MORRIS-ROSENFELD ECUMENICAL SHARED MINISTRY
ORDER OF SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2024
TWENTY FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
ALL SAINTS SUNDAY
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 of one of your favourite hymns and listen for God’s voice. Those who have the internet may find the songs on YouTube.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”
– St. Francis of Assisi
Before we worship, we reflect…
All Saints Day might be considered a “thin space”: a place where ordinary life meets the divine and life and death almost seem to touch. Today we remember that we are still intricately tied to those who came before us, and we rejoice in the promise that we will be reunited with them in Christ. Where or when have you experienced a “thin space” in which you have felt connected to those who have come before you? In her blog, poem and visual artwork titled, “For Those Who Walked with Us,” Jan Richardson ponders the sacred connections we continue to carry with those who have died.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & PRAYER
We acknowledge we gather and worship on Treaty 1 Territory, the original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Anishininew, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.
Lord God, bring us together as one, reconciled with you and reconciled with each other. You made us in your likeness, you gave us your Son Jesus Christ. He has given us forgiveness from sin. Lord God, bring us together as one, different in culture, but given new life in Jesus Christ, together as your body, your Church, your people. Lord God, bring us together as one, reconciled, healed, forgiven, sharing you with others as you have called us to do. In Jesus Christ, let us be together as one. Amen
– Bishop Arthur and Mrs Colleen Malcolm, A Prayer Book for Australia p.203[1]
CALL TO WORSHIP
Come, let’s praise God together!
For God is great, and worthy of our praise!
Let’s tell stories of the things God has done—
mighty acts of power and love throughout history: for God is great, and worthy of our praise!
Let’s remember how much God loves us, and celebrate the care God continues to show to all of creation:
for God is great, and worthy of our praise! Let’s worship God together!
GATHERING SONG: O When The Saints Go Marching In
CENTERING PRAYER
God of the generations, on this day, we remember the ancestors of our faith and of our own families and communities. May the roots of their love and wisdom continue to nurture us as we grow, that the branches of this community might provide shade for generations to come. Surround those for whom grief still feels fresh and those who live with grief as part of daily life. May we remember the promise of the resurrection and look to the future with hope. Amen. [2]
MISSION AND SERVICE – Accompanying Young Adults Through Transformative Years
We would like to share a wonderful thank-you letter we received from the Ecumenical Campus Ministry (ECM) at the University of Guelph, a Mission and Service partner located in Guelph, ON. We’re sharing it with you with deep gratitude for your generosity.
“Thanks to support from United Church Mission and Service, the Ecumenical Campus Ministry at the University of Guelph has been able to support the U of G community and accompany young adults during some of the most transformative years of their lives.
The Ecumenical Campus Ministry has been a partnership of the Anglican, Presbyterian, and United Church at U of G since 1968. The chaplaincy is fully supported by alumni, parents, and grants from partner churches—the university does not fund faith programming.
Over the 2023/24 academic year, ECM was able to serve 25 free meals to university students, provide weekly worship services right on campus, conduct field trips to 10 local churches, hold 3 public presentations on issues of faith and inclusivity, mentor 5 student leaders, host 2 different weekend retreats, and coordinate the Queer Christian Community for 2SLGBTQIA+ students at U of G. This just scratches the surface!
This kind of ministry presence is made possible because of ECM’s vision of having a full-time chaplain, something that would be unthinkable without support from United Church Mission and Service.
So from all the students at U of G, thank you for your gifts to United Church Mission and Service! Your support is making a difference in the lives of young adults at the University of Guelph.”
To see our Mission and Service in action, watch the 2023/24 Ecumenical Campus Ministry highlight video.
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.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Faithful God, how blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Sanctify us by your Word and Spirit so that we may glorify you in the company of the faithful; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
READINGS AND PSALM
First Reading: Isaiah 25:6-9
Isaiah sees a vision of the end of days, when God will gather all people on God’s holy mountain and will prepare for them a rich feast. At this banquet God will wipe the tears from all eyes. And there will be no more sorrow, for God will destroy death itself.
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.
7 And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever.
Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who dwell therein.
2 For the Lord has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord, and who may stand in God’s holy place?
4 Those of innocent hands and purity of heart, who do not swear on God’s being, nor do they
pledge by what is false.
5 They shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek you, O Lord, of those who seek your face, O God of
Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, O gates; and be lifted up, O everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates; and be lifted up, O everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? Truly, the Lord of hosts is the King of glory.
Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-6a
Here is a vision of the new heaven and new earth in which God resides fully with God’s people so that mourning, despair, and pain have been eradicated. These renewing words from the God who spans all of time are trustworthy and true.
1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6a Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.”
Gospel: John 11:32-44
Through the raising of Lazarus, Jesus offers the world a vision of the life to come, when death and weeping will be no more.
32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus began to weep. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
HYMN: Voices United 710 Shall We Gather At The River
SERMON
It was my 16th birthday. We were at the home of my mom’s cousins, Gertie & Alfie Grosklag, in Palmer Rapids, Ontario, about to sit down to the feast that was my birthday supper when the phone rang. It was the hospital. Alfie’s mom, Alvina, had just died. Alfie burst into tears.
Dad was asked if he would be a pall bearer. He accepted.
The wake was in the basement of the United Church. There was great aunt Alvina, laid out in the casket. There was her daughter-in-law, Barbara, with the curling iron, curling Alvina’s hair because Barbara didn’t like the way the funeral director had styled it.
The tables lined the back wall of the basement loaded with urns filled with tea, coffee, hot water; there were sandwiches, desserts, cheese and crackers and homemade sausage.
So many people! It was like a family reunion! My mother knew a good number of these folks. My dad, sisters and I were introduced to every one of them! I smiled so much my face hurt.
