BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH
CAMPING & CHRISTIAN EDUCATION SUNDAY
Theme: “Friends Forever in God’s Love”
June 13, 2021
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
CLANG CLANG CLANG “Good morning campers! Rise and Shine you sleepy heads!”
“Time to get out there and do our morning exercises!”
“I wanna see ya touch the ground and reach for the sky!”
Morning Stretches Music: Like A Rock - More Voices #92 Music Team & CGS
Like a rock, like a rock, God is under our feet.
Like the starry night sky, God is over our head.
Like the sun on the horizon, God is ever before.
Like the river runs to ocean, our home is in God evermore.
Words © 1998 Keri Wehlander, Music © 1999 Linnea Good Borealis Music www.LinneaGood.com
Song#97534 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.
Welcome & Greeting Rev. Kim Vidal
Good morning! Welcome to our Camping Sunday in the name of Jesus Christ, as we celebrate the ministry of Christian Education at BCUC! Camping is one of the largest youth and children’s programs in the United Church that develops confidence and leadership skills among our young ones. For those of you who are avid campers, we know that camping builds up friendships in many forms and fosters relationships with one another, with creation, and with God. I invite you to participate in today’s service as a time to reflect and renew our enthusiasm in the rich traditions that nourish us, as well as in new and exciting ways that inspire and encourage us. Today’s service is a re-enactment of a one-day camping filled with songs, activities and moments of reflection. So, RISE, SHINE and join in the fun!
Please join me as we recite together this ancient Sanskit poem attributed to the Hindu poet Kalidasa as we enter this time of gathering:
Listen to the Salutation of the Dawn:
Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life,
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence:
The bliss of growth,
The glory of action,
The splendor of beauty,
For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow only a vision,
But today well lived makes every yesterday
a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!
Such is the salutation of the dawn.
Lighting the Christ Candle Acolytes: Wightman family
As we light this candle, we are reminded of the flame in each of us;
a fire of passion to be shared with the world.
Through Jesus, the physical reminder of God on Earth,
we feel the power and love inside ourselves.
With this invitation we are welcome; safe and ready to shine.
© 2016 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution
Non-commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd) Licence.
Hymn: This Little Light of Mine (Traditional) soloist: Sheryll Highstead
This little light if mine, I’m gonna let it shine (3X)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel, no! I’m gonna let it shine (3X)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine (3X)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
This little light if mine, I’m gonna let it shine (3X)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
Traditional Spiritual
Song #84048 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Gathering Circle:[1] Noah & Nicholas
One: Shhh, did you notice that?
Two: People are talking, whispering, laughing…
One: That too, but more…
Two: There’s the hum of electricity, the speakers, instruments ready to break out into song.
One: That too, but more… a vibration.
Two: Hey, do you feel that?
One: I feel a bit chilly, I feel thirsty…
Two: That too, but more…
One: I feel a bit nervous in front of all these people…
Two: That too, but more… a presence!
Both: God is here!
One: That’s it! God is here!
Two: That’s it! God, the vibration, presence, in us, through us, around us, God is here!
Both: Let’s celebrate!
Gathering: More Voices #26 Your Love is Amazing BCUC music team
1. Your love is amazing, steady and unchanging,
your love is a mountain, firm beneath my feet.
Your love is a myst’ry, how you gently lift me.
When I am surrounded your love carries me.
Refrain
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Your love makes me sing. (2X)
2. Your love is surprising, I can feel it rising,
all the joy that’s growing deep inside of me.
Ev’ry time I see you all your goodness shines through.
I can feel this God song rising up in me. Refrain
3. Repeat verse 1 and refrain
Hallelujah!
Words and Music; Brenton Brown and Brian Doerksen © 2000 Vineyard songs
Song #5b057fdf9f6f6 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Sharing a Camp Memory Raven Miller
Gathering: I’ve Got the Joy BCUC Music Team
1. I've got the joy (joy), joy (joy), joy (joy)! (3x)
Refrain
Down in my heart (clap, clap)
Down in my heart (clap, clap)
Down in my heart to stay,
Down in my heart to repeat
stay.
