Hybrid Worship Service, October 12,2025

Hybrid Worship

12 October 2025

Minister: Rev. Suzanna Bates

Music Director: 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!

Words for Worship

Words of response are in bold & italics

Prelude: As Those of Old Their First Fruits Brought

Gathering

Call to Worship

Our God is preparing a feast for all people;

a wonderful banquet with vintage wine and gourmet food, the choicest dishes, and lavish desserts. And the whole world will be invited!

And God will wipe away the tears from every face,

and lift the despair from every heart.

If you are hungry, there is room at God’s table.

If you are weary, there is a seat saved for you.

If you dream of belonging, then we will practice belonging here.

From north, south, east, and west, God invites us home.

And together, God’s people will proclaim:

This is our God, in whom we place our trust!

Let us rejoice in the salvation God brings!

Opening Prayer

God, we give thanks for the beauty that surrounds us.

We sense the smell of the food that sustains us.

We feel hugs and greetings that nurture us.

We hear laughter and music that nourishes us.

Remind us to listen to your world, the groans and the joys.

Teach us to care for and treasure your body,

your world, as we do our own.

We pray in Jesus’ name, who offers us the bread of life, Amen.

Hymn: Make a Joyful Noise                                                      VU #820

Acknowledging the Land

From before recorded time, the First Peoples of the Snuneymuxw First Nation cared for this Land. We praise the Creator for the beauty of this Island and honour those who have cared for it.

We acknowledge the Elders and community members who have told the sacred stories and nurtured faithfulness to the Creator.

We ask God’s blessing on those who continue

to work for the healing and restoration of this

Land and all Communities who live here.

Lighting the Candle

We light this candle as a bright representation of the light of Christ, which cannot be held back by distance, darkness or death. It shines its light, hope and beauty in each one of us, and in each created being, and we are grateful for that light.

We are here. God is here.

This place is sacred ground.

Prayer for Reconciliation

God of grace, you invite us to a banquet, and we don’t even respond.

You set us a place at the table, but we find excuses not to come.

You lovingly prepare for our arrival, yet we ignore your efforts.

Forgive us, God of Grace.

God of creation, you give us a world capable of abundance, but we act as if it is a world of scarcity. You give us the resources and the intelligence to provide for all, yet we lack the will and the vision to feed all of your children.

Forgive us, God od Creation, for filling our plates while others go hungry.

God of love, you call us to be the body of Christ in the world, but we horde the blessings of communion for ourselves. Instead of loving our neighbours, we are consumed by the love of self. Instead of loving you, we bow before idols of our own making.

Forgive us, God of love.

God of hope, we avert our eyes when we see hunger and need; we close our ears to the cries of the poor and the oppressed; we refuse to let or minds be opened to the realities of our world; we refuse to let our hearts overflow with love and compassion.

Forgive us, God of Hope.

God of mercy, as you once again call us to your table,

help us to respond in faith. Forgive our failures and help us to learn from them. Change our hearts and minds as we hear your good news proclaimed. Help us to taste and see the goodness you have prepared for us, and for the world. Amen.

Family of faith, I don’t know what this past week has looked like for you, but I do know this: there is a seat at God’s table saved for you.

And that is the case even if you overlooked your neighbour, even if you doubted God’s love for you, even if you chose scarcity over abundance, or fear over joy. God has a seat saved for you.

Trusting this good news, join me in the words of forgiveness:

We are known. We are loved. We are forgiven. We begin again.

Thanks be to God for a love like that!

Passing the Peace

Friends, the peace of Christ be with you!

And also with you.

Hymn: For the Fruit of All Creation                                          VU #227

Prayer Before the Reading of Scripture

Nourishing God, open up something new in us.

Open up curiosity or hunger. Open up attentiveness or compassion.

Open up the parts of our hearts that need your centering Word most.

And then, like yeast in bread, may your love expand in us. 

We are listening. We are hopeful. Amen.

Scripture Reading:                                            Reader: Catherine Woodward

Deuteronomy 26:1–11            (New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition)

Bring the first fruits of your harvest

When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess and you possess it and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.’ When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, you shall make this response before the Lord your God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.’ You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

This is God’s Word.

We open our hearts to this Word today!

Gospel Reading:                                               Reader: Catherine Woodward                                    

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

God be with you.

