Sunday Service- Sunday February 16, 2025
Greeting/ Acknowledgement of Territory
As we gather, we take a moment to remember that the land we call Tiny is the traditional territory of the Anishnaabek. 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.
Lighting of the Christ Candle:
Comfort in sorrow,
The light of Christ.
Challenge in lethargy,
The light of Christ.
Courage in uncertainty,
The light of Christ.
Hope when all else fails,
The light of Christ.
Call to Worship:
Blessed are you. Me?
Yes! Blessed are you! By whom?
By God. Why?
Because. Because? No, really-why!?
Because God loves you.
Because God’s love is overwhelming.
Because God’s love is never-ending.
Because God’s love is grace-freely given.
I am blessed. We are blessed-
Any who are grieving or impoverished,
Any who are hungry or hated,
Any who are defamed or reviled.
All are blessed by the grace of God.
All creation is blessed.
Exactly! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Amen!
Opening Prayer:
All-knowing God, you know everything about us but love us just the same. We judge one another, while you do not judge us. Help us to know that you are always with us, that you are the One who comes alongside us, cares for us, and comforts us. May we also be the ones who come alongside, care for, and comfort those around us. As we begin this time of worship, we think of those in our lives who need encouragement and comfort ( a time of silent naming). We commit them to your care, knowing that our prayers will be answered in your time and in the best way possible for us, a way that only you can know. Amen.
Opening Hymn: VU 242 Let All Things Now Living
Prayer of Confession:
God, we are broken people, living in a broken world.
It is not fashionable to admit this.
Usually, we regard ourselves as pretty good folks, only in need of a little tweaking here and there. But the problem goes deeper than that. In this African Heritage/Black History Month, we cannot escape the recognition that racism is not about the actions and attitudes of a few people. It is deeply engrained in our culture, and very few of us are beyond its reach.
We need your challenge to be honest.
We need your forgiveness to cleanse our souls.
We need your call to change and action.
We need your guidance to free everyone from the bondage of racism.
We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, who came to call us to repentance and newness of life.
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
The testimony of the tradition of Israel, together with the testimony of the church, is that God longs for a world of justice, equality, and freedom.
Surely, the arc of history is bent toward this reality as we join with God in the repair of this world. Let us not be discouraged.
Thanks be to God.
Time with the Children: Karen Moreau
Children’s Hymn: In Christ Alone
Prayer of Illumination:
Holy One, Light of Sun and Stars, God of New Stories and New Directions, as we receive the stories of scripture today, remind us that you are with us on our journeys, both expected and unexpected, so that we may share your presence with all that we encounter and the world may be changed by love.
We pray in the name of the holy human child, the one we know as Jesus. Amen.
Scripture Readings: Katie Dunsford
Jeremiah 17: 5-10
Psalm 1 VU Page 724
1 Corinthians 15: 12-20
Luke 6: 17-26
Message: “Like Trees Planted By Water”
Hymn: VU 175 This is the Day That God Has Made
Pastoral Prayer
Offering:
We have felt your presence this day, O Lord, and the power and authority of your words.
We respond with love and gratitude for all you have blessed us with in our lives.
Receive our offerings of money and time, signs of our devotion as your faithful and humble disciples.
In Christ’s holy name, we pray. Amen.
Community Sharing and Celebration Bucket
Community Hymn Choice
Commissioning:
May the roots of our faith be planted so deep that, even in times when no rain falls and no rivers flow, we may thrive and flourish as God’s beloved people.
May God’s love for us be a wellspring of life, and may we learn to freely share what we have been given. Amen.
Benediction Three-Fold Amen
Greeting/ Acknowledgement of Territory
As we gather, we take a moment to remember that the land we call Tiny is the traditional territory of the Anishnaabek. 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.
Lighting of the Christ Candle:
Comfort in sorrow,
The light of Christ.
Challenge in lethargy,
The light of Christ.
Courage in uncertainty,
The light of Christ.
Hope when all else fails,
The light of Christ.
Call to Worship:
Blessed are you. Me?
Yes! Blessed are you! By whom?
By God. Why?
Because. Because? No, really-why!?
Because God loves you.
Because God’s love is overwhelming.
Because God’s love is never-ending.
Because God’s love is grace-freely given.
I am blessed. We are blessed-
Any who are grieving or impoverished,
Any who are hungry or hated,
Any who are defamed or reviled.
All are blessed by the grace of God.
All creation is blessed.
Exactly! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Amen!
Opening Prayer:
All-knowing God, you know everything about us but love us just the same. We judge one another, while you do not judge us. Help us to know that you are always with us, that you are the One who comes alongside us, cares for us, and comforts us. May we also be the ones who come alongside, care for, and comfort those around us. As we begin this time of worship, we think of those in our lives who need encouragement and comfort ( a time of silent naming). We commit them to your care, knowing that our prayers will be answered in your time and in the best way possible for us, a way that only you can know. Amen.
Opening Hymn: VU 242 Let All Things Now Living
Prayer of Confession:
God, we are broken people, living in a broken world.
It is not fashionable to admit this.
Usually, we regard ourselves as pretty good folks, only in need of a little tweaking here and there. But the problem goes deeper than that. In this African Heritage/Black History Month, we cannot escape the recognition that racism is not about the actions and attitudes of a few people. It is deeply engrained in our culture, and very few of us are beyond its reach.
We need your challenge to be honest.
We need your forgiveness to cleanse our souls.
We need your call to change and action.
We need your guidance to free everyone from the bondage of racism.
We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, who came to call us to repentance and newness of life.
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
The testimony of the tradition of Israel, together with the testimony of the church, is that God longs for a world of justice, equality, and freedom.
Surely, the arc of history is bent toward this reality as we join with God in the repair of this world. Let us not be discouraged.
Thanks be to God.
Time with the Children: Karen Moreau
Children’s Hymn: In Christ Alone
Prayer of Illumination:
Holy One, Light of Sun and Stars, God of New Stories and New Directions, as we receive the stories of scripture today, remind us that you are with us on our journeys, both expected and unexpected, so that we may share your presence with all that we encounter and the world may be changed by love.
We pray in the name of the holy human child, the one we know as Jesus. Amen.
Scripture Readings: Katie Dunsford
Jeremiah 17: 5-10
Psalm 1 VU Page 724
1 Corinthians 15: 12-20
Luke 6: 17-26
Message: “Like Trees Planted By Water”
Hymn: VU 175 This is the Day That God Has Made
Pastoral Prayer
Offering:
We have felt your presence this day, O Lord, and the power and authority of your words.
We respond with love and gratitude for all you have blessed us with in our lives.
Receive our offerings of money and time, signs of our devotion as your faithful and humble disciples.
In Christ’s holy name, we pray. Amen.
Community Sharing and Celebration Bucket
Community Hymn Choice
Commissioning:
May the roots of our faith be planted so deep that, even in times when no rain falls and no rivers flow, we may thrive and flourish as God’s beloved people.
May God’s love for us be a wellspring of life, and may we learn to freely share what we have been given. Amen.
Benediction Three-Fold Amen