Dear friends,

IN OUR GOSPEL LESSON, we witness an exchange between Jesus and the chief priests of the temple in Jerusalem and the elders of the community.  They are challenging Jesus’ authority to teach in the temple and to heal.  Jesus turns the table and challenges the legitimacy of their authority and also questions their integrity, their honesty and their faith in God. 

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Opening Hymn 399: – Spirit, Spirit of gentleness (v 2 and 3 en français)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 709: What does the Lord require of you
Responsive Reading: Psalm 25: 1-9
Gloria Patri
Scripture Readings: Ezekiel 18: 1-4 and 25-32;
Philippians 2:1-13
Matthew 21: 23-32
Sermon: Who are we like? The first son or the second?
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 763: To show by touch and word
Offering and Offertory Prayer
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 342: All who the name of Jesus bear (sung to tune 330)
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends,

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

WELCOME BACK!  Beginning this week, we invite the children to gather for a new season of learning, fellowship, and spiritual growth.  The children will be invited forward during the service for the children’s story; this will be followed by the children’s hymn.  During the singing of the last verse of the hymn the children will depart the sanctuary, led by their teachers, to go across the street for their Sunday school lessons in the Christian Education Centre.  After the service this Sunday, the children will join with us all in the lower hall of the church to enjoy ice cream with sprinkles.

OUR GOSPEL LESSON in Matthew is about the sheer grace of God.  We are told that it is about the kingdom of God, which is much of Jesus’ teaching and proclamation throughout this gospel.  There are some challenges and twists and turns but the grace shines through Jesus’ words.

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

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 425: We praise you, O God
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 683: I know not why such wondrous grace
Responsive Reading: Psalm 145:1-8
Gloria Patri
New Testament Lesson – Philippians 1:21-30
Gospel Lesson – Matthew 20:1-16
Sermon: The Place of Grace
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 769: Lord of light, whose name and splendour
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 479: The Church’s one foundation
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends,

THIS SUNDAY will be a very special day in the life of our congregation.  The Rev. Dr. Roland De Vries will be leading us in worship as he preaches for the call to become the full-time minister at St. Andrew’s.

THERE WILL BE A CONGREGATIONAL MEETING immediately following the service.  Our interim moderator, the Rev. Dr. Sybil Mosley will be present to moderate the meeting.  The purpose of the meeting will be to vote on a motion to extend the call to the Rev. Dr. De Vries.  Many of you know Roland from the recent past when he served as our Interim Moderator and he has preached many times at St. Andrew’s.  You have also received a biographical introduction of Roland over past weeks, and we look forward to hearing from him this Sunday.  This is an exciting and meaningful process, and we know that you will make it a priority to attend this service and meeting. 

OUR SCRIPTURE LESSON THIS WEEK is from 1 Peter 1:1-9.  This is a rich and full text which Peter writes to a group of churches in the provinces of the Roman Empire.  He wants to affirm their faith and their hope, to acknowledge their suffering, and to offer words of encouragement.  The sermon will focus on key themes from this rich and beautiful letter of Peter.

Order of Service

Dear friends,

GOD, AM I HEARING YOU?  God made many promises to Abraham and now he tells Abraham that he wants him to sacrifice his son, Isaac.  Abraham’s faith is described in Hebrews as a “resurrection” faith.  God will fulfil his promises but the how remains to be seen.  As Issac questions, Abraham’s response is that the Lord will provide.  Our Gospel lesson is short but it brings together all of the teaching of the past several weeks and reminds us that what we do for the sake of the kingdom, as it is done in Christ’s name, will always bear fruit.  There are times that we wait for years for the answer to prayers but that does not mean that we stop praying, as with Abraham and the disciples we wait to see God’s answer in his time!

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 461: Be thou my vision (vs 2&4 en français)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 814: Morning has broken
Responsive Reading: Psalm 13
Gloria Patri
Old Testament Lesson: Genesis 22:1-14
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 10:40-42
Sermon: “God, am I hearing you?”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 592: I, the Lord of sea and sky (4 verses; vs 3 en français)
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 462: All my hope on God is founded
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends,

JESUS CALLS HIS FOLLOWERS to a life of discipleship.  Sunday’s scripture lesson is a continuation of Jesus’ second discourse in Matthew 10 that we began last Sunday. He speaks of the difficulties and challenges his disciples will face, the divisions his message will bring and the cost of following him.  We will reflect on what it means to follow Jesus with full commitment and to proclaim the Kingdom of God in the world today.

Order of Service

Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 78: This is the day (Psalm 118 – children will sing the first verse by themselves. Congregation will join in for verses 2 and 3)
Prayer of Adoration and Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn: He’s got the whole world in his hands (children will sing the first verse by themselves. Congregation will join for the other verses)
Responsive Reading – Psalm 86: 1-10, 16-17
Gloria Patri
Matthew 10:24-31 (en français – English on the screen)
Matthew 10:32-39
Sermon: “What does it mean to be committed to following Jesus?”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 324: Great is thy faithfulness (vs 2 et 3 en français)
Offering and Offertory Prayer
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 301: Many and great, O God, are your works
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude

Dear friends,

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

ONE AT A TIME.  In looking at the readings for Sunday we see God calling Abram, Jesus calling Matthew, Jesus healing this woman with an issue of blood and raising the ruler’s daughter from the dead.  God’s call to Abram is separate – to leave his home, his call to Matthew and the others is in the midst of the crowd.  He knows us, he loves us and he calls us.  We are unique and his call to us is for us to have faith and hear him as he speaks.

Hear Him as he speaks.

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 651: Guide me, O thou great Redeemer (vs 2 en français)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 374: O for a thousand tongues to sing (vs 3&4 en français)
Responsive Reading: Psalm 33:1-12
Gloria Patri
Old Testament Lesson: Genesis 12:1-9 (en français – English on the screen)
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
Sermon: “One at a time”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 642: O Master, let me walk with thee
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 Kelvin Kagori will be leading us in worship.  

KELVIN KAGORI WAS BORN AND RAISED IN KENYA and has worked across East-Africa in both the church ministry and the development sector.  He moved to Montreal three years ago to pursue a Master of Divinity Degree at the Presbyterian College, where he has completed his studies and just graduated this week.  He currently serves as the Dean of Residence at the Presbyterian College in Montreal, and he is also discerning the Lord’s direction as he prepares for his next season of ministry and service.

SOMETIMES LIFE FEELS UNCERTAIN, exhausting, and overwhelming, and in moments like these, we often look for something to carry us through.  In Isaiah 40, the weary and exiled people are called to lift their eyes beyond their hard and difficult circumstances, and they are encouraged to “Behold God”.  As people living in a world that is not immune to all kinds of troubles, Isaiah will remind us of and point us to the character, power, and faithfulness of God, who never abandons his people in hard times, but rather supplies them with strength and hope to face the challenges of their day.

Order of Service

Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 313: O Worship the King (vs 2&3 en français)
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Confession
Declaration of Grace
The Lord’s Prayer
Children’s Time
Hymn 315: A Mighty Fortress is Our God (vs 2&4 en français)
Responsive Reading: Psalm 147:1-11
Gloria Patri
Old Testament Lesson – Isaiah 40:1-11 (en français – English on screen)
Old Testament Lesson continued– Isaiah 40:18-31
New Testament Lesson – 2 Corinthians 12:9
Sermon: “Behold your God”
Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
Hymn 434: For the Beauty of the Earth (vs 3&4 en français)
Offering and Offertory
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Hymn 626: Lord of All power
Benediction
Go now in peace
Postlude