Connie Davidson

March 2, 2022

Worship services

Ash Wednesday Service - March 2, 2022

Connie Davidson

March 2, 2022

Worship services

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

March 2, 2022 – 6:00 PM

(Tap/click on the triangle below to listen to the full service while you follow the text)

PREPARATION FOR THE JOURNEY

Gathering Hymn: In the Quiet Curve of Evening – Voices United #278 Lorrie, Kim & Susan

1 In the quiet curve of evening, in the sinking of the days,
in the silky void of darkness, you are there.
In the lapses of my breathing, in the space between my ways,
in the crater carved by sadness, you are there.
You are there, You are there, You are there.

2 In the rests between the phrases, in the cracks between the stars,
in the gaps between the meaning, you are there.
In the melting down of endings, in the cooling of the sun,
in the solstice of the winter, you are there.
You are there, You are there, You are there.

3 In the mystery of my hungers, in the silence of my rooms,
in the cloud of my unknowing, you are there.
In the empty cave of grieving, in the desert of my dreams,
in the tunnel of my sorrow, you are there.
You are there, You are there, You are there.

Opening Invitation & Welcome Rev. Kim Vidal

As we enter into this sacred space,
put away the pressures of the world that ask us
to perform,
to take up masks,
to put on brave fronts.
Silence the voices that ask you to be perfect.
This is a community of compassion and welcoming.
We bring all that we are and all that we yet can be,
to this safe and ordinary place.

Welcome to our Ash Wednesday service - a time to begin the season of Lent, a time to remember that from the dust of the earth, the ashes of stars long burnt out, we were created, and to the earth we return. Ash Wednesday invites us to come back to earth, to wonder at the gift of life, my life, our life with the earth, the shared body of our existence. Ashes were once trees and shrubs, and places where life was lived to its fullest. Once they were full of life. Now they are black and grey. Dry. Lifeless. But mixed with the waters of our baptism make good fertiliser: it will help the seeds of the gospel take deeper root in us and bring forth the fruits, the harvest of justice, peace, and generosity. These are ashes worth wearing. May we accept this gift. And be blessed. And be assured we will be different at the end of this season. Our faith journey rises and falls with each season, as we experience our own times of joy and pain, wellsprings full and wilderness deserts. On Ash Wednesday, we recognize our own season of wandering from God, where we feel distant, aloof. God desires to draw us back into God’s embrace. In this time of Lent, we reflect on our faith journey, we confess and repent of our own shortcomings, what we have done to separate us from others and from God, and we seek forgiveness and reconciliation with God and others. We seek healing and hope. We seek renewal of our faith life. Just as spring is waiting deep in the ground beneath us, so we know that what seems lost will be found, and will be restored. Come, let us gather in worship.

The Invocation Rev. Lorrie Lowes

We come, God.
We come as we are. We can come in no other way.
Our heart holds our joys, our burdens, our hopes,
our dreams, our successes, our failures.
We come to meet you and have our hope renewed.
We come to you seeking life in all of its fullness.
Grant that the symbol of ashes, the dust of once-joyous palms,
may remind us of our mortality,
but more than that, may they remind us of the life toward which you call us.
Bless us and help us prepare ourselves for the journey.
As we sing the next hymn, I invite you, if you wish, to light a candle as a symbol of Christ journeying with us in the season of Lent.

Hymn: “Dust and Ashes Touch Our Face” Voices United #105 Kim, Lorrie & Susan

1 Dust and ashes touch our face,
mark our failure and our falling.
Holy Spirit, come,
walk with us tomorrow,
take us as disciples,
washed and wakened by your calling.

Refrain:
       Take us by the hand and lead us,
       lead us through the desert sands,
       bring us living water,
       Holy Spirit, come.

2 Dust and ashes soil our hands --
greed of market, pride of nation.
Holy Spirit, come,
walk with us tomorrow
as we pray and struggle
through the meshes of oppression. R

3 Dust and ashes choke our tongue
in the wasteland of depression.
Holy Spirit, come,
walk with us tomorrow,
through all the gloom and grieving
to the paths of resurrection. R

Invitation to Confession Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Lent is a journey of deepening reflection and renewal, an opportunity to make new commitments in faith. We now prepare for the journey by setting aside burdens that would weigh us down. Let us turn to God in confession.

Prayer of Confession

O God, in this quiet place of prayer and humility before you, the tears of our regrets fall on the ashes of truth. We listen to the grief in the sighing of your longing people reaching hopefully towards compassion and justice. And we hear, in our minds’ memories, reminders of many missed moments for the announcing of prophetic truth, when our courage and commitment failed us. (Silence)

As life reaches out to hold us into good, we often let it pass and turn our faces from the costly road on which Christ walked. (Silence)

And now, O God as your children, our hearts weep, when we remember the divine dreams and visions shining before us in Jesus the Christ. We remember our claiming of your name as God’s people and the many betrayals of the great hope in which we are called as your children this day. (Silence).

We look at the cross and the light of your life in all the world. We acknowledge that this longing is often reduced to ashes, and becomes a burnt sign of our lost aspirations. In sadness we know who we wanted to be and who we really are. (Silence)

Words of Assurance

God who loved you in the beginning loves you still.
Be assured that God stays with you,
in all the twists and turns of life. Amen.

CALL TO THE JOURNEY

Sung Response: Don’t Be Afraid - More Voices #90 Susan TeGrotenhuis 2021

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.

Reading 1: Selected Verses from Isaiah 58 (NRSV) Reader: Ross Mutton

Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn...

The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail.

Sung Response

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.

Reading 2: Blessing the Dust (Jan Richardson) Reader: Barbara Bole

All those days you felt like dust,
like dirt, as if all you had to do
was turn your face toward the wind
and be scattered to the four corners
or swept away by the smallest breath
as insubstantial— did you not know
what the Holy One can do with dust?

This is the day we freely say we are scorched.
This is the hour we are marked by what has made it through the burning.
This is the moment we ask for the blessing that lives within
the ancient ashes, that makes its home
inside the soil of this sacred earth.

So let us be marked not for sorrow.
And let us be marked not for shame.
Let us be marked not for false humility
or for thinking we are less
than we are but for claiming
what God can do within the dust,
within the dirt, within the stuff
of which the world is made
and the stars that blaze in our bones
and the galaxies that spiral
inside the smudge we bear.

Sung Response

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.

Reading 3: Marked by Ashes (Walter Bruegguemann) Reader: Jan Pound

Ruler of the Night, Guarantor of the day . . .
This day — a gift from you.
This day — like none other you have ever given, or we have ever received.
This Wednesday dazzles us with gift and newness and possibility.
This Wednesday burdens us with the tasks of the day, for we are already halfway home
     halfway back to committees and memos,
     halfway back to calls and appointments,
     halfway on to next Sunday,
     halfway back, half frazzled, half expectant,
     half turned toward you, half rather not.

This Wednesday is a long way from Ash Wednesday,
   but all our Wednesdays are marked by ashes —
     we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth:
       of failed hope and broken promises,
       of forgotten children and frightened women,
     we ourselves are ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
     we can taste our mortality as we roll the ash around on our tongues.

We are able to ponder our ashness with
some confidence, only because our every Wednesday of ashes
anticipates your Easter victory over that dry, flaky taste of death.

On this Wednesday, we submit our ashen way to you —
   you Easter parade of newness.
   Before the sun sets, take our Wednesday and Easter us,
     Easter us to joy and energy and courage and freedom;
     Easter us that we may be fearless for your truth.
   Come here and Easter our Wednesday with
     mercy and justice and peace and generosity.

We pray as we wait for the Risen One who comes soon.

Sung Response

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.

Moment of Intentional Silence Rev. Kim Vidal

"Silence is God's first language," wrote the 16th-century mystic John of the Cross. And silence is the normal context in which contemplative prayer takes place. But there is silence and then there is silence. There is an outer silence, an outer stopping of the words and busy-ness, but there is also a much more challenging interior silence, where the inner talking stops as well. I invite you at this moment to open yourself to God through an open intentional silence, as we let go, as we lay down what is past and look to the future. In silence, we take into our daily life signs of hope and healing. In silence, we reach beyond ourselves to share the lives of others and touch a wider world. Let us take a few moments of intentional silence.

Affirmation of Faith: As we share this day of commencing our Lenten journey, let us affirm our faith together. We believe in Jesus Christ who, even on the lonely way towards Jerusalem, holds us fast, as we dare to enter and stay with our realities. Here, within the ashes of our lost hopes, the Holy Spirit will be found, inviting us again to a true encounter with our past and present and joining us as we face what has been and moving us toward a new day. Amen.

Hymn: “Stay With Us” Voices United #182 Erin, Kim, Lorrie & Susan

1. Stay with us through the night.
Stay with us through the pain.
Stay with us, blessed stranger
till the morning breaks again.

2. Stay with us through the night.
Stay with us through the grief.
Stay with us, blessed stranger
till the morning brings relief.

3. Stay with us through the night.
Stay with us through the dread.
Stay with us, blessed stranger
till the morning breaks new bread.

PLANNING FOR THE JOURNEY

Blessing of the Ashes & Prayer for the Journey Rev. Lorrie Lowes

May these ashes be blessed. May they be for us a symbol of our return to the earth.
May we be blessed. May we be earthed in your everlasting love, as forgiven and forgiving people.
Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return.
Know that God’s love will bless you in your journey.

Let us pray.

God our Creator, you have formed us out of the dust of the earth. May these ashes be to us, a sign of our humanity so we may remember that only by your gracious gift are we given abundant life; through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who taught us this 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.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Hymn: “Bless Now O God the Journey” Voices United #633 Abe, Susan & Lorrie

1 Bless now, O God, the Journey
that all your people make,
the path through noise and silence,
the way of give and take.
The trail is found in desert
and winds the mountain round,
then leads beside still waters,
the road where faith is found.

2 Bless sojourners and pilgrims
who share this winding way,
whose hope burns through the terrors,
whose love sustains the day.
We yearn for holy freedom
while often we are bound.
Together we are seeking
the road where faith is found.

3 Divine Eternal Lover,
you meet us on the road.
We wait for lands of promise
where milk and honey flow.
But waiting not for places,
you meet us all around.
Our covenant is written
on roads, as faith is found

Sending Forth Rev. Kim Vidal

Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.
Let the memory of your incomplete humanity
awaken you to the wonders, joys, sorrows, and pain of life.
Let the ashes we wear be the ashes of transformation;
of awakening to the beauty and love of seizing the moment
and living it to the fullest.
Let it be said of you that here in this little part of eternity
that you lived fully, loved extravagantly and helped humanity evolve into all that God dreamed we can be!
We affirm that we are fearfully and wonderfully made
In the image of God: Creator, Christ and Spirit One. Amen.

Connie Davidson

February 26, 2022

Sunday School

Sunday school activities - February 27, 2022

Connie Davidson

February 26, 2022

Sunday School

Theme Discussion

Our Bible story today is called “The Transfiguration”. When something is transfigured, it means that it is changed to look completely different. A word we might use more often is “transformed”. In this story, Jesus, Peter, James, and John have climbed up to a mountaintop to get away from the crowds. While they are there, they have an experience that makes them feel God’s presence with them and they see Jesus in a whole new way. Jesus seems to be talking to Moses and Elijah, two very important prophets in the Old Testament.

Have you ever had an experience that made you feel that God is right there? Sometimes it might happen when we are in nature – standing on a mountaintop always gives me that feeling! Or it might happen when you see new life – a chick hatching, a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, meeting a brand-new baby brother or sister… That feeling is often hard to explain to someone else. It just fills you up and sometimes makes you feel like crying. It’s a good feeling, almost a magical feeling, and sometimes we wish we could just hang on to it.

That’s how Peter felt that day in our story. He wanted to build some shelters and stay right there on the mountaintop. But, those feelings don’t last forever and we have to get back to everyday living. Jesus and his friends had to go back down the mountain and carry on with their work.

This kind of experience is powerful! It gives us energy. The symbol that is often used for this experience is light. Light makes things easier to see and this kind of experience makes it easier for us to see the wonders in our world, the blessings in our lives, and the places where we need to share our love.

Can you think of time when you have felt this way, when you felt the love of God around you?

When we talk about being a light to the world, what are we hoping to transform?

Can you think of places or times in your life where we could be a light but don’t step up to the task?

Response Activity Ideas

Shine Like the Sun Craft

In today’s Storytime, Erin talked about how God’s love is like sunlight giving warmth and energy to everything around. Make a shining sun to remember that message.

Cut out a large circle from yellow or orange paper and write “Let your light shine!” on it. Glue it on a plain piece of paper. Make rays coming out from the sun using yellow or orange sticky notes (or regular paper) cut into thin strips. On each, write a way you can pass on your loving light to others: complimenting someone, helping a neighbour with shoveling, writing a note to a distant relative, helping a friend at recess, etc. Stick or glue these rays all around the sun, shining for everyone around!

Be the Light Switch Cover

Make yourself a reminder to ‘be a light’ for others every time you enter or leave your room! With parental permission, carefully remove your light switch cover. Using paint and/or permanent markers, decorate the cover with a message like, “Be the Light”, or “I can shine brightly!”, or “Light-up someone’s day”, etc. When dry, reattach to the light switch.

Illustrated hymns

Read the lyrics for the hymns/songs used in today’s church service found in today’s service bulletin. Choose one and make an illustration of a particular verse or the whole song. Older children/youth could consider why these songs were chosen to go along with the scripture passage and themes of the service, and try to include that meaning in their pictures.

Connie Davidson

February 26, 2022

Worship services

Sunday Worship Service - February 27, 2022

Connie Davidson

February 26, 2022

Worship services

BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

TRANSFIGURATION SUNDAY

February 27, 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: Open the Eyes of My Heart BCUC cong. Feb 7, 2016

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You, I want to see You

repeat

To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy

Welcome & Centering for Worship Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Welcome to worship with Bells Corners United Church on this Transfiguration Sunday. We are pleased that you are joining us today!

It is with sorrow that I share the news that Marion Routledge has passed away, peacefully at home. We offer our sincere condolences to her family as they deal with this loss. She was a huge part of our faith family here at BCUC. We will miss her warm smile and her gift of music. At this point, no plans have been finalized for the celebration of Marion’s life but we will keep you informed as they come to light.

Beginning last Sunday, we have reopened the sanctuary for in-person worship service 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. Please take note that our Sunday worship service continues to be offered via Youtube, by email and by telephone.

A friendly reminder to 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.

The BCUC Annual General Meeting will take place on Zoom on Sunday March 6th at 11:15 AM. The purpose of this meeting is to review and receive the 2021 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements and to approve the 2022 Annual Activity Plan, Budget and Nominations Report, and various other items of importance.

As our M&S moment this morning, I will call on John MacFarlane to share news of our 2022 Lenten Appeal in support of Famsac, our local Food Bank:

FAMSAC food cupboard has been helping supplement groceries for families in our community since 1969. Last December FAMSAC assisted 262 families during the Christmas Campaign.

Many thanks to all that have helped out over the years, and a special thank you to Glenna Jackson and Helen Spearman.

Donations are always welcome and there is a list of items particularly appreciated in the bulletin. Also in the bulletin are phone numbers and websites if you would be interested in learning more about FAMSAC, volunteering, or making a financial contribution to help cover costs related to our move this year.

We are going to the new Housing Project beside Christ Church in Bells Corners, partnering with the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa and the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre.

Friends, I now invite you to centre yourself in God’s presence as we gather in worship.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: The Berard Family

(Fern Gibbard, Gathering A/C/E 2020/21, p 52. Used with permission.)

The light of Christ shines on us and in us.
The light of Christ leads us.
The light of Christ transforms us.
We light this candle in the certainty that Christ’s presence is here with us today.

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

(Taylor Croissant, Gathering A/C/E 2021/22, p51. Used with permission.)

We come from busy lives to this place of sanctuary and peace, to pray and be renewed for the week ahead.

We come to the foot of God’s holy mountain.

The totality of God’s glory is obscured, but in God’s presence our lives are illuminated, and we receive instruction on how we should live. Here we seek connection, even if just for a moment, to the divine source of our life and all that is in our universe.

It is good for us to be here.

Let us make in our hearts a dwelling place for Christ. Come let us worship God.

Prayer of Approach

(Jim McKean, Gathering A/C/E 2021/22, p51. Used with permission.)

O God, we come today to refresh and restore all that is within our hearts and minds. Like the disciples climbing the mountain with Jesus, we come expecting nothing yet prepared to experience your love. During this time together, may we find our true selves just as Jesus’ true self was revealed on the mountaintop. May we find your wisdom, and its strength, for we know that your love restores and refreshes us in mysterious ways. O God, fill us anew. Amen.

Hymn: My Lighthouse Music Team June 2020

1. In my wrestling, and in my doubts,
in my failures, You won't walk out.
Your great love will lead me through;
You are the peace in my troubled sea, whoa oh, You are the peace
in my troubled sea.

2. In the silence, You won't let go.
In the questions, Your truth will hold.
Your great love will lead me through;
You are the peace in my troubled sea, whoa oh, You are the peace
in my troubled sea.

Chorus:
My Lighthouse, my Lighthouse
shining in the darkness, I will follow You!
O-O-Oh, My Lighthouse, my Lighthouse,
I will trust the promise: You will carry me
safe to sho…….re (4x)

3. I won't fear what tomorrow brings.
With each morning, I'll rise and sing.
My God's love will lead me through;
You are the peace in my troubled sea, whoa oh, You are the peace
in my troubled sea. (chorus)

Bridge 3x
Fire before us, You're the brightest.
You will lead us through the storms

Storytime Erin Berard

(Shows a solar powered light) Do you know how these work? Solar cells collect the energy from the sun's rays and converts it into electrical current. This gets saved in a battery for when it gets dark outside. All day the sun shines on it, charging up the battery, but then when this little photoreceptor detects that it's dark out, it switches on the light using the saved energy from the battery.

Have you ever sat out in the sun to warm up after a summer swim in a cool lake? In the winter, my kids like to 'sun themselves' by standing in the window where the afternoon sun shines into the house. Turtles and other reptiles pull themselves up on logs and rocks to warmed and energized by the sun, too.

What if we think about God's love being like the sun? We can soak up and gather that light and love from God, and enjoy the good, warm, happy feelings like sunshine. Ahhh…. But we can also save up some of that warmth and energy, too, just like to solar cell on this light. Then we share that love and warmth and kindness with others, especially those who might be having some dark times - feeling sad, lonely, worried, and so on. (Shows it with the lamp - look at it shine!)

In today's Bible passage we'll hear about how Jesus went up the mountain with his disciples to find a quiet place to pray. While they were up there Jesus' face changed and his clothes shone dazzlingly white, they saw visions of old prophets, and they even heard the voice of God! The disciples must have so amazed and impressed by the power of God! But, even if they wanted, the disciples couldn't just stay up there to pray and hang out with Jesus and God. They had to go back down to the real world. The passage tells us they didn’t say anything right away to others about this big experience. But they saved up that experience, just like the battery here, they took some time to try to understand it, and went on with new energy to share and teach others about God's love.

Let's share our light and love with others, too!

Let's pray:
Loving God,
Your constant love falls on us like warm sunshine on a beautiful day.
Help us transform your love for us into kind words and good deeds for others.
Help us to shine our light and share your love in the world.
Amen

Hymn: This Little Light of Mine (Traditional) BCUC congregation Feb 7, 2016

This little light if mine, I’m gonna let is shine (3X)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, no! I’m gonna let it shine (3X)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine (3X)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Traditional Spiritual
Song #84048 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Liam Eaton

Holy One,
May we be curious visitors in long-ago times, visualizing early hearers of these words.
In company with Jesus, may we come with open minds and open hearts,
And may we find gifts of the Spirit for our own time. Amen.

The Gospel Reading: Luke 9: 28- 43 (NRSV)

28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen.] listen to him!” 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

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

Anthem: High Upon a Mountain – Larson/Jordan BCUC choir Feb 26, 2017

High upon a mountain, in a quiet place,
They were prayin’, prayin’, prayin’.
Peter, James and John with Jesus in that place,
They were prayin’, prayin’, prayin’

When there came forth from the face of Jesus
A brilliant light gleaming like the sun.
His raiment all aglow, and white as the whitest snow with radiance brightly shining.
Then appeared Elijah with Moses at his side,
Speaking to Jesus of the coming days;
Speaking of Jerusalem and of great sorrow;
Speaking of destiny.

High upon a mountain Peter, James and John
Heard the pow’r of Christ proclaimed:
“This is my beloved Son
in whom I am well pleased.”

Sermon: “Mountaintops and Valleys” Rev. Lorrie Lowes

What a contrast in the two parts of our reading this morning! We begin with a Spirit-filled, dream-like experience of being in the presence of the Holy and then are immediately brought back to the harsh reality of the day-to-day life of Jesus and his disciples.

That experience on the mountaintop is a difficult one for us to unpack, I think. Did it actually happen? Or was it just a dream? Was it a story meant to be read as a metaphor for something else? What are we supposed to do with it?

This week, in our Lectionary Study, I opened our discussion with this challenge: Can you describe a time when you felt you were in the presence of the Holy?

There followed a long pause, an awkward silence. Karen bravely waded in because it is something she has asked others to do in her PhD research. Susan began by saying that this kind of spiritual experience is so intense and so personal that it’s really hard to share it with others – that we worry that people might scoff at us, or think we’re crazy.

Interestingly, not one person said “No, it has never happened to me.”

So, was that experience on the mountaintop really so far-fetched? What really happened there?... and why did they climb that mountain in the first place?

Life with Jesus must have been very intense, don’t you think?

… month after month wandering around the countryside, with no place to call home, no familiar bed and comfort at the end of each day, not even knowing where their next meal would come from.

… days filled with pushing crowds, people desperate for healing and desperate for hope, sometimes people who were there to criticize or curse

… evenings spent listening to the teachings of Jesus, desperately wanting to understand but often feeling overwhelmed

It’s no wonder that they all – Jesus included – sometimes just needed a break and a chance to get away from it all, a chance to rest and to sort out all those swirling thoughts and impressions, a quiet place away from the hustle. I’m sure you can all relate to that feeling. I know I can. I also know that I’m not always wise enough to acknowledge that need – and sometimes my body takes over and forces me to stop, to rest and to allow my heart and my mind to catch up.

