Worship on the Lord’s Day
21st Sunday after Pentecost Thanksgiving/Harvest Sunday
10:00 am October 13, 2024
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs Music Director: Binu Kapadia
Vocalist: Lynn Vaughan Welcoming Elder: Darlene Eerkes
Children’s time presenter: Brad
We gather to worship God
Music Prelude
Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: and also with you
Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship
Call to worship:
L: God blesses us with gifts of love,
P: In relationships that bring joy and gratitude.
L: God blesses us with talents and opportunities to serve,
P: All we need for faithful living.
L: God protects us in times of danger,
P: And guards us from the time of trial.
L: So, we gather to offer thanksgiving to the Lord our God.
P: Praise be to God for all good things, now and always!
Opening praise: Bless the Lord, oh my soul
Prayers of Adoration and Confession
God of mercy and grace,
In this time we pray.
We are good people.
We try to do the right thing.
However, if we think deeply on our lives and connections, ee see that we fall short of being the best that we can be a lot of the time.
We seek to love others, but really just can’t seem to help it and we get caught up in our own problems and issues so much that we forget about others.
We seek to love ourselves as we should, but at times get too caught up in other’s problems and issues and we don’t take care of ourselves.
God, we get off balance. Because it’s a hard job you have given us.
Lord, help up to find balance. Help us to care for self and others. Help us to know how far to go and push us just a step further than we think we can go.
Also grant us forgiveness.
Grant us forgiveness for things that we have done that need forgiveness.
And grant us forgiveness for the things we didn’t do but must do next time we get a change.
But also, Lord, help us to find forgiveness for things that others have done or failed to do for us, and for which we have been left wounded or disappointed. Help us find forgiveness so that we can give it away to them.
May each of us be transformed so that the whole world might be transformed with us and through us as we live your love.
Response: Glory, glory Hallelujah
Assurance of God’s Pardon
God has opened our ears and our hearts to know God’s love and forgiveness. Go forth knowing You have been forgiven and You always will be. Be at peace and please now also pass the peace to your neighbours. Amen.
Musical offering: The Dayspring Singers
We listen for the voice of God
Response: Jesus we are gathered (514)
Children’s time
Back in 1860, there was a boat on Lake Michigan that ran into a freighter. It was a big giant boat carrying all kinds of stuff, boxes and things and it crashed into it, ripped a hole right through the middle. Both ships started to sink.
There were hundreds and hundreds of passengers. People were screaming. They were excited. They were scared. And then people were jumping into the water, and it was very cold.
Edward Spencer was a seminary student. He lived just across the water from the collision, and he saw the accident happen.
He was a strong swimmer. In fact, he was the top guy for the swim team that they had. So, as a very strong swimmer Spencer swam out and then back in again for six and a half hours – every time pulling people ashore- battling the strong waves. He took fifteen trips out collecting people and bringing them back.
Spencer swam out again and again, then came back to shore and collapsed, when somebody screamed, “There’s a couple out there.” So he got up again. jumped into the water, swam almost a quarter mile out, and grabbed a husband and wife off a piece of the boat that they were holding onto, pulled them into shore and collapsed again.
Now, 480 people went into the water that day. 50 people were saved or rescued overall, and Spencer pulled 17 of them into shore.
Later, Spencer developed a serious health problem. It became chronic and he couldn’t return to school. Instead, he went into nursing care.
About 20 years after the event, a newspaper reporter went to talk to Spencer about what had happened.
Spencer’s comment was this. He said, “What I remember most is that, of the 17 people I rescued, not one said thanks.”
It’s a pretty powerful thing to not hear thanks.
I would say, though, that it’s equally powerful to hear thanks.
When somebody does something for you, even if it’s little, to say thank you is a big, big thing.
And it changes people.
I wonder if Spencer would be a gung-ho to go out and rescue people again, knowing that It wasn’t appreciated so much, or at least he didn’t hear of it.
I’m going to encourage you this week to be as thankful as you can for everything that you can.
And Thanksgiving is a good time for that. We’re going to say a little prayer, and then I’m going to ask you guys to collect some things. Anything that you have we’re going to give to the food bank saying thanks for all that we have. We can bring it up front and put it here.
Prayer
My Lord, I thank you for all that you have done for me and for these, the little ones that you call your children.
We pray that we would be a people of thanks to take nothing for granted
And to let no one go unanswered with their greatness. We need to say thank you, Lord.
