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HYMN: COME ALL YOU PEOPLE
Covenant
The United Church of Canada
a safe place for all people to worship
MV 2
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
HYMN: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
VU 664
Ministers: the people
21 May 2017. Easter 6A. (White).
Acknowledgement of Land
(An act towards reconciliation)
Gathering
ENTRY INTO THE CELEBRATION
The gong is sounded three times
Discovered in daily life
divine background print
opening eyes
opening minds
opening hearts
inviting the journey deeper
into life...
Gentle still point
Silent place of knowing... (John Hebenton)
As we gather in this sacred place
let us open our minds to the challenge of reason,
our hearts open to the healing of love,
our lives open to the calling of conscience,
and our souls open to the comfort of joy.
Astonished by the miracle of life,
grateful for the gift of fellowship,
and confident in the power of a living faith,
we celebrate this time together. LBates/adapted
ACT OF AWARENESS
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life.
LIGHTING OF THE COMMUNITY CANDLE
OPENING SENTENCES
The candle is lit
We give thanks for the opportunity we have
to gather and celebrate this day.
May we be surrounded
with a very real sense of the presentness
of the Source and Sustainer of all that Exists
as we spend this time together.
May a spirit of wisdom inspire and challenge us.
For every time we make a mistake
and we decide to start again: we light this flame.
For every time we are lonely
and we let someone be our friend: we light this flame.
For every time we are disappointed
and we choose to hope: we light this flame.
M M Killoran
Centering
Silence and Music of Reflection
Exploring
PRAYERS
READINGS FROM OUR BROAD RELIGIOUS TRADITION
Extra/New Gospel:
Gospel of Philip 79 and 67.
(Selected verses)
Traditional Gospel:
John 14:15-21.
(Scholars version)
(Inclusive Text)
CONTEMPORARY EXPLORATION
HYMN: O FOR A WORLD
VU 697
OUR OFFERINGS
Our offerings for the celebration of life in this place and
beyond, shall now be received.
Draw the Circle Wide
We are called to make real
the sharing of the gifts God has given to us.
We offer what we have for the good of all.
May your powerful presence become obvious
not only in the undeniable glory of the sky,
but also in the seemingly base
and common processes of the earth.
Give us what we need, day by day,
to keep body and soul together, because
clever as you have made us,
we still owe our existence to you.
Affirming& Celebrating
PRESENTATION
Dear One,
closer to us than our own hearts,
farther from us than the most distant star,
you are beyond naming.
MV 145
We recognize that to be reconciled with you,
we must live peaceably and justly with other human
beings,
putting hate and bitterness behind us.
We are torn between our faith in your goodness
and our awareness of the evil in your creation,
so deliver us from the temptation to despair.
Yours alone is the universe and all its majesty and beauty.
So it is. Amen.
(Jim Burklo, 2010)
Scattering
HYMN: JOYFUL, JOYFUL WE ADORE YOU
VU 232
PARTING WORDS
Let us embrace the wonder of this week
with expectation and imagination...
The Community Candle is extinguished
There is hope!
Our God is a God of life,
and the power of the God’s Spirit permeates all creation.
To live according to the Spirit
is to acknowledge its presentness in all creation.
BLESSING WORDS
May the blessings of the Holy One be upon us and upon this
congregation.
May the memories we gathered here give us hope for the
future.
May the love we have shared bring strength and joy to our
hearts,
and the peace of this community be with us
until we meet again. Gary Kowalski/adapted
Amen. May it be so.
SUNG RESPONSE: AS LONG AS WE FOLLOW
Bulletin Covers from farmer Joy Galloway
MV 140