2. I've got the love… (3x)
Refrain
3. I've got the light… (3x)
Refrain
4. I've got the joy! (3x)
Words traditional, Arranged and Music; Amy Grant
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Let’s Do Craft with Erin:
Welcome, come on in! Welcome to the craft room!
Today we’re going to make a stick friend! Or maybe if you want a fine-motor challenge, you’ll want to try making a tiny worry doll!
While you’re at camp your stick friend might be a friend to talk to if you’re feeling homesick. It’s something to take back home with you to remind you of your camp family! The most important thing you’re going to need is your stick! So, if you have brought you’re stick found on the ground, that’s great, or you may find something inside your craft space like craft sticks, or if you want to make something very small, toothpicks. The other thing you’re going to need is things to wrap around the stick.
As you can see from my example, I’ve used yarn and lace. You might have fabric pieces, pipe cleaners or felt… anything you have around that you could use to decorate by wrapping around the sticks. Permanent markers, googly eyes, and glue might be other helpful tools to have around.
So, I’ll show you how I made my stick person; I’ve got another one here to make a friend. What I’ve done is used a marker to drawn on a face and I’ve used a pipe cleaner to make some arms. I think this time I’ll start with some fabric. So I’ve got some fabric strips here and I’ll start by wrapping it around the stick. I’m not gluing it on - I’m going to keep it simple and just wrap the fabric around to hold it in place.
I think I want a little bit more. I’ll just keep wrapping, covering over where the last piece ended to hold it in place. Now I’ll change it up and grab some yarn, and use that. Again, I’m not glueing it, I’m just going to wrap it over the place where the fabric ended and just keep wrapping down the stick. I might want to add some legs with another pipe cleaner or just leave it. I can just cut the yarn and wrap it around itself and tie a knot; no need for glue.
Alright, I think now I want to add a hat. I’ve got a little piece of felt here that I can put on top and a little loop of thread to put around and tighten it up. Ta-da! A nice partner for my first stick buddy!
If you want to make something very small, what I’ve done here is used toothpicks broken up into smaller pieces. Put 2 of them together for the legs, and a third in the middle for the body and I would start wrapping in the middle, using something like embroidery floss. Wrap around to attach the body and the leg pieces, then perhaps changing colours, and you go up to wrap around the sticks for the arms. So that is what I did. Then you can add hair or other details with little pieces of floss that I glued on.
I can’t wait to see what you’ve made! I hope you’ll share them with all of us at church so we can enjoy your cool creations!
Song: Shout for God - Voices United #246
1
Shout for God (Shout for God!)
Make a happy sound!
(Make a happy sound!)
Clap for God! (Clap for God!)
God is all around! (God is all around!)
2
Hush for God! (Hush for God!)
Let the quiet sing. (Let the quiet sing.)
Wait for God. (Wait for God.)
Deepest feelings bring.
(Deepest feelings bring.)
3
Sing for God! (Sing for God!)
Sing a pleasant song.
(Sing a pleasant song.)
Work for God. (Work for God.)
Good replaces wrong.
(Good replaces wrong.)
4
Praise our God! (Praise our God!)
Care for all God’s friends!
(Care for all God’s friends!)
Love our God! (Love our God!)
God’s love never ends!
(God’s love never ends!)
Words © 1984 Walter Farquharson, Music © 1985 Ron Klusmeier, Hope Publishing Co.
Song #80462 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.
Nature Walk / Turkey Hunt with Abe
Slap your knees like you’re marching and repeat after me:
We’re goin’ on a turkey hunt (We’re goin’ on a turkey hunt)
We’re gonna catch a big one (We’re gonna catch a big one)
I’m not afraid (I’m not afraid)
I’ve got my camera (and binoculars) …
Hymn: “I’m Gonna Shout, Shout” – More Voices #183
I’m gonna shout, shout, shout out my love for Jesus, for Jesus!
I’m gonna shout, shout, shout out my love for God’s most holy child!
