GIBSON MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH
FREDERICTON, N.B.
September 13, 2015
11:00 a.m.
Welcome Back Sunday
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WE GATHER FOR WORSHIP†
*denotes standing for those who are able
Congregational Responses are printed in BOLD
PRELUDE
WELCOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONVERSATION TIME
CREATION HYMN Go Make a Diff’rence MV 209 (refrain) (2x)
Go make a diff’rence. We can make a diff’rence.
Go make a diff’rence in the world.
Go make a diff’rence. We can make a diff’rence.
Go make a diff’rence in the world.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
MV 115 (2x)
LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE
CALL TO WORSHIP
As the sun endures, and the moon glows,
changing days speak of God’s glory.
As the rainbow arcs through grey clouds,
colours speak of God’s glory.
As Earth provides sustaining food,
harvest speaks of God’s glory.
As people gather to praise God’s name,
we speak of God’s glory.
Let us worship our glorious God.
OPENING PRAYER
God of life, the earth and the sea and the sky are yours. The starfish
and the periwinkles are loved by you. You delight in the splashing of
the trout and the heron’s silent flight. May our worship be filled
with the joy and deep peace we experience around us. May we be
truly thankful for the beauty of this earth. And may we be truly open
to being changed by you. Fill us with your Spirit, God, and prepare
us to live beautiful lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen. (Allison Etter, Gathering,
Pentecost 2, 2014)
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(Used with permission. LicenSing #624165)
WE APPROACH GOD
INTROIT (All)
based on Revelation 21
Come see, Behold! God makes all things new,
the church, me and you, God lives among us here.
Come see, Behold! God makes all things new,
God’s faithful and true, a new earth shall appear.
*HYMN
This is God’s Wondrous World
(Children gather at the front of the sanctuary.)
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
Responsive Reading:
Psalm 148
Epistle Reading:
Romans 12:3–7
SERMON
Valerie Barton
871
Unity and Diversity
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
MINISTRY OF MUSIC
SILENT PRAYER
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
God, Creator, Provider, Friend, Mother and Father of us all.
in the gift of creation you speak for us.
The weed protruding through the sidewalk crack
speaks of your grace,
that with you the unexpected should be expected,
the impossible becomes possible.
We pray for those who are without hope.
May we hear you speak in the persistent wildflower,
a reminder that your tenacious hope
grows in seemingly hopeless places.
The plastic bag blowing in the wind
speaks of your word to the lonely.
We pray for those who feel discarded and rejected by society.
May we hear you speak in the gentle wind that lifts up
and carries what others have long since forgotten.
The awesome powers of the sea
speak of your majesty and mystery:
we cannot control the waters which build up and tear down.
We are aware of many acts of nature that we cannot understand.
And we pray for those
who have been affected by natural disasters.
May we hear you speak in the awesomeness of the elements
as we ask for our own protection.
The colours dancing at the break of dawn
speak of your beauty and our gratitude,
that we are enhanced and transformed
by the diversity of colours that touch every part of our lives.
We give thanks for this church community
and ask that you bless the individual gifts
that you have generously scattered within each of us.
The beauty of creation gives voice to these and all of our prayers.
With loving thankfulness, we praise you. Amen.
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*THE DOXOLOGY:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures high and low;
give thanks to God in love made known:
Creator, Word and Spirit, One.
*THE OFFERTORY PRAYER (all)
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, Holy Mystery who is wholly love, we
dedicate these gifts for the healing of your creation. May we be good
stewards of these riches that you have entrusted to us. Amen.
*CLOSING HYMN
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, the power and the
glory, forever and ever. Amen.
HYMN
You Call Us Out
OFFERTORY and PRESENTATION OF OUR GIFTS
Invitation to the Offering
Because we have been given ears
to hear the complexity of creation,
because we have been given minds
to discern the complexity of God’s grace,
because we have been given hearts
to feel the complexity of God’s love,
let us respond by giving
as best we can to our generous God.
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Praise with Joy the World’s Creator
*COMMISSIONING & BENEDICTION
In all we do, let us listen carefully for the songs of creation,
and sing out boldly with and for all that we hear.
And may the grace of God, the love of Jesus,
and the abiding friendship of the Holy Spirit,
holy diversity within holy unity,
go with us all, now and always. Amen.
*SUNG BLESSING:
Go now in peace. Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of everyday.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
POSTLUDE
†
Parts of this service were taken from resources provided by the
United Church of Canada and written by Alydia Smith.
