Seeley's Bay Pastoral Charge

We "worship in Stiles" in the Enticing Epiphany Expanse this Sunday, Feb. 7th live from this page. Scripture is Mark 1: 29-39 and since we are talking about service, I wonder if you've ever tried to add up all the services you make use of in your everyday life? How many people do you imagine play a part in providing service to you in a day? Hymns are VU 82 A Light Is Gleaming and VU 570 Jesus' Hands Were Kind Hands. Introit is MV 47 Born in Human Likeness. VU 82 A light i...s gleaming, spreading its arms throughout the night, living in the light. Come share its gladness, God's radiant love is burning bright, living in the light. When light comes pouring into the darkest place, it hurts our eyes to see the glow. Sometimes a word of hope reminds us of our fears, our memories and tears. R When night is round us and every shadow grows, a star is there to light our way. It tells a story of Jesus who came near to say: 'God's light will ever stay.' R And Jesus showed us a brighter path to walk. He showed us things we hadn't seen. Now we, like Jesus, can help creation shine, and this will be a sign: R So let us live in the brightness God has giv'n, and let us rise to see the dawn. We trust that God is here asparkle and ablaze, - warming all our days. R VU 570 Jesus' hands were kind hands, doing good to all, healing pain and sickness, blessing children small, washing tired feet, and saving those who fall; Jesus' hands were kind hands, doing good to all. Take my hands, O Jesus, let them work for you, make them strong and gentle, kind in all I do; let me watch you, Jesus, till I'm gentle too, till my hands are kind hands, quick to work for you. Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

Hi All! We are back Worshipping in Stiles at the Enticing Epiphany Expanse once again this Sunday, Jan. 31st at 10am, live from this page. Our reading is Mark 1: 21-28. Amanda Gorman has put poetry on the front page for a lot of people recently and so, as an invitational question, I ask if poetry is a part of your life? A poem or two in particular? Hymns are VU 313 God, Whose Almighty Word and VU 84 O Radiant Christ. Introit is MV 47 Born in Human Likeness. VU 313 God, ...whose almighty word chaos and darkness heard, and took their flight, hear us, we humbly pray, and where the gospel day sheds not its glorious ray, let there be light. Jesus, who came to bring on your redeeming wing, healing and sight, health to the troubled mind, sight to the Spirit-blind, O now to humankind let there be light. Spirit of truth and love, lifegiving, holy dove, speed forth your flight; move on the water's face, bearing the lamp of grace, and in earth's darkest place let there be light. Blessed and holy three, glorious trinity, wisdom, love, might, boundless as ocean's tide rolling in fullest pride, through the world far and wide, let there be light. VU 84 O radiant Christ, incarnate Word, eternal love revealed in time: come, make your home within our hearts, that we may dwell in light sublime. Our bartered, busy lives burn dim, too tired to care, too numb to feel. Come, shine upon our shadowed world: your radiance bathes with power to heal. Your glory shone at Jordan's stream, the font where we were born anew. Attune your church to know you near; illumine all we say and do. O Light of Nations, fill the earth; our faith and hope and love renew. Come, lead the peoples to your peace, as stars once led the way to you. Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

Hi all! As promised, a few places to go for live services Sunday morning: Wall St. United, Brockville, livestreams starting at 9:50 am. Link is http://wallstreetchurch.com/ Storrington Pastoral Charge goes at 11 am. Search "Storrington Pastoral Charge" on Facebook. Bethel United is also at 11 am. Search "Bethel United Rideau Ferry" on Facebook. If you've got a suggestion, please post in the comments!

We are Worshipping in Stiles from the Enticing Epiphany Expanse once again this week, live from this page on Sunday, Jan. 17th at 10am. Scripture is John 1: 43-51 and a question to consider is, have you been able to engage your enthusiasms, by which I mean subjects or activities that interest you very much, during this pandemic season? Or has it been difficult? Have you found new enthusiasms? Hymns are VU 87 I Am the Light of the World and MV 161 I Have Called You by You...r Name. Introit is MV 47 Born in Human Likeness. VU 87 'I am the light of the world! You people come and follow me!' If you follow and love you'll learn the mystery of what you were meant to do and be. When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and the shepherds have found their way home, the work of Christmas is begun: R To find the lost and lonely one, to heal the broken soul with love, to feed the hungry children with warmth and good food, to feel the earth below, the sky above! R To free the prisoner from all chains, to make the powerful care, to rebuild the nations with strength of good will, to see God's children everywhere! R To bring hope to every task you do, to dance at a baby's new birth, to make music in an old person's heart, and sing to the colours of the earth! R MV 161 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. I will help you learn my name as you go; read it written in my people, help them grow. Pour the water in my name, speak the word your soul can claim, offer Jesus' bread and body given long ago. I know you will need my touch as you go; feel it pulsing in creation's ebb and flow. Like the woman reaching out, choosing faith instead of doubt, hold the hem of Jesus' robe, then let it go. I have given you a name, it is mine; I have given you my Spirit as a sign. With my wonder in your soul, make my wounded children whole; go and tell my precious people they are mine. Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

