“We are journeying together in God’s love . . .to discover, nurture, and share our gifts.”
Prophetic voices borne of love call us to trust and practice God’s ways, even when those ways conflict with our own. Such voices may be difficult to hear or raise when the setting is what and who we have known as home. The edge of prophetic word and action comes in the challenge of discerning what will best serve God’s way of love for all.
If you would like to stay seated for any or all of the “standing” parts of the service, please feel free to do so.
Need a refuge? Our Nursery is located off Memorial Hall, has a speaker system through which to hear the service, and exists for all who may need this space. Memorial Hall approach is via the pulpit side exit.
A Time of Greeting: Our sensitivity to the realities of the H1N1 virus which is transmitted from hand contact to the mouth, nose, and eyes encourages each of us to observe good hand hygiene. It is also important for us to avoid public gathering if we feel unwell. If we all do our part in eliminating the spread of this virus, hopefully it will be a short lived health concern.
Prelude / Sharing Announcements / A Time of Greeting
Call to Worship (Responsive)
One: As the disciples encountering Jesus were aware of their priorities,
All: so we gather ready to look at life differently.
One: As the disciples faithfully trusted and found their trust wonderfully rewarded,
All: so we gather prepared to put our loyalty to the Christian way.
One: As the disciples found that responding to Jesus’ call was very challenging,
All: So we gather to hear the words of Jesus, “follow me!”
We gather here to celebrate life's beauty and find healing for its pain; to honour our kinship with each other and with the earth; to create a more compassionate world, beginning with ourselves. Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life in the presentness of the Holy. Amen.
Jr. Choir Sings "Everything is Beautiful"
Conversation Time
The Sunday School & Youth leave for their classes.
In the midst of our busyness, let us draw inward and find the quiet centre of our being. We know that in the deep places of our soul we will find new life in abundance. We are asked to trust and to take risks—to cast our selves fully into the depths of community where we will find our true selves and be empowered to serve. We hear the invitation of the still, small voice but we do not always respond in faith. Because of fear and habit we may hold back. May we search our hearts and be mindful of who we are so we can continue to become all that we were created to be… (time for silent reflection)
Words of Assurance (One)
Love draws near to us again and again bringing us out of our fear and resistance and into our calling as reflections of Jesus. We have strength for the task and love for the journey. This is our good news today. Amen.
Biblical Notes / Prayer of Illumination
Other lessons for your personal consideration from today’s lections are: Psalm 138 and 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.
Hymn #310 “God, Who Touches Earth with Beauty”
Hymn #223 “Eternal, Unchanging, We Sing”
Mission Moment – Dawn Skogen
Prayer of Dedication (One)
It is in our offering that we show our Christian commitment. Our commitment to sustaining the work of the local church, to building up ministry in this neighbourhood, to serving the wider church with our mission gifts, to caring for those whose names we don’t know, but whose needs we recognize. May these gifts be blessed. Amen.
Hymn #87 “I Am the Light of the World”
Commissioning (One)
Let us go from here knowing that “The Ground of all Being” is deep within us, present in our history, and present as we live in truth and peace.
Choral Amen
Hymn #964 “Go Now In Peace”
Postlude
Welcome to Westminster this morning. Please gather for coffee in Memorial Hall, following worship.
This Week at Westminster (February 7th – 13th)
Sun. |
Music & Worship |
9:00 a.m. |
Lounge |
Local Food Needs |
10:30 a.m. |
Narthex |
|
Worship |
10:30 a.m. |
Sanctuary |
|
Potluck & ANNUAL CONG. MEETING |
12:00 noon |
Memorial Hall |
|
Tues. |
Prayer Shawl |
1:30 p.m. |
Lounge |
Board Meeting |
7:00 p.m. |
Lounge |
|
Wed. |
Bible Study |
9:30 a.m. |
Nursery |
Wii Fun |
2:00 p.m. |
Memorial Hall |
|
Thurs. |
Electra UCW |
1:30 p.m. |
Lounge |
Senior Choir Practice |
7:00 p.m. |
Sanctuary |
Next Week at Westminster (February 14th – 20th)
Sun. |
Worship: Transfiguration |
10:30 a.m. |
Sanctuary |
No Sunday School |
|||
Mon. |
Family Day Holiday |
||
Tues. |
Shrove Tuesday Pancakes- free |
5:30 p.m. |
Fifth Ave Mem |
Prayer Shawl |
1:30 p.m. |
Lounge |
|
The Willing Gardener’s Series |
7:00 p.m. |
Memorial Hall |
|
Wed. |
Bible Study |
9:30 a.m. |
Nursery |
Wii Fun |
2:00 p.m. |
Memorial Hall |
|
Lenten Study |
7:00 p.m. |
Sanctuary |
|
Thurs. |
Senior Choir Practice |
7:00 p.m. |
Sanctuary |
The Edythe Hewitt UCW Unit meeting will be on Wednesday February 10th at 2:00 pm at home of Gladys Schlenker, 146 Park Meadows Dr. SE.
Our 2010 Lenten Study begins Wednesday, February 17th at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary covering the second six of 12 DVD sessions of First Light: Jesus and the Kingdom; a study of the historical Jesus and the Kingdom of God; featuring John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg on location throughout the Galilee and Jerusalem. If you wish to participate, please contact the church office or speak to James to ensure you receive the pre-study reading materials.
Your 2010 offering envelopes are available in the Narthex. The cost of the Observer is $20.00 this year. People on PAR are not issued envelopes. Please destroy your old unused 2009 envelopes. Thanks for your cooperation.–Murray Bell, Treasurer
PAR Subscribers – If you wish to receive THE OBSERVER magazine, please pick up a donation envelope in the Narthex.
Our Annual Congregational Meeting and Pot Luck Lunch is today after worship. This is the time that we take to review the past year’s 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 for which you wish to share comment.
The ministry of Westminster United Church was extended into the community this past week as James conducted the funeral services for Kenneth Bouvette and Brian Opp. Our condolences and prayers go out to the families.
Birthdays: Laurier LeClair, Kim Hanson, Danielle Weiss, Keara Glasser, Vern Prouty, Timora Hardiker, Adam O’Reilly, Jenna Spruyt, Logan Spruyt, Vivian Bergstreser, Earl Carlson, and Donna Scharf.
Anniversaries: Ralph & Lois Clarkson.
Sunday School Co-ordinators |
Jackie Schlenker, Kim Hanson |
A/Nursery Convenor |
Jackie Carlson |
Greeters & Ushers |
Gordon Schneider, Donna Scharf, Frieda Hiller, Don Lonson |
Coffee Hosts |
Karen Knibbs, Charlene Andreas, John & Betty Sidlick, Sharon Clay |
Scripture Reader |
Janice Croissant |
Elder-in-Charge |
Pat Connell |
Next Week’s Readings from: Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99; Luke 9:28-36, (37-43); and 2 Corinthians 3:12—4:2
Stewardship Thought for Today
Could sharing our gifts with those who need them be part of God’s hope for the world?
By Kathie Murphy