BELLS CORNERS UNITED CHURCH
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
March 13, 2022
Lenten 2022 Theme: “The Way of Being”
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: When Peace Like A River
BCUC Choir Mar 2021
In loving memory of Young Hoon Kim (Kim Family)
1 When peace like a river attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well with my soul."
Refrain:
It is well with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.
2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And has shed His own blood for my soul. R
3 O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall
be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend; even so, it is well with my soul. R
Words: Horatio Spafford, 1865, Music: Philip Bliss, Arr. © 1985 Dale Grotenhuis
Song # 97950 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Welcome & Centering for Worship
Rev. Kim Vidal
Good day everyone! My name is Rev. Kim Vidal and on behalf of BCUC, I welcome and greet you in the name of Jesus Christ on this Second Sunday in Lent. We are glad that you have joined us today.
We have reopened the sanctuary for in-person worship service at 10 am. 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 and still being mindful of the health protocols like masking, social distancing, hand sanitizing and staying home if you feel unwell. Please take note that our Sunday worship service continues to be offered via Youtube, by email and by telephone.
A friendly reminder to 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. Please take note of the many opportunities to participate and offer your support to the various Lenten initiatives: the Lenten SOSA appeal to support FAMSAC; Hymn-Sing and Memorial Flowers to remember your loved ones. Details are posted in the announcements.
Friends, in this season of Lent, we know what God desires of us:
That we do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
We gather this morning to remind each other about that,
To remember that now is always the right time to do these things.
So with thanks in our hearts, let us worship God.
Lighting of the Christ Candle
Acolytes: Wendy Morrell & Dan Lanoue
We give thanks for the light of Christ,
our guide in this season of Lent.
As we light this candle,
may it remind us of our hope in Jesus Christ,
to teach us again how to love,
how to break down walls and to build bridges.
May this light enflame our hearts with God’s love.
Sung Response: Don’t Be Afraid - More Voices #90
Susan Feb 2021
Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger, my love is stronger than your fear.
Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger and I have promised, promised to be always near.
Words © 1995 John Bell & Graham Maule; Music © 1995 John Bell, IONA GIA Pub
Song # 98424 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
*Call to Gather (Responsively)
Rev. Lorrie Lowes
(Jim McKean, Gathering, Lent/Easter 2022. Used with permission.)
God calls us each and every moment of the day.
God calls us through the tears of sadness.
God calls us through the tears of joy.
God calls.
How we acknowledge this call is up to us.
Our choice to gather to worship is one way we accept God’s call.
Come, then, let us gather in worship.
Prayer of Confession (In Unison)
Rev. Lorrie
(Christine Leblanc, Gathering, LE 2022. Used with permission)
Let us offer to God our prayer of confession. Together, let us pray:
Our God is a God of love. All goodness.
An ever-present Presence in our lives who guides and directs us.
We take a moment to reflect upon our lives, knowing that God holds tenderly all that causes broken relationships in our lives.
Our shortcomings.
The moments we did not act out of love toward others or ourselves.
The times when we were hurt by the actions of others.
A Moment of Silence
Our God is a God of love.
All goodness.
An ever-present Presence in our lives who guides and directs us.
We take a moment to reflect upon our lives, knowing that God holds tenderly all that causes broken relationships in our lives. Amen.
Hymn: Throughout These Lenten Days and Nights – Voices United #108
BCUC Mar 1 2015
1 Throughout these Lenten days and nights
we turn to walk the inward way,
where, meeting Christ, our guide and light,
we live in hope till Easter Day.
2 The pilgrim Christ, the Lamb of God,
who found in weakness greater power,
embraces us, though lost and flawed,
and leads us to his Rising Hour.
3 We bear the silence, cross and pain
of human burdens, human strife,
while sisters, brothers help sustain
our courage till the Feast of Life.
4 And though the road is hard and steep,
the Spirit ever calls us on
through Calvary's dying, dark and deep,
until we see the coming Dawn.
5 So let us choose the path of One
who wore, for us, the crown of thorn,
and slept in death that we might wake
to life on Resurrection Morn!
6 Rejoice, O sons and daughters!
Sing and shout hosannas! Raise the strain!
For Christ, whose death Good Friday brings
on Easter Day will rise again!
