BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH
23rd SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
November 8, 2020
The video recording of this service can be found here.
You can also dial-in by phone to listen to the audio recording at 613-820-8104
Gathering Music: Jimmy Findlater – David Brown
Remembering our Veterans and those Active in Uniform (Photo Slides)
Acknowledgement of Territory Rev. Kim Vidal
We begin our worship service by acknowledging the territory where most of us gather and where I am located. We acknowledge that we are gathered on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe First Nation. We pay respect to the elders past and present and honour all indigenous people’s reverence of this land throughout the ages. Today, we also pay tribute to all indigenous veterans who have served in the two great wars and those who are currently serving our country in uniform. May we live in peace and friendship to sustain the earth and all its people. Thank you for permitting us to live and work on this land.
Welcome & Announcements Rev. Kim Vidal
Good day everyone! I welcome and greet you in the name of Jesus Christ this time of remembering. Today we remember those “who shall not grow old” and to honour those who knew what those wars were like and lived to tell their stories. We remember the brave souls who are out there currently serving in many parts of the world that peace may prevail. We honour and give thanks to the veterans and their loved ones. From those who shivered and starved through the winter, crouched in the muddy trenches of France, to those seaborne in the Battle of Normandy and liberation of the Netherlands, those who fought in the Korean War, or the young peacekeepers patrolling the mountains of Afghanistan and Iraq, we remember and honour them all. They remind us that all of those who fought and those who have died have real faces, real lives, real families and theirs are real stories of ordinary people who were able to make a difference in the world. Our presence today reminds us that we cannot be silent when the terrors of wars confront us. In today’s remembering, I invite you to reflect within the context of our faith, to uphold the teachings of Jesus when he declares, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”
During this time when only a limited number of people are able to worship in the church sanctuary, please know that BCUC offers worship service in a number of ways. Check our website at bcuc.org, for our worship service in audio, video and text formats along with the weekly announcements, online meetings, events and other updates. You can also listen to the service via telephone by dialing 613-820-8104. Please continue to reach out by connecting with each other through emails, phone calls and prayers.
Here are some announcements:
- An opportunity to have Photos for Christmas will happen on Friday, November 20 from 9:00am to 8:30pm. This is part of the photo directory project being planned for Spring 2021. If you are not able to come for the photo session on Nov 20, don’t worry, another photo session will be held in Spring. All health protocols will be in place and sittings will be spaced to allow for sanitizing between groups. Prints can be ordered and will be available in plenty of time for Christmas. Please call the office to book your appointment.
- The Veterans’ House project is due to be completed by January 2021 that hopes to accommodate at least 40 veterans. Please continue to support this project financially. For information on how to give, please check the website at multifaithhousing.ca.
- The 2021 Canadian Church Calendars are now available for purchase for $8 each, as well as grocery cards and the Book of Memories Volume 2. Please contact the office to place an order.
- If you are interested in exploring or discussing the biblical passages that Kim or Lorrie will use in their Sunday sermon, please join the Lectionary Group every Tuesday at 10:30 am via Zoom. Please inform Rev. Kim or the office of your attendance.
- And for those of you who are able to join us via Zoom, there will be a Zoom fellowship every Sunday at 11: 00 am. Link has been emailed to you or call the office for more information.
For other announcements, please check your email or the church website.
Friends, in the quiet of this moment, in the stillness of our hearts, I now invite you to centre yourself in the presence of God who opens us to the Spirit of peace and freedom. Let us gather in worship.
Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: Kael & Connor Fowler (Air Cadets)
We light this Christ candle as we honour and celebrate those who have offered
their lives in the name of peace and freedom.
The light of this candle represents our grief, our courage,
our memories, our love and our hope.
It also reminds us that the light of Christ shines on the road to peace and illuminates our most difficult moments.
Call to Gather: Rev. Lorrie Lowes & Nicole Beaudry
(Pat Mayberry, Gathering, Pentecost 2, 2017, Year A, French Trans - Nicole Beaudry)
We gather together on this day of remembering.
We lift up our hearts in the Spirit of Life.
