Service Sunday May 4th, 2025
All are Welcome!
Worship Leader: Rev. Max Ward
Music Director: Melissa Stephens
(For a Printer Friendly PDF version click this link)
My apologies, there is no recording of the service today, bummer.
The Gathering
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS:
FOCUSING ON THE LIGHT OF CHRIST:
LIGHTING THE OF CHRIST CANDLE:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TERRITORY: In Unison
As we gather, we take a moment to remember that the territory we call the Haliburton Highlands is the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe peoples. We seek to learn about past wrongs, act with justice in the present, and pray for a better future together in the spirit of truth and reconciliation.
Written by Natacha Pearen, Trinity-St. Stephen’s U.C., Amherst, N.S.
Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2024-2025, p.45. Used with permission
THE APPROACH
CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: Three times Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?”
ALL: And three times Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
One: Each time, Jesus responded, “Then feed my sheep.”
ALL: Every day Jesus asks us, “(Your name), do you love me?”
One: If we answer, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you,” then we must be ready to serve Christ’s people.
ALL: We have come to worship today to ready ourselves for this discipleship of service.
Written by Catherine Tovell, Kilworth U.C., London, Ont.
Gathering, Easter*Lent 2025, p.44. Used with permission.
HYMN: “Will You Come and Follow Me” VU #567
1 Will you come and follow me
if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know
and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown
in you and you in me?
2 Will you leave yourself behind
if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer
in you and you in me?
3 Will you let the blinded see
if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free
and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean,
and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean
in you and you in me?
4 Will you love the 'you' you hide
if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found
to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound
in you and you in me?
5 Christ, your summons echoes true
when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you
and never be the same.
In your company I'll go
where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow
in you and you in me.
A NEW CREED: Read In Unison
We are not alone; we live in God’s world.
We believe in God: who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the church: to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation, to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope. In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.
MINISTRY OF MUSIC
NEW HYMN: “Jesus Saw Them Fishing” MV #113
1. Jesus saw them fishing by the shore of Galilee,
casting out their nets into the sea.
Simon Peter, Andrew and the sons of Zebedee,
waiting in their boats so patiently.
Refrain
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.”
2. A rich young person came to Jesus looking for advice.
“How can I obtain eternal life?”
Jesus told him, “Honour the commandments of the Lord
Then sell off all yor riches for the poor.” Refrain
3. “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, an impossibility,
but nothing is impossible with God.” Refrain
THE WORD
SCRIPTURE: John 21:1 - 19
Leader: Hear and listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE:
“We’re In The Boat Together!”
Listen to an audio recording of the message below or read it at the bottom of this page.
OUR REPSPONSE CANDLE LIGHTING LITURGY
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and THE LORD’S PRAYER: (sung VU #960)
HYMN: “Will Your Anchor Hold” VU #675
1 Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife,
when the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
will your anchor drift or firm remain?
Refrain
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
fastened to the rock which cannot move,
grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love!
2 It will surely hold in the straits of fear,
when the breakers tell that the reef is near;
though the tempest rave and the wild winds blow,
not an angry wave shall our bark o'erflow. Refrain
3 It will surely hold in the floods of death,
when the waters cold chill our latest breath;
on the rising tide it can never fail
while our hopes abide within the veil. Refrain
4 When our eyes behold, through the gathering night,
the city of gold, our harbour bright,
we shall anchor fast by the heavenly shore,
with the storms all past for evermore. Refrain
AFFIRMING MOMENT:
PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Welcoming God, receive our hearts and fill us with your Spirit that we may be able to offer ourselves in service to you. Strengthen us when our resolve weakens and we put ourselves first. Awaken us as a congregation to recognize the need around us. Make us a community of love and service, joining with the efforts and energy of all those who strive to make your children and planet whole. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. Written by Gill Le Fevre, Walton Memorial U.C., Oakville, Ont.
Gathering, Easter*Lent 2025, p.49. Used with permission.
SUNG BLESSING: VU #161 vs 2
2 Earth with joyful welcome clothes itself for spring;
greets with life reviving our returning king:
flowers in every pasture, leaves on every bough,
speak of sorrows ended; Jesus triumphs now!
Welcome, happy morning! age to age shall say;
hell today is vanquished, heaven is won today! ©
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 04
“We’re In The Boat Together!”
John 21:1-19
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.
It was not long after the resurrection.
Jesus’ disciples were sitting around probably still in a daze from Easter Sunday and the appearances in the upper room.
And Peter, the leader of the gang, up and said,
“I’m going fishing.”
Now don’t think that Peter was lazy.
He had been a fisherman before he took up discipling.
He was going back to work.
Returning to the business of daily living.
There were mouths to feed and backs to clothe, no use just sitting around.
But fishing just wasn’t the same as it was before Jesus.
With every cast Jesus’ words “I will make you fishers of men” kept coming back to him.
He probably remembered the day he met Jesus.
After a long night of fishing and catching nothing Jesus told him to cast his net again.
When he did, he caught the catch of his life.
In that moment of grace Peter saw God revealed in Jesus.
In the present he was once again having one of those nights.
They had worked all-night and caught nothing.
And just about daybreak there was someone on the shore.
“Catching anything?”
“No, what’s it to ya?”
“Throw your nets on the other side of the boat.”
For a moment Peter thought he had heard that voice and those words before.
In a moment the nets were filled with fish; more than they could empty into the boat.
