Keeping in Touch
with Ebenezer United Church
Our worship service at Ebenezer as well on Zoom is led by Jacquelin Lovell and Rev. Nicholas Forrester. We thank Diane McLean for Children's Story Time and Sunday School, Marla Tankard for leading the Children's Choir, Christine Hanson, Margaret Tribe, and our choir for providing the musical accompaniment, Susan Ryman for the slides, and James Tribe, Clyde Harris, Shaun Balasubramaniam, and yours truly for our audiovisual and broadcast support.
Scripture Readings (NIV):
Micah 6:1–8 The Lord’s Case Against Israel
Matthew 5:1-12 Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
Sermon: “The Be-Attitudes”
Hymns:
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling VU333
The Lord’s Prayer VU960
Spirit, Open My Heart MV79
Breathe on Me, Breath of God VU382
Grant Us, God, the Grace VU540
Make Me a Channel of Your Peace VU684
Go Now in Peace
Here're links from the United Church of Canada this week:
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
TODAY
Coffee Time Please stay and meet with us in the narthex following the service for a time of fellowship and refreshments thoughtfully prepared by Tissa and Manique Jayasinghe.
THIS WEEK
Office Hours: Susan will be working in-office Wednesday and Friday
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. and from home Tuesday and Thursday
Tuesday – Out of the Cold program by BlueDoor & volunteers
Wednesday – 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 to the sanctuary.
Sunday – In-person/Zoom with Rev. Nicholas Forrester and worship Leader, Jackie Lovell at 10 a.m. as we celebrate communion and the 5th Sunday after Epiphany. There will be a Sunday School program in classrooms 1&2 with Diane McLean and a “Helper”.
UPCOMING EVENTS, MEETINGS, SERVICES
Worship Leaders Training Rev. Forrester would like to invite you to a worship leaders’ training for an hour on Sunday, February 5 after the worship service. At the training, we will have discussions around worship order and why we do what we do in worship, the sacraments, prayers, and general preparation for worship.
Prayers of the People Rev. Forrester and the Worship team are seeking to restart the Prayers of the People team u are interested in volunteering to serve by occasionally writing and delivering the Prayers of the People, please speak to Rev. Forrester or any member of the Worship team. If writing the prayer is something new to you, guidance is available.
Annual Reports are now being received in the office or by email at ebenezer5000@gmail.com until February 15, 2023. Please be sure to celebrate and highlight your groups activities in 2022.
Annual General Meeting is to be held March 12, 2023 after service.
Ebenezer 171st Anniversary Sunday service at 10 a.m. on February 12, 2023. Join us as we come together in person to enjoy a planned potluck lunch after church. Please speak with Valerie Clarke and Mae Belvett today to let them know what you wish to contribute to the anniversary lunch such as meat dishes, salads, cheese trays, desserts, etc.
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Ebenezer Rocks is back! Calling all members of Ebenezer, friends, and family. On Saturday February 25, 2023 at 2 p.m. we will be walking in support of Blue Door. The funds raised will be used to support Blue Door housing programs including the Mosaic Interfaith Out of the Cold program that operates from Ebenezer three nights per week. Here are the details and different ways to participate:
- Please go to CNOY.org. If you were part of the fundraiser last year, you can login. OR there is a tab to register to fundraise, donate, or find your location. Our location is Richmond Hill (Blue Door).
- If you do not wish to walk, please consider donating to the team. OR You may give your donation to Jane, (with your address information for your tax receipt) and she will post it to the team for you.
- If you prefer to fundraise with the team, yet prefer to walk on your own, that is great too!
- Everyone who raises $150.00 or more (per participant) will receive the sporty grey and white toque!
- Marilyn and Jane will have drinks and snacks for everyone who would like to walk, fundraise, and for all who would like to come out and support the team!! An Ebenezer event for all!
- We will depart the church at 2 p.m. and walk to 14th Avenue and then return. (Same route as last year)
Please contact Jane at janesmyth@sympatico.ca or 416-292-9995 with questions.
We hope you will join us and look forward to walking with you in support of Blue Door.
~Marilyn and Jane- Ebenezer Outreach Team
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Gift Cards in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers-to-Grandmothers. February 5-12 is the time to place your orders for merchandise/gift cards. 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.
