May 31st, 2026
TRINITY SUNDAY
“A Celebration of Love and New Beginnings”
Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live
Leading us today in Worship:
Minister: Rev. Dr. John G. Smith
Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. John Joseph Mastandrea
Director of Music: Dr. Christopher Burton
Guest Soloist: Christina Song, Soprano
Lay Reader: Ricardo Araujo
Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics.
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able.
We Gather Together in Community
PRELUDE:
A Medley of Favourite Hymns
WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS:
LIGHTING the CHRIST CANDLE:
In the spirit of Christ, let us light this candle with hope, with peace, and with joyful remembrance of the dancing light of Christ within each one gathered here.
We celebrate the light within every soul, a flame that no fear can distinguish.
We celebrate the love that awakens every heart, which shines light and love into the world.
We celebrate the light of Christ, which calls each one of us by name,
A light that enlivens our being and our becoming,
A light which shines even brighter when we gather together in this place.
We welcome this light!
We become the light!
Thanks be to God! AMEN!!!
OUR COMMITMENT to SAFER SPACE & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
of the LAND:
Grace United Church is committed to a living faith of love and justice. We celebrate diversity in all forms. We welcome everyone and affirm our welcome to people of all gender identities and sexual preferences.
“In gratitude and respect, The United Church of Canada gathers, worships, and works on Indigenous lands across Canada.”
CALL to WORSHIP:
Today we are called to affirm the diverse and beautiful gifts of our Creator!
There are a variety of gifts, and each one carries the full dimension of the Creator’s love.
There are many songs, yet all sing the same message, a song of love from the Lover.
There are many voices, yet all seek to praise the One who made us, just as we are!
As we gather here this morning, may there be love in our beings!
As we gather here in this place, may our hearts expand to hold the whole world.
As we gather as friends and neighbours, in this community of love and justice,
May there be new pathways and new beginnings,
for this church, and also for each one of us gathered here.
Here we are, the gathered community of many gifts and many diverse colours,
Many genders, many expressions of love and spirit.
As we gather let us remember that God called us good.
Right from the very beginning, God called us good.
And so, in our goodness, may we strive to move forward
With grace, with courage, with strength,
With compassion, with joy, and with justice,
And create the world we wish to see here in this corner of the KIN-dom.
May it be so! AMEN!! MAY IT BE SO!!!
*HYMN: MV #89 “Love is the Touch” (tune of #642)
- Love is the touch of intangible joy;
- love is the force that no fear can destroy;
- love is the goodness we gladly applaud:
- God is where love is, for love is of God.
- Love is the lilt in a lingering voice;
- love is the hope that can make us r3ejoice;
- love is the cure for the frightened and flawed:
- God is where love is, for love is of God.
- Love is the light in the tunnel of pain;
- love is the will to be whole once again;
- love is the trust of a friend on the road:
- God is where love is, for love is of God.
- Love is the Maker and Spirit and Son;
- love is the kingdom their will has begun;
- love is the path which the saints all have trod:
- God is where love is, for love is of God.
PRAYERS of REMEMBRANCE, CELEBRATION & COMMITMENT:
Gracious God, we stand on the brink of a new day.
We stand on the brink of a new world order.
We stand on the brink of a new threshold of possibility.
So let us remember: this is the day you have made for us.
We are so grateful to be alive in this fruitful time,
To be full of creation’s energy, to be on fire with your life-giving Spirit.
Despite the world around us and at our doors,
We know we can begin again.
We know we can make it.
We know we can help make the world a better place.
We remember those who are hurting today:
The victims of war, and of persecution.
We remember those in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community,
Their struggles, their pain, their desire to live in peace.
We remember those whose pain leads to desperation:
We hold in our hearts those who would harm themselves
Because of their identity.
God give us courage and strength to offer hope by our words and our actions.
Help us to be a church of loving kindness,
To be a light so bright that others will be drawn to it.
Help each of us to be an ally, a friend, a source of beauty.
Help us create a new and more beautiful rainbow each and every day,
A sign of hope, a sign of blessing, a sign of a brighter future.
*CANDLE LIGHTING PRAYER:
Led by the Affirm Committee
(Please stand if you are able.)
Together:
As we gather our hearts together on this Affirming Day
let us choose to commit, together and individually,
to be a source of love for those who do not feel loved,
a source of peace for those who struggle,
a source of courage for those whose strength is tested,
and most of all, a source of blessing
for the queerly beloved of this world.
As we make this journey together as a community of faith,
We pray O God, that you will fill us with your Spirit. AMEN
*HYMN: MV #145 “Draw the Circle Wide”
- Refrain
- Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
- Let this be our song, no one stands alone,
- standing side by side, draw the circle wide.
- God the still-point of the circle,
- ‘round whom all creation turns;
- nothing lost, but held forever,
- in God’s gracious arms.
- Refrain
- Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
- Let this be our song, no one stands alone,
- standing side by side, draw the circle wide.
- Let our hearts touch far horizons,
- so encompass great and small;
- let our loving know no borders,
- faithful to God’s call.
- Refrain
- Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
- Let this be our song, no one stands alone,
- standing side by side, draw the circle wide.
