Westminster United Church

“We are journeying together in God’s love . . .

 to discover, nurture and share our gifts.”

 Pentecost Communion Celebration

June 3, 2007

Sunday School Recognition, & Food Bank Sunday

Pentecost Sunday celebrates the animating and sustaining presence of God’s Spirit within the church. Perhaps it is for this reason that Pentecost is often celebrated as the“birthday of the Christian church”. The Spirit gives the church its mission and the power to undertake it.

 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

Sharing Announcements

A Time of Greeting

A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle

Call to Worship (Responsive)

One:              A rushing, violent windstorm –

All:               The Spirit is here!

One:              The moving, startling tongues of fire –

All:               The Spirit is empowering!

One:              The gathered, inspired followers of Jesus –

All:               The Spirit brings us together hopefully, and will send us out faithfully!

Opening Prayer (Responsive)

One:        Soaring, flowing, questing, dancing…

All:          The Holy Spirit leads us to praise.

One:        Searching, finding, changing, challenging…

All:          The Holy Spirit calls us to faithfulness.

One:        Gently, calmly, simply, persistently…

All:          The Holy Spirit invites us to reflection.

One:        With perseverance, with encouragement, with joy, with urgency…

All:          The Holy Spirit moves us to action. Amen.

Hymn #380 “She Comes Sailing on the Wind”

Sunday School Recognition

The Sunday School leave for their classes.

One:     On the Day of Pentecost, the faith community turned from hopelessness to joy.

All:      May the breath of renewal come into our community to bring us together, and to send us out             to serve.

One:     On the Day of Pentecost, the barriers between Jews and Gentiles and Greeks came tumbling down.

All:      May the breath of renewal bring us closer to those whom we look on with suspicion, and those             of whom we are afraid.

One:     On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples found their voice and gained self-confidence.

All:      May the breath of renewal show us gifts long hidden, and give us the ability to use them.

One:     On the Day of Pentecost, a spirit of generosity filled the church.

All:      May the breath of renewal enable us to give beyond self-  imposed limits, and enable us to             break through them.

 …(A time for silent reflection)

Words of Assurance (One)

Biblical Notes

Prayer of Illumination

Acts 2:1-21 Pg. 151 The Coming of the Holy Spirit

One: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.

Other lessons for your personal consideration from today’s lections are:  From the Hebrew Scriptures – Genesis 11:1-9; From the Psalms – Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; From the Epistles –Romans 8:14-17 or; From the Christian Scriptures – John 14:8-17, (25-27).

Anthem “On This Day of Pentecost”

A Message

Hymn #196 “Wind Who Makes All Winds That Blow”

Our Church Tithes and Offerings

Offertory

Dedication #537 “Your Work, O God, Needs Many Hands”

Your work, O God, needs many hands to help you everywhere,

and some there are who cannot serve unless our gifts we share.  Because we love you and your work, our offering now we make: 

be pleased to use it as your own, we ask for Jesus sake.

Prayer of Dedication (One)

The Service of the Table

Invitation to the Service of the Table

Parthian, Mede, Elamite, and Judean; those from Capadocia, Pontus, Phrygia, and Pamphylia; peoples of Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, North America, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian and Arctic oceans; First Nations, Immigrant, residents of Medicine Hat, friends of Westminster: the Spirit calls you to gather, to come by this place and meet.

Thanksgiving

This bread and wine lie silently on the table, harmless, still, gentle in the quiet of this place. Yet voices of every language have cried aloud because of it. Throats have been cleared in protests, inspired by its content. Proclamations roared in response to its message. Cries of anguish have been raised because of its consequences. Pain and distress result from its politics. We join the voices rising from the saints in every time and place; saying:

        Holy, holy, holy,

        God of power and might.

        Heaven and earth are full of your glory,

        Hosanna in the highest.

        Blessed is the One who comes in the name of our God,

        Hosanna in the highest.

The quietest of places now becomes the loudest message to the world. As we remember you breaking bread, spilling with destiny and light, by Spirit, surrounded by promise, as you ask us to eat and join together in the journey through death to life.

We recall you, lifting the wine, alive with covenant, invested with eternity, as you invite us to experience and share. We do this, alive to your Spirit, full of mischief and intrigue, mystery and intent. As we gather, the story breaks open again for all the world.

Send your Spirit to transform these ordinary elements of bread and the fruit of the vine into agents of your presence in our lives, that they may nourish us, and challenge us to be the body of Christ in our world.  This, we pray, in the name of the same Jesus who imaged you as Father and taught us to pray by saying…

(Distribution of the Elements.)

Prayer After Communion (Unison)

Spirit God, from this meal, awaken the promise gathered. Envelop this holy space endowed in love, and allow this sacred moment to unnerve the world through our involvement with heaven. Amen.

Hymn #481 “Sent Forth by God’s Blessing”

Commissioning (One)

We leave this church, overflowing with Spirit joy, on fire with the love of God, sensing the firm support of our faith community, enthusiastic for the Good News of Jesus Christ, ready to work with the Holy Spirit in the world.

Choral Amen

#884 “You Shall Go Out With Joy” (x2)

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.

The Life And Work Of The Congregation

This Week at Westminster (June 3 – June 9)

Next Week at Westminster (June10 – June 16)

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.)

We are  needing a Sunday School Co-ordinator. If you feel you would like to offer your gifts for this ministry, please call Jane or leave a message with Anne in the office.

The Mission & Outreach garage sale held Saturday, May 26, was a great success. Total sales were $900.48. Thank you to those who volunteered and to all the donors. Everyone’s help contributed to a successful sale.

Are you on PAR (Pre-arranged Remittances)? One monthly deduction for your church givings. It continues even if you are away. Applications can be filled out and put on the collection plate with a void cheque or contact Donna Scharf at 526-1555.

UCW Executive will meet on June 3^rd following worship.

Square Circle UCW will have a supper meeting on June 6, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. in the Alberta Room at the Callaghan Inn.

Edythe Hewitt UCW Unit will meet at the Irvine General Store for lunch on Wed. June 6 at 1 pm and then tour the Prairie Museum at 2 pm. Cars to leave Medicine Hat at 12:15.

Friday Night at the Movies, June 15th:  Featuring “Longford” A portrait of Lord Longford, a tireless British campaigner whose controversial beliefs often resulted in furious political debate and personal conflict.

“Adventures in Wilderness and Faith” for young adults ages 18 – 30 years. June 15 – 17, Back packing weekend in the rockies. July 20 – 22, Camping and day hikes, Waterton National Park, and August 3 – 6, Canoe trip Lakeland Provincial Park.  For more information, and brochure, see bulletin board by Memorial Hall.

Canyon Camp: Registration forms and camp dates are posted on the bulletin board.

Camp Shagabec: Registration forms and camp dates are on the bulletin board. There are also summer job opportunities posted for this camp.

Celebrations This Week

Birthdays: Lue Averill, Emma Carleton, Amber Henderson, Carol Henderson, Albert Hoffarth, Tara Johnson, Bob Marsh.

Anniversaries: Gordon & Anne Bruins

Our Order of Ministry This Morning

Sunday School Co-ordinator........................................................

Greeters & Ushers.......................................................................      Eileen Marchand,          ……………………………………………………………………..Al & Peggy Smith

............................................................................................... …     ….Roy Thomson

Nursery Coordinator....................................................................      …Tanya Hoffarth

Elder-in-Charge...........................................................................      …….Lesley Berg

Next Week’s Readings from: 1 Kings 17:8-16, (17-24), Psalm 30 or 146, Galatians 1:11-24, Luke 7:11-17.