BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

BAPTISM OF JESUS SUNDAY

January 9, 2022

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: More Voices 128: When They Saw That Jesus was Coming - selected verses BCUC Choir – recorded Sunday Jan 15, 2017

1. When they heard that Jesus was coming,
Sing hosanna to the chosen one!
All the people went out to meet him.
Sing hosanna to the chosen one!

Refrain Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
sing hosanna to the chosen one!

3. Blest is he, like David before him…
Blest is he, God’s blessing upon him… Ref

5. Word of God, and first-born of people,…
Promise kept, the crown of creation…

7. Wondrous bread, and stream in the desert,…
Holy thirst, and God’s living water…

9. Rising sun, the light of the world,…
Word of life, who give us your Spirit…

Acknowledgement of Territory Rev. Lorrie Lowes

As we begin our worship today, we remember that in this congregation, we live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe Peoples. We give thanks for their stewardship of the land and the water, the plants and the animals, through many generations. We also acknowledge their story, and our place in it, with sorrow. As we continue to live on this land with respect for it and for its people, may we commit to working toward truth, justice and reconciliation. All my relations.

Welcome & Announcements Rev. Kim Vidal

Good day everyone! Happy New Year! On behalf of BCUC, I welcome and greet you on this Baptism of Jesus Sunday as we remember Jesus’ baptism at the Jordan River. Today, we are also reminded of the vows that we have professed at our baptism. Whether you’re at home or elsewhere, we are glad that you have joined us today.

Due to the rising COVID variant cases in Ontario, we will not be offering in-person worship service until further notice. The worship service will be offered online via Youtube and through telephone. Check our website for the link and other announcements at bcuc.org.

While the church building is not open for in-person gatherings, the work of the church carries on. Please continue to reach out by connecting with each other through emails, phone calls, prayers or via online.

And for those of you who are able to join us, there will be zoom fellowship every Sunday at 11am. Check your email for the link.

Friends, as we welcome a New Year in our midst, let us take a moment to reflect and remember what the season of Epiphany means for us: to make way for God’s light to shine in our lives. Let us now gather in worship.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: Sue & Rick Morrison

We light this Christ Candle to remember that day when Jesus was baptized by John at the Jordan River. This light invites us to listen to God’s voice calling us God’s beloved. This light urges us to follow Jesus’ way of love and justice. This light calls us to be immersed in the Holy Spirit’s power so we may offer the light of Christ as hope and peace for the world.

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

(Inspired by the words of Rt. Rev. Richard Bott, The Gathering ACE 2012-2013, Year C. Used with permission.)

Water… to quench our thirst.
Water… to cleanse our bodies.
Water… to refresh our souls.
Water… to remind us of new life!
Come, come and see Jesus being baptized,
who offers us the water of life,
the spring that will never run dry,
the one who quenches our thirst,
and invites us to be who we can even imagine!
Come to the water.
Come to remember.
Come to relive.
Come to worship God. Alleluia!

Prayer of Approach

(Kate Crawford, The Gathering ACE 2012-2013, Year C. Used with permission.)

Just as Jesus went down under the water to be baptized,
so may we immerse ourselves in worship and praise.
Just as Jesus did this to fulfill all righteousness,
so may we seek to be righteous all our days.
Just as the Spirit descended on Jesus as a dove,
may we know the blessing of the Spirit’s presence
settling gently on us now and making our intentions holy. Amen.

Hymn: River – More Voices #3 BCUC Music team 2020 (updated with Angela)

1 River, rush-a-down to the ocean blue,
River from a mountain high.
River, as you do what rivers do,
River, draw the Spirit nigh.

2 Spirit, come-a-down to the river-side,
Spirit, spark of wondrous thought.
Spirit, I am free for you to guide,
Spirit, pray that I be taught!

3 Water, let me drink of your healing pow’r,
Water, strength and life you give.
Water, as I travel with each hour,
Water, help my body live.

