August 2nd 2026
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 13
Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live
Leading us today in Worship:
Worship Leader: Phyllis Fleming, Licensed Lay Worship Leader
Music Leader: Dr. Christopher Burton
Scripture Reader from St. George’s: Ruth McWhirter
Scripture Reader from St. Paul’s: Diana Bailey
Scripture Reader from Grace: Norine Baron
Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able.
We Gather
A Stewardship Second to ponder while gathering
Generosity is what transforms five loaves and two fish into a feast for five thousand.
PRELUDE: A Medley of Hymns from “More Voices” – C. Burton
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!
WELCOME
LIGHTING the CHRIST CANDLE
Each week, we light the Christ candle as a symbol of Christ’s presence. The flame may be small, but the love that it represents is infinitely large. Let us open ourselves to this love as the candle is lit.
(the candle is lit)
Thanks be to God for the gift of Christ’s presence among us.
SONG: “Christ Whose Glory Fills the Skies” - VU 336, v. 1 (tune VU 81)
Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true, the only light,
sun of Righteousness, arise, triumph o'er the shades of night.
Day-spring from on high, be near; day-star, in my heart appear.
OUR COMMITMENT to SAFER SPACE & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the LAND
As a designated Affirming Ministry of the United Church of Canada, 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
We come together today to worship God.
We are united in our common love of our great Creator, the Source of Love.
We come together today to praise our Lord and Saviour.
We are united in following Jesus, Love Incarnate.
We come together today to experience the Holy Spirit.
We are united in the warmth of Love’s Power.
Come, let us worship our triune God!
*OPENING HYMN: VU 315 - “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty”
1. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
2. Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee;
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which were, and art, and evermore shalt be.
3. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love, and purity.
4. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea;
holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
OPENING PRAYER
O God, we are truly grateful for the life you give us.
We praise you for the delights of summer,
and the joy of worshipping you together.
We thank you that you sent your son Jesus into the world,
so that we could see what a human life filled with you could look like.
We praise you for the gift of the Holy Spirit,
which flows over us in all the seasons of our lives.
We feel your boundless love for us,
and we respond with love and praise.
Let this time together with you refresh our spirits and strengthen our faith.
All this we pray in Jesus’s name, Amen.
We Listen
Theme Conversation and Lighting of the Children’s Lantern
INVITATION to CONFESSION
PRAYER of CONFESSION
O God, we want to live lives worthy of you,
but we know that sometimes we fall short of our goal.
We strive to follow the example of Jesus,
but we do not always succeed.
We often act in loving ways,
but we can also act in hurtful ways.
We sometimes pause to listen for your word to us,
and sometimes we rush headlong into decisions that may lead us away from you.
We bring these failings before you now in the silence of our hearts.
(a time of silent prayer)
Forgive us, O God. Amen.
WORDS of ASSURANCE
Friends, remember that however much we fall short of our goal to live lives worthy of God, however far we may stray down a path that leads away from God, that same God always loves us, and is waiting for us to accept forgiveness.
Thanks be to God!
PRAYER for ILLUMINATION
O God, as we listen to the scriptures that are read this morning,
we pray that we will hear beyond the human words recorded in the Bible,
and hear your word of truth for us, today. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Genesis 32:22-31 – read by Ruth McWhirter, from the New Revised Standard Version
The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then the man said, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, yet my life is preserved."
The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
Psalm 17:1-7,15 (Voices United page 739, no refrain) – led by Diana Bailey
Hear my just cause; attend to my cry, O God.
Listen to my prayer from lips that do not lie.
Let judgement in my favour come forth from your presence;
and let your eyes discern what is right.
If you examine my heart, if you visit me by night,
if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me.
As for what others do, according to the command of your lips I have kept from travelling with the violent.
My steps have been firm in your paths, and my feet have not stumbled.
I call upon you, God, for you will answer me.
Incline your ear to me and hear my words.
Show me the wonders of your steadfast love;
for by your right hand you save from their enemies
those who take refuge in you.
Guard me as the apple of your eye;
hide me under the shadow of your wings,
from the wicked who assail me,
from deadly foes who surround me.
