“We are journeying together in God’s love . . .
to discover, nurture and share our gifts.”
April 6, 2008
“Christ is risen!” With this traditional profession of Easter faith, we open ourselves to new life in Christ. We share this truth with the disciples whose hearts were opened along the road to Emmaus. We share this truth with the disciples in Jerusalem who preached the good news. In our rituals and in our living each day, we declare, “Christ is risen indeed!”
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
A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle
Call to Worship (Responsive)
One: Let us join together on our journey;
All: we have feelings to express, experiences to share.
One: Let us share with one another on this journey;
All: we have memories to recall, faith stories to tell.
One: May we have strength for our journey;
All: we have commitment to pledge; we have work to do.
We come celebrating the changing of the seasons: the coming of spring, longer days of sunlight, new warmth, and new growth as the earth is resurrected. May our lives become as bright and warm as the season. Amen.
Hymn # 186 “Now the Green Blade Rises”
Conversation Time
The Sunday School & Youth leave for their classes.
Prayer for Transformation & Words of Assurance
When Jesus stood among the disciples he said, “Peace be with you”. Peace can be illusion for us. We are troubled by what happens around us. We like Thomas, know what it is to doubt. May we remember we do not need to have all the answers to walk this journey. It is good for us to remember to forgive ourselves for times we feel we have walked in darkness and doubt. As we forgive may peace be with us…(time for silent reflection)
Words of Assurance (One)
Prayer of Illumination
Other lessons for your personal consideration from today’s lections are: Acts 2:14a, 36-41, Luke 24:13-35, Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 & 1 Peter1:17-23.
One: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Hymn # 131 “If Our God Had Simply Saved Us” vv 1, 10-15
We Respond In Giving And Gratitude
Offertory
For the gift of creation, the gift of your love,
and the gift of the Spirit by which we live,
we thank you and give you the fruit of our hands.
May your grace be proclaimed by the gifts that we give.
Prayer of Dedication (One)
Prayer of Thanksgiving, Intercession & Lord’s Prayer
Hymn #582 “There’s A Spirit in the Air”
Commissioning (Responsive)
One: We travel along life’s highway, and often it seems humdrum and ordinary, even discouraging at times.
All: But then, we feel the joy of God’s presence within and around us.
One: You experience that love, and we come to share with family, friends, and those we encounter day by day.
All: We feel our spirits restored, our purpose clarified.
Choral Amen
#647 “Travel On, Travel On” vs 4
In the kingdom of heaven is our end and our beginning,
the road that we must travel every day.
Travel on, travel on, to the kingdom that is coming,
the kingdom will be with us all the way.
Travel on, travel on, to the kingdom that is coming,
the kingdom will be with us all the way.
Postlude
The Life And Work Of The Congregation
This Week at Westminster (April 6 – April 12)
|
Sun. |
M & W |
9:00 a.m. |
Lounge |
|
|
Worship |
10:30 a.m. |
Sanctuary |
|
|
Kathryn Hofley PGP |
11:45 a.m. |
Lounge |
|
|
UCW Executive Meeting |
11:45 a.m. |
Nursery |
|
|
No Jr. Choir Practise |
|
|
|
Mon. |
Property |
7:00 p.m. |
Westminster Rm. |
|
Tues. |
Prayer Shawl |
1:30 p.m. |
Lounge |
|
|
Board of Elders |
7:00 p.m. |
Lounge |
|
Wed. |
Bible Study |
9:30 a.m. |
Nursery |
|
Thurs. |
Electra Unit |
1:30 p.m. |
Lounge |
|
|
Sr. Choir |
7:00 p.m. |
Sanctuary |
Next Week at Westminster (April 13 – April 19)
|
Sun. |
Worship |
10:30 a.m. |
Sanctuary |
|
|
M & P |
12 noon |
Shalom Room |
|
|
Jr. Choir Practise |
11:45 a.m. |
Lounge |
|
Tues. |
Prayer Shawl Ministry |
1:30 p.m. |
Lounge |
|
Wed. |
Bible Study |
9:30 a.m. |
Nursery |
|
Thurs. |
Sr. Choir |
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.)
