Hybrid Worship Service, September 14, 2025

Hybrid Worship

14 September 2025

Minister: Rev. Suzanna Bates

Music: Lisa Griffith

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: 

Gathering

Singing Bowl

The singing bowl is played to awaken us to the presence of God in this sacred space and gathering and to centre us in the embrace of the Spirit. 

Prayer of Opening

Holy and Eternal God: you are our Creator, and we are your creatures. 

Every breath we take, every thought we have exist only because of you.

You have given us the world for our dwelling place,

our earthly home: land, sea, and sky; 

a place of great beauty and deep mystery.

How little is our thanks, how insufficient our praise for such generous blessings and overwhelming grace.

And yet we are bold to pray that you will accept our worship now: our songs, our prayers, and our thoughts this day. 

Keep us mindful of your presence and everlasting care for all your world, even us!

Amen.

Acknowledging the Land

From before recorded time, the First Peoples of the Snuneymuxw 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 gather this morning in the love and light of the Creator, whose justice and peace gives light to our paths and hope in our lives! 

In the light of this candle, we rejoice, and the hope of our hearts is rekindled this day.

We are here.

God is here.

This place is sacred ground. 

Hymn: Creating God, Your Fingers Trace                               VU #265

Prayer for Reconciliation
We hear creation mourning. We hear fellow creatures crying out in pain. And we hear members of our fauna family weeping. We feel the loss. We share the sorrow.

For all the times we have hurt or neglected animals and other creatures,

We are sorry.

For all the times we have thoughtlessly used poisons that have killed animals and destroyed creatures,

We are sorry.

For all the times we have destroyed the homes of your creatures in the forests, oceans or fields,

We are sorry. We are sorry. We are sorry. 

Christ, with tears of compassion for all of life forgives our sins against the creatures of Earth and calls us to honour and protect all creatures. 

May the animals of Earth be our companions in life and lead us to celebrate your place in the circle of life.

Amen! Amen! Shalom! Shalom!     

As we come home to Earth.  

Christ, have mercy.

As we seek to love our home.

Christ, have mercy.

As we seek to care for our kin.

Christ, have mercy.

God, our Creator, help us to love all creatures as kin, 

all animals as partners on Earth,

all birds as messengers of praise,

all minute beings as expressions of your mysterious design 

and all wildlife as voices of hope.  Amen.

Hymn: God of the Sparrow                                                       VU #229

Prayer Before the Reading of Scriptures

Holy Breath, living Spirit, open our senses to perceive your loving presence and your will so we have a fresh understanding of what you would have us glean from your word. Amen.

Jeremiah 4:11–12, 22–28 (NRSV, Updated Edition)              Reader: Tim Leadem

The land shall be desolation; the earth shall mourn.

At that time, it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem: A hot wind comes from me out of the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, a wind too strong for that. Now it 

is I who speak in judgment against them. “For my people are foolish; they do not know me; they are like spoiled children - they do not understand. They are skilled in doing evil but do not know how to do good.” I looked on the earth, and it was complete chaos, and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and there was no one at all, and all the birds of the air had fled. I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger. For thus says the Lord: The whole land shall be a desolation, yet I will not make a full end. Because of this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above grow black, for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.

This is God’s Word.

We open our hearts to this Word today!

Gospel Reading                                                            Reader: Tim Leadem

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 15:1–10 (The Message) 

The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin.

By this time a lot of men and women of questionable reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” 

Their grumbling triggered this story. “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue. “Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.”

This is the Gospel of Christ

We open our hearts to Good News!

Word: The Earth Mourns

Response: Season of Creation 2025 Prayer

Creator God, let there be peace on earth - one world - 
living in harmony, caring for one another,
delighting in the wonders around us, tending your creation.

Let there be peace on earth, 
and yet…
ours is a world at war,
a world of enmity and hatred,
a world of greed and destruction,
a world of hunger and homelessness.

God, forgive us.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with you and me - 
our words and actions,
our priorities and passions,
our love for our neighbours nearby and far away,
our care for land and air and sea.

God, help us.

Let there be peace on earth - the peace that was meant to be:
a world of justice and joy,
a world of fairness and respect,
a world of kindness and compassion,
a world of plenty for all.

Creator God, for this we pray, amen. 

Hymn of Response: Called by Earth and Sky (chorus only)   MV #135

Prayers of the People                                                         Paddy Waymark

We ask for Your strength and support,

            Hear our prayers.

