BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

10th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

August 1, 2021

Worship Leader: Rev. Kim Vidal
Music: Abe TeGrotenhuis, Erin Berard & Choir/Band Members

Summer Sermon Series: “VOICES OF LAMENT”
Theme: Lament as a Communal Prayer

The video recording of this service can be found here.
You can also dial-in by phone to listen to the audio recording at 613-820-8104.

Gathering Music: Pie Jesu – Webber Abe : keyboard

Acknowledgement of Territory

As we begin our worship today, we remember that, in this congregation, we live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe Peoples. We give thanks for their stewardship of the land and the water, the plants and the animals, through many generations. We also acknowledge their story, and our place in it, with sorrow. As we continue to live on this land with respect for it and for its people, may we commit to working toward truth, justice and reconciliation. All my relations.

Welcome & Centering for Worship

Good day everyone! On behalf of BCUC, I welcome you to our worship service in the name of Jesus Christ on this 10th Sunday after Pentecost. I’m so glad that you can join us in our virtual worship service. We continue our sermon series on the book of Lamentations and today’s theme focuses on “lament as a communal prayer.” I encourage you to reflect on this theme as we work together for the healing of the world.

As we continue to be under pandemic restrictions, please be reminded that the work of the church carries on. Please take time to keep in touch with each other through prayers, phone calls, emails or via Zoom. Check also the many announcements on our website at bcuc.org to keep you informed and give you opportunities to respond.

Our sanctuary has re-opened for in-person worship service on Sunday at 10 am with a maximum number of 50 people. The Public Health recommends staying at home but if you wish to attend the service, please call the office to register until Friday at 11 am. For the safety of all attendees, the usual health protocols will be in place which include masking, social distancing, hand sanitizing and staying home if you feel unwell. Take note too that our worship service will still be offered via Youtube, by email and by telephone.

Friends, God calls us as living prayers to our hurting world. With our gift of earnest prayers let us come with hope as we worship together.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: Jan & Norm Pound

As we light this candle,
let us remember that light is a gift from God, a gift to be shared.
Jesus came into our midst as a light of the world,
and the Holy Spirit is present to illuminate our work and witness.
Let us gather this day mindful of the light and the presence of a loving God.

Call to Gather & Opening Prayer Nicole Beaudry & Gerald Okolowsky

(Eric Hebert-Daly, Pentecost 1 2019 Year C. Used with permission.)

We’ve gathered here, focused on God’s call, taking this time to listen.
As a community of faith, we take this time deliberately, lovingly,
to reflect, ponder, consider,
challenging ourselves rather than merely confirming what we already know,
open to the playful Spirit,
a spirit that manifests itself, shakes us up and awakens our soul.
We honour the Spirit by greeting it this day, because God beckons!

Nous sommes rassemblés en ce lieu, attentifs à l’appel de Dieu;
dans l’instant présent, nous nous mettons à l’écoute.
Communauté de foi, nous dédions ce temps avec amour
pour réfléchir, méditer, contempler,
pour nous ouvrir à l’inédit plutôt que de ressasser le familier,
disponibles aux espiègleries de l’Esprit,
qui fait irruption dans nos vies, qui vient nous
brasser et réveiller nos âmes.
Nous honorons l’Esprit en nous disposant à l’accueillir,
en ce jour et pour toujours, car Dieu nous fait signe!

Let us pray:
(Jamie Miller, Pentecost 1 2019 Year C. Used with permission.)

O Holy One, who is anchor, nurturing and guiding,
When natural disasters rock us to the core, send strength.
When there are mass casualties, due to human action or inaction, send peace.
When we hear these things referred to as “acts of God,” send truth and understanding.
When we resonate deeply with the struggles of others, embrace us.
When we feel that we are lost, send a light.
Let us hear your calling to be a witness for others.
Let us embrace your light of truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

O Dieu Saint, qui ancre, nourris et guide,
quand les catastrophes naturelles nous bouleversent,
donne-nous de la force.
Dans le grandes pertes causées par l'action ou à l'inaction humaine,
donne-nous la paix.
Lorsque nous entendons ces choses appelées « actes de Dieu »,
donne-nous vérité et compréhension.
Lorsque nous comprenons vraiment les peines et les conflits des autres,
accueille-nous.
Lorsque nous nous sentons perdus,
donne-nous ta lumière.
Laisse-nous entendre ton appel à être un témoin pour les autres.
Nous accueillons ta lumière de vérité. Au nom de Jésus, Amen.

