ST. COLUMBA
ANGLICAN-UNITED CHURCH
PO Box 1260, Port Hardy, BC V0N 2P0
Office Phone: 250-949-6247
E-mail: admin@stcolumbaporthardy.ca
Minister: Rev. Elaine Julian
E-mail:incumbent@stcolumbaporthardy.ca
Indigenous Ministries: Gloria Walkus
Organist: Roldan Yuipco
Music and Worship Leadership: Judy and Robert Fyles
Recording: Ammie Yuipco
www.stcolumbaporthardy.ca
Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 14, 2021
Home Church (online recording)
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Mission Statement
As followers of Jesus Christ, our church is a community called to love, honour, worship,
and serve God.
We invite others to share our Christian journey as we grow in faith and engage in ministry
in our town and mission in our world.
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God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The Community Gathers
Acknowledgment of Land
Call to Worship
Give thanks to God,
for God is good all the time,
and God’s steadfast love endures forever.
For we cried out to God in our troubles,
and God saved us from our distress.
The Word came to heal and deliver us from destruction.
Let all of humankind offer thanksgiving, and sing of God’s deeds through worship and song.
Hymn: MV#7, “Gather Us In”
Gather us in, ground us in you.
Gather us in, ground us in you.
Gather us in, gather us in,
ground us, ground us in you.
Words and music: David Hann.
Opening prayer
Prayer of Confession
God of Moses, we can relate to the Israelites in the desert.
We know that it is easier to condemn and criticize than to redeem and reflect,
long for what we had than to imagine what could be.
We know how simple it is to get stuck in places of anger and condemnation.
When we cry out against you, as the people cried out to Moses, please be patient with us,
and grant us the courage to choose gratitude and hope whenever possible.
Amen.
Silence
Words of Assurance
The Proclamation of the Word
Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22
1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
those he redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
17 Some were sick through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress;
20 he sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
22 And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.
One: The Holy Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ according to John
All: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ
The Gospel: John 3:14-21
One: The Gospel of Christ
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Sermon: “Listening for Mercy” (Title from Mar. 14 reflection by Heidi Kim in “Living Well Through Lent”)
Affirmation of Faith – A New Creed, VU p.918
Let us confess the faith of our baptism as we say:
We are not alone, we live in God's world.
We believe in God: who has created and is creating, who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Offertory Hymn: VU#614, “In Suffering Love”
In suffering love the thread of life
is woven through our care,
for God is with us, not alone
our pain and toil we bear.
There is a rock, a place secure
within the storm's cold blast;
concealed within the suffering night
God's covenant stands fast.
In love's deep womb our fears are held;
there God's rich tears are sown
and bring to birth, in hope new-born,
the strength to journey on.
Now to our hearts your joy commit,
into our hands your pain;
so send us out to touch the world
with blessings in your name.
In suffering love our God comes now,
hope’s vision born in gloom;
with tears and laughter shared and blessed
the desert yet will bloom.
Words: Rob Johns, 1983 Music: Gardiner’s Sacred Melodies, 1812
Offering Invitation:
Now is the time for offering up that which matters.
Now is the time for giving of yourself.
Now is the time for the healing of the nations.
Now is the time for good gifts of love.
Offertory Chorus: VU #581, “When We Are Living” verse 2 only
Through all our living, we our fruits must give.
Good works of service are for offering.
When we are giving, or when receiving,
We belong to God, we belong to God.
English translation v. 2 George Lockwood 1987. Music: harmony Carlton R. Young 1989
Prayer over the Gifts
Intercessions & Thanksgiving: In our Shared Ministry Church Cycles of Prayer we pray for Bishop Anna and the congregation of Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria and the Revs. Ansley Tucker, Ross Bliss, Ian Powell & Nancy Ford. We also pray for St. Andrew's United – North Vancouver, St. Andrew’s United - Quesnel, and St. Andrew’s United – Williams Lake ...
Collect
The Lord’s Prayer (spoken in our mother tongue)
English:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom 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 kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn: VU#333, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.
Come, almighty to deliver; let us all thy grace receive;
suddenly return, and never, nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee, without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.
Finish, then, thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee,
changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Words: Charles Wesley; music: Rowland Huw Prichard.
Blessing and Commissioning
Threefold Amen
Gila’kasla. Go in Peace.
Announcements:
Bible Study, Tuesday 5:00 pm
Celtic Prayer, Thursday 4 PM by Zoom.
Please remember to bring in canned / dry goods for our community cupboard. Especially useful are noodle cups, Kraft dinner, and canned vegetable and mushroom soup.
Mission focus this month is our community food cupboard.
The theme for our journey through Lent is based on the devotional series from Living Compass: Listening with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength and Mind. You can get the devotional booklet at the church, or download it from the link on the church website and the FB group.
Offering Invitation by Robin Wardlaw, used with permission from Gathering Lent/Easter 2015. Story and additional prayers from “Fusion” seasonsonline.ca and the Book of Alternative Services.
Reprinted and podcast with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-720359 and CCLI License #11033010. All rights reserved.
“Gather Us In” Words and music: David Hann. Words and music copyright © 2005 David Hann. Reprinted with email from David Hann for permission granted on file.
“In Suffering Love” Words: Rob Johns, 1983 Music: Gardiner’s Sacred Melodies, 1812. Music: Public domain. Music copyright © 1987 Elinor F Johns (and now © Augsburg Fortress). All rights reserved. Reprinted OneLicense.net License #A-720359 (#17558).
“When We Are Living” English translations v. 1 Elsie S. Eslinger and vv. 2-4 George Lockwood 1987. Music: harmony Carlton R. Young © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House. All rights reserved. Reprinted under CCLI License # 11033010 or OneLicense.net License #A-720359 Harmony (#00901) and translations (#22687) and (#15060).
“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” Words: Charles Wesley, 1747 Music: Rowland Huw Prichard, ca. 1831 Copyright: Public Domain.