4 River, flow-a-down where you ran before,
River, source of clearer view.
River, as I walk your rocky shore,
River, see my journey through.
See my journey through…

Storytime Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Even though it is only a short time since Christmas, when we celebrated the birth of Jesus, today we are skipping way ahead to when he was baptised. If you grow up in the United Church, it’s very likely that you are baptized when you were just a baby or a small child, but that wasn’t the case for Jesus. He was baptized when he was all grown up, an adult. It didn’t happen in a church or a synagogue, it happened in a river, the River Jordan, a very important waterway for the people of that time and place. In our church, water is an important part of baptism too. It is poured into the font and then sprinkled on the head of the person being baptized. For Jesus, it was very different. He was dunked right under the water in the river!

Your baptism and Jesus’ baptism seem very different, but there is one very important thing that makes it just the same – and that thing is love.

In our Bible story today, we will hear that, when Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened up, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, and a voice said, “You are my son, the beloved.”

Doesn’t that sound amazing! To be the son of God?! Well, guess what, you are also a child of God – and so am I and so are all the people in our church – and all the people in the world! Everyone, everywhere is part of God’s family. God loves each and every one of us.

Now, when someone is baptized here at BCUC, we don’t usually see a dove descend, and we don’t hear a voice from heaven – but that Holy Spirit and that love is definitely there. Everyone present expresses that love. It’s especially noticeable when a baby is being baptized – so many smiles on faces and “oohs” and “ahhs” as the baby is paraded around the sanctuary. Have you noticed that it’s not just the baby or the person and their immediate family that takes part in the baptism? The whole congregation stands up and makes vows – promises – to support, to care, and to love that person. That’s because they are now a part of our faith family, our Bells Corners United Church branch of God’s family. We aren’t just saying, “You are welcome here.” We say that to everyone who comes through our doors, of course. At baptism, we are saying, “Welcome home!”

Being dunked in a river might seem like a more exciting way to be baptized than what we do here. In our stories about John the Baptist, we heard that he shouted at the people to repent – to turn themselves around and live a better life. Being dunked in the river was like being washed clean, ready to start over as a new person. But I like our sacrament of baptism too, where babies are held gently and blessed with warm water. It reminds me of welcoming my babies when they were born, with a warm bath and lots of love. To me, it says, “I love you, just the way you are, and I’m here to help you grow to be the best person you can be.”

You don’t have to be baptized to receive that love; this faith family will love you anyway. At baptism we are celebrating the fact that you, or someone who loves you very much, have chosen this faith family as a place where you feel safe and nurtured, as a place where you can grow to love and nurture others.

You may not remember the day you were baptized, but if you were, I bet your parents will remember that day. I hope you will ask them to tell you about it!

Let’s finish with a prayer:

Loving God, thank you for loving me just the way I am, and thank you for this faith family who will help me grow in your way. Amen.

Hymn: Behold, I Make All Things New - More Voices #115 soloist: Erin Berard

Behold, (behold,) behold, (behold,)
I make all things new,
beginning with you and starting from today.
Behold, (behold,) behold, (behold,)
I make all things new,
my promises true,
for I am Christ the way.

Repeat

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Monica Peck

As the blessing of the Holy Spirit is given to Jesus at his baptism, may the blessing of the same Spirit be given to us as we hear and reflect on this Gospel story. Amen.

The Reading: Luke 3: 15-22 (NRSV) John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus

15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20added to them all by shutting up John in prison. 21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

May God’s wisdom dwell where the word is spoken. Thanks be to God!

