BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT / AGAPE MEAL (COMMUNION)

February 21, 2021

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: Silent and Soft and Slow Descends the Snow – Benjamin Abe:piano

Welcome & Announcements Rev. Kim Vidal

Good day everyone! On behalf of BCUC, I welcome and greet you in the name of Jesus Christ on this First Sunday in Lent with an Agape Meal. We are in the Lenten season - that 40-day period named after an old English word meaning ‘lengthen’. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday until Holy Saturday. Lent is an opportunity to reflect inwardly, a time of renewal, a time of cleansing. For some, it is a time of confession and repentance; for others a time of contemplative fasting or giving up of something. I invite you join us in this Lenten period.

This Sunday, we are able to gather in the sanctuary for a modified worship service at 10 am including the celebration of communion. A maximum number of 28 people are invited to gather. The Public Health strongly recommends to stay at home but if you wish to attend, please call the office to register and be reminded that the usual protocols will be in place which include masking, social distancing, hand sanitizing and staying home if you feel unwell.

We continue to offer worship service in a number of ways. Check our website at bcuc.org, for our worship service in audio, video and text formats 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.

Our Annual General Meeting will take place via Zoom on Sunday, March 7th at 11:00 AM. The purpose of this meeting is to review and receive the 2020 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements and to approve the 2021 Annual Activity Plan, Budget and Nominations Report, and various other items of importance. To ensure the congregation is informed, and that new business items are given an adequate amount of time for deliberation, please notify the Board of your intent to introduce any new items of business, or new motions by sending an e-mail to John MacFarlane before noon on Monday, February 22nd. A mover and a seconder for motions, as well as any background material that can be distributed to the congregation at least one week before the meeting, will also be appreciated. The proposed Agenda and other documents will be circulated to the congregation by Sunday February 28th. Link to the Zoom meeting will be emailed to the congregation few days prior to the AGM.

Would you like your favourite hymn sung in memory of a loved one or in celebration of a joyful occasion? With a suggested minimum donation of $30, your hymn request will be featured in one of the Sunday services from February 28 until May 23. Proceeds from this fundraising will help enhance our worship experience. Please send your name, hymn request and dedication to the office via email. Donations can be made by e-transfer, cash or cheque payable to BCUC with the note: “Hymn-Sing”. Thank you for supporting this initiative.

I invite you to participate in the Prayer Circle every Wednesday at 8 pm. Wherever you are, light a candle and say a prayer for the world, your community including our congregation, your family, your friends and yourself.

And for those of you who are able to join us via Zoom, there will be zoom fellowship every Sunday at 11: 00 am. Link has been emailed to you or call the office for more information.

For all other announcements, please visit the website.

Friends, as we gather today wherever we are, let us ask God’s presence to journey with us in this season of Lent. Let us gather in worship.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: Katrina TeGrotenhuis

We give thanks for the light of Christ,
strong and unafraid, persistent and unrelenting.
May this light enflame our hearts with God’s grace.

Sung Response: Don’t Be Afraid - More Voices #90 - Susan TeGrotenhuis

Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger, my love is stronger than your fear.
Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger and I have promised, promised to be always near.

*Call to Gather[1] Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Here, at the outer limits of Lent, we are called to walk:
to the paper-thin edges which cut us to the soul;
to the workplaces which weary us;
to the people who confuse us;
to the faith which threatens us.
Here, at the corner of Steadfast Love and Faithfulness,

we are called to wait:
when our clenched stomachs awaken us;
in the moments of unbearable sorrow;
with the angels who would carry us.
Here, where time is fulfilled, where God's Kin-dom is as near to us
as our neighbour, we begin Lent:
with the Beloved, whose tears wash away our fears,
with the God who will not let go of our hands.

Come, let us worship and break bread.

Prayer of Confession Rev. Lorrie Lowes

God of all blessings, we turn toward you on this Lenten journey aware of our human frailties that tempt us from your path. Sometimes we worship you not with joyful hearts but in a spirit of obligation. Too often, we turn to our own selfish acts rather than reach out to others. In this hurting world, we sometimes forget to call on your Spirit in our times of trouble. Forgive us, O God and bless us with renewed resolve, purer intent and stronger faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Hymn: Jesus Tempted in the Desert - Voices United #115

Jesus, tempted in the desert;
lonely, hungry, filled with dread:
“Use your power,” the tempter tells him,
“Turn these barren rocks to bread!”
“Not alone by bread,” he answers,
“Can the human heart be filled.
Only by the Word that calls us
is our deepest hunger stilled!”