Jesus knew that he needed these breaks to refresh himself and to reconnect spiritually with God – to listen for that still, small voice that gave him his sense of direction and purpose, the stamina and drive to continue, even when the journey was difficult and the work stressful. He also knew when it was taking a toll on his disciples, perhaps especially how difficult it must be for his closest friends, his leaders. We often hear of him going off on his own to pray – but this time he took Peter and John and James as well. He was right, it seems, that they needed this too. The scripture writer tells us they were “weighed down with sleep” – but, even so, they stayed awake – still wanting, I suppose, to learn and to understand what they had been called to do. Not wanting to miss a moment with Jesus, especially this unusually intimate opportunity to be just the four of them together, away from the distractions of noise and crowds and away from their responsibilities in this community of disciples.

Because they stayed awake, the writer tells us, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him – Moses and Elijah. This is unusual in our stories and I’m sure it was a shock for the disciples who accompanied him as well. When Jesus went off by himself to pray, we imagine him in private conversation with God. So, what are Elijah and Moses doing here? This was unexpected! I read this differently this week. This time it seemed to me like an epiphany moment. That moment of “aha!”, of understanding what Jesus was all about. It was suddenly right there in front of them. Here was Jesus, in the company of the most respected prophets of their faith. Here he was, called by God to a mission so profound it could change the course of humankind. I can imagine that sense of clarity at last, for those men struggling so hard to understand what their own ministry was all about: This is what God has wanted all along. This is what the prophets have always said. This is not so much something completely different, but something that has always been an essential part of God’s dream, and Jesus is here to take that message further, to show those essential truths in action. This was a moment that went beyond the “now I get it” experience of clarity. Here, on this quiet mountaintop, Peter, John, and James experienced a moment so profound, so sacred, that they were acutely aware of God’s presence with them.

Can you imagine it? Can you imagine how they must have felt?

When I think of it in this way, I get a better understanding of why Peter wanted to stay – to build a shelter that would protect this experience and make it permanent. Who wouldn’t want to feel the presence of the Holy – a tangible, all-encompassing feeling of awe and at the same time of being wrapped up in God’s love? Who wouldn’t want to hang on to that?

How do you explain an experience so profound, something that is both inspiring and terrifying at the same time?

This feeling, this intensely spiritual, personal experience isn’t something that can be captured. It can’t be kept in a box – or a dwelling – or a church… It seems to slip away before we can really grasp what is happening. And so, just as Peter was trying so hard to cling to it, they were overshadowed by a cloud. The moment passed and there was Jesus, the very human and familiar Jesus they knew, standing in front of them – no glowing vision, no ethereal companions. In the words of the poet Andrew King:

The figure that shone
is Jesus again: the sun-browned skin
And the carpenter hands
And the feet, like yours, grimed with earth.
Gone the others you thought you saw.
Silent now the voice, the words
A memory like the calm
That follows a strong wind.

These three men who had shared this incredible experience were suddenly brought back to the real world. The moment was gone, but the voice of God still rang in their ears. “This is my son, my Chosen. Listen to him!” … Our scripture tells us they kept silent and told no one any of the things they had seen. I wonder if they even shared it amongst themselves…

Perhaps they all just went to sleep at last. Minds cleared, a feeling of being held secure in God’s love… finally a time to close their eyes and take that needed rest their bodies craved. They weren’t ready to face the real world just yet. Our story tells us they went down the mountain the next day…

Back to reality… from the bright mountaintop to the dark valley… from a glimpse of the kin-dom of God, to the harsh reality of the human world, the place where evil still exists in ugly contrast.

It must have been a jolt for them to arrive and find the great crowd there waiting. A crowd oblivious to the amazing moment they had just experienced.

My late Uncle Alec, had a saying that comes to mind for me. After a wonderful vacation, away from all the bustle of day-to-day life, where you eat foods you never cook at home, when your suitcase contains only your favourite outfits, where you sleep as much - or as little - as you want, where the days spread out before you with no must-do list… when that time would come to an end, he would say, “Well, it’s back to porridge and old clothes!” A preparation for going back to reality.

Back from the dream, back to the real world, back amongst people who have no idea what you’ve just experienced. It’s always a bit of a jolt – so imagine that feeling after something as life-altering as what these four men had just been through. Everything has changed – but nothing has changed.

The crowd is still pushing, the people are still needy and crying out for help. A father, desperate to save his son, is losing hope…

We look at the situation of this poor boy and think of the modern diagnosis of epilepsy. What the people in that mountain valley saw was the very manifestation of evil. He is the only child of this man. I can’t imagine his fear. He came to the disciples, begging for help, but was not given any. He is at the end of his rope.

They can’t help him. He’ll have to wait for Jesus.

Jesus himself goes from conferring with the major prophets of his faith to the realization nothing has changed. You can hear the frustration in his response, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you?”

From conferring with the ancient prophets, from connecting with God, from the clarity of what needs to change to save the world, from all the assurance and confidence he needs that he is on the right path, that he is doing God’s work… he comes face-to-face with the realization that he is standing alone, that even his own disciples are missing the point. One miracle worker isn’t what the world needs for heaven’s sake – every follower must have the courage to take the risk, to stand up to the evil they see, to wipe it out, not with magic words or special powers, but with the boldness and the confidence that says “this is not welcome here”.

We may have gotten rid of the notion that evil spirits move in and cause epilepsy, or autism, or Tourette’s syndrome but we still face demons. What are the demons the world faces today? Where do we come face to face with evil? We don’t have to look far… Peaceful protests being twisted with symbols of hatred and holding bystanders hostage in their own neighbourhoods, horns blaring to drown out the calls for reason… Armies with tanks and weapons of destruction poised at the borders of Ukraine, ready to pounce at the first signs of vulnerability… Rhetoric that serves to pit us against each other, even when we are all fighting the same pandemic… hunger in the midst of plenty… suffering in a world where solutions surround us.

As followers of Jesus, we gather together as a community of faith – faith that the demons of this world can be rebuked, that manifestations of evil can be healed. If we truly understand what Jesus taught, then we cannot say, “We can’t help. Better wait for someone with more power.”

So, what can we do? We can begin by keeping our spiritual connection with God and with each other. We use the strength that gives us to be part of the solution. We take the risk to say, “Evil is not welcome here.” We show that the power that comes from loving your neighbour is more enduring than violence and beating others into submission.

It is hard work… more than that, it is terrifying work at times. So, how on earth do we find the strength we need to be up to the task?

I liked Erin’s analogy this morning about the solar powered light. The sun can power as many of those receptors we can put out there – and it doesn’t diminish its ability to shine. More receptors, more light… more light, the clearer our vision becomes…

We cannot dismiss the strength we gain from being connected to that higher power – the one we refer to as God in this faith tradition… nor can we dismiss the strength we gain from being together in community. I believe the strength we gain when we combine the two can be exponentially more powerful.

Susan was right in our Lectionary Study this week; we rarely talk about our spiritual experiences – not even with those closest to us. I think it’s probably also true that we don’t take the time to seek out those moments when we can be present enough to experience the Holy. We don’t step away from the world; we don’t climb the mountain. I wonder what would happen if we did…

What Peter, John, and James experienced on that mountaintop transfigured the man they knew as Jesus – but did it transform them? Did they trust it? Like us, they kept it locked inside. Even they stepped back and counted on Jesus to heal the boy of the unclean spirit.

Peter couldn’t keep that moment from slipping away, no matter how much he wanted to try. Even Jesus knew he had to turn around and head down the mountain to what was waiting for him there. The moment was gone, the prophets had disappeared, Jesus was the familiar man they loved, fully human once again – but, surely, they could still hear that clear voice saying, “Listen to him!”

We cannot hold on to our mountaintop moments either, but maybe we can start by seeking them. Maybe we can be open enough to sense when God is near, when God wants us to listen. Each one of us will experience these moments in our own personal, intimate way for sure. They might not include the appearance of ancient prophets; they may not transfigure our faces or make our clothing glow, but I am certain they can transform us in some way if we are open to accepting them, if we trust what they bring. Perhaps the important message for us is to realize the power in those moments, to store the energy they give us so that, together, when we find ourselves in the valley once again, we can use that strength to light the world.

May it be so. Amen.

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

God of Loving Presence,
We give you thanks for the wonders of each day,
For the celebrations, big and small, that brighten our lives,
For the love of friends and family and the support they bring.
We give you thanks for crisp bright winter days,
For the lengthening of the daylight hours that bring the hope of spring.
Keep us mindful of the joys we experience each and every day.

God of Compassion,
We pray for all those in our midst who are suffering:
Those faced with illness or injury,
Those struggling with difficulties of worry and stress,
Those grieving the loss of loved ones.
Today we pray especially for the Routledge family in the loss of Marion,
And we pray for all those in this faith family who loved her.
Comfort us in our pain and in our sorrow.

God of Peace and Justice,
We pray for the leaders of our city, our country, and throughout the world,
That they may put the common good ahead of personal ambition,
That they lead with compassion and work toward peace.
We pray for an end to war and violence.
We pray for healing; we pray for justice;
We pray that everyone has what they need.
Help us see our role in bringing this dream to life.

Transforming God,
We pray that we make time to be open to your presence,
That we seek the time to open our hearts and minds to you.
We pray for clarity of vision and awareness of the work you call us to do,
And the strength and courage we need to follow that call.

Holy One,
Transform our hearts
Transform our will,
Transform us that we may help transform the world.

All these things we ask in the name of Jesus, the transfigured one, who inspires and guides us, using the prayer he taught his disciples…

Invitation to Offer Rev. Lorrie

The transformation that we feel in those mountaintop experiences when we know God is with us, can only transform the world if we move down from that lofty height into the reality of the world ready to lift others by sharing that love where it is needed most.

Let us offer our gifts of time, talents and treasures so that the ministry of this church will be a growing, vibrant witness to God’s healing love. 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

(David Sparks, Gathering A/C/E 2014/15, p48. Used with permission.)

You take us to the holy place, O God,
You’re inspired presence lifts us up and gives us new life.
You bring us down to earth, O God.
Through your eyes, we see what needs to be done and find the strength to begin.
Bless these gifts, O God,
Through which the ordinary shines with holiness. Amen.

Sending Forth Rev. Lorrie

(Susan Lukey, Gathering A/C/E 2021/22, p53. Used with permission.)

Inspired and transformed on the mountaintop with Jesus, we now journey with Jesus back into the ordinary and everyday, knowing that this is where we must share God’s love.

Go with renewed inspiration and the confidence that God accompanies us each step of the way. Amen.

Hymn: How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place (Better is One Day) - More Voices #29

BCUC Music team October Homecoming 2016
(Abe - piano, Kim & Will - guitars, Erin - flute, Leslie - violin, Dan - Cello, Sue & Wendy – drums)

1. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty.
For my soul longs and even faints for you.
For here my heart is satisfied within your presence.
I sing beneath the shadow of your wings.

Refrain:
Better is one day in your courts, better is one day in your house,
Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere. (2x)
Than thousands elsewhere.

2. One thing I ask and I would seek:
To see your beauty,
To find you in the place your glory dwells. (2x)

Refrain

Departing Music: Song of the Transfiguration BCUC Choir Feb 11 2018 - Soloist: Keith Bailey

Transform us as you, transfigured,
Stood a part on Tabor's height.
Lead us up our sacred mountains,
Search us with revealing light.
Lift us from where we have fallen,
Full of questions, filled with fright.

Transform us as you, transfigured,
Once spoke with those holy ones.
We, surrounded by the witness
Of those saints whose work is done,
Live in this world as your Body,
Chosen daughters, chosen sons.

Transform us as you, transfigured,
Would not stay within a shrine.
Keep us from our great temptation
Time and truth we quickly bind.
Lead us down those daily pathways
Where our love is not confined.

Bonus: Shine Jesus Shine BCUC choir Feb 7 2016

Join us for Zoom Fellowship at 11:00 am

Connie Davidson

February 19, 2022

Worship services

Sunday Worship Service - February 20, 2022

Connie Davidson

February 19, 2022

Worship services

BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

7th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

February 20, 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: Nobody Knows the Trouble/Angels Watching Over Me arr. Hayes

Welcome & Centering for Worship Rev. Kim Vidal

On behalf of BCUC, I greet and welcome you to our worship service in the name of Jesus Christ on this 7th Sunday after Epiphany. We are glad that you have joined us today.

We have reopened the sanctuary for in-person worship. 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. Please take note that our Sunday worship service continues to be offered via Youtube, by email and by telephone.

To ensure the congregation is informed and ready to discuss, and that new business items are given an adequate amount of time for deliberation, members are encouraged to notify the Board of their intent to introduce any new items of business, or new motions (on topics outside of annual plans, budgets, nominations and items arising from the minutes of the previous meeting), by e-mailing Jordan Berard before noon on Friday February 25th. 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.

Friends, I now invite you to centre yourself in God’s presence as we gather in worship.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolyte: Angela Starchuk

(Fern Gibbard, Gathering, ACE 2021-2022, Year C. Used with permission.)

We light this Christ candle – the light that shines in the shadows of life.
The light that bursts like sunshine through clouds of sadness.
The light that changes gloom into gladness.
We light this Christ candle rejoicing that the presence of God is with us.

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Friends, we gather once more at the feet of Wisdom;
we come to learn, we desire to be changed.
These are not easy teachings, for they would have us go
beyond familiar horizons of belief and action;
we come to be challenged, we desire to grow.
Come, then, let us journey on this road together,
open to new insight and willingness to enter
God’s vision for a renewed and just world.
We have come together, we desire to uplift others.
Come, let us worship God in spirit and in truth.

Prayer of Approach

Life-giving God, whose love knows no limits
and whose embrace extends to all,
stir within us a deepening thirst for the teachings of Jesus.
Make us aware that being in right relationship
pushes us to respect and honour others
without expecting much in return.
Bend our hearts to your teaching and not selfish gain;
renew us to your promise of love
when we move away from your healing presence.
In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Hymn: Spirit, Open My Heart - More Voices #79 BCUC trio with violin: Leslie

Refrain
Spirit, open my heart
to the joy and pain of living.
As you love may I love,
in receiving and in giving,
Spirit, open my heart.

1. God, replace my stony heart
    with a heart that’s kind and tender.
    All my coldness and fear
    to your grace I now surrender. R

2. Write your love upon my heart
    as my law, my goal, my story.
    In each thought, word, and deed,
    may my living bring you glory. R

3. May I weep with those who weep,
    share the joy of sister, brother.
    In the welcome of Christ,
    may we welcome one another. R

Storytime Rev. Lorrie

In our scripture reading this morning, there is a verse that probably sounds familiar to you:

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

I’m sure you’ve heard those words or something very similar before. This is something we call the “golden rule”. I have a book to share with you that talks about this:

“The Golden Rule” written by Ilene Cooper and Illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska

(In this story a young boy and his grandfather come across a billboard that quotes the golden rule and the boy asks what it says. The conversation that follows talks about why it is called “golden” – because it’s so valuable, that the idea is common in many different faiths and cultures, that it is a rule that applies to all people – grown-ups and kids alike. The boy wonders how to start practicing that rule and his grandfather tells him that it starts by imagining how another person might feel and imagining what you’d want someone to do for you if you were feeling that way. He also tells him to think of ways he doesn’t like to be treated and wonder what he could do to make sure he doesn’t make anyone feel that way. The boy comes to realize that following the golden rule can sometimes be hard but that it is a really big thing because if everyone actually behaved that way it could change the world. The final message in the book is that “it begins with you.”)

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

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: Marion Dugas

(Karen Boivin, Gathering, ACE 2018-2019, Year C. Used with permission.)

Here we are, once again, loving God, looking to locate Jesus in the pages of the Bible and then in the hours of our days. Your Spirit has shown us the honour and responsibility of being a follower. Now today, and in the weeks ahead, reveal to us the nuances of living as a disciple day by day. Amen.

***The Gospel Reading:* Luke 6: 27-38 (NRSV) *Love for Enemies***

27 “But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.
30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.
31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven;
38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

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

Anthem: We Will Bring Your Peace into the World CGS - director : Erin Berard

Refrain
We will bring your peace into the world
With a loving hand do the best we can.

1. Jesus you ask us to be gentle, Jesus you ask us to be kind,
to take good care of each other, then your peace will be here for all to find.

2. Jesus, you ask us to be friendly. Jesus you ask us to be fair,
to take good care of each other, then your peace will be here for all to share.

Sermon: “Jesus Wants Us to Do What?” Rev. Kim

Prayer: Let your spirit of wisdom flow through us, O God, as we reflect on this difficult teaching. Amen.

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” I knew this verse since I was young. I tried my hardest to apply it in real life, but one thing I can say is this: these words from Jesus are more easily said than done!

Something happened one night in 1995. I was working in a retail store as my part time job to support my studies at St. Paul University. A drunk man came into the store and demanded me to sell one of the dresses. All he had was a few coins in his pocket and I politely told him that his money was not enough to buy the dress. To which he responded in a loud voice with his fingers pointing at me – “You little Chinese girl– I must have this dress and will not leave the store!” Then he lied down on the floor waiting for my next move. Fear crept in but I stood my ground and I told him that his behaviour was not acceptable and asked him to leave the store or else I’d call the police. As soon as he heard the word police, he became agitated and stood up in front of me and called me all kinds of offensive names. He was about 6 ft tall and a bulky man and I know that if I hurled back at him the way he treated me with offensive language and racial slurs, he might have hurt me, or worse, that could have been the end of my life. I called the store manager in the back room to come right away. When the manager came, the drunk man was again lying on the floor and he said he would not get up until we gave him the dress that he wanted. I called 911 and told the dispatcher about the incident. When the man heard that police officers were coming to the store, he got up, pointing his finger at me and left the store.

“Love your enemies…” Who are the enemies that Jesus talks about in this passage? I believe the “enemies” in this text relate to anyone that may cause someone harm, injury, or death in many ways. How could Jesus tell us not only to love them but also to pray for them and bless them? I don’t know about you, but this text doesn’t make sense to me at all. It runs against the normal way of human relationships.

“If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.”
"…if anyone takes away your coat give them also your shirt.
"… if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.

How could Jesus set forth a list of values that are so difficult or even unrealistic to strive for? I think that’s exactly the point of this text. To live by Jesus’ standards is to live above and beyond human standards! But in reality, there are enough bad and opportunistic people running loose out there who would take Jesus’ words literally and run-down on people. These words encourage the bullies of the world to abuse, hurt or put down people. They could be words of invitation to the non-stop ringing of the phone or knocking on your door from those wanting to ask for donations. These are words to justify being trampled and hated by those who do not know how to love. I am just overwhelmed beyond words that Jesus would suggest such things for good living. But is this really what the Lukan Jesus intends for us to hear?

How can we love our enemies? How can we bless them and pray for them when they are causing us harm? Jesus offers 3 illustrations that I think are relevant in the context of the first century world. The first illustration: “If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.”

In the ancient Jewish culture, it was an offensive gesture to be slapped with the back of the right hand. The back of the hand was given by a master to a slave or by a husband to a wife or by a parent to a child or a Roman to a Jew in that period. The only way one could hit someone on the right cheek would be with the back of the hand. What Jesus was trying to tell his listeners is this: When someone tries to humiliate you and put you down, turn your other cheek. If you turned your head to the right, that person could no longer backhand you. Your nose is now in the way. By turning the other cheek, you are defiantly saying to the assailant, I refuse to be humiliated by you any longer. You have stood your ground courageously.

The second illustration: "…if anyone takes away your coat, also give your shirt." In those days, if a person had a loan, normally they would use animals or land as collateral, but the poor could use their coat or outer garment. It was the coat that they used to sleep in at night and used as an overcoat by day. For the debtor to give both his coat and shirt means a cold, sleepless night and worse, he could be totally naked. It is obvious that Jesus' audience is made up of very poor debtors. They are never going to win a case, since the law is mostly on the side of the wealthy. So, Jesus says to them, "Okay, you are not going to win the case. So, take the law into a point of absurdity. When your creditor sues you for your outer garment, give your undergarment as well. That meant taking off the only stitch of clothing you had left on you and standing literally naked, in court. The shame of nakedness fell not on the person who was naked, but on the person, who observed their nakedness. The creditor is being put in the position of being shamed by the nakedness of the debtor. Imagine the debtor leaving the courtroom, walking out the street and all of the people coming and seeing him in his nakedness and saying, "What happened to you?" He says, "That creditor has got all my clothes," and starts walking down to his house, with head held high. The debtor certainly has won the case.

The third illustration: “Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.” Come on, folks, let's be realistic. If someone takes away all my goods without my permission, that for me is theft or robbery and the person who took my goods is legally accountable by law. However, these texts should be understood in the context from which they were drawn. These words were directed at the rich and wealthy among the crowd. You do not need any explanation to understand this. It is simply saying share what you have and do not demand back anything taken from you because you have more than enough.

Let’s admit it - loving your enemies by turning the other cheek, or gift-wrapping your coat and shirt, or giving unconditionally, will not make us get ahead in this world. Jesus knows too well the rules of this world where, most of the time, only the powerful and the fittest survive. Jesus isn’t trying to change the rules of the world. Rather, he’s starting a new movement by calling the rules of this world into question and offering an alternative - an entirely subversive or even a ridiculous way to relate to each other, inviting everyone into relationships governed not by the power to destroy but by the power to love. This is not just an ordinary kind of love. This is agape love in action. A love that is unconditional, self-giving, non-violent and life-giving!

This power of this agape love is echoed by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa who was remembered as a man of faith, social justice and wisdom who suffered under the violent regime of apartheid. His commitment to follow Jesus, particularly “loving one’s enemies”, can be found in some of his famous words:

“When we see others as the enemy, we risk becoming what we hate.”

“A person is a person through other persons; you can’t be human in isolation; you are human only in relationships.”

Sadly, the effects of the old order are still prominent in the world: poverty is still rampant, people still settle disputes with fists and firearms, wars are still out there, people still think with pride and seem intent on creating a world of division and discord. Some still practice the vengeful way of “an eye for an eye” and some communities are hotbeds of fear and violence.