Nous nous souvenons aujourd'hui de ceux et celles qui ont donné leur santé, et souvent leur bien-être et même leur vie, dans les guerres et dans leurs actions à la recherche de la justice et de la paix. Nous élevons nos cœurs dans un esprit de mémoire.
We come together to honour the gifts of all, gifts of courage and community, of music and laughter, of justice-making and healing touch.
We lift up our hearts in the spirit of love made visible.
Nous sommes réunis dans un même esprit pour trouver de nouvelles façons d’agir, pour créer des liens nouveaux, pour tenter de comprendre, et pour garder en mémoire.
We lift up our hearts in the spirit of possibility.
Alors, rassemblons-nous.
Come, let us gather.
Prayer of Confession: Rev. Lorrie Lowes
(Inspired by the prayers of Richard Bott and George Allan)
On this Remembrance Sunday, let us be reminded that peace is a gift from God, the presence of the Holy One. But sometimes, we forget how to act as instruments of peace and so we approach God with our prayer of confession and to ask God’s forgiveness and assurance of love. Let us pray. We know that God take no joy in deaths. We know that God take no joy in wars, in battles, in conflicts. We know that our tears are for all God’s children of every land and race, of every time and place. When we live comfortably in a peaceful land, too easily we forget about some parts of the world where there is no peace. Forgive us, O God, when we did not answer your call to pursue your gift of peace, shalom, salaam in this world. Forgive us, we pray.
Assurance of Love
We are not alone. In every corner of the earth, in every town and village torn apart by war; in every home where our loved ones are remembered. God is present through others - healing, restoring and bringing about God’s reign of peace in the world. Grant us your peace, O God. Amen.
Hymn: I Feel the Winds of God - Voices United #625
1 I feel the winds of God today;
today my sail I lift,
though heavy oft with drenching spray
and torn with many a rift;
if hope but light the water’s crest,
and Christ my bark will use,
I’ll seek the seas at his behest,
and brave another cruise.
2 It is the wind of God that dries
my vain regretful tears,
until with braver thoughts shall rise
the purer, brighter years;
if cast on shores of selfish ease
or pleasure I should be,
O let me feel your freshening breeze,
and I’ll put back to sea.
3 If ever I forget your love
and how that love was shown,
lift high the blood-red flag above;
it bears your name alone.
Great pilot of my onward way,
you will not let me drift;
I feel the winds of God today,
today my sail I lift.
Words 1907 Jessie Adams, Trad. arranged 1904 Ralph Vaughan Williams, Oxford Univ Press
Song #6ECAD29E Reprinted with permission ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Storytime for the Young at Heart: Rev. Lorrie Lowes
Our Children’s Story today is a reading of the book “Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion” by Jane Barclay. It is a story about a young boy watching his grandpa get ready for the Remembrance Day parade. The gentle and caring grandpa answers his grandchild’s questions about what it was like to serve in the war. As the two make a game of preparing for the memorial service, the child comes to understand the importance of the solemn occasion and the act of remembering. It is read for today’s worship service by Rev. Lorrie’s granddaughter Bree Kelly and her grandpa, Neil Lowes.
An Act of Remembrance
The Story of Remembrance:[1] Rev. Kim Vidal
Across Canada, and in many other countries, people gather on November 11 to honour the courage and devotion of brave men and women who made the supreme sacrifice of dying for their country. The hostilities of the First World War ceased on November 11, 1918, at 11:00 a.m. the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The following year marked the first observance of a day to remember and honour those who died, as well as to give thanks for the sacrifices of those who came back from serving their country. Since then, Canadians have fought in other conflicts and many have given their lives so that we might enjoy freedom today. They too should be remembered.
*Laying of Wreath: Capt Angela Starchuk & MCpl (ret’d) Trevor Starchuk
Poem: “In Flanders Fields” (by LCol John McCrae) Rev. Lorrie Lowes
In Flanders fields the poppies blow,
between the crosses row on row that mark our place;
and in the sky the larks, still bravely singing,
fly scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead.
