“We are journeying together in God’s love . . .
to discover, nurture and share our gifts.”
World Wide Communion
October 1, 2006
Food Bank Sunday
The Jewish Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch reminds us that the festival of Purim, which was inspired by the book of Esther, takes its name from the fact that Haman cast lots, or purim, to determine the date when he would slaughter the Jews. Esther intervenes and saves her people.
If you would like to stay seated for any or all of the “standing” parts of the service, please feel free to do so.
Prelude “Hymn for Brotherhood” by A. R. Reinagle
A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle
Call to Worship (Responsive)
One: Bread and wine join us together,
All: for praise and prayer, for friendship and service in this congregation of Christ’s people.
One: Bread and wine join us together,
All: with pastoral charges working carefully and justly in South Alberta Presbytery and Alberta Northwest Conference.
One: Bread and wine join us together,
All: with faith communities worldwide, especially those supported by the Mission and Service Fund.
One: Bread and wine join us together, to Christ the True Vine,
All: we are called to the way of discipleship, to support each other and to serve the vulnerable and downtrodden.
Source of our hope and joy of our hearts, we gather in union with people from the far corners of our world, thankful that your love is able to overcome all that divides us from one another. We gather as disciples of Jesus to share the mystery of faith as we unite with one another and with your people everywhere. Feed us by your life-giving Spirit as we break bread and remember the story of our faith. All glory is yours, God, now and forevermore. Amen.
Hymn #222 “Come, Let Us Sing”
Prayer of Transformation & Assurance of Pardon
Loving and gracious God, you know us better than we know ourselves. You know our hurts and fears and discouragements. Forgive us those times when our actions and non-actions hurt others and ourselves. Heal us when we give up hope and allow fear to determine our choices. Help us if we forget our deeper selves and allow shallow self-interest to rule the day. Empower us to follow Jesus with all our hearts and souls and minds … (Silent Reflection).
Assurance of Pardon (One)
Biblical Notes
Haman Is Put to Death
Other lessons for your personal consideration from today’s lections are: From the Psalms – Psalm 124 & From the Epistle, James 5:13-20
Mark 9:38-50 From the Christian Scriptures Pg. 59
Temptations to Sin (Read from the New Revised Standard Version)
One: This is the Good News of Jesus Christ
Hymn #579 “The Church Is Wherever God’s People”
We Respond In Giving And Gratitude
Offertory “More Love To Thee” by W. Doane
Invitation to the Table
God’s banquet is coming. A time when all will gather from north, east, west and south. A banquet where the rich and powerful will sit with the weak and poverty-stricken. A table where young and old will learn from each other. A time when all will sit together in peace, “And the wolf will lie down with the lamb.” Here at this table we get a foretaste of God’s banquet. This is indeed God’s table, not the church’s, and so all who seek to follow The Way are welcome to eat and drink from it. Come and taste the grace eternal, come and see that God is good.
Hymn #467 “One Bread, One Body”
Thanksgiving
One: The Spirit of God be with you.
All: And also with you.
It is time to give thanks to God. Let us pray. God of the table, as we gather to taste your banquet, we offer prayers of thanksgiving. In this season of harvest, we give thanks for the fruit of the earth, for the food on our tables. In this global village, we give thanks for our brothers, sisters, and neighbours both near and far. In this world of strife and broken relationships, we give thanks for your hope, for the ways you draw us together.
God of the banquet, we give thanks for your witness and work in the world across the ages. We remember Moses and Miriam and the people they led to freedom. We remember the prophets who arise over and over again to call your people back to the narrow path. We remember the countless saints who have gone before us, preparing the path, and we join our voices to theirs in hymns of thankfulness and praise. Amen.
Remembering
And in the midst of our thankfulness we remember the one in whose name we gather, Jesus, child of Mary.
We give thanks for his witness, for his commitment, for the way he brought healing to broken spirits and broken bodies. Thankfully we remember his death, his resurrection, and his promised return for the banquet of grace.
And now, as we gather at the table, we remember the last meal he shared with his friends. How they gathered in an upper room to celebrate the story of liberation and freedom. How he took bread, blessed it, broke it, and passed it among them saying, “Take, eat. This is my body broken for you. When you eat this, remember me and look for the hope in your world.”
Then later he took the cup. He blessed it and passed it saying, “This cup is the cup of the new covenant, made in my death. Whenever you drink from it, remember.”
And so, God of cross, empty tomb, and banquet, we remember the life and death of Jesus and we give thanks for the love he poured out on all he met: sinner and saint, leper and clean, Jew and Gentile. We remember and we share that great and terrible mystery:
All: Christ has died, Christ has Risen, Christ will come again. Amen.
Transforming
God, you call us to eat and drink together. You call us to let the Spirit wash through our lives. As we eat and drink, may we feel the fire of the Spirit in our bellies, the wind of the Spirit in our hair, and the love of the Spirit in our hearts. May the Spirit’s presence make this meal one that changes us and, through us, the world.
