Sunday, September 29, 2024
Order of Service
We welcome all gathering for worship this morning or later in the week. Whether you attend in-person, worship on ZOOM or YouTube, or are a viewer on Rogers TV20 - please know that we consider everyone to be a part of our worship experience and an integral member of our St. Andrew's Guelph community.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this morning's service, both in-person and virtually.
Join us on our St. Andrew's Guelph YouTube Channel, select the live service, and remember to invite your friends and families. You can also join us via ZOOM by following the link in your Sunday morning email. If you'd like to begin receiving our weekly emails, you can sign up here.
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15:7
Chorale Prelude - Deck thyself, my soul with gladness – J.S. Bach
Call to Worship
437 First of the week
Prayer of Adoration and Confession
Declaration of Forgiveness
Psalm 34: 1-8 (Choral)
Tone: A. Donaldson Refrain: F. Gingrich
Story: The Right Mix!
Ancient Words
Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God's own heart
Oh, let the ancient words impart
Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e'er we roam
Ancient words will guide us home
Ancient words ever true
Changing me and changing you
We have come with open hearts
Oh, let the ancient words impart
Holy words of our Faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh heed the faithful words of Christ
Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God's own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart
Ancient words ever true
Changing me and changing you
We have come with open hearts
Oh, let the ancient words impart
Scripture: John 12:1-8
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’
Sermon - The Air About Us
“The house was filled with the fragrance.” John 12:3
Call for the Offering
By grace, we are participants in the eternal outpouring of God’s love.
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Offertory - Fantasie in C – J.S. Bach
Doxology (Old 100th)
Dedication of the Offering
Anthem
Sacrament of Holy Communion
“In Holy Communion Christ places his table in this world to feed and bless his people” (Living Faith 7.7.2)
530 I come with joy
Introduction
When we come to the Table, we celebrate our unity and give thanks to the Lord for his grace. It is thanksgiving that we offer together as one body. We don’t take the elements alone, but together. And when we do, we affirm and celebrate our oneness: that we belong to the Lord and to one another. (with thanks to Brian G. Hedges) “We who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” 1 Corinthians 10:17
On the day of his resurrection, the risen Jesus made himself known to his followers in the breaking of bread. In the Lord’s Supper, we receive and trust the love of Christ present to us and to the world. Through it, we are renewed and empowered to be the church, the body of Christ, in the world. May this holy meal nourish us and refresh us, may it strengthen us and renew us, may it unite us and keep us in God’s gracious love.
546: Here is bread, here is wine
Declaration of Faith - The Apostles’ Creed 539
(This creed is called the Apostles' Creed not because it was produced by the apostles themselves but because it contains a summary of their teachings. It sets forth their doctrine "in sublime simplicity, in unsurpassable brevity, in beautiful order, and with liturgical solemnity." In its present form it is dated no later than the fourth century. The Creed’s reference to ‘catholic’ means the Christian church of all times and all places.)
Institution
Just as bread is not made from one grain, but from many, and that in the cup is not made from one grape, but from a full harvest, so too, we, who are many, are made one in Christ.
Invitation
Come unto Me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and in Me you will find rest for your souls.
Come, all you who are loved by God. Come, and be fed with the food that God gives freely. Come, and quench your thirst from the waters of life. Come, and let your spirits be filled again with the goodness of our Creator. Friends, this is our Lord’s Table, and we are God’s people. All who profess Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord are invited to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Let us come to the Table with joy and with gladness!
Jesus Christ, who has sat at our tables, now invites us to be a guest at His!
Anthem – Bread of the world – arr. M. Tucker
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Gracious God, in love you made us. When we had fallen into sin and became subject to evil and death, your love remained steadfast.
Renewed by our covenant with you, you bid us, your faithful people, to cleanse our hearts and prepare with joy for the Easter feast of your Son, our Lord and Saviour.
For Christ’s life, which informs our living, for his compassion which inspires ours, for his suffering, dying, and rising, we with reverence, humility and trust enter this Sacrament together. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts
Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord most high. Amen.
Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ, whom you sent in the fullness of time to redeem the world. He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in our likeness. He humbled himself and became unto death, even death on a cross. He took upon himself our sin and death and offered all of himself, all for us.
Jesus gave himself for the life of the world. Rising from the grave, he won for us victory over death. Seated at your right hand, he leads us to eternal life. We praise you that Christ now reigns with you in glory and will come again to make all things new.
We trust him to overcome every power that can hurt or divide us, and we believe that when he comes in glory, we will celebrate victory with him. We rejoice that in Jesus you have come in peace to lead us to peace. Therefore, in glad remembrance of your mighty acts in Him, we shall take this Bread and this Cup and give you praise and thanksgiving as we proclaim the mystery of our faith
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Fill us with the joy of eternal life, that we may be your faithful people until we feast with you in glory.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, in the bond of peace all glory and honour are yours, Triune, Creator, Saviour, Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Distribution of the Elements
Prayer before Partaking
Great and wonderful are your works, God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. We thank you for Your Son Jesus Christ, who lived our human life and knew our joys and sorrows. He showed your love; he healed the sick and was a friend to sinners. Obeying you, Jesus took up his cross and died in love for us and all the world. You raised him from the dead to live and reign forever, loving all that all may love. Therefore, with people of faith of all times and places, we lift our hearts in joyful praise as we come to the table of our Lord. Send your Holy Spirit, we pray, to bless us and these gifts, your gifts of bread and cup, that in communion with Christ our Lord, we may receive his life and remain his glad and faithful people until we feast with him in glory. Amen.
Partaking
Lift up your hearts and minds above the cares and fears of this world and let this bread and this fruit of the vine be to you the token and pledge of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
The gifts of God for the people of God.
O taste and see that the Lord is good.
The bread of life for all who hunger.
The cup of love for a broken world.
Agnus Dei
Prayers of The People
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
Benediction
541 Lord enthroned in heavenly splendour
Postlude - Prelude in G – J.S. Bach
We gather on the traditional territory of the Wendat, the Anishnaabeg and the Haudenosaunee Peoples. We are also on lands that are part of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum. We live and work, worship, learn and meet on lands that are the traditional territory of many different Indigenous Peoples who were here before the establishment of European colonies.
