They are here every Sunday.
They are present for every worship service in TMUC’s sanctuary.
They are so familiar they might go unnoticed.
They are so common that we might fail to notice the sacred present in their commonness.
One is white in colour. One is the colours of a rainbow.
They are the candles that rest upon the communion table in TMUC’s sanctuary.
We use the word ‘rest’ deliberately.
In the Genesis creation story we are told that on the seventh day God rested. The seventh day was not a day for anticipating what was coming next. The seventh day was a day for discovering God’s creative love in all that now existed.
Our two candles speak to us of God. They speak to us of the sacred reality of God present in all of reality.
The white candle is liturgically referred to as the Christ candle. White is the church’s designated colour for the season of Easter.
Easter is the time of resurrection, the time of endings surprisingly giving birth to new beginnings, the time of life emerging from a time of death.
The rainbow candle reminds us that we are an affirming community of faith, reminds us of the words of our Vision statement:
“TMUC is an evolving, welcoming and sharing community church with a community presence. We celebrate the diversity of God’s image present in all people. We embrace the diversity of abilities, ages, appearances, family configurations, gender identities, gifts, life experiences, races, sexual orientations, and talents. We welcome the full participation of people, in all of their diversity, in the whole life and work of the congregation. In Christ’s name we share God’s love as people of varying economic, educational and physical situations. We remain open to God’s spirit deepening our faith and our love.”
The candles remind us that we live in God and God lives in us. They invite us to ‘rest’ in our awareness of God’s creative presence, and in our awareness that every person is a child of God, and every particle of creation participates in God’s love.
We invite, this week, you to ‘see’ God in ‘the familiar’.
This Sunday, worship will be led by Rev. Adel Compton. Adel is retired Order of Ministry, with a commitment to keep learning to live respectfully as a Christian treaty person in Canada. She resides in Winnipeg, supports TMUC and offers pulpit supply to urban and rural congregations. Grandma to 4, she loves family gatherings, nature, music and reading.
Our 10 a.m. Sunday morning worship service continue to be livestreamed on ZOOM. Here is the link if you would like to join us online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7538449219
Some church news:
NOTE: the church office hours will be irregular for a while. If you plan to come to the office, please email in advance to ensure that it will be open.
With the UCW Celebration approaching, we need your pictures! Please send UCW related photos to tmuc@shaw.ca by September 7 or bring them to the church office mailbox by that time!
The song ‘Tapestry of Love’ in celebration of the UCW 60th anniversary will be recorded on Wednesday, August 31 at 7:00.
Messy Church returns in person on Friday, September 16 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. (Snack but not dinner is provided) All are welcome!
Volunteers are needed to help with the Auction on Friday, September 23. We need a set up crew, and a hosting crew. Send us a note at tmuc@shaw.ca or call the office to volunteer please! We also invite you to donate your ‘time and talents’ for the auction. Donation forms are available in the office.
TMUC is collecting school supplies to donate to the Newcomer program at the River East Transcona School Division. Donations may be dropped off Sunday mornings or at the office.
Please remember the TMUC projects:
• The Pop can recycling fundraiser (so far we have raised over $100)
• Old batteries recycling
• The TruEarth Fundraiser (so far we have raised about $140!) https://fundraising.tru.earth/tmuc
We continue to appreciate and thank everyone who continues to support TMUC’s ministry. Donations to the General Fund and the Building Fund are helping to make a difference to our whole community!
Please continue to pause to offer Prayers for Peace in Ukraine at 6:00 p.m. daily. #StandWithUkraine.
Our music team has prepared videos of some of this week’s worship music:
“O come Let Us Sing” Voices United #222.Vocals by Crystal Schau and Cheryl Jackson.
“Jesus Bids Us Shine” Voices United #585. Lynne Mavins plays the organ. Vocals by Crystal Schau, Melanie Moroz, Keisha Jensen, and Susan Bywater.
“Called by Earth and Sky” More Voices #135. Cheryl Jackson on Piano, Annette Hay on violin, Vocals by Crystal Schau, Stephen McKendry-Smith on vocals with Cheryl and Annette.
An offering piece; “Your Work O God needs Many Hands” VU 537 shared by Cheryl and Crystal
The Call to Prayer is “O God, Hear my Prayer” VU 948 shared by Crystal and Cheryl
and a Blessing: “I Am Walking a Path of Peace” MV 213 shared by Lynne and Crystal.
Words for Worship for Sunday, August 28, 2022
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
*INTROIT: There is Room For All – More Voices#62
There is room for all in the shadow of God’s wing;
there is room for all, sheltered in God’s love.
And I rejoice and sing,
My refuge and my rock in whom I trust.”
There is room for all, there is room for all.
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*CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.
*HYMN: Voiced United #222 “Come, Let Us Sing”
OPENING PRAYER: Loving God of all humanity, we come humbly to listen and learn how to love one another. We seek to be your people, good neighbours to one another. Be with us in our thoughts, words and actions. Help us reflect the light of your love. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen
GOSPEL READING: Luke 14:1, 7-14
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
HYMN: Voices United #585 “Jesus Bids Us Shine”
MEDITATION: A place setting for each and all
OFFERTORY: Your Work, O God, Needs Many Hands – Voices United #537
Your Work, O God, needs many hands
to help you everywhere,
and some there are who cannot serve
unless our gifts we share.
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ANTHEM:
CALL TO PRAYER: O God, Hear my Prayer – Voices United #948
O God, hear my prayer, O God, hear my prayer;
When I call, answer me.
O God, hear my prayer, O God, hear my prayer,
come and listen to me.
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PASTORAL PRAYER:
The prayer that Jesus taught…
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.
Forever and ever.
AMEN
Hymn: More Voices #135 “Called By Earth and Sky”
Blessings and Sending Forth
*Choral Blessing: I am Walking a Path of Peace – More Voices #221
I am walking a path of peace,
I am walking a path of peace,
I am walking a path of peace,
lead me home, lead me home…I am home.
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