Sharing This Meal

17th Sunday after Pentecost Sunday, October 6, 2019 7:00 pm

VisionTransforming lives through God’s grace

MissionInspired by the Holy Spirit, we grow disciples of Jesus Christ to love our neighbours and effect social change.

MusiciansColleen Charter, Pianist

MinistersThe Rev. Dr. Nick Athanasiadis Lead Minister, Vision, Worship and Discipleship

The Rev. Maren McLean Persaud Associate Minister, Children and Youth

The Rev. Dr. M. Jean Morris Associate Minister, Pastoral Care

The Rev. Jake Van Pernis Associate Minister, Engagement and Service

Order of Worship

**You are invited to rise in body or spirit in the portions of the service marked with an asterisk.

We Gather TogetherOpening Music

Welcome Nick Athanasiadis

Centering Time We gather this evening in silence to allow space for reflection and thought as a way of opening our lives to God’s grace and God’s presence. The words of prayer printed below can be used as a help to let go of schedules and to-do lists and as a way of sharing our inner lives with God.

Gracious One – fill us from within, so our hearts may be opened, and our hands outstretched, with the gifts of grace. Amen.

A Candle Is Lit To Remind Us Of God’s Presence The gentle candlelight this evening reminds us of Jesus’ promise to be present: “And remember I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The flickering of this candle invites us to listen for Jesus speaking, watch for the Spirit’s moving, and trust in God’s love and grace.

We Lift Our Praise *Responsive Opening Words Iain Robertson As if this were the only time,And this the only place,And we the only people,Jesus Christ will meet us.

As if this were the only time,And this the only place,And we the only people,Let us worship God.

*Song Of Praise 423 Sing Your Praise To God Eternal

We Lift Our PrayersA Collective Prayer Asking God To Turn Us Around Friends, prayer invites us to join our story to God’s story. Let’s pause for a time of silent reflection to open our hearts and lives to God. Here are some prayer guides: a.) Reflect on love and compassion. Share with God where you need love and compassion. Also share with God where you are feeling called to share love and compassion. Then, listen. b.) Pray for all people to know the deep peace of God’s love. Then, open your heart to the deep peace of God’s love. c.) Repeat the words, “Lord, water the seeds of our prayers.” Then, imagine about what the watered seeds of prayer may look like. Hold this image before God with openness.

And now let’s pray together: Leader: God of life, do not darken your light to us,Men: God of life do not limit your joy in us,Women: God of life, do not shut your door to us,Leader: God of life, do not refuse us your mercy.All: Lord, do not refuse us your mercy.

O God of life,Eternity cannot hold you,Nor can our little words catchThe magnificence of your kindness.Yet in the space of our small heartsAnd in silence, You can come close and repair us. (silence)

O God of life,Grant us your forgivenessFor our careless thoughts,For our thoughtless deeds,For our empty speechAnd the words with which we wounded. (silence)

O God of life,Grant us your forgiveness,For our false desires,For our hateful actions,For our wastefulnessAnd for all we left untended. (silence)

O loving Christ, Hanged on a treeYet risen in the morning, Scatter the sin from our soulsAs the mist from the hills; Begin what we do,Inform what we say, Redeem who we are.

In you we place our hope,Our great hope, our living hope,This day and evermore. AMEN.

*Passing Of The Peace Of ChristFriends, God’s love for us and for all of creation goes beyond what we can imagine! Therefore, let us be confident in God’s love, the Spirit meeting us where we are, and the forgiveness of Jesus, and greet one another with the same grace. The peace of Christ be with you.

And also with you.

Please feel free to move and greet the people around you with the blessing, “Christ’s Peace” or “The Peace of Christ.”

We Share The WordWe Hear Scripture Read Greta Bylsma 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26 (page 152, New Testament) Luke 22: 14-23 (page 75, New Testament)

We Hear A Message Sharing This Meal We pause to reflect on what has been said and thought.

We Share The Table*Song Of Invitation To The Table 540 One Bread One Body

Invitation To The Table Thanksgiving And Prayer Margot Kellough

The Lord be with you.And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, for you made us,and before us, you made the world we inhabit,and before the world, you made the eternal homein which, through Christ, we have a place.

All that is spectacular, all that is plainhave their origin in you;all that is lovely, all who are lovingpoint to you as their fulfilment.

And grateful as we are for the world we knowand the universe beyond our ken,we particularly praise you,whom eternity cannot contain,for coming to earth and entering time in Jesus.

For his life which informs our living,for his compassion which changes our hearts,for his clear speaking which contradicts our harmless generalities, for his disturbing presence,his innocent suffering, his fearless dying,his rising to life, we praise you and worship him.