For whatever I might do today, at home, at school, at work, at play,
I’ve got Jesus’ love deep down inside of me!
I’m gonna raise, raise, raise up my hands for Jesus, for Jesus!
I’m gonna raise, raise, raise up my hands for God’s most holy child!
For whatever I might do today, at home, at school, at work, at play,
I’ve got Jesus’ love deep down inside of me!
I’m gonna dance, dance, dance all around for Jesus, for Jesus!
I’m gonna dance, dance, dance all around for God’s most holy child!
For whatever I might do today, at home, at school, at work, at play,
I’ve got Jesus’ love deep down inside of me!
Words & Music © 1998 Bruce Harding www.evensong.ca
Song # 121969 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Writing Camping Prayers Kim
I am so glad we’re having this Camping Sunday! You see, I love camping and I have many camping memories growing up as a child and as a teenager. Camping is a great way to re-connect with each other through a shared experience. Sharing the same tent, or a Recreational Vehicle, or a cabin has a way of uniting and strengthening friendships and family bonds.
Having activities together like hiking, eating, biking, orienteering, exploring nature, worshipping together or campfire events make camping so much fun and a relaxing activity. Camping helps us to get away from the stresses of work, school, and technology and to focus on relationships and connections and our faith as well.
One of the things I really love about camping is the spiritual component that takes place before mealtimes, at the beginning of the day and before bedtime. I’m sure you must have heard of this famous line: “A family that prays together, stays forever!” or “Friends that pray together remain connected forever!” Camping for sure, glues us together like a family. We become siblings and bosom friends.
Do you remember those songs or prayers that we sing or rap before we eat together?
I remember singing Johnny Appleseed or the Superman Grace or what about the famous God is Great and God is good “repeat after me” grace with some “we will rock you” tapping and clapping? It goes like this and I’d like you to repeat after me:
“God is great… God is good…
And we thank God…for this food…
By God’s grace…must all be fed…
Give us God…our daily bread… Ah-men…”
Today, we will write our own version of this grace.
I wrote mine and here’s what I came up with:
God is awesome, God is fun.
And we thank God for hotdogs and buns.
By God’s love, must all be nourished.
Thank you God for our food to eat. Amen.
Here’s what I’d like you to do. Write your own version of this prayer by simply filling in the blanks. Don’t worry if your words don’t rhyme. The important thing is - you have put together your thoughts and what you’d like to pray for. Remember to have fun!
Try writing it yourself!
God is ______, God is _______.
And we thank God for _______.
By God’s _____ must all be ______.
_______ God _________. Amen.
The other prayer that is close to my heart is the famous Psalm 23rd. In my camping days as a youth in the Philippines, we always close the day by reciting Psalm 23rd followed by the singing of “taps”. This Psalm talks about God as our Shepherd. I’ll read to you this Psalm taken from the NRSV of the Bible. Join me in reciting it if you wish:
Praying Psalm 23 – The Lord Is My Shepherd (NRSV)
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
Now I challenge you to write your own version of this Psalm. I know it might be a bit difficult for some of you but if you do this activity as a family, or with someone you might be surprised how you can come up with a beautiful version of this timeless Psalm.
A few nights ago, I wrote my own version of this Psalm and this will be our closing prayer.
Let us pray:
Kim’s Version of Psalm 23:
God is my Wise Teacher;
all my learnings will be met.
God gives me knowledge and wisdom,
and encourages me to act out my faith,
that heals and transforms the world.
God journeys with me in search for truth.
Sometimes I fail and stumble and walk through difficult challenges,
but I will not be discouraged, for I know a better tomorrow will come.
God’s resilience will be my inspiration. God’s faithfulness, my strength.
God will not give up on me, even in my moments of doubting and searching.
God’s Spirit empowers me – I am richly blessed beyond measure.
Intelligence, perception, insight, and understanding
shall follow me each day of my life.
And I will find enlightenment with my Wise Teacher forever. Amen.
Lighting the Campfire:
Fire’s burning, fire’s burning!
Draw nearer, draw nearer!
In the gloaming, in the gloaming,
Come sing and be merry.