Words © 1996 James Gertmenian; Music 1864 W.H. Havergal
Song #12108 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Storytime
Rev. Lorrie
How would you describe Jesus to someone who had never heard the Bible stories about him? Would you describe the way he looked? That would be hard because there are no descriptions of him like that in the Bible. We never hear what colour his hair was, or his eyes, or his skin… nowhere does it tell us if he was a tall man or short. I bet you have a picture of him in your mind though – maybe because of the illustrations you’ve seen in Children’s Bibles, or in paintings by famous artists, or maybe from your own imagination.
The interesting thing is that everyone seems to have a different idea of what he looked like. Next time you are in the church, take a look at the poster on my office door. It has many pictures of Jesus and every single one is different. Each artist has painted the picture of Jesus in their mind, the face they imagine when they think of him. Isn’t it strange that with all the stories written about Jesus, not one mentions what he looked like? I wonder if maybe that’s because his appearance was not the important part of who he was. Maybe that’s because he looked like an ordinary man, one who wouldn’t stand out in a crowd.
The Bible might not describe what Jesus looked like, but there are lots of names the writers use to describe who Jesus was. Can you remember some of them? The Son of God… Teacher… Healer… Shepherd … Sometimes those names describe him as a leader - the Prince of Peace… King of the Jews… or Saviour. There are so many different ways he is described… Well, in today’s scripture reading Jesus describes himself - but in a very different way. He says he is like a mother hen who wants to gather her baby chicks under her wings to protect them. Isn’t that an interesting image? Not a rooster, as we might expect a man to say, but a mother hen…
Have you ever spent time around chickens? My daughter, Katie, has a barn full of chickens at our house – mostly hens, but a few roosters too. And, you know what, they are very different from each other. They don’t just look different, but they behave differently too. Both roosters and hens tend to be very protective. A rooster protects the hens by being aggressive – flapping his wings, making a lot of noise, and even pecking at anyone or anything that he thinks is a danger to his hens. Hens protect their chicks in a very different way. If they sense some danger, they make a special clucking noise that tells the babies to come quickly and then she covers them up with her wings and sits there quietly with them tucked underneath her.
Can you imagine what it might feel like to be a little chick underneath your mother? I think it must be a very warm, safe place to be. When I have reached under a hen to collect an egg, I can feel how warm and soft and cozy it would be. All those fluffy feathers feel like a big soft blanket that can wrap those babies up and still give them room to breathe. Even if there is lots of noise or trouble around, under those wings it’s quiet and warm and it must feel safe.
It’s an image that we might not think of when we are asked to describe Jesus – but I think it is an important one. I think that Jesus is telling his listeners that fighting isn’t the only way to provide protection and safety, that there is a softer, gentler way that is just as effective – maybe even more effective. I think he is telling them, that with him, they can feel safe.
This week in the news we are hearing a lot of scary stories about the attack that Russia is making on the people of Ukraine. I can’t imagine how scary and dangerous the situation is for the people who live there. The children must be so scared! When the bombing and shelling comes close, they all run to bunkers and subway stations underground. I’m sure they are still scared, but I have seen a lot of stories and videos of people huddled together in blankets, of mothers reading stories to their children, and even of a little girl sweetly singing the song from “Frozen” to everyone. They seem to me a lot like those chicks tucked under the mother hen – finding a little bit of comfort and safety in a very dangerous situation.
I think that, maybe, that’s what Jesus is trying to tell us:
“Listen when I call you and follow quickly… Even when the world seems scary or dangerous, if you do these things, you will be safely tucked under my wings, wrapped up in God’s love.”
Let’s pray:
Gentle Jesus,
Help us to listen for your call to us.
Help us to follow that call to the way you want us to go,
And when life gets scary, help us remember that you will keep us
Tucked warm and safe like a chick under its mother’s wing.
We pray for the children in Ukraine, and all those children who are facing war and violence in today’s world. Please keep them wrapped up safely in God’s love.
Amen.
Hymn: “Listen, God is Calling” - More Voices #97
Listen, God is calling, through the Word inviting,
Offering forgiveness, comfort and joy.
