Hybrid Service, 22nd Sunday after Pentecost, November 6, 2022

Hybrid Church

22nd Sunday after Pentecost

November 6, 2022

 

Rev. Karen Hollis

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 

If 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. 

 

Land Acknowledgment & Announcements

 

Centering & Stillness

 

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

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

All:     And also with you

 

Call to Worship                                                                                                          Psalm 103

One:  Praise Yahweh, O my soul! All that is in me, bless God’s holy Name!

All:    You revealed your intentions to Moses, your deeds to Israel.

One:  It is you who reaches for me even in the grave and lifts me up and gives me life again.

All:    Let each creature living in your realm of good, and you, my soul, sing with everything that is, “We bless you God, and give you back unending praise.”

 

Collect  

We give you praise, O God, and pray that you would give us hearts of flesh that make room for all your creation; give us ears to hear the language of your world; give us words that honour everything that is imbued with your Spirit. In Christ's name, Amen.

 

Hymn: It’s a Song of Praise to the Maker v. 1,2,4                        MV #30

 

Prayer of Confession                             Walter Rauschenbusch, Earth Gospel

Creator God, we thank you for our senses by which we hear the songs of birds, and see the splendour of the summer fields, and taste of the autumn fruits, and rejoice in the feel of the snow, and smell the breath of the spring. Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty; and save our souls from being so blind that we pass unseeing when even the common thornbush is aflame with your glory, O God our creator, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen

 

Silent Prayer of Confession

 

Assurance of Grace                                                      Sam Hamilton Poore

In Christ all things are held together, and his grace is the integrity of creation. May you know yourself held by Christ who holds all things together.                                                                                                   2

Passing of the Peace 

Seeing as how we are reconciled with Christ, let us also be reconciled with one another, by sharing the peace he brings.

 

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.

 

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

 

First Reading: Genesis 11:1-9 (NRSV)                         Reader: Paddy Waymark

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.’ And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

 

Second Reading: Exodus 3:10-15 (NRSV)                   Reader: Paddy Waymark

So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ He said, ‘I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.’ But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I AM has sent me to you.”’ God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 

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“Yahweh the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”: This is my name for ever, and this my title for all generations.’

 

Third Reading: Braiding Sweetgrass                             Reader: Susan Brockley

To whom does our language extend the grammar of animacy? Naturally, plants and animals are animate, but as I learn, I am discovering that the Potawatomi understanding of what it means to be animate diverges from the list of attributes of living beings we all learned in Biology 101. In Potawatomi 101, rocks are animate, as are mountains and water and fire and places. Beings that are imbued with spirit, our sacred medicines, our songs, drums, and even stories, are all animate. The list of the inanimate seems to be smaller, filled with objects that are made by people. Of an inanimate being, like a table, we say, “What is it?” And we answer Dopwen yewe. Table it is. But of apple, we must say, “Who is that being?” And reply Mshimin yawe. Apple that being is.

 

Yawe – the animate to be. I am, you are, s/he is. To speak of those possessed with life and spirit we must say yawe. By what linguistic confluence do Yahweh of the Old Testament and yawe of the New World both fall from the mouths of the reverent? Isn’t this just what it means, to be, to have the breath of life within, to be of the offspring of Creation? The language reminds us, in every sentence, of our kinship with all of the animate world.

 

Reflection                                                                                                                               

Silent Reflection

 

Hymn: God of the Sparrow                                                                        VU #229

 

Affirmation of Faith: Shema                                                                              Island’s Liturgy

Hear, O Israel,

the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart,

with all your soul,

with all your mind,

and with all your strength.

This is the first and the great commandment.

The second is like it:

Love your neighbour as yourself.

There is no commandment greater than these.

 

 

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Prayers of the People                                                                                Paddy Waymark

One:  God of Grace,

All:    Hear Our Prayer

 

Lord’s Prayer                                                                                                                          VU #959 Our Father in heaven, 

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom 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 kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,

now and for ever. Amen

 

Invitation to the Offering                                                                                                     

Donella H. Meadows said, A fresh apple, still cold and crisp from the morning dew, is not-me only until I eat it. When I eat, I eat soil who nourished apple. When I drink, waters of our earth become me. With every breath I take in I draw in not-me and make them me. In our receiving and our giving, may the lines between us and our relations be blurred that we may more and more see ourselves as part of the whole. 

