BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER

April 11, 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: Tell Me The Stories of Jesus Voices United #357 - BCUC Choir

In celebration of those who love to tell stories (Chris Spence)

1 Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear;
things I would ask him to tell me if he were here; scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

2 First let me hear how the children stood round his knee; and I shall fancy his blessing resting
on me; words full of kindness, deeds full of grace, all in the love-light of Jesus' face.

3 Tell me, in accents of wonder, how rolled the sea, tossing the boat in a tempest on Galilee;
and how the Master, ready and kind,
chided the billows, and hushed the wind.

4 Into the city I'd follow the children's band,
waving a branch of the palm-tree high in my hand; one of his heralds, yes, I would sing
loudest hosannas! Jesus is King!

5 Show me that scene in the garden of bitter pain; and of the cross where my Saviour
for me was slain. Sad ones or bright ones,
so that they be stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

Words: 1885 William H. Parker; Music: 1903 Frederick Challinor © National Christian Ed Council
Song Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved

Acknowledgement of Territory Rev. Lorrie Lowes

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. 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! On behalf of Bells Corners United Church, I welcome and greet you in the name of Jesus Christ on this second Sunday of Easter also known as Low Sunday. After a spiritually intense and emotionally draining week particularly the celebration of Easter Sunday, we are so ready for a low-key Sunday. Thank you for joining us in today’s service.

In this time of provincial stay-at-home order when we cannot gather physically in the church building, please remember to reach out through emails, phone calls, letters or cards, prayers or via Zoom.

We have exciting eco-friendly programs called Veg Out & Rainbarrel Fundraising hosted by the members of our Service, Outreach and Social Action Committee. Please note as well that the Hymn-Request is still ongoing until May 23rd. Details of these initiatives are posted on our website at bcuc.org or call the office for more information.

We offer our sincere condolences to the McDonald Family in the passing of Bill on March 25th. Please remember the family in your thoughts and prayers.

Friends, I now invite you to centre yourself in the presence of our welcoming God who calls us to gather with a joyful heart and alleluias. Let us gather in worship.

Lighting of Christ Candle Acolytes: Mandy & Meighen Crow

The radiance of Christ’ light shines on us.
We are gathered together knowing that the Risen One is here among us.
With grateful hearts, let us welcome the light of Christ.

Sung Response: Halle, Halle, Hallelujah – Voices United #958 - BCUC Choir

Halle, halle, halle-lu-jah (3X)
Hallelujah, hallelujah1

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

The door to the upper room was shut and barred,
but the Risen Christ stood among them.
The entrance of our hearts may be sealed,
but the Spirit of Jesus embraced us all.
The gateways to our lives may be rusty and stiff,
but the love of Christ opens the gate and welcomes all who hunger for God.
Let us worship the Holy One and give praise to God.

Prayer of Approach[1]

Creator God, we bring our doubts and our questions,
and as you touch our second thoughts,
you turn them into adventures.
Come now, O spirit,
and create a moment of awakening
where we can sense you among us
and the world can witness in us
the good news that resurrection brings. Amen.

Hymn: Joy Comes with the Dawn – Voices United #166 - BCUC Choir

Refrain:
Joy comes with the dawn;
joy comes with the morning sun;
joy springs from the tomb
and scatters the night with her song,
joy comes with the dawn.

Weeping may come;
weeping may come in the night,
when dark shadows cloud our sight. R

Sorrow will turn,
sorrow will turn into song,
and God’s laughter make us strong. R

We will rejoice,
we will rejoice, and give praise,
to the One who brings us grace. R

Storytime Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Do you ask a lot of questions? It’s a natural thing to do if you are a kid, especially when you are really young. The world is new to you and you are trying to make sense of it all, right?

What makes the wind blow?

How do birds know when it’s time to fly south or when it’s time to come back?

Why do worms come out after it rains?

When will I be able to ride a bike?

Who decides the speed limit?

Where does God live?

And lots of Why? Why? Why?

So many questions and so much to wonder about!

