Grace United Church | United Church in Thornbury, ON

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January 12, 2025 : Sunday Service

Rev Dr John Smith

Sunday, January 12, 2025

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January 12^th, 2025

Baptism of Jesus

Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live

Leading us today in Worship:
Minister: Rev. Dr. John G. Smith
Director of Music: Dr. Christopher Burton
Lay Reader: Debbie Potts

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

We Gather

PRELUDE
Improvisation on "Bathe Me in Your Light" - Klusmeier/Burton

A Stewardship Second
How can we be joy, shining into joyless places and offering our gifts to the world?

WELCOME

LIGHTING the CHRIST CANDLE
We light this candle, a sacred symbol of divine light.
May the divine light dance in our worship today.
May the divine light ignite our hearts and souls.
May the divine light lift us up and give us peace.
Thanks be to God for this divine light!

OUR COMMITMENT to SAFER 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 you wintery frosty souls.
Come you tired and thirsty wanderers.
Come, and sit still in the circle of healing light.
Come, and be lightened by the oasis of belonging;
Come put your feet in the stream of healing water.
Let your feet become rooted in the earth,
Let your roots become grounded in the ancient story.
Let your roots be fed at the level of the soul.
For Love has found us. Love has reclaimed us.
Love has found us at the budding stage
and encouraged us to blossom.
Like a Christmas amaryllis, Love has spread its tender branches,
and embraced us once again.
Love came to us with songs of springtime in the midst of winter;
Our souls opened to this song of joy,
And we knew once again: All of life is blessing.
May our worship today be filled with this divine blessing!!!

*HYMN: MV# 28 “God of the Bible” vss. 1, 2 & 3 only
1. God of the Bible, God in the Gospel,
hope seen in Jesus, hope yet to come,
your 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.

OPENING PRAYER
(We begin with a quiet moment,)

Out of the silence O God, we sense your divine interest in our lives.
Here in this place, the shroud of warmth and belonging is wrapped around us.
In these intimate moments of grace and love,
Let us know that your life-giving gifts still breathe within us,
Still animate us,
Still work toward a future that is evolving toward light.
Each of us bears your word, your divine spark.
Each of us carries the beam of your love.
Each of knows deep down in our heart, that there is something holding,
Something upholding our spirits.
In our worship today O God, help us discover the word you have placed on our hearts.
Help us live true, and deep, with purpose and intention.
Help us to see that all that we have, and all that we are,
Is but reflections of your divine spirit, alive within us,
Alive in our world.
May all that we do be in service to your spirit, enlivening us,
And healing your world.
We pray in Christ’s name, AMEN

A Prayer of Intention
May I be a source of love today.
May my words and actions bring love to others.
May my heart be always in the right place.

May I be a source of peace today.
May my thoughts and prayers lead to calm waters.
May my own peace bring peace to others.

May I be a source of joy today.
May my attitude of joy lift the spirits of others.
May my own heart bubble up with joy.
May I be a source of joy, peace and love,
This day and every day. Amen.

We Listen

Theme Conversation: “What WORD is YOUR WORD?”

*HYMN: MV #79 “Spirit, Open My Heart”
Refrain:
Spirit, open my heart to the joy and pain of living.
As you love may I love, in receiving and in giving,
Spirit, open my heart.

1. God, replace my stony heart
with a heart that’s kind and tender.
All my coldness and fear
to your grace I now surrender.
Refrain:
Spirit, open my heart to the joy and pain of living.
As you love may I love, in receiving and in giving,
Spirit, open my heart

2. Write your love upon my heart
as my law, my goal, my story.
In each thought, word, and deed,
may my living bring you glory.
Refrain:
Spirit, open my heart to the joy and pain of living.
As you love may I love, in receiving and in giving,
Spirit, open my heart

3. May I weep with those who weep,
share the joy of sister, brother.
In the welcome of Christ,
may we welcome one another.
Refrain:
Spirit, open my heart to the joy and pain of living.
As you love may I love, in receiving and in giving,
Spirit, open my heart

FIRST READING
“The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
“Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down--
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

SECOND READING
Luke 1: 1 – 7 (New International Version)
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

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

ANTHEM
“Shine, Jesus, Shine!” G. Kendrick

SERMON: “Your Wild and Precious Life!”

*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.

We Respond

INVITATION to the OFFERING
God calls us and names us. When we respond by walking the road of discipleship—sharing good news, praying and worshipping, loving and serving—our footsteps are on the path of God’s unending love. Sharing our financial resources through the church community is another important part of our discipleship journey. As faithful disciples, we give generously in response to God’s call.

PRAYER of DEDICATION of OUR OFFERINGS
We pray that the gifts we give today will go further in God’s world than we can imagine. Bless these gifts, and those given through PAR and online. Amen.

Donate online: www.graceunitedthornbury.ca, select “Donate”
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 Thornbury 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

PRAYERS and THE LORD’S PRAYER

What’s up at Grace?

We Go Out

*HYMN: VU #649 “Walk With Me”
Refrain:
Walk with me, I will walk with you
and build the land that God has planned
where love shines through.

1. When Moses heard the call of God
he said, ‘Lord, don’t send me.’
But God told Moses, ‘You’re the one
to set my people free.’
Refrain:
Walk with me, I will walk with you
and build the land that God has planned
where love shines through.

2. Now Peter was a most unlikely
man to lead the flock;
but Jesus knew his holiness
and he became the Rock.
Refrain:
Walk with me, I will walk with you
and build the land that God has planned
where love shines through.

3. Young Mary Magdalene was sure
her life could be much more,
and by her faith she dared to let
God’s love unlock the door.
Refrain:
Walk with me, I will walk with you
and build the land that God has planned
where love shines through.

4. And when you share your faith with me
and work for life made new,
the witness of your faithfulness
calls me to walk with you.
Refrain:
Walk with me, I will walk with you
and build the land that God has planned
where love shines through.

*COMMISSIONING
“and the day came,
when the risk to remain tight in a bud,
was more painful
than the risk it took to blossom.”
Anais Nin

*SUNG BENEDICTION
Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts,
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!
Shine in your church, gathered today. (2X)

POSTLUDE
“Sonata in F Major” - Ludwig van Beethoven

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