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GATHERING, PENTECOST 2 2018Creation Time 1 to Reign of Christ Sunday

CREATION TIME IN THE SEASON OF PENTECOST.....................................................................3SUNDAY.........................................................................................................................3SEPTEMBER 9 – SIXTEENTH AFTER PENTECOST......................................................................4SEPTEMBER 16 – SEVENTEENTH AFTER PENTECOST................................................................6SEPTEMBER 23 – EIGHTEENTH AFTER PENTECOST..................................................................8SEPTEMBER 30 – NINETEENTH AFTER PENTECOST................................................................10OCTOBER 7 – WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY.......................................................................12OCTOBER 7 – THANKSGIVING SUNDAY...............................................................................14OCTOBER 14 – TWENTY-FIRST AFTER PENTECOST.................................................................16OCTOBER 21 – TWENTY-SECOND AFTER PENTECOST.............................................................18OCTOBER 28 – TWENTY-THIRD AFTER PENTECOST................................................................20NOVEMBER 1 – ALL SAINTS’ DAY (THURSDAY)....................................................................22NOVEMBER 4 – TWENTY-FOURTH AFTER PENTECOST.............................................................24NOVEMBER 11 – TWENTY-FIFTH AFTER PENTECOST AND REMEMBRANCE DAY............................26NOVEMBER 18 – TWENTY-SIXTH AFTER PENTECOST..............................................................30NOVEMBER 25 – REIGN OF CHRIST SUNDAY........................................................................32


2 Gathering, PENTECOST 2 2018

Excerpted fromGathering: Resources for Worship PlannersPublished four times a year, Gathering is a worship planning magazine for ministers and lay leaders, music directors, and United Church of Canada worship committees. Subscribe or browse single issues at UCRDstore.ca.

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Gathering, PENTECOST 2 2018

Creation Time in the Season of PentecostDates: Five Sundays in the Season of Pentecost beginning with the Sunday after Labour Day and continuing through Thanksgiving Sunday. Occasionally there are six Sundays in this time frame.Meaning of Name Creation comes from the Latin creare and creatio meaning “to create.” The root of Creation Time is in the liturgical Ember Days. Ember is thought to come from the Old English ymbren, possibly an alteration for ymbryne “period,” from ymb “about” + ryne “course.” Another possibility is that the name is derived from the Latin quatuor tempora, meaning “four periods or times.” Ember may also come from the German Quatember, translated as “quarter day,” a day of asking God’s blessing on the new season.Liturgical Colour: OrangeOrange is a warm colour, associated with enthusiasm, creativity, fruitfulness, endurance, and strength as well as with sunrise and sunset, fall and harvest, and the changing seasons, nature’s last burst of colour before winter. It is the red of passion tempered by the yellow of wisdom.

SundayDates: Sunday is the traditional day of worship for followers of the Way of Jesus. It is a day to worship, sing, pray, and break bread together. Each Sunday is meant to be a celebration, a “little Easter,” and a break from fasting and abstention, such as during Lent.Meaning of NameThe term Sunday comes to us from Old English Sunnandæg, a translation of the Latin dies solis, literally “the day of the sun.” This was the day upon which the disciples discovered the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus. Sabbath comes from Old English, through Greek from the Hebrew word shabbat, meaning “to rest.” Sabbath is a day of rest or a time period of rest.History of the SabbathScripture is clear that Jesus celebrated Saturday, the seventh day of the week, as the Sabbath. The change for Christians came about during the reign of Emperor Constantine in the early fourth century. Constantine became a Christian and made all the citizens of the Roman Empire Christians as well. Many pagan practices were Christianized or recycled into celebrations of the Christian God. Prior to their forced conversion, the cult of Mithraism or sun-worship was the official religion of the Roman Empire. It had an official worship day on the first day of the week, a day set aside for special homage to the sun. This is where we get our name Sunday. Constantine tried to make it a little easier for his citizens by accepting their special day of worship, Sunday, instead of the Christian Sabbath that had been observed by Jesus and his disciples. Traditionally, the day is to be set aside as a day of rest and worship.

Note: For background on Ordinary Time, see Gathering Pentecost 1 2018, p. 7.



September 9 – Sixteenth after PentecostCreation Time 1 in the Season of Pentecost

Proper 18Worship materials for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost to the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost were contributed by Elaine Julian, while at Cumberland U.C., Cumberland, B.C., and Keltie van Binsbergen, Comox U.C., Comox, B.C.

Proverbs 22:1–2, 8–9, 22–23A good name rather than riches.

Psalm 125 (VU p. 849)Do good, O God, to those who are good.

James 2:1–10, (11–13), 14–17Faith without works is dead.

Mark 7:24–37The Syrophoenician woman’s faith challenges Jesus.

To PonderWhen have you been challenged by an unexpected source to change your views on something about which you feel strongly?

SparkPlace a mirror in the entry to the church with something added that alters the person’s reflection, say a beard, a hat, or big glasses. Encourage people to look into the mirror. How does it feel to see yourself with a new look?

With ChildrenTell the children that you’re going to do a survey game with everyone. Ask people to stand up or wave a hand if the question applies to them. Ask questions like, “How many people here have blue eyes?” “How many have taken a vacation down south?” “How many have been to Disneyland?” “How many went to college?” Ask the children to guess how many different cultures or languages are represented here. Talk with them about how it was Jesus’ idea that everyone should feel welcome. How do we welcome each other to church? Who might we like to invite and welcome who isn’t here right now? How might we do that? Ask the children what sort of people are welcome in their church. Is there anyone who isn’t welcome? How do we make people feel that we’re glad they came?

Sermon StarterThe passages from James and Mark offer us the opportunity to ask some hard questions in our congregations. When we look around on Sunday morning, who are the people sitting in our pews? In many United Church congregations, the answer would be white, educated, middle-class people who are likely older than 60. James and Mark push us to ask: Are we truly open to welcoming people who don’t fit the typical profile of our community of faith? Does the profile of your congregation fit the profile of the



community around you? Does it include people like the poor person in James or the Syrophoenician woman in Mark? How do we respond when people who don’t fit our “profile” come to our church? Is there a lesson to be learned from how Jesus changes his point of view through speaking with the woman? Have there been moments in the history of your church when a person or an event has pushed your congregation to change its point of view on something important?

HymnsProverbs 22:1–2, 8–9, 22–23VU 565 “Love, who made me in your likeness”VU 567 “Will you come and follow me”VU 575 “I’m gonna live so God can use me”MV 173 “Put peace into each other’s hands”

Psalm 125VU 234 “Let us with a gladsome mind”VU 570 “Jesus’ hands were kind hands”MV 104 “Know that God is good” (“Mungu ni mwema”)

James 2:1–10, (11–13), 14–17VU 593 “Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love”VU 600 “When I needed a neighbour”VU 605 “Jesus, teacher, brave and bold”VU 643 “Faith, while trees are still in blossom”

Mark 7:24–37VU 359 “He came singing love”VU 366 “like a child”VU 578 “As a fire is meant for burning”VU 598 “When pain of the world”MV 145 “Draw the circle wide”MV 159 “In star and crescent”



September 16 – Seventeenth after PentecostCreation Time 2 in the Season of Pentecost

Proper 19Proverbs 1:20–33Wisdom cries in the streets.

Psalm 19 (VU pp. 740–741)The heavens declare the glory of God.

James 3:1–12Not many of you should be teachers of God’s word.

Mark 8:27–38Who do people say that I am?

To PonderIf you were to keep score of words used at a church meeting, which would score higher: words of wisdom or words that wound?

SparkPlace a bowl of candy and a bowl of lemon slices by the door to the sanctuary. Have a sign inviting people to choose whichever one suits their taste best, asking the question: “Is your tongue sweet or sour?” Be aware of possible food allergies.

With ChildrenDid you ever hear the expression “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? Is that true? Have you ever been hurt by something somebody said to you? Have you ever realized that you hurt someone with something you said? How did that make you feel? Whose words have made you feel better? What did that person say that helped? Jesus was great at offering words that helped others feel better, and we work to follow his example.

Sermon StarterThere is a clear theme of speech running through all four readings that both encourages us to speak of our faith and warns us to be careful about what else comes out of our mouths. How often do we reflect on the power of our words and how they affect others? How often do we curse or say hurtful things without even thinking about it? Are our words sour or sweet? Words can heal and share wisdom, or they can hurt and create conflict. As people of faith, how do we “tame our tongues,” as James encourages us to do? Where do we hear words of healing and wisdom today? Do we hear them in church? Do we hear them on TV, at the gym, in a book?

HymnsProverbs 1:20–33 VU 268 “Bring many names”VU 410 “This day God gives me”VU p. 892 “Who comes from God”



Psalm 19 VU 37 “Glory to God”VU 217 “All creatures of our God and King”VU 440 “Glory to you, my God”MV 30 “It’s a song of praise to the Maker”

James 3:1–12 VU 467 “One bread, one body”VU 588 “Many are the lightbeams”

Mark 8:27–38 VU 340 “Jesus, friend of little children”VU 358 “When Jesus the healer”VU 366 “like a child”VU 561 “Take up your cross”MV 121 “Hey now! Singing hallelujah!”



September 23 – Eighteenth after Pentecost Creation Time 3 in the Season of Pentecost

Proper 20Proverbs 31:10–31A tribute to a capable woman.

Psalm 1 (VU p. 724)Blessed are those who follow God’s law.

James 3:13—4:3, 7–8aWisdom from above is gentle and peaceable.

Mark 9:30–37 Whoever welcomes a child, welcomes me.

To PonderChed Myers uses the inclusive translation “The Human One” instead of “The Son of Man” in his book Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus (Orbis Books, 2008). How might that translation change your understanding of the story of Jesus told in this gospel?

SparkIn their book Spirit and Power: Foundations of Pentecostal Experience (Zondervan, 2000), William W. Menzies and Robert P. Menzies identify the “Three Stooges” motif in the Gospel of Mark. Today’s text contains one example of the disciples’ constant tendency to misunderstand what Jesus is up to, bumbling along from one mistake to the next. Play a short clip from a Three Stooges film. How does this perspective on the first disciples help us to understand our own discipleship journey? Can we be more forgiving of our own missteps?

With ChildrenAs it is still early in the school year, invite the children to think about a class or subject where they really learn a lot. Next, invite them to think about what the teacher did to help them learn. Did they have to sit still or were there opportunities to move around? Was the room noisy or quiet? Were the ideas that were being taught boring or challenging? Did the teacher use good examples they could understand? In the story from Mark, the disciples just don’t “get it” and Jesus tries to help them by teaching in several different ways. He talks with them while they walk, and when they retreat to a quiet house, he challenges them with difficult ideas and shows them an example from their own lives. Jesus still walks beside us as we learn, and he never gives up teaching us in different ways and through a variety of people.

Sermon StarterThe humanity of Jesus is central to the passage from Mark. As the disciples argue about who will be the greatest, Jesus hears in their voices their rejection of his destiny as a vulnerable human being. He counteracts their visions of glory with his command to be “last of all and servant of all,” and he reinforces his point by drawing a child into his



arms. In society at that time, children and women were not considered to be full persons but property of the patriarch of the household. It was an astoundingly subversive move for a revered teacher to ask his followers to welcome him as if he were essentially subhuman. If Jesus were teaching us today, who or what might Jesus show us as an equally radical example of how we must be servants of all? Whom do we mistreat or exploit because we see them as non-human or actually don’t notice them at all? How might we welcome and serve them, and, in so doing, welcome and serve The Human One and the One who sent him? If you are observing Creation Time, what might it mean to serve Creation?