Hymn: Come O Fount of Every Blessing - Voices United #559

1 Come, O Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
mount of God's unfailing love.

2 Here I pause in my sojourning;
giving thanks for having come;
come to trust at every turning
God will guide me safely home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
came to rescue me from danger,
precious presence, precious blood.

3 O, to grace how great a debtor
daily I am drawn anew!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to you.
Prone to wander, I can feel it,
wander from the love I’ve known:
here's my heart, O take and seal it;
seal it for your very own.

Words Robert Robinson, 1758, alt. Music: John Wyeth, 1813
Song #94974 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved

Storytime Nicole Beaudry

MR HAPPY: A STORY FOR YOUNG AND OLD

Adaptation of the story by Roger Handgreaves

It doesn’t matter if we’re young or old, or big or small, we can always help someone else - we can always do something for others. Sometimes, people feel sad and alone and miserable until someone brings them something to make them happy. And then they change! Here is the story of Mr Happy and how he helped someone laugh and become happy.

There is a country, far, far away called Happyland. As you might guess everybody who lives there is happy, all the time. Wherever you go you see smiling faces all around.

Even the flowers seem to smile in Happyland. All the animals are happy as well. If you’ve never seen a mouse smile, or a cat, or a dog, or even a worm - go to Happyland!

This is a story about someone who lived there. His name was Mr Happy. He was fat and round, and happy! He lived in a small cottage beside a lake , near the mountain.

One day while he was out walking through the tall trees, he came across something which was really quite extraordinary. There in the trunk of a tall tree was a door. A small, narrow yellow door. “Hmmm I wonder who lives here” , thought Mr Happy and he turned the handle. The door wasn’t locked and it swung open. Just inside, was a small narrow winding staircase leading downward. Mr Happy squeezed his rather large body through the doorway and walked down the stairs which went round and round and down and around and down, all the way down to the bottom.

He looked around and saw another small narrow door; this one was red. He knocked at the door. “Who’s there?” said a voice. A sad, squeaky, sort of a voice “Who’s there?”

Mr Happy pushed the door open slowly, and there, sitting on a small stool was somebody who looked exactly like him, except that he didn’t look happy at all. In fact, he looked downright miserable.

“Hello, I’m Mr Happy!” -

“Oh, are you indeed,” sniffed the person who looked like Mr Happy.

“Well, my name is Mr Miserable, and I’m the most miserable person in the world.”

“Why are you so miserable?” asked Mr Happy.

“Because I am” replied Mr Miserable.

“How would you like to be happy like me?” asked My Happy.

“I’d give anything to be happy”, but I am so miserable I don’t think I could ever be happy” said Mr Miserable.

My Happy made up his mind quickly. “Follow me” he said

“Where to?”

“Don’t argue,” said Mr Happy, and he went out through the small, narrow, red door.

Mr Miserable hesitated, and then he followed. Up and up the winding staircase, they went.

Up and up and round and around until they came out into the wood.

“Follow me”, said Mr Happy, and they both set off through the wood back to Mr Happy’s cottage.

Mr Miserable stayed at the cottage for quite some time. And during that time, the most remarkable thing happened. Because he was living in Happyland, Mr Miserable ever so slowly stopped being miserable and started to be happy. His mouth stopped turning down at the corners. And ever so slowly it started to turn up at the corners. And eventually, Mr Miserable did something that he’d never done in his whole life. He smiled! And then he chuckled, which turned into a giggle, which became a laugh. And Mr Happy was so surprised that he started to laugh as well. And both of them laughed, and laughed. They laughed until their sides hurt and their eyes watered. They laughed and laughed and laughed. They went outside and still they laughed. And because thy were laughing so much everybody who saw them started laughing as well. Even the birds in the trees started to laugh.

And that’s really the end of the story except to say that : if you ever feel as miserable as Mr Miserable used to, you know exactly what to do, don’t you? Just turn your mouth up at the corners. Go on! Try it!

Children’s Hymn: Over My Head MV#88

Refrain (English)
Over my head,
I hear music in the air. (3x)
There must be a God somewhere.

Refrain (French)
Au-d’ssus de moi,
c’est d’la musique que j’entends. (3x)
Il y a un Dieu quelque part.

When the storms of life are ragin’
I hear music in the air. (3x)
There must be a God somewhere.

When the winds of strife are blowin’
I hear music in the air. (3x)
There must be a God somewhere.

When the Spirit lives within me,
I hear music in the air. (3x)
There must be a God somewhere.