As for me, I shall see your face because my plea is just;
when l awake and see your face, I shall be satisfied.
Matthew 14:13-21– read by Norine Baron, from the Contemporary English Version
After Jesus heard about John, he crossed Lake Galilee to go to some place where he could be alone. But the crowds found out and followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd. He felt sorry for them and healed everyone who was sick. That evening the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This place is like a desert, and it's already late. Let the crowds leave, so they can go to the villages and buy some food.” Jesus replied, “They don't have to leave. Why don't you give them something to eat?” But they said, “We have only five small loaves of bread and two fish.” Jesus asked his disciples to bring the food to him, and he told the crowd to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and handed it to his disciples, and they gave it to the people. After everyone had eaten all they wanted, Jesus' disciples picked up twelve large baskets of leftovers. There were about 5,000 men who ate, not counting the women and children.
RESPONSE
The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God!
MUSICAL MEDITATION: Little Litanies of Jesus – Gabriel Grovlez
MESSAGE
We Respond
*HYMN: VU 234 – “Let Us with a Gladsome Mind”
1. Let us with a gladsome mind
praise our God, forever kind;
whose great mercies still endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
2. God, with all-commanding might,
filled the new-made world with light;
for God's mercies still endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
3. God has with a gracious eye
looked upon our misery;
for God's mercies still endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
4. All things living God does feed,
with full measure meets their need;
for God's mercies still endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
5. Let us then with gladsome mind,
praise our God, forever kind;
whose great mercies still endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.
PRAYERS of the PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER (Spoken, traditional words, VU 910)
And 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…
INVITATION to the OFFERING
There are many ways that we partner with God in advancing God’s kingdom, by sharing our time, our talents, and our treasure in God’s service. At church, we have an opportunity to donate money towards this work. There are offering boxes at the back of the sanctuary for each of the three churches (Grace United, St. George’s Anglican, and St. Paul’s Presbyterian), which you can use to make your offering today after the service. If you did not bring an envelope and you would like a tax receipt, there are envelopes beside the boxes and you can select which church you would like to receive your offering. Let us honour all the gifts of time, talent and treasure given this week as we pray our prayer of dedication:
PRAYER of DEDICATION for OUR OFFERINGS
O God, please accept the work of our hands, the prayers of our hearts, and the financial gifts given here today, as well as those we have given by other methods. May these all help to bring more of your love into this world which you love so much. This we pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.
Care, Prayer, Share
WHAT’S UP AT GRACE and ST. PAUL’S and ST. GEORGE’S?
We Go Out
*HYMN: VU 262 – “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
1. A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
our helper sure amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
for still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
power and malice great, and armed with cruel hate,
on earth he has no equal.
2. Did we in our strength confide, our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing:
dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.
3. And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed the truth to triumph through us:
the prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure,
one little word shall fell him.
4. That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours through Christ, who with us sideth:
let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
the body they may kill: God's truth abideth still,
God's kingdom is forever.
*COMMISSIONING
Our service of worship has come to an end,
but our time of service is just beginning.
We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ,
serving each other and helping to bring God’s love to the world.
Let us go in the knowledge that God will always be with us,
because God is everywhere and in everything and in everyone.
Go now to share the blessings of Love’s presence
with our families, our friends, and also with ourselves.
Go and be God’s people in the world!
*BENEDICTION
*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: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair - C. Debussy
*****
LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
Stewardship Second: © 2026 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca. Any copy must include this notice.
A Prayer for Justice and Belonging (incorporated into Prayers of the People): written by by YongSeok Baek, originally published for 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism in 2025, from https://united-church.ca/prayers/
COPYRIGHT HYMNS and SUNG VERSES, used by permission One License #608577
- “Go Now in Peace”- Words by Don Besig and Nancy Price. copyright © 1988 Harold Flammer Music, Inc.
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.
Scripture Passage from the Contemporary English Version (CEV), copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society.
Prelude: A Medley of Hymns from “More Voices” - C. Burton
Musical Meditation: Little Litanies of Jesus - Gabriel Grovlez
Postlude: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair - C. Debussy