Jesus, tempted at the temple,
high above its ancient wall:
“Throw yourself from lofty turret,
angels wait to break your fall!”
Jesus shuns such empty marvels,
feats that fickle crowds request:
“God, whose grace protects, reserves us,
we must never vainly test.”

Jesus, tempted on the mountain
by the lure of vast domain:
“Fall before me! Be my servant!
Glory, fame, you’re sure to gain!”
Jesus sees the dazzling vision,
turns his eyes another way:
“God alone deserves our homage!
God alone will I obey!”

When we face temptations power,
lonely, struggling, filled with dread,
Christ, who knew the tempter’s hour,
come and be our living bread.
By your grace, protect, preserve us
lest we fall, your trust betray.
Yours, above all other voices,
be the Word we hear, obey.”

Storytime/Lenten Appeal Rev. Lorrie Lowes

We started a new season in the church this week! Did you notice? Maybe you had pancakes on Tuesday. Pancake Tuesday or “Shrove Tuesday” is the signal that the season of Epiphany is ending and the new season of Lent is about to begin.

Lent is a season that can be a tricky one for us to understand. It is kind of a dark and dreary season without any fun celebrations. It is a time to think and reflect on our relationship with Jesus. It lasts until Easter, when the light of Christ enters the world again. In many traditions, people give up something they like for the 40 days (plus Sundays) that make up the season of Lent. Some adults give up things like chocolate or coffee, some kids might give up candy or video games… It’s supposed to be something hard to give up. I think it is a way to remind us of the blessings we take for granted and how hard it might be for others who don’t have all the blessings we enjoy.

Here at BCUC, we like to turn that “giving up” into a way to give a blessing to someone in need. We call it our Lenten Appeal. This year we want to give a blessing to people living in social housing here in the west end of the city.

Have you ever been camping with your family or to a sleep away camp with other kids? It’s a fun activity for many of us in the summer. It’s a time to get out and enjoy nature, to get out of the busy-ness of the city and spend some time where the air is fresh and the beauty of creation is around us. It’s a chance for us to do new things like swimming in a lake or hiking in the woods. It might be a chance to be alone with your family, or maybe a chance to meet new friends. For many of us it is just the break we need to refresh after a long dark winter.

Did you ever think that there are families who never get to leave the city? Most of the families served by OWECC - the Ottawa West End Community Chaplaincy - could never afford to send their children to camp. Very few of them own a car, so not even the adults ever get the chance to leave their crowded neighbourhoods to spend even a few hours in nature.

A couple of years ago, OWECC teamed up with Camp Otterdale to give some of these folks a chance to get out of their apartments or small townhouses, to leave the city and spend some time at camp. They arrived on a schoolbus on Saturday afternoon and stayed in cabins overnight. They enjoyed campfires and games and crafts, and some wonderful meals. It was fall so they couldn’t swim in the lake but they were able to walk along the shore and follow the trails in the woods. They had time to relax, to chat, to sing, and to enjoy each other’s company in a safe and quiet setting. It was a treat that many of them had never experienced before and they are still talking about it!

One of my favourite stories from that trip was of a young girl whose family had recently come to Canada from Syria. She was about 12 years old and she had never been out of the city. We walked down to the farm area of the camp and she was amazed to see vegetables actually growing in the gardens! She was so excited to pick tomatoes and beans, squash and peppers right off the plants and then help cook them for our dinner. She even took home a big zucchini so she could show her class at school on Monday that she had picked “real food”! Can you imagine being 12 years old before you ever saw a vegetable growing in a garden?

This year, we are planning another trip to Camp Otterdale for our neighbours living in social housing – this time for a whole weekend - and we will use the money raised through our Lenten Appeal to help make this possible. This is a way to make “giving up” something for a few weeks less about depriving ourselves and more about giving someone else a gift to last a lifetime.

Your family can find more information about this Lenten Appeal in the announcements and there will be more stories and ideas of how you can help in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Hymn: O God, Send Out Your Spirit – More Voices #25

Refrain (2X)

O God, send out your Spirit;
Renew the face of the earth.

1. We bless you, O God, for you are so great.
Your Spirit uncovers hidden beauty and grace.
Though times we deny all the pain and the tears,
Your Spirit empowers us and soon we face our fears.

2. Ev’ry prayer we pray, sacred word, sacred rite,
is for the ones who are left waiting outside.
Ev’ry sermon we preach, ev’ry Spirit-filled tune;
Love says, “Remember why we do the things we do.”

Prayer for Illumination Reader: John MacFarlane

Gracious God, be with us now as we turn to the pages of your Word.
We ask for your Spirit of Wisdom, to help us understand your will for us. Amen.

