Worship Leader: Rev. Shelley Roberts Music Director: Tim Hallman, B.Mus.,B.Ed.
Annual Meeting Sunday February 23, 2025
Welcome, Announcements, Celebrations
Land Acknowledgement:
As we gather for worship we pause to remember that the region wherein this church resides was once home to First Nations peoples who hunted, fished, lived, and travelled freely in this area before the settlers arrived. We acknowledge with respect the history, spirituality, and culture of these peoples. May we live with respect on this land, strive for reconciliation, and actively work towards peace and friendship with all its peoples.
Light Christ Candle - We light this Christ candle to recall the One who commands us to love
Call to Worship: from “Gathering” Epiphany 2025, John Moses
On TV, in social media and on the streets, loud, angry voices clamour,
insisting on bearing heard and obeyed.
Sometimes, it seemsthat rage is the only language
we human beings know how to express.
Today, we will experience another kind of language:
words of reconciliation and mercy, words of unconditional love.
Surely these are the words of God.
Let us all now invite God to come for we are listening.
Come God, for your people are here.
Hymn: VU 356 “ Seek Ye First the Kingdom”
Passing the Peace - Let us speak with words of love and gestures of peace, as we share the peace of Christ with one another.
Opening Prayer “Gathering” Epiphany 2025, Gabrielle Heidinger Baerg
God, who breaks through the borders that divide, moving out and into the world, mending and uniting the things that keep us apart while keeping us distinct in the glory of creation, help us celebrate the infinite ways we are created in your image. May we love you with all our soul, with all our being, with all our life, in all-consuming love. May we love our neighbour with all our heart, with all our feeling, with all our thought, and through all generations to come. May we love you with all our might, with all our strength, with all that we possess, with the utmost of being. May all our blessings serve to bless others in your holy name. May we love and be loved as you love us. Amen.
Scriptures:
Genesis 45: 3-15
This Old Testament reading today loses much of its impact without the background story. Jacob, the father had 12 sons by four different mothers. His son, Joseph, the Joseph of the coat of many colours, was his favourite child and everybody knew it. You may have seen the movie or the Broadway musical. Anyway, Joseph’s older brothers were so tired of this spoiled brother, Joseph, that one day when he came to check on them out in the pastures, they decided to kill him and be rid of him once and for all. However, the oldest brother, Reuben, convinced them not to murder their own flesh and blood and so instead, they sold Joseph to some traders who were passing by and told their father that Joseph was dead, having been killed by a wild animal. Their father never really got over this loss. He mourned and mourned. Meanwhile, Joseph was sold as a slave in Egypt and then later was unfairly imprisoned there for a crime he did not commit. He must have missed his father and been very, very angry with his brothers. Eventually though, Joseph is rescued from prison by Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, who has heard of Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams. Joseph pleases Pharaoh and becomes his right hand man. Now there is a famine in the land. Jacob’s family in Canaan has no food and so they must go to Egypt to buy food from the foreign ruler there or they will all die of starvation. Joseph recognises his brothers, despite all the years since he has last seen them, although they could never even imagine that the young lad they sold is now this regal Egyptian leader. Joseph plays a few tricks on his brothers to determine the type of men that they have become. He has the power now to get his revenge. He deals with many emotions, hatred, anger, bitterness, jealousy, sorrow, loss, love. This brings us to the scripture reading today when love wins out over all the other possible emotions and the brothers are reconciled, recognizing that God has used the evil plans of their youth to bring about great good for many people.
Luke 6: 27-38
Anthem: “Lord, I Want to be a Christian”
Message - Love your Enemies
Joseph is one of twelve brothers. Fred reminded us of the background story. In the Old Testament story today, Joseph meets his brothers for the second time as they come to buy food for their starving families. This time, Joseph’s only fully biological brother, Benjamin, is with them as Joseph had requested at the time of their previous visit. The brothers still do not recognize this powerful Egyptian ruler as their long-lost and once hated brother. They come as foreigners, asking to buy food for their families in Canaan as they are facing starvation. Joseph tests his brothers through trickery and becomes convinced that their hearts have changed from their youthful hatred and cruelty to become genuinely loving and caring. He reveals his identity to them. They are terrified, but after further conversation Joseph is able to convince them that God has used their evil actions to bring about good and to rescue the family. Eventually, all the family is reunited in Egypt where they all live happily ever after (at least for a few generations) but that is a totally different story.
