ORDER OF SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
Due to copyright limitations, we are unable to print the words to many of the songs. However, our musicians have chosen music to fit the scriptures. We invite you to look up the words in your worship book and ponder them. If you do not have a worship book, ponder the words to one of your favourite hymns and listen for God’s voice. Those who have internet may find the songs on YouTube.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
BEFORE WE WORSHIP, WE REFLECT…
In Jesus, a new kingdom has drawn near, a kingdom of nonviolence and non-retaliation. Jesus’ withdrawal is not simply passivity but points to a vision of an alternate way of reigning as king. Jesus rules not with violence, abusive power, or through division but through voluntarily emptying himself of power, identifying with the oppressed and burdened, and healing that which is broken. Into this new reign, Jesus calls the disciples to follow him, a way that appears foolish and weak to those who cannot discern it. To those God calls, it is the wisdom and strength, the light and power of God.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We acknowledge we gather and worship on Treaty 1 Territory, the original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.
Creator of all, give us one heart and one mind to walk together in the love and strength of your Spirit, in truth, reconciliation, and peace. We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son, our brother, our Lord, and our hope. Amen.
CALL TO WORSHIP — from a longer liturgy by Seekers Church
The New Dawn will arise upon you.
You shall see and be radiant.
The New Dawn will arise upon you.
The Holy One will bless the people with peace.
The New Dawn will arise upon you.
The joy of the Lord is my strength.
The New Dawn will arise upon you.
God is here among us. Let us rejoice and be glad in God’s presence.
CHILDREN’S SONG: WOV 651 Shine, Jesus, Shine
CENTERING PRAYER
Lord God, your lovingkindness always goes before us and follows after us. Summon us into your light, and direct our steps in the ways of goodness that come through the cross of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
A NEW CREED
We are not alone; we live in God’s world.
We believe in God: who has created and is creating, who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church: to celebrate God’s presence, to live with respect in Creation, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.
CHILDREN’S CHAT
Jesus tells his new disciples that he will teach them how to fish for people. How do you do that? People would look at you as though you were crazy if you went around with a fishing net, putting it over people’s heads!
And how many people are going to swallow a fishing hook!?
Spear fishing for humans should NEVER be done!
What does Jesus mean when he says he will make the disciples fish for people? Well, that is where reading the Bible, particularly the stories about Jesus’ ministry, helps a lot.
Jesus spent time with the poor, those who lived alone, those who needed to know God loved them. Jesus listened to people, fed them, healed them, told them over and over that God loved them. People followed Jesus because he loved them. Then, to follow what Jesus taught them, they started to share what they had with each other. Soon, people realized that when they shared what they had, when they looked out for each other, no one was lonely and everyone had food, clothing and a place to stay.
We fish for people when we live God’s love. Be kind, be generous, be grateful, and, most important, love people.
MINUTE FOR MISSION: The Path toward Healing: Murray Pruden’s Work
In late October 2022, the federal government recognized the residential school system as an act of genocide against Canada’s Indigenous Peoples.
It was a reminder that we are still very much on the path to reconciliation and healing.
“We know that we have an impact as The United Church of Canada,” says the Rev. Murray Pruden. He is Nehiyaw, Cree First Nations, from the Goodfish Lake and Saddle Lake First Nations and is the current Executive Minister for Indigenous Ministries and Justice for The United Church of Canada.
Supported by Mission & Service, Pruden has made significant gains in building relationships of trust and healing between the church and Indigenous communities.
After unmarked graves were discovered in Kamloops, BC, in 2021, the United Church gave an additional $3 million to help Indigenous communities respond, mourn, heal, and potentially find other unmarked graves.
Because we believe every child matters!
The funds also supported the dedication of memorials to lost children, like one for a BC community that raised a totem pole funded in part by Mission & Service.
Other healing initiatives include the translation of the Mohawk Language Bible, the Food for the North program, healing circles, and programs for Indigenous youth to learn and reclaim their languages.
Pruden stresses the need for patience.
