Service Sunday January 19, 2025

Worship Leader: Rev. Dr. Anne Beattie-Stokes, B.A. B.P.E., B.Ed., M.Div., D.Min.

Music Director: Melissa Stephens, B. Mus., B. Ed., A. Mus.

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Second Sunday In Epiphany

All are Welcome!

Watch a video recording of the whole service using YouTube below.

The Gathering

Welcome and Announcements.
Focusing Moment.

HYMN: “Lord, Prepare Me to Be Sanctuary” MV #18

Lord, Prepare Me to Be Sanctuary

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary,

pure and holy, tried and true.

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for you.

(Choir 1 time, then all 2 times)

LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE:

Acknowledgement of Land

With gratitude and respect we acknowledge that our sacred space is located on Treaty 20 territory in the traditional lands of the Williams Treaties First Nations. We acknowledge that we as settlers and newcomers are party to these treaties, and so we seek to live in right relations with all as stewards of these lands and waters and as those who care for the needs of all people.

THE APPROACH

HYMN: “We Praise You, O God” VU #218

1 We praise you, O God, our Redeemer, Creator;

in grateful devotion our tribute we bring.

We lay it before you; we kneel and adore you;

we bless your holy name, glad praises we sing.

2 We worship you, God of our mothers and fathers,

through trial and tempest, companion and guide.

When perils o'ertake us, you will not forsake us,

but faithful to your promise, you walk by our side.

3 With voices united our praises we offer

and gladly our songs of thanksgiving we raise.

Our sins now confessing, we pray for your blessing,

to you, our great Redeemer, forever be praise!

CALL TO WORSHIP:

One: I know God is calling. I hear it. I feel it. Do you?
ALL: We hear something. We feel something,

but what is it?
One: It is our call: to see the need around us, to speak truth about what we see, and to do what Jesus says. Are you ready?

ALL: Maybe, we’re not sure.

One: Neither was Jesus. His mom had to give him a nudge.
ALL: His mom!?
One: His mom! Sometimes, we’re more ready that we know. So listen to your mom – listen to one another. See need! Speak truth! Do what Jesus says!
ALL: Okay! We’re in – together as we worship God in this place, together as we serve Christ in the world.

One: We are not alone! Thanks be to God!

PRAYER OF APPROACH AND CONFESSION

In the peace and power of your presence, O God, we gather and worship.
For signs and symbols of grace, for moments of wonder, asked and unasked,
and for relationships that remind us of your love, we gather and worship.
For all that we have, for all that we are, for all that we might become,
we gather and worship.

Even when we aren’t quite ready, even when we aren’t quite sure.
even in our brokenness and our need of forgiveness,
we gather and worship.

God of healing and hope, hear our prayers of confession,

which we offer now in the silence of our hearts.

Silent prayer

Seeking the abundance of your mercy, we gather and worship in Jesus’ name,

so that we may speak out and do as Jesus says.

Amen.

MINISTRY OF MUSIC:

LEARNING TIME:

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE: John 2:1-11

Leader: Hear and listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.

ALL: Thanks be to God.

HYMN: “Amazing Grace” VU #266

1 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

that saved and strengthened me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

was blind, but now I see.

2 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

and grace my fears relieved;

how precious did that grace appear

the hour I first believed.

3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares,

I have already come;

'tis grace that brought me safe thus far,

and grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promised good to me,

this word my hope secures;

God will my shield and portion be

as long as life endures.

5 When we've been there ten thousand years,

bright shining as the sun,

we've no less days to sing God's praise

than when we'd first begun.

MESSAGE:

“Water into Wine”

There is no audio recording of Rev. Anne’s message today but you can read it at the bottom of this page.

OUR RESPONSE

PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY PRAYER:

Holy One, we are water. Through our offering, here in this place and in our community,

turn us into wine so that as we speak truth and do what Jesus says, we may make a

difference. We pray in his strong and holy name. Amen!

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and

THE LORD’S PRAYER: (sung VU #960)

**HYMN: “We’re Gonna Live” VU #575 (adapted)**

We’re gonna live so God can use us, anywhere, Lord, any time.

We’re gonna sing so God can use us, anywhere, Lord, any time.

We’re gonna speak so…

We’re gonna serve so…

We’re gonna live so…

Sending Forth:

One: We are water,

ALL: but as we do what Jesus says, God turns us into wine.

One: Whether we are a superb vintage or vin ordinaire,

ALL: God uses us to bring the abundant grace of love to others.

One: So let us go from our worship, strengthened and challenged

to speak out about the needs of the world, and to do what Jesus says.

ALL: We go in faith, hope and love.

