Hybrid Church Second Sunday after Pentecost June 11, 2023

Christ Church Gabriola

A Collaborative Anglican – United Church

Open to All

 

                    

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Hybrid Church

Second Sunday after Pentecost

June 11, 2023

 

Rev. Sally Bullas

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

 

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

 

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

Welcome & Announcements

Whether you are gathering in person, on zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ. 

 

Centering & Stillness                                                                                              (Joyce Rupp)

“Once again, I place my confidence in you, faithful companion and trusted guide.  You will show me the way to wholeness.”

 

(invitation to sit in silence)

 

Introit: There Is Room for All                                                      MV #62 

          There is room for all in the shadow of God’s wing;

          There is room for all, sheltered in God’s love.

          And I rejoice and sing,  

          My refuge and my rock, in whom I trust.

          There is room for all, there is room for all!

 

Lighting of the Christ Candle  

One:  Christ is our Light.

All:    Thanks be to God!

 

(the Christ Candle is lit)

 

Greeting
One:  The grace of Christ Jesus, the love of God, 

          and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:    And also with you

 

Opening Words                                                                               (Joyce Rupp, adapted)
One:  Wise and Faithful Guide, you lovingly abide in our depths and             graciously guide our every step.  

All:    You lead us to ever stronger growth and draw us more fully 

          toward inner freedom.  

One:  We thank you today for the awesome ways in which you constantly enter our lives.

 

Hymn: You, God, Are My Firmament                                                    VU #279

1You, God, are my firmament,
Roof for my head,
Shelter from storm,
Nourishing bread,
Tender and warm.  

2

2You, God, are a tower of strength.
I shall not fear,
I shall not fall,
Knowing you’re near,
Guardian of all.

 

3You, God, are my guiding light,
Beacon from birth,
Helping to see,
Lighting the earth,
Enlightening me.

 

4I will give thanks,
I will sing praise
With all of my heart,
All of my days.

 

Opening Prayer                                                                                            (Richard Rohr)
One:  Loving God, you fill all things with a fullness and hope that we             can never comprehend. 

All:    Thank you for leading us into a time where more of reality is 

          being unveiled for us all to see. 

One:  We pray that you will take away  our natural temptation for cynicism, denial, fear and despair. 

All:    Help us have the courage to awaken to greater truth, greater 

          humility and greater care for one another. 

One:  May we place our hope in what matters and what lasts, trusting             in your eternal presence and love. 

All:    Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our suffering 

          world.  

(a moment of silence)

 

One:  Knowing, good God, you are hearing us better than we are             speaking, we offer these prayers in all the holy names of God.
All:    Amen.

                                                            

Passing of the Peace

One: The peace of Christ be with you! 

All:   And also with you!

 

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace. Those on zoom, please unmute and share with one another.

 

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Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may hear your Word today and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

 

Genesis 12:1-9 (NRSV)                                                           Reader: Angela Nutter 

Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages towards the Negeb.

 

Psalm 33                                                                                                          VU #760

Refrain:  A new song to our God proclaim, from age to age rejoice!

 

Shout to God for joy, you righteous!

Praise is fitting from loyal hearts.

       Give thanks to God with the harp,

       sing praise to God with the ten-stringer lute.

Sing a new song to God;

play skillfully and with shouts of joy.

       For the word of God is true;

       God’s every deed is faithful.     R

 

You love what is right and just;

the earth is full of your constant love.

       By your words the heavens were made,

       the countless stars by the breath of your mouth.

You gathered the waters of the sea as in a goatskin;

       you stored the deep in cisterns.

Let all the earth fear you, O God,

       let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe.  

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For you spoke and it came to be;

you commanded and it stood firm.

       You foil the plans of the nations,

       and frustrate the schemes of the peoples.

Your counsel, O God, shall stand forever,

the purposes of your heart through all generations.

       Happy the nations who has you as God.

       Happy the people you choose as your own.

Our hear rejoices in you, O God,

because our hope is in your holy name.

       Let your steadfast love be upon us

       as we put our trust in you.    R

 

Gospel Reading                                                                  Reader: Angela Nutter

As is your custom, please stand or sit for the reading of the gospel. 

Reader: God be with you.  
All:         And also with you

Reader: The Good News of Jesus the Christ according to Matthew

All:         Glory to you, Christ Jesus.

 

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 (NRSV)

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’ While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.’ And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.’ Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute-players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, ‘Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.

          Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

          All:              Praise be to Jesus Christ                                               5

Reflection:                              “No Ordinary Way”

 

(silent reflection)

 

Hymn: Like a Healing Stream                                                                MV #144

1Like a healing stream in a barren desert,

spirit water bringing life to dusty earth,

God is trickling through our lives

as in a dream unfolding,

promising revival and rebirth,

like a healing stream.

 

2Like a gentle rain on a thirsty garden,

spirit water comes to nourish tiny seed,

God is bubbling through the soil

to coax a new creation,

yearning for an end to want and need,

like a gentle rain.

 

3Like a river strong with a restless current,

Spirit water rushing on to distant shore,

God is carving out a channel in a new direction,

calling for an end to hate and war,

like a river strong.

 

4Like a mighty sea reaching far horizons,

spirit water with a love both deep and wide,

God is working in our hearts to shape a new tomorrow;

God will always challenge and provide!

Like a mighty sea, like a river strong,

like a gentle rain, like a healing stream

 

Offering

 

Doxology                                                                                                             CP #669

Praise God the Source of life and birth,

Praise God the Word, who came to earth.

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All Glory, honour to God’s name.

