GIBSON MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH

FREDERICTON, N.B.

September 25, 2011                     11:00 a.m.                            15th after Pentecost

Birthday Sunday

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WE GATHER FOR WORSHIP

*denotes standing for those who are able

PRELUDE                 WELCOME               ANNOUNCEMENTS

WE APPROACH GOD

*LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE

*GREETING

God be with you.

And also with you.

 

*CALL TO WORSHIP:

Be still, and know that God is.

Before creation began, God was.

And when all human striving has ceased, God will still be.

From everlasting to everlasting,

God is God, who alone is worthy to be worshipped.

 

*OPENING PRAYER: (all)

Our God, as a gentle rain soaks the earth, may your peace and love fall upon us, bringing growth and life.  Soak into our innermost being.  Quiet all that makes us anxious.  Help us to linger in your presence, and send us out refreshed, to carry your peace to others.  In the name of the Water of Life, we  pray.  Amen.

 

*OPENING HYMN: “All Things Bright and Beautiful”          291

 

youtube Hayley Westenra

 

youtube Libera

(Children gather at front)

 

CONVERSATION TIME:  Birthday “Pennies” Sunday

*HYMN:  “Travel On, Travel On”       Vs. 3                               647

 

WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD...

 

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MINISTRY OF MUSIC:     “Let All the People Praise Thee”

Congregational singalong:
            O God, our help in ages past,
            Our hope for years to come,
            Our shelter from the stormy blast,
            And our eternal home.

            Before the hills in order stood,
            Or earth received her frame,
            From everlasting thou art God,
            To endless years the same.

 

PSALM:  “As the Deer Pants”          (Psalm 42)                       766

 

SCRIPTURE READING:  Exodus 17:1-7                 Sandra Pond

                       

SERMON:  “Journey into the Unknown:  Quenching Thrist”

 

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

 

HYMN:  “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say”                                626

 

 

JOYS & CONCERNS

PRAYERS OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE

O Mystery beyond our defining and confining:

Come and infuse your creation with life

and connect all the parts with one another and with you.

O Snowdrop, God embodied in fragile form: 

Come and break through hard earth,

to bring us new life and beauty.

O Water of Life, you fall to renew the earth,

you spray and splash, bubble and flow in river and ocean,

you are still and deep, and quench the thirst of all creation: 

Come, refresh us, cleanse us, satisfy our thirst.

O Rainbow, sign of hope, continuity, and renewal: 

Come and open our eyes, break into our awareness,

and enable us to rejoice in the diversity of your creation.

 

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O Candle of calm and peace, symbol of ancient light,

lending your beauty and wonder to our darkened corners: 

Come and share your halo of light with us,

to soothe, comfort, and guide us on the way.

O Star of Night, lead us to new dawnings,

guide our journey to our deepest desires,

banish doubts, free us from fear, guide us to all fullness.

Amen.

 

THE LORD’S PRAYER

OFFERTORY and PRESENTATION OF OUR GIFTS

*THE DOXOLOGY: “For the Gift of Creation”                       538

            For the gift of creation, the gift of your love,

            and the gift of the Spirit by which we live,

            we thank you and give you the fruit of our hands.

            May your grace be proclaimed by the gifts that we give.

                       

*THE OFFERTORY PRAYER: (all)

God of the hungry,

make us hunger and thirst for the right,

till our thirst for justice has been satisfied,

and hunger has gone from the earth.  Amen.

 

*CLOSING HYMN:  “O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts”            472

*COMMISSIONING and BENEDICTION

*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

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CHURCH  STAFF:

MINISTER                                                      REV. CORA KROMMENHOEK

ORGANIST/CHOIR DIRECTOR                                HEATHER DUNHAM

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR                                              MARSHA DALEY

CUSTODIAN                                                                     EDWARD GALLANT

 

Worship & Sunday School: 11:00 a.m.

Office hours:  8 a.m. – 12 noon; 1 – 3 p.m.

183 Gibson Street, Fredericton, N.B.  E3A 4E4

Tel: 457-1951; e-mail: gibsonmemorial@nb.aibn.com

Web-site: www.gibsonmemorial.ca

 

CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION

Welcome to all!  May this worship experience be meaningful and spiritual for you.  Everyone is invited to share in conversation and coffee/tea/juice immediately following the service.  Greeters today are Evelyn Davidson and Jean Henry. Tellers today are David & Barbara Morrison and Paul & Marilyn Seymour and next week will be Robert & Bonnie Grant and Bill & Margaret Field.

 

Meetings this week:  Sept. 26 – Oct. 1, 2011.

Monday           9:30     Shuffleboard

                        6:45     Cubs

Tuesday          6:30     Scouts

                        1:00     “Pickles”  (see page 5)

Wednesday   12:00     Everyone is welcome to a “Bag-Lunch Gathering” in the hall.  Coffee/Tea will be provided.

                        6:00     Sparks & Brownies

                        7:00     Choir

Thursday         6:30     Beavers

 

Upcoming Events & Meetings:

Oct. 2              11:00   World Communion Sunday

Oct. 4                7:00   Mission & Outreach

Oct. 5                7:00   Finance

Oct. 6                1:30   UCW  (parlour)

Oct. 6               6:30   Decorating the sanctuary for Thanksgiving

Oct. 9              11:00   Thanksgiving Service

 

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Happy 65th Wedding Anniversary wishes are extended to Gerald & Millie Boone.  Gerald & Millie will be married 65 years on Sept. 28. Congrats!

 

A donation has been made to the Living Memorial Fund in memory of Reginald Shewen Kitchen by Peter & Dorothy Snowball.

 

JOYS AND CONCERNS:  “There is a box in the narthex for folk who would like to write down their prayer requests rather than say them aloud.”

 

New e-mail addresses:

Church office:  gibsonmemorial@nb.aibn.com

Rev. Cora: revcoragibson@nb.aibn.com

 

Volunteers are needed for the following:

Nursery - Supervising in the nursery. Sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board in the hall.

 

Tellers -  Lists are in the narthex.

 

Bible Study.  Rev. Cora is going to start a Bible Study in late October.  If you are interested, please sign the sign-up sheet along  with a suggested topic.

 

Pickles.  We will be making “Mustard Pickles” on Tuesday afternoon, 1 – 3:30 p.m.  Everyone is invited to help with chopping  up of the vegetables.  Donations of cucumbers, onions, celery, red & green pepper, cauliflower, vinegar, sugar and bottles will be gladly accepted.  And if we have enough people and time we can make biscuits too!

 

Worship News: The Worship Committee would like to invite the congregation to help decorate the sanctuary for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Oct. 6th  at 6:30 p.m.  Donations of vegetables, fruit, gourds, pickles, flowers, etc. would be greatly appreciated.  These can be dropped off at the office before Oct. 6th or brought with you. 

 

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The Youth of our congregation are invited to this event.  If anyone is interested in attending please contact the office, so that we can plan to meet at Gibson and go as a group. (Marsha is planning on attending too!)