The Lord’s Prayer

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.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

Offering

Holy One, whose breath is our life and whose grace is our hope, 

receive the gifts we offer. Bless them that they may be a blessing, - faith lived out, hope lived, and love given for this world. Amen.

Hymn: When at This Table (tune: O Perfect Love)                   MV #199

Holy Communion

Invitation

Prayer of Thanksgiving

God, beloved Creator be with you and all creation.

And also with you.  

Open your hearts.

We open them to our Creator.

Let us give thanks to our Maker who hold all things in gracious hands.

It is right to join creation in thanking God.

It is right to give you thanks, loving God, Creator. Your word is the impulse for all things to be, for space, stars and stardust to appear.

Your Spirit hovered over the primal elements, atmosphere, water, 

earth and fire and you brought forth life in forms innumerable, including this our fragile earth, and we amongst its inhabitants. 

You chose to be born a human being, to become a part of Earth,

to suffer, die and rise from death to redeem humankind, renew creation, and affirm all born of Earth and the Spirit.

Your presence is the living impulse in all things, the Christ deep among us, filling Earth—land, sea and air; filling every element and place;

filling the grain and the grape we share with you this day.

Therefore, with angels and all heavenly beings,

ancient voices in the forest, high voices from the sky,

deep voices from the sea and the whole company of creation,

we proclaim your presence among us

Holy, holy, holy, God of all life,

Earth and sea and sky

and all things that exist

are full of your presence

and glorify your name. Amen

Remembering

Reader 1: 

I remember the time of creation, of choosing colour and texture, mountain height and valley depth. I remember how God sculpted love into it all – every nook and cranny alive with the promise of heaven. And we give thanks for it all: its richest splendour and darkest secret.

Reader 2: 

I remember the parting of the waters, the choice of Moses to follow God into the wilderness, the elements against them but the promise before them – choosing to go where God led: into a future where water flowed from rock and manna waited in the morning. And we give thanks for it all: the story of Exodus, of the Red Sea and the land of milk and honey.

Reader 3: 

I remember the prophet Joel’s voice calling the people of Israel to choose a new way of living: to care for the widow and the orphan and to know what would happen if they carried on as they were. And we give thanks for it all: the choice to hear God’s longing for a new world, and to change and follow it.

Reader 4: 

I remember John the Baptist, who lived in the wilds and spoke of a new heaven and earth, and shouted at the world to choose a new way of living that recognised justice; who took water and blessed its use. And we give thanks for it all: being newborn into a world renewed by our right living.

Reader 5: 

I remember Jesus Christ, who upset the tables in the temple. And who later took bread and wine, the simplest of food, and blessed and broke it and shared it with people like us. This bread and wine speak of our choice to follow Jesus into a world renewed by love, where all creation rejoices in God.

Leader: Come and choose to eat and drink and belong to this new community: a way of living that will not let go of the world: a way of loving that is willing to make the difficult choices, loving enough to stick by all that is broken and bring it to new birth. Jesus said, ‘Come, follow me. Come eat and drink, and know I go before you.’

Words of Institution

We do what Jesus did the night before he died. He took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, 

“Take, eat; remember me.”

Then he took the cup, and said, “Take, drink; remember.”

Great is the mystery of faith. And so, we cry, Mercy: 

Mercy!

And so, we cry, Glory: 

Glory!

And so, we cry, Blessing: 

Blessing!

Invitation

Come, for all things are now ready. 

Come to the table with all your relations and share with all in need:

the gift of healing, the gift of forgiveness,

the gift of assurance, and the gift of hope.

May we who share these gifts, share Christ with one another

and all our relations.

Sharing the Bread and Cup

Prayer after Communion

We thank you Christ, for the meal we have celebrated with you and we pray that through these gifts of life we may be healed

and become agents of healing for the whole Earth. Amen.

Life & Work of the Church

Hymn: Called by Earth and Sky                                               MV #135 

Blessing & Sending

May the God of the rising sun warm your spirit with hope.

May the wisdom of the elders guide your steps in the forest of life.

May the rains fall gently on your land, and the winds carry your prayers

across the seas.

May you be as rooted as the cedar,

as bold as the bald eagle,

and as joyful as the sparrows at dawn.

Go now, in peace with creation—

And may the blessing of the Creator,

the Christ, and the Spirit surround you and all living things,

now and for evermore

Amen!

To the glory of God, and the care of creation, amen.

Postlude: