July 24th, 2022
7th Sunday after Pentecost
Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live
Leading us today in Worship:
Guest Minister: Rev. Dr. David McKane
Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
Lay Leader: Heather Dickson
Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics
You are welcome to respond in prayers and to sing the hymns throughout the service while wearing a mask at all times.
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able.
PRELUDE:
“Prelude in C Major” ~ J.S. Bach
GREETING: (2 Cor. 13:13)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
WELCOME:
INTRODUCTION:
Acknowledgement of the Traditional Territory:
We acknowledge with gratitude that we gather on the traditional territory of the Anishinabek Nation: The People of the Three Fires known as Ojibway, Odawa, and Pottawatomie Nations. This territory is covered by Treaty 18 of 1818, and we are all treaty people.
We give thanks to the Chippewas of Saugeen, and the Chippewas of Nawash, now known as the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, as the traditional keepers of this land.
We honour them for having lived here and cared for this land from time immemorial, and that they continue this caring in our time.
We appreciate the opportunity to live, work and play in this beautiful place. (Phyllis Fleming)
CALL TO WORSHIP:
We rejoice in the beauty of this day, in the beauty of this season. Refresh us and replenish us as we worship today in the warmth of this community. In Jesus name we pray.
Amen
OPENING PRAYER:
(One) Hear us, O God, as we call upon you.
(All) For your Word is the Bread of Life to us.
(One) Open our ears to hear you this day.
(All) For your Word is the Bread of Life to us.
(One) Open our lips to tell others of your grace and love.
(All) For your Word is the Bread of Life to us.
*HYMN: VU #460 All Who Hunger
1. All who hunger, gather gladly;
holy manna is our bread.
Come from wilderness and wandering.
Here, in truth, we will be fed.
You that yearn for days of fullness,
all around us is our food.
Refrain:
Taste and see the grace eternal,
Taste and see that God is good.
2. All who hunger, never strangers;
seeker, be a welcome guest.
Come from restlessness and roaming.
Here, in joy, we keep the feast.
We that once were lost and scattered
in communion’s love have stood.
Refrain:
Taste and see the grace eternal.
Taste and see that God is good.
3. All who hunger, sing together;
Jesus Christ is living bread.
Come from loneliness and longing.
Here, in peace, we have been led.
Blest are those who from this table
live their lives in gratitude.
Refrain:
Taste and see the grace eternal.
Taste and see that God is good.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION:
We confess that we keep forgetting all those who lived here before us, all those who cleared the land and farmed the fields or who fished in the lakes, all those who formed community all laid the foundations of our faith.
Forgive us for forgetting.
WORDS of ASSURANCE:
O God, who never forgets but who always forgives, forgive us as we forgive others. We ask in Jesus name.
Amen.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:
Feed our souls as You feed our bodies. Feed us till we want no more, through Jesus Christ, Your Word.
Readings: (NRSV)
1 Kings 17: 8-16 The Widow of Zarephath
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said, but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.” She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
Psalm : 85 VU #802
Refrain :
God, show us your love,
show us your love and mercy.
Once you were gracious to your land, O God,
you restored the fortunes of Jacob;
you forgave the offence of your people,
and pardoned all their sin.
You drew back all your displeasure,
and turned from your fiery wrath.
Restore us again, God our Saviour,
and put away your just anger toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your wrath to all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
Refrain :
God, show us your love,
show us your live and mercy.
Let me hear what you will say, O God,
for you will speak peace to your people,
to the faithful who turn their hearts to you.
Surely salvation is near those who fear you,
and your glory will dwell in our land.
Mercy and faithfulness will meet,
justice and peace will embrace.
Faithfulness will spring up from the earth,
and righteousness look down from heaven.
You, O God, will give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
Righteousness will go before you,
and the paths of your feet will be peace.
Refrain:
God, show us your love,
show us your love and mercy.
John 6: 1-15 Feeding the Five Thousand
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place, so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
RESPONSE:
The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
Musical Interlude:
Improvisation on a Hymn ~ C. Burton
SERMON: “Feeding the Hungry”
*HYMN: VU # 355 For the Crowd of Thousands
1. For the crowd of thousands sitting on the ground,
seven is sufficient, seven will go round.
