Tag: Lent

Dear friends, 

This Sunday marks the fifth Sunday in Lent.  Our Gospel reading is taken from John 11: 1-48, “The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus.”  In this amazing event, Jesus went to the tomb where His friend Lazarus was buried for four days and called him out of the grave — miraculously bringing him back to life.  In John 14: 6, Jesus declares, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”  One commentator notes:  “The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead is a climax to all the preceding signs that have revealed God’s glory through Jesus.  Here death itself, the final enemy of humanity, is successfully confronted by the One who is Himself the resurrection and the life.  Yet even this glorious sign divides those who witness it.” 

As believers in Christ, we can confidently join the Apostle Paul and say, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15: 55); for we know that in Christ Jesus there is eternal life, and resurrection hope, and glory! (1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18). 

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Lenten Liturgy
Hymn 202: “We lay our broken world”
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 352: “And can it be that I should gain”
Responsive reading: Psalm 130
Gloria Patri
Ezekiel 37: 1-14 (en français – English on the screen)
Romans 8: 6-11
The Gospel of John 11: 1-48
Sermon: “Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 389: “Breathe on me, breath of God” (vs 3 en français)
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 358: “There is a redeemer”
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends, 

This Sunday Edythe Arnott will be leading us in worship. 

This Sunday marks the fourth Sunday of Lent.  Our readings continue through the Gospel of John, and is taken from John 9: 1-42, where Jesus heals a man born blind.  But why was the man born blind, His disciples ask?  “Was it for his sin or his parent’s that he was born that way?”  After all, the Bible gives many examples of people receiving affliction sent by God for their sins.  But what if His disciples weren’t asking the right question?  One commentator notes: “It is unwise and uncharitable to judge that the sufferings of others are specifically punitive (Matthew 7: 1) or to assume a direct correlation between individuals’ suffering and their degree of guilt (Luke 13: 1-5).  The question put to Jesus presents a false dilemma… [but] Jesus offers a third option.”  

This Sunday as we meditate on Jesus’ encounter with the man born blind, we can think about our own encounter with Jesus and what Jesus has done and is doing for us. 

Order Of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Lenten Liturgy
Hymn 203: “When Jesus the healer passed through Galilee”
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 507: “Break now the bread of life” (vs 3&4 en français)
Responsive reading: Psalm 23
Gloria Patri
1 Samuel 16: 1-13 (en français – English on the screen)
John 9: 1-41 (Narrative reading)
Sermon: “Hearing Jesus’ Voice”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 374: “Oh for a thousand tongues to sing”
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 649: “How clear is our vocation Lord”
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends, 

Last week we announced the death of Rowena Van Seters, here is the link to the livestream of the funeral service that will take place Sunday (tomorrow) at 5 PM in Toronto.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAUk2lD9mD4

This Sunday marks the third Sunday of Lent.  Our gospel reading is taken from John 4: 5-42, where Jesus passed through Samaria on His way to Galilee.  He found His way to an old well that once belonged to Jacob, and providentially, a Samaritan woman came down to draw water from the well.  Jesus asked her to draw fresh water from the well to drink, and opened up a conversation about the one true God and the Messiah.  He spoke to the Samaritan woman about “living waters”, but, like Nicodemus, the woman at the well didn’t understand the key terms he was using.  What does Jesus mean by “living waters”?  Jeremiah 2: 13 gives us a clue: “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

Jesus was revealing His true identity as God and Messiah!  John 4: 26 “Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’”

Not long after, the Samaritan woman begins to witness and spread the good news to the nearby town, “and many more believed.” 

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Lenten Liturgy
Hymn 676: “Jesus Lover of my soul” (vs 2 en français)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 670: “Amazing grace” (vs 2&3 en français)
Responsive reading: Psalm 95
Gloria Patri
Exodus 17: 1-7 (en français – English on the screen)
Romans 5: 1-11
The gospel reading: John 4: 5-42
Sermon: “Divine Appointment Blessings”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 671: “I heard the voice of Jesus say”
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 420: “Je louerai l’eternal” (vs 1 en français)
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends, 

This Sunday Edythe Arnott will be leading us in worship. 

It is with great sadness that we write to inform you that Rowena Van Seters, wife of Art Van Seters, a past minister at St. Andrew’s church, died on February 23, 2023, in Toronto only three weeks before her 90th birthday.  Her dear husband, Arthur predeceased her in 2011.  She will be deeply missed by her five sons; David, Stephen, Tim, Philip and Tom and their families.  Her life will be celebrated at 5:00 PM on Sunday, March 12th, 2023, at Armour Heights Presbyterian Church in Toronto. 

Here is a link to her obituary: https://cremationcare.ca/tribute/details/522/Rowena-Van-Seters/obituary.html#content-start

This Sunday marks the second Sunday of Lent.  Our gospel lesson is taken from John 3: 1-21, where Nicodemus, a Pharisee and teacher of Israel comes to meet Jesus in the night to speak to Him.  This is the famous passage where Jesus tells Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again (or born from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3: 3).  Ezekiel 11: 19–20 may help us with this passage, “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them.  I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them.  And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”  This is the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in believers.  But like Nicodemus, we have questions, uncertainties and maybe even doubts, yet Jesus welcomes them and ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7: 25).  What do Jesus’ words to Nicodemus mean for us today?

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Lenten Liturgy
Hymn 194: “Come, let us to the Lord our God”
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 400: “Spirit of the living God” (vs 2 en français)
Responsive reading: Psalm 121
Gloria Patri
Numbers 21: 4-9 (en français – English on the screen)
John 3: 1-21
Sermon: “New Life”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 202: “We lay our broken world in sorrow at your feet”
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 665: Lord Jesus, you shall be my song (vs 2&3 en français)
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear Friends,

This Sunday Linda Faith Chalk will be leading us in worship. 

This Sunday marks the first Sunday of Lent, where we commemorate the 40 days our Lord spent in the wilderness being tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).  The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). “When Satan tempts us, his sparks fall upon tinder; but in Christ’s case, it was like striking sparks on water; yet the enemy continued his evil work”, adds one commentator.  Jesus Christ alone is the “Lamb without blemish”.  In this season of Lent may we pray for ourselves and for one another, that our faith, hearts and minds may be renewed and made whole, and may we delve deeper into relationship with God. 

Everyone is invited to join us downstairs after the service on Sunday to enjoy coffee, cookies and conversation.

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Lenten Liturgy
Hymn 197: “Forty days and forty nights”
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Anthem: Homeward Bound (Arr. Henry Cobb Howes)
Children’s Time
Hymn: “One person’s sin changed every life”
Responsive reading: Psalm 32
Gloria Patri
Genesis 2: 15-17, 3: 1-7 (en français – English on the screen)
Romans 5: 12-19
The Gospel – Matthew 4: 1-11
Sermon: “Why forty days?”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn: “Our Lord you were sent”
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 205: “O love, how deep how broad how high”
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude