Genesis Cooperative

of the United Church of Canada

Consisting of the congregations from:
Cassburn, Kirk Hill, Riceville-Pendleton,
Trinity (Vankleek Hill)

Sunday May 31, 2015

On the Path to Reconciliation

Worship Leaders Today

Trinity (Vankleek Hill)
Kirk Hill
Riceville-Pendleton
Cassburn

Sandra Osadchuk
Sandra Osadchuk
Guest Speaker
Merle Marjerrison

We Gather to Praise God

Welcome to our worship service today.
We pray you will feel God's presence as we worship together.
If you are able, please stand where indicated with an asterisk(*).
You are invited to join in reading the responses and prayers, printed in bold.

Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Welcome to this service on the theme of reconciliation with
Indigenous peoples. We begin by acknowledging the traditional
territory upon which we gather this morning. For many thousands
of years, the First Nations have sought to walk gently on this land.
They offered assistance to the first European travellers to this
territory and shared their knowledge for survival in what was at
times a harsh climate. We seek a new relationship with the
Original Peoples of this land, one based in honour and deep
respect.

Life and Work of the Church

Lighting the Christ Candle
As we light the Christ candle we are reminded that Christ came
into the world to be a light and inspiration to all peoples and not
just to a select few. We are called to follow that light by living with
respect for all of creation.

*Sung Introit:

When We Are Living

VU 581

When we are living, it is in Christ Jesus,

and when were dying, it is in the Lord.
Both in our living and in our dying,
We belong to God, we belong to God.

*Passing of the Peace

2

*The Call to Worship:

Let us give thanks to our Creator, for the Creator is always with
us. Creator and creating God, you have given life to all around
us. You call us to be with you whether we are inside in the shelter
of these walls or outside in the shelter of your trees. God is with
us when we gather together and when we are alone. We are
here to answer that call. We will sing joyfully and we will listen
attentively for your whispering voice.

*The Opening Prayer:

Creator God, our country has journeyed for six years in the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission process, seeking
understanding, healing, and reconciliation. It has not always
been an easy path, but we have sought to walk it together. We
have tried to listen to each others stories. We have sought to
understand without judgement. We have noted the
differences in values and traditions, but also the places
where we share values and traditions. We are all your
children. You embrace all in your love. You call us now to
reflect that love to each other. You call us to be brothers and
sisters on the path to reconciliation. AMEN!

*Hymn: The Gospel Came with Foreign Tongue

Tune: Winscott, VU 589

The gospel came with foreign tongue

disrupting all the ancient ways,
Beside the merchant and the gun,
in search of profit, souls and slaves.
With God we weep, lament, confess
how holy zeal and bloodied hand
Reached out to kill and dispossess,
proclaiming love and taking land.
How hard, today, to meet and share
our needs, suspicions, hopes and fears,
When some have ease, and food to spare,
while others walk a trail of tears!

In hope we come, by grace reborn,

As clashing stories still collide,
to listen, pray, and travel on,
companions of the Crucified.
We tell our varied memories,
assembled in our global room,
that Christ may wash our histories,
as threads for Love's eternal loom.

The Good News Time

*Hymn:

For the Healing of the Nations

VU 678

The Prayer of Confession:

God, how often have we spoken what we thought to be a joke,
only to see the hurt on the others face? We did not think that our
words would hurt, but they did. How often have we stood by as
someone else spoke hurtful words, and did nothing? How often
have we allowed a stereotype or a bias to get in the way of
actually seeing the individual in front of us?
We confess that we do not always see or hear with our
hearts. We confess that we do not always act with your
justice. We sometimes feel that we were not there when the
children were taken from their parents and sent away to school.
For most, our parents were not there nor were our grandparents.
We confess that sometimes we dont see why we are being
held to account for the actions of people that we did not know
and, so long ago. But, we are the bearers of many blessings of
our ancestors of blood or faith. Therefore, we must also bear their
burdens and responsibilities. The last Residential School closed in
1996, that was in our time and we did not know the truth. We
apologize for the actions of our country and our churches in
running Indian Residential Schools. We seek your
forgiveness for what has been done to your children. We seek
acceptance of our commitment to justice and our desire to
walk towards reconciliation. We ask for your grace to heal all
of us. AMEN!

Words of Assurance
4

We Listen For Gods Word

Scripture Lessons:
Isaiah 6: 1-8 The death of a king.
Psalm 29 Gods presence in creation.
Romans 8: 12-17 Body, spirit, death and eternal life.
John 3: 1-17 For God so loved the world.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
Message:

*Hymn:

Let There Be Light

VU 679

We Respond to Gods Word

Offering Invitation

*Response: Your Work O God Needs Many Hands

VU 537

Your work, O God, needs many hands to help you

everywhere, and some there are who cannot serve unless our
gifts we share.
Because we love you and your work, our offering now we
make; be pleased to use it as your own, we ask for Jesus
sake.

*The Prayer of Dedication:

God, whatever we have is from you. These offerings return but
some of our treasure to do the work that Jesus walked among us
to do. Use what is on these plates, with our time, our talents and
what is in our hearts, to help in the healing of your broken world.

AMEN!

Prayers of the People and the Lords Prayer:

Creator, we give thanks that you speak to us in our own ways, in
our own traditions. Thank you that you also speak through the
traditions of others. Help us to see your love in all things and to be
guided with loving hearts to do that which is best in our homes
and in our communities. We pray, as Jesus taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven ...

AMEN!

*Hymn:

Make Me a Channel of Your Peace VU 684

*Commissioning & Blessing:

Return now to the circle of Life, knowing, that the love of
creator God is with us, the compassion of Jesus inspires us,
the hope of the Holy Spirit comforts us. May everyone we
meet know of our praise of Gods name, by the singing and
dancing of our hands, heart, and feet!

