St. Andrew’s United Church March 15, 2015 "Laughter is the closest thing to God's grace." Karl Barth

Opening Our Doors Prelude Doug Bothwell Welcome & Announcements - Green Team Mtg: 7 pm - Grief Workshop: 10 am * Passing the Peace * Hymn "When Hands Reach Out...” (More Voices #136 & Screen)

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth When hands reach out and fingers trace the beauty of a loved ones face, we thank you, God, that love relies on gifts of grace not seen with eyes. When fingers spell and signs express our prayer and praise and thankfulness, we thank you, God, that hands can sing; you bless the silent songs we bring.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth When broken bodies will not men, we thank you, God, for Christ our Friend. In him, our healing can begin: he welcomes all the wounded in. And when the ways we learn and grow are not the ways that others know, we thank you, God, that we have learned your love’s a gift and never earned.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth Your Spirit gives us differing ways to serve you well and offer praise. When all are joined as one, we’ll be your able, strong, community. - Words: Carolyn Gilette - Music: Blair Odney

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth * Invitation to Worship One:In loving partnership we come, seeking, O God, your will to do. ALL:Our prayers and actions now receive; we freely offer them to you.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth One:We are the hands and feet of Christ, serving by grace each other's need. ALL:We dare to risk and sacrifice with truthful word and faithful deed.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth One:Loving community we seek; your hope and strength within us move. ALL:The poor and rich, the strong and weak are brought together in this place.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth One:In loving partnership, O God, help us your future to proclaim. ALL:Justice and peace be our desire, we humbly pray in Jesus' name. AMEN. - Jim Strathdee (1982)

Opening Our Hearts Prayers for Peace & Candle Lighting Silent Prayer & Lord's Prayer Presentation of Tithes & Offerings Offertory Doug Bothwell * Song "God of Love" Screen (sung to the tune of "Edelweiss")

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth God of love, hear our prayer, bless this offering we bring you. May our lives do your will, guide and guard us forever. Give us courage to stand for truth, help us care for others. God of love, hear our prayer, bless this offering we bring you. * Prayer of Dedication

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth * Hymn“Now Thank We All...” (Voices United #236 & Screen) Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, in whom this world rejoices; who from our mother`s arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us, and keep us strong in grace, and guide us when perplexed, and free us from all ill in this world and the next.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth All praise and thanks to God for all that has been given, the Son, and Spirit blest who dwell in highest heaven, the one eternal God, whom heaven and earth adore; for thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore. - Words: Martin Rinckart - Music: Johann Cruger

Opening Our Minds Moment for MissionWendy Hardman Children's MessageRev. James Ancient Wisdom: Eph. 2:1-10 Song "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go” (Voices United #658 & Screen) Contemporary Wisdom:Gayle Lemmon MessageRev. James

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth O Love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee; I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be. O Light that followest all my way, I yield my flickering torch to thee; my heart restores its borrowed ray, that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day may brighter, fairer be.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain, and feel the promise is not vain that morn shall tearless be. O Cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee; I lay in dust life’s glory dead, and from the ground there blossoms red life that shall endless be.

Opening Our Minds Moment for MissionWendy Hardman Children's MessageRev. James Ancient Wisdom: Eph. 2:1-10 Song "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go” (Voices United #658 & Screen) Contemporary Wisdom:Gayle Lemmon MessageRev. James

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth 1. Our own individual experiences and perspectives are essential to creating relationships with partners that are more mutual. 2. Biblical experiences and perspectives are essential to creating a relationship with God that is more loving. 3. The experiences and perspectives of others are essential to creating a relationship with the world that is more compassionate and kind.

Opening Our Lives * Congregational Prayer "You Embrace All Peoples" Eternal God, whose image lies in the hearts of all people, we live among peoples whose languages are different from our own, whose faiths are foreign to us, whose ways we fail to understand.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth Help us to remember that you embrace all people with your love, that all religion is a response to you, that the yearnings of other hearts are much like our own, and are known to you. Help us to recognize you in words of truth, things of beauty, and actions of love about us. We pray in the name of the One who calls us to be neighbour and friend. AMEN.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth * Hymn“Never Ending Joy” Never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy! God of every tribe, every language, God of every river and sea, God of every mountain and island, you bring joy to me.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth Never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy! God of every hill, every valley, God of every leaf, every tree, God of every cloud, every raindrop, you bring joy to me.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth Never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy! God of every song, every story, God of every captive set free, God of every dance, every footstep, you bring joy to me.

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth Never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy, never ending joy!

"Laughte r is the closest thing to God's grace." - Karl Barth * Benediction * Song "Teach Me, God, to Wonder" Teach me, God, to know you, hear you when you speak, see you in my neighbor when we meet. Praise to you be given, love for you be lived, life be celebrated, joy you give. * PostludeDoug Bothwell

HAVE A GREAT WEEK! "Laughter is the closest thing to God's grace." Karl Barth