January28th, 2024

Epiphany 4^th & 5^th Sunday

Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live

Leading us today in Worship:
            Minister: Rev. Dr. John Greg. Smith
            Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
            Scripture Reader: Jim Oliver

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

We Gather 

PRELUDE  
"Monsieurs Alman" - William Byrd

GREETING:  (2 Cor. 13:13)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all!
And also with you!

LIGHTING the CHRIST CANDLE
The light of Christ is with us always!
The light of Christ is in this place!
The light of Christ fills us with hope and courage
and gives us strength for the journey ahead!

Thanks be to God for the light of Christ!

WELCOME

OUR COMMITMENT to SAFE SPACE & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the LAND
We believe all people are made in the image of God and are entitled to dignity and respect. At Grace United Church we try to offer a safe, inclusive and generous space for all who are seeking a faith community – people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, races, ages and abilities. We are committed to continuing to learn and grow as we prepare to become an Affirming congregation.

Grace United Church is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Petun, Huron-Wendat, and Mississauga peoples, located within the boundary of Treaty 18 region 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.

CALL to WORSHIP: From Psalm 111  
(paraphrased by Rev. John)

Friends, let us give thanks to God, with our whole hearts!
For we have studied the earth and its bounty;
We have stargazed at the wonders of the universe;
We have bent our knees at the beauty of kindness and love.
And we still have room for more amazement!

“Great are the works of the Lord;
Studied by all who delight in them.
Full of honour and majesty is God’s work,
And his steadfast love endures forever!

God has shown mercy to one and all.
God has provided for our diverse needs.
God’s works in the hearts of humanity are faithful and just;
God shows deep love for the human spirit.

“Great are the works of the Lord;
Studied by all who delight in them.
Full of honour and majesty is God’s work,
And his steadfast love endures forever!”

Come let us worship the One who fashioned us from clay.
Let us worship the One who holds us in high esteem.
Let us worship the One who breathes hope and comfort into our emptiness.
Let us praise the One who loves and holds and blesses all of creation.

We offer our praise, the worship of our hearts
And the desire of our souls.
May it be so!  Amen!

*OPENING HYMN: MV #28  
“God of the Bible”

1) God of the Bible, God in the Gospel,
hope seen in Jesus, hope yet to come,
you are our centre, daylight or darkness,
freedom or prison, you are our home.
Refrain          (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

2) God in our struggles, God in our hunger,
suffering with us, taking our part,
still you empow’r us, mothering Spirit,
feeding, sustaining, from your own heart.
Refrain          (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

3) Those without status, those who are nothing,
you have made royal, gifted with rights,
chosen as partners, midwives of justice,
birthing new systems, lighting new lights.
Refrain          (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

4) Not by your finger, not by your anger
will our world order change in a day,
but by your people, fearless and faithful,
small paper lanterns, lighting the way.
Refrain          (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

5) Hope we must carry, shining and certain
through all our turmoil, terror and loss,
bonding us gladly one to the other,
‘til our world changes facing the Cross.
Refrain          (2X)
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.

OPENING PRAYER
Thank you God for this day.
It is the first of its kind; there has never been one like it before.
Thank you for renewing our spirits,
For a fresh new start to this new day.
Thank for renewing our hearts,
That we might face the week with compassion and love.
Thank you for opening our minds,
That we might see your love for all beings In all the hidden places of our lives.

Thank you for giving us our life’s breath,
For the sanctity of our own life
And the sanctity of the human spirit.
Thank you for showing us that there is nothing stronger on earth
than the love we share with others.
Thank you for holding us close when we feel like we are falling apart.
Thank you for being our keeper, the Source of Love,
the guardian of our souls.

Thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ,
who taught us we are whole, we are loved, we are free.
Thank you for the scriptures which open him up to us.
Thank you for the breadth and depth of understanding in our church,
for our diverse beliefs, and our diverse ways of being community.
In this moment of silence,
Let us bring our gratitude to God, for all for which we can be thankful,
wherever we are at this moment:

(A moment of silent prayer)

Now let us sing our response:

 “Christ be our Light!
Shine in our hearts!
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light;
Shine in your church, gathered today!”

