All copyright material reproduced with permission under One License No. A722095

WELCOME

RELIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE (Psalm 13:6)
I will sing to you, O God, because you have dealt so lovingly with me.
GATHERING PRAYER (CGP.13F001 ad.,32G001) (Celebrate God’s Presence ad.)
One: Brothers and sisters in the faith. we gather to celebrate God's presence,
All: And God's love expressed through Jesus Christ.
One: We gather to remember Christ's life and ministry,
All: And the life we are called to live.
One: We gather as pilgrim people, seeking ways to live out our faith, seeking the strength to carry on our journey.
All: We rejoice in God's gift to us!
One: Let us pray:
All: God, you touch our lives with mystery and hope. We gather this day, ready to see your power working through us. Help us to be open to your Word, and to answer your call among us. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN NO. 288 VU: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (OL 01658)
SCRIPTURE READINGS
How do you practice giving – and receiving – offers of compassion? When have you met Christ in others?
Romans 6:12-23 (Instruments of righteousness)
Matthew 10:40-42 (Welcoming God)
ASCRIPTION
One: God’s Word is our hope and our life.
All: Thanks be to God!
SOLO: “It Is No Secret” (Jim Montney, with Robin Stuart)
SERMON
HYMN NO. 303 VU: “For Beauty of Prairies” (Walter Farquharson, OL 97775; tune: Bard of Amargh)
For beauty of prairies, for grandeur of trees,
For flowers of woodlands, for creatures of seas,
For all you created and gave us to share,
We praise you, Creator, extolling your care.

As stewards of beauty received at your hand,
As creatures who hear your most urgent command,
We turn from our wasteful destruction of life,
Confessing our failures, confessing our strife.

Teach us once again to be gardeners in peace;
All nature around us is ours but on lease;
Your name we would hallow in all that we do,
Fulfilling our calling, creating with you.

THE OFFERING: Funding the Church’s Work and Mission
Information on how to support the ongoing ministry of St. David’s United Church is available on our website and in the weekly e-News. Thank you for your ongoing support of the mission and ministry of St. David’s United Church.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING (Ps. 13:5-6)
The Psalmist wrote, “I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to God, who has dealt bountifully with me.” In thanks for all that God has done for us, let us dedicate our gifts and our lives to God.
DEDICATION (No. 376 VU): “Spirit of the Living God”
(v. 1 Daniel Iverson; v. 2 Michael Baughen; One License No. A722095)
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mould me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Spirit of the living God, move among us all;
Make us one in heart and mind, make us one in love:
Humble, caring, selfless, sharing.
Spirit of the living God, fill our lives with love!

DEDICATION PRAYER (SotS)
You welcome us, O God, with abundant grace. Your welcome comes in community and forgiveness, in Creation’s beauty and love’s joy. So may we welcome others: through our relationships, in our forgiving and accepting forgiveness, in the joy of love’s offering and receiving. Amen.
PRAYERS: for the Life, Work and Mission of the Church (CGP.29T002 ad.; 17T003 ad.):
• Give thanks for examples of new life...
• Pray for places and people who are in need of new life...
Holy God, for the work of your Spirit amongst the first peoples of this land, we give you thanks and praise. For pioneers and explorers who faced the unknown, who were drawn on by wonder, hope, and the vision of people living in peace and justice,– we thank you, God.
For those who harvested the rich resources of this land responsibly and with care. For those whose labour has fed us, clothed us, and built for us homes and communities,– we thank you, God.
For parents, grandparents, all builders and creators, for those who have served faithfully in communities and governments. For children and youth who will claim this day and tomorrow as their own and build in turn for their children and their children’s children,– we thank you, God.
For Canada and for Canadians, for the peoples of the provinces and territories and for all that has caused them to be honoured in the worldwide community of nations,– we thank you, God.
For all who with vision, courage, and perseverance, speak prophetic and pastoral words that we may see all who are wounded and pushed aside, for all who move us to honour and respect all our sisters and brothers,– we thank you, God.
For this day and for these critical times in which you call us to choose life over death, blessing over curse. For this day, for this land, for all your goodness to us,– we thank you, God.
Now, gracious God, tune our hearts to truly sing your praise, and grant us each day the will to live the gratitude we know.
May your healing presence gently transform the places of our lives where we hold pain [silence]. May your loving presence be a comforting reality for all those who find themselves in despair, lost or alone [silence]. May your transforming presence create generosity in place of greed, harmony in place of hatred, and everlasting justice where evil now reigns [silence].
O God, lover of the world, from the silence of our own hearts, we bring before you these people and places that need your healing, loving, transforming presence: silence.
O God, lover of the world, this is your world, and we claim your power and your presence to make it whole, as we pray together the words Jesus taught us:
PRAYER OF JESUS
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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
HYMN NO. 884 VU: “You Shall Go Out with Joy” (Steffi G. Rubin, OL 25933)
You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth before you;
There'll be shouts of joy, and all the trees of the field will clap, will clap their hands!
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands (clap, clap),
The trees of the field will clap their hands (clap, clap),
The trees of the field will clap their hands (clap, clap), while you go out with joy.
(Repeat)

COMMISSION (CGP.0Y008)
Go forth, for the love of God is yours to share, the peace of Christ is yours to extend, the power of the Holy Spirit is yours to offer.
BLESSING (CGP.0X004)
May the blessing of God, the giver of every good and perfect gift; and of Christ, who summons us to service; and of the Holy Spirit, who inspires generosity and love, be with us all.
PRAYER FOR CANADA DAY (CGP.29T001)
God of all nations, we thank you for the life and history of our country, for its vast beauty, its wilderness, and wealth of forest, mine, and sea. We praise you for its people, the people whose ancestors have been here for thousands of years, and those who have just arrived. We thank you for the variety of our traditions and our cultures, the riches of our spiritual and religious heritage, the strength of our democratic institutions. We pray for Canada, for our fellow Canadians and for our governments that working together we may face the future with confident hope and faith in your purpose for our world. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
NATIONAL ANTHEM: “O Canada”

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