11TH ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH SERVICE

February 5, 2012
9:00 a.m. Worship @ Bell Lane, 55 Diana
10:30 a.m. Worship, Sydenham Street United,
Sunday School & Nursery
(Thursdays now Prayer Meeting/Bible Study at church for one hour—all welcome 6:30-7:30pm)

Contemporary Prayer: Each people with its history of your love. Each people created in your earthly garden sun from above. A people’s story woven in struggle and triumph. Tears of pain and shouts of joy. The journey of a people in its history’s flow. The Divine Weaver’s loom hand does flow.
 

SERVICE OF GOSPEL MUSIC/2ND SUNDAY OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Sunday, February 12, 2012
9:00 a.m. Worship @ Bell Lane, 55 Diana
10:15 a.m. Contemporary Chorus Time
10:30 a.m. Worship, Sydenham Street United,
Sunday School & Nursery
(Thursdays now Prayer Meeting/Bible Study at church for one hour—all welcome 6:30-7:30pm)

Contemporary Prayer: Restoring God, we thank you for the passion we see in the Christ and for the compassion to which that brings us. As we discern what are our ministries, give us the will to be vigilant in living out the faith of the gospel. Amen.

International Prayer Focus: Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands

Local Prayer Focus: Pray that as we sing some of the traditional Songs of the Gospel today our passion for our faith may be rekindled even as we may struggle with some of the dated language and theology.

Prayer for those from Sydenham in Special Ministries: Kathryn Eddy (Diaconal Minister) in Stephenville, Nfld; Rev. Con Estoesta (Minister Emeritus, VAM); Rev. Wayne Myhre (Minister Emeritus); Joan McSpadden (Diaconal Minister Emeritus), leading book studies; Joan McSpadden, Sydenham’s Mission & Service Enthusiast; Mardi Tindal, Moderator of the United Church of Canada; Jackie Childerhose, Director Grand River Bookstore & Spiritual Resource Centre; Diane Matheson, Hospitality Administrator at Five Oaks; Rev. Barry Pridham, pastor Sydenham St. U. C.; Yvonne Wright Chair of the Board, Tom Hunt, Maintenance Manager at Five Oaks.

Recognition of Professionals (February): Professors
 

Newcomers
 We welcome you as God welcomes us all. We hope that you find the work of God here uplifting and meaningful. We ask that you take a moment to sign the guest book in the Narthex and visit our Information Centre in the vestibule please ask a greeter for directions.

GATHERED FOR WORSHIP AROUND THE THEME OF GOSPEL MUSIC AND ITS HEALING THEMES

Musical Prelude - “I’ll Walk with God ” (Brodszky)

Contemporary Chorus Time led by Cynthia Advincula

Giving ourselves to fellowship, programming, community effort and responsible stewardship (Announcements)

A Gospel Sunday Greeting/Celebrating of Birthdays/Anniversaries/Welcome of Guests
Greeting Chorus
- #12 SG (v1,c) “The Church in the Wildwood”
There’s a church in the valley by the wildwood,
No lovelier spot in the dale;
No place is so dear to my childhood
As the little brown church in the vale.

Come to the church in the wildwood,
Oh, come to the church in the vale
Please greet those around you—with the love of Christ—shown in a warm smile and a friendly hello.

Gathering Time/Honouring the Word (scripture) & Light (Jesus, light of the World)
- #157SG (X2) “Spirit of the Living God”
Spirit of the living God, Now descend on me!
Spirit of the living God, Now descend on me!
Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me!
Spirit of the living God, Now descend on me! Amen.

 Call to Worship
One: Sing praises to God.
All: Sing praises God’s faithful people.
One: Give thanks to God’s holy name.
All: Give thanks God’s faithful people.
One: God’s anger shall pass,
All: God’s favour will last forever.
One: We may weep for a season,
All: yet God promises that we will know joy again.
One: Sing praises all you people.
All: Sing praises to God. Amen.

