Hybrid Church, Fourth Sunday of Epiphany, January 29, 2023, Presider: The Rev. Deborah van der Goes

Hybrid Church, Fourth Sunday of Epiphany, January 29, 2023, Presider: The Rev. Deborah van der Goes

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

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

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. 

Gathering

Centering & Stillness

A bell will ring.  You are invited to follow the sound into silence and set your focus on God 

(silence)

Introit: Come and Find the Quiet Centre (v.1)                          VU #374

Come and find the quiet centre 

in the crowded life we lead, 

Find the room for hope to enter, 

find the frame where we are freed.  

Clear the chaos and the clutter, 

clear our eyes, that we can see 

All the things that really matter, 

be at peace, and simply be.  

The Christ Candle is Lit 

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

One:  Almighty God,

All:    to you all hearts are open, all desires known,

   and from you no secrets are hidden.

   Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts

   by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

   that we may perfectly love you,

   and worthily magnify your holy name;

   through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn of Praise: Come Down, O Love Divine                          VU #367

1Come down, O love divine,

seek now this soul of mine,

and visit it with your own ardour glowing.

O Comforter, draw near,

within my heart appear,

and kindle it, your holy flame bestowing.

2O let it freely burn,

till earthly passions turn

to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;

and let your glorious light

shine ever on my sight,

and clothe me round, my onward path illuming.

3And so the yearning strong

with which the soul will long

shall far outpass the power of human telling;

for none can guess its grace,

till Love create the place

wherein the Holy Spirit makes its dwelling.

 

The Collect

 (a prayer which collects the themes of the day)

(silence)

One:  Perfect Light of revelation, as you shone in the life of Jesus, whose epiphany we celebrate, so shine in us and through us, that we may become beacons of truth and compassion, enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy. 

All:    Amen.

Service of the Word

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. 

Hebrew Scripture: Micah 6:1-8 (NRSV)                   Reader: George Westarp

Hear what the Lord says:

   Rise, plead your case before the mountains,

   and let the hills hear your voice.

Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord,

   and you enduring foundations of the earth;

for the Lord has a controversy with his people,

   and he will contend with Israel.

‘O my people, what have I done to you?

   In what have I wearied you? Answer me!

For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,

   and redeemed you from the house of slavery;

and I sent before you Moses,

   Aaron, and Miriam.

O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,

   what Balaam son of Beor answered him,

and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,

   that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.’

‘With what shall I come before the Lord,

   and bow myself before God on high?

Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,

   with calves a year old?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,

   with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,

   the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;

   and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

   and to walk humbly with your God?

 

Psalm 15               Sung as “Blest are the Pure in Heart”  (tune VU #542) 
1Blest are the pure in heart,
for they shall see their God;
the secret of the Lord is theirs,
their soul is Christ's abode.

2The Lord, who left the heavens
our life and peace to bring,
to dwell in lowliness with us,
our pattern and our King;

3 Still to the lowly soul
His presence doth impart,
and for a dwelling and a throne
chooses the pure in heart.

4Lord, we Your presence seek —
we ask this blessing, too;
give us a pure and lowly heart,
a temple meet for You.

The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (NRSV)             Reader: George Westarp

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’

The Gospel                                                    

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 5:1-12             Sung as a quartet: Deborah, Dorothy, Don and Marvin

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.         

       Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

       All:           Praise be to Jesus Christ       

 

Reflection: “Blessed Be” (Sermon attached)

Silence

Affirmation of Faith

One:  Do you believe and trust in God the Father,

          source of all being and life,

          the one for whom we exist?

All:    We believe and trust in him.        

One:  Do you believe and trust in God the Son,   

          who took our human nature,

          died for us and rose again?

All:    We believe and trust in him.           

One:  Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit,

          who gives life to the people of God

          and makes Christ known in the world?

All:    We believe and trust in him.

One:  This is the faith of the Church.

All:    This is our faith.

          We believe and trust in one God,

          Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hymn: All Who Hunger                                                              VU #460

1All who hunger, gather gladly;

holy manna is our bread.

Come from wilderness and wandering.

Here, in truth, we will be fed.

You that yearn for days of fullness,

all around us is our food.

Taste and see the grace eternal.

Taste and see that God is good.

2All who hunger, never strangers;

seeker, be a welcome guest.

Come from restlessness and roaming.

Here, in joy, we keep the feast.

We that once were lost and scattered

in communion's love have stood.

Taste and see the grace eternal.

Taste and see that God is good.