After the funeral, when it came time for the burial, my father discovered that being a pall bearer in Palmer Rapids, Ontario, was nothing like being a pall bearer in the city of Ottawa! Dad was spared having to hand-dig the grave. There was a team of church members who had looked after that task. However, to get great aunt Alvina into the hole, they used several ropes and their muscles to slowly lower the casket. Then, once she was at the bottom, the funeral director handed my dad a spade and said, “Well, get to work!”
My favourite part of this whole experience came when the grave had finally been filled in. On top of the grave was this mound of wonderful dirt. Suddenly, all the children ran up onto the mound and began to jump up and down, making sure that great aunt Alvina was packed in for good!
I share this story because the experience had such a positive impact on me. Up at the farm, death was real. It was part of life. True, aunt Alvina was elderly. I’m certain the experience would have been different for a young person, or someone who died tragically. Then again, knowing those folks, it would not have differed by much.
In the city, death is sanitized. At the gravesite, the casket is hung suspended on straps attached to a winch. There is no effort, no sweat in lowering the casket with a winch. The casket isn’t even lowered to the bottom. It is dropped slightly to give the impression of “going down”. And, there is no opportunity for the children to “pack in” the deceased.
In the middle east, death is also very real. It was the family who prepared the body of their loved one for burial. The body was bathed, clothed and carried to the tomb. In Jesus’ time, burials usually happened within one day or the reality of decomposition quickly became obvious. Professional mourners played their role in helping to express the collective grief of the loss of the deceased.
Today is All Saints Day. Today we are reminded that Jesus has power over death. We hear the story of the raising of Lazarus and learn that death is not the end. Jesus deliberately waited to visit Mary and Martha. Jesus waited until decomposition was sufficient to show that, through him, God had power over the rot and stink of death.
Rev. Dr. Alyce McKenzie is Professor of Preaching and Worship at Perkins School of Theology. She writes: The Fourth Gospel repeatedly uses the physical realm as a metaphorical pointer to the spiritual realm. Water is a metaphor for the quenching of our spiritual thirst through Jesus’ presence; Jesus is the living water (Jn. 4:14). The bread Jesus multiplies to feed the crowd is a metaphor for the satisfaction of our spiritual hunger that Jesus brings; Jesus is the Bread from Heaven (Jn. 6:35). Sight is a metaphor for the spiritual vision and clarity that Jesus brings; Jesus is the light of the world. Here, in chapter 11, the restoration of physical life is a metaphor for breaking free from the bonds of spiritual death into the gift of eternal life that Jesus brings. Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Jesus responds to Lazarus’ illness with equanimity. He says that “this illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (Jn. 11:4). He is not expressing his hope that, because of the miracle he is about to perform, he will be admired and praised. “God’s glory” is a reference to Jesus’ own resurrection. His raising of Lazarus from the dead will speed his own death, which will lead to his resurrection, in which we all participate.[3]
In this moment, Lazarus is us. We experience many deaths in our lifetime, not all of them the death of loved ones. There are many losses we grieve in our life. The loss of youth and health are two of the most common. Lazarus’ resurrection reminds us that faith in Christ frees us from our fears, frees us to live life abundantly, now, no matter our age, health, circumstances. We are free – in this moment – to love, free to serve. We are free to die without fear. Our resurrection is now. Our hope is life with God after death.
At 16 I witnessed the love of a community for an elderly woman who had been one of their own. I witnessed the embracing of death as a part of life. I witnessed belief in the resurrection. I observed the lack of fear of death and the need to “sweat it” to plant the dead in the earth, and, indeed, to pack them in! That experience spoke to me in ways my confirmation classes, many sermons and theological books did not. The love of God, the resurrection, the hope of eternity, is real and hands on. I will continue to breathe, walk and have my being in this amazing God until my last breath – and beyond. Amen!
HYMN OF THE MONTH: More Voices 94 Love Knocks And Waits
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Rooted in God’s abundant love for the world, let us pray for our neighbors, the church, and all of creation.
O God of resurrection, you call us by name and raise us to life. Rouse your church from slumber. Where we have held back in fear or shame, unbind us. Embolden us in our proclamation of your good news, that all may know abundant life. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
O God of creation, you have founded your world on rivers and seas. Preserve fresh water sources and the creatures who call them home. Heal places of pollution and nourish places of drought. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
O God of the earth, you reign over all nations and peoples. Inspire us with wisdom and discernment as we elect legislators and leaders. May they govern with justice and uphold the dignity of all people. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
O God of heaven, you make your home among mortals. Come alongside those who weep this day. Befriend all who are lonely, encourage those in despair, and heal any who are suffering. Abide with your faithful ones in love. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
O God who serves, you set before us a feast of rich food. Sustain our ministries of fellowship and hospitality. Strengthen the hands and hearts of all who prepare and serve food for our nourishment. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
O God, Alpha and Omega, we give thanks for your faithful ones who are now at peace with you. With all your saints, we praise you, for you have swallowed up death forever. Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
We offer our prayers to you, gracious God, trusting in your boundless love for all that you have made, through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it
is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against
us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
SENDING SONG: Voices United 705 For All The Saints
BENEDICTION
The blessing of the holy, triune God, who was and is and is to come—first and last, beginning and end, Alpha and Omega—be with you now and always.
Alleluia!
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© 2011 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/byncsa/2.5/ca.
[1] https://www.abmission.org/resources/prayers-for-reconciliation/
2 https://calltoworshipjournal.org/november-1-2024-all-saints-day/
[3] https://www.patheos.com/resources/additional-resources/2011/04/lazarus-is-us-alcye-mckenzie-04-04-2011