Service outline for October 9

ORDER OF WORSHIP
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Prelude, "Come Now Is The Time To Worship" (Brian Doerksen)

Welcome and Announcements,
Acknowledgement of the Land

Gathering Song, “Gentle Spirit” (Nancy Nelson)

Gentle spirit, move among us as we gather here today.
May we feel you as the strength and tie that binds
Our souls in love and unity to share the common will.
Open arms. Open hearts. Open minds.

Lighting the Candles and Placing the Bible

Opening Hymn, VU #516: “Come, You Thankful People, Come”
1. Come, you thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home!
All is safely gathered in,
safe before the storms begin;
God, our maker, does provide
for our needs to be supplied:
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home!

2. All the world is God's own field,
harvests for God's praise to yield;
wheat and weeds together sown,
here for joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade, and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear:
Harvest-giver, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

3. For our God, one day, shall come,
and shall take this harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offences purge away;
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the weeds to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.

4. Even so, God, quickly come
to your final harvest home!
Gather all your people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin;
there for ever purified,
in your presence to abide:
come, with all your angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.

The Passing of the Peace, MV #173: “Put Peace Into Each Other’s Hands"

Put peace into each other’s handsand like a treasure hold it,
protect it like a candle flame,with tenderness enfold it.

Opening Prayer

Scripture Reading: Exodus 19:3-7; 20:1-17 (God’s Ten Words)

Time With All Ages: Story/Song, “A Thanksgiving Song”
                                  (Shaffer. Arr.: Butler)

  Chorus: We are grateful on this Thanksgiving,
   Praising God as we sing.
Let us thank God, this harvest season,
   Joyful hearts we bring.

1. We see the colours of this special time,
in fallen leaves of red and gold.
We lift our voices on this holy day
And thank the Lord for our many blessings. Chorus.

   2. We gather with our friends and family
   And blend our hearts around the feast.
   We lift our voices on this holy day,
And thank the Lord for our many blessings. Chorus.

Reflection

Anthem, “A Harvest Anthem” (M. Archer)

Centering Song: "In the Sound and in the Silence" (Nancy Nelson)

In the sound and in the silence, may Holy Wisdom draw near.
Let us feel the power of hearts and minds that are joined in Thanksgiving
and praising and longing and hoping for Love to appear.

Prayers of the Community and the Prayer Jesus Gave Us (sung VU #959)

Responsive Hymn, “Gifts of Love" (Carolyn Gillette)
   1. Gifts of love our Lord has given,
Words of life: "I'm your God!
I have brought you out of Egypt; now I call.
Listen here, listen well:
When you live in gratitude you'll keep my law."

2. "Have no other gods before me,
says the Lord God Most High.
Don't choose idols that you worship in God's place.
Know God's name, use it well.
Keep the Sabbath for it is God's gift of grace."

3. "Honour parents and grandparents,
and rejoice! God will bless you.
Take no life, for God loves everyone on earth.
Celebrate gifts of love;
Take to heart what marriage covenant's is worth."

4. "Do not steal from one another,
nor speak lies, hurting others;
Do not wish for what your neighbour has in greed."
Ten great Words, gifts from God,
Help us live in thanks for all we have received.

  Invitation to the Offering,
   Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures high and low;
Give thanks to God in love made known:
Creator, Word and Spirit One.

We Bless our Offerings
One: In good times, and in difficult times…
All:    We give thanks!
One:   At night time, and in the daylight…
All:    We give thanks!
One:   At the beginning, and at the end…
All:    We give thanks!
One:   This day we give thanks with the offering of our gifts –
All:    for God has done marvellous things! Alleluia! Amen.

Sending Hymn, VU #242: “Let All Things Now Living”

1. Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
to God our Creator triumphantly raise;
who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
by guiding us on to the end of our days.
God's banners are o'er us, pure light goes before us,
a pillar of fire shining forth in the night;
till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished,
as forward we travel from light into Light.

2. By law God enforces, the stars in their courses
and sun in its orbit obediently shine;
the hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,
the depths of the ocean proclaim God divine.
We, too, should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
with glad adoration a song let us raise:
till all things now living unite in thanksgiving,
to God in the highest, hosanna and praise.

Sending and Closing Blessing

One: May the blessing of Jesus who announced God’s righteousness,
of the Creator who fills Earth with beauty,
and of the Spirit who nurtures awe,
bless, inspire, and empower you.
All: Amen!

Choral Blessing
The peace of the earth be with you,
         The peace of the heavens too;
   The peace of the rivers be with you,
         the peace of the oceans too.
Deep peace falling over you,
         God's peace growing in you.