“Ever since Kamloops, we had many non-Indigenous church communities and people ask what they can do or how can they contribute in different ways,” he says. “And we at the time really kind of put our hands up and said, ‘Whoa, we need to pause for a minute because we need to mourn.’
“I think that we still have so much to give, to teach, and to be in relationship with. And as long as we have a greater understanding within the church and the supports, we can do it.”
Relationships, friendships, understanding, and trust―these are the foundations of the work Mission & Service is doing across Turtle Island thanks to your generosity.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
God of mercy, you promised never to break your covenant with us. In the midst of the multitude of words in our daily lives, speak your eternal Word to us, that we may respond to your gracious promises with faithfulness, service and love. Amen.
READINGS AND PSALM
First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4
The northern tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali experienced the gloom of defeat by Assyrian military forces, but they are assured that their condition will be reversed when God makes a light-filled appearance. The joy they will experience will resemble celebrations of great harvests, because God will deliver them from everything that diminishes or oppresses them.
1There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.
3You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
4For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
Psalm 27:1, 4-9
R: The Lord is my light and my salvation. (Ps. 27:1)
1The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
4One thing I ask of the Lord; one thing I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days
of my life; to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek God in the temple.
5For in the day of trouble God will give me shelter,
hide me in the hidden places of the sanctuary, and raise me high upon a rock.
6Even now my head is lifted up above my enemies who surround me.
Therefore I will offer sacrifice in the sanctuary, sacrifices of rejoicing; I will sing and make
music to the Lord. R
7Hear my voice, O Lord, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me.
8My heart speaks your message— “Seek my face.” Your face, O Lord, I will seek.
9Hide not your face from me, turn not away from your servant in anger.
Cast me not away—you have been my helper; forsake me not, O God of my salvation. R
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Paul calls on the Corinthians to end their dissensions and share the unified outlook of the gospel. Discord arises when we forget that we belong not to human leaders or institutions but to Christ. Indeed, the unifying word of the cross of Christ is the center of the gospel and the power of God’s salvation.
10Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. 12What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23
Jesus begins his public ministry shortly after John the Baptist is imprisoned by Herod. He proclaims the nearness of God’s reign and calls four fishermen to be his first disciples.
12Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”
17From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
18As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 19And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
HYMN: MV 113 Jesus Saw Them Fishing
SERMON
My friend and I went to the fair. THE WORLD FAIR OF RELIGIONS. Not a trade fair. But the competition was as fierce, the propaganda loud.
At the Jewish stall we were given handouts that said that God was all-compassionate and the Jews were Chosen People. The Jews. No other people were as chosen as they.
At the Moslem stall we learned that God was all-merciful and Mohammed is only Prophet. Salvation comes from listening to God’s prophet.
At the Christian stall we discovered that God is love and there is no salvation outside the Church. Join the Church or risk eternal damnation.
On the way out I asked my friend, “What do you think of God?” replied, “ is bigoted, fanatical, and cruel.”
~“The World Fair Of Religions” in Anthony de Mello’s The Song Of The Bird, p. 114
“It has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Has Christ been divided?”
Perhaps North American Christianity needs to examine its own back yard. How many expressions of the Christian faith exist in Canada? Why is it that some denominations will not “mix” with other denominations?
Then there’s the in-fighting, such as Paul is experiencing in our Corinthians text. And we wonder why people stay away from organized religion, and congregations?
It’s bad enough when Christianity can’t get its act together; worse yet when members of our own denominations can’t get along and deplorable when one congregation has set up camps in the four corners of the sanctuary!
The situation was so bad in Corinth that Cloe and her people, who were probably slaves, took a journey to locate the apostle Paul and inform him of what was happening in their congregation.
Paul begins to do what any pastor would do in this situation. He reminds the people that although they choose to divide themselves, Christ is not, cannot and will never be divided. Paul reminds them that they have been saved by Christ crucified and risen, and this only by the power of God. By focusing on these points, the hope is that the members of the church in Corinth will be reminded that it is God who has the power, and God who is in control. Paul urges the people to be “united in the same mind and the same purpose” which is not to say that they become like sheep. What Paul is saying that they are to be united in Christ, whose purpose is love, forgiveness and healing. If the people would only focus on these things, then the conflict would take care of itself, or so Paul hopes.
When I was in High School, my favourite class was English Literature. I remember my grade 12 teacher, Miss Hoey, telling us that in each play, book or movie there was a key line upon which the plot of the whole story was hung. As I read this text from Corinthians, the key line, as I see it is, “For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.” If it were not for Chloe and her people, there would be no need for Paul to write the letter. Thank God there were those in the congregation who loved the members in it so much that they sought higher counsel as to what to do to end the conflict. And how sad that Chloe and her people probably did not return to their own congregation out of fear – fear of the revenge that these “Christians” would inflict upon them because they dared to shine the light of Christ on the darkness of their sin.
Do you not find it interesting that as Jesus, the light of the world, begins his ministry spreading his light across the countryside, that his first words to the people are “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Be not mistaken. People do not like the light. It is the courageous few who hear the call from Christ and step into the purging brightness. For to stand in the light means to have all of oneself exposed: every thought, every deed, every word. It would appear that the congregation in Corinth preferred the darkness, and were angry that Chloe brought about the light of Christ through Paul, an instrument of Christ. Repentance is not always easy. God bless Chloe and her people for their love, their wisdom and their courage.
People choose to be separated. As Christians we are called to turn around our hearts and minds so that we think, believe and live reconciliation. When we choose not to follow the path of reconciliation, love and forgiveness, then we become like the people in Corinth who desired to live in their separate camps in the darkness of sin, and have their hatred burn against those who dared to shine the light of Christ. A sad way to live and a sad statement of the Christian church. Is it not more life-giving to be cleansed in Christ and know love, forgiveness, healing and freedom, than to stumble in the darkness?
In the Gospel According to Luke we read:
But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” At that moment, while he was still speaking, a cock crew; and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter…and Peter went outside and wept bitterly.
I had a fairly good relationship with . I would ask him for things, converse with him, praise him, thank him….
But always I had this uncomfortable feeling that he wanted me to look at him. And I would not. I would talk, but look away when I sensed he was looking at me.
I was afraid I should find an accusation there of some unrepented sin. I thought I should find a demand there; there would be something he wanted from me.
One day, I finally summoned up courage and looked! There was no accusation. There was no demand. The eyes just said, “I love you.”
And I walked out and, like Peter, I wept.
~“The Look Of Jesus” in Anthony de Mello’s The Song Of The Bird, p. 113
HYMN OF THE MONTH: WOV 735 God! When Human Bonds Are Broken
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Called together to follow Jesus, we pray for the church, the world, and all in need.
Make your church one in purpose, proclaiming the message of the cross. Help us to work together across differences. Energize ecumenical partnerships, including the World Council of Churches and Lutheran World Federation, Mission & Service. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
We rejoice at the bounty of your creation. Fill the land and sea with your abundance. Bless harvests in the southern hemisphere and fallow fields in the northern hemisphere. Equip farmers to till and keep the earth sustainably. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
In Christ your reign comes near and calls all to repentance. Break the rod of the oppressor in every nation. Dispel the shadow of death in places of war and persecution. Grant us leaders who lift the yokes that burden those in need. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
Be a stronghold for those in trouble and a rock for all who are afraid. Rouse communities to care for neighbors who need shelter, are facing maltreatment, or are isolated and lonely. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
Sustain the ministries of this congregation and all churches in this community. Nurture each congregation’s unique witness to your presence; foster mutual respect; inspire our cooperation in loving our neighbors. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
We praise you for the faithful who have gone ahead of us, both famous and unknown. Help us to leave our nets and follow, and bring us with them to the fullness of your promise of eternal life. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
We bring to you our needs and hopes, O God, trusting your wisdom and power revealed in Christ crucified.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SENDING SONG: WOV 752 I, The Lord Of Sea And Sky
BENEDICTION
The God who faithfully brings forth justice and breaks the oppressor’s rod ☩ bless, strengthen, and uphold you, today and always. Amen.