Hymns and Scriptures for August

Gord wil be away on holidays from August 4-31. Here are the Scripture readings and hymns we will share during those 4 Sundays:

August 10, 2008 – Worship Leader: Brian Jackson -- Scriptures

• Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
• Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b (VU p.828 Parts 1 & 2)
• Romans 15:5-15
• Matthew 14:22-33

August 10, 2008 -- Hymns

• #264 Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
• #371 Open My Eyes that I May See
• #562 Jesus Calls Us
• #675 Will Your Anchor Hold

August 17, 2008 -- Worship Leader: Elvin Rydberg -- Scriptures

• Genesis 45:1-15
• Psalm 67 (VU p.786)
• Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
• Matthew 15: 21-28

August 17, 2008 -- Hymns

• #395 Come In, Come In and Sit Down
• #606 In Christ There Is No East or West
• #602 Blest Be the Tie that Binds
• #232 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You

August 24, 2008 -- Worship Leader: Noreen Beauregard -- Scriptures

• Exodus 1:8-2:10
• Psalm 124 (VU p.848)
• Romans 12:1-8
• Matthew 16:13-20

August 24, 2008 -- Hymns

• #409 Morning Has Broken
• #574 Come, Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love
• #331 The Church’s One Foundation
• #506 Take My Life and Let It Be

August 31, 2008 -- Worship Leader: Kathy Livicker -- Scriptures

• Exodus 3:1-15
• Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c (VU p.828 Parts 1 & 3)
• Romans 12:9-21
• Matthew 16:21-28

August 31, 2008 -- Hymns

• #374 Come and Find the Quiet Center
• #509 Here I Am Lord
• #352 I Danced in the Morning
• #649 Walk With Me

Thanks to those who have volunteered their time and energy to provide Worship Leadership this month.

Looking Ahead to August 3, 2008 -- 12th Sunday After Pentecost

The Scripture Readings this week are:

• Isaiah 55:1-5
• Psalm 17 (VU p.739)
• Matthew 14:13-21

The Hymns this week are:

• #222 Come Let Us Sing
• #299 Teach Me, God, to Wonder
• #235 O Worship the King
• #422 God Be With You till We Meet Again

The Sermon Title is Amazing Abundance.

Early Thoughts: What do we do about our scarcity? There us isn't enough, how do we deal with that? Or is there an abundance in our midst?

They could be forgiven for having no hope. After all, they were living in exile, a defeated and enslaved people whose land and temple had been destroyed. And to these people God speaks through Isaiah saying:

Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price...Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

In the midst of the lives of scarcity, shattered dreams, and despair God speaks of abundance and promise and hope.

There was no choice. They had no food and the crowd was large. Obviously the people needed to be dismissed to go find sustenance. But instead Jesus says "give them something to eat". Jesus counters the apparent, obvious, scarcity with amazing, astounding abundance.

One of the biggest hurdles we have to leap over in today's world is the recurrent voices that tell us we live in a condition of scarcity. These voices impact us as individuals, as families, and as communities of all sizes and types. When we believe that scarcity drives our lives it skews our view of the world. It shapes what we think is possible. It shapes what we think is important. It shapes our priorities.

But the witness of Scripture calls us over and over again to think of the world as a place of abundance. Scripture reminds us that the abundance is found through trusting in God and God's time. Scripture reminds us that there is enough, and more, we just have to learn to look for it.

What would it mean to look on the world through eyes that see abundance? What would it mean to name the scarcity story as a myth? What would it mean if we re-defined what we mean by enough?

These are the question we need to explore as we look for the path that takes us forward into peace and prosperity (another word that may well need redefining) as individuals and church congregations and communities. Come join us on Sunday as we begin, or continue, that exploration.

And for a wonderful poem (which will likely be shared on Sunday) on the topic check out this link
--Gord

This is Neat!

The Codex Sinaiticus, which contains the oldest complete copy of the New Testament, is now online. Here is some more about it:

Codex Sinaiticus is one of the most important books in the world. Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. Its heavily corrected text is of outstanding importance for the history of the Bible and the manuscript – the oldest substantial book to survive Antiquity – is of supreme importance for the history of the book.

Granted, it is little more than a neat thing to look at for those of us who can't read ancient Greek. But still it is really intriguing.

You can find it here

Looking Forward to July 27, 11th Sunday After Pentecost

The Scripture Readings this week are:

• 1 Kings 3:5-12
• Psalm 119:105-112 (VU p.841)
• Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

The Hymns this week are:

• #220 Praise to the Lord
• #289 It Only Takes a Spark
• #684 Make Me A Channel of Your Peace
• #651 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

The Sermon Title is Seeds, Yeast, Pearls...

Early Thoughts: When will the big change come? How can little things make a difference? Does a single drop change an ocean?

Think of making bread. All those cups of flour, the water, the oil/shortening and yet they would just be flat and hard if not for the little envelope of yeast. That little packet of spores changes the flour and water into bread (or in different uses and with different species changes malted grain into ale or grape juice into wine). That, according to Jesus, is what it is like to have the Kingdom of Heaven in our life.