The Reading: Mark 1:9-15 (NRSV) The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

May the Light of Christ dwell where the Word is spoken. Thanks be to God!

Sermon: “Jesus: A Spirit Person” Rev. Kim Vidal

We begin the journey of Lent with these words from Mark: “After his baptism, the Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.” Was it just me or did you notice it too? That immediately after his baptism, Jesus was driven into the wilderness by the same Spirit that earlier had descended upon him at his baptism and installed him as God’s instrument of love.

Why wilderness? I think there is something in the “wilderness” that draws one closer to the holy and sacred. Surrounded by darkness at night and wild beasts roaming around, in the wilderness, we discover our own true selves. We discern who we really are when we go outside of our comfort zones, outside of our established routines, beyond the ease of what we know, in the hopes for us to appreciate the true meaning of life. In this story, Jesus went on a wilderness retreat, to contemplate on whatever call or mission he should be doing after his baptism. He commenced his journey through a very focused and intentional time of discernment where he fasted and prayed, and prepared his total full human self for what lays ahead. His wilderness experience opened the doors for him to be a spirit person.

This is the first Lenten sermon in the series of who Jesus is. This series has been significantly shaped by the late NT scholar Marcus Borg who described Jesus among other descriptions, as a spirit person, as a wisdom teacher, as a social prophet, and as a movement founder. You might have different views about Jesus but these characteristics offered by Borg shaped my own understanding of who Jesus was. It formed the bases of my Christian faith. Through Borg’s description of Jesus, I definitely gravitate to a faith that challenges the presence of evil and acts of injustice in the world: a faith that challenges damaging conventional traditions and prejudicial cultural values and social norms that reinforce an unjust society; a faith that challenges economic and political structures that oppress rather than offer life; a faith that is as much a movement as a way of life – a movement for change. Borg proposed that who Jesus was does in fact shape the Christian faith as a faith that challenges what is wrong in the world – and that Jesus calls you and I to be a part of that faith.

I am glad that the United Church of Canada where we belong, is consistent with what Borg defined Jesus to be. One might say, I don’t need religion like Christianity to understand who Jesus is or to experience transformation in my life. I just need to be spiritual. But I have a stake in this conversation not because I am a paid accountable minister and this is my bread and butter, but because I believe that practicing a religion, having a faith community that nurtures and sustains my spirituality is imperative in becoming a spiritual person. I am a follower of Jesus because I believe in his teachings and his sense of God’s presence in the world. I continue to practice my Christian faith because I am nourished by a faith community that supports and nurtures my spirituality. My religious experience gives me the language, the images, the rituals and the acts of life-giving needed for right relationships. My faith taught me how to relate to God, to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit through acts of love, justice and compassion for learning and to understand fully the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Some argue that a ‘Spirit-filled’ person has to be engaged in happy-clappy singing, shouting at the top of one’s voice, foot-stomping, body-swaying, head-bobbing, knees-shaking, amen-responding, speaking in tongues, candle-lighting, cross-signing, you name it. Notice that Jesus is “full of the Holy Spirit” and none of this happens. Borg used this phrase “spirit person” to mean a spirit-filled person, a person through whom the power of the Holy Spirit flows. As a spirit person, Jesus had an experiential awareness of the reality of God. Jesus was an advocate of spiritual practices. He often went off on his own, in a secluded place, away from the crowd and prayed. It is quite possible that he practiced both wordy and wordless prayers. He addressed God as Abba, his Daddy – a very intimate and personal way of relating to God. For Jesus, God was not just an outside source. God was in him and he lived his life connected to God. While wrestling with his own demons, Jesus spoke with authority that flowed from his spiritual experience. And he left the wilderness with renewed vigour and a sense of purpose. As a spirit person he lived to question the conventional wisdom of the world and taught people to be centered in life-giving endeavours. Jesus himself as a spirit person did not abandon his religion. He was a Jew until his death. Jesus as a Spirit person revolutionized a movement to transform lives. Marcus Borg said, “Jesus’ relationship to the Spirit of God was the central reality in his life, the source of all that he was.”

