Trinity-St. Stephen’s United Church

1 Ratchford St., P.O. Box 413, Amherst, NS, B4H 3Z5

Email: tssuc@eastlink.ca — Web: www.tssuc.com

Nigel Weaver (902-667-8443)

Jeff Joudrey

Erika Benjamin (902-667-8483)

Terry Lawless

Intentional Interim Minister:

Director of Music:

Administrative Assistant:

Custodian:

Worship on the Seventh Sunday of Easter,

May 8, 2016 - Mother’s Day

Today’s bulletin is given in loving memory of a dear niece, Pamela Mae Wood

by Eileen & Jim Rodger.

‘As the deer pants for the water, so my soul thirsts after You.’

Ministry of Music: Down to the River to Pray — trad.

Meditation: Free Flowing - Flowing Free

We stand to sing:

448 We Know That Christ Is Raised in the Red Hymnbook

Prayer

We stand to sing a hymn and remain standing through the sung Amen.

556 Would You Bless Our Homes and Families in the Red Hymnbook

Sending Forth and Blessing

Music Before Leaving:

The Music Before Leaving concludes worship; it is not a performance. Applause is not required.

Music - text and melody - printed in the bulletin is used by permission, all rights reserved,

and is licensed for our congregation’s use under Onelicense.net License No. A-725866 and

LicenSingOnline License No. 626270.

‘As the Deer…’ words and music :Martin Nystrom © 1983 The Copyright Co. (VU 766)

‘I Have Called You…’ words and music: Daniel C. Damon © 1995 Hope Pub. (MV 161)

‘May God’s Sheltering Wings…’ words and music: Judith Snowdon © 2004 (MV 214)

‘Amen!...’ words and music: Jim Strathdee © 1985 Desert Flower Music (VU 974)

Don’t forget! This Saturday, May 14 at 9:30 is "May Muffin Morning". All members of the

congregation and friends are welcome to come share a time of fellowship and conversation, a

nice cup of coffee, tea or juice and delicious homemade muffins. You are welcome to drop in

for a short time anytime during the morning, or stay the entire morning visiting. The invitation

has gone out to the congregations of other United Church Pastoral Charges in our immediate

area. Let's fill the hall! Hosted by the UCW Congregational Care Committee.

Next Sunday, May 15, everyone is encouraged to wear RED as we celebrate Pentecost Sunday.

Music for Gathering:

Lighting the Christ Candle—Welcome and Announcements

We stand and sing: (VU 766)

We remain standing and say:

ONE: Today, right here, right now, in this very place, at this precise moment,

God says to each of us:

ALL: I know you like a shepherd knows his sheep.

I care for you like a farmer cares for her land.

I love you like a mother loves her new born.

I delight in you like a father delights in his children.

ONE: Today, right here, right now, in this very place, at this precise moment,

God says to each of us:

ALL: You are my child,

loved and precious.

You make me very pleased.”

We stand and sing: 161 I Have Called You by Your Name in paperback song book

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town of Thyatira who was in the purple-dye trade. As she listened to us, Christ opened her

heart to accept what Paul was saying. After she and her household were baptized, she ex-

tended us an invitation: “If you are convinced that I am a believer in Christ, please come

and stay with us.” We accepted.

The Second Reading: Revelation 21.10, 22-22.5

An angel then carried me away in the spirit to the top of a very high mountain, and

showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. I saw no temple

in the city, for God almighty and the Lamb were themselves the temple. There was no sun

or moon: God’s glory was its light, and the Lamb was its lamp. The nations will walk by the

city’s light, and the rulers of the earth will bring their treasures. The city’s gates will never

be shut by day, and there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be

brought into it. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does loathsome

things or tells lies. Only those whose names are written in the book of life of the Lamb will

enter. The angel then showed me the river of life-giving water, clear as crystal, which is-

sued from the throne of God and of the Lamb, and flowed down the middle of the streets.

On either side of the river grew the trees of life which produce fruit twelve times a year,

once each month; their leaves serve as medicine to heal the nations. There will no longer be

any curse. The throne of the almighty and of the Lamb will be there, and God’s subjects will

serve faithfully. They will see the Most High face to face, and bear God’s name on their

foreheads. Night will be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for our

God will give them light, and they will reign forever.

The Gospel Reading: John 5.1-9

Sometime after this, there was a Jewish festival and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in

Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a pool with five porticoes; its Hebrew name is Be-

thesda. The place was crowded with sick people—those who were blind, lame or para-

lyzed—lying there waiting for the water to move. An angel of God would come down to

the pool from time to time, to stir up the water; the first One to step into the water after it

had been stirred up would be completely healed. One person there had been sick for thirty-

eight years. Jesus, who knew this person had been sick for a long time, said, “Do you want

to be healed?” “Rabbi,” the sick One answered, “I don’t have anyone to put me into the

pool once the water has been stirred up. By the time I get there, someone else has gone in

ahead of me.” Jesus replied, “Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.” The individual was

immediately healed, and picked up the mat and walked away. This happened on a Sab-

bath.

