Sunday Gathering - October 17

Trinity United Church
October 17, 2021
Proper 24
Worship

“Connection not Perfection”

WE GATHER

Gathering

 
Welcome 

Rev David: May the peace of Christ be with you.

Welcome to Trinity United Church in Port Coquitlam, BC.
We are so grateful that you have chosen to spend some time with us, we are glad you are here. 

If you are joining us on YouTube, please check out our website at ucpoco.ca. We would also appreciate if you would subscribe to our channel, and like and share our service. Those buttons are right below the video, and it does make a difference when you interact with our account.

Acknowledgement of Territory 
For tens of thousands of years, the lands on which we live, work and worship, have been occupied by indigenous peoples.
Much of what we know as the Northwest Coast of North America was occupied by the Coast Salish Peoples. The territory where Trinity United Church of Port Coquitlam resides is the unceded territory of the Kwikwetlem First Nations. Our acknowledgement of unceded traditional territory is a first step in reconciliation between settler cultures and indigenous peoples and the decolonization of western systems that continue to oppress and exploit indigenous peoples and land. The work of reconciliation is daunting. The work of reconciliation will not be ours to complete, but neither is it ours to abandon. 

Let us prepare our hearts and minds for worship.

Prelude/ Lighting of the Christ Candle
CLICK HERE to view “Welcome Home” video

Call to Worship 

Come heavenly bodies: sun, stars, moon and planets;
    Praise God! Praise God!
Come clouds and frost, wind and storm;
    Praise God!  Praise God!
Come birds, plants, animals and fish;
    Praise God!  Praise God!
Come people from east and west, north and south;
    Praise God!  Praise God!
Come all created beings from all the corners of the cosmos;
    Praise God!  Praise God!

Prayer of Approach 

Holy Mystery, 
Eternal Wisdom, 
Sustaining Creator, 
we join the whole cosmos in singing your praise 
and proclaiming your presence.  

Reawaken us to the path of wisdom 
found in creation, 
in word and in prayer.  Amen.

Hymn: “How Firm a Foundation” VU 660 CLICK HERE

We Rest in God’s Reconciling Love
 
We are constantly surrounded by God’s reconciling love, we live and move and have our being in God’s unconditional, steadfast love. But we are not always aware of it.

I invite you to intentionally rest in God’s reconciling love now. You may want to close your eyes, or let them rest half closed. Become aware of your breath. You don’t need to control your breathing, just become aware of where you feel your breath in your body. Some of us feel our breath on our upper lip, or the end of our nose; some feel our breath in our sinuses; maybe in the back of your throat, or across your shoulders; you might be aware of the rising and falling of your chest cavity and ribs; or maybe you feel your breath deeper down in your belly. Wherever you sense your breath is fine, just sit with your breath, the breath of life that sustains you. Experience each breath, as a loving gift from God. 

I am going to read a few words from scripture then we will sit in God’s reconciling love for several minutes. If you feel your mind is getting distracted, silently repeat the words of scripture to yourself and return to resting in God’s loving presence.

Psalm 104:33 “I will sing to God as long as I live.”

[90 sec silence]

Thanks be to God!

WE HEAR THE WORD

Retelling Our Ancient Story “It Was You, God”

Once there was a man called Job, who was sick for a long time. Job felt sad for a long time. He wondered if he would ever feel better. Job asked God a lot of questions.

“I have been sick for a long time,” said Job to God. “I am tired. When will I feel better?”
And the next day Job asked God another question. “I am sad and lonely, God. Why is this happening to me?” 

Each day Job asked God a question and each day Job didn’t hear any answers from God. 
Then one day after Job spoke to God, something began to happen. (Turn on fan.) The branches of trees over his head began to sway. The dust on the ground around his feet began to swirl. Job felt a refreshing breeze on his face.

Job stopped and wondered. He felt the wind and listened to the sounds all around, and deep inside and at last, Job heard God speak.

God said, “Job, who made the world?”
(All reply with Job.) “It was you, God!”

God called again, “Job, who made the sea and the trees and the flowers?”
(All reply with Job.) “It was you, God!”