A Primer on the Gospel of Mark  (The 7 Essential Ingredients)

We Listen

SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Mark 1: 21 – 28               (Common English Bible)
Jesus and his followers went into Capernaum. Immediately on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and started teaching. The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts. Suddenly, there in the synagogue, a person with an evil spirit screamed, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are:   You are the holy one from God.”
“Silence!” Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. “Come out of him!”  The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out.
Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, “What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirits and they obey him!”   Right away the news about him spread throughout the entire region of Galilee.

*HYMN:    VU # 619  
“Healer of Our Every Ill”
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

1) You who know our fears and sadness,
grace us with your peace and gladness.
Spirit of all comfort, fill our hearts.
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

2) In the pain and joy beholding,
how your grace is still unfolding.
Give us all your vision, God of love.
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

3) Give us strength to love each other,
every sister, every brother.
Spirit of all kindness, be our guide.
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

4) You who know each thought and feeling,
teach us all your way of healing.
Spirit of compassion, fill each heart.
Refrain:
Healer of our every ill,
light of each tomorrow,
give us peace beyond our fear,
and hope beyond our sorrow.

Mark 1: 29 – 39     (Common English Bible)
After leaving the synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew.   Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up.   The fever left her, and she served them.
That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed.  The whole town gathered near the door.    He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons.   But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.
Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer.  Simon and those with him tracked him down.    When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”
He replied, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.”He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons.

RESPONSE
May these words of scripture inspire us in heart, mind and soul.  AMEN

ANTHEM:   "Steal Away"  Spiritual 

SERMON:  “Your Soul is Larger than You”

We Respond 

*HYMN: MV #154 
“Deep in our Hearts”

1) Deep in our hearts there is a common vision;
deep in our hearts there is a common song;
deep in our hearts there is a common story,
telling Creation that we are one.

2) Deep in our hearts there is a common purpose;
deep in our hearts there is a common goal;
deep in our hearts there is a sacred message,
justice and peace in harmony.

3) Deep in our hearts there is a common longing;
deep in our hearts there is a common theme;
deep in our hearts there is a common current,
flowing to freedom like a stream.

4) Deep in our hearts there is a common vision;
deep in our hearts there is a common song;
deep in our hearts there is a common story,
telling Creation that we are one.

What’s Up at Grace?

PRAYER of DEDICATION for OUR OFFERINGS
The work of creating a world that works for all, 
Requires many gifts, many talents, many resources.
We bring all that we have, our courage, our strength,
Our prayers and our dreams,
Our gifts of time and treasure,
And all the love and acceptance we embody,
To create God’s world of justice and joy.
Thanks be to God. 
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

PRAYERS of the PEOPLE & the LORD’S PRAYER  (VU 910)

We Go Forth           

*HYMN: MV #98
“Renewing our Spirits” (Like a River of Tears)

1) Like a river of tears your love pours upon us;
like a sunshine of blessing your grace will sustain us;
like a star-studded sky your spirit shines o’er us,
renewing our spirits with courage and faith.

2) Like a bird in free flight by windows around us;
like a wind in the forest that breathes life among us;
like a phoenix that’s rising from ashes around us,
renewing our spirits with vision and grace.

3) Like a pillar of cloud you promise to guide us;
like a bright fiery bush you come to speak to us;
like a calm cooling breeze your spirit breathes in us,
renewing our spirits with loving embrace.

4) Like a lover’s caress your spirit revives us;
like a song of the soul you come to be with us;
like a prayer of the hear you heal and restore us,
renewing our spirits, the future to face.

*COMMISSIONING:    The Irish Blessing  
“May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rain fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of your hand.”
May it be so.  AMEN!

*SUNG BLESSING:  VU # 964 
“Go Now in Peace”

“Go now in peace, go now in peace,
May the Love of God surround you,
Everywhere, everywhere you may go.”  (2x)

POSTLUDE
"English Suite #3, Gavottes 1, 2" - J.S. Bach

 *****

LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
Call to Worship: from Psalm111, paraphrased by Rev. John
Opening Prayer: [1] a quote from Mother Teresa of Calcutta

HYMNS and SUNG VERSES

Prelude: "Monsieurs Alman" - William Byrd

Anthem: "Steal Away" - Spiritual 

Postlude: "English Suite #3, Gavottes 1, 2" - J.S. Bach