HymnsProverbs 31:10–31VU p. 899 “My Soul Gives Glory to My God”MV 136 “When hands reach out”MV 179 “Sisters let us walk together”

Psalm 1 VU 242 “Let all things now living”VU 713 “I see a new heaven”VU p. 896 “Blest are they”

James 3:13—4:3, 7–8a VU 379 “O Holy Spirit, root of life”VU 410 “This day God gives me”VU p. 892 “Who comes from God” MV 10 “Come and seek the ways of Wisdom”

Mark 9:30–37 VU 395 “Come in, come in and sit down”VU 444 “Child of blessing, child of promise”MV 133 “Jesus laughed out loud”MV 137 “Welcome, Jesus, you are welcome”



September 30 – Nineteenth after PentecostCreation Time 4 in the Season of PentecostProper 21Esther 7:1–6, 9–10; 9:20–22Esther pleads for the life of her people.

Psalm 124 (VU p. 848)If God had not been at our side.

James 5:13–20 The sick should be anointed by the elders.

Mark 9:38–50 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off.

To PonderHow does God want you to use your voice to speak for those who have no voice?

SparkGod is not mentioned in the original Hebrew versions of the story of Esther, but if we listen carefully, we can sense God speaking and working through her. Play a song or music video that isn’t explicitly religious but tells a similar story. For example, “Quiet” by MILCK and AG speaks to the power of one woman’s voice in the face of oppression. Or with children, you might use “Let It Go” from the movie Frozen.

With ChildrenTalk with the children about the problems that make them feel powerless. If you are celebrating Creation Time, focus on environmental issues. Show them a little pebble and talk about how it doesn’t look big enough to make a difference. Then show them what happens when you drop it into a bucket of water. Even though the stone sinks to the bottom, ripples spread out to cover the entire surface. In the same way, one little action can have a much greater effect than we expect. Suggest that they think of one small thing they can do in the coming week to help the earth or someone they know. Invite the children to select a small stone to remind them, and as they hold the pebble, pray with them that God will help them make a difference.

Sermon StarterThe Book of Esther reads like a short novel, with dramatic and sometimes amusing twists and turns. Consider highlighting its resemblance to a fairy tale by telling the whole story in that style, framing the lectionary passages in their full narrative context. Explore Esther’s role in bringing about the reversal of power that Jewish people now celebrate at the festival of Purim. Esther has no power, but she makes a difference by taking a risk. She is strategic, positioning herself to take the first opportunity to help her people but wisely waiting for the right time and place to reveal her heritage. She prepares herself spiritually, mentally, and physically for her one chance to change the king’s mind. Connect Esther’s story of courage and intelligence to modern examples of women who make a difference, such as Malala Yousafzai who, at 14 years of age, was



shot in the head while fighting for girls’ rights to an education in Pakistan. Malala said, “I speak not for myself but for those without a voice.” You could also talk about the #MeToo movement and the women who have spoken out about abuse and harassment. How is God present and active in these stories or in stories of others who dare to speak out?

HymnsEsther 7:1–6, 9–10; 9:20–22VU 586 “We shall go out with hope of resurrection”MV 179 “Sisters let us walk together”

Psalm 124 VU 131 “If our God had simply saved us”VU p. 806 “O God, our help in ages past”

James 5:13–20 VU 595 “We are pilgrims”VU 614 “In suffering love”

Mark 9:38–50 VU 324 “Jesus, come to our hearts”VU 508 “Just as I am”VU 582 “There’s a spirit in the air”VU 661 “Come to my heart”MV 76 “If I have been the source of pain”MV 78 “God weeps”“Just like salt” by W. Farquharson & R. Klusmeier (www.musiklus.com)



October 7 – World Communion Sunday

Creation Time 5 in the Season of Pentecost

Proper 22Worship materials for World Communion Sunday to the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost were contributed by Gord Dunbar, Kincardine P.C., Kincardine, Ont.

Note: Both World Communion & Thanksgiving Sunday fall on October 7 in 2018. We have provided material for both sets of lections.

Job 1:1; 2:1–10 Job’s first affliction; faith intact.

Psalm 26 Prove me, try me, test my heart.

Hebrews 1:1–4; 2:5–12 God gave the world to humans, not angels.

Mark 10:2–16 Question of divorce; Jesus blesses children.

To PonderWhy do you believe bad things happen to good people?

SparkUsing either a projector or posters, show a photo of the sculpture of Jesus as a homeless person (Homeless Jesus by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz). No captions, no comments. Let it soak into the consciousness of folks in worship.

With Children Make a two-sided mask from a brown paper bag with eye holes, a sad mouth on one side, and a smiling mouth on the other (or use other masks). Wearing the sad side forward, tell the children your name is Job and share how sad you are because you lost everything. Ask them why God would do such a terrible thing to you. See where the conversation goes as they try to comfort you. Help move the conversation toward the understanding that God is there to comfort and care, not to inflict harm. When the children do try to comfort you, turn the bag around and show the happier face on the reverse side. Talk about how we share God’s comfort with each other.

Sermon StarterLet’s go full steam ahead and tackle the Book of Job over the next three weeks. While tragedy and why bad things happen to good people are tough subjects to talk about, you know that the folks in the pews are wrestling no less with this than we do as preachers. Be sure to let them know this is a fictional story meant to get across a theological point. However, our perception of how God works in the world has changed since this story was written. Perhaps you can play up the humour of God and Satan making a bet, or point out the dismissive way Job answers his wife (#MeToo, #TimesUp, anyone?), or highlight the image of Job frantically scraping at his sores.



Nevertheless, Job’s resolute devotion to God, despite his current calamity, speaks of a trust in God who, within creation, is working with us in the midst of all the complexity of the interconnection, interdependence, and interrelatedness of life. Use the psalm to add to the dialogue, avoiding any claim that God uses tragedy or misfortune to “test” us. Life is as life comes, and it is up to us to faithfully embrace the abundance of the blessings in life, regardless of how, too often, it may feel like punishment (check out Richard Rohr’s Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life [Jossey-Bass, 2011]). Be sure to explain that the image of Satan in this story is one of “prosecuting attorney” and not the Satan portrayed more recently as “ultimate evil.”