Sometimes we ask questions because we don’t know the answer, and sometimes we ask questions because we see or hear something new that makes us question what we thought before. We might ask an expert for an answer, or we might try to figure it out ourselves, we create a theory – a way to make sense of something new…

And the wonderful thing about asking questions is that it usually leads to new learning! And learning is a wonderful thing. Now, kids are expected to ask lots of questions, but it is just as important for all of us to keep asking questions no matter how grown up, or well-educated, we might be. If we stopped asking questions, the world would never change, new discoveries would never be made, new ways of curing or preventing diseases would never be found.

In today’s scripture reading we hear that Jesus’ disciples were very upset and scared after Jesus was arrested and crucified. They locked themselves in a room and were afraid to leave. They were sure that all the good work Jesus had done in his life was over and that all the promises of a better world would never happen. Jesus came to them and said, “Peace be with you.” I think that’s a way of saying, “Settle down, think this through. You can’t hide in this room forever.” One of the disciples, Thomas, was missing. We aren’t told where he was but we know that he had left that room for a while and when he came back, the others told him that Jesus had been with them. Well, that just didn’t make any sense to Thomas! From everything he knew about people who died, he was sure it was impossible for them to come back for a visit. He said, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” He is known as “Doubting Thomas” because he didn’t just believe what the others said. He needed proof; he needed some way to make it make sense in his mind. He had a lot of questions.

I often wonder what the conversation was like in that room when Thomas came back to join his friends. The story doesn’t say that the disciples made fun of him or that they kicked him out. I imagine that they talked and talked. They shared what the knew and they shared what they saw, and they shared what it all meant… and, eventually, Jesus came to Thomas too.

I think this story can teach us a lot. I think it tells us that when things get really hard or even scary, it helps to settle down and think things through. I think it tells us that it’s ok to be confused and to ask questions when something we hear doesn’t make sense. I think it tells us that sometimes it’s easier to figure things out when you are with people you know and trust, and can share your thoughts.

Some questions we have are easy to answer – you can find the answers in a book or look them up on Google – but some questions are never completely answered. I think questions about God and the Bible and faith fall into this category. Sometimes we think we know the answer but then something happens to make us wonder. Sometimes things happen that even make us doubt! Those are hard things to think about – they are hard to find quick answers to. But, you know what? I think these are some of the best questions to ask. I think they lead to new learning and understanding and even deeper faith. This is true for kids… and also for adults.

I will let you in on a little secret… Even ministers don’t know the answers to some of these questions! Even ministers have questions of their own! Even ministers are still learning about God and Jesus and the Bible. You might think we’d like to hide that, but the truth is, we learn a lot by asking questions and talking with others who have both understanding and questions of their own.

One of the things I love most about my work here in the church is the conversations I have with people where we can talk about those questions – just like Thomas and the other disciples were able to do in that room. The questions aren’t scary to me; they are ways to learn and understand even more. And I especially love the questions that come from the young members of our church family! You might have questions that I can answer right away, or questions I can find the answers to in a book, or even questions that I can’t answer. No matter what our questions are, I hope we can be brave enough to share them, like Thomas was, and open enough to think them through together like his disciple friends were. I have a feeling that Jesus will want to be there for the conversations too!

Hymn: Draw the Circle Wide – More Voices #145 - Erin Berard

Refrain
Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
Let this be our song, no one stands alone,
standing side by side, draw the circle wide.

1. God the still-point of the circle,
‘round whom all creation turns;
nothing lost, but held forever,
in God’s gracious arms. R

2. Let our hearts touch far horizons,
so encompass great and small;
let our loving know no borders,
faithful to God’s call. R

3. Let the dreams we dream be larger,
than we’ve ever dreamed before;
let the dream of Christ be in us,
open every door. R

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Rick Morrison

O God, like the disciple Thomas, we were not in that room when Jesus appeared among the disciples breathing peace. With your Word of Life, help us to understand that the Risen Christ is in our midst. May we carry the Good News of your love to the world. Amen.

The Gospel Reading: John 20:19-31 (NRSV) Jesus Appears to the Disciples

19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Jesus and Thomas
24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

The Purpose of This Book
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

May we find ourselves renewed in this Eastertide story. Thanks be to God!

