BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH

5th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY / STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY 3

February 6, 2022

Theme: Celebrate God’s Love by Living Generously

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: Shall We Gather at the River – Voices United #710

BCUC - recorded Sunday Jan 8th, 2017 Words & Music © 1864 Robert Lowry
Song # 84512 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.

Acknowledgement of Territory Rev. Lorrie Lowes

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 & Announcements Rev. Kim Vidal

Good day everyone! On behalf of BCUC, I welcome and greet you in the name of Jesus Christ on this 5th Sunday after Epiphany and the last Sunday of our Stewardship Campaign. Wherever you are we are glad that you have joined us today.

As we continue to be under pandemic restrictions, 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 including Sunday School resources for your children at bcuc.org to keep you informed and give you opportunities to respond.

Our sanctuary will reopen for in-person worship service starting Sunday, Feb 13 at 10 am. The Public Health recommends staying at home but if you wish to attend the service, you are more than welcome. As a faith community called to love and serve others, we highly recommend getting fully vaccinated as one of the best precautionary measures to protect yourself and others. Let us continue to be mindful of the health protocols such as masking, social distancing, hand sanitizing and staying home if you feel unwell. Take note too that our worship service continues to be offered via Youtube, by email and by telephone.

Stewardship Moment Ellen Boynton (Nominations)

Wow! It is almost two years since the pandemic forced the church to stop all the things we have enjoyed doing face to face with one another. And yet, amazingly, the work has continued! Who knew what Zoom was two years ago and now committees meet regularly by Zoom and it works well enough. We will be pleased when we can meet together once again but some work, just as in our daily work lives, will no doubt continue by Zoom. And we long for the day we can meet and have that cake Jordan promised Bill Johnson as a congregational thank you for his long years of faithful work with Finance.

This work I spoke about could not have been done without volunteers continuing in their roles doing committee work. Property continued to keep the building functioning and clean (Thank you Ross and Jean!). Worship/Christian Education Committee met monthly to plan worship services and CE activities as best they could. Pastoral and Spiritual Care provided support to shutins and those dealing with loneliness and health issues. SOSA reminded us of greater needs than our immediate concerns by keeping Outreach before us and doing so very capably. Look at all the community groups supported by our congregation! And then there is the Zambia Partnership Project which Lorrie reminds us has exceeded its goal without even having a specific fundraising activity! Ministry & Personnel supported staff through this time which kept us all feeling cared for. And all the other support committees continued doing what they needed to keep the church running smoothly.

Volunteers are priceless! We rely on all of you to provide leadership and support through the year. As we approach the Annual Meeting and Nominations for the coming year’s committees we need to know that you will share your talents and time to keep providing support. What is it that you like to do? How can we engage you to work together with others to build community and share fellowship and some fun as we do those jobs?

You will find the Time & Talent sheet as part of the recent Stewardship package that was distributed. We ask that you read it over carefully and offer what you can to help us. If you have questions about any of the described areas don’t hesitate to contact the church office and we will guide you to someone who can describe the job. Thank you for your support.

Word of Thanks Bill McGee (Stewardship Team)

Good morning. My name is Bill McGee from the Stewardship Committee. I speak to you on behalf of the committee of Bob Boynton, Bob and Barb Noyes, and Larry Ryan, assisted by our ministers, and the Office staff.

If you have returned your Stewardship forms already, we thank you.

If not, we encourage you to return the forms so that planning for the year's activities may be more complete. And it's never too late.

If you have not yet received your Stewardship 2022 material, there are copies in the Office, 820-8103. Thank you for your generous support of the mission of this Church.

Centering for Worship

Friends, as worship this day, may we offer our gratitude for all the gifts we received from a loving Creator. May we commit to respond to God’s call and share the Good News with others. Let us now gather in worship.

