Grace United Church | United Church in Thornbury, ON

Grace United Church is live

September 20, 2026 - Creation Time 2

Guest Speaker - Jeremy Wentworth-Stanley

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Chat

Service and Hymns

Playlist

Loading chat...

September 20th, 2026

Creation Time 2

Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live

Leading us today in Worship:
Worship Leader: Jeremy Wentworth-Stanley
Director of Music: Dr. Christopher Burton
Lay Reader: Carol Clarke

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

We Gather

PRELUDE: A Selection of Favourite Hymns – C. Burton

A Stewardship Second
Those who have been blessed with riches have many opportunities to bless others through generosity. From each according to their ability, to each according to their need.

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

LIGHTING the CHRIST CANDLE: “Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying” VU #400 v.1
Lord, listen to your children praying,
Lord, send your Spirit in this place;
Lord, listen to your children praying,
send us love, send us power, send us grace!

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

*HYMN: VU #333 “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
1. Love Divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven to earth come down,
fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure unbounded love thou art,
visit us with thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.

2. Come, almighty to deliver,
let us all thy grace receive;
suddenly return, and never,
never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray and praise thee, without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

3. Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee,
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

PRAYER of CONFESSION

PRAYER of ASSURANCE

*HYMN: VU #506 “Take My Life and Let It Be”
1. Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, all for thee;
take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2. Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet, and let them be
swift and purposeful for thee.

3. Take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee;
take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.

4. Take my will, and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine;
take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.

5. Take my love: and I will pour
at thy feet its treasure store;
take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.

Theme Conversation &Lighting the Children’s Lantern: “The Ice Cream Scoop”

ANTHEM: “Hands Shaped Like a Cradle” by Kaan/Klusmeier

We Listen

SCRIPTURE READINGS
Jonah 3:10 - 4:1-11 The Message
God saw what they had done, that they had turned away from their evil lives. He did change his mind about them. What he said he would do to them he didn’t do.
Jonah was furious. He lost his temper. He yelled at God, “God! I knew it—when I was back home, I knew this was going to happen! That’s why I ran off to Tarshish! I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness!
“So, God, if you won’t kill them, kill me! I’m better off dead!”
God said, “What do you have to be angry about?”
But Jonah just left. He went out of the city to the east and sat down in a sulk. He put together a makeshift shelter of leafy branches and sat there in the shade to see what would happen to the city.
God arranged for a broad-leafed tree to spring up. It grew over Jonah to cool him off and get him out of his angry sulk. Jonah was pleased and enjoyed the shade. Life was looking up.
But then God sent a worm. By dawn of the next day, the worm had bored into the shade tree and it withered away. The sun came up and God sent a hot, blistering wind from the east. The sun beat down on Jonah’s head and he started to faint. He prayed to die: “I’m better off dead!”
Then God said to Jonah, “What right do you have to get angry about this shade tree?”
Jonah said, “Plenty of right. It’s made me angry enough to die!”
God said, “What’s this? How is it that you can change your feelings from pleasure to anger overnight about a mere shade tree that you did nothing to get? You neither planted nor watered it. It grew up one night and died the next night. So, why can’t I likewise change what I feel about Nineveh from anger to pleasure, this big city of more than 120,000 childlike people who don’t yet know right from wrong, to say nothing of all the innocent animals?”

Responsive Psalm 145: 1-8, VU #866
Refrain:
We praise you, O God: We bless your holy name.

Every day we will bless you
and praise your name forever.
O God, you are great and highly to be praised;
your greatness is beyond all measure.
One generation shall praise your works to another,
and declare your marvellous deeds.
I will speak of your splendour and glory,
and all your wonderful works.
Refrain:
We praise you, O God: We bless your holy name.

You, God, are righteous in all your ways,
and loving in all your deeds.
You are near to all who call to you,
to all who call on you in truth.
You fulfil the desire of those who revere you;
you hear their cry and you save them.
You watch over all who love you,
but the wicked you will destroy.
My mouth will speak your praise, O God.
Let every creature bless your holy name forever.
Refrain:
We praise you, O God: We bless your holy name.

Philippians 1: 21-30 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me, yet I cannot say which I will choose.I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better,but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith,so that, by my presence again with you, your boast might abound in Christ Jesus because of me. Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospeland in no way frightened by those opposing you. For them, this is evidence of their destruction but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing.For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ but of suffering for him as well,since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Response:
The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

SERMON: “To chat, or not to chat”

*HYMN: VU #226 “For the Beauty of the Earth” (Tune VU 81)
1. For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies,
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

2. For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light,
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

3. For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild,
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

4. For each perfect gift sublime
to our race so freely given,
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven,
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

We Respond

INVITATION to the OFFERING
God says that we are not to decide who is worthy of the gifts we share. We are to give freely and abundantly. “The last shall be first, and the first last.” Let us now do as God does and share with everyone as we make our offering.

PRAYER of DEDICATION of OUR OFFERINGS
Abundant God, we ask you to help us look beyond the labels we put on people and their circumstances and see the faces of your children, so that we can lift up those who struggle and share what we have with them. Bless these gifts, and those given online and through PAR, for all who are in need.

DEDICATION HYMN: MV #191”What Can I Do?” (2x)
What can I do? What can I bring?
What can I say? What can I sing?
I’ll sing with joy. I’ll say a prayer
I’ll bring my love. I’ll do my share.

Donate online: www.graceunitedthornbury.ca, select “Donate”
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
or Offering Plate at the back of the sanctuary.

Tap your debit card at the door of the church, or Donate to Grace United Church Thornbury through CanadaHelps.org. Our account is set up with them now and it is easy to register. Tax receipts are given automatically at the time of giving. Care, Prayer, Share

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

What’s up at Grace?

We Go Out

*HYMN: VU #686 “God of Grace and God of Glory” (Tune VU 651)
1. God of grace and God of glory,
on your people pour your power;
now fulfil your church’s story;
bring its bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour.

2. Lo, the hosts of evil round us
scorn your Christ, assail your ways;
fears and doubts too long have bound us;
free our hearts to work and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the living of these days.

3. Cure your children’s warring madness,
bend our pride to your control;
shame our wanton selfish gladness,
rich in goods and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss your kingdom’s goal.

4. Set our feet on lofty places,
gird our lives that they may be
armoured with all Christlike graces,
pledged to set all captives free.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
that we fail not them nor thee.

*COMMISSIONING

*SUNG BENEDICTION: “May the Blessing of God be Upon You” VU #429
May the blessing of God be upon you.
May God’s love light all your way.
May the grace of Christ enfold you
and peace around you stay.
May the Spirit of God dwell within you.
May you live in joy each day

POSTLUDE: “Hallelujah Chorus” by G.F. Handel

*****