Today we begin the first of our “First Sunday of the Month” hymn sing events. Remember to join us at 10:15 a.m. on these Sunday’s if you enjoy pre-worship singing.
Planned Giving Presentation – Today following worship. Giving is always a heart decision informed by the head. Come and listen to Kathryn Hofley (Gift Planner for Prairie Region). You’ll hear about wills, power-of-attorneys, living wills, and the eleven different ways you can use God’s gifts to make a Planned Gift to Westminster United Church!
Following worship today, UCW executive will meet in the nursery.
St. John's Presbyterian Church is hosting a Choir Spring Sing tonight at 7:00 P.M. Come and hear the beautiful voices of Westminster United, Fifth Ave. Memorial United, Unity Lutheran, Riverside Presbyterian and St. John's Church choirs. A time of refreshments and fellowship will follow the program. EVERYONE WELCOME!
Edythe Hewitt UCW unit meeting - Wed. April 9th at the home of Phyllis Schorr, 1675-28th St. SE at 2:00 p.m.
There will be a Sunday school teachers meeting on April 20th after worship in the Youth Room.
The Westminster Plant and Garage Sale will be held Saturday, May 10th. Items can be brought to the church on Friday, May 9th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We need your donations of goods; (no clothing or perishables or broken items). If persons wish to rent a table to “staff” themselves, these tables will be on a “first come – first serve” basis. Income from the rental tables remains at the discretion of the renter. A successful sale depends on your donations. Please contact Linda for further information at 527-7005.
Our church family is in need of two replacement volunteers; one to look after the co-ordination of greeters and ushers, and one to organize coffee hosts for Sunday mornings. These jobs give you an opportunity to get to know more of the congregation. Greeters and ushers co-ordinator is needed immediately, and the coffee host co-ordinator is needed by this June. If either of these appeals to you, please call Anne at the office at 526-5247.
A reminder to support the United for Peace Campaign. As a community of faith, we are called to participate together with others in the struggle for the right to a just peace with dignity for all God’s people. The United Church of Canada is committed to pursuing peace. One expression of this commitment is the United for Peace Campaign. This is a 2 year campaign. Please find donation envelopes and brochures with more information about this project in the Narthex or on the ramp.
The ministry of Westminister United Church was extended into the community as James conducted the wedding ceremony for Samantha Macdonald and Brett Bourke & Jane conducted the graveside funeral services for Jack Eirich and Ione Eirich.
Birthdays: Lesley Berg, Ruth Patrick, Derek Skogen, Corlaine Gardner, Jaci Fox, Tanya Hoffarth, & Claude Skogen.
South Alberta Presbytery
Yours prayers this week are requested for Duchess Pastoral Charge & Yvonne Terry, DLM.
Sunday School Co-ordinators...................................... Jackie Schlenker, Kim Hanson
Greeters & Ushers....................................................... Wally & Vivian Bergstreser
................................................................................... Bea Hirsch, Kay Konrad
Nursery Convenor....................................................... Tanya Hoffarth
Coffee Hosts............................................................... Ken & Bev Empey,
................................................................................... Eilene Marchand, Lorine Liebelt
Scripture Reader.......................................................... Sean Wilkinson
Elder-in-Charge............................................................ Gordon Bruins
Next Week’s Readings from: Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10.
Stewardship Thought For Today
Stewardship starts with the question “What shall we do?” after hearing how much God loves us.
Stewardship Seconds 2008
Treasurer’s Report to March 31, 2008
Our Envelope Offerings to date for the first quarter are $5,176.00 short of the budgeted amount. The Mission & Service amount is on target. We ask that you consider helping us improve the $5,176.00 shortfall especially as the lean summer months will soon be upon us.
Respectfully submitted, Al Pols