“We are journeying together in God’s love . . .
to discover, nurture and share our gifts.”
January 21, 2007
Baptism—Confirmation--Membership
God’s blessings through water, word, and Spirit bring life and growth. We are challenged to immerse ourselves – to drown – in the blessings that God continually pours over us. In what ways are you changed through baptism?
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 “Larghetto” by Beethoven
A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle
A Gathering Litany of Creation
(Responsive as found on the back of the bulletin)
Hymn #217 “All Creatures of Our God and King”
Conversation Time
The Sunday School leave for their classes.
Prayer of Transformation & Assurance of Pardon
One: The call that comes to us to serve God is sometimes in an unexpected form.
All: Have we been alert to the ways and people through which God’s call to serve has come?
One: The call to serve comes sometimes at an inconvenient time.
All: Have we missed God’s call because we have been busy with other activities?
One: The call to serve God we hear clearly at times, but there are times when we fail to understand the message.
All: Have we checked out God’s call with a trusted friend or family member?
One: The call to serve God is often a call to venture into new territory.
All: Have we the courage to break free from our self-imposed boundaries in order to serve the local and wider faith community? Have we the courage to bring a Christian approach to our workplace and social groups…(Silent Reflection)
Assurance of Pardon (One)
Biblical Notes
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 From the Epistle Pg. 215
Gifts from the Holy Spirit
The Wedding in Cana (Read from the New Revised Standard Version)
One: This is the Witness of God’s People
Hymn #509 “I, the Lord of Sea and Sky”
(During the singing of this hymn – those sharing in the service of Confirmation and Reaffirmation please join on the Chancel.)
Baptism: Krista Olsson-Campbell
Confirmand: Greg Campbell
Myra Gerhardt
Reaffirmation of Faith: Thea Toogood,
Gordon (Sam) Moyes
Edie Moyes
The Promises: James
One: Krista, Gregg, xxxa, and xxxanie, desiring the freedom of new life in Christ, I ask you before God and this congregation: Do you profess anew your faith in God your Creator, in Jesus Christ the Word made flesh, and in the Holy Spirit, God with us?
Answer: I do.
One: Do you declare your intention to continue with the people of Westminster United Church as we seek the presence of God among us through worship, study and prayer?
Answer: I do, God being my helper.
One: Do you now express your hope to continue in the life and work of this church as you support it with your gifts and share in its mission to all people?
Answer: I do, God being my helper.
One: Will you endeavour daily to respond to God’s love, to seek God’s will, and to fulfill your Christian calling and ministry in the world?
Answer: I will, God being my helper.
Let us Pray
Benevolent and Holy God, we bless you for the gift of life, and, within it, the gift of water. Over its unshaped promise your Spirit hovered at creation; by water comes the growth of the earth. Through water you led the children of Israel to freedom; in the waters of the Jordan your Child, Jesus, was baptised. Now may your Spirit be upon us and what we do, that this water may be a sign for all of new life in Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
(Jane pours the water)
The Baptism (All relatives and friends of Sarah are asked to stand where they are seated in the pew).
Sarah, “I baptise you in the name of the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit, the God who has created and is creating; Jesus Christ, the word made flesh; and the Holy Spirit who works in us and others. With the sign of the Cross, you are marked as Christ's forever.”
In the name of Jesus Christ, who was baptized as you are now, I affirm that you are baptised into the sacred struggle for the shalom of God.
Confirmation: (Laying on of hands)
_________ the power of the Holy Spirit work within you, that being born of water and the Spirit, you may continue to be a faithful witness of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Commissioning:
Go into the world in the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill your high calling as a servant and minister of Jesus Christ. Welcoming:
In the name of Jesus Christ, we welcome you to the privileges and responsibilities of membership in Westminster Congregation.
Congregation: As God has called us, we pledge to you our friendship, our help, and our prayers.
When the Liturgy of Baptism and Confirmation has been celebrated.
One: Let us pray:
All: Teach us, God to serve You as You deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to be spiritually vulnerable for you,
to be willing to “be” as well as willing to “do”,
to give gifts of our being without seeking a reward,
save that of knowing that we walk in your presence,
through Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh. Amen
The Distribution Of Certificates, Gifts & Bibles
We Respond In Giving And Gratitude
Offertory “L’Angelus” by Gounod
Hymn #713 “I See A New Heaven”
Commissioning (One)
Go with dreams filling your head, and courage surging through your soul. Go to live out the unity we seek. Go to live the equality we share. Go in the power of the Spirit of God.
Choral Amen
#884 “You Shall Go Out With Joy”
You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace;
the mountains and the hills will break forth before you;
there'll be shouts of joy, and all the trees of the field
will clap, will clap their hands!
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands, (clap, clap)
the trees of the field will clap their hands, (clap, clap)
the trees of the field will clap their hands (clap, clap)
while you go out with joy.