What is the good news about this passage for us today? Jesus is not teaching us to be doormats. Jesus teaches that God’s love is unconditional. Therefore, we must also love unconditionally. Jesus is inviting us to stretch our boundaries, to raise our sights on creating a more compassionate world, and to create among us a true community of respect based on self-giving. Agape love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend because it has “creative” and “redemptive” power. Jesus is offering a way of life in which the victim and the powerless can act from a position of strength - to take an initiative which confronts the perpetrator and puts the wrongdoing into question. Jesus does not suggest that this is an easy option but a radical alternative. It is very easy to be kind to those who are nice to us - and to love those who love us in return. Jesus’ challenge is to go further. To love the unlovable, to notice and pay attention to the invisible, to give to the needy without expecting anything in return. Jesus paved the way for a new order that does not simply make the weak strong and the strong weak, but one that will transform the nature of a community.

What does it mean for you to be in this new community? Are you able to love your enemies? To bless them and pray for them? Jesus has said so far: you are to love as God loves - wholly, completely, consistently, unconditionally. That for sure is agape love! Difficult, yes - but not impossible. Acting on such love is quite a challenge, but it can change the world radically.

That unforgettable night in 1995, I have never felt so afraid in my life - but instead of succumbing to my fears and hating that man who insulted and offended me, I prayed. I prayed for that man – that whatever circumstances he had lived through, may he find his true inner self, transform his life and become a better person. I pray to myself that when things get rough, and when people put me down or harm me, may I remind myself that resisting creatively and non-violently is the way to peace. I prayed that God’s agape love would empower and strengthen me. And yes, and I thanked God that I was able to get home safe that night!

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Note: Thanks to the members of the BCUC Lectionary Group for their wisdom and insight shared in helping me craft this sermon.

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

I offer this prayer, some of which were parts of a prayer written by Rex Hunt and our Moderator Richard Bott, for strength and for hope and blessing 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 teachings of Jesus, the world will be transformed anew if we do our part to love unconditionally. May we know your promise of transformation, of hope and of your agape love among 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 those who seek to speak good news in a hostile world. We lift up those who are confronted with illness, grief, 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 are lonely and those battling mental illness.

Let your agape love continue to guide us as we pray for the world where violence and persecution abound. Let our voices join those who have raised their voices to stop wars in all forms and other acts of injustice, violence and human sadness here in Canada and in many parts of the world.

In light of the ongoing truckers protest, may we echo the words of our Moderator, the Rt. Rev. Richard Bott: “Loving God…Protest I understand, even if I feel the reasons, are sometimes misguided and wrong.

Those symbols of White Supremacy, representations of a desire to enslave and eradicate— those flags of hatred's horror— they should never be flown in a way that honours them and the principles for which they stand.

God, help us to put those symbols in the places that will make us remember what they represent, with horror and grief, and fight against them ever being raised up as possibilities for the future.

God, help us to challenge the unthinking hatred, the fear and the greed that give it power, the anti-Semitic hatred, the idea that "White is Right."

God help us. Because we can't seem to do it on our own.”

All these we ask in the name of Jesus, who calls us to recite this prayer together.

Invitation to Offer Rev. Lorrie

Jesus offered compassion for the people he met and taught us to do the same. This day, you and I are called to respond to Jesus’ example to offer healing, love and compassion as the need arises. Let us offer our gifts of time, talents and treasures so that the ministry of this church will be a growing, vibrant witness to God’s healing love. 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

(Karen Boivin, Gathering Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2021/22, p48. with permission.)

Gracious God, the desire of our hearts for these gifts today
is that they be a source of healing:
Bringing together what is broken,
Soothing what is painful,
And allowing people to move forward
in the abundance of life with which you bless us. Amen.

Sending Forth Rev. Kim

Our worship has ended and let us now go as God’s faithful people.
Go and be the compassion of God.
Go and be the love of Christ.
Go and be the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
Go and do God’s business in the world. Amen!

Hymn: Take My Life and Let it Be – Voices United #506 v1,2,5 BCUC Feb 25, 2018

1 Take my life and let it be
consecrated, all for thee;
take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2 Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love,
take my feet, and let them be
swift and purposeful for thee.

3 Take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee;
take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.

4 Take my will, and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine;
take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.

5 Take my love: and I will pour
at thy feet its treasure store;
take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.

Departing Music: Go Now in Peace – Besig/Price BCUC Choir Jan 27, 2019

Go now in peace, never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of ev’ry day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know God will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love. Amen

Join us for Zoom Fellowship at 11:00 am

Connie Davidson

February 18, 2022

Sunday School

Sunday school activities - February 20, 2022

Connie Davidson

February 18, 2022

Sunday School

Theme Discussion

Today’s scripture passage (Luke 6:27-38) includes a verse that we call “The Golden Rule”:

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

The “Golden Rule” is one of the most important lessons that Jesus taught. Why do you think it is called “golden”?

Take a look at the poster below. Isn’t it interesting that this lesson is also taught in almost every other religion in the world? Why do you think that is?

Is this an easy rule to follow? … with your friends?... with your family?... with people you don’t know?... with people you don’t like?

Jesus tells us to love our enemies. He wants us to do good things for them, to bless them, and to pray for them. This is pretty hard! How do you think your “enemy” would react if you treated them this way?

Response Activity Ideas

Family Get-Along Plan

In the story Rev. Lorrie read in the service video for today, the boy and his grandfather think about the meaning of the Golden Rule and what it means to follow this rule. Talk about the boy and his grandfather's ideas about how they like to be treated and how they do not like to be treated. Record these ideas on the chart below in the appropriate column. Brainstorm other ideas to add to the columns.

Do you sometimes argue with your siblings? Discuss together with your parents/siblings about what the Golden Rule means for your family. Write out some ways you are going to show respect to each other that you agree on using the ideas from the chart.

How We Like To Be Treated chart — Click to print PDF

Kindness Video

Watch the video below:

Can you think of a situation where you or someone you know made a poor choice in how they dealt with someone who was unkind to others? How could you have dealt with that person with kindness? Draw about it.

Love is Something if You Give it Away

Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.
It’s just like a magic penny:
Hold it tight and you won’t have any.
Lend it, spend it and you’ll have so many,
They’ll roll all over the floor.

Using clipart, lyrics, and animations, make a Powerpoint slide with to go with the song The Magic Penny which talks about the blessings of love. Use the ‘Download’ link above to download the CGS and Bell Canto recording of Magic Penny and add it to your Powerpoint!

Connie Davidson

February 12, 2022

Worship services

Sunday Worship Service - February 13, 2022

Connie Davidson

February 12, 2022

Worship services

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…

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

Connie Davidson

February 12, 2022

Sunday School

Sunday school activities - February 13, 2022

Connie Davidson

February 12, 2022

Sunday School

Theme Discussion

In the Bible passage we are reading in church today (Luke 6: 17-26), Jesus is telling the people gathered around him, “Blessed and happy are the poor; Blessed and happy are the hungry”. Seems a bit odd, doesn’t it? It must be hard to feel blessed and happy when you are poor and hungry. I think, perhaps, he is giving hope to people who are going through a lot of hardship. He is telling them that God loves them and things will get better.

Jesus goes on to say “Woe or sadness to those who have everything”. This is a strange message too! It sounds at first like Jesus is saying that it’s bad to be successful or to have an easy life – but that doesn’t make sense! The Bible tells us that God loves us and wants us to be healthy and happy. I think that, perhaps, this isn’t a criticism but a challenge to them to share their blessings.

The story of Rainbow Fish written by Marcus Pfister is a good one to show that having lots of possessions is nice but they won’t necessarily make you happy. You can see this story in the video below:

How did the Rainbow Fish feel at the beginning of the story when he had all his beautiful shiny scales? Did he have many friends?

What do you think the others thought of him?

When he gave away his pretty scales, how did things change for the Rainbow Fish?

Sometimes it’s really hard to share the things we have - especially when they are things that no one else has and that we love. In the end we need to decide if it’s better to have lots of things or happy friends to share them with.

Think about what Jesus was telling the people in our Bible reading today. He wasn’t telling the rich to give shiny things to the poor, he was asking them to share their blessings with others. Jesus knows that, just like Rainbow Fish was able to create a happy community by sharing his treasures, sharing our blessings helps to create a better community too.

One of the big lessons that Rainbow Fish learned was that when he shared with others, he felt happier too. Have you had that experience?

Sharing our blessings with others is a way to show God’s love. What do you think Jesus would like you to share with others?

Response Activity Ideas

Rainbow Fish Craft

Materials: tissue paper or construction paper squares in various colours, tin foil, fish template

Print out the fish template. Glue on the various coloured paper squares as scales for your fish. Include some shiny tinfoil scales, too. As you add those special ones in, think of them as representing a blessing you have that could be shared with others. To whom (how, when) will you ‘give those scales away’?

Actively Giving Love this Valentine’s Day

Make a set of coupons or card inserts to not only wish someone a Happy Valentines Day, but also to offer an actual gift of your time, skills, and blessings! Maybe you can offer to read someone a book, or baking a treat, or shovel the driveway… Maybe you could sharpen pencils for the class, or give your sibling an afternoon where they get to choose all the games/activities you do together, or free babysitting… It could even be as simple as a free hug!

Print out the heart-shape templates, or make your own design. On each write down a service you could do for another person or a blessing you could share, then cut them out. Decorate if you wish! You could attach the hearts together as a coupon book for your parents or teacher, or give them out individually to siblings, neighbours, grandparents, etc.

Celebrate ‘Have a Heart Day’!

Some of your blessings are the opportunity for adequate education and access to healthcare. This is isn’t so for everyone in the world or even in Canada. Learn more about the Have a Heart Day, celebrated on February 14, which draws attention to the inadequate resources available to many Indigenous children in Canada. Visit https://fncaringsociety.com/have-a-heart to see what you can do!

heart templates (2 pages) — Click to print PDF

Wordsearch

Connie Davidson

February 5, 2022

Sunday Worship Service - February 6, 2022

Connie Davidson

February 5, 2022

BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

5th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY / STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY 3

February 6, 2022

Theme: Celebrate God’s Love by Living Generously

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: Shall We Gather at the River – Voices United #710

BCUC - recorded Sunday Jan 8th, 2017 Words & Music © 1864 Robert Lowry
Song # 84512 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.

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! On behalf of BCUC, I welcome and greet you in the name of Jesus Christ on this 5th Sunday after Epiphany and the last Sunday of our Stewardship Campaign. Wherever you are we are glad that you have joined us today.

Our sanctuary will reopen for in-person worship service starting Sunday, Feb 13 at 10 am. The Public Health recommends staying at home but 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. Take note too that our worship service continues to be offered via Youtube, by email and by telephone.

Stewardship Moment Ellen Boynton (Nominations)

Wow! It is almost two years since the pandemic forced the church to stop all the things we have enjoyed doing face to face with one another. And yet, amazingly, the work has continued! Who knew what Zoom was two years ago and now committees meet regularly by Zoom and it works well enough. We will be pleased when we can meet together once again but some work, just as in our daily work lives, will no doubt continue by Zoom. And we long for the day we can meet and have that cake Jordan promised Bill Johnson as a congregational thank you for his long years of faithful work with Finance.

This work I spoke about could not have been done without volunteers continuing in their roles doing committee work. Property continued to keep the building functioning and clean (Thank you Ross and Jean!). Worship/Christian Education Committee met monthly to plan worship services and CE activities as best they could. Pastoral and Spiritual Care provided support to shutins and those dealing with loneliness and health issues. SOSA reminded us of greater needs than our immediate concerns by keeping Outreach before us and doing so very capably. Look at all the community groups supported by our congregation! And then there is the Zambia Partnership Project which Lorrie reminds us has exceeded its goal without even having a specific fundraising activity! Ministry & Personnel supported staff through this time which kept us all feeling cared for. And all the other support committees continued doing what they needed to keep the church running smoothly.

Volunteers are priceless! We rely on all of you to provide leadership and support through the year. As we approach the Annual Meeting and Nominations for the coming year’s committees we need to know that you will share your talents and time to keep providing support. What is it that you like to do? How can we engage you to work together with others to build community and share fellowship and some fun as we do those jobs?

You will find the Time & Talent sheet as part of the recent Stewardship package that was distributed. We ask that you read it over carefully and offer what you can to help us. If you have questions about any of the described areas don’t hesitate to contact the church office and we will guide you to someone who can describe the job. Thank you for your support.

Word of Thanks Bill McGee (Stewardship Team)

Good morning. My name is Bill McGee from the Stewardship Committee. I speak to you on behalf of the committee of Bob Boynton, Bob and Barb Noyes, and Larry Ryan, assisted by our ministers, and the Office staff.

If you have returned your Stewardship forms already, we thank you.

If not, we encourage you to return the forms so that planning for the year's activities may be more complete. And it's never too late.

If you have not yet received your Stewardship 2022 material, there are copies in the Office, 820-8103. Thank you for your generous support of the mission of this Church.

Centering for Worship

Friends, as worship this day, may we offer our gratitude for all the gifts we received from a loving Creator. May we commit to respond to God’s call and share the Good News with others. Let us now gather in worship.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: Ian & Ruth Howes

As we gather in worship, we light this Christ candle,
a symbol of God’s presence with us.
Like sunlight shining on snow covered earth,
Christ’s light brings peace and comfort to our weary and cold hearts.
Let this light be our guide to sustain and nurture us as followers of Jesus.

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

(Laura Turnbull, Gathering, ACE 2018-2019, Year C, Used with permission.)

Kindness calls with a gentle plea
to bring tenderness into all our encounters.
We have heard the call of Love, who whispers
an invitation to lay our nets down.
Patience calls softly,
nudging us to respect one another.
We have heard the call of the Teacher,
who calls us to be his disciples.
May the God of many names
grant us humility.
Let us worship in response to that call.

Prayer of Approach

(Barbara Johns, Gathering, ACE 2021-2022, Year C. Used with permission.)

Loving God, we yearn to be your faithful disciples.
We come with our fears, our secret thoughts, our hidden selves.
We ask for courage to embrace new beginnings in our lives.
Keep us close in your sacred covenant of grace and peace.
Help us share your gospel message of love and hope
As fishers of people who have answered Jesus’ call. Amen.

Hymn: Jesus You Have Come to the Lakeshore – Voices United #563 - Erin & flute

1.Jesus, you have come to the lakeshore
looking neither for wealthy nor wise ones.
You only asked me to follow humbly. R

Refrain
O Jesus, with your eyes you have searched me, and while smiling, have spoken my name; now my boat’s left on the shoreline behind me; by your side I will seek other seas.

2.You know so well my possessions;
my boat carries no gold and no weapons;
You will find there my nets and labour. R

3.You need my hands, full of caring,
through my labours to give others rest,
and constant love that keeps on loving. R

4.You, who have fished other oceans,
ever longed for by souls who are waiting,
my loving friend, as thus you call me. R

Words & Music © 1979 Cesáreo Gabaráin, harmony © 1987 Skinner Chávez-Melo
trans. ©1987 Gertrude Suppe, George Lockwood, Raquel Gutiérrez-Achon,
Song #6905 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.

Storytime Rev. Lorrie

Do you like to go fishing? It’s something we enjoy in our family for sure. Some of us fish once in a while, some try to get out as often as possible, and one even built his career on fishing! None of us, however, fish the way Simon and James and John were fishing that day when Jesus came by. We fish with a rod and reel and hope to be lucky enough to catch even one fish. We do it for fun. Sometimes we just catch a fish and take a picture before putting it back in the water again to swim away – and sometimes we hope to catch enough that we can have a fresh fish meal as a treat. These men in our story today did things much differently. They fished with nets and hoped to get enough to both feed their families and have enough left over to sell. It wasn’t a recreational activity. It was the way they provided for their families. It was their career.

Just like when we go fishing, though, they couldn’t be certain that they would catch a lot of fish on any given day. Some days were good, some days they caught just enough to feed themselves, and some days they didn’t catch anything at all. But they still went out every day and worked just as hard, not getting discouraged when the net came up empty.

The day we are reading about this morning was one of those days when they hadn’t caught a thing. They didn’t go home grumbling like I might on a day when the fish don’t want to bite though. They used the time to repair their nets and clean their boats and get ready for a better day tomorrow. I imagine them talking among each other about what went wrong today and thinking of ways to get better results the next day. Maybe they decided to try a different spot or maybe they just realized that the holes in their nets had to be repaired in order to hold any fish.

Jesus wasn’t a fisherman; he was a carpenter and a teacher. He was traveling the countryside teaching. It was hard work – a lot of walking and a lot of expectations from the people who gathered around him. This day, in particular, he was feeling surrounded and pushed by the big crowd. He was having a hard time finding a place to stand where he could talk to them all together. He needed some help – and these fishermen were able to row him out a little bit so that everyone on the shore would be able to see and hear him. Even though they had had a disappointing night of fishing and even though they were busy, they didn’t hesitate to help Jesus out.

Our story tells us that he thanked them by telling them to throw their nets out one more time and when they did, they were rewarded with the biggest catch imaginable – almost too many fish for their nets to hold! They were amazed!

Jesus didn’t just say, “You’re welcome!” and go on his way. He asked these men to join him, to leave their boats and their nets and their life behind and travel with him. I’m pretty sure that no one there that day would have expected Jesus to choose fishermen to be the ones he called to be his helpers in his ministry, especially those men themselves. They weren’t teachers or elders in the synagogue, they were just ordinary people. But Jesus saw in them exactly what he needed to help him. They were willing to work hard, they celebrated the days when they caught lots of fish and didn’t give up on the days that weren’t so good. No matter what, they kept on working hard because they knew that what they did was important to the whole community. They worked together as a team, ready to share the huge catch of fish with each other. And, they were happy to help out a stranger when needed.

Even though they weren’t religious leaders or teachers, even though they didn’t have a lot of school education, they had a lot of gifts to share – and Jesus said, “You are just the kind of people I need to help me teach the world how to live the way God wants us to!”

They were surprised by that and thought they weren’t important enough to do that kind of work. Sometimes we think that way too – that we are too small or too young or too busy to do the kind of work Jesus calls us to – but Jesus knows we all have important gifts to share with the world. The fishermen that Jesus met that day dropped what they were doing and followed him. I hope we can all be as brave as Simon and Andrew and John.

Let’s finish with a prayer:

God, you know us well – with all of our strengths and all of our faults.

Give us the hearts to hear when you are calling us, the confidence that we have just what you need to do your work, and the courage to follow where Jesus leads us. Amen.

Hymn: Jesus Saw them Fishing - More Voices #113 – Erin & CGS/Bell Canto

1.Jesus saw them fishing by the shore of Galilee,
casting out their nets into the sea.
Simon Peter, Andrew and the sons of Zebedee,
waiting in their boats so patiently. R

Refrain
And Jesus said, “Oh, come and follow me.
Oh, leave behind your nets, I call you.
Oh, come and fish with me,
and your life will never be the same again.”

3.“If you want to follow me, deny your very self.
Take up your cross and walk the walk with me.
This might seem a hardship, an impossibility,
but nothing is impossible with God.” R

2.A rich young person came to Jesus looking for advice,
“How can I obtain eternal life?” Jesus told him,
“Honour the commandments of the Lord.
Then sell off all your riches for the poor.” R

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Cathy Dowsett

Holy One, speak to us today through these ancient stories.
Make them come alive for us so that we can meet you afresh
and hear your call anew. Amen.

The Gospel Reading: Luke 5: 1-11 (NRSV) Jesus Calls the First Disciples

5 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

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

Anthem: River in Judea BCUC Choir – Sunday Jan 10, 2016

Oftentimes I dream of music,
Of the river that freely flows.
And it sings a song sweeter than honey,
One everybody knows.
Late at night, I hear it singing.
Then again when I wake at dawn.
And it fills me up with hope and goodwill,
The will to go on,
Go on.

(Chorus)
There is a river in Judea
That I heard of long ago.
And it's a singing, ringing river
That my soul cries out
To know.

I believe it keeps on trav'lin'
But it rests on the Sabbath day.
And the time when it pauses in stillness,
I almost hear it pray.
When I'm weary and downhearted,
How I long for the song it sings,
For the calm within its gentle blue,
The peace that it brings, it brings.
(Chorus)

May the time not be too distant
When we meet by the river (meet by the) shore.
'Til then dream of that wonderful day
As we sing once more, once more:
(Chorus) Hallelujah!!!

Words & Music © Feldman, Marcus Arr © Leavitt
Song # 53272 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.

Sermon: “Deep Waters” Rev. Kim

Even though I grew up near the South China Sea in the Philippines, it was only in 1999, when I was 5 months pregnant with Justin, that my very first serious fishing experience happened in Smiths Falls. I remembered too well that it was a day in late spring and we went on a fishing picnic with families and friends. We all showed up in fishing gears – lines, hooks, worms, sinkers. Some members of my family were good at fishing and I listened to their tales of past fishing stories of big ones caught that ended up being laminated and displayed on the wall or those fish that ended up in barbecue or on the frying pan. I joined in as we baited our hooks with earthworms and unwound our fishing lines into the deep part of the water. Then we sat and waited. All of a sudden, something heavy pulled my line. "I think I have a bite." I said proudly. And lo and behold I reeled in a pretty good size hungry trout. My first prize fish but I could not bear to laminate it nor cook it so I took it off the hook and release it back into the lake where it belongs! One of my sisters commented I was lucky to have caught such a fish and that my luck was due to my pregnancy! Very funny! That particular fishing experience I had plus the daily witnessing of fishermen in the village where I grew up made it easier for me to appreciate the fishing story that is presented in today’s passage in Luke. But what is intriguing for me in this story is the fact that the fishermen have to leave their fishing career when Jesus called to them with an invitation to follow him.