 

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

Receive all we offer this day, O God; bless and multiply them that they may reach places of need and bless our lives to your service. Amen.

 

Invitation to Communion                                                     

This table of bread and wine is now to be made ready. It is the table of company with Jesus; it is the table of sharing with the poor of the world, with whom Jesus identified himself; it is the table of communion with the earth, in which Christ became incarnate; it is the table of radical welcome in the name of our God. Come to this table, whether you are online or in person; it is Christ who invites us to meet him here.

 

 

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The Great Thanksgiving                                                      Island’s Liturgy

One:  God is here

All:    The Spirit is with us.

One:  Lift up your hearts and minds.

All:    We lift them to God.

One:  Let us give thanks to God the Creator.

All:    It is right to give our thanks and praise.

 

Great Creator, with wit and wisdom you formed the universe. 

In expectation, your Spirit brooded over all: the midwife of transformation. At your Word, the skies, the seas, the lands and all life came to be. 

In you, all created things shared life with one another.

In ceremony and song, dance and art, these relationships were portrayed and honoured by the first peoples of these Islands and Inlets.

The plants, the cedars, the creatures of forest, sea and air

revealed your wonder and majesty.

When we turned from you, connections were broken and creation

suffered.

Still, you continued to bring light from night,

freedom from slavery, and life from death.

Therefore, together with our ancestors in faith

and with your beloved creation 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!

 

We praise you, Source of all, for the living Word: Jesus

Born in poverty; a child refugee, a worker with his hands.

He gathered disciples and taught and healed the people.

He freely shared our sorrow, joy, and pain.

In vulnerability, he showed power over sin and triumphed over death.

 

On the night before Jesus died, he feasted with his companions.

He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them saying,

“Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you, do this to remember me.”

After supper he took the cup and when he had given thanks,

he gave it to his companions saying,

“Drink this, all of you; this is the new covenant in my blood,

shed for you and the world for the forgiveness of sins.

Whenever you drink it, do this to remember me”

 

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Entering into the mystery of faith we call:

Come Source of life. 

Come, transforming Word. 

Come, Creator Spirit.

 

With his sacred presence unbounded by space and time,

we offer to you this bread and cup.

Send your Breath of Life, like wind, blowing where it will, north, east, south and west. May your Spirit brood over these gifts and all who feast at this table offering a foretaste of the eternal feast to come.

May all who share your abundant gifts

be incorporated as one body and one holy people,

joined in the offering of Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection

for the reconciliation of all things.

Reveal the unity of your Church and the mystery of our communion

with our holy forebears and those yet to be born,

that we may be guided in faith and walk gently on the earth.

Glory and honour to you Triune God, 

dynamic of love, complete and perfect unity, 

now, and in all ages.

Amen

 

Breaking the Bread

One:  “I am the bread of life,” Jesus says. “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry; whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

All:    Taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are they who trust in him!

One: These are the gifts of God for the people of God.

All:    Thanks be to God.

One:  Let us all who are gathered here receive Christ in our hearts. Those gathered in the sanctuary are also invited to receive a wafer.

 

Please keep to your right as you process up behind the communion table to receive and continue around, back to your seat. If you prefer to remain in your seat and socially distanced, indicate so to the usher and you will be served in the pew. Gluten Free is available upon request.

 

Communion Hymn: One Bread, One Body                                            VU #467

 

 

 

 

 

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Prayer After Communion                                                                  BAS

Almighty God,

may we who have been strengthened by this eucharist

remain in your steadfast love,

and show in our lives

the saving mystery that we celebrate.

This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.

 

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Thank You                                                                                                                 

 

Hymn: Called by Earth and Sky v. 1,2,4                                             MV #135

 

Blessing                                                                                                          Iona Community

If you are with another person, you’re invited to bless each other, taking every other line.

 

One:  The Creator’s blessing be yours on your road, on your journey,         guiding you, cherishing you.

Women: The Son’s blessing be yours, wine and water, bread and

          stories, feeding you, challenging you.

Men: The Spirit’s blessing be yours, wind and fire, joy and wisdom,            comforting you, disturbing you.

All:    The Angel’s blessing be yours, on your house, on your living,   guarding you, encouraging you. Let us walk together, a         community on a journey, sustained in God’s blessing. Amen!

One:  Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:    Thanks be to God! Alleluia!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the back of the sanctuary there is a basket for non-perishable food items for the Gabriola Food Bank. You're invited and encouraged to bring donations to worship.