The Lord’s Prayer (535)
Congregation gifts/offerings
Song: Now thank we all our God (457)
Scripture readings: Godfrey Esoh
Joel 2:21-27; Matthew 6:25-33; Luke 11:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Response: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
Message: A Re-Run – Stop giving me snakes!
We have been through a lot when it comes to our house in Regina. It was brand new along with every appliance in it when we moved in. I remember the first night we stayed there. It felt so odd, like I was living in a beautiful new hotel or something. It took a few weeks actually to get used to it.
When we moved out it was a pretty sad thing (for me at least) but things quickly went from bad to worse. Trouble with the original real estate agent, a rental that went bad, raised taxes and a market crash… and things went from worse to heart-breaking. Two years later, and we had lost the entire down payment, everything we put into building the basement out, some of the money it cost in repairs after the renters punched holes in the walls and ripped the center island out of the floor, every penny we’ve paid on the mortgage – gone too.
Additionally, I was no help at all. I could barely talk about it, so my poor wife had to be the one doing everything on her own. I was in a bit of a mental breakdown.
By the time the sale went through, we were still paying thousands of dollars every couple of months because we owed the bank for than the home sold for. All that money and hard work just for someone else to live in the place that made me feel like I was finally an adult rather than merely pretending to be one.
I know… it’s just a house… but it’s a devastating thing for me. And I have never in my life felt more like a failure as a spouse and more like a failure as a father. To go back to not just nothing but less than nothing sure hurt.
Driving to work and back I generally pray. This is especially true on the motorcycle. And I can remember one morning heading into the church. This particular morning, I’d had that verse on my mind where Jesus asks the disciples, “What kind of a father, when asked for bread, would give his child a snake instead?”. Is a story we probably don’t hear too often in worship services but it sticks out for me.
And I don’t know what happened, but that parable really started to hit home with me. And I don’t know when it happened exactly, but one day I got this really-honest David-like Psalm-writer-like spirit in me. You know – Passion. Anger. Honesty.
It was the kind of backbone it took for David to cry out to God saying, “My God. How long will you make me suffer? My heart is like wax melted within my chest”.
And I just started praying over and over again. “God, please. God just please. Stop giving me snakes. I am Your child. I’m not even asking for bread. I’m just asking, please, stop giving me snakes.
After a while this became my only prayer on my drive there and back. An hour a day just begging God for something better. An hour a day – Stop giving me snakes. Don’t you love me???
I remember the day extremely well. I went to pick up a woman named Marion from her home. Marion is one of those kind-hearted people who visit anyone and everyone. On the way to her place I remember praying, God please stop giving me snakes. I was self-absorbed a bit.
And folks, here’s the thing… I know God doesn’t give you snakes. God is the one who helps when the world gives you snakes. But it doesn’t always feel like that does it? Sometimes, maybe right now, the world just dumps them on you.
On this particular day, Marion and I were going over to a certain young woman’s home. The young woman had terminal cancer. She had just celebrated being called cancer-free when the mass returned with a vengeance and entered into practically every part of the torso. There would be no miracles this time. Her husband and little 7-year-old girl were going to have to go all the way with her this time.
Marion and I would go once a week for an hour or so to visit the family along with a few close friends. We would sing a praise song together in the living room and talk and pray with her and several others.
This particular day, I’d taken the guitar to play a song for her that Marion and I had practiced. And when I got up off the floor, I made a seemingly innocent comment. I stood up, and my back hurt, and my leg had fallen asleep, and I just said, “Oh, I’m getting so old.”
And that is when this young lady said the words that I will never forget. She said “How old are you” [with a smile]?
Now I don’t know about you, but I can never remember my age and so it took a minute. Finally, I said, 40 or whatever I thought was probably right.
And then out of nowhere she started to bawl. Really bawl. It was an explosive moment. And the tension and sadness in the room hit everyone like the walls had just come collapsing down. And through her tears she cried, “I’m 35. And I’ll only ever be 35.” Her parents, daughter and husband sat in the front row about a month later. She missed her 36th birthday by a couple of months.
Paul writes, “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I love this verse.
Rejoice (always)
One translation renders this “rejoice in the Lord at all times.” But it can just as easily be rendered “Rejoice in all kinds of times” or “all kinds of circumstances”. That’s a pretty big statement. “Rejoice always”; “in all kinds of circumstances?”. Truth be told it’s not that hard to rejoice when things are good but… rejoice when your car is stolen? “Rejoice” when you’re in the hospital? Rejoice when your parent is sick? That’s not quite as easy a pill to swallow, is it?