Our lives are filled with all sorts of calls from all kinds of sources and voices. Some of us struggle to hear our call; we don't see clearly what we are supposed to be doing in the world. Others are bombarded by information, invitations and constant activity that they wonder if they will ever hear a clear call to understand the purpose of their lives. My call to ministry started at home. I was baptized in the Methodist church when I was almost 1 year old but it was not until I was 6 years old that I learned about the Bible and Jesus. It was my maternal grandmother, a converted Baptist from Roman Catholic faith who brought me and my siblings to a Baptist church in the village where we lived. My grandmother said – ‘let’s go and learn about God in this church. It is good for the soul!” There, I learned the many stories in the Bible and became fascinated with the stories of Jesus. But it was only in 1990 when I truly responded to that call to becoming a minister. It took me many years of discernment until I finally said yes to God’s call. Had not my grandmother brought me to church when I was in my formative years, I might not be able to learn about the Christian faith and responded to my call to ministry.

In today’s gospel story, we see Jesus right up against the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, also known as Lake Tiberias or Sea of Galilee. Jesus was not alone. Like a charismatic celebrity, he was being followed by a crowd who were hungry to hear a word from him. Nearby were some tired fishermen cleaning their nets, among them, Simon and his partners, James and John, who have been out all night and haven't caught a single fish. You can feel their frustration and wearied bodies when their only means of feeding their families has given them nothing that day. Jesus asks Simon, if he could use his boat as a speaking platform and taught the people. Luke did not record a single word from Jesus’ sermon that day. But I think that the sermon was not the main focus of this story. The focus happens after his teaching moment. Jesus saw and felt the desperation among the fishermen who caught nothing. Here is Jesus - someone who is not a fisherman asking Simon, the veteran fisherman, to put his boat out into the deep water and let down his net for a catch.

“Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” What does this statement mean for us today? If we think of our individual and communal lives as this water, we can find many ways to interpret this text. I know that shallow waters are safer to tread than the deep waters. Shallow waters are comfort zones where we can put our feet on the ground and keep our heads above water where we can see the shore. The deep waters make us fear the unknown. We can’t touch the bottom and it scares us. If you don’t know how to swim, it would be hard to stay afloat. There might also be creatures under the water that might harm or fascinate us. Deep waters scare some of us including me but Jesus tells Simon and us something significant about our life in faith. “Simon, go to the deep water. Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Something amazing awaits you deep down.”

Simon at first was reluctant to listen to Jesus’ suggestion. “We have worked all night long but have caught nothing…” which I interpret as: Sir – We know these waters more than you do! This is the place of our livelihood! Who are you to tell us what to do? I hear Moses saying the same thing – “Lord, I lived in Egypt for so many years and I know the likes of Pharaoh. I have a speech impediment. I cannot do what you are asking me to do and will not face Pharaoh.” Or Jeremiah – “O Lord, I know the people of Israel and how they look down on young ones like me. Who would listen to me?” Or Isaiah – “The whole community knows me as someone who uses foul language. I am a man of unclean lips. I am not worthy to be your prophet.” Do you sometimes hear yourself like Simon? Do you sometimes doubt what others say would be a wonderful opportunity even before trying it for yourself? Do you hear yourself saying – “I don’t think it will work!” Or “ I doubt it!” or “ That is impossible!”. But Simon gave Jesus the benefit of the doubt. “Sir, If you say so, I will let down the nets.” Perhaps Simon thought to himself– “OK Mr. Jesus, let me see if your hunch is correct.”

Simon put his net down the deep water and the most amazing thing happened. Simon caught so many fish that the other fishermen have to come out and help, and the boats start to sink from the enormous, abundant catch! This moment of net-breaking, boat-sinking grace sends Simon to his knees. This is such a dramatic moment in the story that Simon's name actually changes right in the middle of it – suddenly he became Simon Peter, and this new man is completely transformed. He is awestruck, as we hear him say, “Go away from me Lord for I am sinful!” Jesus responds with words of assurance: "Do not be afraid."

Do not be afraid. Whatever is troubling you – whatever sense of mistrust that you possess, whatever storm that comes your way, do not be afraid. Just trust. Have faith that you can do it and all will be well. The words “Do not be afraid” reassure us, as they have reassured Simon Peter. "Do not be afraid, Simon" Jesus says. "From now on, you're going to be fishing not for fish but for people." I know some of us might not be comfortable with this statement from Jesus. Our imagination might bring us to a literal interpretation of catching people with a net – like entrapped fish losing their freedom to live. Others think that this story is about converting people to the Christian faith which others think pertains to evangelism. They think it’s a way of baiting or luring people to come to church and convert them to Christ. If we translate the word evangelism in its true meaning however, evangelism isn't about convincing others of a certain truth or getting people to accept a set of doctrines or beliefs, but instead, it is the practice of sharing and living the Good News that has transformed our lives with such grace and power that we can't help but share the story.

Every day we are confronted with deep waters in our lives as if we are drowning and dying. There is the deep waters of illness, of grief, of depression, and uncertainty. There is the deep waters of violence, poverty, homelessness and broken relationships. We do not want to stay there in that dark unknown abyss. Fear sets in and we are lost. When we are in that situation, we forget that there is light at the end of the tunnel. When our nets come up empty, we feel that we are at the end of the rope and we easily get discouraged thinking that there’s no hope for us. As Jesus calls Simon to let his nets down in the deep water, Jesus calls us to do the same. Because in that deep water, abundant grace awaits us. All we need to do is respond and act.

That day, Simon Peter, James and John walked away from their boats, their sources of livelihood and security. They left everything to follow Jesus. They became instruments of good news. Fish weren’t the only catch of the day; the crowd, Simon Peter, James and John were hooked, captivated, called. And that’s what miracles are meant to do: they meet us at our point of need, but they do not leave us there. They call us to move from being recipients to being participants, to share in the ways that God pours out Godself for the life of the community and the healing of the world.

We are a faith community that is welcoming and inclusive. This statement is not just a shallow affirmation of who we are as God’s people. It means we need to do something about our faith – not just recipients of God’s abundant grace but also participants in making a difference in the community and in the world. God’s call to us today is to explore the deep waters of our faith. On this last Sunday of our Stewardship Campaign, how are we responding to this story of Good News? The deep waters are full of abundance that God calls us to explore, discover, and to act out our faith. The deep waters are the endless possibilities awaiting us, challenging us to take risks, even when it means letting down our nets over and over again in the same waters. I believe that God promises us a bountiful catch of fish beyond our imagining that would make us kneel in awe and in thanksgiving.

Today, we are called forth to these words of invitation: "Come and follow, not because you must, but because you may. Come and follow, not to show that you are good, but that you stand in need of God's amazing grace.” Amen.

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

Holy One, source of love and compassion, like the first disciples called by Jesus to be fishers of people, you call us where we are as your followers. You call us to be good stewards entrusted with gifts of your abundance so we can share these gifts with others. You have given us the ability to make incredible things happen. Remind us again to listen to your call, to experience your holy presence as we tread the deep waters in life. Help us to see You in the moment-by-moment possibilities - to live honestly, to act courageously, and to speak from the wisdom of our hearts.

Strengthen us in our calling. Where there is injustice, help us to offer healing and reconciliation. Where there is poverty, help us to reach out. Where there is grief, help us to give comfort. Where there is hopelessness, help us to bring hope. Where there is hunger, help us to provide. Where there is violence, help us to be advocates of truth and peace.

God of healing and comfort, you have called us to give a word of encouragement to those overcome with illness and grief and to those who face diverse trials in life. Through us, touch them with your healing love. Through our prayers, embrace them in your gentle love. May your blessings and healing touch be upon them and all those who have opened their hearts to pray for them. We continue to pray for our essential and health workers, for our leaders, as they continue to work hard in this pandemic time. We also pray for those families and individuals affected by the COVID pandemic, particularly those grieving the death of loved ones here and around the world.

Compassionate God, call us to speak to the hearts of people in many places. May your light shine for those who are full of fear; for those who experience conflict, prejudice, hatred, persecution, and poverty. Through the warmth of your light may they sense justice, feel your love, and know peace.

May we follow Jesus as our leader. Speak to us, Spirit of Grace: of that hope which is our anchor; of that peace which is our rock; of that grace which is our refuge. Remind us to touch the lives of others by offering a kind word, a helping hand, a listening heart and a welcoming touch. All these we ask in Jesus’ name who calls us from where we are and taught us this prayer we now recite together…

Invitation to Offer Rev. Lorrie

Just as he called those fishermen so long ago, Jesus calls us to share our blessings today.

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

(Bill Steadman, Gathering ACE 2009-2010, Year C. Used with Permission)

We give these gifts, God, knowing that all that we have is a gift from you. Your creative wonder surrounds us every day, and the bounties of your world enable us to share what we have received. As we give thanks for what we have, encourage us to share these gifts for the care and service of others. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sending Forth Rev. Kim Vidal

(Beth W Johnston, Gathering, ACE 2018-2019, Year C. Used with permission)

Beloved of God, followers of Jesus,
go into the world in which we live and heed
Jesus’ call to follow your heart, not your fears.
Go and bless the world with your imagination.
Transform it with your courage
and enliven it with your compassion.
May the love of God, the peace of Christ and the
Indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit be with you all
today and always, Amen.

Hymn: Lord, You Give the Great Commission - Voices United #512 - BCUC Jan 2018

1 Lord, you give the great commission:
"Heal the sick and preach the word."
Lest the church neglect its mission
and the gospel go unheard,
help us witness to your purpose
with renewed integrity:
with the Spirit's gifts empow'r us
for the work of ministry.

2 Lord, you call us to your service:
"In my name baptize and teach."
That the world may trust your promise,
life abundant meant for each,
give us all new fervour, draw us
closer in community:
with the Spirit's gifts empow'r us
for the work of ministry.

5 Lord, you bless with words assuring:
"I am with you to the end."
Faith and hope and love restoring,
may we serve as you intend,
and, amid the cares that claim us,
hold in mind eternity:
with the Spirit's gifts empow'r us
for the work of ministry.

Departing Music: Allegro – Rinuk (with a surprise) Abe:organ recorded Jan 8th, 2017

Join us for Zoom Fellowship at 11:00 am

Connie Davidson

February 5, 2022

Sunday School

Sunday school activities - February 6, 2022

Connie Davidson

February 5, 2022

Sunday School

The Reading

Have people in your family take on the different voices in today’s Bible reading (Narrator, Jesus, and Simon):

Luke 5:1-11 The Voice (VOICE)

5 Picture these events:

On the banks of Gennesaret Lake, a huge crowd, Jesus in the center of it, presses in to hear His message from God. 2 Off to the side, fishermen are washing their nets, leaving their boats unattended on the shore.

3 Jesus gets into one of the boats and asks its owner, Simon, to push off and anchor a short distance from the beach. Jesus sits down and teaches the people standing on the beach.

4 After speaking for a while, Jesus speaks to Simon.

Jesus: Move out into deeper water, and drop your nets to see what you’ll catch.

Simon (perplexed): 5 Master, we’ve been fishing all night, and we haven’t caught even a minnow. But . . . all right, I’ll do it if You say so.

6 Simon then gets his fellow fishermen to help him let down their nets, and to their surprise, the water is bubbling with thrashing fish—a huge school. The strands of their nets start snapping under the weight of the catch, 7 so the crew shouts to the other boat to come out and give them a hand. They start scooping fish out of the nets and into their boats, and before long, their boats are so full of fish they almost sink!

8-10 Simon’s fishing partners, James and John (two of Zebedee’s sons), along with the rest of the fishermen, see this incredible haul of fish. They’re all stunned, especially Simon. He comes close to Jesus and kneels in front of His knees.

Simon: I can’t take this, Lord. I’m a sinful man. You shouldn’t be around the likes of me.

Jesus: Don’t be afraid, Simon. From now on, I’ll ask you to bring Me people instead of fish.

11 The fishermen haul their fish-heavy boats to land, and they leave everything to follow Jesus.

Discussion

The men that Jesus called to follow him in this story were all fishermen - not ministers or priests or wise men but ordinary people with ordinary jobs. Fish and fishermen are in a lot of stories in the Bible. It was a common job in Jesus’ time.

It was an amazing day for Simon and his friends. First there was the amazing teaching, then the huge catch of fish and then Simon was surprised that Jesus even wanted to spend time with him, let alone make him a leader.

Why do you think Jesus chose Simon and his friends to be “fishers of men”?

What was the job he was asking them to do?

This story tells us that even ordinary people - even people who make mistakes - have gifts to offer. What do you think Jesus might be calling you to do?

Response Activity Ideas

Large Catch of Fish

Materials: worksheet, coloured paper, scissors, burlap/plastic netting, glue, popsicle sticks, colouring tools

Print out the worksheet. Cut out little fish from coloured paper and glue them on to the bottom of the boat, or alternatively draw them on. Glue a burlap or plastic netting ‘net’ (attaching it just around the edges) over the fish. Glue on a popsicle stick mast if desired. Finish by colouring the rest of the picture.

Access the website http://faithsprouts.blogspot.com/2016/01/fishermen-follow-jesus.html for more step-by-step images, if needed.

Comic Retell

Use the comic panels provided, or design your own, and retell the story of Simon Peter being called to follow Jesus!

Wordsearch

For Youth: Our strengths, our calling

Think about and discuss your personal gifts and strengths with your family. Consider working through a quiz like:

https://www.bethlehemschools.org/wp-content/uploads/VIA-Character-Strengths-Discussion-Survey.pdf OR

https://high5test.com/ to get you thinking about what’s important to you and how you work best.

It can be hard to talk about what we’re good at, so listen and encourage each other as you notice and point out strengths you see in others in your family, and in what capacities these skills may take each other in making a difference in the world.

How can these strengths work towards stewardship in the church setting? How can these strengths play out in contributing in the community? In working to bring about God’s love and peace in the world?

Connie Davidson

February 3, 2022

Announcements

Furniture needed for Afghan refugees

Connie Davidson

February 3, 2022

Announcements

We are a group of volunteers who are helping the Afghans who helped our Canadian Forces Ottawa and are currently looking for housing as they have now received their Canadian documents. They have begun settling the Afghan refugees and some of the families are large.

Please note we are not asking or accepting clothes and are only providing furniture to the families. We also ask that items be washed, clean and not torn.

Here is the wish list:

Everything for the kitchen (pots, pans, cutlery, toasters, microwaves, spatulas, dishes, glasses, mugs, etc). Kettles for boiling water are especially needed.
Beds - mattresses and box springs - cribs, singles, bunkbeds, double and queen size (singles are in huge demand). We are not accepting king size beds at the moment.
Bedding - sheets, blankets, pillows, pillowslips
Dressers
Sofas and living room chairs
Dining table and chairs
Lamps
Desks (not large ones please)

In short - just about everything but clothes and king size mattresses.

Please contact Afghanmove2022@gmail.com or the BCUC office at (613) 820-8103 to arrange drop-off.

Connie Davidson

February 3, 2022

Announcements

Church/Community Building in Chipembi, Zambia - Update

Connie Davidson

February 3, 2022

Announcements

The construction of the Church/Community Building in Chipembi, Zambia is proceeding! We’ve had a wonderful start to our fundraising for this partnership project thanks to some generous donations from members at BCUC in memory of loved ones and money raised previously in anticipation of a building project. At last count we had raised over $12,500!

You can Help! Buy a virtual “brick" - or many! - at $5 each. Gather your family, your friends, your choir, your Sunday School class… raid your piggy bank, hold a fundraiser, return bottles… Use your imagination! Make your donation to Bells Corners United Church (Zambia Partnership Fund). Let’s make a difference in this small community!

Connie Davidson

January 29, 2022

Worship services

Sunday Worship Service - January 30, 2022

Connie Davidson

January 29, 2022

Worship services

BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

4th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY / STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY 2

January 30, 2022

Theme: “Celebrate our Call to Serve / Give thanks for our Family Ministry”

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: Noah - Valse Sentimentale (op. 50, no. 14) - Franz Schubert

Welcome & Announcements Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Good Morning! On behalf of BCUC, I welcome and greet you in the name of Jesus on this 4th Sunday after Epiphany. Wherever you are joining us from today, please know that we are glad that you are with us in this worship service.

Due to the rising COVID variant cases in Ontario, we will not be offering in-person worship until further notice. Worship Services can still be accessed however, online through YouTube and by telephone. Check our website, bcuc.org, for the link each week. There you will also find links to previous services, Sunday school resources, and other announcements.

And for those of you who are able to join us, there will be a virtual fellowship time every Sunday at 11:00 am. Check your email for the Zoom link.

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 online platforms. Our annual Stewardship Campaign continues this week and next. Today we celebrate the many volunteers who help keep the work of this congregation going in all of its aspects from administration and property management to worship, education, and outreach. Please take the time to read the stewardship materials that were sent to you last week. We hope you will give prayerful thought to what you might be called to do as a member of this faith family.

I now invite you to listen to Erin tell us about one way we strive to include all ages and stages in our congregational life through our Family Ministry Team.

Stewardship Moment Erin Berard – Family Ministry Team

The Family Ministry initiative was introduced in 2017 to guide our vision and decision-making at BCUC as we strive to make our church a welcoming and loving 'family'. Goals of this initiative include facilitating family-oriented worship, fostering intergenerational relationships, encouraging a family mindset within all the church committees, and experimenting with ways to connect and welcome others from the community into our BCUC family.

During the pandemic, the worship team has provided a weekly online video and audio service with wide-ranging appeal - hymns new and old, a young person-focussed ‘Storytime’, thought-provoking sermons, and participation from congregants of all ages and stages. Along with these weekly family-oriented services, Sunday School materials that are directly aligned with the worship themes have been made available on our website. As in the past Advent and Lenten resources were delivered to families with young people in our congregation in the Spring and Fall to help those at home to feel remembered and connected.

Not being able to gather freely due to the pandemic has put a hold on or altered many of the usual activities that we enjoy together, and has delayed some of the plans we were making for family-oriented events. And, as much as we wish we had a magic wand to make it go away, the pandemic continues. Many have mentioned missing families they know from church, so I challenge you to seek out new ways to connect with your church family. This could be as simple as sending an e-mail or card to another family to let them know you’re thinking of them or popping on the 11am Sunday Zoom gatherings to say hello. Or perhaps you have a special interest, or a game, or a hobby that other families might be interested in - how could you introduce that to others and help build community? New ideas suitable for these pandemic times or the future would be welcomed by the Family Ministry Team!

It is important that we recognize and celebrate the many ways that we support, work, and worship together, even if it is distanced or online, and to look with hope toward the coming months for more and more opportunities to get together in person. Let’s continue to ensure that Family Ministry is embedded in all we do at BCUC.

Minute for Mission

In addition to the work we are called to do within this faith family, we at BCUC also have a mission to reach out to the wider community. The Service, Outreach, and Social Action Committee (SOSA) coordinates many projects by which we do this. Here is a brief introduction to one of the projects we help fund and offer volunteer support, OWECC, the Ottawa West End Community Chaplaincy. (video)

Centering for Worship

Now, let us gather our hearts and minds for worship.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: Susan & George Young

Sometimes, the world can seem a bit dark. Conflicts, worries, and suffering seem to cloud our vision. And so, today, as we do whenever we gather as a family of faith, we light this candle to remind us of the presence of Jesus, the light that never dims. May this light kindle hope and joy in each of us - enough to light the world.

Call to Gather: Rev. Kim Vidal

(Susan Lukey, Gathering, Pentecost 2 2021 Year B, Used with permission.)

To be a church family is a blessing.
To encourage and care for one another is a joy.
To work for the common good of all people and all creation is our calling.
Come, let us worship as the body of Christ.
We come as followers of the Way of Jesus, as those inspired by the Spirit of God,
To worship, sing, and pray.

Prayer of Approach: (Phil Hobbs, Gathering, Pentecost 2 2018, Year B. Used with permission.)

(Based on A Song of Faith)

In worship this morning, Kind, Compassionate, and Present God, we sing of a church with purpose: faith nurtured and hearts comforted, gifts shared for the good of all. We are a community of broken but hopeful believers, yet, Lord Jesus, we would love as you first loved us. We are seeking to be faithful servants of God, here where we live and work. Meet us. Heal us. Empower us. Enable us. Amen.

Hymn: Come In, Come In and Sit Down - Voices United #395 Kim-guitar, Erin-flute

Refrain:

Come in come in and sit down,
you are a part of the family.
We are lost and we are found,
and we are a part of the family.

1 You know the reason why you came,
yet no reason can explain,
so share in the laughter and cry in the pain,
for we are a part of the family. R

2 God is with us in this place,
like a mother's warm embrace.
We're all forgiven by God's grace,
for we are a part of the family. R

3 There's life to be shared
in the bread and the wine,
we are the branches Christ is the vine. This is God's temple, it's not yours or mine, but we are a part of the family. R

4 There's rest for the weary and health
for us all, there's a yoke that is easy,
and a burden that's small.
So come in and worship and answer the call, for we are a part of the family. R

Storytime Rev. Kim Vidal

Good morning!

Here we are on our second Sunday of our stewardship campaign at BCUC and today we are going to talk about how we take care of money.

Have you ever been given a daily or a weekly money allowance by your parents? What do you do with that money entrusted to you? Do you keep them in your wallet and not spend them? Or do you run to the nearest convenience store and buy your favourite snack or candy? Or have you thought of saving a part of it? How do you deal with money given to you?

Let me tell you of a story of a young boy named Pete who was given $2.50 cents as his daily allowance. Pete was so happy receiving this money from his parents that he thought of ways how to use them. He knows that this money was given freely by his parents without asking him to do any chores. It was a gift.

Pete realized that his parents work hard in earning money so that his family will have food on the table, a comfortable house to live in and enjoy the basic necessities in life. He made a promise to use his allowance wisely and not to use it for unnecessary things.

Pete also knows that not all children have the same privilege of receiving an allowance from their parents. One of his friends for example, comes to school with worn-out shoes and Pete made a promise to himself that he would give his friend a new pair of shoes for his birthday.

Every Sunday, Pete enjoys coming to church with his parents and he learned from Sunday School that the work of the church goes far and beyond the church building. One time, there was a fund raising for children with no decent beds to sleep on. Another time, there was a fundraising to help children in Zambia. Pete also learned that the church is helping some families who cannot afford to spend time on a weekend for a free family camping. Pete would like to help the church raise funds for these wonderful projects to help others.

