September 3, 2023 - Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Order of Worship – Grace United Church
Worship led by: Grace Choir, Rev. Cathy Kinsman, Pam Rollheiser, Johnathan Rollheiser
GOD CALLS US TOGETHER
GATHERING
WELCOME
**HYMN “Come In” (Vs. 1,2,4) VU #395
Words & Music: James K. Manley
WE OFFER OURSELVES TO GOD
CANDLE LIGHTING “In the Quiet Stillness of Creation” Gladys Jack
“In the quiet stillness of creation, in the quiet stillness of home.
In the quiet stillness of our being, God reminds us that we’re not alone.”
CENTERING PRAYER
**HYMN “Soil of God, You and I” MV #174
Words: Jim Hannah
PRAYER OF HEALING
Redeeming God, out of the flames of your creation,
your voice calls, marking us as your own.
Yet, there are times when we choose to ignore your voice,
and listen instead to our own needs and desires,
and those that challenge our faith from within the world.
Forgive us for those times, healing God.
We ask your grace in this time of prayer.
(Silent prayer/reflection)
WORDS OF GRACE AND COMFORT
Loving God, in your forgiveness,
you offer again the invitation to know Your love,
to be loved and to respond to Your call to love another.
In hearing Your voice may we find our place within your community and creation.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM
Madison Olivia Blixrud – Born June 20, 2020
Jaxon Ty Blixrud – Born Jan. 10, 2023
Children of Jenna Blixrud (Nicodemus) and Mitchell Blixrud
Grandparents:
Cheryl & Calvin Nicodemus, Marty & Diane Blixrud,
Great-Grandmother. Sheila Illerbrun
Godparent: Janelle Hemmelgarn
Ethan Lorne James Labuke – Born Nov. 26, 2020
Child of Ashley Barber and Pat Labuke
Grandparents:
Tammy & Roger Mills, Carolyn & Trevor Thibideau
Chyann & Lorne Labuke
God-Parents: Gerry-Lynn Gassner, B. Barber and A.Thibodeau
Johnathan Cruz Russell – Born March 8, 2013
Mother: Melony Lynn Raspier
Grandparents: Ann & Russ Raspier
THE SCRIPTURES SPEAK TO US
SCRIPTURE READING
Exodus 3:1-15 – Moses encounters the burning bush
In this is God’s hope for the world. Thanks be to God!
MESSAGE
HYMN “Walk with Me” (vs. 1,4)
Words & Music: John S. Rice VU #649
GOD INVITES US TO RESPOND
*OFFERING INVITATION
*OFFERING RESPONSE “What Can I Do?” MV #191
Words & Music: Paul Rumbolt & Michele McCarthy
OFFERING PRAYER
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
WE GO OUT IN FAITH
*HYMN “To Show by Touch and Word” VU #427
Words: Fred Kaan Music: Ron Klusmeier
ANNOUNCEMENTS – LIFE AND MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH
BLESSING
*CHORAL BENEDICTION “Sing Amen” VU #431
Words & Music: S.C. Molefe
Hymns from More Voices and Voices United are used with permission. One License #A-7252
What’s Happening This Week
Sept 4 - Labor Day – Office Closed
Sept 6
10:30 am - 12:30 pm - Senior Luncheon
10:00 am - 8:30 pm - Lloyd Log Cabin Quilters Guild
Sept 7
9:00 am - M & P Meeting
10:00 am - 4:00 pm - Lloyd Log Cabin Quilters Guild
1:00 - 2:00 pm - Outreach Cupboard
6:30 pm - Choir Meeting
Sept 9
8:00 am - 1:00 pm - Generative Planning
Sept 10
10:00 am - Worship
Outreach Shopping List
o Canned fruit
o Canned vegetables
o Granola Bars
o Cereal
o Instant oatmeal pkgs
o Juice boxes
o Larger canned protein (Ham, chicken, tuna)
STEWARDSHIP SECONDS
Let love be genuine! Show hospitality, rejoice and grieve with others, and share generously as part of your call to live in Christian community.
MORTGAGE BURNING CELEBRATION│SEPT 17
The Dedication will take place during the church service. Mortgage burning will take place following the service with an introduction of guests. Beef on a bun lunch will be served after the burning of the mortgage. Tickets are available at the office or Sundays in September before and after church. Tickets are $20.00 per person, 12 & under $10, 6 and under free with proceeds going towards Debentures.