This rings true for those of us who know the presence of God in our lives. But beyond being a truth about Jesus, it is also an invitation to us - to make our relationship to the Spirit of God the central reality in our lives. God’s Spirit sustains and inspires us for whatever we might be and do. Christine Hassler author of Expectation Hangover, recently wrote: “Being a person of the spirit is a commitment to walking the spiritual path from the head to the heart. It’s a choice to free yourself from letting your ego take the lead in your life so you can surrender your ego’s attachments and instead, let your soul take the wheel. It’s the decision to choose love over fear — to withhold judgment of yourself or others, to stop labeling everything as “right” or “wrong,” to transition from a black and white “dualistic” world to a non-dual perspective that is comfortable with paradox. It’s the willingness to make your life an offering to the Divine in whatever form you resonate with a Higher Power, whether it’s God or some other deity or just the Divine within yourself which others call “inner light”.

A spirit person undergoes wilderness experience on a daily basis. As Jesus was put to test, we, too are not exempt from this reality. Wilderness could also be understood as a state of existence. Such discoveries only come after arduous wrestling with our own questions, our fears and moments of anxiety and uncertainty. We feel vulnerable and always on the alert; wondering if our life is in danger or worse, that we have been abandoned by God’s presence. This week, wilderness loomed over Ontario when more than 1000 positive cases of COVID-19 and the deaths of more people were reported on a daily basis. We are still in the wilderness of this pandemic and we remain cautious but hopeful.

Wilderness swept many states in the US after a deadly blast of winter this week that left millions without power and shivering in the cold. But the crisis was far from over, with thousands of people still in need of safe drinking water.

Wilderness captures the ongoing sentiments and struggles of indigenous people, the black communities, the Asians and other people of ethnic and religious backgrounds, the LGBTQ against racism, acts of violence and injustice.

Some of us here at BCUC are in wilderness these past few days due to illnesses and deaths that brought us anxiety, stress and grief.

For all the fear and terror – the uncertainty and hopelessness the wilderness can hold, I believe, that God's promised protection – God’s angels are there for us even when we feel hopeless, even in the face of death. We are not alone.

As we gather around God’s table of grace, as we share the broken bread and the cup of blessing, remember what Jesus as a Spirit person remind us: to keep our hearts open for the hope that comes in the wildernesses of our lives. Let these poetic words of spirit person Jan Richardson inspire us in our Lenten journey:

“I am not asking you/ to take this wilderness from me,/ to remove this place of starkness/ where I come to know/ the wildness within me, / where I learn to call the names/ of the ravenous beasts/ that pace inside me, /to finger the brambles/ that snake through my veins,/to taste the thirst/ that tugs at my tongue./ But send me tough angels,/ sweet wine,/ strong bread: just enough for the journey.” Amen.

Rev. Dr. Luke A. Powery, “Full of Spirit”, February 14, 2016
Marcus Borg – Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time
Rev. Kelly Love, “Jesus’ Spirituality” February 1, 2015 , Davis United Methodist Church Jan Richardson, Desert Prayer.
Christine Hassler, Expectation Hangover.

Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer Rev. Kim Vidal

As we journey through Lent, I offer this prayer, some parts of which were parts of a prayer written by Rex Hunt - for strength and for hope and blessing from these days. Let us pray.

This moment of quiet is an invitation
to be calm in the midst of the noise of the world and our over-busy lives,
to bring together thought and feeling, mind and spirit,
and to find some center, some still point, of perspective and peace.

Holy God, we come to you with hope and promise. We thank you for the stories which have empowered your people through the ages and given them hope. You remind us that through the baptism and temptation of Jesus, the world will be transformed anew and cleansed by the waters of your grace. May we know your promise of transformation, of hope and of your everlasting love with your people. May we know the promise of Jesus, whose spirit invites us to become people of the Way.

We draw near to each other in the presence of a Holy Weaver.
That we may see afresh.
That we may hear anew.
That we may act again with vigour.

May there be many new patterns woven among us:
patterns of peace between strangers,
patterns of love between friends,
patterns of hope among the hopeless,
patterns of joy among the sorrowful.

We pray O, God, for all who live and work in the wilderness: for our congregation which seeks to speak good news in a hostile world. In this time of pandemic, when most people are beset with anxiety, fear and uncertainty, help us to be resilient and hopeful. We continue to pray for those whom aging is a trial and a burden; for those who suffer illness, loneliness, depression; for those who mourn the loss of loved ones. We pray for the Webster Family in the passing Allan and for the Ritcey family in the passing of Gord. Let your healing spirit flow through all of us that we may become a healing presence to others.

Let the symbol of the dove – symbol of the Holy Spirit continues to guide us as we pray for the world where violence and persecution abound. Let our voices join those who have raised their voices in outrage to demand action from lawmakers, political and religious leaders or from those with power who can do something to stop racism, human rights violations and other acts of injustice and human sadness here in Canada and many parts of the world.

And may we be brokers of a spirit of new hope with all people,
to the ways we cope with life,
to the ways we embrace the present,
and the ways we think about the future.