What a winning combo, Santa and the Minister!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that has participated the past 3 weeks to support the Seeley's Bay Pastoral Charge. Our auction is now over for another year. All the highest bidders have been notified by private message. Please note that pick up is tomorrow, Dec. 5 at the Seeley's Bay United Church between 10 and 11. Once again, thank you for supporting ministry in this amazing area.

If you would like to contribute to Seeley's Bay Pastoral Charge using e-transfer, our email for e-transfers is [email protected]. For other options, please visit our website at http://www.SBPastoralCharge.ca/donations/ Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

Once again we are worshipping in person as well as online for this Sunday December 6th. Please note that COVID regs are in effect, so mask wearing and social distancing are required if you attend in person. Services are 9:30 am at Olivet and 11 am at Seeley's Bay, which will also be live online. So note the change in time if you plan to watch online. This is the second Sunday in Advent and the theme is peace. Scripture is Mark 1: 1-8 and the question for preparation is: ... where are you finding peace as we near the end of 2020? Hymns are VU 18 There's a Voice in the Wilderness and VU 43 Go, Tell It on the Mountain. Introit is verse 2 of VU 7 Hope Is a Star. VU 7 Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth, giving a promise of safety and worth. When God is a child there's joy in our song. The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid. VU 18 There's a voice in the wilderness crying, a call from the ways untrod: prepare in the desert a highway, a highway for our God! The valleys shall be exalted, the lofty hills brought low; make straight all the crooked places where God, our God, may go! O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up to the heights and sing! Proclaim to a desolate people the coming of their King. Like the flowers of the field they perish, like grass our works decay; the power and pomp of nations shall pass, like a dream, away. But the word of our God endureth, whose arm is ever strong; God stands in the midst of nations, and soon will right the wrong. God shall feed the flock like a shepherd, the lambs so gently hold; to pastures of peace will lead them, and bring them safe to fold. There's a voice in the wilderness crying, a call from the ways untrod: prepare in the desert a highway, a highway for our God! The valleys shall be exalted, the lofty hills brought low; make straight all the crooked places where God, our God, may go! VU 43 Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born. While shepherds kept their watching o'er silent flocks by night, behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. R The shepherds feared and trembled when lo, above the earth rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Saviour's birth! R Down in a lonely manger the humble Christ was born, and God sent our salvation that blessed Christmas morn. R Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

We are Worshipping in Stiles not quite live from this page on Sunday, Oct. 25th at 10 am. Scripture is Matthew 22: 34-46 and in preparation, I ask if you have ever caught yourself (or been caught) using careless language? Perhaps misusing a word, or saying something that didn't quite fit the context, just because you felt you should? Hymns this week are VU 242 Let All Things Now Living and VU 268 Bring Many Names. Introit is still MV 122 This Is the Day. VU 242 Let all th...ings 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. 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. VU 268 Bring many names, beautiful and good, celebrate, in parable and story, holiness in glory, living, loving God. Hail and hosanna! Bring many names! Strong mother God, working night and day, planning all the wonders of creation, setting each equation, genius at play: Hail and hosanna, strong mother God! Warm father God, hugging every child, feeling all the strains of human living, caring and forgiving till we're reconciled: Hail and hosanna, warm father God! Old, aching God, grey with endless care, calmly piercing evil's new disguises, glad of good surprises, wiser than despair: Hail and Hosanna, old, aching God! Young, growing God, eager, on the move, saying no to falsehood and unkindness, crying out for justice, giving all you have: Hail and hosanna, young, growing God! Great, living God, never fully known, joyful darkness far beyond our seeing, closer yet than breathing, everlasting home: Hail and hosanna, great, living God! Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

