Grace United Church | United Church in Thornbury, ON

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October 1, 2023 - Sunday Service

Rev John Lougheed

Sunday, October 1, 2023

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October 1, 2023 (1)

World Wide Communion Sunday

Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live

Leading us today in Worship:

Guest Minister: (Rev.) John Lougheed

Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton

Lay Leader: Margaret Tirpkoff

Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics

____________________________________________________________

We Gather to Worship God

PRELUDE: “Little Preludes” (Assorted) 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 & Declaration of Safe Space:

LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE

CALL TO WORSHIP:

With sisters and brothers in Christ around God’s world,

We gather around the table of the Lord

The Lord is our light and our salvation,

The Lord is the refuge of our lives,

Of whom shall we be afraid?

Wait for the Lord.

Let us worship God!

OPENING PRAYER:

Loving God, we thank you for all that is good,

for our creation and our humanity,

for the stewardship you have given us on this planet earth,

for the gifts of life and of one another,

for your love which is unbounded and eternal.

As we sing your praise:

*OPENING HYMN: MV 173 Put Peace into Each Other’s Hands (with alternate verses 4a and 5a, as per pg. 2)

1. Put peace into each other's hands

and like a treasure hold it,

protect it like a candle flame,

with tenderness enfold it.

2.Put peace into each other's hands

with loving expectation;

be gentle in your words and ways,

in touch with God's creation.

3.Put peace into each other's hands,

like bread we break for sharing;

look people warmly in the eye:

our life is meant for caring.

4a.As at communion, shape your hands

into a waiting cradle;

the gift of Christ receive, revere,

united round the table.

5a.Put Christ into each other's hands,

he is love's deepest measure;

in love make peace, give peace a chance,

and share it like a treasure.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION:

Merciful God, we have not loved you with our whole heart, nor our neighbours as ourselves.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, forgive what we have been, accept us as we are, and guide what we shall be.

WORDS OF ASSURANCE:

O God of mercy, you forgive our past sin, you strengthen us in your gift of eternal life, you shape us for glory. Gracious God, we thank you. Amen

We Listen to God’s Word

THEME CONVERSATION: “ The Table of the Lord”

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION:

May the words of our mouths and the thoughts of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. *

I shall not be afraid.

PSALM 42 : VU 766 As the Deer Pants for the Water” (sung)

1.As the deer pants for the water,

so my soul longs after you;

you alone are my heart’s desire

and I long to worship you.

Refrain

You alone are my strength, my shield,

to you alone may my spirit yield;

you alone are my heart’s desire,

and I long to worship you!

2.Day and night I cry,

my heart is breaking, tears my only food;

while my enemies jeer and taunt me, saying:

“Where is now your God?”

Refrain

You alone are my strength, my shield,

to you alone may my spirit yield;

you alone are my heart’s desire,

and I long to worship you!

3.Why am I so sad, so troubled;

why must suffering be so long?

I will hope in you, my God and savior,

praise you with a song!

Refrain

You alone are my strength, my shield,

to you alone may my spirit yield;

you alone are my heart’s desire,

and I long to worship you!

GOSPEL READING: Luke 22:14-20 (NRSVUE)

RESPONSE:

The word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

ANTHEM: “Lord, Lead Me, Lord” Gilbert M. Martin

HOMILY: ” Some thoughts on Communion”

We Respond to God’s Word

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

COMMUNION HYMN: VU 459 Here, O My Lord (vs. 1-3)

1. Here, O my Lord, I see you face to face;
here would I touch and handle things unseen,
here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace,
and all my weariness upon you lean.

2. Here would I feed upon the bread of God,
here drink with you the royal wine of heaven;
here would I lay aside each earthly load,
here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.

3. This is the hour of banquet and of song;
this is the heavenly table for me spread;
here let me feast, and feasting, still prolong
the fellowship of living wine and bread.

INVITATION TO THE TABLE:

PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST

The Peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.

MUSIC FOR PASSING THE PEACE:

Fantasy on a Familiar Hymn C. Burton

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER (7, Episcopal Church of Scotland)

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up you hearts

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Worship and praise belong to you, Gracious God,

In every place and at all times.......

VU 942 Communion Setting E (sung)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might;

Heav’n and earth are full, full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.

Loving God, you never forget us or turn away from us,

even when we fail you........

......