GENERATIVE PLANNING | SEPT 9 |8:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. |HALL
If you would like to learn more about the generative plan and help shape the directions of the church in the coming year, please plan to attend this gathering time. Malcom Radke will be our facilitator for event.
Please let Bev know if you plan to attend so we can ensure adequate refreshments are provided.
PRAYERS AND SUPPORT FOR NORTHWEST TERRITORIES COMMUNITIES
We have had so many frightening moments because of wildfires this year.
We have witnessed heartache and loss; we had hoped that much of the danger was past. But it’s not. Communities from the Northwest Territories including Yellowknife, N’dilo, Dettah, Ingraham Trail, Enterprise, Fort Smith, Hay River, K’atl’odeeche, Kakisa, and Jean Marie River residents have had to evacuate or are on alert.
Communities in British Columbia, including West Kelowna, West Kelowna First Nation and Kelowna, are also facing crisis and evacuation. So many people who have to leave their homes, their livelihoods because of this imminent danger. There is so little we can do in this moment. But we can pray.
We can hold these family members in our hearts. We can prepare ourselves to offer support when and where we can. We can be ready to love well, and hard and be hope for those who leave, for the first responders who stay, for fire fighters who leave their families to save others.
If communities want to donate to the emergency fund to aid these communities, they can do so by e-Transfer to northernspirit@united-church.ca, with a note in the memo line indicating that it is for support for these Northwest Territories communities in crisis.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ANOTHER STEP ON THE PATH OF RECONCILIATION
A request has come from Charlene Burns, General Council Community Capacity Development Co-ordinator for the West, related to the Central Alberta Spiritual Circle/Center and Interconnect Foundation (the new Indigenous community of faith being established in the former Beverly United Church in Edmonton). Charlene wrote: "I am asking for contributions from friends far and wide to purchase 100 orange shirts to use as a fundraiser for Interconnect and the Central Alberta Spiritual Circle. They will have the logo for the Center on them and be sold for $30 each. The cost will roughly be $2700-2800 for 100 T-shirts with all the set up and GST. We would like to order the t-shirts to have on hand by the next Central Alberta Spiritual Teaching Circle on Sept. 16th and for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30th. *Financial contributions can be made by cash or cheque to Interconnect, Red Deer Office, 4825-47 street #300, Red Deer T4N 1R3 or to Interconnect at 11910-40 street NW Edmonton T5W 2K9 with a note re Orange shirts.* This is also an official invitation to Interconnect ‘Orange Shirt Day’, Sept. 30th at 5439-47 Street Red Deer. Further details to follow.
WORSHIP IN THE COMING WEEKS
Sept. 10th - Exodus 12:1-14 – Instructions for first Passover
Matthew 18:15-20 – Where two or three are gathered in my name
Sept. 17th – Exodus 14:19-31 – God parts the Red Sea – Mortgage burning and Luncheon to follow
Sept. 24th – Super Sunday – Sunday School Kick-off and registration – lunch to follow worship
Exodus 16: 2-15 – Bread and quails to feed the people
Oct. 1st – World Communion Sunday
Exodus 17:1-17 – Water flows from the rock for thirsty people
As beloved children of God, all are included in the life and ministry of
the Grace Family where diversity is celebrated.
Grace remembers, as we celebrate God’s presence in worship,
that Grace United Church gathers on Treaty 6 land,
the traditional territory of the Plains, Wood Cree, Assiniboine and Métis peoples.
As Treaty people,
we seek to live with respect on this land and live in peace and friendship with all our relations.
Playschool Coordinator - Lori Haygarth 780-808-0959 gucplayschool@graceunitedchurch.ca
Treasurer - Lynda Campbell 306-821-2575 guctreasurer@graceunitedchurch.ca
Executive Director - Bev Thurlow 780-875-8959 gucexecdirector@graceunitedchurch.ca
Board Chair - Darrel Howell 780-870-1671 dhhowell@telus.net
Minister - Rev. Cathy Kinsman 1-204-294-2142 gucminister@graceunitedchurch.ca
Affirming Support Worker - Jenson Brown 780-875-8959 gucjensonbrown@gmail.com
Choir Director - Karen Fawcett 780-875-4642 karenfawcett@hotmail.com