So Pete came with a neat idea of dividing his allowance so that it will be used wisely. Pete found 3 jars and labelled one “spending”, one “saving”, and one “giving”. With his 10 quarters, he put 5 quarters for spending, 3 quarters for saving and 2 quarters for giving. Pete felt so proud of himself that at the end of the week, he spent $8.75 for his favourite snacks, saved $5.25 for his friend’s shoes and gave $3.50 for the church fund-raising!

I wonder how many of us are like Pete? I’m sure many of us are just like him. Well, I know one for sure who volunteered his time and talents to look after our finances at BCUC for so many years. I was told he was our treasurer for 17 long years! Imagine that! Today, we are honouring Mr. Bill Johnson for his exemplary work not only as a treasurer but also as the chair of the Finance Committee. Allow me to offer my sincerest thanks and appreciation to Bill for his commitment, faithfulness and incredible skills in managing the church’s finances for 17 years.

Bill, you have blessed us with your time, talents and treasures. You have served well and we are very grateful for it. We wish you all the best as you enjoy your retirement from your work as our church treasurer with love and prayers from all of us! Thank you, Bill.

Jordan: Hello everyone!

As you know, my name is Jordan Berard and I am the Acting Chair of the BCUC Board.

On behalf of the congregation, I just want to take a moment today to acknowledge and thank and celebrate Bill Johnston for his many, many years of dedicated service, stewardship and leadership as our church’s Treasurer and as the Chair of the Financial Management committee.

As many of you know and can appreciate, Bill has steadfastly guided the finances of this congregation through surpluses and deficits. Through good times and bad times. Through years of plenty and years of pandemic, and for that we are all very grateful.

We are also grateful that Bill always encouraged committees to find exciting ways to finance projects, and to spend money on things that would enrich the building, expand our church community, and enhance our worship services. He did all of this, though, while also preaching responsible spending. As a member of the Board, I can always hear Bill’s voice in my head (even when I’m spending my own money on something…) saying “and where will the money come from”? The reality is that I learned more about responsible financial management from working with Bill than any math course could have taught me.

I know I’m not the only one who feels overwhelmed and anxious when confronted with spreadsheets of numbers and the names of directed funds and bank accounts, and revenue and expenses. As you might be able to tell, I don’t know how to talk about money very well and my math skills are slowly being eclipsed by my oldest son’s. But somehow (and with a lot of patience, for sure), Bill always managed to help me understand the state of the church’s finances and to understand what we could be doing to strengthen those finances. After many years of sitting on the church Board, I can finally look at the financial reports and make some sense of them, though I still panic a little when I see the colour red…

On a personal level, I also want to say that I’ve learned a lot from Bill’s professionalism and leadership. Bill was one of the first people to encourage me to take on my own leadership role at the church. In his quiet and humble way, Bill Johnson has been a role model to many people at BCUC, and for this, Bill, we are all very grateful.

You know, it feels strange to be celebrating someone who has contributed as much to our congregation as Bill has over a video – and without a cake!! – but the pandemic has forced us to make the most with the tools we currently have. I promise you we will get to eat that Thank You cake soon, Bill!

Bill, on behalf of the congregation, on behalf of the BCUC Board, and on my own behalf: Thank you for all that you have done for BCUC. In the words of Winston Churchill, “we make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give." Thank you for all that you have given to the life of our congregation, Bill. We wouldn’t be where we are today without you.

Bob: Bill, it has been a pleasure to work with you for many years on the Finance Committee. Our church finances are quite complex but you always had a good understanding of how it all fits together. As Directed Funds Treasurer I appreciated your thoughtful advice on where a deposit or withdrawal should be directed. Thanks, Bill, for all your guidance as Chair for these many years.

Ellen: It has been my pleasure to have you come to the office for cheque signing over all these years and we often had a little visit then. You came faithfully unless off at a conference in some corner of the world or enjoying a timeshare holiday. You always advise us when you would be away and that was appreciated. Well done good and faithful Finance Chair! Thank you!

Hymn: We Give Our Thanks - More Voices #187

1. We give our thanks to God, (4X)

2. We give our hands to you, (3X)
because you reached for us.

3. We give our eyes to you, (3X)
because you looked for us.

4. We give our feet to you, (3X)
because you walk with us.

5. We give our hearts to you, (3X)
because you first loved us.

Prayer for Illumination Reader: James Eaton

(Beth Johnston, Gathering A/C/E 2021/22 Year C. Used with permission)

Open our hearts to the mystery of your word, Holy God. Open our spirits to its meaning for our lives. Be with us as we listen for and receive your word today. Amen.

The Gospel Reading: Luke 4: 21-30 (NRSV)

21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” 24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Thanks be to God.

Sermon: “From a Celebrity’s Welcome to the Cliff’s Edge” Rev. Lorrie Lowes

“Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.”

I chose this response to today’s reading on purpose because, quite honestly, when I realized this was the Gospel reading for my time to lead worship this month, I eagerly looked to see what else was on the Lectionary for this week. The familiar Corinthian passage about love is there – that seemed much more comfortable and it also seemed like an easy one to tie into our Stewardship theme. I thought I had my mind made up, but something kept drawing me back to this story. I was intrigued by the fact that today’s reading didn’t just follow the one from last week; it didn’t begin where the last left off; it circled back and included that last verse again – “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” – a repetition for emphasis? What is so important about this line that it is being drawn to our attention once more? What is the Spirit saying to us?

Even as I began to formulate my thoughts around that letter to the Corinthians, I felt the Spirit saying to me, “Not so fast, Lorrie Lowes! Read that line again. I have a feeling that you didn’t really get it.”

Now, in our Bible, Jesus doesn’t repeat this line but I have a feeling that he would agree with the Spirit on this one. The people sitting in the synagogue listening to Jesus that morning missed the point of what he was saying. If you remember, when we left them last week they were amazed at his gracious words. Here was one of their own, a small-town boy who was making big waves in the wider world, performing incredible healings and wondrous miracles – and now he had come home. Just imagine how much he will do for them, his people, the ones who nurtured him and watched him grow. He repeated the familiar words of Isaiah,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
        to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
        to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

It was a big task that the Spirit of the Lord gave to Isaiah so long ago – and now here was Jesus, ready to take it on for them – isn’t that what he said?

“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

As Jesus looked out on that admiring crowd, I imagine that he saw the expectation in their faces. They knew he had done great things in Capernaum. He could see that they were waiting with excitement to see what he would do right here in his hometown. And I think he knew that they didn’t get his point. They had great expectations. They saw Jesus, the miracle-worker, but they completely missed Jesus, the prophet.

“No prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown,” he says. I hear him say it with a sigh. A prophetic message is not what these proud people of Jesus’ hometown are looking for. They want to share a little of the glory that surrounds this boy who grew up down the street. They want their share of the healing he is giving to others. They want a feel-good sermon. However, prophets don’t come to make you feel better, their purpose is to make you look at your life in a new way, to make you see the changes necessary to improve the world – changes you need to make. Prophets don’t say, “Sit back and relax, I will make things better.” If anything, prophets tend to make us feel uncomfortable. They push us to see, not just the problems in the world, but our role – our responsibility – to do something new, something transformative. Prophets put the hard issues right back into our own hands.

His home congregation wasn’t just disappointed, they were filled with rage! How dare he come home to criticize! How dare he refuse to offer them the healing mercies he gave to strangers! Why did he have to spoil this feel-good moment?

Think back, says Jesus, to the great prophets you know from the past. Elijah could have kept himself busy with the widows in his homeland, Israel, but he was sent to help an outsider, a widow in Sidon. There were many lepers right at home in Israel, but Elisha cleansed Naaman, an outsider from Syria. God’s vision of a better world isn’t just about helping ourselves; it’s about seeing the places where help is needed and reaching beyond our own small circle into the bigger community. We know that, of course. It is why we work so hard at reaching out through our SOSA projects and why we support Mission and Service. But, there is another similarity in these two stories that Jesus refers to that I believe is important for us to hear. In my Midrash study group this week, we noticed that Elijah didn’t just produce a magic porridge pot for the widow in Sidon; he asked that she first take care of his needs by feeding him. When Naaman showed up at the door of the great prophet Elisha expecting healing, Elisha didn’t even go to the door to see him; he sent a messenger to tell him to wash himself seven times in the Jordan, leaving Naaman furious at the lack of caring and respect. Perhaps Jesus is reminding the congregation isn’t about expecting someone will come along and do what’s needed, it’s about being a full participant in the healing and the work yourself.

Poor Jesus! It’s hard to deliver a hard truth at any time, maybe even especially when the listeners are people you love and care about, people you see as family. To make it even more difficult, Jesus chose to deliver that hard message in a place where people had gathered to refresh their souls, to give praise and gratitude to God and, on this particular sabbath, to welcome a home-grown hero. How dare he?!

I think Jesus was making a public commitment that morning in Nazareth. He read the words of Isaiah and promised out loud that he was taking up the challenge, taking personal responsibility to make life better for the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me” he quotes from Isaiah. But, he wasn’t standing on a pedestal claiming to use some special God-given power to change the world… he was sitting amongst equals, acknowledging the responsibility that comes with receiving our blessings; he was challenging each one of them to do the same.

I wish Luke had told us more about what happened that morning. What else was said, not just by Jesus but by the people who were there to listen. What led them from being “amazed at his gracious words” to being “filled with rage”? After all, I’m sure we’ve all heard sermons that made us feel uncomfortable, but we tend to leave grumbling, perhaps telling each other, “Well that wasn’t what I was expecting to hear today!” We might even say, “Well, I won’t be back again while she’s the one preaching!” We don’t try to throw the minister off a cliff! Well, not so far anyway…

In fairness, Jesus lived that day, but it wasn’t because the crowd calmed down. Luke tells us that he passed through the crowd and went on his way. We also know that this doesn’t mean that Jesus changed his message; in fact, we know that he continued to preach about reaching out to others, even the outsiders, about sharing our blessings, about taking action to make life better for the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed. We aren’t told that he ran screaming into the bush or that his disciples quickly surrounded him and led him to safety … no, Luke tells us that “He passed through the crowd and went on his way. Perhaps that rage wasn’t all about Jesus after all; maybe it was rooted in something happening right there in their community, in their own struggle with what it means to follow the laws of God.

Perhaps you’ve heard the quote from the fictional Irish bartender, Mr. Dooley, a character invented for a column in the Chicago Evening Post back in 1893. He says, “The job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” I’ve heard that phrase used to describe the work of a preacher too. It certainly seems like a philosophy that Jesus was following that day. Actually, it seems like a philosophy that could describe his entire ministry, doesn’t it? Jesus – healer, teacher, companion, brother, guide – all things that comfort us, for certain – but, accepting him as Christians also means we have to know him as prophet. We can’t just accept the gifts without also accepting the responsibility.

Ah! I bet you just realized why I decided to focus on this reading in the context of our Stewardship campaign!

Stewardship is one of the scariest topics to a minister. Rev. Kim told us this week that when she and her colleagues in the “Backstory Preaching” program were asked for the most difficult topic to preach on, the one they tried to avoid, stewardship was by far the most common example, and I am certain any clergy you ask would agree. We all want to be the minister who offers spiritually uplifting sermons and comfort to the community. A preacher who does that is easy to love, after all, and we all want to be loved. It takes real courage to tackle the uncomfortable topics – and talking about money is one of the most uncomfortable of all. It’s risky for a beloved minister to stand up and talk about money and time and making your contribution. And, I think it might be especially risky in a congregation where things are working well. This is an amazing community of faith here at BCUC. We are blessed with a beautiful building, a dedicated staff, wonderful music, and lots of great opportunities for learning and socializing. We have a wonderful group of caring folks that make up a congregation that is large by today’s standards in any church. We take care of each other and we also support a host of outreach activities locally and globally. It feels good just to be here on a Sunday morning… so why do we spend three of those Sundays talking about stewardship when there are so many wonderful things to celebrate?

Well, one reason is that all of these blessings wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the fact that many of the people who fill our pews to be uplifted, comforted, and connected to a faith community, weren’t also aware of the responsibility that comes with those blessings. It’s to remind us that the money we put in the offering plate or pledge on PAR, isn’t just a way to tip the minister for a good sermon on a Sunday morning. It is necessary to keep the building safe, comfortable and available to the community. It is necessary to provide all the extras like choir music and audio-visual equipment and piano tuning that make our services special. It is necessary to provide the learning materials for our Sunday School programs. It is necessary to enable those outreach projects to continue to help others. One of the things we are proud of in this church is that our givings to Mission & Service and to places like the Ottawa West End Community Chaplaincy, the Famsac food bank, Refuge N.O.W., and Multifaith Housing are not dependent on specific targeted donations; they are part of our Operating Budget, an important part of how we are being church in the world – a big part of why we are here at all. So, our budget is big, yes, but it goes beyond our get-togethers on Sunday mornings, it reflects our work as followers of Jesus. So, this campaign asks you to think about all of that when you make your decision of how you will support that work this year. You are not asked to give till it hurts – you are asked to give till it helps.

And, of course, this campaign isn’t simply about money. It is also about sharing your time and your talents. The package of materials that was sent to you last week tells the story of the many committees that bring all of this work we do to life. Even a quick read through those pages will tell you that it takes many hours and many hands to ensure that everything is in place to ensure that we continue to be the amazing presence we have become in the community. Where can your hands help? You have already committed an hour on Sunday morning to gather in worship; is there another hour or two you can offer to make sure the work of the church continues? There are many needs in the community that we haven’t been able to address yet, where might you help us expand our outreach? Take a few minutes to consider the things you are most passionate about; think of the things you most enjoy doing and the things you are good at – and look to see where those gifts can be part of the life of the church.

There’s nothing wrong with coming to church on Sunday to be uplifted and comforted. I hope that is what you find here. I also hope that you find the vision of the kind of world Jesus knew is possible – and I hope you find the courage to leave your comfort zone a bit to help make that vision a reality, even in a small way.

The story of Jesus’ return to his home synagogue that we read last week was lovely, wasn’t it? It would have been so easy to leave it at that. It was a feel-good story of our beloved Jesus. Why did Luke have to mess it up with this part about conflict and anger? Perhaps it was a reminder that blessings – our own and those we give to others – don’t fall magically from the heavens, that they are not created by one hero. They take the efforts of many – human gifts of time and talent and resources. Perhaps it is a reminder that Jesus wasn’t sent to fix the world but to teach us how to do it. Perhaps it is a reminder that setting out to fix the world is a necessary, even blessed, endeavour but that it takes work, and it sometimes comes with risks… A reminder that when we set out on this path Jesus asks us to follow, we will find some steep and rocky climbs along the way and that even when we are pushed to the very edge of the cliff, not to give up but to pass through the crowd and continue on our way…

“Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.” Amen.

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

Divine Spirit,

We are grateful for your presence with us, today and every day, as we discern your call to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free. Help us as we tackle the hard questions. Help as we strive to be good followers of Jesus.

In this time of stewardship and annual reports, of celebrating those whose work and generosity make us grateful and proud, open our hearts and minds to opportunities to be active participants as the life-giving call to be church in this time and place continues.

We pray for this world, for the planet we inhabit and all the diversity of life it sustains. We give thanks for all the gifts it gives us, for the water we drink, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the beauty that fills our senses. In our gratefulness, give us the courage to do the things we know are necessary to heal the earth and to ensure its bounty for future generations.

We pray for the people of the world. We pray for those who suffer from hunger and from trauma, from illness and injury, from violence and the ravages of war. Open our eyes to the suffering we know exists and the suffering we cannot see. In our awareness, give us the clarity to see the places where we need to feed others before thinking of our own wants.

We pray for this faith family, for those among us who are dealing with illness, grief, loneliness and fear. As we find ourselves weary from the worry, the uncertainty, the isolation, and the seeming never-ending changes that this prolonged time of pandemic has brought, give us the motivation to be participants in the work of healing and restoration.

As we move into a new week, a new month, we remember that in each new joy and each new responsibility and each new struggle we face, we are not alone. You are with us in the celebration and in the work. With that assurance in our hearts, we recite together the ancient prayer Jesus gave to his friends,

Invitation to Offer Rev. Kim Vidal

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

(Jeanne Wilson, Gathering A/C/E 2021/22 Year C. Used with permission)

Loving God, when Jesus read from the writings of Isaiah, he found his own job description. It was clearly outlined. He was to bring good news to those downhearted, freedom for those in so many types of prisons, clarity for those who lacked understanding, help for anyone in need. As we offer our own gifts today, may they be used to continue Jesus’ work. Amen.

Sending Forth Rev. Lorrie Lowes

(Bob Root, Gathering, A/C/E 2021/22, Year C. Used with permission)

With the confidence of the presence of God within us and around us,
With the promise of the companionship of Christ on our every journey,
With the enlivening of the Spirit to keep us joyful,
Let us go now to be God’s people in the world. Amen.

Hymn: We are Pilgrims on a Journey - Voices United #595

1. We are pilgrims on a journey
Fellow travellers on the road;
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

2. Sister, let me be your servant,
Let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to
Let you be my servant too.

3. I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
Speak the peace you long to hear.

4. I will weep when you are weeping,
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow,
Til we’ve seen this journey through.

5. When we sing to God in heaven,
We shall find such harmony,
Born of all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony.

6. Brother, let me be your servant,
Let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to
Let you be my servant too.

Departing Music: Family of Faith – MacKenzie BCUC Choir Oct. 4 2015

(over announcements)

Join us for Zoom Fellowship at 11:00 am

Connie Davidson

January 29, 2022

Sunday School

Sunday school activities - January 30, 2022

Connie Davidson

January 29, 2022

Sunday School

Theme Discussion

This is the second week of our Stewardship Campaign at BCUC and the big word I want you to think about is the word “volunteer”. What comes to mind when you think of this word? Have you heard of this word before? I’m sure many of you have.

A volunteer is someone who offers to help or to work without pay. That person simply gives his or her time and talent in doing a task without expecting monetary payment. There are many places that need volunteers. Schools, hospitals, libraries, homes and churches are some examples of those places that need volunteers. Can you name other places that need volunteers?

Have you ever volunteered at all? What did you do? How did you feel about it?

The home is an ideal place to volunteer. Maybe your mom or your dad asked your help at home like taking out the trash or walking your pet dog. You can be a good volunteer by playing with your younger siblings or by cleaning your room. What other ways can you volunteer at home?

Why do you think people volunteer? For one, I think it makes someone feel good. There’s that sense of satisfaction and pride of helping others and making the work done without getting paid. By sharing your time, talents and treasures as a volunteer also strengthens the family, the community and the world.

In our church, we need many volunteers to help the ministers, the music director and the office administrators because they couldn’t possibly do all the work themselves. Someone has to look after the church building. Someone has to help teach in Sunday School. Someone has to look after the finances. Someone has to tend the church garden. Someone has to help at worship service. Someone has to help raise funds. There are many ways in which volunteers are in demand at church. Can you think of other reasons why people volunteer?

But the most important thing to remember is this: Jesus taught us to love one another; to offer care and share what we have. Jesus himself volunteered his time, his talents and his resources in helping those in need. Jesus showed us how to be a good Christian volunteer.

And yes, volunteers make a difference in the world! That is something we need to be thankful for!

Response Activity Ideas

Video inspiration of kids and young adults volunteering in their communities

Little girls giving to people experiencing homelessness:

Girl volunteers at a senior’s centre:

Why communities need volunteers:

Invent a new non-profit organization

(Modified from: https://www.woojr.com/volunteering-for-kids/)

Try using your imagination to solve a problem or meet a need in your school community or anywhere in the world! Maybe you love animals and want to start a shelter, or you want to plant trees in your neigbourhood, or maybe you want to raise money for kids who are in the hospital with serious illnesses. There are many issues in our world that could use caring support!

Invent your own company where the primary goal is helping others or the community, not to make profits (money) for itself – a non-profit organization. Make an information page about it sharing these ideas:

What problem do you want to solve? Or what benefit does it offer to people, animals, or the community?
What will you name your organization?
What would you need volunteers to do for you? (making posters, gathering materials, collecting donations, etc?)
What events would you do to raise money? (bake sale, dance-a-thon, cake raffle, etc?)
How do you feel about this work that you are doing on behalf of others? (include a ‘quote’ from you, the CEO!)

Volunteer Colouring Sheet

Connie Davidson

January 22, 2022

Worship services

Sunday Worship Service - January 23, 2022

Connie Davidson

January 22, 2022

Worship services

BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

3rd SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY / STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY 1

January 23, 2022

Theme: “Celebrate our Many Gifts / Give thanks for our Life as Good Stewards”

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: Beside Thy Cradle - Violin:Leslie Wade recorded Sunday Jan 7th, 2018

Beside thy cradle here I stand
O Thou that ever livest
Accept me, 'tis my mind and heart
My soul, my strength, my ev'ry part
That thou from me requirest.

Gerhardt/Luther, translation - Troutbeck, harmonization - Bach

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 3rd Sunday after Epiphany. Whether you’re at home or elsewhere, we are glad that you have joined us in our worship service 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, Sunday school resources 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 11:00 am. Check your email for the link.

We are again on our annual stewardship campaign until Feb 6th. Here now is Bill McGee for the..

Stewardship Moment Bill McGee, Chair – Stewardship Team

Good Morning. My name is Bill McGee of the Stewardship Committee. You should have received the Stewardship Material for 2022 by now electronically, or any day now by Canada Post. If you have not, please notify the office.

The package is generally the same as last year. In the package is:

A colourful brochure describing the work of the church, with photos of the Church and the new Portico.
There is a message from our acting Board Chair Jordan Berard about the current trends in our church that you will find interesting. And our staff.
There a message about the projects of the Property Management people , which I always find interesting.
There is the budget for 2021 for your reference; the 2022 Budget will be available at the AGM in early March. There is a message from minister Rev Kim Vidal and me and other information.
As well, the package has a two-page pink form describing the many opportunities for volunteering.
There is another page that we would like you to return to the Church; one half to indicate your interests in volunteering, and a half-page for you to indicate your financial commitment to the Church for 2022. Instructions are on the reverse.