Anthem: Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day

BCUC choir – Christmas concert 2016 (and verse 4 Sunday Jan 8, 2017)

1. Tomorrow shall be my dancing day;
I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play,
To call my true love to my dance;

Chorus
Sing, oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love,
This have I done for my true love

2. Then was I born of a virgin pure,
Of her I took fleshly substance
Thus was I knit to man's nature
To call my true love to my dance. Chorus

3. In a manger laid, and wrapped I was
So very poor, this was my chance
Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass
To call my true love to my dance. Chorus

4. Then afterwards baptized I was;
The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
My Father’s voice heard from above,
To call my true love to my dance. Chorus

Traditional English Source: William Sandys, arr. Gardner

Sermon: “Taking Risks” Rev. Kim Vidal

Prayer: Immerse us now, O God, in the waters of your wisdom, as we reflect on this story of faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

It was a foggy morning on July 4, 1952, when a young woman named Florence May Chadwick waded into the water off Catalina Island in Southern California. She intended to swim the channel from the island to the California coast. Long-distance swimming was not new to her; she had been the first woman in 1950 to swim the English Channel in both directions. The water was pretty cold that day. But the fog was so thick she could hardly see the boats in her party. She swam more than 15 hours before she asked to be taken out of the water. Her trainer tried to encourage her to swim on since they were so close to land, but when Florence looked, all she saw was fog. So, she quit. . . only one-mile from her goal.

Later she said, "I'm not excusing myself, but if I could have seen the land I might have made it." It wasn't the cold or fear or exhaustion that caused Florence Chadwick to fail. It was the fog. She couldn’t see where she’s going. She couldn’t take the risk at that point. She needs a clear view of the land. Two months after her first attempt, Florence May Chadwick walked off the same beach into the same channel and swam the distance. This time she did not hesitate.

She plunged herself into the water, took the risk, setting a new record, all because she could see the land.[1]

How would you feel when you hear the words risk-taking? Does your heart beat fast? Do you have an adrenaline rush? or butterflies in your stomach? The thought of facing a tough challenge or taking a risk could be as exciting and adventurous to some but for others it strikes fear and discomfort. Think of all the sports and activities where the primary appeal is risk: bungee jumping, skydiving, auto racing, mountain climbing or even swimming with sharks. In hockey, Wayne Gretzky at one point said, “If you don’t take risks, you’ll always miss 100% of the shots.” What about those who would invest in a start-up business or those joining a protest movement that might land them in jail? Some people just love taking risks. In Christian parlance, we call it a leap of faith. But in reality, most of us, myself included, are not risk-takers. Most of us find it safer to remain in our comfort zones, protected and secure. We are security-seekers committed to playing it safe and I think there’s nothing wrong about this at all. So when is risk-taking necessary?

On a warm sunny, clear day around the year 30 CE, people filled with expectation came to the banks of Jordan River. For some, it must have been a week-long journey, walking with thin sandals or barefoot on dusty, muddy trails. For some, it meant sacrificing a few days’ worth of work leaving their fields and flocks untended. They did not come to swim the river from end to end. They came for one sacred purpose: to undergo a ritual of cleansing, perhaps a bath of new beginnings. They came the way people have always come to the water, intentionally, knowing they can’t live without it. From their ancient roots, they have learned that water nourished their fields and crops, cleansed and refreshed their bodies, and satisfied their physical as well as spiritual thirst. These people who came to the river had drunk deeply of the stories of their faith. They knew about the waters of creation and the dangerous waters of the flood. They knew about their ancestors’ story of how the waters of the Red Sea parted as God’s people escaped towards freedom. They came filled with expectation that stepping into this water would wash them clean and new again, and would somehow satisfy their thirst for God.

Baptisms for the first century Jewish people were essential, according to Brian MacLaren[2], because pilgrims who came from distant lands to the Temple were understood to be unclean as a result of their contact with people of other faiths and cultures. Bath places were constructed around the Temple so that pilgrims and worshippers would be able to ceremonially wash off their contamination and present themselves to God as “clean people.” Can you imagine how shocking it must have been for Zechariah to realize that his son, John, would perform the cleansing ritual not in the baths of the Temple but out in the countryside, along the banks of Jordan River? Can you imagine the risks John took in confronting those in power by disrupting the rules of the Temple? John made a choice. Through his actions, John took a risk and made a clear political and religious statement. He introduced a new kind of baptism – a baptism of repentance and called people to rethink everything, to turn around from their ungodly ways through a symbolic immersion in the flowing waters of Jordan not in the enclosed comforts of a Temple bath. John took the risk and his subversion from the religious system of his day, his protest movement, would have cost his life in the end. But he took the risk nonetheless.

