BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

6th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

February 13, 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 Music: Blessed – Valerie Crescenz (adapted from Matthew 5) BCUC Choir recorded Sunday Jan 29 2017

Blessed the poor in spirit are, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs;
And those who mourn will be comforted, for their sorrows will be shared.
Blessed are those who are gentle and meek, for the earth shall be their prize;
And those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall they receive;
And blessed are the pure in heart, for the Lord himself they will see.
Blessed are the makers of peace, as God’s children they shall be known;
And those who suffer for the sake of righteousness,
For the kingdom of heav’n is their own.

Blessed are you when men revile you, when they taunt and denounce,
And say all manner of sland’rous things against you on My account.
Rejoice and be glad, your reward is great, in heaven will you find rest;
With all the prophets and all who have gone before, forever shall you be blessed.

Welcome Rev. Kim Vidal

Greetings and welcome to our worship service in the name of Jesus Christ on this 6th Sunday after Epiphany. We are glad that you have joined us today.

As we continue to be under pandemic restrictions, please take time to keep in touch with each other through prayers, phone calls, emails or via Zoom. Check also the many announcements on our website including Sunday School resources for your children at bcuc.org to keep you informed and give you opportunities to respond.

We have reopened the sanctuary for in-person worship service starting today at 10 am. If you wish to attend the service, you are more than welcome. As a faith community called to love and serve others, we highly recommend getting fully vaccinated as one of the best precautionary measures to protect yourself and others. Let us continue to be mindful of the health protocols such as masking, social distancing, hand sanitizing and staying home if you feel unwell. Our Sunday worship service continues to be offered via Youtube, by email and by telephone.

The 44th General Council of the United Church of Canada commences today. Here’s Nicole Beaudry, one of the elected lay commissioners representing the Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council to give us more information about the General Council assembly.

GC 44 News Nicole Beaudry, Lay Commissioner

I was a Commissioner the last time General Council met in Oshawa in August 2018; that was my third General Council and the first time we were issued a digital workbook, instead of the thick brick we used to receive in the mail prior to the week-long meeting. The workbook helps us to get familiar with the reports and the issues and get ready to vote on the many, many propositions that will come before the Council.

At that meeting, a 3-phase decision-making process was put in place: Listening- Discussion - Decision. This gave everyone access to as much information and conversation as possible before voting on the proposals. The Right Rev. Richard Bott was elected as the 43rd Moderator of the United Church of Canada. GC 44 was scheduled to meet in august 2021 in Calgary.

But…..COVID happened. In June 2020, GC43 reconvened via Zoom and the Commissioners voted in favour of postponing the 2021 meeting hoping to meet in Calgary in the summer of 2022 instead. Since COVID stuck around, GC reconvened again and approved a motion for a virtual GC44 to take place in 2022 . It would be spread out over a six-month period. I was again, elected Commissioner by the Region.

And so we have come to the time of our very much anticipated GC meeting with the opening on February 13th. The theme of this GC is: Who do you say that I am?

The great 3-phase decision-making process is still in place and this means that all commissioners must attend seven 90-minute Learning sessions during March and April; six 2-hour Discussion sessions during June and July; and nine 2-hour Decision making sessions in July. The closing worship and installation of the new moderator, elected the week before, will take place on Aug. 7.

A Commissioner has tasks to fulfill during the whole 3-year period until the rise of the next Council with yearly meetings and correspondance and duties to keep informed on all the issues. One of my duties is to share the news of General Council, so I’ll try to do my best to keep you informed. I will share the places where, on line, you can access all the proceedings, reports and decisions of all the meetings, and the budget and financial reports, as well as all the news from General Council. I believe you will also have access to the Opening and Closing Worship services on the Youtube channel.

Thank you for your support.

Centering for Worship Rev. Kim

Friends, in our gathering today remember these words from A Song of Faith: “We sing of God’s good news lived out, a church with purpose: faith nurtured and hearts comforted, gifts shared for the good of all...” Let us now gather in worship.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: David Stafford & Barbara Bole

This sacred light is a wonderful gift.
It clears our minds and calms our hearts.
It illuminates the space we are in.
We light this Christ candle to remind us that God’s presence
is with us now and in the days to come.
Let us welcome this sacred light in our midst.

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

(Louise Hart, Gathering, ACE 2019-2020, Year A. Used with permission.)