If you received the Stewardship information electronically, you will need to provide an envelope to return your intentions to the Church, by mailing, or placing in the letter slot by the kitchen. Please mark STEWARDSHIP on the envelope so that we may keep the information confidential as needed.

As background information I have sent you an email individually detailing your present Time and Talent entries in the church database. This will come from my personal email account.

We hope that you will be able to return the completed forms in two weeks, by 6 Feb, as this will allow planning for the virtual AGM 2022 on Sunday March 6.

There is no Committee Fair this year. Instead, we are sending you, electronically, information about the good work of the Service, Outreach and Social Action committee and the other church committees.

Thank you on behalf of the Stewardship team of Bob Boynton, Barb and Bob Noyes, Ron Prince, whose exemplary work has now been relinquished to Larry Ryan, and Rev Kim Vidal. We also express our thanks and appreciation to our ever-helpful Office Administrators, Ruth Timms and Ellen Boynton.

Centering for Worship

Friends, as we as we reflect on our call to stewardship, remember these words from Thomas Merton: “To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything that we receive…. Every breath we draw is a gift of God’s love; every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from God.” Let us gather in worship.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: Jan & Norm Pound

(Bill Perry, Gathering, ACE 2018-2019, Year C. Used with Permission)

Light is a wonderful gift.
It illuminates the space we are in.
The action of light we describe in a variety of ways:
light that clarifies;
light that warns us of danger;
light that guides our footsteps;
light that calms our fears;
light that offers insights.
As we gather in worship, we light this Christ candle,
A symbol of God’s presence with us.

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

(Catherine Tovell, Gathering, ACE 2018-2019, Year C, Used with permission.)

Come to worship, each and every one of you.
Come as individuals to be spiritually nourished.
Come as families and neighbours,
friends and acquaintances,
each one an important part of the community of faith.
Come to worship with one another,
with strangers and with all God would send among us.
We come as the body of Christ
rejoicing with each other in our joys
and suffering with one another in our sorrow.
Come, let us worship!

Prayer of Approach

(Jeanne Wilson, Gathering, ACE 2021-2022, Year C. Used with permission.)

Creator, Timeless, Loving God,
We gather to worship knowing that you are with us.
During this season of Epiphany,
we journey the path that Jesus travelled between
his birth and the start of his ministry.
We come to learn as he learned, with open hearts and minds.
We come to understand our place in your world
as Jesus learned to understand his place in this world.
Give us the courage to take our place
and to travel the path with Jesus. Amen.

Hymn: I, the Lord of Sea and Sky – Voices United #509 - BCUC Choir, Leslie-violin

1.I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in deepest sin
my hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send? R

Refrain:
Here I am Lord.
Is it I Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

2.I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them, they turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send? R

3.I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them; my hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send? R

Storytime Rev. Lorrie Lowes

This is the first Sunday of our Stewardship Campaign. I have a feeling that when you heard that, you stopped paying attention because you think it is all about money and it doesn’t have anything to do with you… and, I also have a feeling that this happened with some of the adults in the congregation too because talk about money makes people uncomfortable. Well… I’m not going to talk about money and I’m not going to talk just to the adults. I want you to think about stewardship in a different way.

We actually talk about stewardship a lot in church and in school and even just in our everyday life. It’s not a program, it’s a way of living – of living with gratitude and care for the world around us. Stewardship is the way we take care of the things that are important to us. It doesn’t have to be something big and flashy, in fact, the best kind of stewardship happens in the little things you do every day. Every time you sort your trash into recycle or compost or re-usable items, you are being a good steward of the environment. Each time you help someone, or share a smile or a hug, you are being a good steward of relationships. Stewardship is all about taking care of the blessings and gifts that we have in our lives and sharing those blessings and gifts with others. Stewardship is all about making the world a better place.

Know what? I think the children and youth in our congregation are already practicing good stewardship! Every time the CGs or Bell Canto sing, it makes the congregation smile. It makes the church service better; it makes us feel proud of all of you. That’s stewardship – sharing your gift of music. Every time you take part in lighting the candle or reading scripture, every time you bring a donation for the food bank or help set up tables for the Christmas Fair, each time you help hand out bulletins or greet someone as they arrive at church – all of those things are part of being a good steward in the church – and every time you take what you learned in church about kindness and sharing and loving your neighbour out into the world, you are practising stewardship. And the bonus is that every time you do one of these things, you not only make the world a better place, you feel good too!

So, you might think that we really don’t need a stewardship campaign then, since we are all being good stewards anyway – but this campaign is about showing you more opportunities for sharing your gifts. I was looking through the Time and Talents pages that get sent out at this time of year. It’s more than two pages of things people can do to share their gifts in the church, things that help us be the best we can be at being church – things that don’t mean just giving money. So, when I read through it this week, I was looking for ways that kids, youth, and young adults can help…

Here are some things that children can help with – greeting and handing out bulletins, lighting the Christ Candle, reading scripture, taking part in skits or special presentations, singing in the choir, playing an instrument in the band or offering a solo sometimes, taking part in Sacred Dance, sharing your artwork for the hallway, saying prayers or making cards for people who are sick or sad or lonely, sharing some of the work you do in Sunday School online or in the Main Hall…

And there are other opportunities for our older youth and young adults to take part too: serving communion, helping with the nursery or Sunday School classes, and I know there are some youth and young adults out there that could be a big help with some of the technology involved in creating our online presence – making Powerpoint slides or videos, working on social media, helping with our website, or helping with our audio-visual system.

I also know that young voices are welcome - and needed - in some of the work we do as a church. For example, the Service, Outreach, and Social Action committee always needs extra hands to help with the work of taking church out into the world, and certainly wants to hear your ideas for other places we could help in the community. Think of the ways children and youth of BCUC have already taken part in this important work: when you brought a donation for the food bank, or helped with the “Fill the Bus” food drive, when you raised awareness and funds by launching the Sleeping Children Around the World project, or took part in a partnership visit to Nicaragua or El Salvador or Zambia. There is certainly a place for young people on our SOSA committee. Don’t just come and ask if the committee will help you with your project – come and be a part of the committee that makes those decisions!

Other committees would value your ideas and your enthusiasm too. Committees like Family Ministry, or Two Men and a Stove, or the committees that plan and organize the Christmas Fair and Garage Sale. Maybe you’d like to help at the Board level by being a youth representative. We need your voices there for sure.

Maybe you are someone who prefers to work with your hands. Setting up tables and chairs and taking them down again is a job that we often ask young folks to do when there is an event – but maybe you are really good at painting or gardening, or cooking or sewing. The Property committee or the UCW would be more than happy to hear from you!

We are surely a blessed bunch of people here at BCUC! God wants us to enjoy those blessings for sure. The Stewardship Campaign is a time to think about the good things we enjoy in our lives and to find ways to share those blessings with others. It’s a time to consider how we can use our time, our talents, and yes, our money, to take care of things that help us grow, to do the things that make us proud and happy, and to make the world a better place for everyone.

Hymn: Living Christ, Bring Us Love – Voices United #599 CGS/BellCanto/Erin Berard

1 Living Christ, bring us love,
love for every stranger;
Living Christ, bring us love,
love from cross and manger.

2 Living Christ, bring us joy,
joy of earth and heaven;
Living Christ, bring us joy,
joy of sin forgiven.

3 Living Christ, bring us peace,
peace with God and neighbour;
Living Christ, bring us peace,
peace in all our labour.

4 Living Christ, bring us love,
love shared at your table;
Living Christ, bring us love,
love from cross and stable.

5 Living Christ, lead us out,
out to tell the story;
Living Christ, lead us out,
out to show your glory.

Words & Music © Daniel Charles Damon, 1992 Hope Publishing
Song # 76605 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Mary Schmieder

God of Epiphany, open our ears to the call of your voice.
Open our eyes to see the wonders of your love.
Bless us as we hear your holy Word in fresh ways. Amen.

The Gospel Reading: Luke 4: 14-21 (NRSV) The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.

15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth

16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,

17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

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

Anthem: A Tapestry of Love – Chappell (UCW 50th anniversary song in 2010) in honour of UCW, Ruth and turkey pies! Grace Notes – recorded Jan 27, 2019

These are the threads of our common lives
These are the threads soft and strong
Joining together women near and far
In a tapestry of love.

Sermon: “Today, The Word Has Been Fulfilled” Rev. Kim Vidal

Prayer: Loving God, as we ponder on your Word, help us to hear your call to be good stewards, as we follow the teachings and the example of Jesus. Amen.

There are three timelines that inform our existence: past, present and future, also known as yesterday, today and tomorrow. Eleanor Roosevelt in her prime years of writing once said: “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why we call it the present.” “Today” is one of my favourite words. You see, I have embraced the philosophy of living one day at a time. To seize the day. To make the most of it. To embrace each day as if new opportunities come knocking at my door. And that is truly a gift!

However, the word “today” could also be dangerous and risky. It provokes one to act here and now. It calls for an urgent response to a situation. It pushes one to decide at the moment. If someone tells me to pack my bags today and only today for a free trip to somewhere warm and cozy, will I take the bite? Today? Right now? In this situation? I don’t think I’ll go. Not when Omicron is scaring many people all over the world. Not when the hospitals and health care facilities are over capacity and the number of deaths is soaring. Not when I know I’d be alone in my travel and certainly not when I would risk myself to being possibly exposed to the virus. Not today, thanks.

Currently, the world, in general, is not in a good shape, despite the many blessings that we receive day by day. The COVID pandemic is not the only current issue that’s instilling fear and uncertainty in people’s heart and mind, but also, other global issues that need our urgent attention. There is the ongoing violence and wars in many parts of the world; the ongoing challenges of climate change; the devastating aftermath of natural catastrophes and the social and religious issues confronting many societies. Add to that, the never-ending homelessness and poverty and economic recessions. On a personal level, some of us are confronted with breakdowns in relationships and the alarming cases of grief, illness, anxiety, depression, addiction, and despair. Sometimes we easily fall back into yesterday’s wonderful promises or the same-old way of thinking. There are also times when the fear of what tomorrow might bring blur us from appreciating the blessings that we receive today.

Jesus has a message for us today. Let’s travel down the memory lane of yesterday when right after his baptism and his grueling temptations in the wilderness, Jesus has come home to his hometown in Nazareth, the place where he was raised. "Small town" hardly begins to describe Nazareth, since the entire village was perhaps about "two to four hundred people," more than enough to fill up a synagogue on a good Sabbath Day. Like one who is looking forward to a wonderful homecoming, Jesus went to synagogue on the Sabbath and was asked to read the scripture.

So there’s Jesus up in the pulpit. The attendant handed him the scroll of Isaiah. Jesus skimmed through the scroll and found what he wanted to read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of God’s favour.” This is Jesus’ supposed-to-be first sermon and one can only imagine how his family and friends and the whole community might react to him. When he reads Isaiah's words, Jesus places himself inside a tradition that is alive today…that of prophetic ministry and witness. This passage in Isaiah lays the foundation on which communities of justice and peace will be built. The social gospel is born in that moment and millions of people have followed Jesus down the path. When Jesus finished reading, he gave the scroll back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of all in the congregation were fixed on him. Then Jesus gave his one-line sermon: "Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

“Today” is Jesus' first public word - the first word remembered in the synagogue. Today, God’s word is fulfilled. The word “fulfilled” when translated means exactly that, “filled to the full”. It is a word that describes complete accomplishment. This word changes things. Dramatically. Nothing will ever be the same again. Borrowing words from the prophet Isaiah, the Lukan Jesus is setting forth his ministry’s agenda: bring good news to the poor and the downtrodden; to liberate the captives and the slaves; to recover the sight of those who are physically, morally and spiritually blind; to question the oppressive empire and free the oppressed; and to proclaim God's jubilee year-when debts are cancelled and land is returned to its rightful owner.

"Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Debbie Thomas (journeywithjesus.net) interprets this one-line sermon this way: “God’s Word lives, here and now. It is organic, it breathes, it moves in fresh and revolutionary ways. The Word of God is neither dull nor dead. It is alive.” These are earth-shaking, life-changing words. The irony of this story, however, lies in the fact that the very people who need liberation, who need Good News, find Jesus’ words offensive. Jesus reminds them that the time for change, for transformation, for renewal is right now. Right at this very moment! It's no wonder that some people in the synagogue had a hard time listening to what Jesus was saying. His sermon caused a stir among the hearers because to my knowledge, Jesus was saying that what they hoped for did not happen in the past nor is happening in the distant future. Their hope is already in their midst. This word of good news from Isaiah is being fulfilled even as they listen.

Jesus proclaims in his message that today is God's day. God is to be encountered here and now in this real world. God is present in the human mess of intrigues, failure, betrayal, misunderstanding, selfishness and doubts. God is also present in moments of blessings and celebration. God is in the present moment whether it is a moment of joy or of pain. Whether we notice it or not, God is in every event and happenings in our lives. That is what makes this one-liner sermon of Jesus so powerful.

Sometimes the hardest lessons to learn are the things we think we already know, and the hometown crowd didn’t appreciate the one-line sermon Jesus offered. Did his sermon scare the folks in Nazareth? Did they afflict them of bringing good news to the poor, the oppressed, the captive, the blind and those who need God’s year of jubilee? Truly, Jesus’ sermon is an invitation to change and transformation. It disturbs the status quo. It challenges the existing culture and tradition; it changes neighborhoods, workplaces, the most cherished institutions, and how an individual or a community will make decisions. Surely, it is difficult to hear an inconvenient truth without getting defensive and angry.

But if the words from the prophet Isaiah were the clarion call for Jesus, a summary of his mission statement, his plan of action, as Jesus’ followers, we need to follow Jesus’ leading. What is the good news for us today? Is there good news for those who are affected by this ongoing pandemic? Is there good news for the homeless, the poor, the unemployed? Is there good news for the world where people are struggling to make ends meet? Is there any good news for the most vulnerable in our society? The children, the women, the elderly, the homeless? Is there good news for the displaced, the uprooted, the marginalized? Is there good news for the world today? Diana Butler Bass challenges me in her sermon:[1] “Today is a deeply dangerous spiritual reality – because today insists that we lay aside both our memories and our dreams to embrace fully the moment of now. The past romanticizes the work of our ancestors; the future scans the horizons of our descendants and depends upon them to fix everything. But today places us in the midst of the sacred drama, reminding us that we are actors and agents in God’s desire for the world.”

Friends, we are God’s actors and agents in transforming the world! Starting today and in the next two weeks, our faith community at BCUC, is embarking on an annual stewardship campaign. Are we ready to pledge our time, talents and treasures? Are we prepared to be co-creators and stewards of God? We do not know what the outcome of this campaign would be. We looked at the past years’ results and we cannot help but compare that those pre-pandemic years gave us better results. We do not know where this campaign will lead us, but I truly believe that today and each day, God makes all things possible! I truly believe that the ministry of this congregation, our vision and mission statements, promise a new way of being in the community. The time to take Jesus’ challenge seriously is here and now. The time to commit to action is today. Let us not dwell what happened yesterday. Let us not simply wait for tomorrow to come. Let us do what we should need to do in the name of love and justice TODAY. Hand in hand together, God will be with us. Let me close with these words by an unknown author:

There are two days in every week
about which we should not worry,
Two days which should be kept free of fear and apprehension.

One of these days is YESTERDAY,
With its mistakes and cares,
Its faults and blunders,
Its aches and pains.
YESTERDAY has passed forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back YESTERDAY.
We cannot undo a single act we performed;
We cannot erase a single word we said.
YESTERDAY is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is TOMORROW
With its possible adversities, its burdens, its larger promise.
TOMORROW is also beyond our immediate control.

TOMORROW, the sun will rise,
Either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds,
But it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in TOMORROW
For it is as yet unborn.

This leaves only one day – TODAY.
Anyone can fight the battles of just one day.
It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two eternities
– YESTERDAY and TOMORROW –That we sometimes break down.

It is not the experience of TODAY that drives people mad.
It is remorse or bitterness for something which happened YESTERDAY
And the dread of what TOMORROW may bring.

Let us, therefore, live but ONE day at a time.

Today, God’s word has been fulfilled in our hearing!
For this good news, let us give thanks. Amen.

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

Holy One, source of love and compassion, you call us today as your followers. You call us to be good stewards entrusted with gifts of your abundance so we can share these gifts with others. You have given us the ability to make incredible things happen. Remind us again to listen to your call, to experience your holy presence in our lives. Help us to see You in the moment-by-moment possibilities - to live honestly, to act courageously, and to speak from the wisdom of our hearts.

God of healing and comfort, you have called us to give a word of encouragement to those overcome with illness and grief and to those who face diverse trials in life. Through us, touch them with your healing love. Through our prayers, embrace them in your gentle love. We continue to pray for our essential and health workers, for our leaders, as they continue to work hard in this pandemic time. We also pray for those families and individuals affected by COVID and other health issues. We pray for those grieving the death of loved ones here and elsewhere.

Compassionate God, we pray that you might speak to the hearts of your people in many places. We continue to pray for the world… May your light shine for those who are full of fear; for those who experience conflict, prejudice, hatred, persecution, and poverty. Through the warmth of your light may they sense justice, feel your love, and know peace.

May we follow Jesus as our leader. Speak to us, Spirit of Grace: of that hope which is our anchor; of that peace which is our rock; of that grace which is our refuge. Remind us to touch the lives of others by offering a kind word, a helping hand, a listening heart and a welcoming touch today and always. All these we ask in Jesus’ name who calls us from where we are and taught us this prayer we now recite together in the language of your choice…

Invitation to Offer Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Jesus calls us from the margins into a great feast; he calls us out of a crowd, to healing;

he calls us from our old self to new life. Each day, we are called to minister to others in warm hospitality, healing mercies, and the promise of new beginnings. We respond to these calls through our giving 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 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

Generous God, 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 Vidal

(Beth W Johnston, Gathering, ACE 2018-2019, Year C. Used with permission)

Today, let us go from this place of worship
to lives of prayer and action.
May we be ready to proclaim the Good News,
despite the obstacles in our way.
May our lives set free those who are captive
and grant vision to those with failing imaginations.
May we stand firm and have courage
as we live the Good News into reality
Today, tomorrow and always. Amen.

Hymn: Who is My Mother? More Voices #178 Kim - guitar, Erin – flute, Abe

1 Who is my mother, who is my brother?
All those who gather round Jesus Christ:
Spirit blown people born from the Gospel
sit at the table, round Jesus Christ.

2 Differently abled, differently labelled,
widen the circle round Jesus Christ:
crutches and stigmas, culture’s enigmas,
all come together round Jesus Christ.

3 Love will relate us, colour or status
can’t segregate us round Jesus Christ:
family failings, human derailings
all are accepted round Jesus Christ.

4 Bound by one vision, met for one mission
we claim each other, round Jesus Christ:
here is my mother, here is my brother,
kindred in Spirit, through Jesus Christ.

Departing Music: What a Friend We Have in Jesus – Converse arr. Hyzer Abe:piano

(over announcements)

Join us for Zoom Fellowship at 11:00 am

[1] Diana Butler-Bass sermon on January 24, 2016, “the Power of Today.

Connie Davidson

January 22, 2022

Sunday School

Sunday school activities - January 23, 2022

Connie Davidson

January 22, 2022

Sunday School

Theme Discussion

In our church service today, we began our annual Stewardship Campaign. This is a time when we find ways to thank God for all the blessings in our lives by giving back a portion of those blessings to God by being a blessing to others.

When you look around the congregation at BCUC, it’s pretty obvious that we have a lot of blessings! Everyone has a place to live, food to eat, and proper clothes for the weather. The children are all able to go to school and it is safe to play in our neighbourhoods. We know that this is not all the same for many people in the world. It’s not even the same for many people right here in Ottawa. So, as a faith community, we are asked to share some of the wonderful things we have to make others’ lives better.

God wants us to enjoy the blessings we have. We aren’t asked to give everything away, just to share a bit with others. Sometimes that thing we share is money, sometimes it’s time, and other times it might be our skills or talents. Taking care of the world and the people around us is part of loving creation and of loving our neighbour. To offer this kind of care takes all three things – time, talents, and treasures. During our Stewardship campaign we look at the blessings or gifts we have been given and we think about ways we can use those things to make the world a better place.

Have you ever thought about how you can make the world better by sharing your time? You might do this by helping with some chores around the house to save Mom and Dad some time for themselves… or by entertaining your little brother or sister by playing a game with them or reading a story. What are some ways you can use your time this week to help others?

What about sharing your talents? Think about the things you are good at. If you are good at drawing, you might make a card for someone who needs cheering up; if music is your talent, maybe you could sing in a choir or play your instrument for someone; if you are great at organizing, maybe you can help sort the laundry or tidy a cupboard… Think about the talents you have. How can you use them to make the world a little better?

Of course, the other thing we can share is our treasures. This might mean sharing some of your things or it can mean sharing your money. You might get an allowance, maybe you get paid for doing a job for someone, or maybe your grandparents send you money for your birthday. Remember, God doesn’t expect you to give it all away (and your grandparents want you to enjoy the gift too)! But what if you just put aside a little bit of the money you receive to donate to the church or to a special cause? What treasures do you have that you can share? Where can you share them that will make the world a little better for someone?

Sharing is caring – and that’s good stewardship!

Response Activity Ideas

My Helping Hand

Trace your hand on a piece of white paper and cut it out. On each finger, write a helpful way you could use your hands in stewardship. Colour and draw designs or images representing the ideas on each finger. “Helping Hands” or something similar could be written in the palm. Fill the rest of the hand in with images and words that represent your gifts and talents, and other ways you can contribute to God’s world.

Church of Many Talents

Make an envelope church and fill it with helpful craft stick people.

Materials: paper, envelope, craft sticks, colouring tools (optional: googly eyes, fabric pieces)

Use markers to colour five (or more!) sticks to look like people, adding googly eyes, and/or fabric ‘clothing’ if desired. On the back, label each stick with a strength, talent or gift of people who help do the work of our church (speaking, singing, baking, teaching, tech. support, cleaning, organizing, website designing, praying, etc.) Be sure to include a person representing YOU, labelled with your gifts to share!