Or think of a tiny little weed. Starting from a little seed (nothing more than a bit of fluff in the case of a dandelion) it can take over the yard.

Or placing an item of high value in an otherwise valueless location. Suddenly the container becomes incredibly important and valuable. This is what it is like to embrace the Realm of God.

Small things make a big difference. Small signs of God's presence change our lives. It is almost like a contagion, or an infection. It starts small but eventually takes over the host.

To be people of faith may mean that we stop looking for the big splash. Instead we go for the little infection. After all, the big splash often peters out because it is based on it's bigness. But the small infection knows that it starts small and grows from there. The small infection can transform more completely because it is growing from inside rather than forcing itself from the outside.

The experience of God's presence in our lives transforms us. But it isn't always lightning flashes and rolling thunder (some would say it rarely is). True transformation of a life, of a community, of a world grows from inside. True transformation may well start so small we can hardly sense it, or may think it is hardly worth noticing -- a field of dandelions starts with one small yellow flower after all.
--Gord

Looking Ahead to July 20, 2008 -- 10th Sunday After Pentecost

The Scripture Readings this week are:

• Psalm 139 (VU p.861)
• Genesis 27:34-28:17

The Hymns this week are:

• #371 Open My Eyes, That I May See
• #238 How Great Thou Art
• #660 How Firm a Foundation
• #675 Will Your Anchor Hold?

The Sermon Title is Running Away

Early Thoughts: What do you do when you have gotten someone mad? How do you escape when your brother wants you dead? Can you really run away from it all? ANd where does GOd and morality fit into the process of making bad choices and ticking people off?

NEws From Abroad

One of our Ecumenical PArtners, the Presbyterian Church in the USA has just had their General Assembly meeting. One of the issues that denomination is facing is familiar to United Church folks -- the role of human sexuality in ordination fitness.

THe General Assembly has passed a resolution very similar to the one passed by our General COuncil in 1988. It now needs to be ratified byt the PResbyteries before becoming official. A letter explaining their actions is here.

As people who remember the feelings around this discussion we hold our Presbyterian brothers and sisters in our prayers.

Looking Ahead to July 6 -- 8th Sunday After Pentecost

The Scripture Readings this week are:

• Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
• Psalm 145 (VU p.866)
• Romans 7:15-25

The hymns for this week are:

• 333 Love Divine, All Love’s Excelling
• 356 Seek Ye First
• 266 Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound
• 232 Joyful, Joyful We Adore You

The Sermon title is Knowing the Shadow

Early Thoughts: How many of us find that we cannot help but do what we know we shouldn't? Why? What do we do about that?

15I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.

Paul states it fairly succinctly (for Paul this is succinct, even if it does seem repetitive). Paul recognizes that he is, in traditional theological language, captive to sin. He knows that despite his best intentions he will not always do what is right. And he agonizes about that.

I would suspect that if we are honest with ourselves we all know that feeling. After all, we all have a shadow. We all have times we act selfishly, or meanly, or un-charitably. But do we know what to do about that?

As people of faith, we gather to offer prayers of confession. Do we do this because we are horrible people with no redeeming value? No. Do we do it because God doesn't know what we have done/thought/felt/wished? No. We do it because, as the saying goes, confession is good for the soul. Confession is healthy because it allows us to be whole people. Acknowledging our shadow not only brings wholeness and health but it is a big part of robbing the shadow of its power.

There are two dangers around our shadow. One is to pretend it doesn't exist, to hide away our misdeeds (even from ourselves). The other is to give it too much attention. For much of Christian history, particularly in the West (it can be seen in the Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed strands of theology) we have done that. We have portrayed people as totally depraved (to use one image) and incapable of doing anything but sin. In fact this is what Paul himself was saying. But that isn't healthy either. The road to healthy faith, healthy love of self and neighbour, healthy relationship with God lies somewhere between the two extremes. This Sunday we will try to find that path...
--Gord

Looking Ahead to June 29, 2008 -- 7th Sunday After Pentecost

The Scripture Readings this week are:

• From the Jewish Scriptures: Jeremiah 20:7-13
• Psalm 69:7-18 (see insert)
• From the Gospel: Matthew 10:24-39

The Hymns this week are:

• 245 Praise the Lord with the Sound of Trumpet
• 585 Jesus Bids Us Shine
• 288 Great is Thy Faithfulness
• 506 Take My Life and Let It Be

The Sermon title is Be Not Afraid

Early Thoughts: Not peace but a sword, set parents against children, lose your life to gain. What is Jesus talking about?

There are times in the Gospel accounts when I imagine that the disciples have to be left scratching their heads in confusion, and the more blunt among them asking the first-century equivalent of "WTF?". This passage from Matthew is certainly one of those. And I would think that if we were being honest many of us would share that confusion today.

We often have this picture of the life of faith being one of bridge-building and peacemaking. And that is Scriptural. But here Jesus starts by telling his friends to not be afraid but rather to be bold in their proclamation of the Good News. Then he goes on to let them know that the Good News may not always seem good...