Words & Music © Traditional Tanzania song, translation: Olson, Arr. © More Voices 2007
Song #01607 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Prayer for Illumination (In Unison)
Reader: John Boivin
(Allister Rose, Gathering, LE 2015. Used with permission)
Loving God, as our faith grows through the study of your Word,
may we share that Word with others so they may come to know you as well.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
The Reading: Luke 13: 31-35 (NRSV)
Jesus Laments over Jerusalem
31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”
32 Jesus said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.
33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’
34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
This is the Word of God.
Anthem: God See the Children
CGS/Bell Canto – Director: Erin Berard
God sees the children playing in the dirt,
God hears the children -- crying when they're hurt.
It hurts God too, to see the despair,
when we've been given enough to share,
and hearts to care, and love for ev'ry one.
God sees the children run away in fright;
God hears the children -- crying in the night.
It hurts God too, to see the despair,
when we've been given enough to share,
and hearts to care, and love for ev'ry one.
Give us the strength to be poor with the poor,
to be happy though our selfish hearts cry out for more
when we've been given enough to share,
and hearts to care, and love for ev'ry one.
God sees the children from all different lands,
God hears the children -- trying to understand.
It hurts God too, to see the despair,
when we've been given enough to share,
and hearts to care, and love for ev'ry one.
Words © Sandy Boyce & Music © Kathy Pike
Song Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Sermon: “Being Vulnerable”
Rev. Kim
Between 1953 to 1955, a Roman Catholic Franciscan church was built on the foothills of Mount Olives, facing the old city of Jerusalem called Dominus Flevit, which is Latin for “The Lord has wept”, symbolic of Jesus’ lamenting over Jerusalem. The church building is shaped like a teardrop which embodies Jesus’ lament and sorrow for the city that he loved. Inside the sanctuary of the church adorning its altar was a circular mosaic artifact believed to be created in the 7th century. The most dominant image in the mosaic is that of a hen – standing tall and courageous, her wings stretched wide. Under the wings are chicks gathered at her feet. Along the circumference of the mosaic is a Latin inscription of Jesus’ words: “Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” Those last words— “you were not willing” — are intentionally placed at the bottom of the mosaic, in an area where all the tiles are red, perhaps like spilled blood, at the hen’s feet. Besides the hen and the chicks, there is another character in this picture. Although it is not visible in the mosaic, you might imagine it lurking out of sight, waiting to strike. That other character is the fox that threatens the chicks.
Our journey towards the Holy Week is just a few weeks away and we are now beginning to feel the tension. Jesus is slowly moving out from his ministry in Galilee and traveling towards Jerusalem; the place where he would encounter his political and religious enemies and eventually his death. In this passage, we see Jesus pouring out his vulnerable self. We hear of the Pharisees acting like local sympathizers and have warned Jesus to “get away from Jerusalem because Herod wants to kill him.” But instead of heading for the nearest hole to hide, Jesus sends the Pharisees to relay a message to Herod that he called The Fox that Jesus has business to complete in Jerusalem and it will be on his timetable, not Herod’s.
I wonder why Jesus chose hen as a metaphor for him? Why not a lion or a bear or even a mighty eagle? The lectionary group believes that lions, bears, eagles - all portray power, prestige and affluence – three things that symbolize what a typical Messiah would be. Jesus, on the other hand, was the opposite. He was humble and non-violent, yet strong and compassionate like a mother hen. Barbara Brown Taylor said at one point that: “A hen is what Jesus chooses, which is pretty typical of him. He is always turning things upside down, so that children and peasants wind up on top while kings and scholars land on the bottom… Jesus is like a mother hen who stands between the chicks and those who mean to do them harm. She has no fangs, no claws, no rippling muscles. All she has is her willingness to shield her babies with her own body. If the fox wants them, he will have to kill her first.”
In Hellenistic thought, the fox is regarded as clever but sly and unprincipled. Foxes are generally seen as cunning and sneaky animals. My concept of foxes comes primarily from Aesop’s Fables, particularly the story of the fox and the crow, where the fox flattered the crow who found a piece of cheese. The fox sweet-talked the crow by saying that the crow has a beautiful voice. The crow took the bait and let out a squawk, the cheese, of course, falls straight to an open-mouthed fox and eats it. A fox could also be someone who is cruel, arrogant and one who shows no mercy, like in the story of the fox who enticed the gingerbread man to cross the river, ending in the tragic devouring of the gingerbread man. In that same manner, we sense Jesus' anger and disgust with "that fox" Herod—sly, cunning and manipulative. Who is Herod in this story?