HymnsJob 1:1; 2:1–10 VU 611 “Out of the depths, O God, we call to you”VU 663 “My faith looks up to thee”MV 17 “God in the darkness”

Psalm 26 VU 218 “We praise you, O God”MV 65 “When we are tested”

Hebrews 1:1–4; 2:5–12VU 348 “O love, how deep”MV 126 “Are you a shepherd?”MV 150 “Spirit God, be our breath”

Mark 10:2–16VU 357 “Tell me the stories of Jesus”VU 500 “Blessed Jesus, at your word”MV 179 “Sisters let us walk together”



October 7 – Thanksgiving SundayJoel 2:21–27 Do not fear, O soil, for God will provide.

Psalm 126 (VU p. 850)Those who sow in tears reap in joy.

1 Timothy 2:1–7 Offer prayers for everyone.

Matthew 6:25–33 Do not worry about what you will eat or drink.

To PonderDo you believe that God provides more than we need? Why or why not?

SparkDon’t take up the offering. Instead, put the offering plates out on a table with money already seeded in them. Provide signs that say, “If you have need, there is plenty. Take what you need,” and “If you have plenty, please share.” Do not explain at all. Later, take time to debrief reactions.

With ChildrenBefore the service, give many volunteers around the congregation small paper bags filled with a few chocolate kisses. Make sure this is fun for everyone. The point is to experience abundance. At Children’s Time, give each of the children a chocolate from your own bag. Tell them that they have a choice: they can either eat it or share it with someone in the congregation. Hint to the children that sharing is fun! If a child shares theirs, a volunteer close by is to thank them and give them their whole bag. Afterward, talk with the kids about what they experienced. Have more chocolates to share as you talk, as well as treats for those with food allergies. Jesus tells us that God will provide more than we need.

Sermon StarterIt would seem the Matthew passage is along the lines of “Don’t worry; be happy,” but it is so much more. I remember my logics professor forcing us to analyze this passage, sorting out the syllogisms and the logic chains to see the brilliance of the logical argument. However, I know a lot of people who live on the margins of our society—not to mention those living in developing countries—who would argue that such an approach to life guarantees tragedy. Instead, use this passage to lift up stories of relationships fostered, connections strengthened, love shared, and companionship received. Contrast those stories with the idols of our everyday living—idols like consumerism, instant gratification, disposable culture, bigger and better, or frenetic activities to avoid the sometimes hard work of relationships with friends and family. Tell the little stories that give rise to thanksgiving as nuggets of blessing to cherish in the moment.

HymnsJoel 2:21–27 VU 375 “Spirit, Spirit of gentleness”VU 380 “She comes sailing on the wind”



MV 135 “Called by earth and sky”

Psalm 126VU 614 “In suffering love”MV 115 “Behold, behold, I make all things new”

1 Timothy 2:1–7 VU 608 “Dear God, who loves all humankind”MV 44 “Shadow and substance”

Matthew 6:25–33VU 356 “Seek ye first the kingdom”MV 26 “Your love is amazing”MV 37 “Each blade of grass”“For everyone born” by Shirley Erena Murray and Joy E. Patterson (1998, Hope Publishing)



October 14 – Twenty-first after Pentecost

Proper 23Job 23:1–9, 16–17 Job offers his complaint against God.

Psalm 22:1–15 (VU pp. 744–745 Part One) My God, why have you forsaken me?

Hebrews 4:12–16 The word of God is living, active, sharper than a two-edged sword.

Mark 10:17–31 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.

To PonderWho has shared your pain? Who has shared your joy?

SparkUsing either a projector or posters, feature pictures of ordinary people going about their everyday activities. Add thought bubbles over the heads of some. In the bubbles, write thoughts that show each person’s inner struggle, using inspiration from today’s scriptures.

With ChildrenSing the camp song “There’s a Hole in the Bucket” with the kids (see www.songsforteaching.com/folk/theresaholeinthebucket.php for lyrics). Once you’re done, ask the children if there is a better way to fix the bucket than just moaning about it. Have fun with it. Sometimes we feel that a situation is hopeless and impossible, but in God and in faith community, we have resources to help us find a way through the situation.

Sermon StarterContinuing with the story of Job, double the feeling of tragedy with Psalm 22. Drill down into Job’s overwhelming feelings of isolation, despair, defeat, hopelessness, and puzzlement that God would abandon anyone in their time of deepest distress. Affirm the need we have to protest the perceived injustice of God, and the freedom we have to do so. Note the reality that life is not always fair. For example, in Lose, Love, Live: The Spiritual Gifts of Loss and Change (Upper Room, 2011), author Dan Moseley writes, “Someone once said, ‘Life after all is fair. Ultimately it breaks everybody’s heart’” (p. 17), and “Knowing the pain we have been through also creates in us a compassionate spirit for others who are in pain” (p. 78). Remind your listeners that Job’s three friends sat with him on the garbage heap in silence for seven days. Perhaps they knew a bit of the pain Job was experiencing, even if their words were not too helpful. Remind folks that when Jesus quoted Psalm 22 on the cross, the women were there to share in his misery as companions who loved him even when it hurt. As sci-fi author Spider Robinson wrote in his series The Callahan Chronicals, “Shared pain is lessened; shared joy is increased.”

Hymns



Job 23:1–9, 16–17 VU 658 “O Love that wilt not let me go”MV 28 “God of the Bible”MV 73 “O God, why are you silent?”

Psalm 22:1–15 VU 154 “Why has God forsaken me”MV 72 “Why stand so far away”

Hebrews 4:12–16 VU 671 “I need thee every hour”MV 153 “Body, mind and spirit”

Mark 10:17–31VU 120 “O Jesus, I have promised”MV 162 “Christ, within us hidden”



October 21 – Twenty-second after Pentecost

Proper 24Job 38:1–7, (34–41) God’s rebuttal to Job’s complaint.

Psalm 104:1–9, 24, 35c (VU p. 826–827 Parts One and Two) With Wisdom, God created the earth and all its creatures.

Hebrews 5:1–10 Christ learned obedience and was made perfect.

Mark 10:35–45 James and John request to sit on Jesus’ right and left.

To PonderWhen have you felt frustrated by not knowing an answer? When have you felt humbled?

SparkUsing either a projector or posters, feature pictures of folks helping others in a wide variety of situations. Include pictures that show reciprocal relationships. Perhaps show the video “My Father Is a Liar,” a very touching MetLife commercial about the suffering a parent will face for their child. (Search YouTube my father is a liar metlife.)

With ChildrenPair up the kids. Tie a scarf around the eyes of one volunteer in each pair. Don’t force anyone to have their eyes covered, if they are reluctant. Ask adult “extras” to have their eyes covered as well. In each pair, the covered person is led around the sanctuary by their partner. If you wish, switch roles and repeat. Talk with the kids about how it feels having to trust another person to lead you. Relate that experience to trusting in God’s love for us all. Or, tell Aesop’s fable of “The Lion and the Mouse” to start a conversation about trust. A beautiful, wordless picture book version is The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney (Little, Brown, 2009).

Sermon StarterWorking with this part of Job is quite unsatisfying. It is tempting to rush on to next week’s conclusion. Make note that the psalmist proclaims God’s wisdom in creation. Take some time to define what wisdom is in the Hebrew tradition, that there are three kinds of wisdom: e.g., storing beer in a cold place is a good idea; building political alliances like Solomon did for the security of his kingdom is shrewd; but loving one another by giving of ourselves is the greatest wisdom of all and most faithful to who God is. When Job considers God’s answer, he is humbled as he realizes that he is only beginning to understand that the complexities of creation are beyond his understanding. This is not to dismiss our wondering and our efforts to unscrew the inscrutable. Instead, it is the call of the mystic to embrace God, who is wholly mystery, as well as to celebrate life filled to overflowing with the holy. It is the mystic exhorting believers to look after each other by lovingly giving of ourselves. It is also the scientist looking at quantum entanglement, or dark matter, or the flawed patterns in the Big Bang that allowed life to flourish. It is the astronomer who understands that if some stars didn’t die in a supernova, carbon-based life would not exist. Awesome! Check out



Barbara Brown Taylor’s book The Luminous Web: Essays on Science and Religion (Cowley Publications, 2000).

HymnsJob 38:1–7, (34–41) VU 242 “Let all things now living”VU 248 “When long before time”MV 12 “Come touch our hearts”MV 30 “It’s a song of praise to the Maker”

Psalm 104:1–9, 24, 35cVU 264 “Immortal, invisible, God only wise”MV 27 “Creator God you gave us life”MV 39 “Mother Earth, our Mother birthing”

Hebrews 5:1–10 VU 143 “My song is love unknown”MV 138 “My love colours outside the lines”MV 169 “When hands reach out beyond divides”

Mark 10:35–45VU 560 “O Master, let me walk with thee”VU 601 “The church of Christ in every age”MV 136 “When hands reach out and fingers trace”



October 28 – Twenty-third after Pentecost

Proper 25Worship materials for the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost to the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost were contributed by Juanita Austin, Sicamous U.C., Sicamous, B.C.

Job 42:1–6, 10–17 Job acknowledges God’s power; Job’s fortunes are restored.Taste and see that God is good.

Psalm 34:1–8, (19–22) (VU pp. 761–762)Taste and see that God is good.

Hebrews 7:23–28Christ, the permanent high priest.

Mark 10:46–52The healing of blind Bartimaeus.

To PonderWhen has hearing someone else’s story changed your mind? Why?

SparkConsider using Psalms for Praying: An Invitation to Wholeness by Nan C. Merrill (Bloomsbury, 2006). She has a beautiful way of “internalizing” the psalms. When Job hears from God, he changes his understanding. Invite the congregation into conversation: “When has hearing someone else’s side of the story changed the way you view an issue?” “What convinced you?” “What would convince you to see things in a new light?”

With ChildrenIn the gospel reading, Bartimaeus is both “shushed” and encouraged. Have child or adult volunteers try out these roles: 1) a person trying to get your attention, 2) a person hushing or discouraging that person, and 3) a person encouraging that person. Ask each person what it felt like to play those roles. Ask those watching what they noticed. As a community of faith, we are here to encourage and help one another when God is trying to get our attention.

Sermon StarterOn the Book of Hebrews: given the time limits of worship, I would likely ignore these readings. But if you do want to dig into them, here are some thoughts from colleagues: “I like to think of Jesus the high priest as Jesus the maverick. We tend to want to think of his once-and-for-all offering as his death; I prefer to think of it as his life, which included his death, a life that asked all the questions crying out to be asked and confronted the party lines, assumptions, and authorities that needed to be confronted or tested” (David Lander, Grafton, Ont.) and “The contemporary corporate jargon might be Jesus as our benchmark of best practices!” (from Marie Paul, Jubilee U.C., Burnaby, B.C.).Or consider the reflections of Richard Rohr found on the website of the Center for Action and Contemplation (www.cac.org; search Hebrews 7).



In terms of the gospel, “Bart” calls out when he knows Jesus is near. Those around him tell him to be quiet, but he gets louder. If the name were Barbara instead of Bartimaeus, might the response have been even harsher? Why do we try to silence people from naming their needs, from saying the uncomfortable truth? What is the cost—to them, to us, to society? Jesus wants to hear what Bart has to say and brings him to a place of healing.Imagine a dialogue between Job and Bart; they have both lost much. They both cry out. In Job’s case, he is silenced but gets restoration. In Bart’s case, he is silenced by the crowd but told to speak up by Jesus. What difference does this make in his full restoration?