We sit and say:

ALL: Dear God,

sometimes it is easier to say sorry for the big mistakes of life

than for the dozens of little ones we make daily –

time spent worrying rather than finding grace in the moment,

words of criticism, ill thought and regrettable,

silence when words could make a difference,

self-doubt when you hold out unlimited love and acceptance.

It is in the little things that we are most likely to fail you

and each other.

Help us, Blesséd One,

in the day to day moments that mark our lives

to be open to your spirited longing for our good. Amen.

Reflective Quiet

We share the Peace in words and actions then sing:

ONE: Jesus often withdrew to pray – a quiet spot, a welcome rest.

All: Then he would return to his friends, to those who loved and followed him.

One: Jesus always remembered the community which held and supported him

All: So let us remember each other and the love which binds us.

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

ALL: And also with you.

I have called you by your name, you are mine;

I have gifted you and ask you now to shine.

I will not abandon you; all my promises are true.

You are gifted, called, and chosen; you are mine.

ONE: Let us present our offerings with prayer and praise. Let us pray:

All: God of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar,

their children and their children’s children,

you are no stranger to the complexities of life,

nor the complications we add ourselves.

Help us to simplify our lives.

Help us to grow in our awareness of your blessing.

Help us to bow and bend, each to the other

that we might be woven into your community

of compassion and concern. Amen.

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may be nurtured by the bread of life.

ALL: Now to God be given

all glory, praise, honour and might.

Blessed be God forever. Amen

We Baptize the Candidate

We Present a Baptismal Candle and Certificate We sing the song below together (MV 214)

The First Reading: Acts 16.6-15

Paul and his companions traveled through Phrygia and Galatian territory, because they

had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

When they reached the frontier of Mysia, they thought to cross through it into Bithynia, but

the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to cross, 8 so they went through Mysia and came

down to Troas.

Then one night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and said, “Come over to

Macedonia and help us.” After this vision, we immediately made efforts to get across to

Macedonia, convinced that God had called us to bring them the Good News. We put out to

sea from Troas and set a course straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis;

from there we went to Philippi, which is one of the bigger cities in Macedonia and a Roman

colony, and spent a few days there. On the Sabbath we went along the river outside the

gates, thinking we might find a place of prayer. We sat down and preached to the women

who had come to the gathering. One of them was named Lydia, a devout woman from the

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We stand and sing as the offering is brought to the front:

Praise God the Source of life and birth.

Praise God the Word, who came to earth.

Sing praises, hallelujah!

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All glory, honour to God’s name!

Sing praises, hallelujah! Sing praises, hallelujah! Hallelujah!

We Celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism

ONE: Sisters and brothers, we gather now

to celebrate the gift of grace

that is given to us in the sacrament of baptism.

ALL: We are one body and one spirit.

We have one hope in God’s call to us.

ONE: There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism

one God and Creator of us all.

ALL: Out of the water of baptism we rise with new life,

forgiven of sin and one with Christ.

Members of Christ’s body.

We Present the Candidate for Baptism

On behalf of the Congregation of Trinity-St. Stephen’s United Church I present

Noah Murray Janes Pedersen child of Heather Janes and Murray Pedersen for

initiation into the Body of Christ.

We ask Questions of Parental Intent and Commitment

We ask a Question of Congregational Intent and Commitment

ONE: As a baptized and baptizing church,

do you commit yourselves

to support and nurture these persons

within a community which worships God,

resists evil and seeks justice?

ALL: We do.

ONE: Let us with the whole church confess our faith

ALL: We are not alone,

we live in God’s world.

We believe in God:

who has created and is creating,

who has come in Jesus,

the Word made flesh,

to reconcile and make new,

who works in us and others

by the Spirit.

We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church:

to celebrate God’s presence,

to live with respect in Creation,

to love and serve others,

to seek justice and resist evil,

to proclaim Jesus,

crucified and risen,

our judge and our hope.

In life, in death,

in life beyond death,

God is with us.

We are not alone.

Thanks be to God.

We pray a Prayer of Thanksgiving

ONE: Blessed are you, our God, Ruler of the universe…

flowing from the rock in the wilderness.

ALL: Blessed are you, our God.

ONE: In Jesus you promised that all who thirst

could come to the living water….

so that we may also rise with him.

ALL: Blessed are you, our God.

ONE: Therefore, eternal and present God,

we bless you for the water with which you bless us.

ALL: We pray that those

who are given to the waters of life

will live in your grace,

knowing the death and resurrection of Jesus.

ONE: Send, O God, your Holy Spirit

upon us and upon this water,

that all who are gathered under this sign,

being one in Christ,