Book Club – next meeting March 20 via Zoom at 7:30 p.m.
The book is a work of creative nonfiction entitled “Homes, a refugee story” written by Winnie Yeung as told to her by Syrian refugee, Abu Bakr al Rabeeah and his family. Copies are in the office for you to pick up today.
Learn more about the work done by the Ebenezer Book Club as they support www.kiva.org. Here is a glimpse of the story of one loan recipient: Ruth's story: Ruth is a married woman who lives in Busia with her husband and four children. She has been farming for the last 10 years. Her main objective for farming is to support her family and educate her children. A loan helped to buy cereals to sell and, as a mom, use the profits to support her family.
In the Community
Canada Revenue Agency Information on Tax Benefits and Credits (Zoom and In-person Sessions 3333 Finch Ave East)
January 31 Tues. 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. – Scams (Protect Yourself from Fraudulent CRA Calls & Messages)
To Register or for more information call 416-493-3333 ext. 305
or email: elsa@splc.ca
The Face of Poverty, Recognition and Response
Markham Baptist Church is extending and invitation into the community for a series of Zoom discussions on The Face of Poverty, Recognition and Response; focusing on the Markham-Unionville community.
Session dates: Tuesday evenings on Zoom, February 28, March 14, March 28, April 11, April 25, May 9 from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
To register, in order to enter the Zoom meeting, please email: admin@markhambaptist.org or call 905-294-5830
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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
4th Sunday After Epiphany
January 29, 2023
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♫ Prelude “For All The Saints” (Gerhard Krapf)
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 ~ Jacquelin Lovell
♫ Chimes ~ Margaret Tribe
*Call to Worship (Leader, People, All) (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/ Be still before God and wait patiently, for God to appear. Delight in God and he will satisfy your hunger. Call upon God and he will answer.
P/ With what shall we come before God? Who among the living is worthy to stand in his presence?
L/ A broken and contrite heart God will not despise. A humble spirit he will not turn away.
A/ We come now to worship the one true God together! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
♫ Hymn of Praise “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” VU #: 333
Prayers of Adoration & Invocation (Together) (Led by Worship Leader)
Almighty God, we gather to praise you this day for your mercy and kindness – to give you thanks for your Living Word – Jesus Christ – and to seek your favour that we may be strengthened and built up in the faith to which you have called us. Though unworthy we are, yet you bid us come and promise to forgive and to help all those who seek you. Grant that your Holy Spirit might touch us this day and make us more of what you want us to be. We pray, through the mercies of Christ, in whose glorious and wonderful name we pray, amen!
♫ Choir Anthem “It Is Good to Praise the Lord!” (John Carter)
Prayer of Confession (Responsive) (Leader, People, All)
L/ O God, we confess our attraction to the world’s wisdom, presented to us as fact, reality, and truth.
P/ We fail to reflect on such messages according to your Word because far too often we desire to look wise and be accepted in the eyes of the world.
L/ We shy away from speaking the truth and cower under the cover of political correctness, failing the truth.
A/ Forgive us, Lord, and help us be the people you have created and called us to be people of love, justice, humility, and truth even when the world regards us and calls us ‘fools’. We would rather be fools for Christ than be wise according to the world’s standards. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!
Assurance of Pardon (Minister, All)
M/ Beloved in the Lord, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance: Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Though God sees and knows our weakness and sin, forgiveness is ours in Jesus Christ. Rejoice and be glad for our lives are renewed in Him. To all who turn to the Lord then, he says, “your sins are forgiven.” He also says, “Follow me.”
A/ Thanks be to God!
♫ The Lord’s Prayer (Sung Together) VU #: 960
♫ Song for the Young “Spirit, Open My Heart” MV #: 79
A Time with Our Children Diane McLean with Marla Tankard
♫ “Clap Your Hands” by Don Moen, sung by Ebenezer Sunday School
Prayer for Understanding (Worship Leader)
Holy God, from age to age you have blessed your people with wisdom. We come today, seeking that wisdom from the Holy Scripture. Let your Holy Spirit inspire us so that we meet you in these words and respond to you in faithfulness, through Jesus Christ, your Living Word, in whose glorious and powerful name we pray, amen.