For those who are tired,
may this sacred space be a place of rest.
For those who are hurting,
may this holy place be a place of healing.
For those who are seeking answers to difficult questions,
may this be a place where questions are accepted.
We come for different reasons.
We come from different places.
Here, we are all embraced by the same Spirit.
Let us worship God.

Prayer of Approach

(Rt. Rev. Richard Bott, Gathering, ACE 2019-2020, Year A. Used with permission.)

Your love calls us to live in new ways, Gracious God:
Working for justice;
living kindness;
walking with you, humbly, every day.
Help us to be your blessing to the world.
Help us to notice your blessing in the world.
Help us to live your love.
Today, tomorrow, always!
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hymn: Blessed Assurance - Voices United #337 Erin, Kim & Angela

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his love.

Ref: This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Saviour all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Saviour all the day long.

2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest.
I in my Savior am happy and bless’d,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with God’s goodness, lost in Christ’s love.

Words © 1873 Fanny Crosby; Music © 1873 Phoebe Palmer Knapp
Song # 94239 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved

Storytime Rev. Lorrie

In our Bible reading today, Jesus is talking to his followers. Many of the people in the crowd are poor and are suffering from all kinds of problems. He tells them something that seems very strange. He tells them they are blessed! I don’t think they were feeling very blessed that day, though, if they were hungry and thirsty or blind, or being attacked by people who didn’t agree with them. It’s a hard message to understand.

There were also people in that crowd who were wealthy, well-fed, happy, and popular. And he told them to not be so full of themselves because this wasn’t going to last and they’d soon be in trouble.

Does it make sense to celebrate when you’re having a really hard time and be worried when things are going well? What a strange thing for Jesus to say! I’ve been struggling with this idea all week and wondering how on earth this can be seen as “Good News”.

Then, just this morning, something happened that made me think I might understand a little better. One of my grandkids was having a hard morning. It started by getting mad at his snow pants and deciding he needs a new pair. The more he talked about what was wrong with his snow pants, the more upset he got. Then he got mad at his sister because she wasn’t getting ready for school – so we told him she was going later because she had a doctor appointment this morning. That made him even more mad and he didn’t like any of the masks that were clean by the door, and then the bus went by before he got outside. The angrier he got, the worse his morning became. Nothing we said could make him smile. It started with the snow pants, and because that put him in a bad mood, everything else seemed bad too. Normally he would have just asked his sister why she wasn’t getting ready for school, normally he would have been able to find one of his favourite masks in the pile, and if he had been his usual self, he would have been ready and out the door long before the bus came. One bad thing made everything else seem bad too – like the world was ganging up on him. He couldn’t see anything good about the morning. I sure hope it didn’t ruin his whole day!

I imagine that the people in Jesus’ crowd who were suffering felt much the same way – not just for one morning, but day after day. But Jesus told them they were blessed, that they should be happy! And what about those wealthy, happy people in the crowd? Was Jesus telling them that being happy and healthy, and popular were bad?

This morning, if my grandson’s snow pants hadn’t still been damp from yesterday, he probably wouldn’t have disliked them so much, and then he would have been curious about why his sister was still sitting at the table instead of getting dressed. He might have been more willing to look through the pile of clean masks to find one of the ones he likes and he would have been ready and out the door before the bus came by. Getting upset about one thing led to another and, pretty soon, everything about the world was terrible in his mind.

So, how could this have been made better? I don’t expect him to be happy about those snow pants – but, if he had realized that he could talk to Mommy about it when she gets home and that she loves him and so would make sure he had clothing that was warm and comfortable – maybe then he would have carried those snow pants to school and hung them up to dry before recess. Maybe then he wouldn’t have let his bad mood ruin his whole morning – he might not have yelled at his sister and all those things that usually go smoothly in the morning would have been smooth today too.

Maybe that’s what Jesus was talking about that day. When things are really hard or scary, not just small things but even huge things like the pandemic and the honking horns of the demonstration downtown this week – take time to look for things that are still good, like people helping each other and keeping each other safe. I think Jesus was also telling us to remember, that even when things seem really bad, God loves us and is with us to help us through it.

And when things are going great? Should we be scared that someone is going to steal it all away from us? Does it mean that God won’t love us anymore if we have a good life? That doesn’t make sense! Maybe, Jesus is reminding us that sometimes we forget about God when we are comfortable and happy. I think that maybe Jesus’ message here is to not forget that God still loves us and is still with us in good times to guide us in ways to use our blessings to help others.

