Service Sunday May 11th, 2025
All are Welcome!
Worship Leader: Rev. Max Ward
Music Director: Melissa Stephens
(For a Printer Friendly PDF version click this link)
Watch a video recording of the whole service using YouTube below.
The Gathering
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS:
FOCUSING ON THE LIGHT OF CHRIST:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TERRITORY: In Unison
We acknowledge that above all, this territory belongs to God ...
Wakan ... Creator. It has been cared for by many generations of people before us; both Indigenous Peoples and settlers.
May we, in true humility, be thankful to be on this territory today.
THE APPROACH
CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: Come as people open to the Spirit’s movement among and within us.
ALL: We come in anticipation and with openness to God’s word.
One: Come as people wishing to work for new creation.
ALL: We come to listen and to worship as we embrace the good news.
One: As we gather, let us join our hearts in prayer:
ALL: Gather us in, O God, as people yearning for your loving.
Gather us in, O Christ, as people longing for your freedom.
Gather us in, O Spirit, as people seeking your enthusiasm and your joy. Gather us in, each one to another, helping us to strengthen the bonds of faith.
Gather us in, stranger and family, foe and friend, in and out, establishing our common identity in the risen Christ. Amen.
Written by Gord Dunbar, Kincardine, Ont.
Gathering, Easter*Lent 2025, p.53. Used with permission.
HYMN: “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” VU #326
1 O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of God's grace.
2 Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life and health and peace.
3 He speaks, and listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive,
the mournful broken-hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.
4 Hear him, you deaf; you voiceless ones,
your tongues again employ;
you blind, behold your Saviour comes,
and leap, you lame, for joy!
5 My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honours of your name.
OPENING PRAYER: Read In Unison
Creator God, parent of us all, we are your precious children who live within family units of all kinds and sizes. We gather here with you and within this church family ready to worship you and to be embraced in your love. Amen
Written by Tammy Fergusson, Grace U.C., Gananoque, Ont.
Gathering, Easter*Lent 2025, p.53. Used with permission.
MINISTRY OF MUSIC:
LEARNING TOGETHER:
HYMN: “Like a Healing Stream” MV #144
1. Like a healing stream in a barren desert,
Spirit water bringing life to dusty earth,
God is trickling through our lives
as in a dream unfolding,
promising revival and rebirth
like a healing stream
2. Like a gentle rain on a thirsty garden,
Spirit water come to nourish tiny seed,
God is bubbling through the soil
to coax a new creation
yearning for an end to want and need
like a gentle rain.
3. Like a river strong with a restless current,
Spirit water rushing on to distant shore,
God is carving out a channel
in a new direction,
calling for an end to hate and war
like a river strong.
4. Like a mighty sea reaching far horizons,
Spirit water with a love both deep and wide,
God is working in our hearts
to shape a new tomorrow:
God will always challenge and provide!
Like a mighty sea, like a river strong,
like a gentle rain, like a healing stream.
THE WORD
SCRIPTURE: John 10 : 22 - 30
Leader: Hear and listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE:
“What Stays the Same in Times of Change”
Listen to an audio recording of the Message below or read it at the bottom of this page.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and THE LORD’S PRAYER: (spoken VU #921)
HYMN: “Faith of Our Fathers” VU #580
1. Faith of our fathers, living still
in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;
O how our hearts beat high with joy,
whene'er we hear that glorious word:
faith of our fathers, holy faith,
we will be true to you till death.
2. Faith of our mothers, daring faith,
your work for Christ is love revealed,
spreading God's word from pole to pole,
making love known and freedom real:
faith of our mothers, holy faith,
we will be true to you till death.
3. Faith of our sisters, brothers too,
who still must bear oppression's might,
raising on high, in prisons dark,
the cross of Christ still burning bright:
faith for today, O living faith,
we will be true to you till death.
4. Faith born of God, O call us yet;
bind us with all who follow you,
sharing the struggle of your cross
until the world is made anew.
Faith born of God, O living faith,
we will be true to you till death.
PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Here we are, God, as your invited family, as people who love the risen Christ, as those who are woven together as one by the Spirit’s power. Take what we offer: our hearts, our living, our time, our talent, and our treasure. May you so bless what we give that we become transformed for love—a love that fosters good news for the broader fabric of this world.
Amen
Written by Gord Dunbar, Kincardine, Ont.
Gathering, Easter*Lent 2025, p.53. Used with permission.
SUNG BLESSING: VU #574 vs 4
4 Come to my heart, O thou wonderful love!
Come and abide, come and abide,
lifting my life till it rises above
envy and falsehood and pride:
seeking to be, seeking to be
lowly and humble, a learner of thee. ©
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.
Sermon 2025 05 11
“What Stays the Same in Times of Change”
John 10:22-30
Gracious God, be with us today in this place, in the Scriptures and in our words.
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts praise your Holy name. Amen.
Today’s scripture story takes us back in time before Easter.
Jesus is in the Temple and the Jews are questioning him as to whether or not he is the Messiah.
They wanted him to out-right say, “I am the Messiah”.
But Jesus wouldn’t do that due to the law of blasphemy against ever saying such a thing.
Jesus seems to be stuck between a rock and a hard place!
This week, I have had a very reflective time on a variety of subjects in my life and faith.
Earlier this week, I was feeling discouraged.
It seems like everything in life is changing so quickly around me.
Some days, I feel like I am going to be either left behind or sweep up in a direction that I don’t want to go like a rushing river (more about that later)!
I was trying to figure out how I fit into this world.
Several things triggered these thoughts.
#1 the on-going discussion about Affirming awareness.