Sermon: “Jesus: A Welcoming Presence” Rev. Kim Vidal

Overwhelmed! The disciples were overwhelmed three days after Jesus died. There they were, huddled together in a room with locked doors, in their fear and confusion, not knowing where to turn or what to do next. They were grieving the death of Jesus -their leader and teacher – the one who had held them together. With Jesus dead, all their hopes, their visions, their sense of direction and purpose in life went in the tomb as well. They were left only with an overwhelming sense of failure, of loss, of fear and of shame. They knew they had deserted Jesus in his hour of need. And then, suddenly, according to our story, there he was, right there, in their midst, before their very eyes. Jesus appeared before them and the disciples experienced his presence.

How would you feel if you were one of those disciples in that room? Will you be scared? Will you run away? Will you panic or pass out? Now don't you think that maybe just for a moment some of the disciples might have been afraid that Jesus might be angry with them for abandoning him – and in Peter's case for even denying him three times? But John’s gospel told us what happened. There were no recriminations, no anger, no condemnation or judgment, not even an expression of disappointment and hurt. Instead, Jesus offered a gift: "Peace be with you." Jesus offered a welcoming presence – a gift of peace. After a while, Jesus offered them the gift of the Holy Spirit – doesn't just give it to them, but breathes the Spirit into them. It was the life-energy of one who tells them to go out and offer peace, offer forgiveness and spread love to others and the world.

But wait – where was Thomas? He was not with the other disciples in that locked room when Jesus first appeared. Where could Thomas be? The gospel writer John didn’t tell us. All we could do is to assume that he could have probably went to his own little niche grieving the loss of Jesus; or he might have been checking if the territory is safe again; or maybe he is trying to find out the truth why Jesus was killed; or a good guess would be that he was out and about getting on with his life, looking for food to sustain him and the other disciples for the long haul.

The name, Thomas, sounds very English but it is in fact a transliteration from an Aramaic word “toma” which simply means “twin”. In Greek, he was “Didymus” which also means “twin”. So in essence, we don’t really know Thomas’ real name at all. And we certainly have no idea who his twin was. In fact, we know very little about him. All we know for certain comes from John’s gospel and there Thomas makes his own voice heard only three times — all towards the very end of Jesus’ life on earth. It was him who said boldly at Lazarus’ death: “"Let us go and die with Jesus." What he’s saying is simply this: “If Jesus is going to die, I for one don’t want to go on living.” This was not a Gloomy Thomas, for me he was a Loyal, Allegiant Thomas.

The next time we meet Thomas is at the Last Supper. Jesus told the disciples about his Father’s house. “In it there are many rooms,” Jesus says. “I’m going to get some ready for you, and then I’ll come and take you there. Don’t worry; you know where I’m going.” All the other disciples nodded in agreement. But Thomas gave Jesus a “what-are-you-trying to tell us look”. “No I don’t get it,” Thomas says. “We haven’t the slightest idea where you are going. How can we know the way?” And we might be tempted to think: what an oddball! For all its worth, Thomas here expressed a very real concern that he honestly didn’t have a clue what Jesus was talking about. He was not oddball Thomas, he was Honest, Inquisitive Thomas.

And this morning, we meet Thomas for the third and final time. The disciples told Thomas about the appearance of Jesus. And Thomas’ reaction made him a realist, a practical and a concrete guy. "Except I see the mark of the nails in his hand and touch his side, I will not believe." He was plainspoken and straight to the point. He was not embarrassed to ask questions. He wanted plain answers so he could truly understand what was going on and be able to take the next steps. So while we do not know where he was that night – we know for sure he had left the house!

The sign in the novelty store says, “Pretty to look at, lovely to hold, but if you break it, consider it sold!” As clear as water. Makes sense but I don’t get it. How could I possibly buy something if I could not even touch it, smell it or scrutinize it? How do I know that what I am paying for is worth my money? How am I sure that something is authentic without even touching it or verifying its make? I need to see it, feel it, check it. A basic human instinct!