HymnsJob 42:1–6, 10–17 VU 296 “This is God’s wondrous world”MV 73 “O God, why are you silent?”

Psalm 34:1–8VU 460 “All who hunger”

Hebrews 7:23–28 VU 344 “How sweet the name of Jesus sounds”VU 348 “O love, how deep”MV 161 “I have called you by your name”

Mark 10:46–52 VU 299 “Teach me, God, to wonder”VU 326 “O for a thousand tongues to sing”MV 98 “Like a river of tears”



November 1 – All Saints’ Day (Thursday)Isaiah 25:6–9A feast for all peoples.

Psalm 24 (VU pp. 750–751)The earth is God’s.

Revelation 21:1–6aGod makes a home among mortals.

John 11:32–44 The raising of Lazarus.

To PonderHave an imaginary conversation with a “saint” of your choosing (i.e., someone who has been a special blessing in your life). What do you admire about them? What did they teach you?

SparkAfter the children have prepared the banquet table (see With Children below), invite people to set place cards on the banquet table with the name of their beloved “saint” (suggestion from John Bell of the Iona Community, Scotland). Ask people to call out the names of loved ones who have died. Have the congregation respond with the word “present,” to acknowledge the presence of each “saint” who has passed into “life beyond death.” Or invite people to wear the name of someone who is a saint to them—someone famous or familiar, living now or in the past.

With ChildrenIntroduce the idea of All Saints’ Day. You might wish to share the connection with Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve. Invite children and youth to set a banquet table, whether or not you are also sharing communion. Make it special, with tablecloths, candles, flowers, and more. Let the children create the banquet table for a feast for all people.

Sermon StarterAll three readings offer the challenge of inclusivity and personal involvement. Isaiah begins with the invitation to a feast with all people; this is a beautiful passage in itself. It gets tricky if you read beyond verse 9, as you find the suggestion that the Moabites should be trodden down, as straw is trodden down in a dung-pit. This might be an opportunity to say that even Jesus read the scriptures selectively and did not include parts that advocated destroying other people in order to lift up the Israelites. In John 11:32–44, with the raising of Lazarus, we can reflect on what binds people and what silences people, ourselves included. How can we as community unbind one another? Consider the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. In Revelation 21:1–6a, we’re told that God makes a home among mortals. How can you make your community this heaven on earth? What would change? How is God manifest among mortals? How do we welcome God?

HymnsSeasonal VU 705 “For all the saints”



VU 706 “Give thanks for life”MV 173 “Put peace into each other’s hands” verses 1, 3, 4a, and extra verse:

Today, we name dear saints and friends, our love for them professing;place all your loved ones in God’s hands, assured of God’s deep blessing. —Juanita Austin

Isaiah 25:6–9VU 682 “O day of peace”MV 120 “My soul cries out”

Use an Irish drum for this one! In any case, don’t drag the song!

Psalm 24VU 296 “This is God’s wondrous world”

Revelation 21:1–6aVU 713 “I see a new heaven” VU 718 “O God, you gave your servant John”MV 49 “When we seek language”

John 11:32–44VU 649 “Walk with me” MV 93 “What calls me from the death”

I suggest using the tune O PERFECT LOVE at VU 491, or read the words as part of the message or as a prayer meditation.



November 4 – Twenty-fourth after Pentecost

Proper 26Ruth 1:1–18 Ruth chooses to go with Naomi.

Psalm 146 (VU pp. 867–868) I’ll praise my maker while I’ve breath.

Hebrews 9:11–14 Christ, the high priest of good things.

Mark 12:28–34 Which commandment is the first of all?

To PonderWho is it hard for you to include in God’s love? Why?

Spark Invite people to find a partner to share these questions with: Where or what do you think of when you reflect on the word home? When did you or your family come to the country you now live in? From where did you come? What part of your history are you curious to know more about? Are there any “characters” in your family tree who stand out for you?

With ChildrenExplain that a commandment is like a rule. What rules do you have at your house? Which one is most important and why? If you could make a new rule, what would it be? Why might God have given people a set of rules? Jesus points us to the two most important rules of all. Might these be rules in your house? Share those rules and invite the children to share how they could follow those rules.

Sermon StarterHere’s another opportunity to work on inclusivity if you didn’t use the All Saints’ readings. Recently, people have been taking DNA tests to discover their genetic ancestry. Sometimes they are very surprised by what shows up. Has anyone in your congregation done this test? In one case, a British man who was very anti-German found that part of his ancestry was German. It really made him stop and question why he was so dismissive of a whole group of people. If King David had been able to do this test, he would have found out that his great-grandmother was a Moabite, a people often scorned by the Israelites. The biblical story of Ruth was written as a corrective to a sense of entitlement and self-righteousness that was growing within ancient Israel. It was forbidden to marry outsiders, those foreigners and second-class people of the surrounding tribes. So the story was told of Naomi, who found comfort and welcome in the land of Moab. Moab was the land of the foreigner and of Ruth, her daughter-in-law, who showed love and loyalty to her. Ruth, the Moabite, became the great-grandmother of Israel’s favourite king. In your context today, what ethnic or religious background might you imagine Ruth to be in order to bring home the importance of inclusivity? In the gospel, the scribe or lawyer celebrates Jesus’ response about the most important commandment. Perhaps this is an epiphany for him, which leads him to question all the rituals that give a sense of being set apart as “better than.” He gets it—be loving!



HymnsRuth 1:1–18 VU 602 “Blest be the tie that binds” MV 89 “Love is the touch”

Psalm 146 VU 326 “O for a thousand tongues to sing” MV 176 “Three things I promise”

Hebrews 9:11–14VU 341 “Fairest Lord Jesus”

Mark 12:28–34VU 240 “Praise, my soul, the God of heaven”

(a fine song for a multitude of instruments)VU 299 “Teach me, God, to wonder”VU 603 “In loving partnership we come”MV 62 “There is room for all”MV 145 “Draw the circle wide”



November 11 – Twenty-fifth after Pentecost and Remembrance Day

Proper 27Worship materials for the Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost to Reign of Christ Sunday were contributed by Éric Hébert-Daly, Quyon P.C., Quyon, Que.

