Despite the various health orders restricting gatherings during this pandemic, we have actually formed some new relationships during the past two years.
We have gotten to know two characters we might not have gotten to know without this pandemic.
We have gotten to know Esther and Emmett!
Esther and Emmett are puppets. They were donated to TMUC by Donna Hnatiuk, who told us that Esther and Emmett’s previous ‘careers’ had been telling stories to children at a Winnipeg library.
After arriving at the church, Esther and Emmett spent a few years trying to discern their ministry.
When TMUC moved to online worship, we wondered how to effectively adjust our weekly worship tradition of telling ‘A Story for All’ to an online recording.
While we did record some ‘stories for all’ we missed telling the stories in-person. We missed the interaction with people that contributes to story-telling’s delivery.
Then, we remembered Esther and Emmett and thought that they might enjoy some online time and offer new perspectives on some familiar scripture passages.
Thus began the You Tube careers of Ether and Emmett!
When the pandemic began, none of us thought it would have this type of extended impact upon the world and our lives.
During this time, most of us have had to adjust our lives – adjust our activities, our plans, our travel, our studies, our socializing, and the way we work.
As with many faith communities, TMUC has adapted to this time in many ways. One of those ways was the move to primarily online worship.
In the midst of those adjustments, one of the surprises – we would say it was also one of the unexpected gifts – was the combination of necessity, circumstance and opportunity that has birthed the current ministry of Esther and Emmett!
So, while we continue to experience the disappointments and frustrations of living through this pandemic, we also continue to give thanks for the unexpected gifts:
Gifts of people ZOOM-ing, texting, emailing, phoning and exploring a variety of media and ways of staying in relationship and supporting one another:
Gifts such as a new awareness of belonging to a global human family:
And the gift of two puppets who continue to charm us and surprise us with their unique form of sharing the faith.
We invite you to reflect upon the unexpected gifts that may be part of your life.
The TMUC Council met on January 10, at which time the Council decided that TMUC will NOT resume in-person Sunday worship at this time. We will continue to attend to the health situation and health protocols.
We will continue with our weekly emails of worship resources – including videos of music, sermons and, of course, of Esther and Emmett.
Thanks again to everyone for engaging with us on this COVID-19 journey. We are grateful to share ministry with you and really appreciate your efforts to stay in touch and to continue to care about TMUC with your prayers and your financial support.
The Prayer List is distributed separately and allows us to remember specific people with our prayers. If you want to receive the Prayer List, or add a name (with their permission), please be in touch.
Donations on PAR (note: the PAR program now accepts monthly credit card donations as well as automatic monthly bank withdrawals), CanadaHelps through www.canadahelps.org, e-transfers to the church’s email address: tmuc@shaw.ca, and cheques mailed to the church are making a difference. Thank you.
Even though we cannot be together in one place, let’s continue to be a community at prayer together. On Sunday at 10, please think about the gifts we have in our lives, and needs of our world, and then pray the Lord’s prayer (you can pray silently, or out loud).
And, sometime, when you want to have a longer worship time, we are including some words and videos for your use.
As we share this week’s TMUC worship service, we are called again to listen to our faith community’s words of reconciliation:
We are gathered for worship and work in Treaty One territory, which is the traditional land of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota and Dené peoples and the homeland of the Metis Nation. For thousands of years Indigenous Peoples walked this land and knew it to be the centre of their lives and their spirituality. We respect the Treaties that were made on these territories, we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and we dedicate ourselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.
Worship for Sunday, January 16, 2022
Introit: “Joy is now in Every Place”:
Come, Holy Spirit!
Come to awaken our faith,
to inspire our hope
to embolden our love
and to let Christ live in us!
Come, Holy Spirit!
Today’s opening hymn is Songs of Thankfulness and Praise:
Esther and Emmett talk about ‘Changing Water into….’
Printable Version
Esther and Emmett – Jan 16
Scripture reading:
John 2:1-11
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it.
When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom
and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Carol offers a reflection:
Printable Version:
Carol Reflection – Jan 16
Let us pray:
God of creation;
God of resurrection;
God of newness;
God of life-emerging surprises;
God of unexpected blessing;
We dwell in Your love,
while dwelling in a time of global pandemic.
Be with us now as You have been with those living in uncertain times in the past;
Be with us as You have been with those in wilderness, wondering how they can survive in such a barren place;
Be with us as You have been with those in exile, feeling dislocated from all that has been familiar;
Be with us as You have been with those who have grieved in times of loss and disillusionment.
Be with us to guide us.
Be with us to encourage us.
Be with us to nourish us.
Be with us that we may live with hope as those who live in Your creation, as those who live in Your love.
Be with us, God, as we pray for this world You have created.
We pray for health for all people. We pray for vaccinations to be available globally. We pray for relief from COVID. We pray for people to care for and about one another.
We pray for all health care workers offering their skills and care in the midst of increasing hospitalizations.
We pray for all patients in hospitals.
We pray for all who are awaiting surgeries, and all who are recovering from surgeries.
We pray for students, teachers, educators and parents trying to stay safe while providing learning and supportive communities.
We pray for peace. We pray for countries to find alternatives to war for resolving differences. We pray for the nations of Ukraine and Russia.
We pray for all who feel lonely and isolated. We pray they experiences awareness of Your love holding them. We pray they know the friendship and support of others.
We pray for all who experience economic challenges. We pray for those who try to live while bound by poverty. We pray for compassionate societies in which all people have places of welcome and safety and shelter.
We pray for all who seek to instill more compassion, more restorative and distributive justice, more respect and gratitude and generosity into the world.
And we pray that all who follow the way of Jesus; all who carry the Christ-spirit, all who find hope in the community we call church. We pray that we be sources of healing and grace wherever we find ourselves.
We pray in the name and spirit of Jesus, who embodies Your love and who reveals the Christ of resurrecting Love.
Bless us in Christ’s name. AMEN
Our closing hymn is My Love Colours Outside the Lines
May God bless you and keep you.
May God’s face shine upon you.
May God grant you peace and joy.
Be in the peace of Christ, this day and always. Amen
We keep you in our prayers,
Jeff and Carol