HIGHLAND HILLS UNITED CHURCH

Minden, Ontario

SUNDAY, September 6, 2026

All are Welcome!

Worship Leader: Rev. Diane Bennett-Jones

Music Director: Melissa Stephens‍

Watch a video recording of the whole service below using YouTube

(For a Printer Friendly PDF version click this link)

(For Rev. Peter’s Musings PDF version click this link)

‍Watch a video recording of the whole service below.

‍ THE GATHERING

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

FOCUSING ON THE LIGHT OF CHRIST

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TERRITORY (In Unison)

As we gather here today, we respectfully acknowledge that this is sacred

ground. We are on Treaty 20 lands and the traditional territory of the Williams Treaties First Nations. We respectfully recognize these original Indigenous inhabitants as the stewards of this land since time immemorial. We are grateful to have the opportunity to gather and worship here.

THE APPROACH

Call to Worship:

One: Come, let us gather in this sacred space.

All: It is good to be here.

One: Let us rejoice in this sacred time.

All: It is good to be together.

One: Let us lift up our hearts and voices.

All: It is good to offer our thanks and praise.

One: Come, let us sing and pray and listen for the Spirit.

All: It is good to be here together worshipping and praising God!

* Opening Hymn: VU # 222 Come, Let Us Sing

1 Come, let us sing to the Lord our song,

we have stood silently too long;

surely the Lord deserves our praise,

so joyfully thank God for our days.

2 O thirsty soul, come drink at the well;

God's living waters will never fail.

Surely the Lord will help you to stand,

strengthened and comforted by God's hand.

3 You dwell among us and cause us to pray,

and walk with each other following your way;

our precious brothers and sisters will grow

in the fulfilling love they know.

4 Deserts shall bloom and mountains shall sing

to the desire of all living things.

Come, all you creatures, high and low,

let your praises endlessly flow.

Opening Prayer: (In Unison)

Ever-living God,

We gather here in your presence.

We ask that you be with us and within us as we worship.

Nourish us with the wisdom of Jesus.

Strengthen us with the power of your Spirit.

Empower us to live as you would have us live,

So that we might be your presence in the world.

Amen

MINISTRY OF MUSIC

LEARNING TOGETHER

* Hymn: MV # 12 Come Touch Our Hearts

1. Come touch our hearts that we may know compassion,

from failing embers build a blazing fire;

love strong enough to overturn injustice,

to seek a world more gracious, come touch and bless our hearts.

2. Come touch our souls that we may know and love you,

your quiet presence all our fears dispel;

create a space for spirit to grow in us,

let life and beauty fill us, come touch and bless our souls.

3. Come touch our minds and teach us how to reason,

set free our thoughts to wonder and to dream;

help us to open doors of understanding,

to welcome truth and wisdom, come touch and bless our minds.

4. Come touch us in the moments we are fragile,

and in our weakness your great strength reveal;

that we may rise to follow and to serve,

steady now our nerve, come touch and bless our wills.

5. Come touch us now, this people who are gathered,

to break the bread and share the cup of peace;

that we may love you with our heart, our soul,

our mind, our strength, our all, come touch us with your grace.

THE WORD

‍ ‍

Scripture: Matthew 18: 21 - 35

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

ALL: Thanks be to God.

MESSAGE

“Losing Count”

OUR RESPONSE

Candle Lighting

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and

THE LORD’S PRAYER: spoken VU # 921

* 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.

AFFIRMING MOMENT

PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS

Offering Plate is located on the back table

OFFERTORY HYMN: VU #543 vs 1

We give thee but thine own, what e’er the gift may be; All that we have is thine alone, a trust, O God, from thee.

OFFERTORY PRAYER: (In Unison)

Life Giving God, all that we are and all that we have is a gift from you.

You have entrusted us with so much, and in return we offer our gifts back to you.

In faith, we offer you our time, our talent and our resources.

We pray that you use us and our offerings to make your kindom known here on earth. Amen

SUNG BLESSING Christ Has No Body Now but Yours

MV #171 vs 4

Refrain

Christ has no body now but yours, no hands but yours.

Here on this earth, yours is the work,

to serve with the joy of compassion.

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. Refrain

SENDING FORTH:

A TIME OF FELLOWSHIP

Valid for: 26/10/2025 - 25/10/2026; One License - Copyright Cleared Music for Churches.this page.

OUR RESPONSE

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and

THE LORD’S PRAYER: sung VU#960

* HYMN: “We Are One” VU #402

1 We are one as we come, as we come, joyful to be here,

in the praise on our lips there's a sense that God is near.

We are one as we sing, as we seek, we are found;

and we come needful of God's grace as we meet, together in this place.

2 We are one as we share, as we share brokenness and fear,

in the touch of a hand there's a sense that God is here.

We are one as we care, as we heal, we are healed;

and we share warmth in God's embrace as we pray together in this place.

3 We are one as we feast, as we feast, peace becomes the sign;

in the bread and the wine there's a sense of love divine.

We are one as we come, as we feed, we are fed;

and we feel God's refreshing grace as we meet at table in this place.

4 We are one as we hear, as we hear, heart and hand unite;

in the word we receive there's a sense that God is light.

We are one as we leave, as we love, we are loved;

and we seek justice in God's ways as we move together from this place.

AFFIRMING MOMENT

PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS

Collection Plate is located on the back table

OFFERTORY HYMN: VU #543 vs 1

We give thee but thine own, what e’er the gift may be; All that we have is thine alone, a trust, O God, from thee.

OFFERTORY PRAYER: In Unison

Gracious God, who calls us to generosity, we give many different gifts in many different ways to the mission and ministry of Highland Hills United Church. We give of our abundance – our money, time, and talents. We give because we are grateful. In this way, we offer our thanks to you. Amen.

Written by Irma Nadeau, Trinity, U.C., Winnipeg, Man...

Gathering, Pentecost 1 2026, p.49 Used with permission.

* SUNG BLESSING Christ Has No Body Now but Yours

MV #171 vs 4

Refrain

Christ has no body now but yours, no hands but yours.

Here on this earth, yours is the work,

to serve with the joy of compassion.

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. Refrain

* SENDING FORTH:

A TIME OF FELLOWSHIP

Valid for: 26/10/2025 - 25/10/2026; One License - Copyright Cleared Music for Churches.

Service Sunday September 13, 2026

Weekly Church Announcements September 13, 2026

Highland Hills United Church