On that same day, Jesus came, among the crowds, to the waters of Jordan, filled with expectations, too. Most likely, Jesus had identified himself with John’s protest movement in the Galilean countryside. In all of the gospel accounts describing the baptism of Jesus, some questions remain unanswered. Why was Jesus baptized? After all, according to John the Baptist, baptism is for the purpose of repentance and the forgiveness of sins. What did Jesus need to repent of? And what did he need to be forgiven for? Why then did Jesus undergo baptism? Did Jesus know what he’s getting into? Is he willing to take the risk?

I think Luke has the answers. It was not about forgiveness that Jesus was baptized. It was about receiving the Holy Spirit for empowerment, to inaugurate him for the work in building God’s reign on earth. If you read the passage closely, Luke omits Mark’s and Matthew’s claim that John baptized Jesus. For Luke, Jesus was baptized by the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ baptism was an awakening moment for Jesus which drove him to accept God’s call to serve people. Luke’s account of Jesus’ baptism was dramatic. As Jesus came out of the water, people heard a rumbling sound from heavens. They saw something – perhaps like a smoke descending from the sky in the form of a dove landing on Jesus’ head. Then a thunderous voice of God saying, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

The ritual of baptism is an awakening moment, a cleansing of one’s soul – a sacrament of new beginnings. Baptism initiates one to become a traveler in the Christian faith. Perhaps, Jesus submits himself for baptism because in his young adult life, he must have at times questioned his call and he longed to immerse himself in the holy depths of his Abba-Father’s love. Jesus relies on the Holy Spirit to awaken him, to nudge him to acts of risk-taking - to lead him to doing works of kindness, justice and compassion; to be in solidarity with a world in need of healing and love. When Jesus stepped into the waters of the River Jordan, he was stepping into the whole flow of human story. He plunged himself into a life of servant leadership, a life of risk-taking as he acknowledges his oneness with the story of his people, the story of people who thirst for something, who thirst for God’s love.

When is risk-taking necessary? How do we respond to the challenge? As followers of Jesus Christ, we too sometimes, are called to step out of our comfort zones to leap in faith. When we do that, always remember that we are not alone. God’s Holy Spirit will journey with us. God’s presence will stretch and mould us into stronger, more empowered people. I take inspiration from John Piper’s words: “Is taking risks unwise and unloving? Maybe. But maybe not. What if the circumstances are such that not taking a risk will result in loss and injury? It may not be wise to play it safe. And what if a successful risk would bring great benefit to many people and its failure would bring harm only to yourself? It may not be loving to choose the comfort of security when something great may be achieved for the cause of God and for the good of others.”

Dear friends, wisdom and common sense will help you decide which road to take. Sometimes, we may need to take risks so that change might bring about something even better. Jesus did it and others followed him: Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu, Mother Teresa, Fr. Oscar Romero, Malala. Whether you decide to swim or to sink, to leap or to remain unmoved, remember, you are God’s beloved and you are not alone. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer[3] Rev. Kim Vidal

Let us gather our hearts in prayer through these words inspired by a prayer written by Rev. Gord Dunbar:

