Dear friends,

THIS SUNDAY the Rev. Linda Faith Chalk will be leading us in worship.

AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!  A big thank you to all who helped make our annual barbeque such a wonderful success.

THIS SUNDAY’S SERMON TITLE is “God never leaves us in the wilderness”. This is a statement of faith of which we need to be reminded. We need to hear and know this. Elijah, after a tremendous victory over the prophets of Ba’al, ran for his life on Jezebel’s threats. The people of the country of the Gerasenes, needed to know this too. When God came to town in the person of Jesus Christ and did a lifechanging miracle in their midst, they sent him away. He wrecked their economy and set a man free. In the Psalms the writer speaks of hope, and the renewing of hope. Irrespective of where we are in our walk with God, His promise rings true that he will never leave us nor forsake us.

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 328: “This is my Father’s world” (vs 2 en français)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 27: “As the deer”
Responsive Reading Psalm 43
Gloria Patri
1 Kings 19:1-15 (en français BFC – English on the screen)
Luke 8:26-39
Sermon: “God never leaves us in the wilderness”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 508: “Your word, O God, awoke the uncreated”
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 376: “Lord, the light of your love is shining”
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends,

THIS SUNDAY the Rev. Linda Faith Chalk will be leading us in worship.

The sermon title asks a question – Can we really know or be at peace?  If we read the newspapers or watch the news we think of our world in crisis, it doesn’t matter which part of the globe, fires, floods, catastrophes, wars, bombings, starvation and violent death.  Fear grips the average individual and they feel helpless and don’t know where to turn.  In the passage from John, Jesus speaks to his disciples, he simply says: 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.”  In a sense he wants them to know that they have a future and he wants to introduce this idea that it is God who has and holds the future.  Revelation paints a final picture of a city where God is the light and a river which is flowing with living water, where the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations.  It is a scene where there will be no more night.  A scene of completion with God rightly on the throne.  As Christians we are called to have faith, our thoughts and prayers are to be centered on the Word, not only Scripture but the Word made flesh in Jesus our Lord.  Let’s pull up to the table with the disciples and listen as Jesus shares his heart.

EVERYONE IS INVITED to join us downstairs after the service this Sunday to enjoy coffee, cookies and conversation.  

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 299: “Holy, holy, holy” (vs 2&4 en français)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn: “In Christ Alone” (vs 2&3 en français)
Responsive Reading: Psalm 67
Gloria Patri
Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 (en français BFC, English on the screen)
John 14:23-29
Sermon: “Can we really know or be at peace?”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 750: “How deep the silence of the soul” (sung to tune 671)
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 746: “What a friend we have in Jesus” (vs 2 en français)
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends,

THIS SUNDAY the Rev. Linda Faith Chalk will be leading us in worship.

OUR LESSONS lead us through sight and sound.  Psalm 148 enjoins the whole earth and everything created to Praise the Lord.  All of creation is caught up in praising their Maker and then as we look to Revelation 21 there is a different kind of praise happening.  That which was intended in the heart of Father God at creation is brought together, the coming together of heaven and earth in completion.  As Jesus sits with his disciples at their last supper together, Judas has left the scene, for those left at the table, Jesus commands his disciples to “love one another” following his example.  Through his miracles and teaching he has been showing his love and compassion.  At that last supper he shares with them something that they are not yet aware of … the depth of his love will take him to the cross.  He is giving them a command and example they have yet to see.  As followers of our Lord, we are to be: United in praise – united by love!

EVERYONE IS INVITED to join us downstairs after the service this Sunday to enjoy cookies and conversation.

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 258: Thine be the glory (vs 2 en français)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn: “O God our Creator, you work every day” (Hymn tune 290)
Responsive Reading: Psalm 148
Gloria Patri
Revelation 21:1-6
John 13:31-35
Sermon: “United in praise – united by love”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 225: “A new commandment” (vs 2 en français)
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 413: “Come let us join our cheerful songs”
Benediction
Go now in peace
Benediction

Dear friends,

THIS SUNDAY the Rev. Linda Faith Chalk will be leading us in worship.