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Hymn: It Only Takes a Spark (Pass it On) - Voices United #289
1. It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
and soon all those around
can warm up in its glowing:
That’s how it is with God’s love,
once you’ve experienced it:
you spread God’s love to everyone,
you want to pass it on.
2. What a wondrous time is spring
When all the trees are budding,
The birds begin to sing,
The flowers start their blooming;
That’s how it is with God’s love,
Once you’ve experienced it:
You want to sing,
It’s fresh like spring,
You want to pass it on.
3. I wish for you, my friend,
this happiness that I’ve found
on God you can depend,
it matters not where you’re bound;
I’ll shout it from the mountain top;
I want my world to know:
The Lord of love has come to me,
I want to pass it on.
Words & Music © 1969 Kurt Kaiser Song # lca-2013-03,
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Learning Songs with Erin: Jesus Loves Me Rock
Jesus loves me this I know
for the Bible tells me so,
little ones to him belong
in his love they will grow strong.
Singing
Na na na na na na na na na Whoo!
Na na na na na na na na na (2X)
Sing about his love,
His love is what we sing about
Sing about his love,
His love is what we sing. (repeat)
Singing
Na na na na na na na na na Whoo!
Na na na na na na na na na (2X)
Yes, Jesus loves me (clap, clap)
(2X)
Yes, Jesus loves me,
the Bible tells me so
Jesus loves me when I'm good,
when I do the things I should.
Jesus loves me when I'm bad,
even though it makes him sad.
Singing
Na na na na na na na na na Whoo!
Na na na na na na na na na (2X)
Sing about his love,
His love is what we sing about
Sing about his love,
His love is what we sing. (repeat)
Singing
Na na na na na na na na na Whoo!
Na na na na na na na na na (2X)
Yes, Jesus loves me (clap, clap)
(2X)
Yes, Jesus loves me,
the Bible tells me so
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Love Round
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and
all your soul, and all your mind, and
love all humankind as you would love yourself
Love…… The Lord your God….. With all your Heart…..
And all your soul and mind and love all humankind.
We’ve got Christian lives to live, We’ve got Jesus love to give,
We’re got nothing to hide because in God we abide.
Love.
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Storytime with Lorrie
As a child, I loved going to camp and I really liked the evening tradition of campfire with its songs and skits and stories. It was a special time with friends, old and new, a sort of celebration of all the great things we had done together during the day. I wish we could all be together today to do something like that, but since that’s not possible, we’ll do our best to recreate that experience virtually today.
This is the day we would traditionally celebrate the end of our regular Sunday School and Youth programs for the summer. It’s a time to thank all of the people who helped out and we’d celebrate our successes. Most of all we’d celebrate all of the kids in our church family. We want you to know how important you are to all of us. I hope you know just how much life you add to the life of our church – the learning and the work we do in our mission to make the world a better place. You are our inspiration, and our hope for the future. You may think your voices are small, but you carry more weight than you know.
Let me tell you a story. Imagine that we are sitting around a campfire. This is a traditional tale from the book “One Hundred Wisdom Stories From Around the World” by Margaret Silf, and it’s called “How Much Does a Snowflake Weigh?”
It was deep winter and the snow was falling steadily upon the hillside.
A tiny mouse crept out of its hole for a little break in its long winter sleep. Drowsily, the little mouse looked around and twitched its whiskers, and would have gone back to sleep inside its hole, had not a tiny voice echoed from somewhere out there in the white winter world: “Hello, little mouse. Can’t you sleep?”
The mouse looked around and caught sight of a tiny bird sitting shivering on a bare branch just overhead. “Hello Jenny Wren,” said the mouse, pleased to find some company on this bleak day. “I just came up for a bit of air before I go back to sleep for the rest of the winter.”
But it was so good to find company that, for a while, the mouse and the wren sat there together, huddled beneath the lowest branches of a pine tree, watching the snow falling and enjoying a little congenial conversation.
“So, how much do you think a snowflake weighs?” the mouse asked the wren suddenly.
