Sunday, November 26, 2023 - Worship Service
Order of Service
We welcome all gathering for worship this morning or later in the week. Whether you attend in-person, worship on ZOOM or YouTube, or are a viewer on Rogers TV20 - please know that we consider everyone to be a part of our worship experience and an integral member of our St. Andrew's Guelph community.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this morning's service, both in-person and virtually.
Join us on our St. Andrew's Guelph YouTube Channel, select the live service, and remember to invite your friends and families. You can also join us via ZOOM by following the link on your Thursday or Sunday morning email. If you'd like to begin receiving our weekly emails, you can sign up here.
Welcome Andrew Hyde from ECM Guelph
Andrew Hyde (he/him) is the Ecumenical Campus Minister at the University of Guelph. A Designated Lay Minister in the United Church of Canada since 2001, Andrew lives in Guelph with his wife Andrea, and their two teenage children. Andrew recently authored a new resource on vocational discernment for young adults, called “My Daily Discoverment”. The Ecumenical Campus Ministry is the home of the Anglican, Presbyterian, and United Church at UofG. Find out more about ECM’s work on campus at www.ECMguelph.org.
Announcements
Prelude
Call to Worship
One: Creator God, we praise you!
All: Risen Christ, we greet you!
One: Christ, Divine presence, Living Word,
God has put you at God’s right hand,
and you rule in power above all things.
All: Rule over our hearts, and work your infinite power within us.
One: Raise us to life, and direct us by your Spirit.
All: Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace. Alleluia!
Hymn
Prayer of Confession
One: The grace of God be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.
All: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you.
Though you have been our sovereign, we have not obeyed you.
We have not let you rule our hearts.
We have not let you direct our thoughts or command our actions.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
You who reign over us, forgive us.
Remake us according to your grace.
Guide us in every step we take.
May your presence be the power in our lives;
may your love govern over our hearts and minds.
Help us to follow your Way, in the name of Christ,
and by the power of your Spirit working in us.
Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Kids’ Hymn
Choral Psalm – Psalm 95:1-7
Scripture Reading – Matthew 25:31-46 NRSVUE
Reflection – The Reign of Christ
Hymn
Invitation to Offering
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Offertory -
Dedication of Gifts
All: Almighty, Creator God, we humbly bring our gifts to you this day. Upon the cross, your son redefined for the world what it meant to rule, what it meant to be a king. In his life, teaching and interacting with people, Jesus redefined what it means to give in a way that pleases God. May we in this day, live and give in manners that mirror the reign of your son over us, and the Spirit who lives within us. In the exalted name of Christ, we pray. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
Alternate Lord’s Prayer
Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and testing, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Hymn
Benediction
Postlude - Fughetta on “My inmost heart now praises” arr. J.S. Bach
We gather on the traditional territory of the Wendat, the Anishnaabeg and the Haudenosaunee Peoples. We are also on lands that are part of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum. We live and work, worship, learn and meet on lands that are the traditional territory of many different Indigenous Peoples who were here before the establishment of European colonies.
