Westminster United Church

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

 to discover, nurture and share our gifts.”

April 27, 2008

Camping Sunday

God has listened to our searching for holy presence. Spirit’s gift comes as response to that listening. The language of relationship with God is Spirit-ed love. Love keeps this relationship in word and deed. Love casts out fear. Love does not abandon. Love is eager to do good. Love provides place. Through love we find, and are found, by God.

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 “How Can I Keep From Singing” & “Still” – Selah Singers

Sharing Announcements / A Time of Greeting

A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle

Call to Worship (Responsive)

One:     Great Spirit, we know you. We hear you speak.

All:      We have heard you in the winds, seen you in the sunrise; we have felt your kindness in the seasons.

One:     Great Spirit we know you dwell within each of us.

All:      We know this very moment you are near to us as the air surrounds us and fills our lungs with life.

Opening Prayer (Unison)

With the loving vulnerability of a tiny baby, we open ourselves to our faith journey. With the infinite curiosity of a growing child, we search for who and what God is for us. With the joyful responsibility of young parents, we rely on what we have learned about our faith. With the reflective experience of maturity, we sense the presence of the Divine within. With the creaking wisdom of advancing years, we rest in a hope strong and secure. In our living, in our forgiving, in our loss and in our dying we are affirmed by the presence of the holy. Amen.

Hymn # 224 “Sing a Happy Hallelujah”

Conversation Time

Biblical Notes

Prayer of Illumination

Acts 17:22-31 From the Christian Pg. 174

Other lessons for your personal consideration from today’s lections are: From the Psalms – Psalm 66:8-20 & From the Epistles – 1 Peter 3:13-22.

Anthem “Grace Flows Down”- Selah Singers

John 14:15-21 From the Christian Scriptures Pg. 138

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

David Fletcher – Camp Shagabec

Hymn #289 “It Only Takes a Spark”

Our Church Tithes and Offerings

Offertory “Highway to Heaven”- Selah Singers

Dedication #538 “For the Gift of Creation”

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)

I Come to You (Unison from reverse)

Hymn #245 “Praise the Lord with the Sound of Trumpet”

Commissioning (One)

Go in Grace. Go in Peace. Go surrounded by love.

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 “We Shall Overcome” – Selah Singers

The Life And Work Of The Congregation

This Week at Westminster (April 27 – May 3)

Next Week at Westminster (May 4 – May 10)

Thank you to Ralph Browne, Linda Taylor and the Selah Singers for their music and song this morning.

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).

Mission & Outreach will be serving hot-dogs following worship today.  All proceeds shall be used to help send kids to camp. Free will offering.

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.

The following books have been added to the Church Library: Cause for Hope: Humanity at the Crossroads, by Bill Phipps; Precious Days & Practical Love: Caring for Your Aging Parent by James Taylor; 50 Years of United Church Men at Banff 1955 -2004, Compiled and edited by Jim George; Angels in Red Suspenders by Ralph Milton (soft and hard cover). For more information, contact Jacquie Heard at 527-1090.

The Sunday school teachers’ meeting has been rescheduled to May 4^th after worship in the Youth Room.

Westminster’s Spring Brunch will be held Sunday, May 11^th following worship. (Tickets available in the Hall following worship today; May 4th and available from the office during the week). Brunch Tickets are: Adults $5, Children $3, Families $15. There are helper sign-up sheets in the hallway leading to Memorial Hall.

There will be a retirement celebration for Pat Evans on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at the Medicine Hat Public Library.  This event will be in the Honor Currie Room from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.  There will be a short program at 3:30 p.m.

Unisphere presents: The MH Skateboarders, who will show pictures and tell of their experience in Nigeria, Wednesday, April 30^th at 7:30 p.m. at Unisphere Global Resource Centre. Everyone welcome.

Medicine Hat Palliative Care is sponsoring a free evening public lecture by Wendy Edey:  “Inspired by Hope”, Thursday, May 1^st at 7:00 p.m. at the Lecture Theatre, Medicine Hat Regional Hospital.

F.A.M. CHORAL CONCERT: “Billeting Needed” The award-winning University of Victoria Chamber Singers (current & alumni) next Sunday, at 3 p.m. are presenting a concert at Fifth Avenue Memorial United Church (along with the Selah Singers)  as part of a 3-week cross-Canada concert tour.  Tickets are $10 and available at the door or in advance at Cafe Caprice.  Host families are needed May 3^rd  & 4^th  (2 nights) for the 30+ singers.  Please contact Mark or Pat Ward (527-5011) if you can assist.

The Westminster Plant and Garage Sale will be held Saturday, May 10^th. Items can be brought to the church on Friday, May 9^th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We need your donations of goods; (no clothing or perishables or broken items, plants are welcome). 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.

Paint and Stain Party on the outside of the Sanctuary on Saturday, May 17^th at 10:00 a.m.  Phone Al Piotrowski at 527-3229 or Doug Pearson at 504-1938 for more information.

Canyon Church Camp: Camping Season is approaching. For more information, registration forms and camp dates are posted on the bulletin board for the Summer Program.

Camp Shagabec: Registration forms and camp dates are on the bulletin board. There are also summer job opportunities available for this camp. Applications for these opportunities are available in the office.

Celebrations This Week

Birthdays:       Evan Gunn, Kenny Sanders, Gail Thompson, Edna Forsythe, Al Smith, Hugh Harrison, Ryan O’Reilly, Cam Lockerbie, Edna Silverthorne.

Anniversaries: Darcy & Jaci Fox, Grace & Ralph Roth, Yvonne & Ron Hole, Bill  & Molly Keith, Jackie & Lyle Jans, Carol & Rob Henderson.

Flowers are placed in the Sanctuary this morning in celebration of the lives of Ruth, Joe and Lesley Bergman By Yvonne & Ron Hole and Family.

South Alberta Presbytery

Your prayers are requested this week for the Revelations Book Store and its staff.

Our Order of Ministry This Morning

Sunday School Co-ordinators...........................................................             Jackie Schlenker, Kim Hanson

Greeters & Ushers............................................................................             Doreen Lyon, Beth Miner

........................................................................................................             Jean Riggins, Linda Kinvig

Nursery Convenor............................................................................             Tanya Hoffarth

Coffee Hosts....................................................................................             Barb Grozell, Maureen Oster

Scripture Reader..............................................................................             Sharon Clay

Elder-in-Charge................................................................................             Doug Pearson

Next Week’s Readings from: Acts 1:6-14, Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35, 1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11, John 17:1-11.