Lighting of the Christ Candle Acolytes: Ian & Ruth Howes

As we gather in worship, we light this Christ candle,
a symbol of God’s presence with us.
Like sunlight shining on snow covered earth,
Christ’s light brings peace and comfort to our weary and cold hearts.
Let this light be our guide to sustain and nurture us as followers of Jesus.

Call to Gather Rev. Lorrie Lowes

(Laura Turnbull, Gathering, ACE 2018-2019, Year C, Used with permission.)

Kindness calls with a gentle plea
to bring tenderness into all our encounters.
We have heard the call of Love, who whispers
an invitation to lay our nets down.
Patience calls softly,
nudging us to respect one another.
We have heard the call of the Teacher,
who calls us to be his disciples.
May the God of many names
grant us humility.
Let us worship in response to that call.

Prayer of Approach

(Barbara Johns, Gathering, ACE 2021-2022, Year C. Used with permission.)

Loving God, we yearn to be your faithful disciples.
We come with our fears, our secret thoughts, our hidden selves.
We ask for courage to embrace new beginnings in our lives.
Keep us close in your sacred covenant of grace and peace.
Help us share your gospel message of love and hope
As fishers of people who have answered Jesus’ call. Amen.

Hymn: Jesus You Have Come to the Lakeshore – Voices United #563 - Erin & flute

1.Jesus, you have come to the lakeshore
looking neither for wealthy nor wise ones.
You only asked me to follow humbly. R

Refrain
O Jesus, with your eyes you have searched me, and while smiling, have spoken my name; now my boat’s left on the shoreline behind me; by your side I will seek other seas.

2.You know so well my possessions;
my boat carries no gold and no weapons;
You will find there my nets and labour. R

3.You need my hands, full of caring,
through my labours to give others rest,
and constant love that keeps on loving. R

4.You, who have fished other oceans,
ever longed for by souls who are waiting,
my loving friend, as thus you call me. R

Words & Music © 1979 Cesáreo Gabaráin, harmony © 1987 Skinner Chávez-Melo
trans. ©1987 Gertrude Suppe, George Lockwood, Raquel Gutiérrez-Achon,
Song #6905 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.

Storytime Rev. Lorrie

Do you like to go fishing? It’s something we enjoy in our family for sure. Some of us fish once in a while, some try to get out as often as possible, and one even built his career on fishing! None of us, however, fish the way Simon and James and John were fishing that day when Jesus came by. We fish with a rod and reel and hope to be lucky enough to catch even one fish. We do it for fun. Sometimes we just catch a fish and take a picture before putting it back in the water again to swim away – and sometimes we hope to catch enough that we can have a fresh fish meal as a treat. These men in our story today did things much differently. They fished with nets and hoped to get enough to both feed their families and have enough left over to sell. It wasn’t a recreational activity. It was the way they provided for their families. It was their career.

Just like when we go fishing, though, they couldn’t be certain that they would catch a lot of fish on any given day. Some days were good, some days they caught just enough to feed themselves, and some days they didn’t catch anything at all. But they still went out every day and worked just as hard, not getting discouraged when the net came up empty.

The day we are reading about this morning was one of those days when they hadn’t caught a thing. They didn’t go home grumbling like I might on a day when the fish don’t want to bite though. They used the time to repair their nets and clean their boats and get ready for a better day tomorrow. I imagine them talking among each other about what went wrong today and thinking of ways to get better results the next day. Maybe they decided to try a different spot or maybe they just realized that the holes in their nets had to be repaired in order to hold any fish.

Jesus wasn’t a fisherman; he was a carpenter and a teacher. He was traveling the countryside teaching. It was hard work – a lot of walking and a lot of expectations from the people who gathered around him. This day, in particular, he was feeling surrounded and pushed by the big crowd. He was having a hard time finding a place to stand where he could talk to them all together. He needed some help – and these fishermen were able to row him out a little bit so that everyone on the shore would be able to see and hear him. Even though they had had a disappointing night of fishing and even though they were busy, they didn’t hesitate to help Jesus out.