Glue an envelope onto a piece of paper with the triangular flap pasted upward, and the pocket still accessible. This is the “church”. Add a cross at the peak of the church roof and decorate. Insert the craft stick people and write a caption, such as, “It takes many talents to make a church.” Tuck your people into the church!

BCUC Time and Talents

Check out this year’s Time and Talent form (PDF). In this week’s Storytime part of the service, Rev. Lorrie made some suggestions of things on this list that would be perfect for people your age to get involved with! Have a look on the list and see if there is something there that you could do to contribute. Maybe you have another idea no one has thought of yet?! Write down what you want to do or circle the ideas on the form. Encourage your family to return the form indicating your interest in participating. Next – make a plan to follow through with your great ideas!

Connie Davidson

January 15, 2022

Worship services

Sunday Worship Service - January 16, 2022

Connie Davidson

January 15, 2022

Worship services

BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

Second Sunday after Epiphany

January 16, 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: Rise Up Early in the Morning – John Ray & Susan Naylor Callaway

Sung by BCUC choir – Sunday Jan 24th 2016

Welcome & Announcements Rev. Kim Vidal

Good day everyone! On behalf of BCUC, I welcome and greet you on this 2nd Sunday after Epiphany. Today, we join Jesus in the gospel of John as he attends a wedding party at Cana, recalling the symbolic story of how Jesus turns water into wine. 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 by telephone. Check bcuc.org for the link, Sunday school resources and other announcements.

And for those of you who are able to join us, there will be zoom fellowship every Sunday at 11:00 am. Check your email for the link.

Friends, let us take this moment to reflect what running out of the symbolic turning of water into wine means for us in this season of Epiphany.

Come, let us worship God in spirit and in truth.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: Ellen & Bob Boynton

We are called together in a spirit of gladness,
for the presence of God within and among us
lifts the shadows of gloom and offers us hope.
The light of Christ shines on!

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Come, feast in the abundance of God’s house!
Here, God invites us to drink from a fountain of life!
Here, we encounter the wedding feast in Cana,
when Jesus turns water into wine.
Here, God empowers us to find and share our own best gifts,
transforming our lives into newness.
Come, let us worship God who celebrates life with us!

Prayer of Approach

(Richard Einerson, and posted at http://www.richardeinerson.com/)

Empower us as we worship here and then enable us to impact the world for Jesus. Change the stagnant water of our lives to wine and touch us as you touched those people in Cana. Give us the vision to shape a new world where self-interest is tempered and corrected by love and compassion and a hunger for justice. Give to us the gift of being filled with new wine and new vision. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Hymn: Many Are the Lightbeams -Voices United #588 CGS/Bell Canto Erin:flute May 2021

2. Many are the branches of the one tree.
Our one tree is Jesus.
Many are the branches of the one tree;
We are one in Christ.

3. Many are the gifts given, love is all one.
Love’s the gift of Jesus.
Many are the gifts given, love is all one;
We are one in Christ.

4. Many ways to serve God, the Spirit is one,
Servant spirit of Jesus.
Many ways to serve God, the Spirit is one;
We are one in Christ.

5. Many are the members, the body is one,
Members all of Jesus.
Many are the members, the body is one;
We are one in Christ.

Words: Cyprian of Carthage, 252, Swedish para., Anders Frostenson, 1972. English trans. © David Lewis, 1983; Music © Olle Widestrand, 1974, arr. by Leonard Lythgoe , 1995.
Song # 01706 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved

Storytime Rev. Lorrie Lowes

I miss parties! Do you? So many celebrations have had to be cancelled because of this pandemic -birthday parties, graduation parties, Hallowe’en parties, Christmas parties… I know that people have found ways to celebrate anyway, but it’s just not the same somehow. Nothing beats getting a whole lot of happy people together to share the fun – and the food! Parties are an important part of our culture – and I miss them.

In our Bible story today, Jesus, his mother, and his disciples are at a party. It’s a celebration of a wedding. In Jesus’ time, a wedding reception was a huge celebration. It didn’t last just a few hours; it went on for several days! It was one of the biggest reasons to celebrate and a very important part of the culture. Just imagine it! It would take a lot of planning – and a lot of food and drink! Well, at this particular wedding, something went wrong. They ran out of wine! Now, this might not seem like a big world problem but it would have been terrible for the hosts of the party.! They would be very embarrassed. It would have ruined the party.

I wonder what might be like that for us today… maybe if you had a birthday party and there wasn’t enough cake for everybody… or maybe there weren’t enough loot bags… That might kind of ruin the party feeling. It might not be life-changing in the long run – but it would have been a catastrophe at that moment in time.

Running out of wine that day was such a catastrophe that Jesus’ mother tells him, “You’ve got to do something to fix this!” At first, he says, “Not my problem, Mom. Why should I worry about this? This isn’t the time for me to do something.”

But Mary doesn’t believe that her son won’t do something to help. She has confidence in him and she is sure that he will step up. She tells the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. And Jesus does come to the rescue after all. He tells the servants to fill some jugs with water, and when they do, it has turned into wine. The party is saved!

It sounds a bit like a magic trick, doesn’t it? But, I think there is something more that we are supposed to learn from this story – something more than seeing Jesus as a magician.

Just like us, living through a pandemic, I think the people of Jesus’ time were tired. They were poor, they were being governed by a cruel emperor. Their spirits were low – and, even something as happy as a wedding was about to be ruined. The party would end with everyone feeling even worse than before.

We are tired. We want this Covid virus to disappear. We want to be able to hug our friends and go to school or church. We want to have a real party. We want someone like Jesus to do the magic or perform a miracle to make the world safe and happy again.

In this story, Jesus didn’t fix the world. He didn’t make the people rich. He didn’t fight the emperor. He took something as ordinary as water and used it to lift the people’s spirits – to make them happy, and less worried. He didn’t fix the world that day, he helped make this group of people happy and comfortable for a little while longer.

Mary told the servants to do what Jesus told them to do. I think that’s an important line for us to remember about this story. When the servants did what Jesus said, the wedding celebration was saved.

What if we do what Jesus told us to do? What if we showed love to our neighbour and shared our gifts and took care of our own little part of the world? Do you think it could make that small part of the world a little happier? What if everybody did some small thing to make the people around them happier?

This was Jesus’ first miracle – something small and just important to the people at that wedding. As he goes on in his ministry, he heals the sick and feeds the thousands. He takes care of the people he meets, even when they aren’t his friends or family. This little miracle of turning ordinary water into wine was just the beginning of what can happen once we start trying to make a difference for the people right in front of us, in the place where we are right now.

What little miracle can you do today to make your small part of the world a better place? I wonder what miracles you will go on to do in your life…

Let’s finish with a prayer:

God of miracles,

Thank you for all the little miracles that happen around us every day, and for the people who make them happen – front-line workers, delivery people, friends who call or send us letters, teachers who keep us connected to our friends and our learning, families who love us and keep us safe in these strange times.

Help us see that even things that seem ordinary can make a huge difference for the people around us. Help us see that we can be miracle workers in our own small way.

Amen.

Hymn: You Are Holy - More Voices #45 TeGrotenhuis family Jan 2021

1.You are holy… you show us the way. (4X)

Refrain:
You show us, you show us, you show us the way. (4X)

2.You are freedom…

3.You are justice…

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Dan Lanoue

God of abundant joy and overflowing grace, open us to your Word.
Open us to trust in your spirit’s presence and to follow Jesus’ leading to amazing renewal. Amen.

The Gospel Reading: John 2: 1-11 (NRSV) The Wedding at Cana

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”

4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.

8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it.

9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom

10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

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

Music Interlude: Trumpet Tune – Purcell organ: Abe - May 2021

Sermon: “When the Wine Runs Out” Rev. Kim Vidal

Prayer: God of abundant joy and overflowing love, open our hearts to reflect on your words and empower us to follow Jesus’ leading. Amen

Wedding mishaps! They happen from time to time! Here are some wedding mishaps that I have experienced in my years of ministry!

The bride was late for almost 30 minutes, during which time, the groom got nauseous and turned pale. The reason for the delay, the bride’s car had a flat tire coming to church.
The groom and best man got to the church on time, but they forgot to bring the ring.
A wedding ceremony was performed outdoors – under a canopy tent in the middle of a farm. As the bride and groom were exchanging their vows, the sky turned dark and heavy rains came pouring down and got us all wet. We have to run to the groom’s house with mud all over our shoes and clothes!

In today’s Gospel story, we meet Jesus and his mother, whom John did not name, but we all know it was Mary, at a wedding party in Cana and a mishap took place. In those days, weddings are celebrated through a 7-day feast at the groom’s house. Imagine that! John did not tell us who the host was or the two people getting married. We do not have a clue – but one can assume that it might be a "family affair" or a wedding in the village where Mary, Jesus and his disciples were invited. Mary is the one who notices that the wine has run out and tells Jesus to do something about it. You can almost feel the frustration and panic in her voice: “They have no wine!” Mary knew that the party is heading towards disaster because the wine is almost gone before the party is over. In those days, they regarded running out of wine as a social failure. It was shameful to run out of wine, especially at a wedding; and it could cause family pain and humiliation in the community - a crisis for the host family who is responsible for hospitality. Even the best laid planned and most favourable of human situations can sometimes turn sideways. I hear fear and panic in Mary's voice. “They have no wine!” With those words, Mary speaks a truth about our human condition that at some point we all experience. There comes a time in our lives when the wine runs out. When emptiness and barrenness kick in. The joyful party is over and our life is back to square one with no vitality whatsoever. Nothing seems to be sparkling within us and our world becomes bland and mundane. Like Mary, sometimes we hear concerns too, that we carry deep within ourselves familiar to many of us: “We are in a shortfall. We don’t have enough. Not safe enough. Not patient enough. Not loving enough. Not good enough.” But Jesus responds, as he always does, with a positive, radical abundance.

Jesus has an odd response to Mary: “Woman, what is your business in putting your nose into this? My time has not yet come”. For some of us listening to Jesus’ way of addressing Mary as Woman might sound disrespectful. When we call our mothers, we use endearing words like Mom, Mommy, Mamang, Eomma or Mama. Sometimes when we are annoyed at our mothers, we sometimes call them “Mother” or worse, their first and last name. Was Jesus really disrespectful or was it a translation issue? Most NT scholars agree that the word for woman used in this context in the original Greek is in the vocative case. Woman in the first century world is used as a title of respect or endearment, which is similar to “Madam” or “Lady,” than the word “woman” as we presently use it.

I interpret Jesus’ response to Mary like this: “Lady Mary, my call to show some signs has not yet began– please let me enjoy this party first. Don’t spoil the fun! It is neither my business nor yours to meddle in the host’s affair.” Jesus’ response also reminds us that Jesus is more than the son of Mary - that Jesus had a ministry entrusted to him by God to attend to and it will come in God’s perfect time. But Mary did not back down – she completely ignored Jesus’ response. It was not recorded in John but I can fully hear Mary’s voice of authority as she addressed the servants: “Do whatever he tells you! Pronto!” If I was to write a script of this conversation, I could picture Jesus as being left standing where he was, scratching his head but with a smile on his face for he knows how feisty his mother could be. And feisty mothers must never be crossed or else you’ll suffer the consequence of your actions. :)

Jesus concedes to Mary’s demand, according to John, and performed his first known miracle by turning six jars of water that are used for the ritual of purification into the finest of fine wines - better than the choice wine they had served before. Water for purification at the wedding celebration or any Jewish gathering was both a practical and a symbolic reminder of the purity system that is very much part of the Jewish tradition. The best wine is now served to keep the party last for seven days or more. The servants were amazed, the chief steward was dumbfounded and his disciples gave two-thumbs up for their leader.

For modern hearers and readers like us, we find this gospel story, this miracle, a mysterious one. Why? Because most of us still interpret this story in its literal sense. That Jesus with his magic wand literally turned the water into wine. I even read a joke on facebook when someone posted: “Hey, I’m having a party this weekend, can you tell me how Jesus turned water into wine? I need at least 60 bottles of wine!” What if we move away from its literal interpretation to something symbolic, allegorical or metaphorical? What if the gospel writer John saw something about Jesus that would make the party celebratory and life-giving? To make the party going? That the party itself is about life and the human condition? That sometimes our wine of hope, of peace, of justice or of joy depletes from time to time causing us to fear the unknown and leaving us with a sense of emptiness, isolation or breakdown? What if John had every intention of portraying Jesus as God’s sign of abundance for all and uses this story to symbolize John’s intent? What if John is calling us to focus on Jesus himself as the bringer of abundance and not on the miracle that is being laid out in the story?

Interpreting the story this way gives us a lot of possibilities. It could mean that Jesus turning the water of purification into the finest wine signifies the defeat of the old religious system, of the old self, of the old world of oppression, of exclusion, of poverty, of hopelessness, of emptiness, of injustice, of lack. Now, instead of jars of water, symbolic of an oppressive, unwelcoming system, the jars of water become the jars of new wine. The good wine represents the in-breaking of God’s abundance - of a new order, of a new way of living together in community, a new way in revealing God’s grace and love to places and people in need of healing, inclusion and a hearty welcome. John to my knowledge is presenting Jesus as our new wine. This wine is an epiphany, the revelation of God's presence in the person of Jesus. The wedding guests tasted the difference; through Jesus, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. The wedding feast is symbolic of life in community. Scarcity and lack and the old order failed and the gift of abundance and inclusion paved its way to a joyous feast. How is that for a happy ending of the story?

In the next three consecutive Sundays starting Jan 23rd, we are again launching our annual stewardship campaign. Within the financial target lie our commitment to faithfully serve the community, to achieve our vision for the church of Jesus Christ in this time and place, and our desire to be present in the world as God’s agents of love and transformation. It sounds like a lot, and it is; but our financial giving is only but one reflection of our hopes and beliefs in the creation of the community of the faithful. We are also encouraged to pledge our time, our talents, our presence and our resources to our vision of hope. No amount given is too outrageous, for surely our vision for a better community is made possible by our faith in God who lavishly gives and blesses us in return.

Dear friends, the Wedding at Cana holds before us some serious questions and wonderings. Where has the wine of our life run out? What relationships have run dry? What parts of us remain empty and hopeless? The Wedding at Cana embodies the nature of God’s radical abundance through whom all things are possible. The power of this story is God’s power of love in action through Jesus Christ. The abundance of the flowing, fine wine is the fullness of wisdom and grace which Jesus offers to all of us. The ordinary becomes extraordinary; the water becomes the wine of healing; this wine binds people together in new and exciting ways. It is about the birth of a new community. Biblical scholar Paul Meyer says it beautifully, "The Cana story is not primarily about a humble Galilean village wedding, but about the Bringer of divine gifts, Jesus Christ himself.” (Gaventa, 1995).

Let this be the story of our congregation in 2022. And then our questions will change--from the concern of "will we have enough wine to sustain us?" to a new radical one: "How shall we live this new wine offered by Jesus? how shall we live a life of radical abundance, where there is more than enough wine of welcome and grace for all to partake? Friends, please be reminded that the miracle of transformation always begins when the wine runs out.

Let me close with a prayer written by Bruce Sanguin, in his book, If Darwin Prayed:

“… And from Jesus’ heart there flows an unexpected abundance. It spills over into our own, and by the grace of Spirit, through our own extravagant offerings of love, we become living hints in a hurting world that at this wedding of hope and possibility, the dancing has just begun.” Thanks be to God. Amen.

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

(Written by Ted Dodd for DUCC and DOTAC)

Incarnate One,
the wine has given out,
and the jars are empty.
We live in a time of
persistent pivoting and stretched health care,
amassing troops and blockaded aid,
environmental gloom and heavy rains,
“Me Too” and murder trials.
Please, dear Jesus, do not say to us
that your hour has not come,
that all of this is of no concern to you.
We do not need divine reluctance.
The world and your people are
weary and worn-out,
tired and tempted,
sad and sorrowful.
We do not presume that you are
a Galilean magician,
a miracle ATM,
or an ancient present-bearing Santa,
but please, dear Jesus,
fill us to the brim,
turn water into wine.
We need
to remember the extravagant abundance of creation,
to celebrate the outstanding blessing of life,
to rejoice with gratitude for the gifts you offer us.
We hope that your astonishing divine generosity will turn,
war into peace,
inequality into respect,
cruelty into compassion,
despair into justice.
Give us a sign.
Reveal your glory.
Help us to keep the party going.
Let’s have the feast be joy.
May the banquet be welcome and hospitality.

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

There are many signs we claim for our faith but ultimately it is our active love that reveals who we are, just like Jesus who revealed his abundant love for us in the Wedding at Cana. 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, for the talents and gifts abundantly 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 Vidal

(Beth Johnson, Gathering, ACE 2021-2022, Year C. Used with permission.)

Just as Jesus’ presence at the wedding banquet changed water into wine,
so too, Jesus’ presence in our lives can change something ordinary
into something joy-filled and celebratory.
Let us go forth in faith-filled, joyous celebration. Amen.

Hymn: Will You Come and Follow Me? – Voices United #567 TeGrotenhuis family

1.Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

2.Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

3.Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?

4.Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

5.Christ, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

Departing Music: (Over Announcements)

Entrance of the Queen of Sheba – Handel (full version) organ/piano/strings:Abe - May 2021

Join us for Zoom Fellowship at 11:00 am

Connie Davidson

January 15, 2022

Sunday School

Sunday school activities - January 16, 2022

Connie Davidson

January 15, 2022

Sunday School

This week’s Bible Story is about the wedding at Cana. You can watch it here:

At this wedding, Jesus turned water into wine. This seems like a strange thing for Jesus to do, doesn’t it? He didn’t heal a sick person or make a blind man see. He didn’t feed thousands of people with just a few loaves and fishes. He just made sure that a party could continue and that no one would be embarrassed or upset.

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a very important thing at all. In fact, when his mother asks him to do something about the fact that the wine had run out, he tells her that he really doesn’t see it as his problem. No big deal.

But it was a big deal to the people he was with right at that moment. It was a huge problem for the people who were hosting the party. They would have been very embarrassed and it might have ruined their reputation. It would have ended the celebration and that might seem that they really weren’t happy about the marriage.

So, Jesus takes this opportunity to make a difference to the people right there in front of him. He didn’t save the world from all its problems, but he did make life happier for those people on that particular day. It was a small miracle, but one that was important at that moment.

Do you sometimes wish you had the power to change the world? What would you want to do to make it a better place? Maybe you’d like to stop all wars, or make sure everyone has clean water to drink. What other ideas do you have?

Maybe, we can’t do something big like that, but maybe we can be like Jesus in this story and do something we can, something that will make our own small world a better place right now. I remember things that happened at the beginning of the pandemic, when children drew rainbows and put them in their windows, or when everyone went outside and clapped when nurses and doctors were heading home after a hard day taking care of people – small things that made a huge difference to people who were anxious and tired.

What are some things that you can do to make the world around you better today?

For you family
For your classmates
For your pets
…

Response Activity Ideas

Spot the Difference

Visit this link https://cartoonchurch.com/content/cc/the-wedding-at-cana-spot-the-difference/ to view and print a Spot-the-difference challenge of the Wedding at Cana. Colour one of the images and retell the story once you’ve found all 20 differences!

Random Acts of Kindness Bingo

(From kindness.org)

How many kind acts can you do? Fill up your bingo board by doing as many kind acts as possible. Once you’ve done a kind act, put a checkmark or X over it. Compete against family members, friends, or challenge yourself!

Spread Kindness Poster

Find a quote about spreading kindness and make an illustrated poster of the phrase to post up in your home, neighbourhood, or to share on social media.

Here are some ideas:

“To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” - Dr. Seuss
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” - Dalai Lama
“Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.” - Jesse Jackson
“If you see someone without a smile, give them yours.” - Dolly Parton

Connie Davidson

January 8, 2022

Worship services

Sunday Worship Services - January 9, 2022

Connie Davidson

January 8, 2022

Worship services

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

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.

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.

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.

Connie Davidson

January 8, 2022

Sunday School

Sunday school activities - January 9, 2022

Connie Davidson

January 8, 2022

Sunday School

Baptism of Jesus

Do you remember your baptism? Most of you were probably baptized as babies and so you likely wouldn’t remember - but most of you have seen baptisms here in our church. What did you notice about the baptism? What happened? What did people say?

In our Bible story today, John holds people under the water in the river for a moment. We don’t do that in our church but we do use water. The minister sprinkles water on the baby’s head. We use warm water here for babies. Why do you think that is? What do you think would happen if the water was really cold?

Water is an important symbol in the church. It is a symbol of washing clean and starting fresh. It is also a symbol for life, because nothing can live without water.

Sometimes when people feel sleepy, they splash their faces with cold water to wake up. Have you ever done that? Or have you ever jumped into really cold water on a hot day? Does that wake you up? That’s kind of what John the Baptist was doing when he dunked the people in the cold river. He was telling them to wake up and pay attention because Jesus was coming.

Think of some of the ways we use water every day… drinking, cleaning, making plants grow, relaxing in a warm bath… Can you think of some others?

In our country, where water is plentiful, we sometimes take it for granted. In the next few days, take notice of the times you use water. How would your life be different without water?

Look again at each thing on your list. Can you think of a way that each use of water might be a symbol for living in the way God wants us to?

Sometimes we take our church family for granted too. How would your life be different without church?

Response Activity Ideas

Remembering Your Baptism

Ask your family to tell you about your baptism. Maybe they can find pictures taken from that day, or show you the certificate or other mementos you received. Who was there to watch or participate in your baptism? How did you react to getting wet? How was your baptism different and similar to Jesus’ baptism?

If you haven’t been baptized, you could talk about that decision with your family.

Use a doll or action figure and a small pitcher to do pretend play baptism in a sink or basin of water!

Water Pictionary or Charades

There are a LOT of stories in the Bible where water is important. How many can you think of?

Did you get these ones?

Noah’s Ark (Genesis 6-9), Moses and the Red Sea (Exodus 14), Jonah and the Big Fish (Jonah), Jesus Walks on Water (Mark 6:45-56), Woman at the Well (John 4)…

If you have one, flip through an illustrated children’s bible and see if you can find more.

Now make a game out of it! Set a timer for 90 seconds, then take turns with people in your family either drawing one of the stories or acting out a story (no talking!) and see if they can guess which biblical water story you were thinking of!