We are Worshipping in Stiles again this week, live from this page on Sunday, Nov. 15th at 10 am. Scripture is Matthew 25: 14-30 and in preparation, I wonder if you have ever taken time to identify your own particular gifts or talents? How did you do it? Hymns are VU 223 Eternal, Unchanging, We Sing and VU 213 Rejoice, the Lord Is King. Introit is MV 122 This Is the Day. VU 223 Eternal, Unchanging, we sing to your praise: your mercies are endless, and righteous your ways;... your servants proclaim the renown of your name who rules over all and is ever the same. Again we rejoice in the world you have made, your mighty creation in beauty arrayed, we thank you for life, and we praise you for joy, for love and for hope that no power can destroy. We praise you for Jesus, our Master and Lord, the might of his Spirit, the truth of his word, his comfort in sorrow, his patience in pain, the faith sure and steadfast that Jesus shall reign. VU 213 Rejoice the Lord is King! Your risen Lord adore! Rejoice, give thanks and sing and triumph evermore. R: Lift up your heart, lift up your voice: rejoice; again I say, rejoice! Jesus the Saviour reigns, the God of truth and love; when he had purged our sins, he took his seat above. R God's kingdom cannot fail; Christ rules o'er earth and heaven; the keys of death and hell are to our Jesus given. R Rejoice in glorious hope, for Christ, the judge, shall come to glorify the saints for their eternal home. We soon shall hear the archangel's voice; the trump of God shall sound, rejoice! Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

Thank you . The auction is now closed. Please watch for a message on Facebook Personal Messenger this evening with further instructions if you are the highest bidder. The album will come back up after we have notified the highest bdders. Welcome to the third and last week of our online Talent Auction. If this is your first time, please read the instructions to be sure of a succcessful experience. This week we have multiple baked items but you will bid separately. If you see three posts that look exactly the same, it isn't a mistake. Good Luck!

Here is another option for tomorrow!

Items can be previewed on our website at www.sbpastoralcharge.ca/auction

https://www.facebook.com/143920578980315/posts/3822239731148363/

We Worship in Stiles again this week, live from this page at 10 am on Nov. 8th. Scripture is a little different this week: Psalm 78: 1-7. On this Remembrance Sunday, how are you remembering the history of war and peace in Canada? What lessons have we learned? Hymns are VU 523 O God of All the Many Lands and VU 527 God! As with Silent Hearts. Introit is MV 122 This Is the Day. VU 523 O God of all the many lands, we lift our hearts in prayer, for this our land of Canada,... a country wide and fair; for mountain heights and northern lights, for prairie, lake and sea, for every blessing from your hand bestowed so lavishly. We thank you for the sacrifice of venturers of old, who dared to cross uncharted seas, whose dreams made others bold; for valiant souls and pioneers, for all who served their age, and left for us who follow on a sacred heritage. We thank you that from many lands with varied gifts they came, to pledge their love and loyalty where scarlet maples flame. May justice here belong to all, and may our nation play its rightful role in ushering in the peace for which we pray. May we be worthy of our land and seek its highest good, shaping a noble destiny of truest nationhood. May this fair land, our Canada, your own dominion be; your people bless abundantly from seas to Arctic sea. VU 527 God! As with silent hearts we bring to mind how hate and war diminish humankind, we pause, and seek in worship to increase our knowledge of the things that make for peace. Hallow our will as humbly we recall the lives of those who gave and give their all. We thank you, God, for women, children, men who seek to serve in love, today as then. Give us deep faith to comfort those who mourn, high hope to share with all the newly born, strong love in our pursuit of human worth: 'lest we forget' the future of this earth. So, Prince of Peace, disarm our trust in power, teach us to coax the plant of peace to flower. May we, impassioned by your living Word, remember forward to a world restored. Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

This Sunday, Oct. 18th, Rev. Don is on holiday but we invite you to check out Facebook, YouTube or other sites for Sunday services online. Rev. Heather McLurg-Murphy will be broadcasting on the 18th at 11am from the Storrington Pastoral Charge Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Storrington-Pastoral-Charge-238113256338134/). There is also a link to churches with online services at our Regional Council website: https://eoorc.ca/resources/livestream/ Keep safe and be well and we will see you back here on the 25th.