Our story tells us that he thanked them by telling them to throw their nets out one more time and when they did, they were rewarded with the biggest catch imaginable – almost too many fish for their nets to hold! They were amazed!

Jesus didn’t just say, “You’re welcome!” and go on his way. He asked these men to join him, to leave their boats and their nets and their life behind and travel with him. I’m pretty sure that no one there that day would have expected Jesus to choose fishermen to be the ones he called to be his helpers in his ministry, especially those men themselves. They weren’t teachers or elders in the synagogue, they were just ordinary people. But Jesus saw in them exactly what he needed to help him. They were willing to work hard, they celebrated the days when they caught lots of fish and didn’t give up on the days that weren’t so good. No matter what, they kept on working hard because they knew that what they did was important to the whole community. They worked together as a team, ready to share the huge catch of fish with each other. And, they were happy to help out a stranger when needed.

Even though they weren’t religious leaders or teachers, even though they didn’t have a lot of school education, they had a lot of gifts to share – and Jesus said, “You are just the kind of people I need to help me teach the world how to live the way God wants us to!”

They were surprised by that and thought they weren’t important enough to do that kind of work. Sometimes we think that way too – that we are too small or too young or too busy to do the kind of work Jesus calls us to – but Jesus knows we all have important gifts to share with the world. The fishermen that Jesus met that day dropped what they were doing and followed him. I hope we can all be as brave as Simon and Andrew and John.

Let’s finish with a prayer:

God, you know us well – with all of our strengths and all of our faults.

Give us the hearts to hear when you are calling us, the confidence that we have just what you need to do your work, and the courage to follow where Jesus leads us. Amen.

Hymn: Jesus Saw them Fishing - More Voices #113 – Erin & CGS/Bell Canto

1.Jesus saw them fishing by the shore of Galilee,
casting out their nets into the sea.
Simon Peter, Andrew and the sons of Zebedee,
waiting in their boats so patiently. R

Refrain
And Jesus said, “Oh, come and follow me.
Oh, leave behind your nets, I call you.
Oh, come and fish with me,
and your life will never be the same again.”

3.“If you want to follow me, deny your very self.
Take up your cross and walk the walk with me.
This might seem a hardship, an impossibility,
but nothing is impossible with God.” R

2.A rich young person came to Jesus looking for advice,
“How can I obtain eternal life?” Jesus told him,
“Honour the commandments of the Lord.
Then sell off all your riches for the poor.” R

Prayer for Illumination Reader: Cathy Dowsett

Holy One, speak to us today through these ancient stories.
Make them come alive for us so that we can meet you afresh
and hear your call anew. Amen.

The Gospel Reading: Luke 5: 1-11 (NRSV) Jesus Calls the First Disciples

5 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

May the Light of Christ dwell where the Word is spoken. Thanks be to God!

Anthem: River in Judea BCUC Choir – Sunday Jan 10, 2016

Oftentimes I dream of music,
Of the river that freely flows.
And it sings a song sweeter than honey,
One everybody knows.
Late at night, I hear it singing.
Then again when I wake at dawn.
And it fills me up with hope and goodwill,
The will to go on,
Go on.

(Chorus)
There is a river in Judea
That I heard of long ago.
And it's a singing, ringing river
That my soul cries out
To know.

I believe it keeps on trav'lin'
But it rests on the Sabbath day.
And the time when it pauses in stillness,
I almost hear it pray.
When I'm weary and downhearted,
How I long for the song it sings,
For the calm within its gentle blue,
The peace that it brings, it brings.
(Chorus)

May the time not be too distant
When we meet by the river (meet by the) shore.
'Til then dream of that wonderful day
As we sing once more, once more:
(Chorus) Hallelujah!!!

Words & Music © Feldman, Marcus Arr © Leavitt
Song # 53272 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved.