Short days ago we lived,
felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved and were loved,
and now we lie, in Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw the torch;
be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep,
though poppies grow in Flanders fields.
*Response: Rev. Kim Vidal
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them. We will remember them!
*The Last Post
*Two-Minute Silence
*Rouse
*Lament - David Brown
*National Anthem: O Canada (Bilingual Version)
O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command,
Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits,
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
Prayer for Illumination Reader: Capt. Angela Starchuk
Gracious God, as we hear your Scripture today, bless us with your spirit of understanding.
Heal us from the pains of war and make us instruments of your peace. Amen.
The Reading: “Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids” Matthew 25:1-13 (NRSV)
25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
May we find ourselves renewed by this story of faith. Thanks be to God!
Hymn: Give Me Oil in My Lamp (traditional)
1 Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Give me oil in my lamp I pray.
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Keep me burning ‘til the break of day.
Refrain: Sing hosanna! Sing hosanna!
Sing hosanna to the Servant King!
Sing hosanna! Sing hosanna!
Sing hosanna let us sing!
2 Mets la joie dans mon cœur, que je chante;
Mets la joie dans mon cœur, je te prie,
Mets la joie dans mon cœur, que je chante,
Que je chante tout au long de ma vie.
R: Chante Hosanna! Chante Hosanna!
Chante Hosanna! Pour Jésus vivant.
Chante Hosanna! Chante Hosanna!
Chante Hossana! Avec moi.
3 Give me love in my heart, keep me serving
Give me love in my heart I pray.
Give me love in my heart, keep me serving
Keep me serving ‘til the break of day. R
Traditional
Reprinted with permission ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Sermon: “Waiting Gone Awry!” Rev. Kim Vidal
At first glance, this parable is not comforting. This parable does not make me feel good. This parable challenges most of the things I believe about God and Jesus. For me, it doesn’t make sense to compare this parable with that of the Kingdom of Heaven. I don’t want to preach on the 5 wise bridesmaids, who have extra oil but didn’t share with the foolish. I don’t want to criticize and point fingers at the 5 foolish bridesmaids who left their post to get more oil thus making them late for the wedding. And I detest preaching about the bridegroom who was interpreted by many Christians as Jesus Christ himself shutting the door at the foolish bridesmaids and turning a deaf ear to their pleas to come in. This is not the Jesus that I follow! What do we do with a difficult parable like this? What is Matthew trying to say to us here and now?
In this parable, Matthew uses the imagery of a wedding in the first century. In ancient Jewish tradition, weddings begin with a proposal between the fathers of the bride and the groom. The fathers would arrange the marriage by exchanging an engagement contract with a waiting period that could last up to a year. It was customary to have bridesmaids, who were younger sisters or cousins or close friends, to wait for the groom carrying lamps ignited with oil. The groom was expected to arrive in a procession at night in order for the whole town to be home and be able to celebrate. When the groom arrives, he collects his bride and the bridesmaids, in a procession, singing, dancing and creating an atmosphere of celebration. The procession signifies that the period of waiting was over and then culminated in a wedding feast that often lasted up to seven days.
For most of my life, I have identified with the five wise bridesmaids, always seeking to have enough oil in my lamp – good works, values, achievements and faith – to come prepared when things get tough. The truth is- I do like to be prepared, and I bet most of you do, too. We are part of a culture that practically loves planning, organizing, forethought and preparation for the unknown that lies ahead. I think this is why we get so angry when something goes horribly wrong. We love to be on the safe side – to be like the 5 wise bridesmaids. But do we really like to see ourselves as the wise ones, those who have extra oil but refused to share with those who do not have enough? There are times too when I see myself as the 5 foolish bridesmaids, having just enough oil to last me for a day – just enough energy, just enough patience, just enough resources, just enough faith- watching as my lamp’s light slowly evaporated in thin air, sometimes quite resentful of those whose lamps still burned so brightly. What is wrong with that? Why were the foolish ones ridiculed, door shut in their faces and were not invited to the feast? In the story, both the wise and the foolish ones, fell asleep while waiting for the groom to arrive, when they should have kept awake. Surely the foolish ones were not the only guilty ones and cannot be blamed for not being watchful enough as the story indicates. And it was the bridegroom, not the bridal party, who broke social protocol, took his time and arrived late for the banquet. So why was the bridegroom not blamed for the mishap?