Ruth 3:1–5; 4:13–17 Ruth marries Boaz and restores the family line.

Psalm 127 (VU p. 851) Unless God builds the house.

Hebrews 9:24–28 Christ, the once-and-for-all sacrifice for sin.

Mark 12:38–44 The widow offers two small copper coins.

To PonderBased on what characteristics are you most likely to mistakenly judge people? Why?

SparkRemembrance Day Service: Some congregations read the names of those in their community who lost their lives in service. Consider sharing some of the letters found at canadianletters.ca, from those who served in your region or those whose family names reflect members your congregation. Leave them on the pews for people to discover or have greeters hand them out to families to read as they gather in the sanctuary.

Non-Remembrance Day Option: Place a dozen or so multicoloured signs throughout the sanctuary that read “ME” (but with each letter on a separate piece of paper). After the reflection, invite people to flip the letter M upside down to become a W.

With ChildrenSpeak to the young people about their clothes. What kind of clothes do they enjoy wearing the most? (Expect everything from pyjamas to stylish clothes.) Find a tattered box and place something beautiful inside it or wrap something nice in newsprint. Discuss how what we see on the outside isn’t always the same as what’s on the inside. Some people wear expensive clothes and some don’t have the choice to wear them, but what really matters is the kind of love people have inside, love that makes them do things that show their love for others. If you are speaking about Remembrance Day, use the image of soldiers: they all wore the same uniform but each of them had different gifts on the inside that made them special and unique. They went out to make the world safe with love for their country and courage that was on the inside.

Sermon StarterPreachers will often gravitate to the parable of the woman with two coins. There is, however, a tremendous value in examining the earlier part of this gospel reading that speaks about practising what we preach. Many of us can be like the scribes, seeking to self-aggrandize rather than being centred on others. Jesus criticizes the scribes for wearing long robes and seeking the most important seats at the synagogues and banquets. Their self-promotion isn’t the issue so much as their behaviour, which is



abhorrent and inconsistent with the lives they have committed to living. There is something risky about preaching the need to practise what we preach, since it inevitably puts us all under the microscope. But could this be a form of accountability for us? Can we handle being challenged for poor behaviour?

Dr. Dale Woods at the Montreal School of Theology recently suggested that churches should simply put a sign on their doors to explain the most basic of missions: “We are a broken people seeking to live better lives through Christ.” The unchurched world sometimes believes that our churches are just as the scribes are described in the text this week: holier than thou, self-important, and unrelatable. What can we do to embody our earthly characteristics with humility while we strive for the holy ones?

HymnsRuth 3:1–5; 4:13–17 VU 226 “For the beauty of the earth”VU 288 “Great is thy faithfulness”VU 644 “I was there to hear your borning cry”MV 145 “Draw the circle wide”

Psalm 127VU 252 “Jaya ho”VU 372 “Though I may speak”MV 1 “Let us build a house”MV 171 “Christ has no body now but yours”

Hebrews 9:24–28VU 264 “Immortal, invisible”VU 337 “Blessed assurance”VU 559 “Come, O Fount of every blessing”

Mark 12:38–44VU 360 “A woman and a coin”VU 567 “Will you come and follow me”VU 574 “Come, let us sing of a wonderful love”VU 678 “For the healing of the nations”“They’ll know we are Christians by our love” by Peter Scholtes (The Lorenz Corp., 1991)General/SeasonalVU 34 “Come now, O God of peace”VU 684 “Make me a channel of your peace”VU 713 “I see a new heaven”MV 221 “I am walking a path of peace”

Remembrance Day Prayer O God of all people, who makes the rain to fallon the just and the unjust, hear us, ignite us, accept us, bind us, inspire us.You are Mother of peace.You are Father of compassion.You are Friend of the friendless.Send us to places of eager hope,



determined tenderness, resolute calmfor the sake of your Word and this world.When we think of the terror, loneliness, pain, loss of faith, loss of youth, meaninglessness; when we think of the courage, loyalty, comradery,admiration, selflessness, heroism, and love,all coming from epic struggles of the past century,we bow our heads and our hearts in humility and gratitude. The smell, the look, the sound, the taste,and the feel of conflict creep into the sunshine of today and cloud our hearts. We mourn again those who left with smiles on their faces and a spring in their step, and never came back. We mourn those who left with smiles on their faces and a spring in their step,and who came back bent or broken, trying to hide the grimace of pain for the sake of those they left. We mourn with those who watched beloved children, beloved siblings, and beloved partnersleave for service and never saw them again or watched them come back bent or broken.We pray for those who tried to hide the gasp of shock, the tears of anger, the lingering embrace that meant sympathy,as they learned how to support their broken beloved ones.As we remember the sacrifices of others, help us to sacrifice ourselves, with urgency, fervour, joy, and wisdom so that battlefield, blood, and bomb become ancient memories. Help us to gain your peace so that we may be peace amidst the shouting in anger and the vying for power, and the posturing rhetoric in our time. O Holy God, you who needs no sacrifice, you who makes victims out of no one, stir us inwardly that we might becomecitizens of another realm,a kin-dom of shared vision, shared pain, shared hope. Today we remember the veterans in our midst,their families, and their friends. We thank you for their willingness, their courage,their patient service, their modesty, their wisdom,gained at such a cost.Bless them, O God, with healing of body, mind,



and spiritin the name of Jesus, our Healer and Saviour.Amen.Robin Wardlaw, Glen Rhodes U.C., Toronto, Ont.



November 18 – Twenty-sixth after PentecostProper 281 Samuel 1:4–20 Samuel is born to Hannah and Eli.