And Thomas was very much like that. I learned from Sunday School that we should not emulate him. We call him “the doubter” or the “bad seed”. Some would call him a “show-me disciple” because he needed to see proofs before jumping to conclusions. Is doubting too bad that it made Thomas carry this label for over 2000 years of Christianity? I wonder if Thomas was more of a questioner or a seeker rather than a doubter. I confess, I am a Thomas, too – or perhaps most of us – I think we are all his twin sisters or brothers! I wonder why we take part in dismissing Thomas so easily. Perhaps because we’ve often found ourselves in Christian communities where voicing one’s doubts or even questioning the Bible or some of the doctrines in the church were discouraged big time! We do not often talk about our uncertainties or failures because of fear that others might put us down or judge us as unbelievers or faithless people. And in churches that display mostly niceties, I’ve discovered all sorts of anxieties and resentments confronting people. I’ve talked and listened to a number struggling alone with deep questions because they were afraid of how others might react to their questions and skepticism. Doubting and raising questions sometime frighten us. That’s why we have easily rejected Thomas!

There was a time when, in the scientific world, the earth was considered flat and that the sun circled around it. The idea was accepted, but a few brave souls, Galileo in particular, bravely dared to doubt that theory. Deeper examination shows that every scientific advance started with doubt. Galileo was right when he called doubt as the father of discovery. Rev. Dr. William Self, a Baptist preacher, in one of his sermons, tells us that “half of us are like Thomas; we are afraid to believe. Half of every heart is a Thomas. Doubt does not overtake us in the night but, rather, it creeps up on us slowly, one step at a time.” And Rev. Self ended his sermon with these challenging yet wise words: “Doubt is like a front porch. All of us go through it before we get into the house of faith.”

When Jesus appeared the second time to his disciples in the closed room, Thomas was there. And far from rebuking or criticizing Thomas, Jesus offered to meet his conditions. "OK Thomas –you get what you want- put your fingers in my hands and touch my side.” It was through this personal encounter that Jesus was made real to Thomas. In fact, Thomas exclaimed: “My Lord and my God!” Thomas experienced the welcoming presence of Jesus. Through Thomas, we were given the “thumbs up” to question, to doubt, to quest, to seek. For that moment in time, Thomas becomes the, “real twin”, the alternate identity of every human being who loves to inquire, to explore, to seek answers. According to historical accounts, Thomas was regarded as the patron saint of the converted Christians in India. He was believed to have travelled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, travelling as far as the Malabar Coast which is in modern-day Kerala State of India.

Jesus himself was like Thomas. Jesus did not sit still. Jesus questioned the status quo. And in his questioning, he showed his true self as a welcoming presence for others. He questioned that violence was the best way to resolve conflicts, so he said, "Forgive one another." He questioned that long prayers and rigid dietary laws were essential to faith. Jesus preached about a compassionate and just faith. He questioned why Samaritans and Syrophoenicians and those deemed to be second class citizens such as the poor, the widows, women and children were inferior. He told parables lifting up these inferior people who according to him constitute God’s kin-dom. Jesus taught us that the capacity to question is the prelude to faith.

In Ontario, we were ordered to stay at home for about 4 weeks due to the climbing cases of the Covid-19 virus and its variants. How are we experiencing the welcoming presence of the Holy in our homes? Do you feel God’s presence in the ordinary, mundane events of your day-to-day life? What does this current situation mean for a questioning, doubting, questing people like you and I? Staying home for me is a wise act of faith in this time of pandemic. If we cannot meet in the church building for worship service, I believe that God is still working among us wherever and whenever we intentionally experience the presence of God. This could be in the form of gathering time or in ways of praying, loving, healing, caring actions for one another. It's true that Jesus asked for faith, but he did not ask for a blind faith that would entail jeopardizing our health and well-being. I am convinced that Jesus wants us to have an open-minded, well-informed faith. The poet Rainier Rilke offers this wisdom, "Live the questions now…you will eventually live into the answers."

Live into the answers. That would be the promise for all of us today. Because sometimes the demand to see and touch, the need to question and to seek answers, the call to be like Thomas, are not indications of a short-sighted faith. They are marks of true faith. Thanks be to God! Amen.

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

Let us gather our hearts in prayer.