“A snowflake weighs almost nothing,” the wren replied. “A snowflake is so insignificant, it carries almost no weight at all. How could you possibly weigh a snowflake?”
“Oh, I disagree,” said the mouse. “In fact, I can tell you that last winter, around this time, I woke up from my winter dreaming and came out here for a breath of fresh air, and because I had no companions and nothing better to do, I sat here, counting the snowflakes as they fell. I watched them settling on these branches and covering the pine needles with a blanket of whiteness. I got as far as two million, four hundred and ninety-two thousand, three hundred and fifty-nine. And then – when the very next snowflake fell and settled on the branch – the branch dropped right down to the ground and all the snow slid off it! So, you see, just that one last snowflake weighed enough to make the branch sink down and all the snow slide off. So a snowflake does weigh something. It does make a difference!”
The wren, who was only a tiny little bird herself and didn’t think she had much influence on the great big world around her, pondered for a long time over the mouse’s story. “Perhaps,” she thought to herself, “it really is true that just one little voice can make a difference.”
Let’s finish with a little prayer:
Thank you, God, For my voice, no matter how small it may seem,
And thank you for the people in my church family who know that
I have important things to say. Amen.
Roll Over the Ocean
1. It's me, it's me, it's me who builds community (3x)
It's me who builds community (clap, clap, clap)
2. It's you... 3. It's love... 4. It's Christ...
Chorus
Roll over the ocean, roll over the sea,
Roll over the ocean in the deep blue sea (Hey!)
Roll over the ocean, roll over the sea,
Go and do your part and build community.
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Sung Lord’s Prayer: Erin leading
Our Father, (Our Father)
Who art in heaven, (Who art in heaven),
Hallowed be thy name, (Hallowed be thy name),
Thy kin-dom come, (Thy kin-dom come),
Thy will be done, (Thy will be done),
On Earth as it is in heaven, (On Earth as it is in heaven).
Give us this day our daily bread, (Give us this day our daily bread),
And forgive us all our trespasses, (And forgive us all our trespasses),
As we forgive those who trespass against us, (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, (For thine is the kin-dom),
The power and the glory, (The power and the glory),
Forever and ever, (Forever and ever),
Ah-ah-men, (Ah-ah-men)
Ah-Ah-men
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Offering Invitation Lorrie
Jesus said, “Bring the little children to me.” We know that he understood the importance of nurturing them as they grow, and we are all called to offer that same love and support to the children and youth of the world today. One small way we do this is to offer our gifts of time, talent, and resources so that the ministry of this church can help to build the kind of community that makes this possible. If you are not on PAR and wish to send in your offerings and donations, you can drop them in the mail slot by the kitchen door of the church, mail them to BCUC, or donate by e-transfer. As always, we thank you for your continued love and support to the work of Bells Corners United Church.
Offertory Prayer
Creator God, On this day we celebrate the children and youth in our church family;
We celebrate all those who love them, nurture them, and help them grow as your people in the world. Bless our offerings of time, talents and treasures that they may be used to ensure that all of your children, young and old feel the joy, support, and love they need to enjoy life to the fullest. In the name of the one who reminds us of the important role of children in our faith journey, we pray. Amen.
Sending Forth Kim Susumcamp.org – Worship Ideas for Sunday Camping Service
Now may God, who brought you here,
tune up your ears for hearing,
open your eyes for seeing,
clear your sinuses for smelling,
cleanse your palate for tasting,
and open your mind for imagining.
The living God calls you to live “radically different”
each day of your lives. Amen!
Taps
Day is done, gone the sun
From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky
All is well, safely rest God is nigh.
Departing Music: Praise the Mother, Praise the Father Too
Praise the Mother praise the Father too
Praise the Lord of all and the source of you
Praise the River ever flowing through
To the ocean of who we are.
repeat
Hey ma-ma hey-ya,
um-bay, um-bay (4X)
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“Alright guys, Lights out, time to go to sleep!”
Zoom Fellowship – 11 am
[1] Jen Fletcher-Power, All in the Same Boat Camping Sunday, UCC Website.