God of the banquet that is and is to come, we gather with your people all around the world, this day, to remember and share this meal. Creator, Source of Love, Christ, Love incarnate, Spirit, Love’s flowing power; we pray even as Jesus taught us to by saying: “Our Father…”.
Fraction and Distribution
The Bread we break is the bread of life.
The cup we share is the cup of love.
These are the gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
Come and eat, the banquet awaits.
Prayer following Communion
We have eaten, we have drunk, we have tasted your goodness. May this meal we have shared here today fill our souls with love. May the meal we share with all the world fill the world with hope. May we leave this table refreshed and replenished, ready to be recipients and agents of grace. Amen.
Commissioning (One)
In Christ there is no east or west, no south or north, no division. Go into your world, join hands and hearts with all your neighbours, all children of God.
Choral Amen
#298 “When You Walk From Here”
When you walk from here, when you walk from here.
Walk with justice, walk with mercy, and with God’s humble care.
Postlude “Andantino” by F. Walczynski
The Life And Work Of The Congregation
This Week at Westminster (October 1 - 7)
Sun. Music & Worship 9:00 a.m. Lounge
Worship 10:25 a.m. Sanctuary
Jr. Choir Practice after worship Lounge
Ministry & Personnel Meeting after worship Shalom Rm.
Mon. Property 7:00 p.m. Westminster Rm.
Tues. Meditation Group 7:00 p.m. Adoption 2000
Wed. Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Nursery
Mission & Outreach Mtg. 10:00 a.m. Nursery
UCW Edythe Hewitt 2:00 p.m. Lounge
Confirmation 7:00 p.m. James’ Office
Thurs. Senior Choir Practice 7:00 p.m. Sanctuary
Next Week at Westminster (October 8 - 14)
Sun. Worship 10:25 a.m. Sanctuary
No Jr. Choir Practice
Tues. Board of Elders 7:00 p.m. Lounge
Meditation Group 7:00 p.m. Adoption 2000
Wed. Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Nursery
Confirmation 7:00 p.m. James’ Office
Thurs. UCW Electra Unit Mtg. 1:30 p.m. Lounge
Senior Choir Practice 7:00 p.m. Sanctuary
Friendship Rosters: Please sign the Friendship Roster this morning. It is a helpful record of your worship presence and a way to share special concerns (ie. prayer requests, name tag requests, etc.).
Nursery volunteers are needed to help on Sundays during worship. Please contact Tanya Hoffarth @ 526-7570.
The fall has started and goodies are needed for Sundays on behalf of our
Congregational Life Committee…please drop off at the auxiliary kitchen.
Youth Confirmation: Anyone in grades 9-12 interested in confirmation, please contact Jane or the church office @ 526-5247.
Bible Study has begun again for the year. All are welcome. We meet Wednesday mornings at 9:30 am in the Nursery.
October 3 @ 7 p.m. you are invited to Fifth Avenue Memorial to listen to Brennan Morin speak about his two year mission to Kibera Ghetto of Nairobi and
Tanzania (Islamic). Refreshments will be served.
We will be decorating the Sanctuary on Thursday, Oct. 5 @ 10:00 a.m. for Thanksgiving. If you have any decorations you would like to lend us for a couple of weeks, that would be great, or if you would bring pumpkins or gourds, that would be much appreciated. Please come & help. Questions, call Jane.
2006 Banff Men’s Conference Oct 13-15 in beautiful Banff, AB. Theme speaker is Rod Sykes. Come and explore the four different ways men experience faith, four quite different styles of faithfulness. Check it out at: www.banffmen.org or phone Gary Briggs, Registrar @ (403) 329-6887 or John McIntyre @ (403) 380-4685.
Celebrations This Week
Birthdays: Ethan Cradduck, Elena Esteban, Warren Hanson, Lil Iwanicki, Harold Leitch, Dakota Leonard, Desiree Leonard & Nadine Schwengler.
Anniversaries: Ken & Bev Empey, Herbert & Bette Frisch, Hank & Lil Iwanicki, Tim & Kelly Sanders.
South Alberta Presbytery
Your prayers this week are requested for All churches celebrating World Communion Sunday and The World Council of Churches.
Sunday School Co-ordinator....................................... Tara Johnson
Greeters & Ushers....................... Thea, Quinn & Lauren Toogood,
Kim Sherring, Betty Sidlick & Lenora Stein
Nursery Attendant................................................... Kira Gerhardt
Coffee Hosts................................... Margaret & Doug Henderson,
Eileen Marchand & Edna Silverthorne
Scripture Reader..................................................... Lorraine Scott
Cantor............................................................................... Al Pols
Elder-in-Charge........................................................... John Sidlick
Next Week’s Readings from: Joel 2:21-27; Psalm 126; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Matthew 6:25-33
Stewardship Thought For Today
A resource, meeting a need
is an occasion for love.
Anonymous