2. Seven is sufficient, fish and loaves of bread;
Jesus, for our hunger gives us life instead.
3. Jesus makes his offer: fish and bread as food.
Make us truly thankful, make our living good.
4. If we give to Jesus bread to bless and break,
five and two will feed us seven days a week.
5. What we give to Jesus, and with others share,
will at last be gathered: over and to spare!
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE:
Holy and gracious God we give thanks for this land we call Canada. In a world of turmoil we give thanks for its stability; for those who fought for the rights that we take for granted; for those who established this congregation, who prayed and sang hymns before we were born; for those who came before us reminding us of our heritage; for the food we consume from the farmlands we did not develop; for our enjoyment of freedoms we did not earn; for our worshipping in churches we did not build and for our lives in communities we did not establish; strengthen our commitment to making Canada a welcoming country, sharing our values with all regardless of their race or religion, their ethnicity or their gender. Enable us to share our gifts with others in the name of Jesus as he has taught us do, so that we each might become little Christs to those around us.
THE LORD’S PRAYER:
As a child turns to a loving care-giver who watches over them, we turn in prayer to You, O God, who are our heavenly parent, our mother,
Our Father, who art in heaven…
PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
The Peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
We share the peace of Christ by typing in the chat box.
You may also think of one person with whom you would like to share the peace of Christ.
MUSIC for PASSING the PEACE:
Selection from “Water Music” ~ G.F. Handel
INVITATION to the OFFERING:
PRAYER OF DEDICATION OF GIFTS AND SELF:
Donate online: www.graceunitedthornbury.ca, select “Give”
or contact the office by email: accounting@graceunitedthornbury.ca
or phone: 519-599-2438 to arrange a cheque pick-up, or an e-transfer
Mail: Grace UC, 140 Bruce St. S. PO Box 219, Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0
Care, Prayer, Share
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Coffee Hour after the service
*HYMN: VU #227 For the Fruit of All Creation
1. For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God.
For the gifts of every nation, thanks be to God.
For the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth's safe-keeping,
thanks be to God.
2. In the just reward of labour, God's will is done.
In the help we give our neighbour, God's will is done.
In our world-wide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God's will is done.
3. For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.
*COMMISSIONING & BENEDICTION:
*SUNG BLESSING: Go Now in Peace
Go now in peace. Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every 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, * within, around, above.
Go now in peace, in faith and in love.
Amen, amen, amen.
* alternate words: watching from above
POSTLUDE:
“Prelude in D Flat Major” ~ R. Glière
*****
RESOURCES USED
LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
All prayers written by Rev. Dr. David McKane
Acknowledgement of Territory: Phyllis Fleming
HYMNS and SUNG VERSES:
- Psalm response: Hal H. Hopson 1988. Music copyright © 1989 Hope Publishing Co.
- “All Who Hunger:” Words: Sylvia G. Dunstan 1990. Music: William Moore 1825; arr. David Kai 1994, alt. Words copyright © 1991 G.I.A. Publications Inc. Arrangement copyright © 1994 David Kai. One License #608577
- “For the Crowd of Thousands:” Words: Fred Kaan 1968, based on a Dutch hymn by William Barnard. Music James Frederick Swift 1881. Words copyright © 1968 Hope Publishing Co. )ne License #608577.
- “For the Fruit of All Creation:” Words: Fred Pratt Green 1970. Music: Welsh folk melody ca. 1784. Words copyright © 1970 Hope Publishing Co. One License#608577
- “Go Now in Peace:” Words by Don Besig and Nancy Price. Copyright © 1988 Harold Flammere. Music: Inc. Alternate words used with permission. One License #608577
SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:
Scripture Passage from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.
Prelude: “Prelude in C Major “ ~ J.S. Bach.
Interlude: Improvisation on a Hymn ~ C. Burton
Music for Passing the Peace: Selection from “Water Music” ~ G.F. Handel
Postlude: “Prelude in D Flat Major” ~ R. Glière