We know that Jesus’ messages are always about love. So, I think this one is too. If we look at our lives knowing that we are loved, then we will also be able to show love to others. If we remember that we are always walking with the God who loves us, our eyes and hearts will be open to ways we can share that love with others.

Let’s finish with a prayer,

Thank you, God, for always being with us.
Help us remember that when things are tough, you walk with us.
Help us remember that, when life is great, we are still walking with you.
Amen.

Hymn: “Christ Has No Body Now But Yours” - More Voices #171 George, Lorrie, Keith

Refrain
Christ has no body now but yours
no hands but yours.
Here on this earth, yours is the work,
to serve with the joy of compassion.

1. No hands but yours to heal the wounded world,
no hands but yours to soothe all its suffering,
no touch but yours to bind the broken hope of the people of God. R

2. No eyes but yours to see as Christ would see,
to find the lost, to gaze with compassion;
no eyes but yours to glimpse the holy joy of the city of God. R

3. No feet but yours to journey with the poor,
to walk this world with mercy and justice.
Yours are the steps to build a lasting peace for the children of God. R

4. Through ev’ry gift, give back to those in need;
as Christ has blessed, so now be his blessing,
with ev’ry gift a benediction, be to the people of God. R

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Neil Lowes

(David Sparks, ACE 2019-2020, Year A. Used with permission.)

This is the time of reflection.
This is the time of inspiration.
This is the time of determination.
This is the time to set out in a new direction.

May God bless our receiving of the Word. Amen.

The Gospel Reading: Luke 6: 17-26 (NRSV) The Beatitudes on the Plain

17 Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now,
    for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you[a] on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

24 “But woe to you who are rich,
    for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now,
    for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now,
    for you will mourn and weep.

26 “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

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

Sermon: “Upside Down!” Rev. Kim

Prayer: Loving God, may your words be my words and may your truth be our truth, as we reflect on your Word of Life. Amen.

Like many of you, I have been listening to the news about the ongoing Freedom Convoy truckers protest in downtown Ottawa, now on its second week. Initially, the protest was about the vaccine mandates for truckers crossing the Canada-US border, but now it has expanded exponentially to protest all sorts of issues including all kinds of pandemic-related measures and politics. I agree that freedom of expression and the right to peacefully protest is very much part of our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. But I’m just baffled when exercising freedom disturbs peace and does not consider the welfare of others. Imagine living in downtown Ottawa when at night you hear the blaring honking horns from hundreds of trucks causing sleeplessness? Or the unruly behaviour of some of the protesters displaying hate symbols, hate remarks and acts of vandalism?

What kind of freedom is this I asked myself when it’s not being exercised with due diligence, respect and with love? I understand that many of us are frustrated, tired and upset with the seemingly endless COVID pandemic after almost two years of living through it. The negative impacts of the pandemic especially for the vulnerable sectors of our community are alarming.

Would it really help to stage a loud and unruly protest in order to call the attention of those in power to stop all the pandemic restrictions? Personally, I trust our government, the medical officers and the scientists who are doing their best to have the pandemic situation under control. I support implementing health guidelines such as vaccinations and booster shots for those who are not exempt from taking it, adhering to 2 metre social distancing, the wearing of appropriate mask and hand sanitation. I believe that these measures will help get us through this pandemic, not only to protect ourselves and those we love, but also to help us continue living in a “new normal way”. But having said these, I also cannot ignore or turn a blind eye nor condemn those who would choose to take the other side. I may not agree with their personal decisions and actions but I will not stop treating them as human beings. As the saying goes: “Question the actions but still love the person!”

What would Jesus do in a situation like this? Which side would Jesus take? The protesting truckers? The government in power? Or the people whose lives and livelihood were affected by this protest? Knowing how Jesus had taught us that God’s love is for everyone, whether one is unworthy or righteous, or whether one is for or against the protest, I think Jesus will listen to each group’s response. Jesus will say a joyful “yes” with two thumbs up if the action or choice is life-giving, compassionate, just and loving, but he will also proclaim a resounding “no way!” to any action or decision that may cause havoc or violence or death.

Our Gospel story in Luke begins with the most powerful words : 17 Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon.

Jesus came down with the people and stood on a level place, not on a mountain, but on the ground with people from many different places - from every walk of life. Not only did he stand among them, he spoke to them, touched them and healed them. He acknowledged their intrinsic value and human dignity. Jesus paid attention to them in a personal way. Only after he healed those who needed care, after he showed everyone what it feels like to be on a level place – to be equally loved and valued in God’s kin-dom did Jesus offer his sermon known as the beatitudes on the plain.