Peter knew that voice!
It was Jesus!
He rushed to the shore and when he got there Jesus had prepared a breakfast for them.
As they were eating together Jesus said to Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Almost without a thought Peter said, “You know I do.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”
Then Jesus asked again, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
This time there was a pain in Peter’s heart.
He remembered that awful night when he denied that he even knew Jesus.
But Peter said, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Tend my sheep.”
A third time Jesus asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
This time the pain was almost unbearable.
On the verge of tears Peter said, “Lord, you know everything.
You know that I love you.”
Again Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”
But he said more.
He said, “You used to choose the direction that you would go, but now it will be chosen for you.”
Then Jesus said, “Follow me.”
And in that moment all the guilt and regret, all the pain and the hurt that Jesus had brought to the surface with his questions just fell away.
And this time Peter knew he could follow Jesus to the cross.
Today, I’d like to remember our heritage.
Today we remember the past and how God has been at work though our forbearers to bring us to where we are now.
To all the women and men who have worked so hard to build and maintain this church and its ministries.
As Christians, Peter is an important part of our heritage.
He was the chief apostle whom God used to lead the early church through its earliest days.
But, as this story demonstrated, Peter was just a man in need of the forgiving grace of God.
A forgiveness that he experienced through Christ.
As The United Church of Canada and members of that particular branch of the Christian family called Methodist we have other moving stories in our heritage.
I know you have all heard of John & Charles Wesley.
John and Charles Wesley were sons of an Anglican priest in the early 1700’s in England.
While preparing to serve as priests themselves they became very involved in the never ending pursuit of holy living.
They would rise early in the morning, 4:00, to study the Bible and pray.
They would fast regularly and pray every hour on the hour and keep prayer diaries.
They fed the hungry and counseled prisoners.
This was the period when the term “Methodist” was first coined.
It was an insult used by their enemies.
It was meant to make fun of their methodical approach to Bible study and the Christian life.
As part of his religious fervor to live a holy life John Wesley went to Georgia as a missionary.
On the boat ride over the ship was caught in a storm.
It just so happened that a group of Moravians were on the boat as well and they were singing hymns in the midst of the storm.
Their peace and tranquillity in the face of possible death amazed John Wesley.
These Moravians had a faith that intrigued Wesley.
Georgia was a disaster for John.
He didn’t lead any Indigenous people to Christ; in fact he barely had a chance to minister to them.
John left the New World just one step ahead of the law.
On his way back he was once again in the company of Moravians.
In one of his discussions with them one asked him,
“Do you know that Christ died for you?”
John said, “I know that he died for the sins of the world.”
The Moravian said, “But do you know that he died for you?”
Upon returning to England, John Wesley began worshipping with the Moravians.
On May 24th, 1738 while in a meeting something happened to John.
John wrote, “I felt my heart strangely warmed.
I felt I did trust in Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
In a moment of Jesus’ amazing grace, all the doubt and regret of the past fell away.
No longer did John have to work so hard to make himself holy and earn God’s love.
In a moment he knew that Jesus had died for him and that freed him.
It freed him to continue to minister to the poor and needy; to continue to study the Bible and pray, but out of joy not an attempt to save himself.
In both of these stories Jesus encounters a Christian leader and in a moment of grace gives them the faith they need to serve God.
And in both these stories boats play a prominent role.
That is especially significant in the Peter story.
In the Bible a boat, especially one with disciples in it, is a symbol of the church.
Sometimes we feel we are adrift as the church.
And as in both Peter’s and Wesley’s case, Jesus encounters us while we are adrift.
In those moments of grace when God encounters us in the boat, we are healed and given the faith to make it through the trials ahead.
As a result the storm is stilled and we can continue to pray and study with peace in our hearts.
We are given the faith to take up a cross and follow where Jesus leads us.
We are in a boat.
It is the HMCS Highland Hills.
It set sail over 150 years ago for the shores of God’s Kingdom on Earth.
Many sailors for Christ have fished from its decks.
The storms of the years have tossed it about.
We as a church can learn much from these two boat stories.
For one, we can learn that in the midst of life’s trials Jesus is there to help us.
As Peter and the other disciples were trying to learn what it means to keep living, Jesus was there to help them.
To give them direction: “Throw your nets on the right side.”
Feed them when they were hungry.
To give them a mission: “Feed my Sheep.”
When John Wesley was struggling to know what it meant to be God’s holy people, Jesus was there.
When John was scared for his life, Jesus was there in the praise of the Moravians.
When he had failed in Georgia, God was there in the counsel of Christian friends.
When he had failed to make himself holy with all his wonderful works of piety and charity, Jesus was there to offer him a warmed heart as a gift.
In the midst of our trials Jesus is with Highland Hills United Church and this community.
As we discern the path of our church together through these challenging times, the Spirit is with us to comfort and guide us.
As we struggle as a congregation to live out the Gospel, God is with us.
As we yearn to reach out to the community, Jesus is here to give guidance.
As we try to be faithful to our calling to bear one another’s burdens, Jesus is there to give aid.
As we try to reach others in our community with the hope and love that God wants to give them, Jesus is here to offer grace.
God is with us because we are in a boat that is registered under the flag of Jesus Christ.
If there is one thing that the lessons of the past should teach us, it is that we are not alone.
The Church, including this church, does not survive because of our strength.
It has thrived because of the one who strengthens us.
We are in the boat, and the “we” includes Jesus.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