 A Gospel Song
- #223VU “Eternal, Unchanging, We Sing”

A Time of Prayer
(Prayer requests around Joys and Concerns may be shared) (If possible please phone the office with prayer requests - Joys & Concerns - by the Wednesday BEFORE service.)

Prayer Chorus - #134SG (v1) “Sweet Hour of Prayer”
Sweet hour of pray’r! sweet hour of pray’r!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known;
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s name
By thy return, sweet hour of pray’r.

Prayer of Confession -
Faced with sickness we cannot fix,
injustice we cannot overturn,
ignorance we cannot change,
poverty we cannot solve,
war we cannot stop,
wrong we cannot undo,
we confess to you, our God,
that sometimes we turn away,
and do not choose your way of healing love.

Words of Assurance
(Water is a symbol of healing, of life; symbolically wash water over yourselves as we hear the assurance of God’s forgiveness.)
One: Jesus said to those he healed, as God says to us today,
All: I do choose
I choose to love you.
Be made whole again. Amen.

A Gospel Song
- #76SG (v1-3) “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”

GOSPEL MUSIC—SWEET, SWEET MUSIC—WITH DEEP ROOTS

Teaching Video - The History of Gospel Music 01

 Gospel Song - #266VU (v1,3,5) “Amazing Grace”

Moving into the Focus Scripture
(Guided Meditation)

Scripture Lessons
Responsive Psalm 30 - VU Page 757 Tears flow for a night:joy comes with the morning

 Gospel Lesson - Mark 1:40-45 A leper begs to be healed and proclaims the news

40 A leper came to him, begging on his knees, "If you want to, you can cleanse me."

41-45 Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy. Jesus dismissed him with strict orders: "Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people." But as soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had happened, spreading the news all over town. So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over.

Senior Choir Anthem
- “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” (Rentz)

Gospel Time
(Gospel songs sung after a brief history of each song)
1. #135SG (v1,2,c) “Trust and Obey”
2. #133SG (v1,2,c) “Count Your Blessings”
3. #119SG (v1,2,c) “Higher Ground”

More History of Gospel Music (Brief Overview)
4. #176SG (v1-3) “Swing Low”

RESPONDING AS THOSE WITH A NEW SONG IN THEIR HEART

Song of Dedication
- #52SG (v1,2,c) “Bringing In the Sheaves”

Time to Pass & Fill Out the Welcome Registers
(Please pass it back up our pew when all have signed, so that you learn each others names) VISITORS, PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER AND IF POSSIBLE EMAIL ADDRESS

Offertory Sentence - Let us reach out to the world with healing

Offertory Music - “Interlude” (Kumler)

 Offertory
- #606VU (v1) “In Christ There Is No East or West”
(an Afro-American spiritual)
1 In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north,
but one great family of love
throughout the whole wide earth.

 Offertory Prayer
We dedicate these gifts of money to your ways of healing, justice, and reconciling love in the world.
May we choose to offer ourselves in service of your way of healing, justice, and love in each moment of each day. Amen.

Prayers of the People
One: As Jesus was moved with pity and a force of passion against the things that separate us from the wholeness of our humanity, we are also moved with pity for those who suffer, O God.
All: Help us to love as you love, to be agents of your healing in the world.
One: We are passionate about bringing changes to the ways of the world that hurt rather than heal, that dishonour rather than respect, that divide rather than unify.
All: Help us to live out your passion, to be agents of your just ways in the world.
One: God, you do not see the boundaries we place between us because of difference.
All: Help us to see as you see, to live out your reconciling love in the world. Amen.

GOING FORTH TO LIVE, SING AND LOVE AS GOSPEL PEOPLE

Closing Song - #173SG (v1-3,c) “God Be With You”

Blessing
May God be healing for you.
May God be justice for you.
May God be reconciling love for you,
and through you for all you meet.
Amen.

