MINNEDOSA UNITED CHURCH
CLERGY: REV. SHAWN ANKENMANN
MINISTER EMERITUS: ELGIN HALL
ORGANIST/CHOIR DIRECTOR: ELEANOR TAYLOR
MINISTRY: THE PEOPLE OF GOD GATHERED HERE
April 2nd 2006
GREETINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS MINUTE FOR MISSION
HYMN #120 O Jesus I Have Promised
CALL TO WORSHIP
One: The Covenant that echoes through time tells us;
You shall be our God, and we shall be your people …
ALL: IN TIMES OF WEAKNESS,
IN MOMENTS OF TEMPTATION
WHEN THE JOURNEY BECOMES AND STRUGGLE,
THAT COVENANT HOLDS …
One: To Abraham and Moses and the prophets you spoke:
You shall be our God, and we shall be your people …
ALL: WHEN THE JOURNEY BECOMES ROUGH,
WHEN FRIENDS FAIL US AND LET US DOWN,
WHEN OUR SPIRITS DESPAIR,
THE COVENANT REMAINS STEADFAST …
One: To disciples following Jesus, and to us you remind us;
You shall be our God, and we shall be your people …
ALL: IN OUR STRUGGLES TO REMAIN A FAITHFILLED COMMUNITY
IN THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE JOURNEY FORWARD,
IN THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE,
THE COVENANT REMAINS AND ENDURES …
One: In the streets of Minnedosa, to the hills of Galilee, your truth remains;
You shall be our God, and we shall be your people …
ALL: IN OUR WORK FOR JUSTICE,
IN OUR SERVICE OF WORSHIP,
IN OUR LIFE AND MINISTRY, HERE AND IN THE WORLD,
THE COVENANT IS LIVED OUT EVERY DAY AS WE AFFIRM
YOU SHALL BE OUR GOD, AND WE SHALL BE YOUR PEOPLE.
PRAYER OF APPROACH:
One: In the coming days, the mountain of the Lord
Shall be set above the other mountains,
It shall be raised high above all other hills.
Nations and people shall stream towards it,
Many people will say,
ALL: LET US GO UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD,
TO THE HOUSE OF THE GOD OF JACOB
THAT HE MAY TEACH US HIS WAYS
AND THAT WE MAY WALK IN HIS PATHS.
One: May God’s law be written in our hearts,
ALL: NO LONGER WILL WE TEACH ONE ANOTHER,
NO LONGER SHALL WE SAY “KNOW THE LORD.”
One: From the least to the greatest,
All shall know the Lord
ALL: AND GOD SHALL LIVE THE NEW COVENANT
NOW AND ALWAYS. AMEN
HYMN #402 We are One
PRAYER FOR WHOLENESS
One: Holy One, in this season of penitence and preparation,
we draw into your presence,
searching for you,
yearning for you,
ALL: WE COME WITH OUR FLAWS AND IMPERFECTIONS,
OUR FOIBLES AND OUR FOOLISHNESS
One: And yet, perhaps the greatest miracle of all
is the simple fact that you love us anyway.
ALL: FOR YOU SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT YOU SENT JESUS…
One: to forgive and make new…
ALL: MAY WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OURSELVES
AND STOP BLAMING OTHERS.
One: Not to condemn the world,
but to save it.
ALL: MAY WE AMEND WHAT WE ARE
AND DIRECT WHAT WE SHALL BE
One: The light has come into the world.
ALL: MAY WE DELIGHT IN YOUR WILL AND YOUR LIGHT
MAY WE AGAIN WALK IN YOUR WAYS
MAY WE FIND NEWNESS IN YOUR ABUNDANT LOVE.
(pause)
One: We are called to love one another.
For whoever loves is born of God,
whoever loves knows God’s grace.
ALL: WE ARE PEOPLE OF THE PROMISE,
THE PROMISE OF NEW LIFE.
THANKS BE TO GOD. AMEN.
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Psalm 119 (part 2) pg 838
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Intro to Jeremiah:
In the late 1800’s author Charles Spurgeon wrote a small book entitled, “In His Steps.” It is the story of a community of faith that asks itself a simple question – “what would Jesus do?” and commits to living by that question and its heartfelt answer for one year.
The tale begins because the minister feels he has failed his faith in his reponse to a homeless tramp who comes to the town looking for help. So, on Sunday he asks his congregation to commit with him living one year by the simple question – “what would Jesus do?” and acting accordingly.
A group of people gather with the minister and struggle for the next year to live their lives guided by the actions of Jesus. Business men do not make deals that run contrary to what they feel Jesus would do – dishonesty has no place for them. Young people make career choices based on serving others rather then themselves. Donations are made by others because they feel compelled to “do the right thing”.
Over and over people in the community have twinges of conscience when they realize that it is a matter of how you live your faith in the small things that determines whether or not you are following the path of Jesus, and living your life in an ethical way …
The text of Jeremiah asks just such a question … Jeremiah’s religious world was centred on the Temple and its elaborate system of sacrifice and offerings. He takes in the whole of the religious system of his day and asks simply – “isn’t there a better way of honouring and glorifying God?”
