Keeping in Touch
with Ebenezer United Church
Our worship service at Ebenezer as well on Zoom is led by Margaret Tribe, Diane McLean, and Rev. Nicholas Forrester with Christine Hanson, Margaret Tribe, and our choir for the musical accompaniment, Diane McLean with Marla Tankard for Sunday School, Susan Ryman for the slides, and James Tribe, Shaun Balasubramaniam, and yours truly for our audiovisual and broadcast support.
Special thanks to all for our Annual General Meeting after the service, especially Clyde Harris.
Scripture Readings (NIV):
Exodus 17:1-7 Water From the Rock
John 4:5-26
Sermon: “Give Us the Living Water!”
Here're links from the United Church of Canada this week:
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Wishing a Happy Birthday to
Isabel Salins, March 14
Luvlyn Kotian, March 17
Coffee & Treats Please stay following the service for fellowship and refreshments in the narthex generously prepared by Ina York and Beverley Fujimoto.
Annual General Meeting after service today please plan to stay. There is so much to celebrate! Revised copies of the 2022 Annual Report and proposed agenda have been emailed and printed copies are available by request.
A new chapter in the history of Ebenezer United Church is being prepared with the inspiration of Ina York’s talk on Anniversary Sunday. Now is the perfect time to get involved in the life and work of Ebenezer United Church by helping one of the groups or committees that make a difference in this community.
Order your Gift Cards in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers-to-Grandmothers today, March 12. Order forms are available in the narthex. Requests for cards may be emailed to Jacquelin Lovell jacquelinlovell@rogers.com
Payment may be made by cheque to the church or by e-transfer to treasurer@ebenezeronline.ca Thank you for your ongoing support.
Invitation: Lenten Study, March 14 - April 9, 2023
I am inviting you to share in a Lenten Study entitled, “The Purpose Driven Life” that will be based on a book written by Pastor Rick Warren with the same title.
The Lenten Study will be for six weeks on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., starting on March 14, 2023, and ending on April 4, 2023. This study will be on Zoom.
You may get a copy of the book at Amazon.ca or check with you local library that may have a copy. You may also check with other local bookstores. There is an accompanying material that you may want to consider, called the Purpose Driven Life Journal.
Below, you will find the Zoom link for the Lenten Study.
I am looking forward to seeing you there.
~ Rev. Nicholas Forrester
Ebenezer is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
Click here
Meeting ID: 890 2160 1928
Passcode: 618900
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IN THE CHURCH
Office Hours: Susan will be working in-office Wed. and Friday
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. and from home Tuesday and Thursday
Tuesday – Out of the Cold program by BlueDoor & volunteers
Lenten Study “The Purpose Driven Life” – via Zoom 6 p.m.
Wed. – Out of the Cold program by BlueDoor & volunteers
Thursday – Out of the Cold program by BlueDoor & volunteers
Choir Practice - 7-9 p.m. in the main sanctuary. Come sing! Please use the side door entrance from the parking lot.
Sunday – In-person/Zoom at 10 a.m. with Rev. Nicholas Forrester and Worship Leader, Tissa Jayasinghe for the 4th Sunday in Lent. Prayers of the People by Margaret Tribe. There will be a Sunday School program in classrooms 1&2 with Diane and a “Helper”. We like doing ministry together, please join us in service.
Notes on choir anthem:
This anthem is a setting of the well-known text from the Old Testament, Isaiah 40:4 - 5. The music begins quietly with the tenors and basses in unison and builds dramatically to the last statement "For the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."
Notes on organ music:
The chorale prelude, Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, is a musical exploration of a pre-existing Lutheran hymn melody. Brahms, in composing in this style is paying homage to Bach, who was a master of the form. Brahms’s compositional style mixes both baroque techniques with a romantic sensibility.
The organ postlude is a classic Lenten piece from Bach's Orgelbüchlein. The melody is from a chorale text that begins “Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein, / Und wissen nicht, wo aus noch ein” (When we are in utmost need, and are completely at a loss). The melody is heavily ornamented above the steady bass notes, representing feelings of uncertainty and restlessness during periods of grief.