Sermon: “Deep Waters” Rev. Kim

Even though I grew up near the South China Sea in the Philippines, it was only in 1999, when I was 5 months pregnant with Justin, that my very first serious fishing experience happened in Smiths Falls. I remembered too well that it was a day in late spring and we went on a fishing picnic with families and friends. We all showed up in fishing gears – lines, hooks, worms, sinkers. Some members of my family were good at fishing and I listened to their tales of past fishing stories of big ones caught that ended up being laminated and displayed on the wall or those fish that ended up in barbecue or on the frying pan. I joined in as we baited our hooks with earthworms and unwound our fishing lines into the deep part of the water. Then we sat and waited. All of a sudden, something heavy pulled my line. "I think I have a bite." I said proudly. And lo and behold I reeled in a pretty good size hungry trout. My first prize fish but I could not bear to laminate it nor cook it so I took it off the hook and release it back into the lake where it belongs! One of my sisters commented I was lucky to have caught such a fish and that my luck was due to my pregnancy! Very funny! That particular fishing experience I had plus the daily witnessing of fishermen in the village where I grew up made it easier for me to appreciate the fishing story that is presented in today’s passage in Luke. But what is intriguing for me in this story is the fact that the fishermen have to leave their fishing career when Jesus called to them with an invitation to follow him.

Our lives are filled with all sorts of calls from all kinds of sources and voices. Some of us struggle to hear our call; we don't see clearly what we are supposed to be doing in the world. Others are bombarded by information, invitations and constant activity that they wonder if they will ever hear a clear call to understand the purpose of their lives. My call to ministry started at home. I was baptized in the Methodist church when I was almost 1 year old but it was not until I was 6 years old that I learned about the Bible and Jesus. It was my maternal grandmother, a converted Baptist from Roman Catholic faith who brought me and my siblings to a Baptist church in the village where we lived. My grandmother said – ‘let’s go and learn about God in this church. It is good for the soul!” There, I learned the many stories in the Bible and became fascinated with the stories of Jesus. But it was only in 1990 when I truly responded to that call to becoming a minister. It took me many years of discernment until I finally said yes to God’s call. Had not my grandmother brought me to church when I was in my formative years, I might not be able to learn about the Christian faith and responded to my call to ministry.

In today’s gospel story, we see Jesus right up against the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, also known as Lake Tiberias or Sea of Galilee. Jesus was not alone. Like a charismatic celebrity, he was being followed by a crowd who were hungry to hear a word from him. Nearby were some tired fishermen cleaning their nets, among them, Simon and his partners, James and John, who have been out all night and haven't caught a single fish. You can feel their frustration and wearied bodies when their only means of feeding their families has given them nothing that day. Jesus asks Simon, if he could use his boat as a speaking platform and taught the people. Luke did not record a single word from Jesus’ sermon that day. But I think that the sermon was not the main focus of this story. The focus happens after his teaching moment. Jesus saw and felt the desperation among the fishermen who caught nothing. Here is Jesus - someone who is not a fisherman asking Simon, the veteran fisherman, to put his boat out into the deep water and let down his net for a catch.

“Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” What does this statement mean for us today? If we think of our individual and communal lives as this water, we can find many ways to interpret this text. I know that shallow waters are safer to tread than the deep waters. Shallow waters are comfort zones where we can put our feet on the ground and keep our heads above water where we can see the shore. The deep waters make us fear the unknown. We can’t touch the bottom and it scares us. If you don’t know how to swim, it would be hard to stay afloat. There might also be creatures under the water that might harm or fascinate us. Deep waters scare some of us including me but Jesus tells Simon and us something significant about our life in faith. “Simon, go to the deep water. Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Something amazing awaits you deep down.”