And to his question he answers – “ah, yes and it begins by taking the words of the Law carved on stone tablets and writing them instead on our hearts …”
HYMN: #186 Now the Green Blade Rises
STORY STOOL:
CHOIR ANTHEM: “Deep in Our Hearts”
SCRIPTURE READING: John 12:20-34
HYMN: #375 Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness
SERMON: “Take us by the hand and lead us …
the transition of Covenant …”
A good place to start today is with the verse from Jeremiah that says boldly – “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they teach one another, or say to each other “Know the Lord,” for they shall ALL know me, from the least of them to the greatest …”
Aside form rendering folks like me jobless, this is a great text – it is one of those texts that should stop us short and cause to say more then “Huh?”
God is envisioning a moment in history when the Torah – the Law, the teaching handed down at Sinai no longer have to be taught, but are etched within our hearts – conversions become irrelevant – gatherings to teach the law are superceded y gatherings to proclaim how we’ve lived the law – and people no longer have to feel inadequate in their faith journey. Instead, we simply live the law – the Torah … in every action, in every step, in every moment we are people of faith living out the Covenant that says simply – “I shall be your God and you shall be my people.”
But as we hear these words and ponder this moment in time, the question – what’s a covenant arises? So, what is a Covenant … it is a promise much like a contract. It binds the two parties together in a series of commitments or agreements about how we as participants will act and live out the Covenant. But central to almost every covenant is the understanding that the parties forming it are NOT equals. There is a power imbalance between them. One partner is much more powerful then the other.
In the case of this Covenant between God and the people – it is obvious that God is to be regarded as the most powerful partner – capable of exacting a harsh justice on those who would dare to break the covenant … If we move back through the Old Testament we encounter again and again God offering the people a Covenant, and over and over God having to deal with a people who keep breaking it … In some cases the breaking of the Covenant takes a matter of days …
The Flood … people turned from God only to suffer the flood … The tower of Babel – the people turned from God only to be driven to the corners of the earth … the Exodus – the people are lead by the hand out of Egypt only to grumble and complain in the desert about the journey, the food, the lack of water (like little kids in the back seat of a car: “are we there yet???”) – then they coerce Aaron into creating for them an idol to worship … and Moses arrives and reacts with anger, throwing the stone tablets carrying the Torah which he had just been given by God.
Over and over, God repeatedly offers the Covenant to the people, and over and over the people break it … the words on the stone tablets are forgotten and over looked … And so un-thwarted, God sends to the people the prophets to call them back to the covenant – back to a relationship with God.
And of the prophets, Jeremiah is the one who speaks of Covenant more then any other. I found out last night, and was surprised by it – that the term Covenant is mentioned in the book of Jeremiah MORE then anywhere else in the Hebrew Scriptures. Covenant was central to Jeremiah’s message and ministry.
He had contempt for the cultic practices in the temple. He had distain for the sacrifices that were being offered by the people to curry favour with God when you broke one of the 637 laws laid out in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Instead of a Covenant etched on stone, and held as sacred in the temple in Jerusalem, Jeremiah yearned for a Covenant that was etched on the hearts of all those who knew and loved God – a Covenant that was living breathing entity – a Covenant that was simply lived out and wasn’t concerned with paying attention to the dots and twiggles of the text, but was more concerned with living rightly with God and with one another. Jeremiah yearned for a return to that moment in time when God took the people by the hand and lead them out of slavery into freedom …
The prophets saw in the temple – in the structure of the Church – too much that distracted from our relationship with God. The Priests were too caught up in the cycles of sacrifice and the cultic practices to remember God – and so the prophets like Jeremiah and even Jesus, came and stood outside the temple and proclaimed – “THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO KNOW AND EXPERIENCE GOD !!!”
The rabbinic tradition tells us of a moment in time when a young man struggled with the rules and regulations of the Torah – he realized he couldn’t possibly keep all 637 rules and regulations, so in his distress went to his local rabbi and said – “Rabbi, I am concerned about keeping the Torah, can you help me understand the Torah and live it in my life.” The Rabbi was pleased by the young man’s request and said “yes,” So the Young man said – “Rabbi, teach me the whole of the torah while I stand here on one foot…”
The rabbi was outraged. He grabbed the broom and swung it at the young man and yelled at him – “how dare you? You mock me and the Torah. It takes years of study to understand the Torah …” And he drove the man away.