The sparkling lights of Christmas are gone
and the guiding light of the Magi-followed star has moved on,
so we feel left in the darkness of wintry nights.
It seems the special quality of wonder and awe has left us.
Yet, when we wander down the river’s edge, following the crowd,
We don’t expect much to change – though we seek entertainment.
Along the way we notice a world in conflict,
striving for supremacy,
eager to force the weak to submit,
the powerless to keep silent.
We see it in Kazakhstan where fuel riots have rocked the government,
resulting in a deadly crackdown on protesters.
We see it through the ongoing human rights violations in Afghanistan.
We see it written on the faces of political leaders in the midst of global economic turndowns.
We see it etched in the worried faces of teachers and students fearful of another pandemic year.
We see it carved by the tears of the indigenous communities mourning the loss of loved ones.
We pause along the way,
hoping for the light of grace,
to pray for the world.
We continue along the way,
finally stopping at the river,
noticing faces in the crowd,
faces from our community,
faces showing the struggle with loneliness and isolation,
faces wearied by the ongoing strain of dealing with the COVID pandemic
and other health issues,
faces painted over with masks to hide the difficult wresting with grief and death.
We pause once more,
Feeling our connection and our interweaving,
praying for healing and hope.
We gaze at the ordinary river –
where John and Jesus engaged in a water ritual,
but nothing out of the ordinary,
yet we see grace and hope written in baptism shared,
justice practised, love profoundly proclaimed.
A leap of faith!
In Jesus’ baptism is our wholeness and we give joyful thanks!
In our journey to the river, O God,
we come to take risks,
offering ourselves, our love, our prayers.
All these we ask in the name of Jesus Christ,
baptized in the waters of Jordan, who taught us this ancient prayer.

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

The Holy Spirit that came upon Jesus on his baptism is with us in amazing and powerful ways, bringing shining new hope 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 offering today, 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

(Fern Gibbard, The Gathering, ACE 2016-2017, Used with permission.)

In baptism, we have received the gift of the Spirit;
in return we offer these gifts of gratitude
that they may become a source of hope to those in need. Amen.

Sending Forth Rev. Kim Vidal

(Inspired by the prayers of Rev. Dawn Hutchings and Beth W. Johnson)

Let the waters of baptism sooth you, nourish you,
and sustain you for all the possibilities yet to come!
We are the beloved children of a Creator who rejoices with us!
Listen closely.
Hear the flapping of the wings of a dove
as the Holy Spirit alights upon you.
Go forth as God’s beloved children,
knowing that the refreshing waters
will sustain you in your journey, now and always. Amen.

Hymn: When Jesus Came to Be Baptized - Voices United #100 BCUC Sunday Jan 8, 2017

1 When Jesus comes to be baptized,
he leaves the hidden years behind,
the years of safety and of peace.
to bear the sins of humankind.

2 The Spirit of the Lord comes down,
anoints the Christ to suffering,
to preach the word, to free the bound,
and to the mourner, comfort bring.

3 He will not quench the dying flame,
and what is bruised he will not break,
but heal the wound injustice dealt,
and out of death his triumph make.

4 O Spirit help us be like Christ:
to live in love and charity,
to walk in truth and justice now,
and grow in Christian dignity.

5 We praise you, God, source of all life,
we praise you, Christ, eternal Word,
we praise you, Spirit, gracious gift,
your triune presence fills our world.

Departing Music: (Over Announcements) How Bright Appears the Morning Star - BCUC Choir recorded Sunday Jan 8, 2017

1 How bright appears the Morning Star,
with mercy beaming from afar;
the host of heav'en rejoices.
O Righteous Branch, O Jesse’s Rod,
the Son of Man and Son of God,
we too will lift our voices:
Jesus, Jesus, holy, holy, yet most lowly,
come, draw near us;
great Emmanuel, come and hear us.

3 Rejoice you heav'ns, and earth, reply;
with praise, O sinners, fill the sky
for this, His incarnation.
Incarnate God, put forth Your pow'r;
ride on, ride on, great Conqueror,
till all know Your salvation.
Amen, amen! Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise be given
evermore by earth and heaven.

[1] John Cochran, sermonsearch.com)

[2] Brian Maclaren, Seeking Aliveness.

[3] Gord Dunbar, the Gathering, ACE 2009-2010, Used with permission.

Sunday Worship Services - January 9, 2022