#2 the on-going discussions of the state of the church and how we work with other United Churches.
#3 thinking of Barbara Braker and the children’s ministry that she so faithfully offered not so long ago and how I was missing her.
#4 even thinking of the cold Wintery weather that was hanging on and on this Spring through the Ice Storm and the damage it caused.
Sometimes, I might even say frequently, ministers get discouraged and yet they have to come up with a sermon that is supposed to be inspiring week after week after week.
Often, it is a daunting task that knows all my procrastination buttons!
I want to share with you part of an email that I have been tempted to send to a member of church.
The email letter/reflection is in response to the question of why the United Church of Canada and our church specifically has chosen to focus on Affirming topics.
My response begins…
Affirming is not something new.
Affirming the same rights of women and men in church has been a discussion topic for a very long time.
Women have seen their right to vote, to hold leadership positions to become clergy steadily become a reality over the years.
There are many ministers with beliefs that I would say are affirming.
Not all ministers are outspoken or confrontational about their beliefs.
Additionally, many ministers, like myself, prefer to practice in a spectrum of beliefs and are willing to speak the language that best matches the congregation or the individual.
This may seem like not believing anything but the way I look at it is that God is a great mystery and who am I to judge ultimately who is right and who is wrong.
Personally, I was raised in a very conservative United Church that would worship comfortably with most Baptists or Anglicans etc as I suspect that you were too.
I am comfortable there but the reality is that science and our modern world has moved on from some of the traditions that traditional mainline churches have practiced over the years.
Progressive Christianity and being affirming have a lot to offer to a renewed way of being Christian.
It is my hope that a gentle transition can take place before Christianity is sidelined to the dust bin of history because I think there is still so much that faith in Christ has to offer to society and to individuals.
Much like the great rushing speed of changing technology, I pine for simpler times as our faith and church change but that is only wishful thinking.
I could dig my heals in and stick with the faith tradition I was raised in but I don’t think that will serve anyone very well for much longer and I have more than myself to think about.
To me, faith matters most where the rubber hits the road, in the way that you live.
If your faith, whether Christian or Buddhist or Humanist or whatever, causes you to think of more than yourself and live for a better world, then that is a whole lot better than the self-centered greedy life that so many people of our world aspire to have.
Sometimes I think that gentle people of faith underestimate their role in the pursuit of a better world.
Just think of all the charities that wouldn’t exist without people of faith donating their time and money.
Think of the political policies that wouldn’t be enacted without people of faith willing to look out for their fellow human or the environment etc.
I don’t want to live in a world without the conscience of faithful people so I am doing my part to counteract the tide of secularization.
Some days it feels like a loosing battle and maybe it is but it is in my core to continue to try and shape the world to be a better place.
There is your mini sermon for the day!
That was how my week began.
I have always tried to live as Jesus encourages us to live.
Jesus says to the Jews who are demanding to know whether or not he is claiming to be the Messiah, that he has said as much and they didn’t believe him.
Also, the way that he lives, the things he does in his Father’s name is a testament, actions speak louder than words.
That is also how I try to live.
Barbara Braker tried to live that way too.
This week I was thinking of her.
Even though times change and people may even die, some things stay the same.
Barbara’s love for children and love of life lives on in those who remember her.
Seeing young people grow up and live their lives is a testament that even though life has changed, life goes on and is refreshed and renewed.
On Wednesday, I had my monthly ministerial lunch meeting with my clergy friends, Rev. Rodney Smith-Merkley, who serves the Buckhorn and Curve Lake churches, Rev. Bob Root, who serves the Trinity-Providence Pastoral Charge in Bobcaygeon and Rev. Karen Hammond-Croxall who serves the Uxbridge United Church.
After a reflective time together working on our annual submission to the Gathering magazine, a Worship resource magazine, we had a quick potluck lunch and then went out on the sailboat.
It was a glorious day and the winds were gusty at times giving us great bursts of speed while causing the whole sailboat to tilt over by 20 plus degrees!
It reminded me of an earlier time a few years ago when we went canoeing on the Burnt River beginning in Kinmount and heading downstream 5 kms.
I love canoeing but I was a little nervous about the cool water temperature if we happened to get wet this time of year!
We met in Kinmount at Austin’s Sawmill Heritage Park and after unloading and juggling the cars around, set out on our adventure.
The first rapid was very tame and only a small splash came over the bow of the canoe.
The next rapid was way beyond being safe so we portaged around it.
Rodney took a selfie with us both in it and the rushing waterfall in the background.
We were wise to portage so we didn’t get swept away.
After a pleasant paddle we came to the last rapid with the bridge and our car in sight.
Gathering up enough nerve and dumb luck, we gave it a try.
The drop wasn’t much, only a few feet, but when the bow of the canoe went under a standing wave, I sure knew it!
In an instant, the canoe was half filled with very cold water!
Struggling to keep the canoe level for fear of taking on any more water, we drifted helplessly in a large circling eddy for a few minutes while I stabilized the canoe and Rodney bailed pail after pail of the frigid water.
Apparently, I had more faith in our ability to stay dry than Rodney did!
He packed his wallet and cellphone in a ziplock bag and brought a change of clothes.
I was still drying out my cellphone & wallet a week afterwards!
It was a great adventure for a sunny afternoon and buoyed my spirits and faith.
We talked shop a little bit but we also talked about family and how things change.
Seeing the rushing water reshape the land, washing away the soil around huge hundred year old trees gave me a perspective on life.
Friendship, love, faith and hope remain even in changing times.
The seasons change, the cloudy sky always changes to a sunny day again.
Life is a gift and faith is the gift of life renewed.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