 

Offering Prayer                                                                               (Joyce Rupp, adapted) Abundant provider, what is asked of us?  What is required?  What are we to give to this world?  We, who have received so much?

 

 

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Prayers of the People                                                          Susan Brockley                                                                           One:           Loving God,

All:    Hear Our Prayer.

 

Communion Hymn: Come Touch Our Hearts v.1,2,3,5            MV #12 

1Come touch our hearts that we may know compassion,

From failing embers build a blazing fire;

Love strong enough to overturn injustice,

To seek a world more gracious,

Come touch and bless our hearts.

 

2Come touch our souls that we may know and love you,

Your quiet presence all our fears dispel;

Create a space for spirit to grow in us,

Let life and beauty fill us,

Come touch and bless our souls.

 

3Come touch our minds and teach us how to reason,

Set free our thoughts to wonder and to dream;

Help us to open doors of understanding,

To welcome truth and wisdom,

Come touch and bless our minds.

 

5Come touch us now, this people who are gathered,

To break the bread and share the cup of peace;

That we may love you with our heart, our soul,

Our mind, our strength, our all,

Come touch us with your grace.

 

A Statement of Faith: “A New Creed”                                                   VU #918

Let us affirm our faith . . . 

We are not alone,

    we live in God’s world.

 We believe in God:

    who has created and is creating,

    who has come in Jesus,

       the Word made flesh,

       to reconcile and make new,

    who works in us and others

       by the Spirit.

We trust in God. 

 

 

 

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We are called to be the Church:

    to celebrate God’s presence,

    to live with respect in Creation,

    to love and serve others,

    to seek justice and resist evil,

    to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,

       our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,

    God is with us.

We are not alone.

    Thanks be to God.

 

We Celebrate at the Table     (The service of Communion is adapted from liturgy 

written by Susan Flanders, progressivechristianity.org)

One:  May all that is Holy be with you…

All:    and also with you.

One:  Open your hearts...

All:    we open them to Infinite Possibility. 

One:  Embrace all that is Holy as we sing…

 

Sanctus                                                                                                              MV #203

O holy, holy holy God, O God of time and space.

All earth and sea and sky above bear witness to your grace.

Hosanna in the highest heav’n, creation sings your praise.

And blessed is the One who comes and bears your name always.

 

One:  In this Season of Pentecost, we gather in celebration of the gift of       God’s spirit.  
All:    From deep within us, and from our daily round, and beyond           all worlds we can be touched by this spirit. 

One:  By the power of Spirit, faith is born. 

All:    Like the first Christians so long ago, we have many 

          languages for faith, many gifts of the Spirit.

One:  We speak from our hearts, of what we know and love.

All:    We speak from our minds, of our doubts, of our skepticism,    searching for truths to live by.

One:  We speak from our faith, be it fragile or firm; we speak of how it             shapes our lives.

All:    We speak from compassion, reaching to one another,                 stretching for understanding.

One:  We remember the great story – the rushing wind, the tongues of flame and the many different voices, all hearing in harmony,    the pouring out of God’s spirit on all people.  

All:     We remember Jesus’ promise to his followers to always be with them.                                                                                  8

Memorial Acclamation                                                                           MV #204

Sing Christ has died and Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

Sing Christ has died and Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

 

One:  We remember how, on the night before he died, Jesus took 

          bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples,             saying, 
All:    “Take, eat, this is my body, given for you.  Do this in                    remembrance of me.”

One:  We remember how, after supper, he took the cup of wine, and             when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, 
All:    “Drink this, all of you, it is poured out for you and for 

          everyone.  Whenever you drink it, do this for the                           remembrance of me.”

 

One:  By the power of the Holy Spirit, may we receive this bread and             this wine;         

All:    symbols of the very being of Christ in us,

One:  and the power of the Spirit to fire our hearts and minds and             wills for love and service.  

 

The Prayer of Jesus                                                                             VU #959

          Our Father in heaven, 

          hallowed be your name,

          your Kin-dom come, 

          your will be done

          on earth as in heaven.

          Give us today our daily bread.

          Forgive us our sins

          as we forgive

          those who sin against us.

          Save us from the time of trial

          and deliver us from evil

          for the kin-dom, the power

          and the glory are yours,

          now and forever.

 

One:  These gifts of bread and wine are gifts from God for all people.

          Be what you see; receive who you are:

All:    The bread of life!

          The cup of blessing!

 

(Communion is served)

 

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Post Communion Prayer

One:  Holy Mystery:

All:    may the boldness of Love transform us, 

            may the gentleness of Spirit lead us, 
            may the way of Christ be our goal and strength, 
One:    now and always. 
All:      Amen. 

 

Hymn: Great Is Thy Faithfulness                                                            VU #288

1Great is thy faithfulness, God our Creator,

there is no shadow of turning with thee;

thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;

as thou has been thou forever wilt be.

 

Refrain:

Great is thy faithfulness!

Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

all I have needed thy hand hath provided --

great is thy faithfulness, ever to me!

 

2Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

sun, moon, and stars in their courses above

join with all nature in manifold witness

to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. R

 

3Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,

strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow --

wondrous the portion thy blessings provide. R

 

 

Thank You

 

Blessing                                                                                           (Joyce Rupp, adapted)

One:  As we gaze back upon this day as we travel with you, 

Right/Zoom: accept our gratitude for the joys 

Left:       and our sorrow for the failings.  

One:      Abiding peace, bestow upon us,
              and upon all who dwell on earth:  

All:        your protective shelter, 

              your guarding presence, 

              your perceptive spirit.