- Let the dreams we dream be larger,
- than we’ve ever dreamed before;
- let the dream of Christ be in us,
- open every door.
- Refrain
- Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
- Let this be our song, no one stands alone,
- standing side by side, draw the circle wide.
PRESENTATION & ACCEPTANCE of the AFFIRMING CHURCH CERTIFICATE
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
(All from Contemporary English version)
Genesis 1: 1-2: 4a
The Story of Creation
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was barren, with no form of life;
it was under a roaring ocean covered with darkness.
But the Spirit of God was moving over the water.
God said, “I command light to shine!” And light started shining. God looked at the light and saw that it was good. He separated light from darkness and named the light “Day” and the darkness “Night.” Evening came, then morning—that was the first day.
God said, “I command a dome to separate the water above it from the water below it.” And that's what happened. God made the dome and named it “Sky.” Evening came, then morning—that was the second day.
God said, “I command the water under the sky to come together in one place, so there will be dry ground.” And that's what happened. God named the dry ground “Land,” and he named the water “Ocean.” God looked at what he had done and saw that it was good.
God said, “I command the earth to produce all kinds of plants, including fruit trees and grain.” And that's what happened. The earth produced all kinds of vegetation. God looked at what he had done, and it was good. Evening came, then morning—that was the third day.
God said, “I command lights to appear in the sky and to separate day from night and to show the time for seasons, special days, and years. I command them to shine on the earth.” And that's what happened. God made two powerful lights, the brighter one to rule the day and the other to rule the night. He also made the stars. Then God put these lights in the sky to shine on the earth, to rule day and night, and to separate light from darkness. God looked at what he had done, and it was good. Evening came, then morning—that was the fourth day.
God said, “I command the ocean to be full of living creatures, and I command birds to fly above the earth.” So God made the giant sea monsters and all the living creatures that swim in the ocean. He also made every kind of bird. God looked at what he had done, and it was good. Then he gave the living creatures his blessing—he told the ocean creatures to increase and live everywhere in the ocean and the birds to increase everywhere on earth. Evening came, then morning—that was the fifth day.
God said, “I command the earth to give life to all kinds of tame animals, wild animals, and reptiles.” And that's what happened. God made every one of them. Then he looked at what he had done, and it was good.
God said, “Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures.”
So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women. God gave them his blessing and said:
Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.
I have provided all kinds of fruit and grain for you to eat. And I have given the green plants as food for everything else that breathes, including animals, both wild and tame, and birds. And so it was. God looked at what he had done. All of it was very good! Evening came, then morning—that was the sixth day.
That's how God created the heavens and the earth.
Mathew 28: 16-20
Jesus' eleven disciples went to a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus had told them to meet him. They saw him and worshiped him, but some of them doubted.
Jesus came to them and said:
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.
SOLO: “You Raise Me Up” Christine Song
by Rolf Lovland & Brendan Graham
Christina Song is a celebrated soloist and actor in the Greater Toronto Area, a friend of Rev. John’s, and a beautiful person. We are lucky to have her with us today!
SERMON: “In the Beginning… Today!”
Rev. Dr. John Joseph Mastandrea
SOLO: “A Million Dreams” Christine Song
by Ben Pasek & Justin Paul
*A HYMN for AFFIRMING:
“We’er the Light of All the World”
On the last verse and chorus of this hymn, you are invited to bring your coloured sash to the front and place it on the communion table, after which we will all stay near the front as best we can, (if you are able), so that we can share together in table fellowship, forming not just a rainbow, but a circle of blessing and hope. If you are not able to come to the front, we will stretch our circle to include you. Please bring your bulletin with you.
- We’re the light of all the world,
We are a city on a hill,
We’re a candle on a stand proclaiming light,
We will not hide our lamp beneath a bushel anymore,
We will shine a ray of hope that’s burning bright:
Chorus:
We are a rainbow, sign of covenant and peace
For the flood of tears will fin’lly cease to be,
Come shine your rainbow, splash your hues across the sky,
Paint the world in colours proud and bold and free.
- We’re a coat of many colours, sewn from many different threads,
Covering all in warmth, in welcome and in grace,
God said “Let there be light”, created every varied shade,
In the rainbow each of us can find a place.
Chorus:
We are a rainbow, sign of covenant and peace
For the flood of tears will fin’lly cease to be,
Come shine your rainbow, splash your hues across the sky,
- We are hope to still believe in tomorrow’s better day
We are peace in a world that’s torn apart,
We are joy that will last in all the struggles that we face
We are love that blooms and grows in every heart.
Chorus:
We are a rainbow, sign of covenant and peace
For the flood of tears will fin’lly cease to be,
Come shine your rainbow, splash your hues across the sky,
- When we face the storms of life we will never be alone,
For our God will be with us on the way,
Here we are, side by side, we won’t be frightened anymore,
As the mourning night of tears breaks into day
Chorus:
We are a rainbow, sign of covenant and peace
For the flood of tears will fin’lly cease to be,
Come shine your rainbow, splash your hues across the sky,
PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the PEOPLE, PRAYER POEM:
Rev. Dr. John Joseph Mastandrea
WE ARE THE BEGINNING (from the desk of Dr. JJ)
We are the beginning
God as Creator, and as Spirit: in the beginning God’s Spirit brooded over the waters….