We are Worshipping in Stiles from this page on October 11th at 10 am. Scripture is Luke 17: 11-19 and in preparation for the sermon consider how you relate giving thanks to your faith. Is thanksgiving part of your prayer life? Does belief in God inspire thanks? Does being thankful inspire belief in God? Hymns are VU 516 Come, You Thankful People, Come and VU 522 Give Thanks, My Soul, for Harvest. Introit is MV 122 This Is the Day. VU 516 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! 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. 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. 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. VU 522 Give thanks, my soul, for harvest, for store of fruit and grain; but know the owner gives so that we may share again. Where people suffer hunger, or little children cry, with gifts from God's rich bounty may thankfulness reply. Give thanks, my soul, for riches of woodland, mine, and hill; but know that gold and timber are the Creator's still. God lends to us, as stewards, abundance we might share, and thus provide earth's children the blessing of God's care. Give thanks, my soul, for labours, that strength and days employ; but know the Maker's purpose brings toil as well as joy. Show forth, O God, your purpose; direct our will and hand to share your love and bounty with all in every land. Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

During Worldwide Communion tomorrow (Oct. 4th) we will have the opportunity for the following shared responses: Celebrant: The Holy One is here. People: God's Spirit is with us. C: Lift up your hearts. P: We lift them to the Lord.... C: Let us give thanks to God. P: It is right to offer thanks and praise. C: It is indeed good and right...(liturgy continues)...to the hope within them, we praise you saying: P: Holy, holy, holy God, power of life and love! Heaven and earth are full of your glory! Hosanna through the ages! Blest is the One who comes to bring your justice to earth! C: On the last night...(liturgy continues)...as we proclaim the mystery of faith: P: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Liturgy continues and concludes. This material is taken from Celebrate God's Presence, a book of services for the United Church of Canada pp. 262-3 I'll be listening for you!

Well, a few days can make a big difference in these strange times. With the current spike in COVID numbers in Ontario, we've decided to return to Worshipping in Stiles for a few more weeks and reassess our options later in October. So this week we will be livestreaming once again from this page on Oct. 4th at 10am. This is World Wide Communion Sunday so I invite you to have grape juice and bread ready so we can celebrate together even when apart. Scripture is Matthew 21: ...33-46 and the prep question is, "are you familiar with the term 'safe space?' Have you ever been involved in creating a 'safe space' in your community? What was that like? Hymns are VU 477 I Come With Joy and MV 154 Deep In Our Hearts. Introit is MV 122 This Is the Day. VU 477 I come with joy, a child of God, forgiven, loved and free, the life of Jesus to recall in love laid down for me, in love laid down for me. I come with Christians far and near to find, as all are fed, the new community of love in Christ's communion bread, in Christ's communion bread. As Christ breaks bread, and bids us share, each proud division ends. The love that made us, makes us one, and strangers now are friends, and strangers now are friends. The Spirit of the risen Christ, unseen, but ever near, is in such friendship better known, alive among us here, alive among us here. Together met, together bound by all that God has done, we'll go with joy, to give the world the love that makes us one, the love that makes us one. MV 154 Deep in our hearts there is a common vision; deep in our hearts there is a common song; deep in our hearts there is a common story, telling Creation that we are one. Deep in our hearts there is a common purpose; deep in our hearts there is a common goal; deep in our hearts there is a sacred message, justice and peace in harmony. Deep in our hearts there is a common longing; deep in our hearts there is a common theme; deep in our hearts there is a common current, flowing to freedom like a stream. Deep in our hearts there is a common vision; deep in our hearts there is a common song; deep in our hearts there is a common story, telling Creation that we are one. Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

We are Worshipping in Stiles from Seeley's Bay UC once again this Sunday, Sept. 27th at 10 am. Scripture is Matthew 21: 23-32. Something to think about in preparation for the sermon is "yes/no" questions. We've all seen press conferences where an "answer with a simple yes or no" question has been asked and no simple yes or no answer is forthcoming. Have you ever been asked a yes/no question you've struggled to answer with just yes or no? What can make yes/no answers diff...icult? Introit is MV 122 This Is the Day, hymns are VU 325 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation and VU 664 What a Friend We Have in Jesus. VU 325 Christ is made the sure foundation, Christ the head and cornerstone, chosen of the Lord, and precious, binding all the church in one, holy Zion's help for ever, and its confidence alone. To this temple where we call you, come, O Lord of hosts, today; with your faithful loving-kindness hear your servants as they pray, and your fullest benediction shed within its walls alway. Here bestow on all your servants what they ask of you to gain, what they gain from you for ever with the blessed to retain, and hereafter in your glory evermore with you to reign. Laud and honour to the Father, laud and honour to the Son, laud and honour to the Spirit, ever three and ever one, one in might, and one in glory, while unending ages run. VU 664 What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Christ the Saviour is our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do our friends despise, forsake us? Are we tempted to despair? Jesus' strength will shield our weakness, and we'll find new courage there. Permission to reproduce and stream the music in this service obtained by ONE LICENSE, License #A-732594

A fun event this weekend! The orchard is in Crosby.