Postlude “Postlude in D” by Rinck
The Life And Work Of The Congregation
This Week at Westminster (January 21 - 27)
Sun. Trustees 9:00 a.m. Shalom
Membership Service 10:25 a.m. Sanctuary
Tues. Prayer Shawl Ministry 1:30 & 7 pm Lounge
Meditation 7:00 p.m. Nursery
Wed. Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Nursery
Thurs. Senior Choir Practise 7:00 p.m. Sanctuary
Sat. Pizza Games Night 5:00 p.m. Mem.Hall
Next Week at Westminster (Jan. 28 – Feb. 3)
Sun. Christian Development 9:00 a.m. Lounge
Worship 10:25 a.m. Sanctuary
Potluck followed by Annual Congregational Meeting
Tues. Staff meeting 9:00 a.m. Lounge
Prayer Shawl Ministry 1:30 Lounge
Meditation Group 7:00 p.m. Nursery
Wed. Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Nursery
Thurs. Senior Choir Practise 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.).
Are you on PAR? If you are interested in the Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR) system for your offerings, please obtain an authorization card from Donna Scharf or the office. Once completed please return your card to Donna or place it in an envelope along with a void cheque & put it in the offering plate.
Pizza Games Night: Bring your favourite game or just come and join in on Saturday, January 27, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall. We will be ordering pizza at a cost of $5.00 per person (12 years and up) or $2.00 for persons under 12. Everyone welcome.
The Annual Congregational Meeting will be held next Sunday beginning with a potluck lunch immediately following worship. This is the time that we take to review the past years work, show our appreciation to those who contributed to that work and make plans for the coming year. Your contribution is most important, please plan on attending. Bring your copy of the Annual Report to this meeting (found at the back of the Sanctuary or on the ramp). Highlight your report for anything you wish to have clarified or to comment on.
Food contributions for the pot luck lunch will be as follows:
Ross Glen & Southridge – desserts
Crestwood, SE/SW Hill, Flats and
Crescent Heights – sandwiches (1/2 a loaf)
Others – pickles or any of the above.
Our next, Baptism Sunday will tentatively be March 19th. Anyone interested in adult or infant baptism please speak to James.
If you would like to place flowers in the Sanctuary to remember or celebrate a loved one or a special occasion, please sign beside the appropriate Sunday on the flower poster in the Narthex, or phone Sharon Clay at 527-5681. The flowers will be ordered for you, and payment may be made to the UCW (via the office, Sharon, or Alice Felesky), before the end of the month. The cost is $30.00. Following the service in which your flowers are used, you may choose to either take them home, or let Sharon know what you would like to have done with them. Often the flowers have been delivered by Sharon to a shut-in or to a hospital patient from our congregation.
Year 2006 Offering Envelopes are available in the Narthex. When you pick them up please check the number on your label with the envelope number to be sure they are the same. People on PAR were not issued envelopes and their number has been changed. The cost of the Observer is $14.00.
Celebrations This Week
Birthdays: Bob Crews, Karen Madill, Mickey Staples
Flowers are placed in the Sanctuary this morning
in celebration of the life of
Parents Ralph & Lydia Hamm and son David
by
Doreen Lyon
South Alberta Presbytery
Your prayers this week are requested for Rev. George Edmonds & Brooks Pastoral Charge.
Sunday School Co-ordinator................................... Tara Johnson
Greeters & Ushers.................... Emil & Marian Bauer, Violet Rud,
Elnora Heine
Coffee Hosts ........... Ken & Bev Empey, Doug & Valma Pearson
Nursery Coordinator............................................. Tanya Hoffarth
Scripture Reader.............................................. ...... Mina Carlson
Elder-in-Charge......................................................... John Sidlick
Next Week’s Readings from: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Psalm 111; Mark 1:21-28
Stewardship Thought For Today
“One body, many parts—God’s economy celebrates the gifts of the whole church, the “Body of Christ,” which is greater than the sum of its parts and diminished when parts are missing.”
Stewardship Seconds 2007
Faith Statements
Gregg Campbell: My two boys inspired me to think of my spiritual life. During the last year my wife and I have experienced a few local churches and have happily settled with Westminster. During confirmation class, James encouraged me to be open-minded with an open-heart. I looked forward to those classes with youthful enthusiasm as I now look forward to Sunday service. My oath to God, Family and Self is to be Honest, Caring and Compassionate.
Myra Gerhardt: I have grown up in the United Church family and until our children were born had taken a break from attending. Despite the absence I always thought of the church as a place I could turn to for support and friendship. When we moved to Medicine Hat and started attending Westminster United I decided to go through the confirmation process that I had not taken previously. The class has given me an opportunity to discuss various aspects of the church and come to understand more about its’ evolution over the years. I have enjoyed the time spent with James and the others in class as we deepened our understanding of the church and what it means to each of us.
Krista Campbell- Olsen xxx: I am grateful for the experience of our adult confirmation class with James this past fall. It reaffirmed our family's decision to attend Westminster United Church and springboard our journey in faith together. One evening we discussed the motto/mission of a Methodist Church in the US; "Open heart, Open Mind, Open Door". I wish for myself and my family that we might strive to live this motto and I look forward to learning and growing together in faith as we celebrate our connection to God, our community and each other.
Thea Toogood: John 3:16 -- "For God loved the world so much he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die, but have eternal life."