In 2014, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem premiered the first ever exhibition of Herod "the Great", including 250 artifacts from his tomb. Herod the Great was an ambitious builder, and a few recent biographies have tried to rehabilitate his reputation, but most historians remember him as a paranoid and ruthless madman. He murdered one of his ten wives, two of his sons, and numerous opponents. But the Herod in this particular story in Luke is Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the Great. Herod Antipas is the same Herod spoken of by Matthew - the one responsible for slaughtering the infants; the one who tricked the Magi to inform him where the infant Jesus was; the one who beheaded John the Baptist out of a whim. Foxes like Herod Antipas are the ones who create mistrust and fear, betrayal and confusion. Yes, even the deaths of innocent people.
Jesus ignored the warnings of his death and did not back down. In those moments of self-reflection and encounter, Jesus had an outburst of emotions. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!" It was in that moment that Jesus showed his vulnerability. He wept for the people of Jerusalem. He showed his true emotions by shedding tears for the city that God loves. Oftentimes we think of Jesus as devoid of human emotions. Sometimes it is difficult for some of us to see these maternal and emotional sides of Jesus. Like a mother who is anguished by the wrongdoings of her children, Jesus wept. Jesus wept for Jerusalem. He wept for the people who had gone astray. He cried for the prophets before him, slaughtered in the name of God. He cried for the oppressed people, living in misery and economic poverty. Jesus wept. Jesus showed his vulnerability with frustration and expressed it with tears.
We too, sometimes, are afraid to show our true selves – our true emotions. We are afraid of being seen as weak or incompetent or less than. So, we cry in the closet or in the bathroom. We put on a mask or pretend to be strong or someone else. We don’t want to look silly – we don’t want to show that we are vulnerable. We act like a fox but deep inside us is a hen wanting to reach out with love and compassion. A famous quote from American author Brené Brown kept me thinking about vulnerability. She said that “Society has taught us that vulnerability is synonymous with weakness—but it’s just the opposite. Vulnerability is the willingness to show up and be seen by others in the face of uncertain outcomes. There’s not a single act of courage that doesn’t involve vulnerability.” It is this kind of vulnerability and openness that God calls us to follow. Being vulnerable requires strength and it requires courage. Jesus taught us the power of vulnerability. That we can be who we are in front of God and others. Being vulnerable is strength in itself. Showing your authentic, true self is being honest about who you are. Remember that God loves you in your weaknesses and in your strengths.
Foxes and hens – sadly, this is still the world’s reality. Foxes kill chickens because they are hungry, and chickens, flightless birds who are fenced into people’s yards, are an easy meal. We can name situations involving foxes and hens in the world today. Like the ongoing war instigated by a Russian dictator against the people in Ukraine. Like the hate crimes targeting Muslims, Jews and Black people. Like those children in our schools being bullied because of their looks or stature. Like the unresolved cases of the missing and murdered indigenous women. Foxes are all around us. That’s why the way of Jesus is to follow the way of the hen, which provides refuge, security, safety, freedom and shalom.
If Herod is a fox and Jesus is a hen . . . well, you don’t have to be a farmer to know how this story turns out, leading us into the next episode of the Lenten story—that bloody mess of violence and crucifixion coming up on Good Friday. But we’re not there yet. And this I know – as long as you and I and many out there commit to being vulnerable mother hens that gather chicks under their wings – mother hens who champion the rights of others, mother hens who fill the world with love, peace, justice and compassion, mother hens who choose to stand their grounds and say no to injustice and acts of violence, the foxes out there will not win. The foxes will not be in control as much as they think they are. Let us embrace the Way of the Hen — the way of Jesus that follows the road of inclusion, acceptance and reconciliation. So that it won’t be a tyranny of fear and anger that dictates the course of our future, but love, peace and justice. Let God enfold you in the tender, passionate love of a mothering hen. Amen.
Sources that helped me with my sermon:
BCUC Lectionary Group
The writings of St. Anselm, Barbara Brown Taylor & Mardi Auld Glass, Ray Medeiros
Aesop’s Fables – The Fox & The Crow; The Fox & the Gingerbread Man
Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer
Rev. Lorrie
God of love, God of compassion,
We come to you in prayer today in gratitude for the joys in our lives and with concern for the things that weigh heavy on our hearts.