Here too our gratitude risesfor the promise of the Holy Spirit,who even yet, even now,confronts us with your claimsand attracts us to your goodness.

Therefore we gladly join our voicesto the song of the Church on earth and in heaven:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.Heaven and earth are full, full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comesIn the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.

And now, lest we believethat our praise alone fills your purpose,we fall silent, and remember him who camebecause words were not enough.

Setting our wisdom, our will,our words aside, emptying our hearts,and bringing nothing in our hands,we yearn for the healing, the holding,the accepting, the forgivingwhich Christ alone can offer. (Silence)

Merciful God, send now, in kindness,your Holy Spirit to settle on this bread and wineand fill them with the fullness of Jesus.

And let that same Spirit rest on us, converting usfrom the patterns of this passing world,until we conform to the shape of himwhose food we now share.

As our Lord taught us we pray:Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be doneon earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Save us from the time of trialand deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yoursnow and forever. Amen.

We Hear The Words Jesus Spoke At The Table

We Share CommunionThis evening you are invited to come forward to share communion. As you receive a gluten free wafer you will hear the words, “Bread of Life” and as you dip the wafer in the cup of grape juice you will hear the words, “Cup of Salvation.”

*If coming forward is difficult, please remain where you are and those who are serving communion this evening will come to you*.

Prayers for HealingThis evening Prayers for Healing will be incorporated into our sharing the table. The people offering healing prayer will be on either side of the stations where communion is being served. For more information about Prayers for Healing please see, Explanation of Prayers for Healing.

Prayers After Communion

In gratitude, in deep gratitudefor this moment, this meal, these people,we give ourselves to you.

Take us outto live as changed peoplebecause we have shared the Living Breadand cannot remain the same.

Ask much of us,expect much of us,enable much by us,encourage many through us.

So Lord, may we live to your glory, both as inhabitants of earthand citizens of the commonwealth of heaven. Amen.

We Go Into The World*Song Leading Us Into The World 549 For The Bread Which You Have Broken

*Benediction

Closing Music

Upcoming Worship

Sunday, October 13, 10:30 am – 18th Sunday after PentecostThanksgiving Sunday Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Nick AthanasiadisGuest Musicians: Foothills Brass Quintet

Sunday, October 20, 10:30 am – 19th Sunday after PentecostPreacher: The Rev. Dr. Nick Athanasiadis

Sunday, October 20, 7:00 pm Evening Grace in the Chapel Preacher: The Rev. Jake Van Pernis

Sunday, October 27, 10:30 am – 20th Sunday after Pentecost Preacher: Rob Robertson, Convener, PWS&D Governance Team Guest Presenter following Worship: Arthur Stanley Lichenya, Program Manager, Churches Action Relief and Development (CARD) in Blantyre, Malawi

Life and Work at Grace ChurchAnother successful Cake Baking Week! We were blessed to have a strong and enthusiastic group of volunteers. We thank everyone who helped; your energy and commitment are essential to our success!Outreach: All proceeds from Grace Church Christmas cake sales go to support community outreach programs.Sponsorship: If you were unable to volunteer but would still like to support Cake Bake 2019, please consider making a tax deductible sponsorship donation. Make your cheque payable to: Grace Presbyterian Church, write Cake Bake on the MEMO line, and place it in the offering plate. Sales: Cakes will be for sale in the Family Room after worship. every Sunday in October.

Thank you for your support. The Cake Bake Team

Tuesday, October 8: 1:00-3:00 pm in the Dining Hall You are invited to join the Grace Bethany Group as we explore Luke 10: 38-42.• Do you have a “Mary Heart in a Martha World”?• Are you a “Martha” through and through?What lessons can we learn from these two sisters and their relationships with Jesus?

Wednesday October 9, and 16: Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation, by Parker J. Palmer A simple meal starts at 5:30 pm and will be followed by a discussion led by Nick Athanasiadis from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Books are still available for purchase from the office.

Friday, October 11: 7:00-9:00 Grace Youth Group will be meeting at the church on Friday October 11th, from 7:00-9:00 pm to start the Thanksgiving long weekend with a games night! Youth ages 13-18 are welcome.

Thursday, October 17: 11:30-1:00 Beltline OASIS is meeting again for lunch at Grace! On this International Day for he Eradication of Poverty, we will be “Sharing Our Lunch” and preparing sandwiches to share with one another and to deliver to our neighbours at The Mustard Seed.