But what would have happened, I wonder, had the foolish bridesmaids simply continued to wait, with flickering lamps? What would have happened if they simply waited in the darkness of the night? Waiting is difficult, waiting is hard, waiting tests our patience and our time management. But I think this was the point Matthew was trying to emphasize in this story – the bridesmaids should have persisted waiting no matter what. Sue mentioned in our lectionary discussion last Tuesday that the foolish bridesmaids’ mistake was they did not wait – they came unprepared bringing no extra oil for emergency, left their posts, and redirected their attention by purchasing more oil and they missed the whole wedding event! The Rev. Matthew Skinner comments that this is a parable of waiting and that Christianity is a “waiting” religion. And since we have to wait, he says, we better get to work! He calls it “faithful readiness”. Lorrie said the same thing. She said that we need to wait actively not passively. The foolish bridesmaids left when they should have persistently stayed however the oil situation was. I’d like to hope that the bride and the groom would have forgiven them, welcomed them into the party, unconcerned about the state of their oil lamps, happy just to see their friends waiting.
What do we do in our waiting? As I write this sermon, the United States have not announced its new President yet. Although Democratic candidate Joe Biden is on the verge of being elected as the next US President. The whole world was waiting for the outcome of what people dubs as the most divisive election in the history of the United States. And in the moment of waiting, Trump and his cohorts have gone to the streets to protest – banging the windows and doors of the electoral polls, threatening the other party with a lawsuit for electoral fraud. Biden’s followers, were on the streets too, pushing that every ballot be counted. While loud protests are ongoing, there are also the silent majority who are earnestly praying for a smooth outcome of the election. No clear winner has been declared. And the waiting continues.
There is waiting involved too when men and women were deployed in wars. In a book she titled While They're at War: The True Story of American Families on the Homefront, author Kristine Henderson has this to share: “When our nation decides to wage war, we women and men who love America's war-fighters comfort them when they call home sounding hollow, we manage their lives while they're gone -- we pay their bills, service their cars, care for their children. We're told: "If there's a problem, don't cry to your spouses, there's nothing they can do about it, it will only distract them, and where they are, distractions can be fatal." So we solve the problems ourselves. And while we're doing all that, we're waking up every morning knowing today could be the day the staff car pulls up in front of our house and two or three people in dress uniforms walk up to our door. Today could be the day our life as we know it disappears into a black hole of grief. As a result, when our warriors return, they're not coming home to the same person they left behind. This is the war story you never hear. This is the horror story of waiting while they're at war.”
There is another thing that bothers me about this parable. What are we to do with those wise ones who did not share even an ounce of oil, those wise bridesmaids who chose their needs over the needs of others? Some preachers even elevated them to be emulated by us. How could we sympathize with their selfish behaviour when we embrace the true meaning of good stewardship or walking the talk? How can we agree with the wise ones who held their heads up high and said: “We cannot share with you because we might not have enough for ourselves and just to be on the safe side, we’re not sharing what we have.” Is this the good news here? To be always prepared, hang onto your oil, and remember that only a fool gives it away? Well, that's depressing for me. Couldn't we reasonably conclude that perhaps Matthew portrayed the Kingdom of Heaven as not different than the empires of earth, where we hoard material goods, and embrace consumerism for our own survival?