The word “beatitude” comes from the Latin beatus, meaning blessed, happy, or fortunate and the Greek word, makarios meaning revered or honoured. The other version of the Beatitudes is found in the Gospel of Matthew. They are codes of behaviour for shaping a community in ways that call conventional wisdom into question, subvert the status quo, and intend eventually to re-shape it. One preacher said that beatitude is supposed to ‘be’ your ‘attitude’ for rightful living. Luke’s beatitudes identify the present human conditions and divides the community into two categories: the poor and the rich; the haves and the have-nots; the powerful and the powerless. Luke portrays Jesus as a universal teacher and Luke includes Jesus’ concern for the Gentiles, the social outcasts and the economic poor of his world.

I don’t know about you, but when I read these verses for the first time, they gave me a sense of discomfort. How could someone who is poor, or hungry, or weeping, or those who were put down and hated be blessed? Was Jesus condoning poverty and suffering? Was Jesus pushing people to experience oppression, marginalization and mockery in order to be blessed? I think of war-torn countries or a mother burying her child. I think of those dying and suffering from dreaded illnesses and leaving their families too soon. I think of those who are in abusive relationships or those who are discriminated against because of their gender, race or creed. How could Jesus say that they are blessed?

And what about those who were on the other side of the fence? The affluent and wealthy, those who were filled with food and drink, the powerful and the joyful ones –why were they cursed and woed instead? Were they not supposed to be the lucky ones? Don’t they deserve some sort of congratulations and blesisngs too from Jesus? What an upside-down world Jesus is proclaiming in this passage!

When Jesus preached that day, he was speaking to those similar to the “Occupy Movement” of our time. Jesus saw people in trouble, people who were deeply grieved because of economic poverty. These were the people who were victims of social and economic inequality and empire oppression in general. While Luke was believed to have also preached to wealthy elites in the crowd, the vast majority of the people who came to listen to him that day were literally poor. Majority of the people who listened to Jesus that day were bogged down by an oppressive system of Roman taxation, with little food, no health care and little to no opportunities to get ahead. The poor would also, likely apply to the "disciples" to whom Jesus is also speaking. They had, after all, "left everything" to follow Jesus, thereby becoming poor themselves.

Luke’s Jesus gathers all of these people who are completely bereft and without honour in their culture's world, and he turns their world upside down. He gives them honour and blessings which more than compensate for what they lack in life. And his message to the poor and the downtrodden is a message of hope. As if telling them that they will not be poor forever.

Jesus also preached a punchline to the affluent – a warning or a challenge if you want to call it, because Jesus wants to level or equalize people. He was trying to tell everyone that life is not constant. Life is like a wheel. Some days you’re on top of the world and other days you will be in the bottom. Life will change. Status will change. Human conditions will change. If you’ve ever heard of phrases like “from rags to riches” or “from famous to forgotten”, these are what I think Jesus was trying to impart. Things will change but real transformation for a better world will only happen when people change their ways. The rich must share what they have with the poor. Systems will need to change in order for the community to be a haven of love and life. I imagine Jesus was saying, “Do not think you deserve this. Do not think this is what God wants for you. You who are blessed and you who are woed, do something about this situation. Act now before it’s too late because one day your fortunes will be reversed.”

So, what is the good news of Luke’s beatitudes on the plain? Those blessings and woes are words of hope and challenge to the people and to us. It is a message of both encouragement and a word of caution. They are certainly words to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. They are words from Jesus, a master leveler who embraces everyone equally with love.

When I think of a modern beatitudes’ proponent, I think of the late Paul Dewar. His last words in his final letter before his death addressed to Canadians made a strong impact on me. Let me share you some of his words: “In my time on this earth, I was passionate about the power of citizens working together and making a difference. I wanted a Canada where we treat our fellow citizens with the dignity, love and respect that every one of us deserves. I wanted a world where we reduced suffering and increased happiness. A world where we took better care of each other... True change can only come when power is transferred to young people unburdened by cynicism. Let’s make more art. Let’s play more. Let’s embrace each other in these days of cynicism and doubt. Let’s welcome those who need a safe home. Let’s empower those who have been left behind. Let’s nurture and grow with peace, love and unity. Let’s join hands and hearts to see the beauty in ourselves through the soul of our city...May you keep building a more peaceful and better world for all.”