And also with you

The Good News of Jesus the Christ according to Luke.

Glory to you, Christ Jesus.

Luke 9:10-17                                                                         (The Message)

Feeding the multitudes

The apostles returned and reported on what they had done. Jesus took them away, off by themselves, near the town called Bethsaida. But the crowds got wind of it and followed. Jesus graciously welcomed them and talked to them about the kingdom of God. Those who needed healing, he healed. As the sun set, the Twelve said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the farms or villages around here and get a room for the night and a bite to eat. We’re out in the middle of nowhere.” “You feed them,” Jesus said. They said, “We couldn’t scrape up more than five loaves of bread and a couple of fish—unless, of course, you want us to go to town ourselves and buy food for everybody.” (There were more than five thousand people in the crowd.) But he went ahead and directed his disciples, “Sit them down in groups of about fifty.” They did what he said, and soon had everyone seated. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread and fish to the disciples to hand out to the crowd. After the people had all eaten their fill, twelve baskets of leftovers were gathered up.

This is the Gospel of Christ

We open our hearts to Good News!

Word: Giving Thanks!

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in a nourishing God who provided manna

in the wilderness and water from the rock.

We believe in a with-us God, Jesus of Nazareth,

who set tables for the lonely and ate with the forgotten.

We believe in an expansive God - the wild Holy Spirit

meeting us in ritual, regardless of where we gather. 

Trusting that good news, we come to the Table.

We pull up extra seats.

We learn each other’s names.

We bless the food. We tell the story.

We remember Christ’s love, and we look for God in all of it.

We believe. Help our unbelief.  Amen.            

Hymn of Response: Mother Earth, Our Mother Birthing         MV #39

Offering

Offertory Response Hymn: What Can I Do                             MV #191

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Generous God, you gift us with sunlight, which grows the wheat, and rain, which nourishes the soil.

You gift us with bread, which fills our bellies and community

which fills our hearts.

You gift us with rituals that ground us, and music that opens us.

You gift us with stories that teach us, and laughter that lifts us.

So, for all these gifts and countless others, we say thank you.

Take this offering and use it for your good.

We are grateful. We are full to the brim.

Amen.

Life & Work of the Church

Prayers of the People                                                              Tim Leadem

In gratitude we pray to our God,

            Hear our Prayers.

The Prayer of Jesus

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all, Loving God in whom is heaven.
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe;
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world;
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings;
Your dream of peace and freedom sustain our hope

and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
Now and forever, Amen.

Communion Hymn: For Everyone Born (vs 1,2,5,6)   (Then Let us Sing #23)

For everyone born, a place at the table,

for everyone born, clean water and bread,

a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,

for everyone born, a star overhead.

For all who share life, a place at the table,

revising the roles, deciding the share,

with wisdom and grace, dividing the power,

for all who share life, a system that’s fair.

And God will delight when we are creators of justice

and joy, compassion and peace:

yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice, justice and joy!

For you and for me, a place at the table,

though wounded and sore, with need to forgive,

in anger, in hurt, a mindset of mercy,

for you and for me, a new way to live.

For everyone born, a place at the table,

to live without fear, and simply to be,

to work, to speak out, to witness and worship,

for everyone born, the right to be free.  [R]

Words: Shirley Erena Murray, 1998, alt. One License No. 740107-A

Holy Communion

Presentation of the Bread

These breads are symbols of the many different peoples within the family of God.

1: Placing Bannock on Communion table says:

We offer this Bannock in honour of the peoples of Canada. May we build

friendship and connections through the sharing of bread with all people

in Canada, listening to and respecting those who walked before us.

 

2: Placing Pita bread on Communion table says:

We offer this pita bread in honour of the people of the Middle East. May

we remember the people of Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel who are

longing for peace, yet are haunted and divided by conflict and war.

3: Placing Naan bread on Communion table says:

We offer this naan bread in honour of the people of the Pakistan and

India.We give thanks for the diversity of peoples in these countries: their

cultures, values and spirituality; for the resilience of minority religious

groups and those on the margins of society, amid discrimination and

persecution.

4: Placing Tortilla bread on Communion table says:

We offer this Tortilla in honour of the peoples of South America. We give

thanks with them - for the might of the Amazon, the beauty of the

Andes and the sacredness of their stories. We pray for an end to

devastating poverty, fear and intimidation so that each one may live in

peace.