We long for peace.
We seek to work for peace.
We invite all to vote for peace.

In the deserts of war, in the streets, and in the homes,
may there be a growth of the human spirit
and all affirmations of goodness.

In the councils of the nations,
in bureaucracies and offices,
in universities and schools,
may there be a liberation of the human spirit
and all affirmations of tolerance.

May we all in our own small way, come to discover
there are resources within ourselves and beyond us
that are as hidden but as real
as our secret doubts and fears.

As we celebrate agape meal/communion together on your table of grace, may the symbolic elements of bread and wine strengthen our resolve this Lent. Build up our faith, renew our hope, defeat despair and lead us through this Lenten time with true generosity of your spirit. These we ask in the name of Jesus, a Spirit Person who call us to recite this prayer together.

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.

Communion Hymn: Bread for the Journey - More Voices #202

Bread for the journey, food for the way.
Cup of God’s blessing, tomorrow today.

Pain pour la rou-te, pour nos che-mins.
De Dieu la cou-pe, au-jourd’-hui, de-main.

The Agape Meal Rev. Kim Vidal & Rev. Lorrie Lowes

“Agape” is the New Testament Greek word for “self-giving love”. The kind of love that comes from God and models God’s loving choice for our well-being and all of Creation. In the Christian tradition, agape is also the name for informal meals and times of togetherness and mutual sharing which remind us of all those meals Jesus shared with his friends and the unity that his Spirit continues to give us even today.

Proclamation (inspired by 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). (Kim)

We enter the story when a meal has been shared,
when prayers of thanksgiving have been spoken, when fellowship shared.
This is the place and this is the time. Here and now,
God waits to break into our experience.
On the night when Jesus was betrayed, he took a loaf of bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said,
“This is my body broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, he took the cup, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim Jesus who gives us Lenten hope.

Prayer of Consecration (Lorrie)

Loving friend and companion, we welcome your presence with us. May these gifts of bread and cup, nourish our bodies, hearts and minds. And may our spirits be refreshed as we live in the light of your presence, with us now, and at all times and places. Send now your Holy Spirit upon this bread and this cup, O God that they might be our remembrance and our proclamation of the presence of Jesus Christ with us, through us and in us. Amen.

The Sharing of the Bread and the Cup (Kim)

Let us now share and partake the bread and the cup reminding us of God’s unconditional love.
This is the bread – food for the journey. Take, eat and be nourished by God’s love.
This is the cup – drink for the journey. Take, drink and be sustained by God’s grace.

Prayer after the Meal (Lorrie)

For the bread we have eaten, for the wine we have tasted, for the life we have received, we thank you, loving God. Empower us to live as Jesus has lived, to bring new life to others and to give light to the world. Amen.

Invitation to Offer Rev. Lorrie Lowes

The Holy Spirit that came upon Jesus on his baptism is with us in amazing and powerful ways, bringing new hope and healing into the world. As we remember our own baptism, may we participate in the ministry of our church with that great hope, trusting in the promises of God. In our giving this morning, our love overflows in generosity.

I now invite you to offer your gifts of time, talents and resources 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

Through the generosity of your people, stones become bread O God.
We find the purpose of our lives through serving others.
We live faithfully through trusting and risking.
Receive now these gifts we offer. Amen.

Sending Forth Rev. Kim Vidal

We have begun the Lenten journey.
May our eagerness to follow the cross keep us faithful
despite the temptations and distractions all around us.
And may our hearts be open
to the presence of God in wilderness places.
Accompanied by the Holy Spirit,
transformed by Jesus’ ways,
and blessed by God’s unconditional love,
Let us go in peace to serve and share God’s good news! Amen.

Hymn: Spirit God, Be Our Breath – More Voices #150

Spirit God: be our breath, be our song.
Blow through us, bringing strength to move on.
Our world seems inward, defensive, withdrawn.
Spirit God, be our song.

Patient God: soothe our pride, calm our fear.
Comfort us. When we know you are near
we grow more certain, our vision is clear.
Patient God, calm our fear.

Loving God: be our voice, be our prayer.
Reaching out, joining hands as we share,
we seek your guidance through friendship and care.
Loving God, be our prayer.

Spirit God: be our breath, be our song.
Blow through us, bringing strength to move on.
Through change, through challenge, we’ll greet the new dawn.
Spirit God, be our song.

Departing: Andante Op 5– Merkel Abe:organ - Zoom Fellowship

[1] Thom Shuman, http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/

Sunday Worship Service - February 21, 2021