The young man spent many years wandering from town to town, each time asking the rabbi he met to be taught the Torah while standing on one foot. Each time he was driven away – and got more then his fair share of beatings for it …
This went on until the young man met the great sage Hillel, a rabbi of great knowledge and learning. The young man asked Hillel to teach him the whole of the Torah while he stood on one foot. Hillel, smiled, stroked his beard and said – “this thing you ask of me is easy. The whole of the Torah is simply this: “that which is hurtful to another, you do not do – EVER.” All the rest is merely commentary …”
There is it – the Covenant with God that we are to etch upon our hearts … “I shall be your God, and you shall be my people, and that which is hurtful to another – you simply do not do – EVER.” This is the heart of the message carried by Jeremiah and the prophets and this is the heart of the Gospel brought by Jesus to his community. If it is hurtful to another it is an abomination before God – don’t do it.
The 637 rules seeking to keep us on the straight and narrow, pale in comparison to the simple truth that proclaims that the other person, the neighbour, the stranger, the family member – the other person is so important and so valuable that we are not to hurt them physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually …
This teaching is not an easy out. It requires of us thought and commitment. We have to think about the impact our actions, or our inactions will have on another. If it will hurt them – we need to stop and try a different tack …
It takes the whole concept of What Would Jesus Do? To an whole new level. It will and should affect every aspect of our lives from our economic choices to our political choices to our day to day mundane choices of passing on gossip or tuning out … What would Jesus do? Well, this thing you ask is easy – he is the one who took Hillel’s teaching and turned it around by saying the greatest commandment is – “to love God with our heart and mind and soul” and the second is to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Could it be so simple?? Jeremiah and Jesus both thought so … The question we should ask is not “is it possible?” but rather – “what do we have to lose by trying?”
Imagine the world that would come into being if ALL of us, from the greatest to the least simply lived by the edict: “Love God and treat others accordingly …”
Sure it’s idealistic and somewhat simplistic – but it has been a clarion call to faith since the time of the Prophets over 2000 years ago … sooner or later we have to start listening ….
Maybe today is a good place to start …
May it be so – thanks be to God. Let us pray …
OFFERING:
OFFERTORY:
PRAYER OF DEDICATION:
HYMN: #410 This Day God Gives Me
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN: #509 I The Lord of Sea and Sky
COMMISSIONING/BENEDICTION:
SUNG RESPONSE: #884 You Shall Go Out with Joy
The worship has ended… …the work of God’s people has just begun
Go in peace
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ORGANIZED AND VOLUNTEERED AT LAST WEEK’S SPRING SMORG BANQUET.
To say that the banquet could not have happened without you is to merely state the obvious. Thanks to EVERYONE who played a part in organizing and preparing the wonderful banquet. It was awesome.
The dinner realized $4 325 for the Church.
Thanks to one and all – especially those who coordinated everything.
LAST CHANCE TO GET A TICKET:
A GENTLE reminder of tonight’s MINNEDOSA GRAIN GROWING PROJECT’S fundraising banquet and auction at MCCC beginning at 5pm
A remember 2 Farmers Feed Cities Tee-shiRts will be up for auction … one signed by Tom Jackson, and one signed by the Holiday train participants). Proceeds are in support of the work and ministry of the Canadian Food Grains Bank. Tickets available from members of the Grain Growing Project … don’t miss out on a good meal, a worthy cause and an evening of fun, education and fellowship !!!
BUILDING COMMITTEE: Last week following worship the Board met briefly to establish a Building Committee to guide us through the journey of rebuilding. Members of the committee are: Jean Garbolinsky, Elgin Hall, Charlie Kingdon, Bill Jury, Ron Kingdon, Barry McNabb, Edith Parsons, Beth McNabb, Wilf Taylor and Shawn Ankenmann. Thanks to all those who filled out surveys and helped in this important piece of work.
(there will be no Building Committee Meeting on Monday night …)
PCH COMMUNION SERVICE: Tuesday at 2:30pm, there will be an ecumenical Communion Service at the PCH. Shawn will be leading the service, and part of the service will include the dedication of new Hymn Books purchased by the Spiritual Care Committee. All are welcome to come and join in the service.
AOTS Mens Club Meeting - this Wednesday, at 6 pm, at Chicken Delight.
CHOIR PRACTICE: Thursday at 7:30pm at the Covenant Church. New members are ALWAYS welcome …
… as part of the Community Good Friday Service, Eleanor is organizing a Community Choir to sing during the service. Practices for the Community Choir will be at 8pm on Thursdays in conjunction with regular Choir practice. NEW MEMBERS ARE DEFINITELY WELCOME TO JOIN IN.
BIBLE STUDY – Friday at 10 am in the Meeting Room of the Library.
CONFIRMATION CLASSES - at Minnedosa Bowl on Saturdays at 12:30
HOLY WEEK: Easter Services:
Maundy Thursday – April 13th – 7:30 p.m. @ Minnedosa Funeral Services
(by the arena). Service of Communion
Good Friday – April 14th – We will be joining the Community Good Friday
Service at MCCC (Community Choir)
Easter Sunday – April 16th – 9 a.m. service at Tanner’s Crossing School Pit
- Brunch provided by AOTS Mens Club
- 11 a.m. service – Tanner’s Crossing School Pit
Anyone requiring or willing to offer a ride to Church on Sundays, please call the office. 867-2674
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