THIS SUNDAY IS MOTHER’S DAY, a day when we celebrate our mothers.  The Presbyterian church designates this Sunday as Christian Family Sunday.  The sermon title is “Plain Speech.” The Jewish elders gathered around Jesus in the temple precinct.  They put questions to Him.  “How long will you keep us in suspense?  If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”  In Jesus we have the word made flesh… he has told them plainly but they have not heard.  In our lessons for today, one is most familiar, Psalm 23, the words flow over us with comfort and familiarity.  On the other side of Easter we hear verse 4.  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;” There is a point as Jesus hung on the cross where he could not feel the Father’s presence because a Holy God could not look on his son on the cross bearing the sin of the world.  Jesus did not fear evil, on the cross he destroyed its power for time and for eternity.  In Revelation, John treats us to another scene of worship in heaven where a multitude that no one can count is before the throne of God and worship with intensity… at the end of this passage John points to the Lamb, in the midst of the throne, that will be their shepherd who will lead them to living waters.  Challenged to speak plainly, Jesus identifies his sheep as those who hear him and follow him, no tricks just listening to the plain speech that he offers as he teaches about his Father and then listening to where it will take us in our faith.

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 321: “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” (vs 2&4 en français)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 356: “You, Lord are both lamb and shepherd”
Responsive Reading: Psalm 23
Gloria Patri
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30
Sermon: “Plain Speech!”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 691: “My shepherd is the king of love”
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 485: “Saviour, like a shepherd lead us” (vs 2 en frnçais)
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends,

THIS SUNDAY the Rev. Linda Faith Chalk will be leading us in worship.

“WHAT IS WORSHIP?”; perhaps as you read the sermon title you might wonder about the question. Where are we going here… well, we’re definitely going to the Word of God. In our worship we are centred on him and in him. He enlarges our understanding and our vision. Worship is not merely giving assent to doctrine or creeds. It is much larger than that. In the book of Revelation, the curtain is pulled back and we are permitted a glimpse of worship in heaven: saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” The assembled saints worshipped the Lord Jesus. In the Psalms the writer, David speaks of the healing that God had given to him in the midst of his difficulties, in the midst of his pleading there is praise: that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! As Jesus waits on the shore of the sea of Tiberias, he has prepared breakfast for his disciples who had spent the night in their fishing boats and caught nothing. He calls them to shore and gives them directions and their catch is quite large. He encourages them to eat the meal that he has prepared and he takes Peter aside because they have unfinished business.   Jesus speaks at a heart level to Peter and he questions him three times… do you love me? Peter says yes and for each betrayal that was his, the healing words of Christ are to ask again…do you love me? The conversation is finished as Jesus commands Peter: Follow Me! Worship begins and continues in the presence of God, as we receive his word, as we offer ourselves, the work of our hands and the desire of our hearts, our very all.

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 788: “Come know my joy, the Maker says” (sung to tune 671)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 252: “He is Lord” (vs 2 en français)
Responsive Reading: Psalm 30
Gloria Patri
Revelation 5:11-14 (en français BFC – English on the screen)
John 21:1-19
Sermon: “What is worship?”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 248: “At the dawning of salvation”
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 634: “Will you come and follow me?”
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends,

THIS SUNDAY the Rev. Linda Faith Chalk will be leading us in worship.

30 NOW JESUS DID MANY OTHER SIGNS in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:30-31).  The sermon title asks a question – What is belief?  We all believe something, either we have faith that is based on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and we take Scripture at its word or we hear from time to time some half-formulated approach to the universe, someone saying: “I believe in the universe” as a quasi-substitute for the living God.  John’s gospel is different.  It is a gospel of signs.  John lays out a picture of Jesus and his ministry which differs from the other three Gospels in our New Testament.  John comes at the question of “who is Jesus” from a different angle.  He is deep in his thinking and his questions are searching, his words revealing.  On this second Sunday of Easter, it would be inviting to get caught up with Thomas, who has been given the nickname “doubting Thomas”, whereas the gospels paint a fuller picture of Thomas.  Do you believe?  Not in the sense of embracing a creed, but rather in the sense of letting the “shalom” peace of God fill you to overflowing as the Holy Spirit continues to lead you in your ever widening realization of the depth of God’s love for you and his grace, mercy and peace.

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Hymn 255: “Now let the vault of heaven resound”
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 260: “Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord”
Responsive Reading: Psalm 118:14-29
Gloria Patri
Acts 5:27-32
John 10:19-31
Sermon: “What is belief?”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 243: “Jesus Christ is risen today” (vs 2&3 en français)
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn: “I Believe” (Tune 483)
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude