South Stormont Pastoral Charge

Today’s first Scripture reading comes from Philippians, a letter Paul wrote while he was in prison. The letter does not tell us why he was imprisoned, but the book of Acts gives us a picture of the kind of opposition he faced as he shared the gospel. In Philippi, he freed an enslaved woman who had a spirit of divination, which her owners used to make money. When they realized they had lost their source of income, they turned against Paul and Silas. The two men were beaten and thrown into prison. This story reminds us that the Christian faith often challenged systems that profited from the suffering of others. Paul did not know what would happen to him. He could even face execution. In that uncertainty, he wrote about feeling caught between life and death. And yet, even in the middle of this crisis, the centre of his life remained clear. He said, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” When a crisis feels too large to control, it can easily narrow our vision. We see this in wha...

  # Gathering Hymn This Is God’s Wondrous World (#296 VU) Welcome & Land Acknowledgement Lighting the Christ Candle Call to Worship One: Let us lift our voices in praise.   All: Let us sing to the Creator of heaven and earth. One: Let us praise the rock of our salvation.   All: We give thanks to the one who has created and is creating. One: With all living things, let us bring adoration to our God, All: who was, who is, and who always will be. One: Let us worship God! *Frances Flook. Gathering Pentecost 2 2026. Page 26. Opening Prayer *Opening Hymn We Praise You, Creator (#293 VU) Prayer of Confessional and Renewal (Unison) Dear God, too often humanity asks for more, even though there is enough. You gave us the earth with its wind, water, fire, and food, and there is enough for all, but even then, people want more. We are rich in many ways. Wealth is counted in better ways than money and personal possessions. We may count the wealth we have in each other an...

Today is the first Sunday in the Season of Creation. This season invites us to look again at the world we live in. Because it is so familiar to us, we often take the land, water, air, trees, and animals for granted. But our faith in the Creator reminds us that all these things are gifts of God’s love. We did not create this world, and we cannot own it forever. The earth and all living things come from God, who is Holy Mystery and Wholly Love. We are called to be stewards who value and care for all life. But today, creation is facing many challenges. We are already experiencing climate change through heat waves, wildfires, floods, droughts, and changing seasons. Recently, many people died in a major landslide in Nepal. Disasters like this show how climate change, melting glaciers, and extreme weather can make our lives more vulnerable. Canada is no exception. Canada’s Changing Climate Report says that Canada is warming about twice as fast as the global average, and the North is warming ...

# Gathering Hymn This Is God’s Wondrous World (#296 VU) Welcome & Land Acknowledgement Lighting the Christ Candle Call to Worship One: Joining with light and shade, we will praise our God.    All: The blue of the sky, the glow of the beckoning dawn, sing God’s praises. One: With flowing water and pounding seas, we will praise our God.    All: The mighty ocean, the trickling stream, proclaim their Creator’s marvellous power. One: With hills and valleys, we will praise our God. All: With the dazzling heights, the lowest valleys, One: with soaring eagle and busy ant, we will praise our God. All: Each bird, each animal, each tiny insect, and each person of humankind makes clear God’s creative presence, and so we praise our God. *David Sparks. Gathering Pentecost 2 2026. Page 25. Opening Prayer *Opening Hymn All Praise to You (#297 VU) Prayer of Confessional and Renewal (Unison) Loving God, we are gifted to experience this wonderful world. Trees that whisper your nam...

        In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells five parables about the kingdom of heaven: the mustard seed, the yeast, the treasure hidden in a field, the pearl of great value, and the fishing net.           Jesus uses parables because the kingdom of heaven cannot be fully captured in words or ideas. No language can completely explain the mystery of God. A parable does not give us a perfect definition. Instead, it points us toward the truth through familiar images drawn from everyday life. In this regard, Christian faith is not about having a perfect theory or complete knowledge. It is about bearing witness. It is about sharing how we have experienced God’s presence and how God’s love has touched our lives. The five parables in today’s Gospel reading are all different, but they share one important truth. The kingdom of heaven is not far away. It is among us. It is the reality of God’s love, justice, and life at work here an...

# Gathering Hymn For the Beauty of the Earth (#226 VU) Welcome & Land Acknowledgement Lighting the Christ Candle Call to Worship One: The realm of God begins like a tiny seed and works like yeast hidden in the dough.    All: We celebrate God’s presence, bringing life and transforming the world beyond what we can imagine. One: We gather to notice the gifts of life growing around us.    All: We open our hearts to recognize God’s grace. One: Come, let us worship the One who is at work among us. All: We come with attentive hearts, wonder, and hope. Opening Prayer *Opening Hymn Open My Eyes, That I May See (#371 VU) Prayer of Confessional and Renewal (Unison) Faithful God, you place signs of your realm all around us, yet we often overlook what seems small or ordinary. We become distracted by quick results, easy answers, and things that cannot give true life. Forgive us when fear, haste, or habit keeps us from noticing your presence and making life-giving choices. Ren...