August 27th, 2023
Proper 16 – 13th Sunday After Pentecost
Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live
Leading us today in Worship:
Worship Leader: Rev. Hugh MacDonald
Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
Lay Leader: Carolyne Wedgbury
Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able.
We Gather
PRELUDE:
“Fitzwilliam Virginal Book” ~ Selections
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 & Safe Space
Grace United Church is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Petun, Huron-Wendat, and Mississauga peoples, located within the boundary of the region of Treaty 18 of 1818. We humbly acknowledge the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples of Canada as traditional stewards of the land on which we work and worship and are committed to working actively toward genuine restitution and reconciliation.
At Grace, we strive to make all of our spaces - including our sanctuary during worship - as safe a place as possible. We celebrate and honour the holy truth that all people are made in the image of God and are innately entitled to dignity and respect. Any practice, religious or otherwise, which explicitly or implicitly indicates that some people are more beloved than others, goes against our core beliefs here at Grace. We join together in an ongoing commitment to learning how we can live out genuinely welcoming and inclusive behaviour in all ways and at all times.
LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE
CALL TO WORSHIP:
Be still and know that God is.
Before Creation began, God was.
And when all human striving has ceased, God will still be.
From everlasting to everlasting,
God is God, who alone is worthy to be worshipped.
Let us praise God.
OPENING PRAYER
*OPENING HYMN: VU # 625
I Feel the Winds of God Today
1. I feel the winds of God today; today my sail I lift,
though heavy oft with drenching spray and torn with many a rift;
if hope but light the water's crest, and Christ my bark will use,
I'll seek the seas at his behest, and brave another cruise.
2. It is the wind of God that dries my vain regretful tears,
until with braver thoughts shall rise the purer, brighter years;
if cast on shores of selfish ease or pleasure I should be,
O let me feel your freshening breeze, and I'll put back to sea.
3. If ever I forget your love and how that love was shown,
lift high the blood-red flag above; it bears your name alone.
Great pilot of my onward way, you will not let me drift.
I feel the winds of God today; today my sail I lift.
PRAYER of CONFESSION
WORDS of ASSURANCE
We Listen
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:
O God, open our hearts and minds
by the power of your Holy Spirit,
that as the scriptures are read
and your Word is proclaimed,
we may hear what you are saying to us today. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
Old Testament: Exodus 1:8-2:10 (NRSVUE)
Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. The Egyptians subjected the Israelites to hard servitude and made their lives bitter with hard servitude in mortar and bricks and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.
The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and allowed the boys to live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
Birth and Youth of Moses
Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.
The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20 (NRSVUE)
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
RESPONSE:
The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE:
“Moment Musical” ~ F. Schubert
SERMON:
Identity: Who do people say that we are?
*HYMN: MV #144
Like a Healing Stream
1. Like a healing stream in a barren desert,
Spirit water bringing life to dusty earth,
God is trickling through our lives
as in a dream unfolding,
promising revival and rebirth
like a healing stream
2. Like a gentle rain on a thirsty garden,
Spirit water come to nourish tiny seed,
God is bubbling through the soil
to coax a new creation
yearning for an end to want and need
like a gentle rain.
3. Like a river strong with a restless current,
Spirit water rushing on to distant shore,
God is carving out a channel
in a new direction,
calling for an end to hate and war
like a river strong.
4. Like a mighty sea reaching far horizons,
Spirit water with a love both deep and wide,
God is working in our hearts
to shape a new tomorrow:
God will always challenge and provide!
Like a mighty sea, like a river strong,
like a gentle rain, like a healing stream.
We Respond
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE:
For every breath we take, for every beat of our hearts, for every sensation of our bodies:
We give you thanks, O God.
For the ear that listens, for the hand that caresses, for the arms that reach out in love:
We give you thanks, O God.
For relief from pain, for the tears of shared sorrow,
for the laughter of shared joy…
We give you thanks, O God.
For the freedom to choose, for the ability to love, for the power of hope:
We give you thanks, O God.
For the presence you reveal to us, and the courage you offer us, and for the rest that you assure us will be ours:
We give you thanks, O God.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (Spoken, traditional words, VU 921)
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:
Improvisation on a Hymn ~ C. Burton
INVITATION to the OFFERING
PRAYER OF DEDICATION OF GIFTS AND SELF:
We bring our gifts to you, God.
Here is the work of our hands,
and here is the love of our hearts.
Accept them and use them,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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
We Go Out
WHAT’S UP AT GRACE?
*CLOSING HYMN: VU #218
We Praise You, O God
1. We praise you, O God, our Redeemer, Creator;
in grateful devotion our tribute we bring.
We lay it before you; we kneel and adore you;
we bless your holy name, glad praises we sing.
2. We worship you, God of our mothers and fathers,
through trial and tempest, companion and guide.
When perils o'ertake us, you will not forsake us,
but faithful to your promise, you walk by our side.
3. With voices united our praises we offer
and gladly our songs of thanksgiving we raise.
Our sins now confessing, we pray for your blessing,
to you, our great Redeemer, forever be praise!
*COMMISSIONING & BENEDICTION:
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm on your face,
May the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again, may God hold you in gentle embrace.
Amen.
*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:
“Nocturne in E minor” ~ F. Chopin
*****
RESOURCES USED
LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
Call to Worship & Prayers of the People from Celebrate God’s Presence.
Opening Prayer, Prayers of Confession and Assurance, Prayer of Illumination, Prayer of Dedication and Commissioning and Benediction written by Rev. Hugh MacDonald.
HYMNS and SUNG VERSES
- “I Feel The Winds of God:” Words: Jessie Adams 1907, alt. Music: English and Irish traditional melody arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams 1906. Words copyright © 1933 National Adult School Organization. Arrangement by permission of Oxford University Press. Used by Permission One License #608577
- “Like a Healing Stream: “Words and music: Bruce Harding. 2003. Words and music copyright © 2003 by Bruce Harding. Used by permission. One License #608577
- “We Praise you, o God:” Words: Julia Cory 1902,alt. Music: Netherlands melody 1626, harm. Edward Kremser 1877, desc. Scott Withrow 1980. Descant copyright © 1980 G.I.A. Publications, Inc. One License #608577
- Sung Blessing:”Go Now in Peace” Words by Don Besig and Nancy Price. © 1988 Harold Flammer Music, Inc. Alternate words used with permission. Reproduced with permission, One License, #608577.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:
Scripture Passage from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) 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: “Fitzwilliam Virginal Book”~ Selections
Musical Interlude: “Moment Musical” ~ F. Schubert
Music for Passing the Peace: Improvisation on a Hymn ~ C. Burton
Postlude: “Nocturne in E minor” ~ F. Chopin
