Service Sunday October 5, 2025

Services

Oct 2

Written By Highland Hills

HIGHLAND HILLS UNITED CHURCH

Minden, Ontario

All are Welcome!

World Communion Sunday

Worship Leader: Rev. Max Ward

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 LAND:

As we gather today for worship, we remember with gratitude that this traditional territory is cared for by the Michi Saagiig Peoples, “those who lived at the mouth of the rivers, where the waters flow out,” who are part of the Anishinabek Nation. The Creator, in infinite wisdom places the land and waters at the very centre of the lives, language, culture, and spirituality of Indigenous Peoples. We acknowledge their stewardship and commit to join with them to care for the land and the waters.

THE APPROACH

CALL TO WORSHIP:

One: As we gather to receive God’s Word and reflect upon it, we remember the faith of our ancestors who built this congregation, the faith of those who gather here today who sustain it, and the faith of siblings in faith around the world who encourage us.

ALL: Remembering God’s goodness in coming to us in Christ, let us gather now around his table, here to find a welcome, a promise, and a hope.

One: We remember all those who have eaten at this table over the years: those to whom we are joined in our hearts and those known only to the heart of God.

ALL: We celebrate our oneness in Christ with them.

One: So come, this is the table of life.

Written by Bob Root, Peterborough, Ont.

Gathering, Pentecost 2 2025, p.41. Used with permission

NEW HYMN: “I Am the Bread of Life” MV #201 Sung Three Times

I am the bread of life broken for the world,

I am the cup poured out for all.

Those who believe in me will never die.

I am the life of the world.

A NEW CREED: Spoken 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.

HYMN: “Come Touch our Hearts” MV #12

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.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION:

One: Will you celebrate with your friends in Christ?

ALL: We rejoice in times when we can connect and share Christ’s meal

together.

One: Will you seek to understand the viewpoint of your friends in Christ?

ALL: We will search out those whose approach to faith is different from our

own.

One: Will you be companions to your friends in Christ?

ALL: We will stay with them when the going is rough, and the pressure is

on.

One: Will you make new friends in Christ, here and also in the broader

community of Christ?

ALL: We will look for those within the faith community and those beyond

who need a friend.

One: Will you commit to deepening and expanding your practice of being friends in Christ?

(time of silent reflection)

Words of Assurance

One: In the joy of friendship,

ALL: in the testing times,

One: in the moments of rejection,

ALL: in the moments of unconditional acceptance,

One: Christ is present with us as our friend and our guide.

ALL: Thanks be to God. Amen

Written by David Sparks, Summerland, B.C. Gathering, Pentecost 2, 2022, p.42. Used with permission.

MINISTRY OF MUSIC:

THE WORD

Scripture: : Luke 17: 5-10

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

ALL: Thanks be to God.

MESSAGE:

“Increase Our Faith”

OUR RESPONSE

MINISTRY OF MUSIC

**PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and THE LORD’S PRAYER: sung VU#960

COMMUNION HYMN: “Let Us Break Bread Together” VU #480 v1&2**

1 Let us break bread together on our knees,

let us break bread together on our knees.

REFRAIN When I fall down on my knees

with my face to the rising sun,

Oh, Lord, have mercy on me.

2 Let us drink wine together on our knees,

let us drink wine together on our knees. REFRAIN

SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

Come all who hunger and eat at this table. Even though we cannot all be together in person, we can be strengthened by this holy meal. We can find power in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup of blessing. Let’s gather, though some of us are separate, and join the feast of the ages!

Written by Beth W Johnson, Bridging Waters P.C., Nipawin, Sask.

Gathering, Pentecost 2, 2021, p.40. Used with permission.

Prayer

God of all, we give you thanks and praise,

that when we were still far off

you met us in your Son and brought us home.

Dying and living, he declared your love,

gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory.

May we, who share Christ’s body, live his risen life;

we, who drink this cup, bring life to others,

we, whom the Spirit lights, give light to the world.

Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us,

so that we and all your children shall be set free,

and the whole earth live to praise your name;

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Communion

According to Luke,

when our risen Lord was at the table

with his disciples at Emmaus, he took bread,

and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

Then their eyes were opened

and they recognized him

in the breaking of bread.

The body of Christ.

Thanks be to God for the bread of life.

The blood of Christ.

Thanks be to God for the cup of blessing.

Prayer after Communion – In Unison

Loving God, you invite us, you welcome us, you feed us. And we are blessed. Because we have been at your table, may we now go out to invite, to welcome, and to bless, all the days of our lives. Amen.

Written by Bob Root, Peterborough, Ont

Gathering, Pentecost 2, 2021, p.40. Used with permission.

COMMUNION HYMN “Let Us Break Bread Together” VU #480 v 3

3 Let us praise God together on our knees,

let us praise God together on our knees. REFRAIN

REFRAIN When I fall down on my knees

with my face to the rising sun,

Oh, Lord, have mercy on me.

AFFIRMING MOMENT:

PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY PRAYER: In Unison

As we gather around this table to share in communion, we are reminded that sharing is an important part of the Christian life. Bless what we share in this offering, that it may play a part in providing abundant life. Amen.

Written by George Allan, Chatham, Ont.

Gathering, Pentecost 2 2025, p.42. Used with permission

SUNG BLESSING “God Be with You till We Meet Again” VU #422 v3

God be with you till we meet again;

when life's perils thick confound you,

put unfailing arms around you;

God be with you till we meet again.

Till we meet, till we meet,

till we meet at Jesus' feet;

till we meet, till we meet,