Opening of the canon. Formless void, darkness, a face, a wind over waters.
Time is ordered out of chaos
We are the beginning
God said, “Let there be light”
Identity of time. Relationship of Creator and created. When is the beginning? God is the beginning. God’s creating.
We are the beginning
there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Creation of the heavens and the earth
We are the beginning
Creation is the beginning
Greet one another with a holy kiss
In the hello and the farewell
Grace, love of God, and the communion be with you. In love and in peace.
We are the beginning
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
Living in the community of the Trinity
Go make disciples. Teach, baptize..
We are the beginning
Go therefore and make disciples
Three persons. The maiden, the midwife and the crone.
AN AFFIRMING AGAPE MEAL:
WELCOME:
INVITATION to SHARE the BREAD and CUP:
Friends, the bread and cup will now be shared among us.
As you receive them, receive them as gifts of love.
As you pass them, pass them with kindness and joy.
Today we affirm there are no barriers here—only welcome.
No one stands above another.
We simply share this feast together, as friends around one table.
May this bread remind us that we are meant to nourish one another.
May this cup remind us that joy and blessing are meant to be shared freely.
Take what you need.
Receive deeply.
And may this meal strengthen us to live boldly, love openly, and shine brightly in the world.
The feast is ready.
Come, let us share in the goodness of God together.
The meal is shared
BLESSING PRAYER:
A Few Announcements
*HYMN: VU #586 “We Shall Go Out”
1 We shall go out with hope of resurrection;
we shall go out, from strength to strength go on;
we shall go out and tell our stories boldly;
tales of a love that will not let us go.
We’ll sing our songs of wrongs that can be righted;
we’ll dream our dreams of hurts that can be healed;
we’ll weave a cloth of all the world united
within the vision of new life in Christ.
2 We’ll give a voice to those who have not spoken;
we’ll find the words for those whose lips are sealed;
we’ll make the tunes for those who sing no longer,
expressive love alive in every heart.
We’ll share our joy with those who still are weeping,
raise hymns of strength for hearts that break in grief,
we’ll leap and dance the resurrection story,
including all in circles of our love.
*COMMISSIONING:
Rev. Dr. John Joseph Mastandrea
*SUNG BENEDICTION: VU #424 “May the God of Hope”
1 May the God of hope go with us every day,
filling all our lives with love and joy and peace.
May the God of justice speed us on our way,
bringing light and hope to every land and race.
Praying, let us work for peace,
singing, share our joy with all,
working for a world that’s new,
faithful when we hear Christ’s call.
2 May the God of healing free the earth from fear,
freeing us for peace, both treasured and pursued.
May the God of love keep our commitment clear
to a world restored, to human life renewed.
Praying, let us work for peace,
singing, share our joy with all,
working for a world that’s new,
faithful when we hear Christ’s call.
POSTLUDE:
“Clair de Lune”- C. Debussy
SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
The Call to Worship and all Prayers are composed by Rev, Dr. John G. Smith.
HYMNS and SUNG VERSES:
-“Love is the Touch:” Words: Alison M. Robertson, 1998. Words copyright © 1998 Alison M. Robertson, 3 Ross Gardens, Edinburgh, EH9 3BS, Scotland. Music: Irish traditional melody. One License #608577
-“Draw the Circle Wide:” Words and music: Gordon Light, 1994; arrangement: Michael
Bloss, 1998; French translation: Denise Soulodre, 2006. Words and music copyright © 1994 Common Cup Company, www.commoncup.com. Arrangement copyright © 1998 Wood Lake Books. One License #608577
-“We’re the Light of All the World:” (Words and Music © 2023 David Kai, 2017, rev. 2023, reprinted and used with permission. This piece is found in the hymn resource Then Let Us Sing, created for the United Church 100th anniversary celebrations last year)
-“We Shall Go Out:” Words: June Boyce-Tillman 1993 © 1993 Stainer & Bell Ltd. Used by permission of Hope Publishing Company. Arrangement: © 1993 Hope Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Music: Traditional Irish melody. Words, Arrangement: Hope Publishing Company, Stainer & Bell Ltd. One License $608577
-“May the God of Hope Go With Us:” Words: (v 2) Fred Kaan © 1993 Hope Publishing Company for USA and Canada, Stainer & Bell Ltd. for all other territories. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Music: Argentine folk melody. Words: (v1) Music: Public Domain. Words (v 2): Hope Publishing Company, Stainer & Bell Ltd. One License #608577
- Solo Selections:
“You Raise me Up” by Rolf Lovland & Brendan Graham © 2002 Universal Music Publishing, under license from Peer International Corporation. All rights reserved, used with permission.
-“A Million Dreams:” by Ben Pasek & Justin Paul © 2017 Breathelike Music and Pick-in-a Pinch Music. All Rights reserved, used with permission
Scripture Readings: Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
Prelude: A Medley of Favourite Hymns
Postlude: “Clair de Lune”- C. Debussy