God called again, “Job, who made the sun and the stars and the clouds?”
(All reply with Job.) “It was you, God?”

Once more God called, “Job, who made the birds and the fish and the animals?”
(All reply with Job.) “It was you, God!”

Job bowed his head. “Dear God, you made everything. You made all these wonderful things. Thank you.” As Job looked around at all that God had made, Job felt God’s love deep inside and all around. Job knew that God loved him very, very much… God’s love was all around. 

Job began to feel better. Job no longer felt tired or sad. Job called to his family and friends.

“Come and join me! Let us look at the wonderful world God has made. Let us say thank you to God!”

Job’s family and friends came to sit with him. They were happy that Job was feeling better. 
They knew that God was with them.

Psalm 104 Parts 1 & 2 refrain 1 VU 826

Reading 

Hebrews 5:1-10

5Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; 3and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. 4And one does not presume to take this honour, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,
‘You are my Son,
   today I have begotten you’;
6as he says also in another place,
‘You are a priest for ever,
   according to the order of Melchizedek.’
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

This is the witness of the early church. Thanks be to God!

Hymn: “Let All Things Now Living” VU 242 CLICK HERE

Message 

As we reflect on the Holy Scripture,
May our thoughts and my words
bless the one eternal God,
that our actions may sing praise to the Almighty.
Amen.

Early in my ministry, I was visiting with an experienced mother. Her toddler came running across the floor tripped and did a faceplant. The toddler looked up in shock and surprise, confusion and potential horror. The toddler didn't quite know how to respond yet. Mom quickly grabbed her keys and jingled them in front of the toddler and almost instantly the child's face transformed from horror to glee as the child reached out for the keys. Catastrophe averted.

Several weeks ago we began the story of Job.

God had identified Job as a faithful mortal. Satan, being the one who makes things difficult, suggested that Job was only faithful because God had given him the good life, but if life became difficult for Job, Job would prove to be less faithful. So God said, Do with Job what you will, only do not take his life.

So Job lost everything, his family, his fortune, and his health.

He had some friends who stayed with him in his grief for a while, a short while, but then they started talking: they blamed Job for his losses (Job must have done something to deserve punishment), they blamed God for Job's losses (sometimes God just has it in for some of us, Gods are fickle that way), they suggested that God just didn't care about Job (after all, God has the whole creation to care for).

But Job, with the patience of Job, waited to know God's presence again.

And that is where we left Job two weeks ago. Sitting patiently in pain and anguish, waiting for God.

Today, we hear God's response.

God appears to Job in a whirlwind and says, in short, "Who are you to find fault with me?"

From the whirlwind God describes the action of creation and some of the wonders and mysteries of creation. Job isn't just hearing a few words, "who do you think you are," but he receives a full on experience of the wonder and mystery of God Almighty and a majestic creation.

God isn't distracting Job from his suffering. God is re-instilling in Job a sense of awe and wonder.

The Book of Job, if you'll remember, is part of the Wisdom Tradition and the beginning of Wisdom is in the awe and wonder of God.

What instills in us a sense of awe and wonder?

That's a great question to write in a journal. Generate a list of things that instill a sense of wonder in you, then ask yourself, when was the last time I did this? How often do I myself experience awe and wonder?

There are abundant sources of awe and wonder if we are receptive to them.

What instills awe and wonder isn't always something grand. Recently I was instilled with wonder when someone I thought had great reason to be angry and frustrated was actually expressing graciousness and being very gentle and kind. That was wonderful. It was beautiful to witness.

Job had a fourth friend who was also less than helpful. His forth friend lectures Job for several chapters on the majesty and goodness of God. These were things Job already knew. The problem was that Job wasn't experiencing the goodness and majesty of God.

We can talk and talk and talk about the wonder and goodness of God, but if we aren't feeling that wonder, the talk is useless.

How we treat one another is so very important. We can talk about the love and presence of God all we want, but people experience the love and presence of God in the way we treat them.

It is also why the Christian message is a message to the community and not just to individuals. As mortal individuals, there is no way any one person is able to be the love and presence of God to everyone. It takes a whole community to live out the love and presence of God.