*Sung Blessing: Go Now in Peace

Go now in peace, never be afraid,
God will go with you each hour of everyday.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know he will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love and show you believe,
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above,
Go now in peace, in faith and in love.

Postlude

Our Worship Ends Our Service Begins

May 31, 2015

Announcements

Prayer Corner
Ryan Beaudette, Ashley Cowan, Meryle Duncan,
Hailey, Sheila, Sheila Elliott, The Family of Lloyd Howes,
Tony Martin, Mary Matte, Shirley MacIwain,
Russ Milan, Roger Moran, Willard Orr, James Oswald,
Joye Oswald, Evan Rodger, Wilma Scott, Harold Sproule,
Barbara Vanden Bosch, Boris Woloschuk

May 31: Today. Franklin Corners Cemetery Memorial

Service, 2 pm.
June 4: Trinity (VKH) UCW June gathering and pot luck
dinner on June 4 at 5:30 pm in the church hall. Monday
Morning Crafters Group invited as special guests.
June 9: Seaway Valley Presbyterial UCW June Gathering,
Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at Camp Kagama (Upper Canada
Bird Sanctuary, Nairne Island). Registration: 10:00 am. POT
LUCK PICNIC. Bring a friend! See your churchs bulletin
board for information and directions.
June 10: United Church's 90th Anniversary! United Church
congregations are being invited to ring their church bells
90 times at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, to
mark the 90th anniversary of The United Church of Canada.
If your congregation doesn't have a church bell, or noise
bylaws prevent you from ringing your church bells, consider
hand bells, gongs, drums, or cymbals to mark the
anniversary, explains Mary-Frances Denis, Coordinator of
Media and Public Relations for the United Church.
Will you be participating? Please email us and share your
plans! For more information, and a video invitation from
Moderator Gary Paterson, see the United Church website.
7

June 14: Westminster Cemetery Memorial Service, 2 pm.

June 14: Deadline for Cassburn Summer Newsletter is
Sunday, June 14, 2015. Please e-mail any submissions to
Stephanie Anderson at bandsanderson@rogers.com or give
directly to Stephanie or Bryan. The phone number to reach
Stephanie directly is (613) 678-1681.

Nursing Homes / Seniors Homes Services:

Community Nursing Home, Alexandria, June 4, at 10:30 am
Prescott Russell, Tuesday, June 9, at 1:30 pm
Heritage Lodge, Wednesday, June 17, at 1:30 pm
Champlain, Wednesday, June 24, at 2:00 pm

June 21: During the service, Trinity (VKH) will be

recognizing a recent gift from Hawkesbury United Church.
June 21: On Fathers Day, Riceville United Church,
with the support of our friends from our sister
Church in Pendleton, are hosting the Annual
Strawberry Supper on Sunday, June 21st
at South Plantagenet Hall, 3210 County
Rd 9, Fournier, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Take Dad out for supper!
June 28: No service in Riceville-Pendleton.
July 5: Horse and Buggy Parade Ecumenical Worship
Service on Sunday, July 5, 10:00 am at the VKH
Fairgrounds. Lunch following the service. No services at
Trinity, Kirk Hill, Cassburn and Riceville-Pendleton.

Check your bulletin boards / Genesis website for events

this Summer and the July August worship schedule.
8

GO FISH!

Just a reminder to count

your cans and send in the numbers to
the Genesis office. We will update you
as soon as the results are in!

Want more? Why not visit these websites . . .

United Church of Canada www.united-church.ca
United Church Resources www.ucrdstore.ca
Cassburn
www.cassburnunitedchurch.weebly.com
Riceville-Pendleton www.riceville-pendletonunitedchurch.ca

The Genesis Cooperative

of the United Church of Canada
42 Mill St., Box 689, Vankleek Hill, ON K0B 1R0
Phone: 613-678-5499
genesiscc@bellnet.ca
Genesis Cooperative Community
www.genesiscmty.com

Minister: Rev. Phyllis Dietrich

Administrative Assistant: Gabrielle Becker
Administrative Office Hours:
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 10:00 am 1:00 pm
Announcement Deadline: Wednesday @ noon

Minutes for Mission

May 31

Fort McMurray

Support to Local Ministries

On the first Wednesday night of the month about 20 people, mostly young
families, crowd into Fort McMurray First United Church in Alberta. The Rev.
Donalee Williams welcomes everyone to Messy Church: crafts, a Bible story,
singing, praying, and supper. Its an opportunity for families to worship and
connect with one another, an important touchstone in a town where most
people work shifts and getting to regular Sunday services can be difficult.

In Fort McMurray, people come and go often, so making longlasting friendships isnt always easy. We say goodbye a lot and
thats hard, but we feel our mission is to plant seeds, says
Donalee.
Like many ministers in isolated communities, she conducts a lot of
baptisms. Most of the people have United Church roots, but not
all. I have a class for the parents to talk about what baptism
means, and I also see this as one of our missionsits about
acceptance, she adds. In her four years at Fort McMurray First
United, she has conducted 64 baptisms.
Mission and Service funding helps the church to stay open. Its an
important community space used by two other congregations, an
Apostolic and a Filipino community. The Muslim community has
used the church building for prayer during Ramadan, and the
Hindu community has also held events there. Other churches in
Fort McMurray do not always welcome non-Christian groups, so
they come to the United Church.
Its a very different type of church from the ones in southern
Canada, but people here are very committed, and were grateful
every Sunday for Mission and Service. And we also contribute to
it, Donalee concludes. Thanks to our gifts for Mission and
Service, we help to keep Fort McMurray First United and other
churches welcoming the communities around them.
Mighty and tender God, our gifts to M&S help your church
to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you.

10