Simon at first was reluctant to listen to Jesus’ suggestion. “We have worked all night long but have caught nothing…” which I interpret as: Sir – We know these waters more than you do! This is the place of our livelihood! Who are you to tell us what to do? I hear Moses saying the same thing – “Lord, I lived in Egypt for so many years and I know the likes of Pharaoh. I have a speech impediment. I cannot do what you are asking me to do and will not face Pharaoh.” Or Jeremiah – “O Lord, I know the people of Israel and how they look down on young ones like me. Who would listen to me?” Or Isaiah – “The whole community knows me as someone who uses foul language. I am a man of unclean lips. I am not worthy to be your prophet.” Do you sometimes hear yourself like Simon? Do you sometimes doubt what others say would be a wonderful opportunity even before trying it for yourself? Do you hear yourself saying – “I don’t think it will work!” Or “ I doubt it!” or “ That is impossible!”. But Simon gave Jesus the benefit of the doubt. “Sir, If you say so, I will let down the nets.” Perhaps Simon thought to himself– “OK Mr. Jesus, let me see if your hunch is correct.”

Simon put his net down the deep water and the most amazing thing happened. Simon caught so many fish that the other fishermen have to come out and help, and the boats start to sink from the enormous, abundant catch! This moment of net-breaking, boat-sinking grace sends Simon to his knees. This is such a dramatic moment in the story that Simon's name actually changes right in the middle of it – suddenly he became Simon Peter, and this new man is completely transformed. He is awestruck, as we hear him say, “Go away from me Lord for I am sinful!” Jesus responds with words of assurance: "Do not be afraid."

Do not be afraid. Whatever is troubling you – whatever sense of mistrust that you possess, whatever storm that comes your way, do not be afraid. Just trust. Have faith that you can do it and all will be well. The words “Do not be afraid” reassure us, as they have reassured Simon Peter. "Do not be afraid, Simon" Jesus says. "From now on, you're going to be fishing not for fish but for people." I know some of us might not be comfortable with this statement from Jesus. Our imagination might bring us to a literal interpretation of catching people with a net – like entrapped fish losing their freedom to live. Others think that this story is about converting people to the Christian faith which others think pertains to evangelism. They think it’s a way of baiting or luring people to come to church and convert them to Christ. If we translate the word evangelism in its true meaning however, evangelism isn't about convincing others of a certain truth or getting people to accept a set of doctrines or beliefs, but instead, it is the practice of sharing and living the Good News that has transformed our lives with such grace and power that we can't help but share the story.

Every day we are confronted with deep waters in our lives as if we are drowning and dying. There is the deep waters of illness, of grief, of depression, and uncertainty. There is the deep waters of violence, poverty, homelessness and broken relationships. We do not want to stay there in that dark unknown abyss. Fear sets in and we are lost. When we are in that situation, we forget that there is light at the end of the tunnel. When our nets come up empty, we feel that we are at the end of the rope and we easily get discouraged thinking that there’s no hope for us. As Jesus calls Simon to let his nets down in the deep water, Jesus calls us to do the same. Because in that deep water, abundant grace awaits us. All we need to do is respond and act.

That day, Simon Peter, James and John walked away from their boats, their sources of livelihood and security. They left everything to follow Jesus. They became instruments of good news. Fish weren’t the only catch of the day; the crowd, Simon Peter, James and John were hooked, captivated, called. And that’s what miracles are meant to do: they meet us at our point of need, but they do not leave us there. They call us to move from being recipients to being participants, to share in the ways that God pours out Godself for the life of the community and the healing of the world.

We are a faith community that is welcoming and inclusive. This statement is not just a shallow affirmation of who we are as God’s people. It means we need to do something about our faith – not just recipients of God’s abundant grace but also participants in making a difference in the community and in the world. God’s call to us today is to explore the deep waters of our faith. On this last Sunday of our Stewardship Campaign, how are we responding to this story of Good News? The deep waters are full of abundance that God calls us to explore, discover, and to act out our faith. The deep waters are the endless possibilities awaiting us, challenging us to take risks, even when it means letting down our nets over and over again in the same waters. I believe that God promises us a bountiful catch of fish beyond our imagining that would make us kneel in awe and in thanksgiving.