5: Placing Banana bread on Communion table says:

We offer this banana bread in honour of the people of Jamaica. We give

thanks for the kaleidoscope of colour and culture there. May we

remember that beyond the tourism ads there are hundreds of

thousands of sisters and brothers facing incredible challenges with

violence and poverty.

6: Placing Bao Buns on Communion table says:

I offer this Bread in honour of the peoples of China. We give thanks

for thousands of years of history, spirituality and culture. We pray for

those who struggle in changing political times and we pray all peoples

may practice their faith peacefully.

Invitation to the Table

The Scripture says that people will come from north and south,

east and west to sit at God’s Table in the Kin-dom of God.

I must confess, there are few images more lovely than that.

But until that beautiful, promised day when all of creation will share a table with Christ, we will keep gathering at this Table.

And at this Table, we will tell the story of God’s love.

And at this Table, we will break ordinary bread and drink from an ordinary cup. And at this Table, none will be turned away, for Jesus welcomes all. At this Table we will dream of a better world, where all are fed. And at this Table, none will leave hungry.

So, come! Join us in the feast! Join the world in this feast!

This is Christ’s Table. Come break bread with us and experience the community God formed us to be.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

God is with us!

We are not alone!
Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the God who is good.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Holy Mystery that is Wholly Love, you are beyond complete knowledge,
above perfect description. Source of Life, Living Word, and Bond of Love, you are creative and self-giving, generously moving.
In all the near and distant corners of the universe, nothing exists that does not find its source in you.

Even when we turn away from you, you are with us;
your presence never fails us,

your gifts of hope and new life transform us.

We praise you for Jesus the Christ,
eternal as your love, our binding us to one another.
We rejoice with all your people of every time and place,
and with sky and sea, mountains and desert, with creatures and animals, siblings across the earth and all heavenly beings
to proclaim the glory of your name: 

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 heaven - creation sings your praise!
And blessed is the One who comes and bears your name always.

Creating God incarnate, you join us together in Christ as a community - diverse and hopeful, loving what he loved, living what he taught, and
working to be his faithful followers in our time and place. In this meal we remember Jesus, his promises, and the cost of living in truth, what he said, and what he did. On the night before Jesus died, he took a loaf of bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, “Take and eat; whenever you do this, remember me.” After supper, Jesus took the cup, blessed it and poured, saying, “This is the new covenant, remember me.”

God of manna and mustard seeds, bread and grapes,

we are hungry and we are hopeful.

As we gather at this Table together, we ask that you pour out your spirit on this ordinary bread and cup.

Transform this simple feast into a reminder of what could be—

a world where all are fed, all are welcomed, and all are known.

Until that day, may this bread nourish our bodies alongside our spirits.

May the joy of singing and feasting together lift our weary hearts.

And may your far-reaching welcome open deeper compassion in us for our neighbors.

With gratitude for your love and a hunger for community.

 

Sharing the Bread and Cup

Prayer after Communion

Holy God, every time we come to this Table, we look for you.

We come looking for welcome, looking for reasons to hope.

And just as you promised, you have met us here. What a gift!

May we never be the same.

So, as we prepare to leave this place, may we go with the memories of this holy meal clinging to us.

May we remember what it felt like to be welcomed

to your Table,

and may we welcome others with that same warmth.

May we remember what it felt like to have a meal where all were fed, and may we work for a world where none are hungry.

May we remember what it felt like to draw closer to you,

and may we continually seek you out with all that we do.

Bountiful God, week after week we look for you. Week after week,

you meet us here. Thank you. May we never be the same.

Amen.

Hymn: Guide Me, O Thou Great and Holy                               VU #651

Sending & Blessing

People of faith, as you leave this place,

may you leave hungry – hungry for justice.

May you leave hopeful – hopeful for the day

when we will return to God’s Table.

And may you leave knowing, deep in your soul,

that nothing can separate you from the love of God.

For no matter where you go - north, south, east or west –

the God of creation will have a seat saved for you.

You are loved. Go, and love likewise. Amen. 

May the grace of God’s abundance surround you,

the gift of Jesus’ friendship inspire you,

and the movement of the Spirit stir within you. Amen.

The peace of Christ be always with you.

And also with you.

Postlude: I Thank You, Thank You Jesus

 

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