Torn Paper Collage

Make a paper collage to represent Jesus’ baptism.

Materials: Jesus, John, Dove clip art; green, grey, assorted blue, and light blue paper, markers/pencil crayons

Print out the Jesus, John, and dove templates, then colour and cut them out. Use a piece of light blue paper as the background (sky). Rip some cloud shapes from white/grey paper and glue them near the top.

About a third of the way down, begin adding layers of green paper torn to look like hills. In the bottom third, change to layers of blues to make wavy water, tucking John and Jesus into the middle. Continue to the bottom of the page, using the straight edge of blue water paper along the bottom edge of the background page. Glue dove and write “You are my beloved” near the top.

Connie Davidson

January 1, 2022

Worship services

Sunday Worship Service - January 2, 2022

Connie Davidson

January 1, 2022

Worship services

BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

EPIPHANY SUNDAY

January 2, 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: In the Christmas Spirit (Hurry to Bethlehem) : spiritual tunes arr. Schram

Grace Notes – 2018 Christmas concert

Welcome & Centering for Worship Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Good morning and Happy New Year! Welcome to this first Sunday of 2022! From wherever you are, I hope you know that we are glad that you have joined us today.

Given the recent spike in Covid 19 cases, we have put a pause on in-person worship in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings until further notice, but will continue to offer worship through YouTube and telephone as we have for the past year and more. Let’s work together to keep each other safe and, hopefully, to stop the spread of this virus that has disrupted our lives for so long. As a faith community called to love and serve others, we highly recommend getting vaccinated as one of the best precautionary measures to protect yourself and others. As well, let’s continue to be mindful of the health protocols such as masking, social distancing, hand sanitizing and staying home if you feel unwell.

During this time of pandemic, the work of the church carries on. 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.

And now, let us centre ourselves for worship…

Lighting the Christ Candle Acolytes: Chris and Kaylee Brown

(Written by Richard Bott. Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2017-2018, page 40. Used with permission)

Like a star in the midst of the beautiful dark sky,
Like a bright window on the rainiest of days.
Like a beacon…
Like a grand “AHA!”
Christ’s light shines.
Now
Always! Amen!

Call to Gather

(Bob Root, Gathering A/C/E, 2021-2022, p39. Used with permission)

A new day, a new week, the beginning of a new year, and we have come to worship.

May hearts be open to all the wonders God would have us experience in this time, and when we go out from this place to serve in the world. Come, let us worship God.

Opening Prayer and Silent Reflection

(Bill Steadman, Gathering A/C/E, 2021-2022, p39. Used with permission)

Be with us, God, as we set out on the journey of a new year. Like those who have travelled through uncharted territories in the past, give us the courage to face new challenges. Like those who have known the uncertainty of what lies ahead, give us the confidence that you are there to guide us. Like those who have assumed they had all of the answers even before the questions were asked, give us the humility to be surprised by your presence and open to being upheld by your people everywhere.

(a time of Silent Reflection)

Give us the strength we need, the sensitivity others need from us, and the wisdom to respond in ways that nurture all of creation. This we pray in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

Hymn: A Light is Gleaming - Voices United #82 Erin, Abe, Kim: guitar

Refrain:
A light is gleaming,
spreading its arms throughout the night,
living in the light.
Come share its gladness,
God’s radiant love is burning bright,
living in the light.

1 When light comes pouring into the darkest place, it hurts our eyes to see the glow.
Sometimes a word of hope reminds us of our fears, our memories and tears. R

2 When night is round us and every shadow grows, a star is there to light our way.
It tells a story of Jesus who came near to say: “God’s light will ever stay.” R

3 And Jesus showed us a brighter path to walk. He showed us things we hadn’t seen.
Now we, like Jesus, can help creation shine,
and this will be a sign: R

4 So let us live in the brightness God has giv’n, and let us rise to see the dawn.
We trust that God is here a sparkle and a blaze, warming all our days. R

Storytime for the Young at Heart Erin Berard

Listen as one of the Wise Ones who visited Jesus to tell us what they remember about meeting baby Jesus in Bethlehem long ago. This story is adapted from the United Church of Canada's Advent Unwrapped resources.

I’m old, and my eyes can no longer read the stars. There are holes in my cloak and my memories. But there are some things I will never forget.

I’ll always remember that spectacular star. We hadn’t seen one like it before—and we haven’t seen one like it since. It was breathtaking, mesmerizing, and it compelled us to follow. We wanted to try to understand its meaning and the story it wished to share.

I’ll always remember that long treacherous journey. There were 12 travellers in our caravan and 20 camels. Oh, the stink of the camels! Ha, ha…! We carried hidden gifts with us in case we had to barter for a safe passage through a strange land.

I’ll always remember the terror in Herod’s eyes when we came asking questions. And the scribes’ quivering voices when they were summoned before him. They spoke of an ancient prophecy—a star, a new king, a descendant of King David. Glad to put Jerusalem behind us, we followed the star to David’s town of Bethlehem.

I’ll always remember that little family and the peace that seemed to embrace them. Although they were living in an obscure hovel, it wasn’t difficult to find them: we stuck out like a camel’s hump in Bethlehem, and the people were eager to share the rumours with newcomers—tales told by shepherds who had been captivated by sights in the night sky and the news of a newborn king.

And I’ll always remember that child. His family members were poor and vulnerable, yet so loving and gracious. We offered our gifts, hoping they would in some small way honour, protect, and bless the child. Watching the child, we knew that we needn’t search further or travel farther. The same compelling light that shone from the heavens shone in his eyes. That kind of light is unforgettable. That light, that love,… that little one... they have lived in my heart all these years.

Let us pray:

Loving God, thank you for all the different viewpoints and stories that tell us about the birth of Jesus - all filled with light!

Help us look for Jesus' light and love in everyone we meet and to BE loving and full of light for those around us.

Amen

In the Bleak MidWinter – Voices United #55

1 In the bleak midwinter frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone.
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

2 Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign;
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed the Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ.

3 Enough for him, whom cherubim worship night and day,
a breast full of milk, and a manger full of hay.
Enough for him, whom angels fall down before,
the ox and ass and camel which adore.

4 What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him – give my heart

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Chris Brown

(Jim McKean, Gathering A/C/E, 2021-2022, p41. Used with permission)

God of the Ages, you called wise ones to travel from afar. They came looking for a king but found a baby, a baby who had come to change the world. Today you have called us to experience the now and to seek what is just over the horizon. May we have the strength to experience this call. May we have the wisdom to discern its message, and may our hearts be uplifted as we journey. Bless your word to us this morning. Amen.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12 (NRSV) The Visit of the Wise Men

2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

May the message in these words enlighten our lives. Thanks be to God!

Anthem: Born Today (Kuzaliwa Leo) Swahili : Dave & Jean Perry

BCUC choir & percussion Phoenix, Raven, Arcadie – 2018 Christmas concert

Sermon: “They Followed a Star” Rev. Lorrie Lowes

This is Epiphany Sunday, the day when we hear the last part of the Christmas story that we began so may weeks ago in Advent.

The visit of the Wise Men, the Kings, the Magi…

It’s a small story found only in the book of Matthew and not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. Three strangers show up, make a huge fuss over the new baby, drop off expensive, rather strange gifts and then disappear, never to be heard from again. A strange little story that has captured our imaginations for centuries.

The few verses we read this morning are all there is about this visit in the Bible and yet we are sure we’ve heard so many more details

… There were three of them…
… They have names: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar…
… We can picture them, tall, riding on their camels, one with very black skin…
… They arrived at the stable after the shepherds, - didn’t they?

All details that were never in Matthew’s story but have grown from the imaginations of artists and storytellers over the centuries and have become an important part of our story, our tradition of Christmas.

It was obviously important to Matthew too or he wouldn’t have included it here. So… why did he write it? What meaning does it have for us?

Jesus was born at a dark time in Jewish history. The people were oppressed by a greedy and powerful empire. Any peace that existed was created by violent battles - a peace built on fear.

“Keep your head down, don’t call attention to yourself, and hope the tax collectors and the centurions will pass you by.”

Not my idea of a peaceful existence. No serene and comfortable life but just the absence of war.

Into this dark and fearful time, a baby was born who would grow up to challenge that system - not through violence or mighty battles but through a message of hope, a message of love. He would become a beacon of light for these dark times.

He may have been just what the Jewish people needed - but he certainly wasn’t what they were expecting. Surely, if God was to save them from the violent oppression of Rome, He would send a powerful army led by a mighty warrior - someone who could crush the empire.

A baby?

And this was not even a baby born to rich and powerful parents but a baby born among the poorest and most oppressed, in the lowest of circumstances. A baby born to young peasant parents, under suspicious circumstances, in an insignificant small town.

It was such a small event that no one in the area noticed. In his book, Luke tells us that a whole host of angels had to light up the sky to get the attention of the only other people awake - some shepherds out in a field. No need to wake up the whole town. There would be no miraculous coup that night. What was born in that stable was not an immediate solution to all their troubles.

What was born was Hope.

A glimmer, barely noticed at first but a light that would grow over time to conquer the darkness.

Well, the Jews and the Romans may not have noticed but someone did. A star appeared in the sky. Now this in itself is an curious choice of sign. It’s not a usual symbol for either Jews or Christians. Where else have we ever seen God use a star to send a message?

In the east - the direction from where dawn comes to end the darkness of night - some wise men noticed that star and they knew that something amazing was taking place, a birth so significant that they were certain it must be the birth of a great king. And they set out to find him and to pay homage.

That’s interesting, isn’t it? These wealthy, educated men left home to travel to another country to pay their respects to a king who would rule over people they had no attachment to. These men were not Jews but the birth of this king of the Jews was important enough to make them set out on this journey and to not give up until they had seen him with their own eyes and delivered their gifts.

They were foreigners

• they were of a different faith
• and they had no doubt that they would be welcome.

They went first to the palace in Jerusalem. It only made sense that a new king would be born there. They had no hesitation in telling Herod that they were coming to meet the newborn King of the Jews. This was good news! A baby who was destined to great works! A baby whose birth was so significant to the world that God himself sent a bright star as a birth announcement. An announcement that was important to the whole world. Surely, everyone would be rejoicing!

Imagine their surprise when King Herod had no idea what they were talking about.

Imagine their confusion when they saw the fear in the king’s eyes.

Not at all the reception they expected.

In one short sentence, Matthew tells us quite a bit about Herod’s reaction to the news of the learned strangers from the east. “He was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him.”

Yes, I imagine that was a scary time in the palace! Not only would Herod be upset by news of a king who would take his throne - but to hear it from strangers! The meeting he called with his own scribes and wise men would not have been a cordial one. They were supposed to know these things. They were supposed to keep him informed. He was not supposed to be surprised by foreigners who seemed to know more about the happenings in his kingdom than he did himself! They would have been scrambling to get him the information he needed. They would have been desperate to find a “fix” that would calm the king’s anger - an anger that put fear in all of Jerusalem. Just find that baby and get rid of him quickly.

“There is a light shining here in the darkness of your kingdom that will change this world forever!” the strangers had told him. “It shines so brightly that we have noticed it from as far away as our home. Such great news!”

Herod didn’t see it the same way. All light must shine on him alone. That is what makes him so powerful. And what do you do with something that threatens your power, your view of the world? You snuff it out. And just to be sure, you get rid of any others who might resemble it in any way. Restore the status quo with violence and fear. Show them who’s boss!

How wise were these strangers to pretend to play along with Herod’s game! Otherwise, they might not have escaped with their lives. But then they were wise men after all. I would have been surprised if they had fallen for Herod’s lies. So, off they went, continuing on their journey to find where this spark of light might lead.

And they found it in a small, humble home. Hope for the future of the world, manifest in a young peasant child.

Matthew tells us that they acknowledged the power of this child with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold for a king, frankincense for the sacred life of the temple, and myrrh to anoint his body at death. These gifts would have been lost on a child but Mary would have understood. These men were telling her that the power to change the world - the light that would lead the people out of the darkness - was here in her little son. He would rule - not by fierce battle but by teaching the Word of God and would be revered even in death.

These strange visitors saw so much hope in this small peasant child! Hope for the future of the world!

This story from Matthew would have been pretty powerful to his listeners. So many messages here! It told them -

… that others might see the hope in us before we recognize it ourselves
… that Jesus’ life and ministry was significant to the whole world - not just the Jewish people.
… that hope for the future must be nurtured in the children of the present
… that what seems like good news for humanity may not be well received by those addicted to power and greed
… that those hungry for power will stop at nothing to snuff out anything that might threaten that power - including (or maybe especially) the hope for justice and freedom
… that hope, help, and encouragement may come from unexpected places

Are these messages not still relevant today?
Where are our wise men?
Where are our Herods?

I am reminded of a young girl named Malala, who was shot in the head for daring to stand up for the right of girls to education. There must have been wise people who nurtured this in her as she grew - and the reaction of the Taliban was certainly worthy of Herod.

Are there other lights in this world being snuffed out by those in power?
Are we watching for them?
Are we nurturing them?

Or are we letting the Herods of this world crush them to maintain or grow their powerful hold?

I believe that hope is something more than a dream for a better future. Hope is born when that dream is put into action. It is not enough to dream of a better world, a more just society, peace and freedom. You have to take that dream and mount your camel. You need to risk the journey into unknown places and bear the gifts and resources that will turn that dream into hope.

Sometimes I have wondered why these powerful men didn’t stay to help raise this child. They seemed to have the resources and the knowledge to be able to help.

What trust they put in Mary and Joseph to nurture him and prepare him for his role!

But, they didn’t stay. Perhaps they knew that they would draw attention from the wrong quarter and would put the little family in danger. Or perhaps they could see that they were leaving things in good hands. Whatever the reason, they simply left their gifts and disappeared - back to their own country by another road. We never hear of them again.

They saw that star and they took the risk to follow it, to leave the comfort and familiarity of home and set out on a long and difficult journey. It wasn’t enough to dream about what that star could mean, they went into action. They took their resources - wisdom and riches - to Jesus. Then they left, knowing that they were leaving things safely in his hands. They took the kind of action that sets a dream onto the course of hope.

So, perhaps it was important that they didn’t stay. They didn’t set out to save the Jewish people from the Romans. They made the journey to ensure that the process would begin. They gave what they could but the real work belonged to Jesus.

Just as good mentors nurture proteges,
or good parents raise children,
or good teachers inspire students,

The wise men gave up some of their resources - and time out of their lives - to resource the work of Jesus in the world - the work of turning the dream of justice and freedom into real hope for the future.

They were watching the skies carefully and recognized the sign when it appeared. They sprang into action to make sure the dream it represented had the encouragement and resources it needed to grow into Hope - hope not just for the Jewish people but hope for a world in darkness.

On this Epiphany Sunday, may we be wise enough to watch for, and recognize, the signs of that hope in our world today. May we be brave enough to take the risk to leave our comfort zones long enough to nurture that hope. May we be selfless enough to share our resources to allow that hope to grow - not just here at home but anywhere in the world the signs may appear.

I believe it is what those wise men, and Jesus himself, would want us to do.

Thanks be to God

Amen

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

Holy Mystery,

With the story of the magi in our ears, we come to you, seeking their wisdom, their courage, and their generosity, as we pray for our world today. We give thanks for the wise ones from the past and for those among us now, who inspire us with their insight, their words, and their actions.

In yet another Christmas season, where the spectre of the pandemic continues to restrict our celebrating and dampen our spirits, help us to be like those wise men of old who found reason for hope and celebration in the light of a star in the darkness. Enable us to see the lights that offer hope for a brighter future for all who inhabit this creation. Let us see the reasons for celebration even in small lights, no matter how far away they seem.

Give us the courage of those wise men to not only celebrate the light we see, but to take action, to leave our comfort zones and risk what might be a long and difficult journey into the unknown to offer what we can - without asking for a background check first, or with expectations of immediate miracles or outpouring of gratitude.

Each week, we pray for those in need, those suffering from pain, loneliness, illness, and grief. We pray for those experiencing fear and violence. We pray for all who are oppressed by those in power, and for those oppressed by the attitudes and beliefs of those who surround them every day. Help us to see where we might be the oppressor. Help us to see where we can offer safety, healing, dignity and hope. Give us the courage to act on what we see.

As we pray for those who lead us, help us to watch and listen with discerning minds. Help us to support where we see merit, and to speak truth to power when we see injustice. Help us to be more than followers; give us the will to be part of the solution.

As we pray for all those who we love and keep close, help us to realize that even small acts of kindness can add a great deal of light to a world that seems dark. Help us see the gifts we have and give us the strength to offer them freely.

All this we ask in the words of Jesus, the baby in whom the wise ones saw hope for the future of the world…

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

As, long ago, magi offered their time, their wisdom, and their riches to acknowledge a small peasant child they had never met, let us gather our time, talents and treasures together and present them as an offering to move the dreams of God forward in our world today. 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 the ministry of BCUC.

Offertory Prayer

Holy One,

Although we may not come bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, what we offer today is given in love and in hope that all of our small offerings can help transform the world. Amen.

Sending Forth Rev. Lorrie

This week, the world lost a modern-day wise man with the passing of Desmond Tutu. Let me share some of the wise words he left us:

“God’s dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness, and for compassion.”

And with these words, go now into the world, ready to use your gifts, ready to bless all those who make up this human family, ready to transform the world in all the ways you can. Go, with the strength and courage that comes from knowing that God accompanies you on your journey and that Jesus lights your way. Go, ready to follow the light. Go, ready to be the light. Amen.

Hymn: I Am the Light of the World – Voices United #87 guitar: Heidi

Refrain:
I am the light of the world!
You people come and follow me!
If you follow and love
you’ll learn the mystery
of what you were meant to do and be.

When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and the shepherds
have found their way home,
the work of Christmas is begun. R

To find the lost and lonely one,
to heal the broken soul with love,
to feed the hungry children
with warmth and good food,
to feel the earth below, the sky above! R.

To free the prisoner from all chains,
to make the powerful care,
to rebuild the nations with strength of good will, to see God’s children everywhere! R

To bring hope to every task you do,
to dance at a baby’s new birth,
to make music in an old person’s heart,
and sing to the colours of the earth! R

Departing Musics: A Christmas Gloria (Navidad gloriosa) Trad. Spanish: Larter

BCUC choir – 2018 Christmas concert

and

Holiday Blessing: Joyce Eilers

Grace Notes with CGS singing Jingle Bells – 2018 Christmas concert

Announcements

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

PREPARATION FOR THE JOURNEY

Gathering Hymn: In the Quiet Curve of Evening – Voices United #278 Lorrie, Kim & Susan

Opening Invitation & Welcome Rev. Kim Vidal

The Invocation Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Hymn: “Dust and Ashes Touch Our Face” Voices United #105 Kim, Lorrie & Susan

Invitation to Confession Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Prayer of Confession

Words of Assurance

CALL TO THE JOURNEY

Sung Response: Don’t Be Afraid - More Voices #90 Susan TeGrotenhuis 2021

Reading 1: Selected Verses from Isaiah 58 (NRSV) Reader: Ross Mutton

Sung Response

Reading 2: Blessing the Dust (Jan Richardson) Reader: Barbara Bole

Sung Response

Reading 3: Marked by Ashes (Walter Bruegguemann) Reader: Jan Pound

Sung Response

Moment of Intentional Silence Rev. Kim Vidal

Hymn: “Stay With Us” Voices United #182 Erin, Kim, Lorrie & Susan

PLANNING FOR THE JOURNEY

Blessing of the Ashes & Prayer for the Journey Rev. Lorrie Lowes

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Hymn: “Bless Now O God the Journey” Voices United #633 Abe, Susan & Lorrie

Sending Forth Rev. Kim Vidal

Theme Discussion

Response Activity Ideas

Shine Like the Sun Craft

Be the Light Switch Cover

Illustrated hymns

TRANSFIGURATION SUNDAY

Gathering Music: Open the Eyes of My Heart BCUC cong. Feb 7, 2016

Welcome & Centering for Worship Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: The Berard Family

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Prayer of Approach

Hymn: My Lighthouse Music Team June 2020

Storytime Erin Berard

Hymn: This Little Light of Mine (Traditional) BCUC congregation Feb 7, 2016

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Liam Eaton

The Gospel Reading: Luke 9: 28- 43 (NRSV)

Anthem: High Upon a Mountain – Larson/Jordan BCUC choir Feb 26, 2017

Sermon: “Mountaintops and Valleys” Rev. Lorrie Lowes

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

Invitation to Offer Rev. Lorrie

Offertory Prayer

Sending Forth Rev. Lorrie

Hymn: How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place (Better is One Day) - More Voices #29

Departing Music: Song of the Transfiguration BCUC Choir Feb 11 2018 - Soloist: Keith Bailey

Bonus: Shine Jesus Shine BCUC choir Feb 7 2016

7th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Gathering Music: Nobody Knows the Trouble/Angels Watching Over Me arr. Hayes

Welcome & Centering for Worship Rev. Kim Vidal

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolyte: Angela Starchuk

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

Prayer of Approach

Hymn: Spirit, Open My Heart - More Voices #79 BCUC trio with violin: Leslie

Storytime Rev. Lorrie

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

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Marion Dugas

The Gospel Reading: Luke 6: 27-38 (NRSV) Love for Enemies

Anthem: We Will Bring Your Peace into the World CGS - director : Erin Berard

Sermon: “Jesus Wants Us to Do What?” Rev. Kim

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

Invitation to Offer Rev. Lorrie

Offertory Prayer

Sending Forth Rev. Kim

Hymn: Take My Life and Let it Be – Voices United #506 v1,2,5 BCUC Feb 25, 2018

Departing Music: Go Now in Peace – Besig/Price BCUC Choir Jan 27, 2019

Theme Discussion

Response Activity Ideas

Family Get-Along Plan

Kindness Video

Love is Something if You Give it Away

6th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

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

Welcome Rev. Kim Vidal

GC 44 News Nicole Beaudry, Lay Commissioner

Centering for Worship Rev. Kim

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

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

***The Gospel Reading:* Luke 6: 27-38 (NRSV) *Love for Enemies***