Today, we are called forth to these words of invitation: "Come and follow, not because you must, but because you may. Come and follow, not to show that you are good, but that you stand in need of God's amazing grace.” Amen.

Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer Rev. Kim

Holy One, source of love and compassion, like the first disciples called by Jesus to be fishers of people, you call us where we are as your followers. You call us to be good stewards entrusted with gifts of your abundance so we can share these gifts with others. You have given us the ability to make incredible things happen. Remind us again to listen to your call, to experience your holy presence as we tread the deep waters in life. Help us to see You in the moment-by-moment possibilities - to live honestly, to act courageously, and to speak from the wisdom of our hearts.

Strengthen us in our calling. Where there is injustice, help us to offer healing and reconciliation. Where there is poverty, help us to reach out. Where there is grief, help us to give comfort. Where there is hopelessness, help us to bring hope. Where there is hunger, help us to provide. Where there is violence, help us to be advocates of truth and peace.

God of healing and comfort, you have called us to give a word of encouragement to those overcome with illness and grief and to those who face diverse trials in life. Through us, touch them with your healing love. Through our prayers, embrace them in your gentle love. May your blessings and healing touch be upon them and all those who have opened their hearts to pray for them. We continue to pray for our essential and health workers, for our leaders, as they continue to work hard in this pandemic time. We also pray for those families and individuals affected by the COVID pandemic, particularly those grieving the death of loved ones here and around the world.

Compassionate God, call us to speak to the hearts of people in many places. May your light shine for those who are full of fear; for those who experience conflict, prejudice, hatred, persecution, and poverty. Through the warmth of your light may they sense justice, feel your love, and know peace.

May we follow Jesus as our leader. Speak to us, Spirit of Grace: of that hope which is our anchor; of that peace which is our rock; of that grace which is our refuge. Remind us to touch the lives of others by offering a kind word, a helping hand, a listening heart and a welcoming touch. All these we ask in Jesus’ name who calls us from where we are and taught us this prayer we now recite together…

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 Rev. Lorrie

Just as he called those fishermen so long ago, Jesus calls us to share our blessings today.

I now invite you to offer your gifts of time, talents and resources as expressions of your gratitude to God’s blessings. 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

(Bill Steadman, Gathering ACE 2009-2010, Year C. Used with Permission)

We give these gifts, God, knowing that all that we have is a gift from you. Your creative wonder surrounds us every day, and the bounties of your world enable us to share what we have received. As we give thanks for what we have, encourage us to share these gifts for the care and service of others. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sending Forth Rev. Kim Vidal

(Beth W Johnston, Gathering, ACE 2018-2019, Year C. Used with permission)

Beloved of God, followers of Jesus,
go into the world in which we live and heed
Jesus’ call to follow your heart, not your fears.
Go and bless the world with your imagination.
Transform it with your courage
and enliven it with your compassion.
May the love of God, the peace of Christ and the
Indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit be with you all
today and always, Amen.

Hymn: Lord, You Give the Great Commission - Voices United #512 - BCUC Jan 2018

1 Lord, you give the great commission:
"Heal the sick and preach the word."
Lest the church neglect its mission
and the gospel go unheard,
help us witness to your purpose
with renewed integrity:
with the Spirit's gifts empow'r us
for the work of ministry.

2 Lord, you call us to your service:
"In my name baptize and teach."
That the world may trust your promise,
life abundant meant for each,
give us all new fervour, draw us
closer in community:
with the Spirit's gifts empow'r us
for the work of ministry.

5 Lord, you bless with words assuring:
"I am with you to the end."
Faith and hope and love restoring,
may we serve as you intend,
and, amid the cares that claim us,
hold in mind eternity:
with the Spirit's gifts empow'r us
for the work of ministry.

Departing Music: Allegro – Rinuk (with a surprise) Abe:organ recorded Jan 8th, 2017

Join us for Zoom Fellowship at 11:00 am

Sunday Worship Service - February 6, 2022