2024-09-15 HUC.doc

September 15, 2024 – 11:00am

Congregation of Hope United Church

2550 Danforth Ave.

Worship - Rev. Brian Stevens

Music Director – Marc Michalak

Prelude -“Faith, Hope, and Charity” - by Susan Hookong Taylor

“Where Sky, Water Land Meet”

By Jim Oskineegish

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE LAND

It is with respect that we acknowledge the world views, spirituality and history of Canada’s First Peoples. Hope United is residing on the Ancestral lands of the Huron Weyandat Nation and the Treaty lands of the Seneca Nation and the Haudensaunee Confederacy.

We thank the Mississauga of the Credit and the Anishinabek Nations who are the current Protectors of this land. We also thank All Indigenous Canadians for sharing this land. We affirm our commitment to ensure that Hope United Church continues to live in Right Relations with all First Peoples. Let it be so.

GATHERING MV# 119 “God Our Protector”

God our protector, keep us in mind,

Always give strength to your people.

For if we could be with you one day in time

It is better than a thousand without you.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Oxygen. Carbon dioxide. Traces of other gases.

All around us.

The air we breathe.

Deep within us.

The ancients believed…

that the air was divine breath. Holy Spirit.

And when it moved, we would be “in-Spirited.”

Inspired. Given Life!

Let us breathe deep into our bodies,

filling our lungs with the air that gives life!

Let us breathe deep into our souls,

filling ourselves with the Spirit that gives life!

Alleluia!

Alleluia! Amen!

OPENING HYMN MV #113 - “Jesus Saw Them Fishing”

Jesus saw them fishing by the shore or Galilee,

casting out their nets into the sea.

Simon Peter, Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee,

Waiting in their boats so patiently.

And Jesus said…Oh, Come and follow me.

Oh, leave behind your nets I call you,

Oh, come and fish with me,

And your life will never be the same again.

A rich young person came to Jesus looking for advice,

“How can I obtain eternal life?”

Jesus told him, “Honor the commandments of the Lord.

Then sell off all your riches for the poor”

And Jesus said…Oh, Come and follow me.

Oh, leave behind your nets I call you,

Oh, come and fish with me,

And your life will never be the same again.

If you want to follow me, deny your very self.

Take up your cross and walk the walk with me.

This might seem a hardship, and impossibility,

but nothing is impossible…. with God.

And Jesus said…Oh, Come and follow me.

Oh, leave behind your nets I call you,

Oh, come and fish with me,

And your life will never be the same again.

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty God, in Jesus Christ you have shown us the truth of your commandments. Clean our hearts that we may serve you with joy. Serving you with love. Through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE

We light this candle as a symbol of love, care, peace and. May all who open themselves to this light, walk always with an open heart, in the light and love of the Lord. Amen.

“Touch Us With Your Light”

Light from this candle burning bright, Light our way through dark of night. Help us find our way to you,

Guide us, touch us with your Light, O Lord.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of light,

We confess that we live as hypocrites. We praise you with our talk but we do not walk behind you. And instead cast you out and away.

By the power of your word save us from the prison of our pride.

That we may serve you with kind hearts. Through Jesus …Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GRACE

Open your ears, eyes and hearts to hear the Good news… In Christ , our creator God is making everything right, restoring the fallenness of creation. Transforming our wounded selves and the world, into light. Dare to believe in this great good news. Amen.

GLORIA – VU # 37 (3X)

Gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, gloria, alleluia, alleluia!

May the Peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.

FIRST READING - Proverbs 1:20-33

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;
on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:

“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?

Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.

But since you refuse to listen when I call
    and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
since you disregard all my advice
    and do not accept my rebuke,
I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
    I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.

Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,
they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
but whoever listens to me will live in safety
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

VU # 740

Refrain: The precepts of our God

give joy to the heart.

The heavens declare the glory of God

And the vault of the sky reveals God’s handiwork.

One day speaks to another

And night shares its knowledge with the night,

And this without speech or language:

Their voices are not heard.

But their sound goes all out to all the lands

Their words to the ends of the earth.

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun

Which comes out like a bridegroom from under the canopy,

Like an athlete eager to run the race.

Its rising is at one end of the sky,

It runs its course to the other,

And there is nothing that is hidden from its heat.

Refrain: The precepts of our God give joy to the hearts.

God’s law is perfect, refreshing the soul,

God’s instruction is sure,

Giving wisdom to the simple;

God’s precepts are right, rejoicing in the heart

God’s commandment is pure

Giving light to the eyes;

God’s fear is clean, enduring forever

God’s judgements are true

every one of them righteous;

More desirable than gold, even much fine gold

Sweeter also than honey,

Pure honey from the comb.

Refrain: The precepts of our God give joy to the hearts.

By them is your servant warned,

For inkeeping them there is great reward.

But who can discern unwitting sins?

O cleanse me from my secret faults.

Keep your servant also from presumptuous sins,

lest they get the better of me.

Then shall I clean and innocent of great offence.

Refrain: The precepts of our God give joy to the hearts.

All: Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my hearts

Be acceptable in your sight, O God,

My strength and my redeemer.

GOSPEL READING Mark 8:27-38

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

The Word of the Lord!
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

MV # 48- “I Can Feel You near Me God”

I can feel you near me God, I can feel you near;
Yes I know you’re with me God, I feel you here.
I can feel you near me God, I can feel you near;
Yes I know you’re with me God, Heaven is here.

And I’ll jump for joy I’m singing Alleluia
Jump for joy for you
I will jump for joy I’m singing Alleluia
Jump for joy for you.

I can feel you loving me, yes I know you care,
God I know you’re loving me, always everywhere.
I can feel you loving me, yes, I know you care,
God I know you’re loving me I know you’re there.

And I’ll jump for joy, I’m singing Alleluia!
Jump for joy for you;
I will jump for joy, I’m singing Alleluia!
Jump for joy for you.

SERMON: “The Price of a Soul”

- Rev Brian Stevens -

“Sing to the Mountains”

by Bob Dufford”

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Creator God, receive our offerings for the nurture and expansion of your kingdom one earth. May they be magnified and the spirit of generosity among your people amplified so that all may be well. Amen.

DOXOLOGY: VU # 540 - “Grant Us, God the Grace”

Grant us God the grace of giving,

with a spirit large and free,

That ourselves and all our living,

we may offer faithfully.

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD

( adapted from “Association of Catholics in Ireland”)

Jesus asks the apostles a question which is also appropriate to us when he says “But you, who do you say I am ?”. We pray that we, like Peter, can answer that we believe he is the Christ, the Messiah, our Saviour. Grant us the strength and courage to live our lives in accordance with his teachings.