This whole protest movement taught me a lesson. I learned that the freedom of expression can be done in many ways. It could be peaceful or it could be unruly. It could be done with mutual respect and paying careful attention or it could be violent and deadly. Listening to Jesus’ words today made me think that freedom of expression that is rooted in Canadian values, must be done with love - a heartfelt, genuine concern for each other with an intent of building a life-giving relationship. A better world for all – where the poor and the rich, the powerful and the powerless live peacefully on a level place - that is the message of Jesus for us today.

Dear friends, life is not easy. Life is not perfect. But remind yourself that whatever situation you are in, in the midst of poverty or hunger or grief, or even in the midst of joys and celebrations, you are loved by God who was and is and will be. Today, we stand on a level place right here, right now. Jesus calls us to reach out, to heal, to respect, to treat others with love. And that is the true meaning of freedom. That is God’s kin-dom. Amen.

Sources: BCUC Lectionary Group, Alyce Mackenzie – patheos.org; Dewar’s goodbye letter posted in his facebook page Scott Gilmore, MacLean’s magazine, 2019.

Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer Rev. Lorrie

Our prayers of the people this morning is based on one of the Dalai Lama’s favourite prayers. The original was written by Shantideva, a Buddhist master from the monastic university of Nalanda, India, and composed in the eighth century of the Christian era. I have changed some of the words to make it fit our context and our faith today.

May all beings everywhere
Plagued by sufferings of body and mind
Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy
By virtue of our actions.

May no living creature suffer,
Commit evil, or ever fall ill.
May no one be afraid or belittled,
With a mind weighed down by depression.

May the blind see
And the deaf hear,
May those whose bodies are worn with toil
Be restored on finding repose.

May those who see injustice find peaceful ways to open dialogue,
May those who feel unheard find listening ears and open minds,
May all our words be founded in love and compassion,
And never with the intent to hurt or attack.

May the naked find clothing,
The hungry find food;
May the thirsty find water
And delicious drinks.

May the poor find wealth,
Those weak with sorrow find joy;
May the forlorn find hope,
happiness, and prosperity.

May there be timely rains
And bountiful harvests;
May all medicines be effective
And wholesome prayers bear fruit.

May all who are sick and ill
Quickly be freed from their suffering.
Whatever diseases there are in the world,
May they never occur again.

May the frightened cease to be afraid
And those bound be freed;
May the powerless find power,
And may people think of benefiting each other.

For as long as space remains,
For as long as all living things remain,
Until then may the efforts of our lives remain
To help dispel the miseries of the world.

We bring these prayers to you in the name of Jesus and in the 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. Kim

Jesus draws us from the margins to a welcoming love. He draws us out of a crowd, to healing;
from hopelessness to new life. Each day, God finds the way that we need to be loved and challenged, and then calls us be stewards of warm hospitality, healing mercies, and the promise of abundant life. We respond to this call through our offering this day.
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 mailbox 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

Source of Love and blessings,
for the gifts of time, talents and treasures
delightfully given to us,
we bring you our offering.
May we use them to spread your love and hope for the world. Amen.

Sending Forth Rev. Kim

(ministrymatters.com)

Go forth, celebrating faith.
Go forth, celebrating hope.
Go forth, celebrating love.
Go forth to be the transformed people
that God calls you to be.
Go to transform the world.
Go forth with the knowledge
that you are always surrounded and blessed by God,
the Source of Love. Amen.

Hymn: Blest Are They – Voices United #896 BCUC congregation Jan 2017

1      Blest are they, the poor in spirit,
        theirs is the kingdom of God.
        Blest are they, full of sorrow,
        they shall be consoled.

Refrain
Rejoice and be glad!
Blessed are you, holy are you!
Rejoice and be glad!
Yours is the kingdom of God.

2 Blest are they, the lowly ones,
they shall inherit the earth.
Blest are they who hunger and thirst,
they shall have their fill. R

3         Blest are they who show mercy,
           mercy shall be theirs.
           Blest are they the pure of heart,
           They shall see God! R

4        Blest are they who seek peace;
          they are the children of God.
          Blest are they who suffer in faith,
          the glory of God is theirs. R

5        Blest are you who suffer hate,
          all because of me.
          Rejoice and be glad
          yours is the kingdom;
          shine for all to see. R

Departing Music: The Rose – McBroom Abe:organ recorded Aboriginal Sunday June 19, 2016

(over announcements)

Join us for Zoom Fellowship at 11:00 am

Sunday Worship Service - February 13, 2022