Sunday, October 20: during Morning Worship Supervision and Taking Off the Training Wheels (Eventually) Parents and guardians are invited to attend Church School for Parents (CSFP) for Part Two in our “Navigating our Digital World” series. We’ll discuss ideas and action steps for engaging with digital and social media as a parent.

Volunteer OpportunitiesFor more information about any of the items below, please contact

Cindy Stephenson, Coordinator of Volunteers, at cindys@gracecalgary.org.

Thank you to the many volunteers who helped make our “Time of Gratitude” for The Rev. Dr. Jean Morris and Matthew Vyse such a lovely event.

Interested in teaching? If you’ve considered teaching Church School but were daunted by the time commitment or lesson planning, we’ve got good news! We’ll train you to lead a single workshop, three weeks in a row.

English Language Learner classes at Grace are very popular and help provide a fun, safe place to practise conversational English and build friendships. Classes start again this week and we’re looking for leaders who can contribute one weekday morning (9:30 to 11:30) for a total of 6 weeks. Resources and support are supplied.

On Thursday, October 31st the Children and Youth committee is hosting Grace’s first “Trunk and Treat” event from 5:00 to 8:00 pm in the south parking lot. A ‘Trunk and Treat’ is when we pack the parking lot with decorated cars, fill the trunks with candy and open the lot so that children from the surrounding community can come and trick or treat from vehicle to vehicle. Grace is in need of people who are willing to decorate their trunk and park their car in the lot for the duration of the event and also in need of people who are able to donate candy! Please let us know you are able to help by completing the Registration Form in your bulletin and placing it in the marked box in the Alcove.

All Ages Communion

Communion means many things......

• It’s a celebration of Easter! We remember Jesus’ resurrection.

• It’s a celebration of what is. We remember God loves us and has made a covenant with us.

• It’s a celebration of what is to come. We look forward to a time when there is no hurt or harm.

• It’s a declaration of God’s love for us and a declaration of God’s grace.

• It’s a time to nourish our faith and be reminded of God’s promises.

• It is both a curriculum that helps us learn our faith, and a practice that helps us live out our faith.

Christians of all ages can understand that...

• Communion is a special meal! We sit down to eat together because we’ve been invited. It’s like when we go over to someone else’s house for dinner.

• Communion is a special time to thank God for Jesus.

• Communion shows that we belong to our church family and are part of a community.

• Just like how photos, stories and traditions in our families and homes help us remember things, communion helps us remember Jesus’ story.

• Jesus invites us to communion! Even though we don’t see him, Jesus invites us to the table, welcomes us and gives us food. This is why we show respect when we eat this meal together.

Phone: 403.244.5861 Address: 1009 - 15th Ave SW Calgary, AB T2R 0S5

Email: office@gracecalgary.org Website: www.gracechurchcalgary.com

Twitter/Facebook: @calgarygrace

Explanation of Prayers for Healing

On the first Sunday of the month at Evening Grace we include Prayers for Healing. This act of worship proclaims our belief that Jesus through his life, his death, and his rising again brings wholeness to people in mind, body, and spirit. In prayer we remember Jesus is alive and touches our lives with God’s transforming love.

Prayer is also an invitation to open our hearts to the grace Jesus offers. In prayer we can invite the Holy Spirit carrying God’s love to move in places of pain, of struggle, and of hope lost. Prayer is a powerful exercise because in opening our lives to God, God responds – healing comes, even if we can’t fully comprehend how God is at work.

Those who pray with you do not have any special power – only the belief that God desires wholeness for all people and all of creation. Healing does not mean ‘cure.’ Prayers for healing open up all the areas of our lives—relationships, ideas, emotions, spirit, body, work, nature—to the transforming love God shared through Jesus.

Healing Prayer at Evening Grace involves the laying on of hands and at times anointing. These acts are meaningful; the laying on of hands and anointing have been used throughout the history of the church in ministry to those seeking wholeness. The Bible shares how Jesus, and others, prayed for those in need by laying a hand on them; this touch is meant to comfort and communicate God’s blessing. The laying on of hands is a symbol of support and a reminder that when one member of the body suffers the entire body suffers.

The laying on of hands is a hand gently placed on the top of a person’s head or shoulder. Some people are uncomfortable with touch, therefore those who are praying with you will ask you if it is okay to touch either your head or shoulder. If touch is uncomfortable, those who are praying will hold their hand out above your head as they pray.

Please also note healing prayer is a collective act of prayer. Those who wish to come and receive healing prayer and the laying on of hands are invited to do so; others may prefer to remain seated to pray. However we chose to pray during this time, may we remember to pray for God to be moving amongst us.