Forgiveness is not easy. Joseph forgives his brothers for his loss of family and culture and the love of his father and for the difficulties that he subsequently endured as a result of their actions, because, first he is convinced that their hearts have changed, and secondly, he can see that God has used his misfortune to bring good, in fact to bring about the survival of his biological family, and their race and religion, even though he, himself, has adopted Egyptian ways. If you think that Joseph’s sufferings were not really all the bad, you might make the comparison to our Canadian residential school survivors who also lost the love of their families, their language, their religion, their culture, and had to learn to survive. Many, of course, as we now know, did not survive and never left those residential schools, dying of disease, malnutrition, cruelty, and abuse. Many left broken and without identity. Forgiveness is not easy and that is what the whole Truth and Reconciliation Commission hoped to start in the hearts of victims and in the minds of everyday Canadians who had no part in the history but who could bring to the issue compassion and understanding and a hope to begin healing the trauma inflicted into succeeding generations.
Jesus talked about forgiveness. “Love your enemies,” he says. Apparently, it’s not up for discussion. It’s not something to be tried once in a blue moon, if we are in the right mood. According to Pope Francis, love is NOT something that starts with one’s own family and then moves out to include one’s own friends and neighborhood and then perhaps stops there. According to the Pope, Jesus fundamental message is that EVERYONE is your neighbour. One’s love must be open to all without exception. It is love in its most extreme action.
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you.
Pray for those who abuse you. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not blame, and you will not be blamed.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you.
Does any of that sound easy, especially in light of current events and threats of tariffs and economic annexation? I really do not want to see Canada become the 51st state although I don’t expect everyone to agree with my personal point of view.
For me, at this point in time, this means taking extra time in the grocery store checking each single item that might go into my cart for its place of origin and not purchasing items or brands from the U.S.A. It means boycotting, as much as possible, American retailers. It means not planning any holidays to the U.S. right now or for the next few years. It also means that I am careful about what I forward through social media. If it is a helpful list of Canadian stores and brands, I will be happy to forward it for other like-minded shoppers. If it is a conscientious piece of writing trying to help us in difficult times, I might forward that as well. If it is just plain mean spirited, much as I might laugh at comics of Trump or Trudeau or Polievre or Ford, I probably do not need to pass on the unkindness even if it did cause me to chuckle. We are all trying to find our way through a new world order that turns many of our prior understandings and assumptions end over end.
Now, I do want to assert that forgiveness does not mean there is no accountability. We might understand the legitimate anger and frustration that has led to booing the American national anthem. We certainly celebrate together Canada’s win at the 4 Nations face-off championship hockey game. Understanding, or forgiveness, does not mean that there are no consequences for illegal actions. An abused woman might forgive her husband for his violence against her, although I am not recommending that course of action except for the woman’s own mental health, but she still needs to hold him accountable whether that is through insisting that he participate in professional counselling or treatment, moving herself to safety, or calling police to enforce our laws.
In fact, the actions that Jesus recommends here, turning the other cheek, offering one’s shirt as well as coat, in his ancient culture of Roman oppression where most people had very few options, actually served to make the abuser lose face and the victim gain power. Jesus is not recommending suffering for the sake of suffering or saying that suffering is good. He is helping people to see how they can overcome the suffering that is inevitable and his suggestion is through love, for oneself, and even for the unlovely, and also by standing up for oneself even if it causes more punishment. “Here, you want, my coat? Take my shirt also. You might need that as well, you poor thing!” “You want to hit me in the face? Well here, let me turn the other side, so you get a good slap in.” In this way, we end the chain of violence and oppression and respond, not in an “eye for an eye” fashion, (You hit me so I am going to hit you) but with love for ourselves as victims and for the evil doer by not taking revenge or retribution, except by making them look foolish by virtue of their own actions. After all they started this. That’s not easy.
Over the last few weeks, I have had to learn again and again how to respond in love, how not to judge so that I will not be judged, how not to blame so that I will not be blamed, how to forgive so that I will also be forgiven. As a Facebook post I received this week suggested:
(Wild Women Sisterhood)
Be the one who breaks the cycle. If you were judged, choose to release it. If you were rejected, choose acceptance. If you were shamed, choose to inspire. Become the person you needed when you were hurting, not the person who hurt you. Vow to be better than what broke you – to heal instead of becoming bitter so you can act from your heart, not your pain.