But then again it wasn’t easy for the church in Thessalonica either. This isn’t just some haphazard statement made off the cuff. When this was first read in the church around the year 51AD it was read by people who were being murdered… just for attending church services. But see, for Paul, rejoicing isn’t just about being happy. It’s about choosing to praise God even when you’re unhappy. For Paul, Christian life is to be lived in an atmosphere of continuous joy, prayer and thanksgiving. And the early church took this seriously just as we should.
In Acts 5:41 there is a great example of this. After being arrested for being Christians the Jerusalem apostles were flogged with a whip that had 9 tails. Bloodied and abused they were released and as they left the council chambers, we’re told they went “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Christ.” Now I don’t know about you but that wouldn’t be my first reaction.
In his book Forged by Fire Bob Record writes of something perhaps a bit more applicable to our times. He writes, “I had a severe cervical spinal injury. The pain was so excruciating that the hospital staff couldn’t do an MRI until I was quite deeply sedated. The MRI showed significant damage at three major points. Because of the swelling, the only way I could relieve the pain was to use a strong, prescribed narcotic and to lie on flattened-out bags of ice. Sleep (what little there was) came only by sitting in a reclining chair.
Approximately 48 hours from the onset of the injury, doctors estimated I had already lost about 80% of the strength in my left arm and three fingers on my left hand totally lost feeling. The slightest movements would send pain waves hurling down my left side and shoulder. I had to step away completely from my work and wear a neck brace 24 hours a day for 6 weeks. About halfway through the experience I was sitting on the screed-in porch behind our home. The day was cold and damp, but I needed a change of scenery. Suddenly a bird landed on the railing and began to sing.
On that cold, rainy day I couldn’t believe any creature had a reason to sing. “I wanted to shoot it” he writes. But he continued to sing his little song. And I had no choice but to listen. The next day I was on the porch again, but this time it was bright and warm. I was tempted to feel sorry for myself when suddenly the bird (at least it looked like the same bird to me) came down from the fence and started singing again. “Where’s my shotgun”, I thought! But then it hit me. The bird sang in the cold rain just as it did on the warm sunny day. His song was the same, not altered at all. I felt like God just quietly said to me ‘You can let your condition determine your attitude or you can let your attitude determine your condition. So, you choose’.” (1001 Illustrations, Number 200)
Rejoice Always. Pray Continually. Pray (continually)
Paul, like any good, converted Pharisee, pictures the Christian life as a journey. He knows full well that life itself is like a conversation with God and that we have prayer Not because God is some cosmic Genie ready to grant all our wishes if we pray hard enough, but because it’s hard to claim you love someone if you never talk and never listen to them. You have to talk to God like you do a spouse or a best friend. And you have to listen too.
There’s this rather ridiculous story. “An atheist was walking through the woods. ‘What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!’” He said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. With the bawl of his foot crumpling the leaves, he turned to see the origin of the sound. That’s when he saw it… he saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder once more and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He ran harder.
He looked over his shoulder again, and this time the bear was even closer. But one should never look back when running from a bear. With his eyes turned the wrong way the man tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up just in time to see that the bear was right on top of him, raising his right paw to strike. At that instant the Atheist cried out, “My God!”
Time Stopped. The bear froze. The water stopped flowing. The forest was still. It was as if the whole world was a movie and somewhere, someone… hit the pause button.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. “You deny my existence for all these years. Do you expect me to help you now? Am I to count you now as a believer”?
The Atheist looked directly into the light, “It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps You could make the BEAR a Christian”?
[I told you it was ridiculous.]
“Very Well,” said the Voice.
The light went out. The sounds of the forest slowly resumed. And at the moment, the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head and spoke: “Lord, bless this food, which I am about to receive.” (1001 Illustrations, number 477)
As God’s children, we are called to a life of prayer… not just prayer when we get caught in the thick of things… not just prayer when we’re in trouble – but called to pray continuously.
That means when things are bad we say “God help me” but when things are good we say “God thank you”. And all the time we say, “I know you’re with me. And I know you love me”.
In a collection of rabbinic wisdom there is this great teaching moment about prayer.
Leaning back in his chair the Rabbi looks at his many students. “Experiences of God cannot be planned or achieved. They are spontaneous moments of grace, almost accidental,” the Rabbi said. (X2)
His (talmudim) student bothered by the words of a rabbi whom had demanded so much time in prayer from them understandably asked, “Rabbi, if experiences of God are just accidental, why do we spend so much time in prayer?”
“Ah” said the Rabbi “Ah”… “to be as accident-prone as possible”.
We experience God in prayer. And we experience God more and more the more and more we pray. Rejoice Always. Pray Continuously.
Give Thanks (… in all circumstances)
Thanksgiving is closely associated with prayer. In Philippians 4:6 Paul (the same author) writes, “in everything in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” As it says in Col. 2:7 the children of God are expected to “abound in thanks”. Giving thanks and praise to God is basic to who we are.
… “I’m 35. And I’ll only ever be 35.” Those words hit me with such an amazing force.
“Snakes?” I thought.
“What snakes exactly has God really given me?”
I’m still sleeping indoors.
And… I’m not worried about making my next birthday.
What a whining baby I was.
I live in one of the greatest places in the world to live. I have access to some of the finest medical care in the world. I have a family to love and that loves me. I am surrounded by people that care about me. I am generally healthy. And yet, with all that, I had been so focused on this house that I was about to lose that it consumed one of the most important parts of my every day (prayer time).
What foolishness, I realized, had befallen me that I should ever say “Woe is me”?
And all of a sudden, my worries meant nothing.
Back at the house with Marion and the young woman, pale and worn. Tears gave way to embrace. Hugs filled the room. And we sat down again to end our time with a short prayer.
And that’s when this young woman, (with probably less than two weeks left to live) started praying prayers of thanksgiving for us. She thanked God for the husband she’d been given and the daughter she’d had 7 years with. She thanked God for her close friends and the time they shared and for Marion and I for being a part of those last few months. She thanked God for the joke she heard the day before and the family she got to have stay with her for support, and for the love she felt from Jesus, and for the hope of seeing all of us together again someday.
I have no idea what is happening in your life. Maybe you also just have two weeks to live. Maybe you’re gonna lose a house. Maybe there is something seriously wrong in life and health. The truth is, this world is full of snakes. But our Father isn’t the one handing them out. He’s the one helping us deal with them. And with a little perspective, Paul’s words make perfect sense. We should be thankful in all things.
May you always find time for Joy, for Prayer, and for giving thanks for all you have. “Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Amen.
Song: For the fruits of all creation (802)
We respond to serve God
Our time of giving
Prayer of gratitude, and for others and ourselves
God of inspiration and imagination, you are the artist of our lives.
You have filled your world with gifts, expressed through the creativity and dedication of so many.
We give you thanks for a new season of opportunity to gather in worship and witness, learning from you and from each other.
Artist of our lives.
Awaken our gifts to serve you. …
Today we give you thanks for the artists among us, offering their inspiring gifts.
Thank you for painters and poets, for lines on a canvas and lines on a page, which inspire us and leave us wondering.
Thank you for sculptors and storytellers who fashion faces in stone and scenes in words to outline the profile of your truth for us.
And thank you for the art on our fridge doors.
Artist of our lives,
Awaken our gifts to serve you.
God of grace and goodness,
We know your creativity in the arts of fabric and foodstuff, in hands that work with wood and keep machinery humming.
We give you thanks for those who stitch patterns with thread, and those who set patterns on our plates, mixing colours and flavours.
Thank you for those who build and repair, refinish and restore the things we need and the things we cherish.
Artist of our lives,
Awaken our gifts to serve you.
God of music and movement,
We know your beauty in the gifts of keyboard and composer, in the blending of voices and the bending of dancers.
We thank you for these sounds and sights that can touch our hearts once more and open our souls to praise you.
We pray for artists of every kind, that their work will find appreciation and support throughout our community.
Artist of our lives,
Awaken our gifts to serve you.
God of hope and healing, we thank you, too, for the healing arts, for the care and relief offered by professionals in our health care system and for support given by friends and volunteers.
We pray for all who seek healing – for body, mind or spirit.
Give each one your presence and peace through our prayer and friendship.
Awaken us to all to our creative potential to serve you in serving each other.
Song: For the beauty of the earth (434)
Sending out with God’s blessing
As we leave the church today, we go with the assurance that God is with us in every possible situation. May our hearts and minds be open to his presence. And my God’s grace, the love of Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen
Response: Amen, we praise you name
Music postlude
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Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).
The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2024) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.