Words and Music: African-American spiritual French translate © 2006 Denise Soulodie
arrangement © 2006 Stephen Lee – Professional Music Services Song# 30114796
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Mary Schmieder

God of all ages, let your words speak to our heart. Let the truth we learn from these words encourage us to be resilient. Let your wisdom inspire us to be a witness for your justice. Let your presence fill us with joy. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Reading from the Hebrew Scripture: Lamentations 5: 15-22 (NRSV)

A Plea for God to Return

15 The joy of our hearts has ceased;
our dancing has been turned to mourning.

16 The crown has fallen from our head;
woe to us, for we have sinned!

17 Because of this our hearts are sick,
because of these things our eyes have grown dim:

18 because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate;
jackals prowl over it.

19 But you, O Lord, reign forever;
your throne endures to all generations.

20 Why have you forgotten us completely?
Why have you forsaken us these many days?

21 Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored;
renew our days as of old—

22 unless you have utterly rejected us,
and are angry with us beyond measure.

May God’s wisdom give us understanding as we ponder on this prayer of lament. Thanks be to God!

Sermon: “God Had Left the Building!?”

I say to God, my rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk about mournfully
because the enemy oppresses me?”
As with a deadly wound in my body,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me continually,
“Where is your God?” (Ps. 42:9–10 NRSV)

