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. Christine Muise
E-Mail: cmuise@bc.anglican.ca
Indigenous Ministries Liaison: Gloria Walkus
Music Ministry: Roldan Yuipco
Video: Ammie Yuipco
www.stcolumbaporthardy.ca

15th Sunday after Pentecost
Season of Creation 1: Planet Earth Sunday
September 5, 2021
Sunday Morning Gathering
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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.

The Community Gathers

Acknowledgment of Land

Call to Worship
I am the circling hawk dancing with joy for life.
God, you invite us to join in the dance!
I am the faithful soil nourishing each life I touch.
You invite us to join in the caring.
I am the swift stream singing my thanks for life.
You invite us to join in the song.
I am the blazing star bringing wonder to life.
You invite us to join in the wonder.
I am the voice of Creation praising God who shapes life.
You invite us to join in the praise.

Prayer of Approach

Hymn: VU 226 For the Beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies,
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light,
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild,
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For each perfect gift sublime
to our race so freely given;
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven.
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

Words: Folliott Sandford Pierpoint; Music: Conrad Kocher; adapt. William H Monk.

One: God is here
All: O come let us worship

Venite:
Come, let us sing joyfully to God!
Raise a shout to our rock, our deliverance!
Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving, and sing our praises with joy.
For the LORD is a great God, the great Ruler, above all gods.
O God, in your hands are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks are yours.
Yours is the sea, for you made it, the dry land as well for your hands formed it.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
Let us kneel before God, our Maker.
For you are our God,
And we are the people you shepherd, the flock under your care.
If only you would hear God’s voice today!

Storytime

The Proclamation of the Word

Hebrew Scripture: Genesis 1: 1-25
Psalm 33 (VU 760)

Refrain: A new song to our God proclaim, from age to age rejoice.

Shout to God for joy, you righteous! Praise is fitting from loyal hearts.
Give thanks to God for the heart; sing praise to God with the ten-stringed lute.
Sing a new song to God; play skillfully and with shouts of joy.
For the word of God is true; God’s every deed is faithful.
R: A new song to our God proclaim, from age to age rejoice.

You love what is right and just; the earth is full of your constant love.
By your word the heavens were made, the countless stars by the breath of your mouth.
You gathered the waters of the sea into a goatskin;
you stored the deep in cisterns.
Let all the earth fear you, O God,
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe.
For you spoke and it came to be; you commanded and it stood firm.
You foil the plans of the nations, and frustrate the schemes of the peoples.
Your counsel, O God, shall stand forever, the purposes of your heart through the generations.
Happy the nation who has you as God. Happy the people you choose as your own.
Our heart rejoices in you, O God, because our hope is in your holy name.
Let your steadfast love be upon us as we put your trust in you.
R: A new song to our God proclaim, from age to age rejoice.

Hymn: VU 308 Many and Great, O God are Your Works

Many and great, O God, are your works,
Maker of earth and sky.
Your hands have set the heavens with stars,
your fingers spread the mountains and plains.
Lo, at your word the waters were formed;
deep seas obey your voice.

Grant unto us communion with you,
O star-abiding one.
Come unto us and dwell with us,
with you are found the gifts of life.
Bless us with life that has no end,
eternal life with you.

Words and music: Dakota hymn (adapted), Joseph R. Renville

One: The Holy Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ according to John
All: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ

The Gospel: John 1:1-14

One: The Gospel of Christ
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

Sermon/ Reflection

Prayer of confession/ Words of Affirmation:

For times we have viewed Planet Earth as a source of endless resources, forgive.
Earth’s waters are polluted with toxins, forgive.
For times when we have cared more about ‘progress’ than Planet Earth, forgive.
Planet Earth is our sanctuary home.
We celebrate Earth as our home and lie in the goodness of God’s forgiveness.

Offertory Hymn: VU 229 God of the Sparrow

God of the sparrow God of the whale
God of the swirling stars
How does the creature say Awe
How does the creature say Praise

God of the earthquake God of the storm
God of the trumpet blast
How does the creature cry Woe
How does the creature cry Save

God of the rainbow God of the cross
God of the empty grave
How does the creature say Grace
How does the creature say Thanks

God of the hungry God of the sick
God of the prodigal
How does the creature say Care
How does the creature say Life

God of the neighbour God of the foe
God of the pruning hook
How does the creature say Love
How does the creature say Peace

God of the ages God of the hand
God of the loving heart
How do your children say Joy
How do your children say Home.

