HopeUnited.ca
Lent IV
March 14, 2021 – 11:00am
Congregation of Hope United Church
2550 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Rev. Brian Stevens
Welcome everyone to our Sunday on-line Service of Worship from Hope on the Danforth, a United Church of Canada congregation. My name is Bruce Chown We are so glad you could be with us this morning on this Second Sunday of Lent.. You can type greetings and comments at any time in the chat. The order of service will appear on your screen and is also available on our Facebook page and at HopeUnited.ca. Our musicians this morning are Sandy and choir from Deer Park United
We begin our celebration with
More Voices 148 “ Jesus, Remember Me” (Sandy)
Jesus, remember me…
When you come into your kingdom.
Jesus, remember me…
When you come into your kingdom.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE LAND (Sandy)
With respect, we acknowledge the world views, spirituality, history and stewardship of the Mississauga of Scugog, the Hiawatha, and the Alderville First Nations, on whose traditional lands our church resides.
We thank and honour the other indigenous peoples who share this land. As followers of the Jesus Way, we affirm our commitment as a people empowered to work in restoring broken relationships.
CALL TO WORSHIP ( Sheldon and Mahroo)
Sisters and brothers in Christ, you gather in worship this morning
We come to celebrate the love of God!
God’s love reaches through the shadows of our lives to embrace us…
May we open ourselves to God’s love and grace.
Trusting in the light of God’s love while in the midst of struggles
This is our human challenge.
God offers love and acceptance…
Not judgment and rejection.
If we but trust, Jesus will leads us in the way of light and love.
Let us celebrate, in word and song, our God who loves us so much!
OPENING PRAYER (Jeff)
Gracious God, your vision of peace and wholeness comes to us in sweeping revelations and in tiny signs of hope. Kindle our hearts that we might be a hopeful people.
Keep us from growing weary of waiting, lest we miss the glory of your appearing. Even so, come quickly, O God. Amen.
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE (Marion)
(Oakbank United Church)
We light this candle as a symbol of the light of Christ, which cannot be held back by distance, which shines in each one of us, no matter where we are.
Let us join our voices in the singing of
“Touch us with Your Light” (Sandy)
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 (Sheldon)
( Beth Merill Neal)
Sometimes, O God, we forget people, or we toss them aside – the difficult ones, the needy ones, the ones that are hard to spend time with, the ones who confront us. And sometimes when we do things like that, it’s not really about the other people, but about us.
We are uncomfortable, or we feel guilty, or we follow brighter, shinier people, or we worry about what will make us look good. We are in such desperate need of your forgiveness. We need to be forgiven for our sin, for our mistakes, for mistaking what the world values with what you value. Help us to be better, and to see more clearly, and to care more thoroughly. In Christ we pray. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GRACE (Rev. Brian)
God’s grace is always with us…each moment of our journey. Ready to embrace and hold us when we call out. The invitation is ours to make; an invitation that will always be accepted when we open our heart to Christ. Amen
In response, we sing Voices United # 10…
”Prepare the Way of the Lord” ( Sandy)
Prepare the Way of the Lord!
Prepare the way of the Lord!
Make a straight path for him,
Make a straight path,
Prepare the way of the Lord!
SHARING OF THE PEACE
(Rev. Brian)
May the Peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you!
FIRST READING - REBEKAH
Ephesians 2: 1-10
You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.
But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
RESPONSIVE PSALM VU 831 Psalm 107 (Bruce and Janice- text)
(Sandy-Refrain)
Refrain: O give thanks, to God for steadfast love.
O give thanks, for God is gracious,
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of God say so.
Those redeemed from trouble.
Whom God gathered in from the lands,
From the east and the west,
From the north and the south.
Refrain: O give thanks, to God for steadfast love.
Some lost their way in the desert wastes,
Finding no place to settle,
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to you, God, in their trouble;
You rescued them from their distress.
You led them by a straight path.
Till they reached as safe place to settle.
Let them thank you, o God, for your steadfast love,
For the wonders you do for us.
For you satisfy the thirsty,
And fill the hungry with good things.
Refrain: O give thanks, to God for steadfast love.
Some suffered because of their sinful ways,
Afflicted on account of their wrongdoing.
They loathed every kind of food
They came close to the gates of death.
Then they cried to you, God, in their trouble
You rescued them in their distress.
You gave the word and healed them,
Yours saved them from the grave.
Let them thank you, God, for your steadfast love
For the wonders you do for us.
Let them offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving
And tell of your deeds with shouts of joy.
Refrain: O give thanks, to God for steadfast love.
GOSPEL READING John 3:14–21 ( MARION)
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”
Hear the Good News of Christ!
Praise to you, O Christ.
Please join in the singing of VU 121 (Sandy)
“Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery”
Tree of life and awesome mystery,
In your death we are reborn,
Though you die in all of history,
still you rise with every morn,
Still you rise with every morn.
Seed that dies to rise in glory,
May we see ourselves in you,
If we learn to live your story,
We may die to rise anew,
we may die to rise anew.
We remember truth one spoken,
love passed on through act and word,
Every person, lost and broken
wears the body of our Lord,
wears the body of our Lord.
Gentle Jesus, mighty Spirit,
come inflame our hearts anew,
We may all your joy inherit,
if we bear the cross with you,
if we bear the cross with you.
Christ, you lead and we shall follow
Stumbling though our steps may be,
One with you in joy and sorrow,
We the river, you the sea
We the river, you the sea.
Reflection: “ Come to the Light”
Rev. Brian Stevens
MUSIC MINISTRY – “God So Loved the World ” (Sandy)
MORNING OFFERING (Suzanne)
(Joanne Harader - Spacious Faith)
God of the wilderness,
We give these offerings in gratitude,
rejoicing in the abundance of your gifts to us.
We give these offerings in faith,
trusting that you will provide for our needs.
We give these offerings in hope,
knowing you can use them to spread your love in this world.
And with these offerings, we give ourselves;
May we live with generous hearts, with open hands. Amen
Our doxology is “For the Gift of Creation” # 538 in Voice United ( Sandy)
For the gift of creation.
The gift of your love
And the gift of the Spirit
By which we live,
We thank you and give you
the fruit of our hands,
May your grace be proclaimed
by the gifts…
That we give.
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD
(Mahroo)
Lord, remind us to measure our words. If when we speak to others, we imagine that it is your face before us God, we would surely temper our thoughts and words. In everything we think, say, and do, may remember God always.
We pray to the Lord…
Lord hear our pray.
(Marion)
Lord, remind us to seek out the righteous path; not the path of least resistance, not the path that leads us to tread on the dreams and aspirations of others, nor the path that leads us from the lights. May we have the strength to follow God's walking always in the light of the Lord. We pray and hope to do the right thing during this season of Lent.
We pray to the Lord…
Lord hear our pray.
(Jeff)
Lord, remind us to offer our gifts to you in service of others. We ask your blessing upon our food ministry. It is our hope, it is our dream that the people of the world who are hungry, may have food to eat.
We pray to the Lord…
Lord hear our pray.
(Suzanne)
Lord, remind us to be kind to others and share our things with them. We can live with one less of everything, that others might have a coat or hat to keep them warm, that others might have a raincoat to keep them dry, that others might have the medical care and support that they need. Instill in us O Lord the importance of engaging all with respect and dignity, regardless of age, cultural background, or gender.
We pray to the Lord…
Lord hear our pray.
(Sheldon)
Lord, remind us to pray for the poor in Spirit and the lonely during Lent. The pandemic has left many feeling alone and isolated. Inspire us to each take care of one other person. To make sure that one other soul is reminded of the love and care your offer us, by us offering it to another.
We pray to the Lord…
Lord hear our pray.
(Rev. Brian)
And for all those persons and intentions we name aloud at this time, or in the quiet of our hearts….
We pray to the Lord…
Lord hear our pray.
And in the words our Saviour taught us, we say…
Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy name;
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory
Forever and ever…Amen.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Yoga! - Thee are new Yoga classes up on line. You can find links on our facebook pages as well as our website, HoepUnited.ca
Donations to support the ongoing mission work of our congregation may be made on-line at the CanadaHelps.org website. The link is on our website Hope United.ca Cheques can also be mailed to Hope United Church , 2550 Danforth Ave. Toronto, On M4C 1L2
St. Patrick’s Day Take-A Way Meal – It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, so we are offering Irish Stew today from 1:00-2:00pm as a take away meal. Meals for Hope centre will be delivered between 12:15-12:45. Thank you to everyone who helped out this week. Suzanne, Mahroo, Andrieke, Jan, Rick, Liz, Gavin and Paul. Your faithful hands make a difference in our community.
CLOSING PRAYER (Rev. Brian)
(from “Liturgical season of Lent”)
Strengthened by God, let us go now in peace. In the spirit of Lent let us try to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel. May we serve Jesus through our generosity to others.
Let us always remember to turn to God for all our needs. Amen
VU 236 “Now Thank We All Our God” (Sandy)
Now thank we all our God,
with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
Oh, may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us strong in grace,
and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills
in this world, till the next!
All praise and thanks to God
For all that has been given,
The Son, and Spirit blest
Who dwell in highest Heaven—
The one eternal God,
Whom earth and Heav’n adore;
For thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
BLESSING AND BENEDICTION
(Rev. Brian)
May the blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you,
Creator, Son and Spirit
Let us go forth in peace, to love and serve the lord. Amen
CHORAL BLESSING “Walk in Love” (Sandy)
Walk in love as you go into the world,
Walk in peace with everyone you meet,
May God’s grace touch your heart, mind and soul…
This day and evermore,
Amen. Amen, Alleluia and Amen!
POSTLUDE
Please stay with us following the service
for a few moments to chat.
Mics will be unmuted so all can say hello
Thank you to everyone who assisted with
our Service of Worship.
Blessings to all and keep safe!
Hope United.ca