Postlude - “I Loves You, Porgy” (Gershwin)

We welcome those worshiping with us today and invite you to join us for coffee in Calder Hall provided by the Outreach Commission

MINISTERS - ALL OF US BY THE GRACE OF GOD
Rev. Dr. Barry Pridham, Pastor 751-1759
Rev. Wayne Myhre, Minister Emeritus
Rev. Con Estoesta, Minister Emeritus; Volunteer Associate Minister (VAM)
Joan McSpadden, Diaconal Minister Emeritus
Tom Wilson - B.A.; STB; Dipl. Addictions, Organist & Choir Director
Jackie Childerhose, Sunday School Superintendent
Linda Brown, Custodian
Aileen Johnston, Office Coordinator
Youth Leadership, Cynthia & Larry Advincula
Junior Choir Director, Cynthia Advincula
Audio/Video Techs, Lyle Sylvester, Dave & Aileen Johnston,
Page 7
King Tabilin, Larry Pickard, Shane Taylor
Lay Leader, Diane Matheson (Bell Lane)
Organist, Mildred Eadie (Bell Lane)
Lay Leader, Ruth Sylvester

HEALING PRESENCE

Healing and passion in ministry continue as dominant themes in this week’s scripture readings. Jesus heals a man with leprosy who disobeys the command to remain silent. Instead of taking the second step required by his religion’s healing practice, the man chooses instead to proclaim what Jesus has done. Naaman almost loses the opportunity to be healed when he thinks the prescribed cure worthless. Utilizing a sports metaphor, Paul demonstrates the need to be diligent in ministry. The author of Psalm 30 celebrates restoration and gives thanks.

There are several threads running through these scriptures. One is seeking healing and finding it in unexpected places – in a foreign kingdom, in a public place with Jesus, in the words of a psalm marking the end of mourning. A second thread is the recognition that healing is a gift and not a reward. A third thread is the fact that God’s love does not discriminate. A fourth thread is found in the role passion plays in ministry.

February 15 - NIRVANA DAY (BUDDHISM)

This day commemorates the death of the Buddha, which is also the day he achieved nirvana, or total enlightenment. While celebrations vary according to region and culture, Buddhists generally observe the day by meditating or going to Buddhist temples or monasteries. Often special food is prepared and some people bring gifts to the temple or monastery such as money, household goods, or clothes. Some Buddhists will read passages from the Paranibbana Sutta which describes the last days of Buddha, while others may reflect on those who have recently passed away.

STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT

There’s the old story - probably not true - about an actor who collapsed on stage during a performance in a theater. The audience cried aloud, when another actor waved his arms and shouted, “Is there a doctor in the house?”

From high in the rafters came a loud bellow. “Give him chicken soup!”

The actor who had asked for a doctor shook his head. “This man is gravely ill. His color is gray. We need a doctor.”

And the voice called out again, “Give him chicken soup!”

“Sir,” the actor yelled back in alarm. “You’re not helping! Every second is precious! This man is not moving. He may even be dead. Chicken soup will not do him a bit of good.”

To which the voice from the rafters replied, “Couldn’t hurt!”

As I said, that story is probably not true. But it makes me think of how grave the world’s problems seem, sometimes, and how small and inadequate our offerings seem to the task at hand. People are starving. There are countries without pure water. Children are dying, or going blind. Maybe you’re wondering if your gift is nothing but chicken soup—something that makes us feel good for having brought it, but is not the strong medicine the world needs.

The difference is that we’re putting the chicken soup in the hands of Jesus! Jesus is the great healer of the world’s ills. Our gifts, because of our shared faith in God, are mixed with those of believers everywhere, not only from our faith tradition, but ecumenically with many others.

You’ll notice in the stories of healing from the Gospel of Mark, which we have been sharing and which we will share, sometimes all Jesus offers is a touch—which perhaps doesn’t seem like it would help any more than chicken soup. But the power of Jesus transforms a touch into wellness. And the power of Jesus transforms our gifts into a transfusion of hope! So give! Give in faith! Give in love! After all—it couldn’t hurt!