Sunday, May 30, 2021
Today is Trinity Sunday, and if there is ever a day to contemplate the three
persons as one God - today is the day!
As Christians in the United Church of Canada, we believe in one God which
exists in three persons; all equal and eternal.
We will also hear the story of Jesus who shares some of this with Nicodemus
who visits him at night.
Come, let us give our God our thanks and praise.
Call to Worship:
As we gather today to retell the stories of our faith,
we acknowledge that sometimes we are like Nicodemus.
We struggle to understand the lesson being taught.
We cannot imagine being reborn as an adult.
And yet each day we renew our faith, and we are reborn again.
We feel the presence of God in creation.
We hear and try to live the words and teachings of Jesus.
We accept the presence of the Holy Spirit
as we see the miracles of life and nature all around us.
Yes, God is three, and God is also one.
None is complete without the other and all work in harmony.
Let us centre our hearts and minds as we worship this wonderful,
communal being.
Hymn: Voices United #315, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty
Lighting of the Christ Candle
I light this candle as a symbol of the light and love of Jesus Christ.
As this flame burns brightly, may we let our light shine so that others may
know Christ's love.
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8 (NRSV)
The call of Isaiah.
Hymn: Amazing Grace
Scripture Reading: John 3:1-17 (CEB)
Nicodemus visits Jesus by night.
and
Sermon: A Do-over, by Karen Chandler
Instrumental Reflection
A time to reflect on the scripture and the message during a moment of instrumental reflection.
Offering Invitation
It is in the giving that we receive.
Let us return to God what is ours to share, and joyfully offer our time,
our treasure, our commitment, and our prayers.
Your gifts and offering will now be received.
Our offering is both a practical and symbolic act of our commitment to serve Christ and build His church. Although we can’t actually pass the plate’ online, you are encouraged to continue your gift to the church, as the work of the St Paul’s and the staff continues:
Drop your envelope (cheque or cash) at the church;
Mail your cheque to the church;
Go on PAR (call the church for details);
Use the Donate button at the top of the page (it will take you to SPUC’s Canada Helps page where you can donate online and get an instant tax receipt).
Donations to St. Paul's United Church have decreased over the past few months and your support is needed to maintain our ministry and mission. Thank you.
Offertory Hymn: Voices United #236, Now Thank We All Our God
Offering Prayer
We give thanks, O God for all that you have given to us.
Bless these gifts and know that they are an expression of our gratitude –
that as we give them also offer our time and talents and
all that we are to you freely as well.
We pray this through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayers of the People
Eternal God,
We raise our voices in prayer this today for those who are experiencing
tragedy around the world, and humbly ask for your mercy,
We pray for all those who are experiencing directly or indirectly the
divisions in Belarus that create tensions and a dangerous environment
where people fear for their safety
Eternal God, in peace we pray,
Lord, hear and have mercy.
We pray for the continued high COVID-19 case counts in our own nation
and around the globe; today we specifically name Alberta where they
are struggling to preserve the lives of your children and health care
professionals are weary from battling this disease.
Eternal God, in peace we pray,
Lord, hear and have mercy.
We pray for the passengers and crew of the ferry that caught fire off the
north coast of Indonesia and while there was no loss of life, those
passengers and crew will live the with terror of that lived experience.
Eternal God, in peace we pray,
Lord, hear and have mercy.
We pray for the health and safety of all of the athletes, organizers and
attendees of the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo as they experience a
high COVID-19 case counts.
Eternal God, in peace we pray,
Lord, hear and have mercy.
We especially pray for the 215 children who lost their lives at the
residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia and all of the
children who have been lost, went missing or disappeared as a result
of the residential school system.
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the
faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
And finally, we pray for ourselves and those close to us who are facing
hardships, hurt and pain, discomfort as well as mental health and
physical challenges.
Eternal God, in peace we pray,
Lord, hear and have mercy.
Hear these our prayers, O God and have mercy, in Jesus' name we pray,
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
And of all the prayers silent and spoken, we pray the one prayer that unites us in Your presence, O Lord (you can sing with the video or recite the words below):
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed by 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, the power, and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Hymn: Voices United #312, Praise with Joy the World's Creator
Sending Forth
As we leave this place, go out and worship the Lord.
May God offer you strength and support;
May Jesus Christ bless you with peace;
May the Holy Spirit assure you that you are a child beloved of God.
Amen.
Hymn: Go Now in Peace
Food for the Journey
A more traditional version of Amazing Grace was offered during the worship service. Here is another version of Amazing Grace offered a cappella by the Pentatonix. Enjoy!
Closing Notes
Don't forget to extinguish your candle(s).
Rev. Debbie Johnson has joined St. Paul's to provide some Pastoral Care to our congregation on a part-time basis. If you would like a call or email from Rev. Debbie, please contact the office at 416-261-4222. More information and a video from Rev. Debbie can be found on our church homepage.
Please join us for Zoom Coffee Time on May 23, 2021 from 11:30 am-12:00 pm:
Meeting ID: 829 432 3094
Dial in: +1 647 558 0588
Note that portions of this service are drawn and adapted from various resources:
o The Call to Worship was written by Marie Slivocka. Gathering, Pentecost 1 2021,
page 32. Used with permission.
Thank you to:
Lisa Butler for reading the Old Testament reading today.
Max Laumeister for his web script that makes our YouTube videos work.
PNGWNG.com, Canva.com, and Pixabay.com websites for the images and backgrounds.
And, thank you to all of the artists whose music and videos were used in the service:
o Pacific Spirit United Church
o Vagle Brothers
o Catbalow1
o Christian Sermons and Audio Books
o Haewook Kim
o Heritage United Church
o Tina Vanderpol Melodium75
o The Pentatonix