Book Club – will be meeting next Monday, March 20 via Zoom at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the book “HOMES a refugee story”. Everyone is welcome to the discussion and there is still one copy in the office available to read. The Book Club collects funds to support Kiva Loans. For more information, please speak with Diane Saunders via email: bellefleur_saunders@hotmail.com
IN THE COMMUNITY
TOMORROW: Safe Online Shopping for Seniors, Mar 13, Mon, 1:30pm-3:00pm (zoom)
Join Zoom Meeting
Click here
Meeting ID: 924 5120 2175
Passcode: 099378
Speaker: Alexandra Suthern, Librarian | Toronto Public Library
This program is for people who have basic internet skills, and want to learn how to:safely shop online with confidence / find goods and services online / look for customer reviews or consumer testing results
Information on Government Benefits (English)
Friday, March 17, 2023 from 10:00am – 11:00am via ZOOM
Learn About: What is CPP, OAS and GIS? Who is entitled to receive benefits? How to apply for these benefits? What are the latest entitlements offered by the Government of Canada?
What documents are needed to apply for public pensions?
How to prevent fraud and protect My Service Canada Account?
Speaker: Citizen Services Specialist; Citizen Service Branch
Service Canada / Government of Canada
For more information: Call Elsa UY at 416 – 493 – 3333 x 305
Or email at elsa@splc
Offered by: SPLC (Senior Persons Living Connected), S.A.L.T. (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together, Service Canada)
“Musical Theatre and Movie Music” Concert
Who: Susan Ryman, Murphy Hung, Jane Loewen, Holly and Landon
When: Friday, March 24 at 7:00 p.m. (Susan’s birthday!)
Where: Wesley United Church (404 Aurora Road and Woodbine)
Birthday reception downstairs following the concert. All are invited.
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Have a wonderful week and stay safe,
Doug Mark
PS Please always remember to support your Ebenezer United Church by giving your time and talents as well as through your offerings. Click here to learn more from our website and remember we accept Interac e-Transfers to treasurer@ebenezeronline.ca. Thank-you!
PPS Click here to check our our new CanadaHelps donation link found on our website as well.
If you want to be added to our Ebenezer eNews list, click here to subscribe and feel free to share this link with others. |
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Ebenezer United Church
3rd Sunday in Lent
March 12, 2023
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♫ Prelude “Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele” by Johannes Brahms
Lighting of the Christ Candle & Fellowship Candles
(Lighting by Sunday School, reading by Worship Leader)
The Christ Candle is a sign to us that Jesus Christ has come into this world as the Eternal Light. The Fellowship Candles remind us that Jesus’ people are the people of Light in this world. As we light the Christ Candle, let us hear the voice of Jesus say, “I am the Light of the World.” And, as we light the Fellowship Candles, let us also hear the voice of Jesus say, “You are the light of the world.”
Welcome & Announcements ~ Margaret Tribe
♫ Chimes ~ Margaret Tribe
*Call to Worship (Responsive) (Please stand as you are able)
L/ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
P/ And also, with you.
L/ O come, let us sing to our GOD; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation!
P/ Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving, singing joyful songs of praise!
L/ Our God is great, Sovereign above all powers and principalities. O come, let us worship the LORD, our God and Maker!
A/ We worship the Lord who is our God, for, we are God’s people!
Lighting of the Lenten Candles (read and lit by Joan and Clyde)
“Living Water”
Voice 1: On this third Sunday of Lent we acknowledge that we have
thirsty souls. We come like the woman at the well seeking
the life that wells up from within.
Voice 2: (Lighting the third purple candle) God gives us living water.
All: God of life,
all day and all night, we hunger and thirst for you.
Help us to have compassion towards others who
share this need. Amen.
♫ Hymn of Praise “We Praise You, O God” VU #: 218
Invocation (Together) (Led by Worship Leader)
God of grace and truth, we come to your house today to worship you. We bring all of ourselves to you, all of the good, the bad, and the ugly. We entrust our hidden, fearful, and fragile selves to your transforming power and gentle, loving care. Blessing, glory, and honor are yours alone! As we come before you this day, help us to let go of our fears and worries. Lead us, O God, and, by your grace, we shall follow and praise your name both now and forevermore. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!
♫ Choir Anthem “Every Valley” by John Ness Beck
Confession and Lament (Responsive) (Led by Worship Leader)
L/ God of mercy, we confess that we often attribute your miracles in our lives to our own abilities.
P/ We confess that we promised to trust you but turned to our own way when your response did not come soon enough or in the way we expected.
L/ We confess that we put our own understandings above your wisdom, and we resist your command to live according to your holy Word.
A/ Forgive us, O God and remake us according to your image and likeness. Through Jesus our Saviour, we pray, amen!
Assurance of Pardon
M/ Beloved in the Lord, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance: Jesus said... “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” (Jn. 4:13–14). To all who turn to the Lord then, he says, “your sins are forgiven.” He also says, “Follow me.” Thanks be to God!
The Lord’s Prayer (In unison)
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.
♫ Song for the Young “Jesus Bids Us Shine” VU #: 585
A Time with Our Children Diane McLean
"Living Water"
♫ "I Feel God Around Me" sung by children
(Children are welcome to go with Diane McLean and Marla Tankard to classrooms 1&2 for a Sunday School program.)
Prayer for Understanding (Worship Leader)
Creator God, your Word is the rock beneath our feet, a firm foundation for our lives. Send us your Holy Spirit to be our guide and our light of understanding as we listen for your solid wisdom this day, through Jesus Christ, your Living Word, in whose glorious and powerful name we pray, amen.
Scripture Readings
Old Testament: Exodus 17:1–7 (NIV) (read by Worship Leader)
1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin,
traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” 3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” 4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb.
Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
New Testament: John 4:5–26 (NIV) (read by Rev. Forrester)
5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her,
“Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.
20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
R/ This is the word of the Lord!
A/ Thanks be to God!
Sermon “Give Us the Living Water!” Rev. Nicholas Forrester
♫ Hymn of Reflection “Fill My Cup, Lord” arr. by Richard Blanchard
Prayers of the People (Please listen) Jane Smyth
Loving God…. Hear our prayer…
Response: And in your love, answer.
♫ Choral Response “Great Amen” MV #: 205
Invitation to the Offering (Worship Leader)
We are called to live in hope and to share this hope with the world. Let us offer thanks to God for all God has given us by sharing generously of ourselves and of our resources. Through our gifts, may all experience the hope to be found in our life-giving God.
Offering Our Gifts
♫ Offertory Hymn “We Give Thee but Thine Own” VU #: 543
Prayer of Dedication (Minister)
Life-giving God, we offer you ourselves and our monies. Use us and our gifts, that we may be vessels of your Living Water to a world thirsty for love, meaning, justice, and hope. Bless these gifts for the work of your Kingdom to continue to usher your coming to us and all the world. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
♫ Closing Hymn “Deep in Our Hearts” VU #: 154
*Benediction (Rev. Forrester) (Please stand as you are able)
Go forth, in the power of the Holy Spirit, into the world as witnesses of God, ambassadors of reconciliation, and praising God’s holy name. And, as you go in peace, may God's love, grace, and truth be poured out endlessly upon and into you, and may they well up in you like a stream and flow forth from you like a river bringing abundant life to the world and eternal praise and glory to God’s everlasting and glorious name. Go with God, my friends. Amen!
♫ “Go Now in Peace” by Nancy Price and Don Besig
♫ Postlude “Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein BWV 641” by J.S. Bach
Acknowledgements:
Respectfully adapted from the following resources: The United Church of Canada @ https://www.united-church.ca/worship; The Presbyterian Church in Canada @ https://presbyterian.ca/worship/; United Church of Christ Worship Ways @ https://www.ucc.org/worship_worship-ways; Spirit Networks @ http://www.spirit-net.ca/sermons/year-a-sermons.php; and The United Methodist Church Ministry Matters @ https://www.ministrymatters.com/worship/.
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Last week's sermon "Change My Heart, O God!" by Rev. Nicholas Forrester
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Prayer of the Week
2 Peter 1:4 (NIV)
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
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Food for Thought
Water
Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.
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Inspiration
from Doug Mark
You may have known that scientists believe the universe is 13.8 billion years old. But, did you know that it's older than this because we can't see past this time because there wasn't light in the beginning. Click here or on the image about to find out more in this YouTube short video. |
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Heavenly Humour
from Christine Hanson
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