It has been said that the goal of faith is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. But in the light of this passage, and with a limited knowledge of some social change models, I wonder if part of the comforting involves some afflicting as well. Or maybe it is that we need to challenge people's understanding of whether they are afflicted or comfortable in the first place. Jesus calls us to not only care for each other but to challenge each other. And that challenging may seem like bringing a sword that cuts deeply. Jesus wants us to focus on the Godly path first and foremost, even if it leads to places of unpopularity. In this Jesus stands in the line of Jeremiah, of the writer of the Psalm, of many other prophetic voices within Scripture and within tradition.

In the face of that call, where do we go? How can we be prophetic voices in our world? If I figure it out, I'll let you know...
--Gord

Looking Ahead to June 22, 2008 -- 6th Sunday After Pentecost

This Sunday we will worship put at the Teaching Place at French Lake. Our service will begin at 11:00.

The Scripture Readings this week are:

• From the Gospel: Matthew 10:40-42
• Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17
• From the Jewish Scriptures: Genesis 21:8-21

This week we will sing a variety of things (mostly with guitar accompaniment)

• Uyai Mose
• This Little Light of Mine
• I've Got the Joy Joy Joy Joy
• Give Me Oil in My Lamp
• It Only Takes a Spark

The Sermon Title is Wilderness God

Early Thoughts: Life is not always easy. In fact sometimes it seems like it can't get any worse. Imagine the surprise to find God at that spot.

For some good thoughts on this topic check out this column from three years ago.

She was sent out into the desert to die. She and her son, a firstborn son but in the end only the son of the slave girl. This is where Hagar find herself in this passage from Genesis. Victimized by
Sarah's jealousy and insecurity, powerless to speak for herself, disposable along with her son. Hagar has given up, going off by herself because she can't bear to watch the inevitable death of her son.

If Scripture came with stage directions it would now read God enters. Just as she gives up to the cruelties of life and the emptiness of the wilderness Hagar becomes aware of God's presence. God provides words of comfort and promise. God hears the cries of despair and pain and behold God provides.

The wilderness is a common place in Scripture. The wilderness is a place of fear and uncertainty. It is a metaphor for being lost and in peril. And yet the wilderness is a place where people constantly are reminded of God's presence and bounty.

What is the wilderness in our lives? Where do we find ourselves lost, afraid, beyond hope? What words does God have for us in that place? What promise? What hope? What comfort?
--Gord

Looking Ahead to June 15, 2008 -- 5th Sunday After Pentecost

The Scripture Readings this week are:

• From the Gospel: Matthew 9:35-10:2
• Psalm 116 (VU p. 836)
• From the Letters of the Early Church: Romans 5:1-8

The Hymns for this week are:

• 222 Come Let Us Sing
• 624 Give to Us Laughter
• 508 Just As I Am
• 649 Walk With Me

The sermon title is Producing Character

Early Thoughts: How do we learn character? How do we teach it? How do we become people of good character?

There is so much to preach in the passage from Romans. There is in it the basis for the Reformation doctrine of justification by faith. THere is space to talk about forgiveness and redemption. But the passage that jumped out at me this week was right in the middle of the passage

3But that's not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. 4And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope 5that will never disappoint us.

Here we have one reason that life includes suffering, a reason that we have likely heard before. Suffering builds character!

Building character is a tricky thing to define or describe. Countless parents have agonized over how best to raise children "of good character". Last month at the Conference Annual meeting we passed a motion which affirmed the Manitoba Department of Education for developing a character education piece of the curiculum. (In it's original form this motion called on the government to create such a thing -- until it was pointed out that they already had.)

But even then it is hard to say what that means. Does building charcter mean creating people who meekly submit to authority, children who are compliant and obedient? Partly. But part of being a person of character means standing up against authority. It means asking questions. It means standing for what is right even when it isn't popoular. Is that what our character education efforts create?

But back to Paul. Paul says that suffering leads to endurance which leads to character. And I think there is (some) wisdom there. Character comes over time. Character comes with a degree of trial and error. Character, in the end, can't really be taught but its development can/should/must be encouraged. So yes, suffering bears some role. When we never struggle in life we lose a chance for some of that trial and error, for some of that development. At the same time we have to be careful not to over-emphasize the growth potential in suffering. When we do that we have a tendency to minimize the negative. It can be a great way to avoid asking ourselves why people suffer (and the courage ask and act on that question is a measure of our character).

It is easy to lose hope in our society. Reading or watching the news gives us a litany of sadness and all too often highlights the brokenness of the world. But then there is that last step in Paul's list. Building character leads to hope. When we cultivate character development in ourselves, in our children, in our neighbour's, in all the world there is hope. People of character are the ones who can steer the changes of our society. And that is indeed cause for hope.

Join us on Sunday as we talk about what it means to preduce people of character. Of course we might need to figure out what a person of character is first.
--Gord