Surprising God, like Thomas, we often find it difficult to see signs of your welcoming presence, to believe that your Spirit is alive among us. Open our eyes to receive your presence in our lives. Thank you for coming through the locked doors of pride and isolation when our fears overwhelm us. Thank you for revealing yourself to the disciples, when all they could think of was their grief and fear of the unknown. Thank you for your patience with Thomas and with us in our quest for proof and unanswered questions that we carry.

Like Thomas, we sometimes fail to experience the Spirit of Christ because we are not paying attention. Remind us that we experience him in the lives of those transformed by your grace. We have seen him in the faces of everyone whose love encourages us. Call us to bring healing to the scarred people and places of the world.

We thank you for all who are connected to us and who need care and compassion. We hold them in our hearts and pray for the healing of mind, body and soul. We pray for those awaiting medical test results and those who are facing treatments and surgeries. We pray for those who are alone, who are alienated from their families, those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. We pray for the McDonald family as they grieve the death of their father, Bill. We ask for your healing love and blessings for those who are in the hospitals. May your presence be felt by all those who are staying at home and for those who are fighting to survive from the ravages of this pandemic. Sustain us with courage and comfort us with your peace. Now in silence, hear the deepest concerns of our hearts.

Empowering God, may we live the Easter Spirit of renewal, greening and growth, this day and always. Give us peace and remind us of your welcoming presence. Help us to see you this week, to take note, to experience the beauty of this earth or hear your grace in the word that someone speaks to us. These we pray in the name of the Welcoming Christ who taught us this prayer long ago:

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. Kim Vidal

On this Second Sunday of Easter, as we celebrate the power of resurrection as a community of faith, we joyfully share our gifts of time, talents and resources as expressions of our 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 mail slot by the kitchen door of the church. You can also send in your support through e-transfer. Thank you for your continued love and support to BCUC.

Offertory Prayer

Holy God, help us to share your power so that this offering is multiplied
and brings relief to those needing to know you, the Risen One. Amen.

Sending Forth[2] Rev. Lorrie Lowes

May the Risen Christ come through the locked doors of our hearts
and make his home deep within us and in our world.
May the Risen Christ find here hospitality and welcome,
justice and peace for all.
May the blessing of God be ours as we leave:
The blessing of doubt to be our guide;
The blessing of peace to calm our troubled spirits;
The blessing of friendship to be our companion.
Go in peace. Amen.

Hymn: We Shall Go Out with Hope of Resurrection – Voices United #586 - BCUC Choir

We shall go out with hope of resurrection;
We shall go out, from strength to strength go on;
We shall go out and tell our stories boldly;
Tales of a love, that will not let us go.
We’ll sing our songs of wrongs that can be righted;
We’ll dream our dreams of hurts that can be healed;
We’ll weave a cloth of all the world united
Within the vision of new life in Christ.

We’ll give a voice to those who have not spoken;
We’ll find the words for those whose lips are sealed;
We’ll make the tunes for those who sing no longer.
Expressing love alive in every heart.
We’ll share our joy with those who still are weeping.
Raise hymns of strength for hearts that break in grief,
We’ll leap and dance the resurrection story,
Including all in circles of our love.

Departing Music: I Have Called You by Your Name – More Voices #161 – BCUC Choir

In loving memory of Jonas Mitchell (Judith MacDonald)

1 I have called you by your name, you are mine;
I have gifted you and ask you now to shine.
I will not abandon you; all my promises are true.
You are gifted, called, and chosen; you are mine.

2 I will help you learn my name as you go;
read it written in my people, help them grow.
Pour the water in my name, speak the word your soul can claim,
offer Jesus’ body given long ago.

3 I know you will need my touch as you go;
feel it pulsing in creation’s ebb and flow.
Like the woman reaching out, choosing faith in spite of doubt,
hold the hem of Jesus’ robe, then let it go.

4 I have given you a name, it is mine;
I have given you my Spirit as a sign.
With my wonder in your soul, make my wounded children whole;
go and tell my precious people they are mine.

Zoom Fellowship – 11 am

[1] Inspired by the prayer of Peter Chynoweth, Gathering, Lent/Easter 2021, Year B.

[2] Bob Root, Gathering, Lent/Easter 2015.

Sunday Worship Service - April 11, 2021