We need to continually fill our cup at the fount of whatever instills in us a sense of awe and wonder. And then we need to treat one another in a way that might instill awe and wonder in them.

May our souls bless the Almighty,
May we graciously receive and be nourished by awe and wonder,
And may we manifest awe and wonder for others. Amen.

Special Music 

WE RESPOND

Offering 

Your Governance Team, in particular Robert, is preparing our budget for 2022. Part of budget preparation is looking at our expected income. It is really important for folks to hear that our projected income for next year is significantly lower than past years. If you read the letter from the Governance Team on Friday you will know this information.

St Catherine’s used to provide us with an income of $25,000. We no longer have that income. The UCW, with the thrift shop, also provided us with $25,000 a year. We don’t know when or if the thrift shop will be generating income again. We cannot assume the UCW will raise that same $25,000 next year. So we begin our budget planning, expecting $50,000 less than our average annual income. I’m not done yet. Our annual givings, that’s our Sunday offering, gifts through Pre-Authorized Remittance, in our envelopes, and Tythly is also reduced over the last two years by another $50,000. We are starting our budget planning, anticipating that we will make about $100,000 less than we usually make in a year. 

We remind folks that your financial gifts make our ministry happen. We have been fortunate to have received considerable support from government sources during the pandemic, however, those resources are expected to end soon. So, we would ask you to re-evaluate what you are able to give and to give responsibly.

We are so grateful for the generosity of our membership, for all the gifts of time, skill, prayer, and money. Thank you.

If you are not already on Pre-Authorized Remittance, you can give by sending a cheque to the church office, or by clicking on the donate now button on our website. 

Let us pray:
Holy Wisdom, we give you thanks for the gifts offered. 
May these gifts further the ministry of this church, its building, its staff, its outreach and volunteers, and its work around the world through the Mission and Service Fund.
In gratitude we pray. Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and intercession 

God of All Creation,
You laid out the foundations of the earth. 
Thank you.
You determined the measurements of the entire cosmos.
Thank you.
You placed creations’ cornerstones and formed its bases.
Thank you.
When the morning stars sang,
 the heavenly beings shouted for joy!
Thank you.

You shut the sea with doors 
when it burst from the womb.
Thank you.
You made the clouds like a garment, 
thick darkness its swaddling band.
Thank you.
You prescribed bounds for the sea and said, 
here shall your proud waves be stopped.
Thank you.

You created the springs of the sea 
and the recesses of the deep.
Thank you.
You created the way to the dwelling of light, 
and the place of darkness.
Thank you.
You made the storehouses of snow and silos of hail.
Thank you.
You made the place where the east wind 
is scattered upon the earth.
Thank you.

You cut a channel for the torrents of rain 
and a way for the thunderbolt.
From you come drops of dew, ice and hoarfrost.
Water becomes stone, the deep is frozen because of you.
Thank you.

You bound the chains of stars of the Pleiades 
and loose the cords of Orion.
You guide the Great Bear in its season.
You know the ordinances of the heavens 
and established their rule on the earth.
Thank you.

Your voice lifts to the clouds, 
you send forth lightnings, 
You put wisdom in our inward parts 
and give us understanding. 
But your understanding is so much greater than ours.
Thank you.

You provide for the lion and the raven, 
the goats and the deer.
You care for the wild donkey, the wild ox, 
the ostrich and the horse.
By your wisdom, hawks soar and eagles mount up.
Thank you.

We know your presence in your great creation.
We see the works of your hands 
and know the love of your heart.
As we witness your creation, 
we will not find fault, 
but only gratitude.
We will not contend with the Almighty.
We will not argue with our God.

We pray for those whom we love.
[silence]

We pray for our community of faith, Trinity United Church.
[silence]

We ask only for assurance of your presence among us 
and for the courage and strength 
to fulfill your compassionate will.

And now we turn to you as a child turns to her mother, 
singing the words Jesus taught us:

The Disciples’ Prayer “Our Father” VU 960

WE GO FORTH

Hymn: “It’s a Song of Praise to the Maker” MV 30
CLICK HERE

Commissioning and Benediction 

I invite you to turn on you videos and hold your hands out in a sign of blessing…