Words: Jaroslav J. Vajda, Music: Carl F. Schalk

VU 541 Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen

Words: Thomas Ken; Music: Genevan Psalter

Prayer over the Gifts

Intercessions & Thanksgiving
In our Shared Ministry Church Cycles of prayer, we pray for teachers and students beginning a new school year. We also pray for Anna, our bishop, and the congregation of Holy Trinity, Sooke.

Collect:

The Lord’s Prayer: as Jesus taught

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 248 When Long Before Time

When long before time and the worlds were begun,
when there was no earth and no sky and no sun,
and all was deep silence and night reigned supreme,
and even our Maker had only a dream...

…the silence was broken when God sang the Song,
and light pierced the darkness and rhythm began,
and with its first birthcries creation was born,
and creaturely voices sang praise to the morn.

The sounds of the creatures were one with their Lord’s,
their harmonies sweet and befitting the Word;
the Singer was pleased as the earth sang the song;
the choir of the creatures reechoed it long.

Though, down through the ages, the Song disappeared,
its harmonies broken and almost unheard,
the Singer comes to us to sing it again:
our God is with us in the world now as then.

The Light has returned as it came once before;
the Song of the Lord is our own song once more;
so let us all sing with one heart and one voice
the song of the Singer in whom we rejoice.

To you, God the Singer, our voices we raise;
to you, Song Incarnate, we give all our praise;
to you, Holy Spirit, our life and our breath,
be glory forever, through life and through death.

Words and music: Peter Davison, arrangement and harmony: George Black

Blessing

Threefold Amen and Dismissal

Announcements:

• Safety reminders
• Sept 7 5 PM Bible Study resumes (hybrid: online and in-person); contact Rev. Christine by email for Zoom link if desired
• Sept. 9 7 PM Rev Alastair Hunting is having a service of induction at St John
• Please remember to bring in canned or dry goods for our community cupboard.
• Mission focus until October is the Hardy Bay Senior Citizens’ Society.

Prayers from Season of the Spirit Seasons Fusion Season of Creation used with permission from © Wood Lake Publishing Inc 2020. Venite from The Inclusive Bible. 2007. Prayer of the People from Celebrating God’s Presence.

Words for hymns reprinted and podcast with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-720359 and CCLI License # 11033010. All rights reserved.

VU 226 For the Beauty of the Earth Words: Folliott Sandford Pierpoint 1864; Music: alternate tune (Dix) Conrad Kocher, 1838; adapt. William H Monk 1861; descant Alan Gray, 1920. Words and music: Public Domain.

Psalm 33 Refrain Melody from A Collection of Hymns and Sacred Poems Dublin 1749. Copyright public domain.

VU 308 Many and Great, O God are Your Works Words: Dakota hymn, Joseph R. Renville, 1842; paraphrase Philip Frazier 1929, altered. Cree translation and transliteration: Stan McKay 1987; Music: Dakota melody, adapted Joseph R. Renville, 1842. Words (Paraphrase): © Dakota Conference, United Church of Christ. Cree Translation, Music, Adaptation, Harmony: Public Domain. All rights reserved. Words reprinted under OneLicense.net License #A-720359 (#76960).

VU 229 God of the Sparrow Words: Jaroslav J. Vajda, 1983; Music: Carl F. Schalk, 1983. Words copyright © 1983 Concordia Publishing House. Music copyright © 1983 GIA Publications Inc. All rights reserved. OneLicense.net License #A-720359 words (#05148) and music (#01556).

VU 541 Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Words: Thomas Ken ca. 1674 Music: Genevan Psalter 1551 Public Domain

VU 248 When Long Before Time Words and music: Peter Davison 1981; Arrangement and harmony: George Black 1981. Words and music copyright © 1981 Peter Davison. Arrangement copyright © 1981 George Black. [Now administered by Augsburg Fortress]. All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net License #A-720359 (#13989).