Another post shared words written by Loryn Brantz.
In a time of hate, love is an act of resistance.
In a time of fear, faith is an act of resistance.
In a time of misinformation, education is an act of resistance.
Community is an act of resistance.
In a time like this, joy is an act of resistance.
I have been reminded that love is the only answer although holding people accountable for their actions, rather than patiently enduring their abuse, is also important. It is not easy. It is, however, the only way to respond to evil, to selfishness, to prejudice, to situations that frighten and paralyse us. Do unto others as you would have them do to you even if they do not respond with kindness.
Jesus promises that as we give, we will receive.
Give and it will be given to you, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. The measure you give will be the measure you get back.
Give love and the world will return love to you. Give hate or anger or fear or bitterness and that is what you will experience. Some people call that “karma” the physical law of cause and effect, the way in which we influence our destiny. I don’t know much about karma, but Jesus would have been familiar with our human dilemma. These words are from the psalm reading for today which we did not use but which might be helpful.
Do not fret because of the wicked. Do not be envious of wrong doers. Trust in the Lord and do good. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently. Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. God is their refuge in time of trouble.
Let me close with a practical example. This Wednesday is Pink Shirt Day – a day to let your wardrobe signal your opposition to bullying. This is a Canadian movement started in a Nova Scotia high school in 2007 by students there that has spread across the country. Because I think it IS important to stand up to bullies, I will proudly wear pink to show my support for love rather than selfishness or cruelty. I hope you will join me. If we really want to call ourselves followers of Jesus, love for others is our only choice.
Hymn: VU 608 “Dear God, Who Loves All Humankind”
Invitation for Offering:
As a sign of our love for God, God’s church, and God’s creation, let us share our gifts and offerings.
Offering Hymn: VU 541 “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Offering Prayer:
Bless these gifts, O God, with your love, your strength, and your presence. May the ministries these offerings support, be a sign of your love, strength and presence in the world. AMEN
Prayers of the People & Lord’s Prayer:
Loving, liberating, life-giving God,
we come together in prayer to give you thanks for all our many blessings. We give thanks for the continuing peace between Israel and Hamas, for the release of hostages and prisoners and for the delivery finally of emergency supplies to war torn Gaza. We pray for peace also in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, a peace acceptable to all. We pray for those dealing with snow and winds and weather and cold. We pray for emergency workers and for the road crews and for the first responders. We pray for the new government in the USA and for ways that people may work in community. We pray that our Canadian leadership may find appropriate answers to the threats of tariffs and economic annexation and that our country’s people may stand together. We pray for all the individuals willing to put themselves forward to serve as yet to be elected MPPs. We pray for those who suffer from racism or hatred simply because of their skin colour, their religion, culture, or nationality, or because of their sexual or gender identity. May we be sources of loving welcome. We pray for this church and for your guidance in the decisions to be made at the upcoming annual meeting. According to the regional prayer list we pray this day for the United Church mission and the ministries in Golden Lake. Holy One, we pray for those who grieve. We pray for those who are struggling with addictions, for those dealing with mental health crisis, for those who feel unloved, for those who simply do not have the resources to make ends meet and pay their expenses. We pray for those dealing with mind, body, or spirit health challenges and we ask for your blessing of renewed health, comfort and strength in difficult times. Now, we pray in silence for those concerns that we did not speak aloud and for the loved ones we hold deep in our hearts and minds.
Together we pray the words of Jesus saying: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Hymn: VU 595 “We Are Pilgrims / The Servant Song”
Benediction:
We go from this worship to the annual meeting as those who share love even when times are distressing and unity feels difficult. Even so, we go out with love and the peace of God will enfold us, the compassion of Jesus will stir us to undertake many good actions and the sustaining power of God’s holy spirit will keep us strong, this day and forever more. Amen.
Closing Hymn: “Go Now in Peace”
"A Village Church With A Heart For The World"
Christ United Church
12 Perth St., Lyn, ON, K0E 1M0
(613)498-0281 (Phone) (613)498-2589 (Fax)
lynunitedchurch@cogeco.net www.lynunitedchurch.com Follow on Twitter: @Ch1United