1 Samuel 2:1–10 (VU p. 878)The song of Hannah.

Hebrews 10:11–14, (15–18), 19–25 Provoke one another to love and good deeds.

Mark 13:1–8 Not one stone of the temple shall be left standing.

To PonderWhere do you long for the new to emerge in your life? What is hard to let pass?

SparkCreate a design out of many colours of sand on a sheet of plastic in the sanctuary prior to the service or, if possible, just at the beginning with people watching. During the service, at an appropriate time, maybe just after the sermon, pull the plastic upward and let the design collapse to demonstrate the ephemeral nature of all things.

With ChildrenFind several photos of one place taken from the same perspective but during different weather conditions, if you can. Share them with the children and ask them if these are the same place. If they respond yes, ask how it can be the same place if the sky looks so different. If you have access to an Etch A Sketch, use this to demonstrate how things can start over with a shake (or, if you have an iPhone, you can shake it to undo something you’ve typed). Talk about how things change and never stay exactly the same. Even though our world changes, and though we change, grow up, and get older, God’s love for us never changes. It is the one thing that we can count on—and the way we show God’s love through our own actions is something others should always be able to count on from us, no matter how old we get.

Sermon StarterChange is the new normal in the modern world. Change has always happened, but it is happening faster now. As humans, we continue to evolve. All of creation sings the song of evolution and change. When Jesus highlights that the temple will be taken apart, he’s pointing to the biggest marvel of the time—a triumph of human hands built to honour God. And yet he sees the limited lifespan of such things. All things will change and crumble. Is it any surprise that the disciples focus on the temple and say, “Look,” with a sense of awe at what humanity has achieved, even though Jesus has just pointed to the widow and asked the disciples to look at her small offering with a sense of awe? They look to the temple, even though it is not as important as how we treat one another. If we are to live with a consciousness rooted in “This too shall pass,” we must understand that this is true of trying times as well as beautiful things. Yet Jesus points to the birth pangs of something new that is happening. While nothing lasts



forever, something new is always emerging. Creation tells us this through the seasons, through the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. This is the root of hope in our faith tradition.

Hymns1 Samuel 1:4–20 VU 17 “O ancient love”VU 220 “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”VU 644 “I was there to hear your borning cry”MV 157 “I am a child of God”

1 Samuel 2:1–10VU 7 “Hope is a star”VU 691 “Though ancient walls”VU 697 “O for a world”MV 158 “Dream a dream”

Hebrews 10:11–14, (15–18), 19–25VU 382 “Breathe on me, breath of God” VU 504 “How clear is our vocation, Lord”VU 603 “In loving partnership we come”VU 701 “What does the Lord require of you”MV 209 “Go, make a diff’rence”

Mark 13:1–8VU 493 “Today I live”VU 625 “I feel the winds of God”VU 652 “Be still, my soul”VU 703 “In the bulb there is a flower”MV 144 “Like a healing stream”MV 165 “There is a time”



November 25 – Reign of Christ SundayProper 292 Samuel 23:1–7 David’s last words glorify God.

Psalm 132:1–12, (13–18) (VU pp. 854–855 Parts One and Two) God will bless with abundance.

Revelation 1:4b–8 I am the Alpha and the Omega.

John 18:33–37 Pilate asks Jesus, “Are you King of the Jews?”

To PonderHas there been a moment where you felt that you abandoned Jesus?

SparkPlay the song “Stand by Me,” by Ben E. King, as people gather.

With ChildrenConsider bringing Christmas crackers to church (they are likely already on sale!). Have the children open them and reflect upon the paper crowns. You may need to suggest that they put their toys and jokes away for later. Or simply make some paper crowns for the children.

When we talk about Jesus being a “king,” we sometimes think of him wearing a gold crown, but Jesus showed his leadership by serving others. We are about to start the Advent season and reflect on how this “king” could be born in a manger rather than in a palace. Sometimes being a leader is about setting a good example—just as Jesus did. Invite the children to draw pictures of Jesus serving others on their crowns.

Sermon Starter“If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over…” These are probably some of the most heartbreaking words ever spoken by Jesus. The world doesn’t understand Jesus’ kingdom. On this Reign of Christ Sunday, consider the upside-down nature of the kingdom of Jesus—a kingdom where the king is the servant and his people fail to defend him. When do we abandon Christ? Have there been times when we’ve abandoned the chance to fight to keep Christ’s justice and love alive? Do Jesus’ words make us uncomfortable enough that we prefer to just walk away rather than stand by Christ’s way? Not long after this moment in scripture, Peter denies he even knows Jesus. In our secular society, are there times when it is easier for us to deny we are his followers?

As followers, we too often leave Christ’s side and fail to fight for his values. We choose the comfort of this world’s norms rather than working to establish a new heaven. We seek to go with the flow rather than embody Jesus’ countercultural approach. What action might we take together to make this world closer to Jesus’ kingdom?



Hymns2 Samuel 23:1–7 VU 375 “Spirit, Spirit of gentleness”VU 433 “Day is done”VU 642 “Be thou my vision”MV 125 “When a grain of wheat”MV 135 “Called by earth and sky”

Psalm 132:1–12, (13–18)VU 635 “All the way my Saviour leads me”VU p. 822 “All people that on earth do dwell”MV 84 “In you there is a refuge”

Revelation 1:4b–8VU 122 “All glory, laud and honour”VU 155 “Jesus Christ is risen today”VU 326 “O for a thousand tongues”VU 330 “Jesus shall reign”

John 18:33–37VU 148 “Jesus, remember me”VU 356 “Seek ye first the kingdom”VU 674 “Fight the good fight”MV 78 “God weeps”“City of God” by Daniel L. Schutte (New Dawn Music, 1981)

General/Seasonal“Stand by me” by Ben E. King (1961; original version, “Lord, stand by me,” written by the Rev. Charles Albert Tindley, 1905).

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