SUNG BLESSING: VU #454 (First time, CHOIR, Second time, ALL)

May God who creates you give light,

may God who sustains you make you wise,

may God who protects you give you joy,

may God who surrounds you give you peace.

A Time of Fellowship

MESSAGE: Water into Wine

ln the social disaster that was the wedding at Cana,

the mother of Jesus immediately sees the need and speaks out.

In four short words, she expresses a reality of human existence -

that in our lives, things go wrong; that in our lives, there is need,

and that even our best and most important occasions can go ofl the rails.

"They have no wine," Mary tells her son.

Jesus says, "woman, what concern is that to you and me? My hour has not yet come."

ln this rather sharp retort, maybe he's saying to his mother, it's none of our business.

or maybe he's saying, they should have hired a better wedding pranner.

He's definitely saying that he isn't yet ready to take up his ministry.

Still, Mary will not keep silent.

Like a horrified Hannah raylor, who at age s saw a man dumpster-diving

on the winter streets of Winnipeg, and told the story to her class

and who then organized her neighbours to help the homeless,

Mary she saw a need, spoke out, and persisted.

One day recently, I was walking up Big Hawk Lake Road, along the Kennisis River.

ln some places, the river flowed powerfully, but silenfly,

and in other places, it was singing loudly between its banks.

What I was reminded of as I listened, is that a river sings louder when it is constricted,

and louder still, when it's also flowing over rocks.

Thinking about this and about Mary speaking out at the wedding in c'ana,

I began to think that when lives are constricted,

when they're running over rocks of grief or pain, of injustice or lack,

we need to speak louder.

When the wine runs out, Mary speaks loudly, and names the need

Then, shepoints to Jesus,

and tells the servants to do what he says.

When lives are constricted,

when they're running over rocks of hunger or homelessness,

of addiction or poor mental health, we need speak out, and then to do what Jesus says.

Love one another as I have loved you.

When the servants at the wedding turned to Jesus,

he told them to fill with water 6 jars, each holding 20-30 gallons,

and when the water was poured out, it had become wine,

and not just any old plonk, but the best wine, Chateau Neuf du Pape, and lots of it.

Through this story, John invites us, when life is constricted,

to speak our need loudly, to turn to Jesus, and do what he says.

Love one another.

When the wine runs out and we've lost the joy of life,

when our self-esteem is in the tank,

when we've lost our job,

when illness or an accident has unexpectedly knocked us down,

when family life is in disarray,

when we lose someone we love and are overwhelmed by grief,

we are to speak our need loudly, turn to Jesus and do what he says.

Love one another as you love yourself.

When the wine runs out and there is need around us -

when people are homeless,

when wars are being fought,

when a neighbour is going through a tough time,

when politicians can't tialk civilly to or about one another,

when foodbanks are ovenryhelmed by the need,

when church life seems to be running on empty,

we are invited to speak loudly, turn to Jesus and do what he says.

Love one another.

At the wedding in Cana, when Jesus turns water into wine,

he turns disaster into renewed celebration.

He turns a couple's shame into praise for their generosity.

He turns a broken community into one that rejoices together

Seeing this first sign of Jesus, from whom, John says, we have received grace upon grace,

we are invited to see signs of abundant grace in our lives.

We're invited to see signs of abundant grace

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Like the river, singing between its banks, we are to rejoice in the abundant grace of Jesus.

when life is constricted, like the river, we are to sing loudly, speaking our need,

but also praising God because love is poured into our hearts at the moment of our need.

I invite each of us to think about the grace of Jesus in our own lives -

gifts of beauty, faith, friendship, hope, family, comfort, strength, love

ln silence, speak these things to God, and give thanks,

rejoicing in the abundant love that is with you in Jesus.

Silence

Now, let's think about the gifts of abundance in our congregation -

musicians and singers, people who fix things and people who create,

crafters and bakers, board and committee leaders,

lay readers and coffee makers, dinner-organizers and sanctuary decorators -

all the generous givers of skills, prayer, money, and faith

through whom we support outreach projects,

and care for one another. Think about these and give thanks.

Sl/ence

We are abundantly blessed.

We are an abundant blessing

So in response to this overflowing grace of Jesus,

let's commit to pray for an abundance of financial resources for our congregation,

and for our outreach projects in 2025.

Let's pray for an abundance of spiritual gifts to be exercised by our people.

When wine has run out, let's speak about the needs we see.

Let's commit to act on those needs, and doing what Jesus says,

Ioving one another so that we are part of the change God is bringing to the wodd

And always, let's praise God together

so that the water of our lives may turned into the wine of justice and compassion by Jesus,

who is the source of abundant grace.

Thanks be to God! Amenl