Scripture Readings
Old Testament: Micah 6:1–8 (NIV) (read by Jacquelin Lovell)
1 Listen to what the Lord says: “Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. 2 “Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel. 3 “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. 4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. 5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” 6 With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
New Testament: Matthew 5:1–12 (NIV) (read by Rev. Forrester)
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
M/ This is the word of the Lord!
A/ Thanks be to God!
Sermon “The Be-Attitudes!” Rev. Nicholas Forrester
♫ Hymn of Reflection “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” VU #: 382
Prayers of Thanksgiving, Intercession, and Supplication
(Minister, People, All)
M/ Gracious God, stir in us the courage to own our true condition as unfinished souls, frail and sinful and in need of grace – open to us the door of true blessedness – set our feet on the path of humble obedience, joyful thanksgiving, and transforming love.
P/ Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
M/ O Lord, we thank you that when we are at our lowest, you do not leave us comfortless but rather near to those who are broken- hearted and close at hand to those who are crushed in spirit. We thank you that your foolishness is wiser than the wisdom of humankind and your weakness stronger than our strength. We pray for those who do not know your compassion, that they may be drawn to eat and drink of you, and for those who are bound by the chains of fear and despair, that they may come to know the truth that sets us free.
P/ Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
M/ We pray, O God, for the well-being – physical, emotional, social, and spiritual of the world around us. We think of those who are sick, those who are vulnerable, those who are alone, those who full of darkness, and we ask your blessing upon them today. We think too of our governments and our corporations and of the need for justice and mercy in the affairs of all nations and between all nations today. We think of the pain of the earth and of the promise you have made to one day restore the glory that the world knew at first, and we pray that the power of the cross might permeate our minds and our hearts and bring the transformation that is needed in our hearts as individuals and in the world as a whole.
M/ Today, we pray for all the persons belonging or connected to this congregation, who need your healing and helping grace. In particular, we bring before you those who are shut-in and call them by name: Roy Dixon, Janet Dunham, Michele Gillette, Cyril Harvey, and Joseph Salins.
P/ Surround and undergird these our friends with your wholeness, peace, and comfort, and minister healing to them.
M/ We also pray for those who are connected to some of us here for whom requests for prayers have been made, and we call them by name: Jackie, Carole, Edwin, Jenna, Basil, Cathy, Elaine, and Andrea.
A/ Visit them with your grace and your mercy. We pray for all these things and people through the power of Jesus’ name, amen!
Invitation to the Offering (Worship Leader)
The prophet Micah reminds us that, what God requires are lives filled with loving kindness, and people who live justly and walk humble with their God. So, we offer our gifts humbly, trusting that God will use them and us for kind and just purposes in the world.
Offering Our Gifts
♫ Offertory Hymn “Grant Us, God, the Grace” VU #: 540
Prayer of Dedication (Minister)
God, you are the Source of our lives. From you, all loving-kindness, justice, and mercy flow. Bless these gifts with your Spirit so that acts of kindness, justice, and mercy may flow from them, too. And bless our lives so that the world may see in us signs of your Kingdom at work in the Church and the community, in Christ’s name we pray, amen.
♫ Closing Hymn “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” VU #: 684
*Benediction (Rev. Forrester) (Please stand as you are able)
Go in peace, and may the blessing of God, the companionship of Jesus Christ, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit be with you and upon you all, both now and forevermore. Go with God, my friends. Amen!
♫ “Go Now in Peace” (Nancy Price and Don Besig)
♫ Postlude
“Carillon from Vingt-quatre pieces en style libre” (Louis Vierne)
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Sung by Susan Ryman with accompaniment by Murphy Hung.
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Last week's sermon "Jesus Calls Us" by Rev. Nicholas Forrester
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Verse of the Week
Mark 9:35 (NIV)
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Read Full Chapter
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Food for Thought
Attitude
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
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Inspiration
from Doug Mark
Neil deGrasse Tyson is back explaining about children's curiosity is a key to their brilliance. Click here or on the image above to find out on YouTube Shorts. ~Doug
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Heavenly Humour
from Doug Mark
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