With all your people we give you thanks and praise, Gracious God,

through your Son and in the Spirit, now and forever.

Amen.

PASTORAL PRAYERS:

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…

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

PRAYER SPOKEN FOR THOSE WORSHIPPING FROM HOME:

Gracious God, in union with all who gather at your table, I join in offering this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you. I believe that these elements can be for us – blessed, broken and given – your presence for us. Since I cannot now physically partake of this holy sacrament, I pray that you will abide with me, that I may embrace you entirely, open to your love and mercy. May I never be separated from you, that in my waking and my sleeping, I may know the comfort of your presence. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE COMMUNION

The gifts of God, for the People of God.

Thanks be to God.

COMMUNION HYMNS:

VU 466 Eat This Bread

Eat this bread, drink this cup;
come to me and never be hungry.
Eat this bread, drink this cup;
trust in me and you will not thirst.

VU 480 Let us Break Bread Together

1.Let us break bread together on our knees,

let us break bread together on our knees.

Refrain

When I fall down on my knees

with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

2.Let us drink wine together on our knees,

let us drink wine together on our knees.

Refrain

When I fall down on my knees

with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

3.Let us praise God together on our knees,

let us praise God together on our knees.

Refrain

When I fall down on my knees

with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

HYMN AFTER COMMUNION: VU 459 Here, O My Lord (vs. 4,5)

4. Too soon we rise; the symbols disappear.
The feast, though not the love, is past and gone;
the bread and wine remove, but thou art here,
nearer than ever, still my shield and sun.

5. Feast after feast thus comes and passes by,
yet, passing, points to that glad feast above,
giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy,
the Lamb's great bridal feast of bliss and love.

We Go Out to Share the Good News

WHAT’S UP AT GRACE?

*CLOSING HYMN: VU 468 Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ

1. Let us talents and tongues employ,
reaching out with a shout of joy:
bread is broken, the wine is poured,
Christ is spoken and seen and heard.
Jesus lives again, earth can breathe again.
pass the Word around: loaves abound!

2. Christ is able to make us one,
at the table he set the tone,
teaching people to live to bless,
love in word and in deed express.
Jesus lives again, earth can breathe again,
pass the Word around: loaves abound!

3. Jesus calls us in, sends us out,
bearing fruit in a world of doubt,
gives us love to tell, bread to share:
God (Immanuel) everywhere!
Jesus lives again, earth can breathe again,
pass the Word around: loaves abound!

*COMMISSIONING & BENEDICTION:

We go now from this Service of Worship, to the worship of service …And may the Love of God, the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Power of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us, and those we love, and serve, and remember. Evermore, Amen.

*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: “Waltz in A Minor” F. Chopin

RESOURCES USED:

LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with acknowledgement and adaptation:

Episcopal Church of Scotland, Eucharistic Prayer 7; and a “Prayer spoken for those worshipping from home” (from St. Paul’s Anglican Parish in Southampton, ON)

* Prayer of Illumination: adapted from Psalm 19

HYMNS and SUNG VERSES:

-“Put Peace into Each Other’s Hands:”Words: Fred Kaan, rev. 2001. Music: Ron

Klusmeier, 2004. Words copyright Hope Publishing Co. Carol Sream, IL 60188. All rights

Musiklus.com. Used be permission . One License #608577

-“Communion Setting E:” Music: Franz Schubert, adapted by Richard Proulx.

_”As the Deer Pants for the Water:”

OneLicense.net

_”Here O My Lord:” Words: Horatius Bonar. Music: James Langran. Public domain.

-“Eat This Bread:” Words: Robert J. Batastini and the Taizé Community 1982. Music: Jacques Berthier © 1984 Les Presses de Taizé, G.I.A. Publications, Inc. Chicago, IL, exclusive agent. Words, Music: Les Presses de Taizé, G.I.A. Publications, Inc. One License #608577

-:Let Us Break Bread Together:”

Words, Music: African-American spiritual.

Words, Music: Public Domain. Harmony: F.R.C. Clarke.

OneLicense.net

-“Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ:”

CCLI, LicenSing, OneLicense.net

Words, Music: Hope Publishing Company. One License #608577

-”How Deep the Peace:” Words: Lynn Bauman, 2000. Music: Linnea Good, 2004. Words

Used by permission One License # 608577.

SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:

Scripture Passage from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.