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Welcome, Gathering, and Announcements:
(Portions of the service printed in bold are spoken by the whole congregation. The asterisk (*) indicates congregation stands, but please feel free to sit at any time. Children are always welcome at our services. Books/toys are available at the front and back of the sanctuary.)

Candle Lighting & Centring:
“Shared pain is lessened; shared joy is increased.” Spider Robinson, The Callahan Chronicals.

Gathering Words:
Despite grain still in the fields and dinners yet to be made,
slow us down, O God, and centre us in worship.
Make our praise as genuine as children running up to give a hug,
our confession as honest in admitting our own sin as it would be if we were tattling on a neighbour.
Give us an innocent acceptance of your love and forgiveness,
not questioning its reality or its limitlessness.
May our worship echo our heartfelt thanks for simply being your children.
Those blessed and called to live into the kingdom come. Adapted from prayer written by Dawn Ballantine-Dickson and reprinted, with permission, from page 46 of Gathering Summer/Autumn, 2010.

*Hymn: “Jesus, You Have Come to the Lakeshore” #563 VU

Poem-Prayer: May We Be, written by John van de Laar

*Sharing Peace & Blessings
Let our hospitality towards each other reflect God's love.
Peace be with you.
And also with you.
Let us greet each other sharing signs of the peace of Christ.

Congregational Theme/Story Time

*Singing Together: “It Takes a Whole Village”, by Jim Strathdee (lyrics on screen, Bob will accompany on guitar)

A Reading from Job 23:1-9; 16-17
Job offers his complaint against God.

Psalm 22, sung version: “O God, Why Are You Silent?” #73 MV

A Reading from Mark 10:17-31
A rich young ruler desires to be a follower of Christ but is unable to give up that which hinders his relationship with God. While Jesus’ disappointment must have grown, his love for the man was not lessened.

Special Music

Minister’s Message

*Hymn: “Praise God for the Harvest”, #517 VU

Invitation for Offering: We Sing Thanksgiving, video by Rob Fennel, Atlantic School of Theology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjezHFOk7Jc&feature=youtu.be

Sung Refrain: “God Bless to Us Our Bread”, #193 MV

Offertory Prayer:
We make our offerings of time and talent, energy and money, knowing that it is you, O God, who makes this possible. Bless our giving, so they may become the answer to prayer; messages of hope; signs of your love in our world. Amen

Prayers of the Gathered Community
& The Prayer Jesus Taught

*Commissioning & Benediction:
We are your bread, O God,
We go forth to feed a world which hungers.
We are your bread, O Spirit,
We go forth to rise to the challenge of each new day.
We are your bread, O Christ,
We go forth to give ourselves to others in your name.
God, bless us this day to live your Way.
Written by God Dunbar. Reprinted, with permission, from page 51 of gathering Summer/Autumn 2006

*Parting Hymn: “Go, Make a Diff’rence” #209 MV