The parable lacks many details. It doesn't say a word about motives or circumstances or reasons why the five foolish women have no extra oil. And that's significant, I think. Maybe this is not a story about how much oil you have. Maybe this is a story about the kind of oil you carry with you. To prepare for the delay not for the time being – to have extra oil for emergency – turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, forgiving the persecutors. What fills you up when you run out of oil? What replenishes your oil? Where do you find God, and how can you make sure that you get enough of that oil for your lamp, so that God can fill you up again? Because you will run dry. And when you do, you can't be a light for anybody. I like what Anna Carter Florence have to say about this parable: “There are some kinds of oil you can't borrow from anyone else. There are some kinds of preparation we can only do for ourselves. There are some reserves that no one else can build up for us. You can't borrow someone else's peace of mind or their passion for God. You can't say to your friend, "You have such a happy marriage, don't you? Could you give me some of that?" It doesn't work. You have to find it yourself. You have to figure out what fills you up, spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally and then make sure you have some to carry with you, every single minute of the day, because that's how often you'll need it.”
I strongly believe that both the wise and the foolish ones operate on the same premise of scarcity and fear. Neither trusts the love the bridegroom has for his friends. Neither trusts that the bridegroom will embrace them regardless of whether they walk in the light or wait in darkness. Yet, traditional preachers interpret this parable to praise behaviour that runs counter to the central message of Jesus: the gospel of radical inclusivity and compassion. What are we to do with this bridegroom, the one who apparently was interpreted over and over again as Christ-figure who acts so uncaring, so cold and calculating, who shut the door and tells the foolish bridesmaids to go away? This is not the same Jesus that we know, he is not the Shepherd who leaves the 99 to search for the lost one; nor is he the woman who turns her house upside down in search of a lost coin, nor the prodigal father who lovingly waits for his prodigal son to come home. Some thinks that this parable is about the end times or what others believed to be the second coming of Christ. If the bridegroom is already with his bride when he arrives, this parable cannot be interpreted as the second coming of Christ. It can’t be. Because this parable isn’t about the return of Christ. The Spirit of Jesus Christ lives among us here and now so why would interpreters think Jesus is still not here with us?
Friends, where do you find yourself in this difficult story especially as we remember the unsung heroes – those who died in the name of peace and freedom? Have you been the foolish ones whose lamps have run out? the wise ones who feared sharing and losing what they had? the bridegroom who refused to let people in? So, if you find yourself feeling like the foolish bridesmaids, remember to wait - even in the dark. Don’t run from it. It is a holy place and God will meet you there. If you find yourself feeling like the wise bridesmaids, remember to share what you have, even if it scares you. The opportunity to give of yourself is a holy place and God will meet you there. And if you find yourself feeling like the bridegroom, remember to open wide the door to the banquet feast. Don’t let hurt feelings and fear insulate you from others. Welcoming those who have made mistakes and who walk in darkness is a holy place. God will meet you there.
The unsung heroes of our times, those whom we remember today, I’m sure waited for the day when finally, peace and freedom dawned. They waited patiently in the dark abyss, endlessly, with their blood, sweat and tears so that the evils of war will come to an end and people will enjoy life once more. They emulated an active waiting, doing what they need to do for the sake of others. Today, we honour and notice intentionally their courage, their dignity, their vocation, their service to the country. To wait is serious work. It is to be done with great honesty and integrity. And it is to be done with a sense of responsibility. For who and what we are today is drawn from who went before us. They have passed a torch to us and we must carry it forward. The Rev. John Maich, a military padre shared an excerpt of the following prayerful appeal reminiscent of Jesus’ teaching: “Perhaps today will be the day that Remembrance translates into doing. Perhaps today will be the day that we acknowledge that there is no greater love than to lay our lives down for others and no greater offense than to demand others to take lives on our behalf. Perhaps today two minutes of silence will finally be enough for us to actually remember and not repeat the failures that rob our brave sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, friends and neighbours of their humanity or their lives.”
So today, as a reminder and a time of recommitment, we shall remember them. Every day, at the going down of the sun and in the morning, we actively wait for a new dawn to break. When love, justice, peace and freedom will lead the people’s hearts. And yes, in our waiting, remembrance is a must. Lest we forget. Amen.
Sources:
BCUC Lectionary Group; David R. Henson, The Breaking of the Bridesmaids – Rethinking A Problematic Parable, patheos.org;
Anna Carter Florence, Filling Stations, day1.org; David Lose, www.workingpreachers.org; pursuitsofgod.com, Matthew Skinner, huffpost.com, Kristin Henderson, npr.org.
Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer Rev. Kim Vidal
Let us gather our hearts in a prayer written and inspired by Diaconal Ministers Ted Dodd and Kimiko Karpoff:
Lord, Lord,
the wedding feast is delayed.
The banquet tables do not make space for everyone.Your realm has not fully arrived.
Earth has not evolved into Eden.
Apologies have not led to reconciliation.
Too many struggles with knees on their necks and they cannot breathe.
A pandemic circles the planet with sickness, unemployment, isolation, and stress.
So, we pray …
On earth as it is in heaven.
In the meantime,
we wait, gathered together.
We prepare.
We expect and envision,
We long and yearn and hope
for a renewed creation,
for right relations,
for dignity and respect,
for sharing and inclusion.
And we pray …
On earth as it is in heaven.
While we wait, we try to be wise:
to discern, to stay alert,
to shed light at midnight,
to see the coming realm:
in the eyes of a stranger,
in the stories of survival,
in acts of courage and justice-making,
in the telling of truth to power,
in moments of compassion and community,
in study and prayer,
in the holy inbreaking of blessing and gratitude. We try to stay awake … and even be “woke.”
And we pray …
Lead us not into temptation.
And when we are drowsy and foolish,
when our lamps run dry,
when are unprepared and caught short,
when we are irresponsible and fall asleep,
we pray, surely you will not shut the door,
surely you who are mercy will let in some latecomers, surely you will tolerate a little foolishness or forgetfulness
surely you will know us.
And so we pray …
Forgive us our trespasses.
Today we remember and we pray
There are those who lived through and died in combat, And those who lived and died imprisoned by their own countries
We pray for them
We pray that what we envision is God’s kingdom, That we see ourselves as agents of peace in every aspect of our lives
That we envision a love that both holds the other, And holds each other accountable,
With compassion and kindness,
as we walk this journey together
We remember the past so we can join God in co-creating our future
We remember the past because our story emerges from these stories
We remember the past and remember that
We live the kingdom of God
Or we don’t
Lest we forget
We lift these prayers in the name of Jesus who taught us the way to peace, as we recite together these words he taught his followers:
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kin-dom come, thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kin-dom, the power and the glory, Forever and ever, Amen.
Invitation to Offer: Rev. Lorrie Lowes
There are opportunities to give every day, certainly through gifts of time, talents and money, but also through brave and courageous action, faithful service, and loving devotion. Let us share of ourselves and of what God has so graciously given.
I now invite you to offer your gifts of time, talents, resources, bravery and courageous acts as expressions of your gratitude to God’s blessings. If you are not on PAR and wish to send in your offering and donations, you can drop them in the slot by the kitchen door of the church or mail them to BCUC. You can also send in your support through e-transfer. Thank you for your continued love and support to BCUC.
Offertory Prayer: (Gord Dunbar, Gathering, 2015)
Our gifts seem so insignificant against the needs and conflicts of the world, yet we still are called into witness and service. Bless us God and these gifts we offer, that we may fulfill your mission for all creation. Amen.
Sending Forth: (Sandy Ferguson, Gathering, 2014) Rev. Kim Vidal
People of God, once more we return to the world,
remembering what was lost to secure what we have today.
Let this Remembrance renew our faith in the peace
that God continues to create through us.
Let our witness be a guide to others
so that we will no longer have to add names
to our sacred task of remembering.
Go in peace. Amen.
Hymn: Make Me A Channel – Voices United #684
1 Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me bring love
Where there is injury, your healing power
And where there's doubt, true faith in you
Chorus:
O, Spirit grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
to be loved as to love with all my soul
2 Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope, Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness ever joy
3 Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all that we receive
And in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Words attri. To St. Francis, Music © 1967 Sebastian Temple, Arr. © 1976 Pulkingham
Song #80478 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Departing Music: Maple Leaf Forever - David Brown
Zoom Fellowship hosted by Lorrie at 11: 00 am. Link has been emailed. See you there!
[1] Veterans.gc.ca