Disasters abound in this day and age. Media has them covered and the list is lengthy: With shocking images of collapsed buildings and debris, deadly flooding in Western Europe including Germany and Belgium due to torrential rainfall, led to dozens of deaths and hundreds of people missing. In Cuba, spurred by a severe economic crisis and hunger, protesters erupted in a wave of public rallies calling the leaders for reforms with many as 700 people missing, detained or murdered. State of emergency was issued in the provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba due to devastating wildfires that may cause millions of dollars in fire suppression costs as well as human deaths due to exposure to wildfire smoke if climate change and fire causes are not resolved.
          What about the personal tragedies that some of us experience? When suffering strikes, how do we respond? When losing a loved one, or when a family member is diagnosed with cancer, or when a pandemic sweep through the world, we’re often unsure how to respond. Some people offer unhelpful clichés in an attempt to offer comfort. Others say the wrong words while some just back away by not saying anything at all. The first attempt wounds the afflicted, while the second one leaves the afflicted isolated and alone. Let’s be honest here. Most of us are not good at dealing with tragedy. Oftentimes we cry in prayer, “where are you God?”
          In her book, Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack, American author Alia Joy shares a true story of how Christians approach the spiritual practice of lamenting. She writes: “In the summer of 2012, I knelt over the frail shell of a child, my son, strapped to all manner of medical monitoring equipment. His body failing, his frame thinning, the medical staff at the Children’s Hospital was at a loss. They had no answers, no direction. He was an anomaly, they said, and they’d need to regroup after making him as comfortable as possible. Though the medical community struggled to sort it all out, my faith community seemed to have every answer. God would provide, one said, because God would respond to my great faith. God was setting up a miracle, another said. God works all things together for good, I was reminded. Platitude, platitude, platitude. I smiled through all of them, even nodded. Silently I wondered, did all those words amount to anything, well-meaning though they were? Hunched over my son, all those platitudes haunting, my phone rang.
          I looked at the screen, read the name. It was a pastor from a more reformed church in my hometown, and as I answered the phone, I wondered what platitude I might hear. There was a purpose in my son’s suffering? Everything has a Kingdom purpose? After an exchange of greetings, I clenched my jaw. Stiffened. Braced myself. Through the phone, I heard only three words: “I’m so sorry.” There was a pause, and he told me to holler if I needed anything. He said he’d be praying, and that was that. It was a moment of selfless solidarity, a moment in which this man of the cloth didn’t force-feed me anemic answers or sell me some fix-all version of a bright-and-shiny gospel. Instead, he did the work of Jesus Christ himself; he entered into my suffering.”
          In the past 3 Sundays, we’ve learned that the book of Lamentations is a response to the greatest ancient tragedy in Israel’s history—the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. Israel’s life with God was overturned. In addition to the massacre and destruction, the people also suffered from political and religious trauma. The temple was destroyed along with its priests and prophets and their religious festivals ended. Today, we hear the Community Voice as it responds to the suffering and destruction of the people. Chapter 5 was written in alphabetic form which means that the 22 verses correspond to the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Seen this way, Chapter 5 employs a different literary device from the first 4 chapters that employ acronym style. Both authors, Robert Williamson Jr. and his mentor, Kathleen O’Connor explain that the alphabetic pattern “may be a way of expressing the totality of the destruction – everything has been destroyed from A to Z- there is nothing left. It expresses an overwhelming sense of unbound grief.” Chapter 5 moved out from a more structured literary form to a more disorganized way of offering a conclusion. I felt that the chaotic form speaks of the poet’s way of saying, this tragic experience has not been resolved. There are more storms to come or in plain language, wait for the next episode!
          Speaking in the language of “we”, according to Williamson, “the community voice represents the voice of the people in Jerusalem.” There are 5 different voices in Lamentations – all 5 voices with different theologies, viewpoints and reactions to the tragedy. We’ve heard the voices of the Funeral Singer and the Daughter Zion in our previous sermons. Next Sunday, we will conclude the series by listening to the voice of the Strong Man in Chapter 3. I intentionally placed Chapter 3 as our finale to give us a more hopeful and positive feeling about the book. The hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness was based on Chapter 3. Save the best for last! Another voice in Chapter 4 called The Scoffer presents his negative views but we are not going to listen to his depressing voice in the series. We have enough to swallow at the moment.
          Some of us might assume that the Community Voice in Chapter 5 will give us a wonderful wrap up of the book – to decide how to handle the devastation they have experienced- but I’m sorry to disappoint you. This will not happen at all. The Community Voice refuses to take sides. It acknowledges the Daughter Zion’s lament but also listens to the cries of the Strong Man, The Scoffer and the Funeral Singer. It refuses to embrace one position while silencing the other voices. There’s one significant good news in Chapter 5 according to Williamson and O’Connor. The Community Voice chooses to preserve the community – with all the community’s diversity, opposing views, and different arguments – rather than force a theological conformity. Some verses in chapter 5 echoes the Daughter Zion’s petitions calling on God to look, to take notice. Other verses emphasize the Strong Man’s favourite word “disgrace” as well as the Funeral Singer’s appraisal of Jerusalem’s situation. It describes the physical violence the people experienced as well as the disruption of livelihood and families and the religious festivals that connect the people with God. It highlights the reward-punishment theology professed by all voices. By listening and giving credit to the different voices, Chapter 5 holds the community together. It offers a communal prayer of lament, a sense of space where everyone is welcome rather than choosing one stance that forces the other voices or other tribes or other religions or other groups to be left out. Everyone is welcome in the table of grace. Sounds like a normal family or a congregation or a community to me. Don’t you think? The lectionary group last Tuesday agrees that Chapter 5 embraces inclusivity and diversity. I like this observation. This is what I truly hope for in a pluralistic world where we live. Where people of different colours, beliefs, status and backgrounds can live together in harmony - where everyone is heard and no one is left out.
          And where is God in these tragic situations? Since God was not portrayed as being present in all 5 chapters of the book, one can only conclude that God’s silence is deafening and heartbreaking. Or that God had left the building! But, did God really leave? If God had left, why would the community turn toward God in a prayer of lament? Why would the community call on God to rescue them? Listen again to these verses: “But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations. Why have you forgotten us completely? Why have you forsaken us these many days? Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored; renew our days as of old -unless you have utterly rejected us, and are angry with us beyond measure.”
          There are two possible ways how we can interpret these verses. The first one gives us a positive conclusion. These verses reiterate the belief in God’s faithfulness to the people despite God’s silence or God’s long delay in responding. While in this prayer of lament, the poet expresses that God could have forgotten them, the people still expect, still hope for God to remember again. To go back to where they were before – to their covenantal relationship where both parties enjoyed a harmonious relationship as God and God’s people. The second interpretation is rather the opposite of the first one. This time, God who sits continually on the throne is doing nothing. That perhaps God had totally forgotten the people and that God will not come to their rescue because God has become too angry with them. Two meanings – two interpretations – two theologies – two choices – and yet, they are both part of the community voice. Just like us.
          As a community of faith, as individuals with unique lived experience, I encourage you to move outside the box and to listen to each other in mutual respect and love. We take inspiration from the words of Robert Williamson Jr. “The Community Voice holds all people together in prayer during a time of devastation. It doesn’t demand conformity. It doesn’t silence those calling for reconciliation and forgiveness. Nor does it correct those who shake their fists in angry protest. It recognizes that no single theology, no single perspective on suffering, can hold the pain of this traumatized community.” So did God leave the building? My answer is an overwhelming No! What’s yours? Amen.

