Service Sunday July 13, 2025

HIGHLAND HILLS UNITED CHURCH

Minden, Ontario

SUNDAY, July 6th, 2025

All are Welcome!

Worship Leader: Rev. Marybeth Wilson

Music Director: Melissa Stephens

(For a Printer Friendly PDF version click this link)

The Gathering

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  FOCUSING ON THE LIGHT OF CHRIST:      

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TERRITORY:                        

THE APPROACH

CALL TO WORSHIP:

One:    Arise!  Let us awaken to the new dawn!

ALL:  We shall come into the Light, shedding the darkness

            of oppression.

One:    Know that the Beloved dwells within you.

ALL:  As we worship, let us open our hearts to listen for the call of Christ to let harmony reign.

One:    Arise!  Let us join in the new creation!

                                    Based on Psalm 82, as written by Nan C. Merrill in Psalms for Praying:

                                                An Invitation to Wholeness. Copyright 2001. Used with permission.

HYMN: “God Who Gives to Life Its Goodness”  VU #260       

1     God who gives to life its goodness,

            God creator of all joy,

       God who gives to us our freedom,

            God who blesses tool and toy:

       teach us now to laugh and praise you,

            deep within  your praises sing,

       till the whole creation dances

            for the goodness of its King.

2     God who fills the earth with beauty,

            God who binds each friend to friend,

       God who names us co-creators

            God who wills that chaos end:

       grant us now creative spirits,

            minds responsive to your mind,

       hearts and wills your rule extending

            all our acts by Love refined.

OPENING PRAYER:                                Read In Unison

Creating God, we have come to worship this day for a variety of reasons.  Some of us have struggled this week and need reassurance that you are here for us.  Some of us question your goodness when there is so much despair near and far.  Some of us come filled with joy and gratitude.  Remind us, Holy One, that your love is the reality we can trust – in this moment, and throughout our days.  This we pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

   Gathering, Pentecost 1 2025, p.40.  Used with permission.

MINISTRY OF MUSIC: LEARNING TOGETHER:

HYMN:   “Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love”  VU #593

Refrain           Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love,

                        show us how to serve

                        the neighbours we have from you.

1          Kneels at the feet of his friends,

            silently washes their feet,

            master who acts as a slave to them.  R

2          Neighbours are rich and poor,

            varied in colour and race,

            neighbours are near and far away.  R

3          These are the ones we should serve,

            these are the ones we should love,

            all are neighbours to us and you.  R

4          Kneel at the feet of our friends,

            silently washing their feet,

            this is the way we should live with you.  R

THE WORD

Scripture:  :  Luke 10:25-37 

  Leader: Hear and listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.

   ALL:      Thanks be to God.

MESSAGE: 

“The Other Side”

OUR RESPONSE   

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and THE LORD’S PRAYER:        spoken

HYMN  “Christ Has No Body Now but Yours”  MV #171  

Refrain

            Christ has no body now but your,

            no hands but yours.

            Here on this earth, yours is the work,

            to serve with the joy of compassion.

1.         No hands but yours to heal the wounded world,

            no hands but yours to soothe all its suffering,

            no touch but yours to bind the broken hope

            of the people of God.

2.         No eyes but yours to see as Christ would see,

            to find the lost, to gaze with compassion;

            no eyes but yours to glimpse the holy joy

            of the city of God.

3.         No feet but yours to journey with the poor,

            to walk this world with mercy and justice.

            Yours are the steps to build a lasting peace

            for the children of God.

4.         Through ev’ry gift, give back to those in need;

            as Christ has blessed, so now be his blessing,

            with ev’ry gift a benediction, be

            to the people of God.

PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY PRAYER:        Read Responsively

One:    We are deeply grateful to you, O God,

ALL: because you have given so generously.

One:    We are deeply grateful to you, O God,

ALL:  because you have given of your very self to be among us.

One:    We are deeply grateful to you, O God,

ALL:  and so we give back to you, that your commonwealth

            may become reality in the world.  May it be so.  Amen.

SUNG BLESSING   MV #150 vs 4         

4          Spirit God: be our breath, be our song.

            Blow through us, bringing strength to move on.

            Through change, through challenge, we’ll greet the new dawn…

            Spirit God, be our song. ©

SENDING FORTH:

A Time of Fellowship

© Music Reproduced with permission under License number A-605748, Valid for: 26/10/2024 - 25/10/2025; One License - Copyright Cleared Music for Churches