ORDER OF SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2022
23rd SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
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.
Parts of today’s service are taken from In God’s Own Image: worship service celebrating the Churches’ Commitments to Children and International Transgender Day of Remembrance Service.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
I am not the King. Jesus Christ is the King. I’m just an entertainer.
~Elvis Presley
BEFORE WE WORSHIP, WE REFLECT…
Jesus’ true identity seems to remain a mystery for most of the disciples. Jesus can teach, preach, heal, cast out demons, challenge authority and more, but still they do not comprehend. You might say it is a case of mistaken identity as the disciples and other followers seem to be hoping to discover something very different from the real Jesus. It is the criminal executed with Jesus who in his dying desperation says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Clearly, the criminal has no other hope, still in this moment he acknowledges Jesus’ true identity.
Modern followers of Jesus resemble those ancient followers in many ways. Everyone has their own image of Jesus, the gifts we want Jesus to bring us, the ways we want Jesus to fix those things in our lives that cause pain or suffering. In our anxiety we want Jesus to be our magical savior. It can be frustrating when we discover a very different Jesus. Instead of one who fixes everything in an instant, Jesus is the one who walks with us through the darkest valleys. Jesus is the one who calls us to lives of service—and again and again as we care for the needs of others, we discover the face of Jesus himself in the lost, the last, and the least.
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.
We look to you, Great Spirit, to help us heal our relationships. We call on you, Holy Mystery, to inspire us, guide us, wake us up if needed, so that we may see Christ in each other.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Beloved of God, we are called here today.
We are called at every age, from every corner, to gather.
Children of God, let us playfully worship together,
worshipping God who made each of us and loves all of us.
CHILDREN’S SONG: Do Lord
CENTERING PRAYER by Joanna Fontaine-Crawford
Our God, whom we call by many names, but who calls each of us “Beloved,” come in gratitude for the richness, the diversity, the great abundance of unique souls in this world. Thank you for the very complexity that distinguishes each one of us. May all people find those who will love and accept them, will value their distinctive beauty and spirits. May we each feel the presence of your transcending mystery, may we know that we are part of a process of life that is rooted in divine, emanating love, and may we feel the comfort of knowing that every one of us is cherished by God. 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
What are some ways you can help with worship? I always enjoyed helping hand out the bulletins and greeting people. As a pastor, I taught the children how to ring the church bell – it was harder than it looked! Taking up the offering, lighting the candles, reading scripture…these are some of the ways I participated in the life of my congregation growing up.
What are some of the ways you can help in your community? Shovelling a neighbour’s walk in the winter is a very kind act. Visiting a lonely neighbour is another. Helping at the library, babysitting, taking someone’s dog for a walk, all of these activities show your neighbours that you love God and love them. Children and youth can do much to help others and share the love of Jesus. Be creative!
MINUTE FOR MISSION: Becoming Their Child’s Hero
“Families want their dads to come back.”
On November 20, countries around the world celebrate Universal Children’s Day (also called World Children’s Day). The date marks the anniversary of the UN General Assembly adopting both the declaration and the convention on children’s rights. On the same day, Restorative Justice Week kicks off.
It’s a perfect time to raise up the needs of children with incarcerated parents―the all-too-often forgotten, invisible, or ignored victims of the criminal justice system.
No one knows how many children in Canada are affected by the incarceration of a parent. Back in 2007, the guestimate was 357,604.* But advocates think that with the increase in the prison population, the number is much higher.
While every situation is unique, many children with incarcerated parents face trauma, family instability, social isolation, and economic insecurity. On the inside, parents struggle to stay connected to their kids, let go of shame, and deepen parenting skills so they can successfully unite their family when they are released.
That’s why Parkland Restorative Justice―a Mission & Service partner based in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan―runs an eight-week parenting course for male inmates called Dad HERO, (an acronym for “Helping Everyone Realize Opportunities”). Developed in partnership with the Canadian Families and Corrections Network (CFCN), the course is designed to educate dads about parenting, how to communicate with their child, and how to work with a co-parent. Afterward, the dads meet regularly in a group that continues to provide support after their release.
“A lot of people don’t think about men inside prisons as a hero. In fact, when we told the men the name of the program, some of them said, ‘That doesn’t resonate with me, I don’t really feel like a hero to my kids. But I want my children to look up to me, to think that I have value and worth, that I have information to give them, and can be a good parent that is aspiring to be a hero,” says Louise Leonardi, Executive Director of the CFCN. “We all want the same things for these men. We want them to come out of prison, to reoffend less, to be with their families, to start a pro-social and productive life, and to move into society in a well-balanced way. Families want their dads to come back.”**
No one is disposable, and no child should feel forgotten. Thank you for helping to build stronger families and for believing everyone can be a hero.
*Canadian Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents homepage.
**Correctional Service Canada, “The Canadian Families and Corrections Network (CFCN) Partners to Help Incarcerated Dads,” June 19, 2020.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
God of All the Ages, we thank you for this day, for caring for us beautifully in this time. We praise your name for the gift of children in our lives and in our community. Forgive us for times when we discount their voices. Help us share your story with one another that we may remember your love written on our hearts. Remind us to follow children, as they lead us to living the kin-dom way. May we hear your message of love in the scriptures today. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
READINGS AND PSALM
First Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6
Today’s reading builds on the common, ancient Near Eastern metaphor of the king as shepherd. Judah’s unjust rulers have caused their people, their “flock,” to be scattered. Nevertheless, God will raise up a new and righteous shepherd who will rule a restored Judah.
1Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. 2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.
5The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
Psalm 46
R: I will be exalted among the nations. (Ps. 46:10)
1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains shake in the depths of the sea;
3though its waters rage and foam, and though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
5God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be shaken; God shall help it at the break of day.
6The nations rage, and the kingdoms shake; God speaks, and the earth melts away. R
7The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
8Come now, regard the works of the Lord, what desolations God has brought upon the earth;
9behold the one who makes war to cease in all the world;
who breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire.
10“Be still, then, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. R
Second Reading: Colossians 1:11-20
An early Christian hymn praises the mystery of the political, personal, and mystical Christ, the one who was present at creation and is eternally reigning with God.
11May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
Gospel: Luke 23:33-43
Amid scoffing and slander from those who sarcastically call him Messiah and king, Jesus reveals that to be Messiah and king is to give one’s life for others. Here he uses his power to welcome a despised sinner to paradise but puts his own death into God’s hands.
33When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34⟦Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”⟧ And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
HYMN: When He Cometh
REFLECTION:
On the World Council of Churches’ Pilgrimage to Justice and Peace, there has been an emphasis placed on the role and call of children in the church and to the church. The WCC set out three main priorities for its member churches:
Promote child protection through church communities
Promote meaningful participation by children and adolescents
Raise church voices for intergenerational climate justice, supporting initiatives for and with children and adolescents
From the 10th Assembly of the WCC, the document “Putting Children at the Centre” states: “We affirm that dignity comes from their creation in God’s own image. They are precious human beings with rights that need to be guaranteed and protected by our families, our societies, and our churches. When Jesus called a child and put that child in the centre, he not only demonstrated extraordinary respect for children, but he upheld their inherent human dignity and challenged his disciples to learn from them.”
Jesus touched the children, blessing them with the love and grace of God. With blessing comes the sense that one is important and valued for who they are in that moment, not for who they might become. It is a reminder of the blessing you received at baptism, that you are a beloved child of God, and might continue to discover the gift of that identity.
As we consider the history and present-day experience of children in our congregation, keep returning to these commitments and examine how you are living them out today.
Today on this International Transgender Day of Remembrance we gather together to
remember and mourn all those trans people who have been victims of homicide
honour the lives of those who might otherwise be forgotten
restore dignity to those who have suffered extreme and humiliating violence
become more aware of who is most vulnerable in our communities
We remind ourselves that there are trans children. God is calling us to love widely, deeply, and with intent.
November 20 is International Transgender Day of Remembrance. It began in the late 1990s to commemorate the life of an African-American trans woman named Rita Hester who was brutally murdered in Boston in 1998. Her death came just weeks after the murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming had roused a huge discussion on hate crimes against gay people, yet Rita’s murder garnered no such response. Her murder and the lack of media attention to her death drove a candlelight vigil to begin in San Francisco the next year.
While we acknowledge that violence happens for many unjust reasons, today we honour the lives of those who were victims of violence because of their gender identity and gender expression. Due to the widespread ignorance and erasure of the experiences of trans people, this day is an important opportunity for us to intentionally bear witness to the hardships of the trans community.
⟦Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”⟧ As followers of Christ, we cannot claim ignorance. If we are unable to love others just as they are, as who they are, the issue is ours to work through. If we are truly looking for Jesus in the other, then we cannot be cruel, demeaning or violent, for that would be violating Christ. Unconditional love challenges us, scares us, holds up a mirror to our inability to love unconditionally. Thankfully, we have a God who has sent Jesus to teach us, inspire us, mold us, forgive us and love us into being the loving creation we were meant to be. With knowledge, open minds and open hearts, we can hopefully change the world, one person at a time, so that every individual is loved and accepted. May it be so.
HYMN OF THE MONTH: WOV 628 Each Winter As The Year Grows Older
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION – Rev. Sean Parker Dennison
Spirit of Infinite Love,
Be with me and my people. Help us know that we are loved–wholly and deeply–exactly as we are. Help us know that our faces are a reflection of the face of the sacred, the face of God. Help us understand that our longing to be whole and tell the truth of who we are is holy. Be with us when we are afraid. Be with us when we are proud and joyful. Be with us when we are confused. Protect us from our enemies.
Help us transform the world be being ourselves and understanding the deep need for every person to have the freedom, safety, and support to do the same. Help us transform the oppression we face into determination to stand up for ourselves and for any we see also being oppressed. Help us learn to accept our anger when it is necessary and appropriate and to let it go when it is causing harm.
Help us accept and celebrate the diversity in our own community and show the world it is possible to love each other even though we do not always agree. Help us forgive. Help us listen. Help us let go of stubbornness. Let us worry more about being kind than being right.
Spirit of Life that defies labels and will not be made small by small minds, give us courage to live fully and continue to learn, grow, and transform our selves, our communities, and the world.
May it be so. May we be the ones who make it so. Amen. Ashe’. And Blessed Be.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SENDING SONG: WOV 722 Hallelujah! We Sing Your Praises
BENEDICTION
May God, who loves us from our borning cry, go with us.
May Jesus, who welcomes us into relationship, stay with us.
And may the Spirit’s persistent call for peace be with us.
This day. This week. And always. Amen.