Sources:
BCUC Lectionary Group
Kathleen O’Connor, Lamentations & the Tears of the World.
Robert Williamson Jr., The Forgotten Books of the Bible.
Alia Joy, Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack.

Prayers of the People & the Lord’s Prayer

Let us gather our hearts in prayer:

God, author of our lives, create for us a life that opens a path to new visions and vistas of compassion, understanding and knowledge. Make us a sanctuary of a just society through our acts and deeds. Continue to challenge us, to push us, to prod us to walk the talk. Broaden our thinking with new ideas. Enrich us with your spirit. Make us a community who embraces diversity and inclusion with mutual love and respect.

We pray that you would guide us on our journeys through this land of such abundance. Help us not to be seduced into thinking that material resources can ever make us happy or content. Help us as we see our neighbours’ success not to feel inadequate, deprived, or greedy. Help us rather to find our strength, our comfort, and our satisfaction in knowing whose we are and to make our lives living prayers. Provide us an inner serenity which exterior things can never bring.

God of grace and compassion we are always mindful of our tenuous hold on life and health and safe keeping. With those thoughts in mind we ask for your healing presence to those affected by ongoing health issues, for those recovering from illness, for those who are awaiting medical results or those needing comfort care. We pray for all health workers and caregivers attending to their needs. We continue to pray for those who are grieving. May healing love be with them in this time of sorrow. May we comfort those who have suffered deep losses in their lives and those who are troubled and distressed.

We also pray for those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and happy occasions. We pray for Ida Blackwell as she celebrates her 106th birthday next week. We pray for peace in our neighbourhood and wider communities. We pray for this church family, for its vitality and its mission to put love in action. Empower us to be the body of Christ in the world. Be with us as we meet and share the joys and concerns of this congregation. For the leaders in all sectors of the society, may they lead with wisdom and foresight to act with love and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve.

God of harmony and peace, we pray for our world where your reign of love is still calling each one for transformation; where people live in terror and death; where people suffer under the pangs of economic upheaval – where unemployment rises in its toll and people live in despair; where people ravaged by calamities and natural disasters, particularly those who are affected by the ongoing wildfires in BC and Manitoba, and those who seek daily survival. And we pray for ourselves that we may be sustained by the hope you have offered to us. May we walk courageously as people, not only of faith, but of hope. May we share your hope with the world in which we live.
God of life, God of love, God of all that we have and all that we are, we give you thanks.

Let us unite in this ancient prayer offered by Jesus to his friends:

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kin-dom come, thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kin-dom, the power and the glory,
Forever and ever, Amen.

Invitation to Offer

Even in difficult times we remember that God has done great things for us. We choose to live our lives in hope, counting on the goodness of God in every way. As a sign of our trust in God, we share our gifts of time, talents and treasures this morning, strengthening the ministry of this church. If you are not on PAR and wish to send in your offering and donations, you can drop them in the mailbox by the kitchen door of the church or mail them to BCUC. You can also send in your support through e-transfer. Thank you for your continued love and support to BCUC.

Offertory Prayer

We give you thanks, God of all ages, for your presence that cares for us.
Receive these gifts as symbols of our love to you as we continue to work for your
reign on earth. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Sending Forth

You have opened your hearts to God’s presence
in this time and in this place.
As you welcome another week,
may the lessons that you’ve learned today give life to you,
to others and to all creation.
Let God, in holy mystery, embrace you with goodness and love.
Live with hearts wide open in every place and time,
life calls you to be.
Go in peace. Amen.

Hymn: The Day You Gave Us, God, Is Ended - Voices United #437 BCUC trio

1 The day you gave us, God, is ended,
the sun is sinking in the west;
to you our morning hymns ascended,
your praise shall sanctify our rest.

2 We thank you that your church unsleeping,
while earth rolls onward into lights,
through all the world a watch is keeping,
and rests not now by day or night.

3 As o’er each continent and island,
the dawn leads on another day,
the voice of prayer is never silent,
nor dies the strain of praise away.

4 The sun that bids us rest is waking
your church beneath the western sky,
and hour by hour fresh lips are making
your wondrous doings heard on high.

5 So be it, God! Your throne shall never,
like earth’s proud empires, pass away;
your rule remains and grows forever
until there dawns that glorious day.

Departing Music: Let Us Love in Peace – (from the Beautiful Game) Abe : keyboards

Zoom Fellowship – 11 am

Sunday Worship Service - August 1, 2021