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July 3, 2022 - Commnion Sunday Service
Rev. Christine Smaller
Rev. Christine Smaller
Sunday, July 3, 2022
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JULY 3rd, 2022

Communion Sunday    

Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live

Leading us today in Worship:
Worship Leader:  Rev. Christine Smaller
Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
Scripture Reader: Sandy Eagles   

~ Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able. 

PRELUDE: 
Little Preludes (selected) ~ 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. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE TRADITIONAL TERRITORY & PRAYER FOR CANADA DAY:
Creating God,
As we mark the anniversary of the Confederation of Canada,
we remember and give thanks for the people who have been the stewards of this land since time immemorial,
and commit ourselves to the work of justice, healing, and reconciliation.
Together we dream about the country that we hope to become, a country where all are free to be their best selves.
Amen.
 

CALL TO WORSHIP:
Timeless Designer of time and place,
In this tiny fragment of earth, this small fraction of history,
You have gathered us.
You have chosen this sacred moment to fill our minds
and to touch our Spirits with God
to remind us of You and Your awesomely weak human life among us
We are here because we forget
Speak to us again, O God
When life breaks over us, we forget Your strength
Still the waves again, O God
When pain is a constant, unwelcome companion,
we forget Your compassion
Touch and heal again, O God
When fear and uncertainty undermine us, we forget Your Presence
Stand among us again, O God
When grief hollows out our hearts, we forget Your comfort
Weep with us again, O God
We need the gentle whisperings of Your Spirit
to inspire faith in us again.
We need to know once more that we are truly not alone;
that we are loved with life-forfeiting love;
that we are forgiven by debt-cancelling grace;
that we are restored to vulnerable relationship with You
We thank You for this brief retreat into remembering and re-creation.
Let us not forget For Jesus' sake.
Amen.
   

*OPENING HYMN:  VU 524 O Canada
O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
the true north strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. 

OPENING PRAYER:
Even now, as we are re-awakened to Your Spirit,
We remember, O God, Who You are
And remembering, we offer You our praise
Even here, as life rises within us,
We remember what You have done
And remembering we offer You our praise
Even now, as worship makes us a little more whole
We remember what You have given
And remembering we offer You our praise.
Amen.
 

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION:
Let us tell again the ancient story of our faith:
That all things live because God said it should be so
That as Jesus, God became one of God’s creatures, 
and shared life with us
That Jesus journeyed through death and hell to rescue and rebirth us and that Jesus opened the grip of death and reclaimed His life so as to reclaim ours
That Jesus orders the universe and will returnto make Himself fully known.
That God's Spirit now flows over all creation,
moulding her children into Church,
transforming frightened sinners into joyous saints,
rolling tomb stones away and leading the dance of eternity.
Amen.
 

READINGS: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.  Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’  And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house.  Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,  ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” 
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!”  He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. Indeed, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

RESPONSE:
The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God. 

INTERLUDE:   
Mazurka ~ F. Chopin 

SERMON 

*HYMN:  MV 161 I Have Called You by Your Name
1. I have called you by your name, you are mine;
I have gift you and ask you now to shine.
I will not abandon you; all my promises are true.
You are gifted, called, and chosen; you are mine. 

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

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

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

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: 
Here, in the arms of God Who loves with the intensity of a mother, let us remember our world:
Its places of power, in need of God's wisdom and humility
Its peoples, longing for His lessons of understanding and trust 

Silent prayers are offered 

Here, in the arms of God
Who hears every cry, every desire and every hope,
from the poor and hopeless ones, in need of compassion and care
from the broken and destructive ones, searching for healing and peace
from every child, longing for love and guidance 

Silent prayers are offered 

Here, in the arms of God
Who has engraved our names on the palms of His hands
Let us remember ourselves and those we love:
Our tears, seeking consolation
Our pain, hoping to be soothed
Our fears, reaching for faith
Our lives, hungry and thirsty for God 

Silent prayers are offered 

Compassionate God, our dependence on You is complete. Our need of You is constant.
In our prayers we remember this
and know that You remember us
We trust You and thank You.
Amen.
 

THE LORD’S PRAYER
As a child turns to a loving caregiver 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:
Variations on a Hymn ~ C. Burton 

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERING: 

Donate online:   www.graceunitedthornbury.ca,  select “Give”
     or contact the office by email: graceucworship@gmail.com 
     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 

HOLY COMMUNION
We come together around this table of memories
It is not that we deserve to be here. This is not a right to be earned. This is not a reward to be achieved. This is a gift which can only be accepted from our forgiving and generous God. 

It was at a table like this that Jesus shared His last meal with His followers.
We lift the bread as He did.
We break it as He did.
And we share it remembering His words: 

"My body, given for you. Eat and remember me." 

We also lift the cup as He did.
And we share it remembering His words: 

"My blood, given for you. Drink and remember me". 

Here and now we are one in this memory and this meal.
One loaf, one cup, one Lord laying down His life for us. 

Prayer after communion 
It is not for us alone that this sacrifice was made . . .
God's love for the world is so strong that God gave Godself for us.
This meal reminds us of the world God loves.
And so, at God’s word, we share life with all people,
so that all people may share in God’s life.
Teach us, Lord, to be a people of open arms
large hearts and faithful companionship.
We remember Your mission to save us,
Your call to work through us,
and your promise to draw all creation back to You in Jesus.
Amen and Amen. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Coffee Hour after the service

*HYMN:   VU 420 Go to the World Go into all the Earth
1. Go to the world! Go into all the earth.
Go preach the cross where Christ renews life’s worth,
baptising as the sign of our rebirth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! 

2. Go to the world! Go into every place.
Go live the Word of God’s redeeming grace.
Go seek God’s presence in each time and space.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! 

3. Go to the world! Go struggle, bless and pray;
the nights of tears give way to joyous day.
As servant Church, you follow Christ’s own way.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! 

4. Go to the world! go as the ones I send,
for I am with you ‘til the age shall end,
when all the hosts of glory cry “Amen!”
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  

*COMMISSIONING and BENEDICTION: 

*SUNG BLESSING: :  MV 95  How deep the Peace
How deep the peace, the confidence,
of those whose wrongs are forgiven,
How deep the peace, the confidence,
of those whose hearts are healed.  (2x) 

POSTLUDE:
Impromptu Opus 90 #2 ~ F. Schubert          

*****

RESOURCES USED

LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
Today’s Liturgy is an adaptation of Food for the Road: Life Lessons from the Lord’s Table© John van de Laar 

HYMNS and SUNG VERSES
- “O Canada;” Words: Robert Stanley Weir 1908. Music: melody Calixa Lavallée ca. 1880 harm. C. Burton. Public Domai
- “I Have Called You by Your Name:” Words and music: Daniel Charles Damon, 1995Words and music copyright © 1995 Hope Publishing Company. One License #608577
- “Go to the World Go Into all the Earth:” Words: Sylvia Dunstan 1985Music: Ralph Vaughan Williams 1906. Words copyright © 1991 G.I.A. Publications, Inc. Music by permission of Oxford University Press. One License #608577
- “How Deep the Peace:” Words: Lynn Bauman, 2000. Music: Linnea Good, 2004. Words copyright © 2000 Lynn Bauman, from Ancient Songs Sung Anew: the Psalms as Poetry. Used by permission. Music copyright © 2004 Borealis Music, www. Linnea Good.com Used by 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:  Little Preludes (selected) ~ J.S. Bach   
Interlude:
Mazurka ~ F. Chopin
Music for Passing the Peace:  Variations on a Hymn ~ C. Burton
Postlude: Impromptu Opus 90 #2 ~ F. Schubert