We pray for all those in our families, our church, our community, and the world, who are suffering from illness or injury… grief or loneliness… hunger both physical and spiritual…for those living with fear and violence…
Today we pray especially for the situation in Ukraine that both saddens and angers us, a situation that sparks fear in our hearts and in the hearts of our brothers and sisters around the globe. And so, we share this prayer from:
(Rev Sharon Hollis, President, Uniting Church in Australia)
God of peace, God of mercy
We pray for the people of Ukraine,
We lament the violence that has come to their country
We ask for comfort for those who mourn,
hope for those who despair and compassion for all who suffer.
We plead for an end to violence and aggression in their land
We pray for the people of Russia,
We give thanks for those who protest for peace and pray for ongoing courage
We ask for a change of heart in those who commit acts of aggression and war against their fellow citizens and neighbours
We pray for Russians who will suffer because of sanctions and war
We pray for leaders around the world
We pray that world leaders might work for an end to war and for establishing of peace
We seek wisdom for those who are making life and death decisions about how to respond to violence and threats of violence
We ask for courage for those who campaign for peace.
We pray for aid workers and journalists
We give thanks for the willingness of aid workers to work in situations of war and unrest in order to meet the needs of others
We ask for safety, wisdom and compassion for all working to alleviate suffering and heal the wounded
We pray for journalist and media organisations reporting the situation in Ukraine and Russia, may they report truthfully and compassionately.
We pray for peace
We lament violence around the world
We plead for the ceasing of violence and the establishment of peace
We pray that you might give us a desire for peace and a willingness to work and hope and pray for peace each day.
Holy One, hear our prayers both the spoken and those hidden in our hearts as we pray together the words that Jesus taught:
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. Kim
The image of Jesus as a mother hen who gathers the chicks under her wings is with us in amazing and powerful ways, bringing new hope and healing into the world. May we participate in the ministry of our church with that great hope, trusting in the promises of God.
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 slot 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 (In Unison)
Lenten God, like Jesus, we look toward the Holy City
and wonder what is before us.
We know that, for some,
it is a journey of hunger and loneliness.
So it is that we share these offerings.
Receive them and transform them into your love. Amen.
Sending Forth
Rev. Kim
(Rt. Rev. Richard Bott, Gathering, LE 2020. Used with permission)
Every breath that is breathed,
every beat of the heart,
every smile and tear,
is a prayer.
May we find healing,
may we find hope,
may we find God,
in the tears, in the smiles, the beats and the breaths,
in every moment that was,
every moment that is,
every moment to come. Amen.
Hymn: Spirit God, Be Our Breath – More Voices #150
BCUC Feb 2021
1.Spirit God: be our breath, be our song.
Blow through us, bringing strength to move on. Our world seems inward, defensive, withdrawn. Spirit God, be our song.
2.Patient God: soothe our pride, calm our fear.
Comfort us. When we know you are near
we grow more certain, our vision is clear.
Patient God, calm our fear.
3.Loving God: be our voice, be our prayer.
Reaching out, joining hands as we share, we seek your guidance through friendship and care. Loving God, be our prayer.
4.Spirit God: be our breath, be our song.
Blow through us, bringing strength to move on. Through change, through challenge, we’ll greet the new dawn. Spirit God, be our song.
Words & Music © 1997 Bruce Harding
Song # 117764 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved
Departing Music: Just a Closer Walk
BCUC Choir Oct 1 2017
In loving memory of Efraim Vidal Sr. (Kim Family)
1 I am weak but Thou art strong,
Jesus keep me from all wrong.
I’ll be satisfied as long as I walk,
Let me walk, close to Thee.
Refrain:
Just a closer walk with Thee
Jesus grant my humble plea!
Daily walking close to Thee
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
2 Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter Lord who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee. R
3 When the journey here is o’er,
Time for me will be no more.
Guide me to Thy distant shore.
To thy shore, oh dear Lord, to Thy shore. R
Anonymous Arr. © 1975 Ed Lojeski
Song # 272080 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-733214. All rights reserved