, “Give her something to eat.”

RESPONSE
The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

ANTHEM
“Like a River of Tears”- John Oldham/ Ron Klusmeier

MESSAGE: “Overcome with amazement”

*HYMN: VU #619
“Healer of Our Every Ill”
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

1. You who know our fears and sadness,
grace us with your peace and gladness.
Spirit of all comfort, fill our hearts.
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

2. In the pain and joy beholding,
how your grace is still unfolding.
Give us all your vision, God of love.
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

3. Give us strength to love each other,
every sister, every brother.
Spirit of all kindness, be our guide.
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

4. You who know each thought and feeling,
teach us all your way of healing.
Spirit of compassion, fill each heart.
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

We Respond

PRAYERS of the PEOPLE

… concluding
These words adapted from Padraig O’Tuama, offered in a recent dialogue on Indigenous and Settler Reconciliation:

… Where there is separation, there is pain.
And where there is pain, there is story.
And where there is story, there is understanding,
And misunderstanding.
Listening, and not listening…
And so, may we … turn toward each other,
And turn towards our stories.
With understanding, and listening.
With argument and acceptance,
With challenge, change, and consolation.
Because You O God is to be found, and will be found,
In the space between.
May it be so.

THE LORD’S PRAYER: (VU 921)
As a child turns to a loving caregiver who watches over them, we turn in prayer to you O God, who are our heavenly parent, our mother,
Our Father, who art in heaven…

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING

PRAYER OF DEDICATION OF GIFTS AND SELF

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

PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
The Peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.

MUSIC FOR PASSING THE PEACE
Improvisation on a Hymn C. Burton

We Go Out

WHAT’S UP AT GRACE?

*CLOSING HYMN
VU #633 “ Bless Now, O God, the Journey”

1. Bless now, O God, the journey
that all your people make,
the path through noise and silence,
the way of give and take.
The trail is found in desert
and winds the mountain round,
then leads beside still waters,
the road where faith is found.

2. Bless sojourners and pilgrims
who share this winding way,
whose hope burns through the terrors,
whose love sustains the day.
We yearn for holy freedom
while often we are bound.
Together we are seeking
the road where faith is found.

3. Divine Eternal Lover,
you meet us on the road.
We wait for lands of promise
where milk and honey flow.
But waiting not for places,
you meet us all around.
Our covenant is written
on roads, as faith is found

*COMMISSIONING & BENEDICTION

*SUNG BLESSING: MV #209
“Go Make A Diff’rence” 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: TBA

*****