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MINISTER
ORGANIST/CHOIR DIRECTOR
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
CUSTODAIN
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REV. CORA KROMMENHOEK
HEAHER DUNHAM
MARSHA DALEY
EDWARD GALLANT
Sunday Worship & Sunday School: 11 a.m.
Office hours: Monday – Friday; 8 a.m. – noon and 1 – 3 p.m.
183 Gibson Street, Fredericton, N.B. E3A 4E4: Tel: 457-1951
Web-site: www.gibsonmemorial.ca; e-mail: gibsonmemorial@nb.aibn.com
CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION
Welcome to all! May this worship experience be meaningful and
spiritual for you. Everyone is invited to share in coffee/tea, cookies and
conversation in the hall immediately following the service. Greeters
today are Alice Sewell & Joel Wallace and next week will be Chris &
Lynn Banks. Tellers today are Mickey & Betty Lou Flanagan. Taping
the service today is Brian Cail. In the Nursery today is Cindy Schorn
and next week is Kelsey Ridler.
Services & Meetings this week: Sept. 14 - 19, 2015
Monday
9:30 Shuffleboard
Tuesday
1:00 Pickles, Pickles, Pickles (see page 6)
1:30 Women Together
7:00 Council
Upcoming Services & Meetings:
Sept. 20
11:00 Food Bank Sunday
Sept. 22
7:00 Mission & Outreach
Sept. 27
11:00 Pulpit Exchange Sunday
Guest Minister – Rev. Kelly Burke from New
Maryland United
The Fall Church Season is fast approaching and Volunteers will be
needed for the following: Greeters, Tellers, Scripture Readers, Tapers,
serving Communion and Sunday School Teachers! If you have an
interest in any of the following please contact the office. Please note, I
will be making up the lists next week!
Choir News! We need your smiling face! The Council has asked for a
choir presence once a month. This month it will be today, Sept. 13th,
Welcome Back Sunday. No rehearsal, no anthem. Just come to the
choir room 10 minutes before the service to get a choir gown. Come
and make a joyful noise to the Lord!
Attendance & Offering Update:
Date
Jan. – June
July – Aug.
Sept. 6
Attendance
73
39
44
Offerings
2,145
1,798
3,031
+/- to date
- 7,429
- 16,173
- 15,912
Notes:
 We need approx. $2,770 each Sunday to meet the Budget. PAR
($870 per week) is included in the amount for each week.
 Bulletins can be donated in memory of loved ones. The cost of
bulletin covers is approx. $20. Bulletins can also be donated for
Anniversary, Birthday and for other Celebrations.
 PAR, Pre-Authorized remittance is available. Please contact
the office for more information.
 To date Gibson has transferred $18,760 from our investments to
cover operating expenses. (Due to improving interest rates this
year we haven’t drawn down our principal.)
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A new movie: “War Room: Prayer is a Powerful Weapon” With
great jobs, a beautiful daughter (Alena Pitts) and a dream house, the
Jordans seem to have it all. Appearances can be deceiving, however,
as husband Tony (T.C. Stallings) flirts with temptation and wife
Elizabeth (Priscilla Shirer) becomes increasingly bitter, crumbling
under the strain of a failing marriage. Their lives take an unexpected
turn for the better when Elizabeth meets her newest client, Miss Clara
(Karen Abercrombie), who encourages the couple to find happiness
through prayer. In theatres Sept. 18th.
The Gibson congregation is invited to a:
for Erin Price & Family
September 19th, 2 – 4 p.m.
at the Gibson Memorial United Church Hall
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Boyd & Helen MacTavish will be celebrating their 65th
Wedding Anniversary on Sept. 21st! The family are inviting
all their friends to celebrate with them on Monday, Sept. 21st,
7 – 9 p.m. at Gibson Memorial United Church Hall. Best
Wishes only!
Pickles, Pickles, Pickles! We will be making pickles to use at our
Church Dinners. Donations of the following….bottles covers/lids (we
have lots of bottles), white sugar, vinegar, onions, cauliflower, celery,
red & green pepper would be greatly appreciated!
Upcoming Community Events:
Sept. 2015
New Horizons for Senior Programs in partnership with
St. Anthony’s is offering the following activities: Line
Dancing, Adult Swimming Lessons, Cooking Classes,
etc. Most of these classes are free to seniors and offered
through a Federal Government Seniors Program and
open to all seniors! Please see the bulletin board for more
details.