3All who hunger, sing together;

Jesus Christ is living bread.

Come from loneliness and longing.

Here, in peace, we have been led.

Blest are those who from this table

live their lives in gratitude.

Taste and see the grace eternal.

Taste and see that God is good.

Prayers of the People                                                              Paddy Waymark

One:  Creator of The Son,

All:    Hear Our Prayers

Prayer of Confession

One:  Living God, thank you for the opportunity

          to reflect on Scripture together.

          We know that sometimes to doubt is to grow – so,

All:    forgive us when we allow our doubts to diminish us;

One:  Sometimes looking back helps us to advance – so,

All:    forgive us when we allow our memories to cripple us;

One:  Sometimes recognising our tiredness can lead to real rest, so

All:    forgive us when we allow our weariness to demoralise us.

          Forgive us and help us to glimpse your presence in our lives 

Silence is kept

Absolution

One:  Living God have mercy upon you,

          Pardon and deliver you from all your sins,

          Confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,

          And keep you in eternal life;

          Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All:    Amen

The Peace

please stand as you are able

       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.

The Celebration of the Eucharist

Our Offerings are gathered – while music is played

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.

Prayer over the Gifts: 

One:  God of steadfast love, may our offering this day, by the power of

          your Holy Spirit, renew us for your service.  We ask this in the  

          name of Jesus Christ the Lord. 

All:    Amen                                  

One:  God be with you.

All:    And also with you.

One:  Let us open our hearts.

All:    We open ourselves to God and to each other.

One:  Let us give thanks for the gifts of life and faith.

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

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise.  Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; you have revealed your eternal plan of salvation, and have shown your Son Jesus Christ to be the light of all peoples.  Therefore with angels and archangels we raise our voices in joyful praise to proclaim the glory of your name.

Singing:                                                                                      MV #203

O Holy, holy, holy God, O God of time and space.
All earth and sea and sky 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 give thanks to you, Lord our God, for the goodness and love you have made known to us in creation; in calling Israel to be your people;

in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh,

In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.  Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.  Do this for the remembrance of me. For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Singing:                                                                                      MV #204

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

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

Remembering, therefore, his salutary command, his life-giving passion and death, his glorious resurrection and ascension, and the promise of his coming again, we give thanks to you, O Lord God, Creator of all, to accept our praise and thanksgiving, and with your Word and Holy Spirit to bless us and these your own gifts of bread and wine, so that we and all who share in the body and blood or Christ may be filled with heavenly blessing and grace, and, receiving the forgiveness of sin, may be formed to live as your holy people and be given our inheritance with all your saints.  To you, O God, Creator, Redeemer and Holy Spirit be all honour and glory in your holy church now and forever. 

Amen.

And now as Jesus has taught us, let us sing.                              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:  The Gifts of God for the People of God

All:    Thanks be to God

Communion is Shared

Communion Hymn: Make Me a Channel                                  VU #684

1Make me a channel of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me bring your love;

where there is injury, your healing power,

and where there’s doubt, true faith in you: 

Refrain][ 

O Spirit, grant that I may never seek

so much to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love with all my soul.

2Make me a channel of your peace:

where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope;

where there is darkness, only light;

and where there’s sadness, ever joy. [Refrain]

3Make me a channel of your peace.

It is in pardonning that we are pardonned,

in giving to all that we receive,

and in dying that we’re born to eternal life. [Refrain]

Prayer after Communion

One:  Source of all goodness, in this Eucharist

          we are nourished by the bread of heaven

          and invigorated with new wine.

          May these gifts renew our lives,

          that we may show your glory to all the world,

          in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.

One:  Glory to God,

All:    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.

Hymn: Draw The Circle Wide                                                    MV #145

[Refrain]

Draw the circle wide.

Draw it wider still.

Let this be our song,

no one stands alone,

standing side by side,

draw the circle wide.

God the still point of the circle,

‘round whom all creation turns;

nothing lost, but held forever,

in God’s gracious arms.  [Refrain]

Let our hearts touch far horizons,

so encompass great and small;

let our loving know no borders,

faithful to God’s call.  [Refrain]

Let the dreams we dream be larger,

than we’ve ever dreamed before;

let the dream of Christ be in us,

open every door.  [Refrain]

Blessing

One:  Now God keep you in all your days.

          Christ shield you in all your ways.

          The Spirit bring you healing and peace.

          And God the Holy Trinity 

          Pour upon you blessing and light. 

All:    Amen, so be it, make it so, amen

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

All:    Thanks be to God! Alleluia!