South Stormont Pastoral Charge

Today's first Scripture reading is from the Letter to the Philippians, often referred to as “the letter of joy.” The ministries of the congregation in Philippi gave great delight to Apostle Paul. This community had been established by Paul during his missionary journeys, and it was a vibrant one. Not only did they actively share the gospel of Christ, but they were also passionately engaged in relief work for the poor. In this regard, Paul sought to encourage them to see their ministry not as a heavy burden but as a joyful response to God's grace. Consequently, words like "joy (χαρά, 5x)" and "rejoice (χαίρω, 9x / συγχαίρω 2x)" appear more frequently in Philippians than in Paul's other letters. It’s remarkable to consider when Paul penned this letter while in a situation far from joyous. He was imprisoned for proclaiming the gospel. However, his circumstances couldn't rob him of his joy because he firmly believed that God was always with him. Furtherm...

World Communion Sunday / October 1st, 2023 South Stormon Pastoral Charge  (Ingleside-Newington United Church & St. Andrew's-St. Mark's United Church) https://www.facebook.com/southstormontunitedchurches Led by Rev. Min Hwang *Gathering Hymn  This Is God’s Wondrous World (#296 VU | vs. 1&3) Welcome Lighting the Christ Candle Call to Worship HwanYoungHapNiDa! Welcome! Willkommen! Bienvenue! Whatever your language, Wherever you were born, welcome. There’s a place for you here! We join together in worship. We join together at the table. We are one family in Christ! * Heather Ferrier. Gathering Pentecost 2 2023 , page 41. Opening Prayer (Unison) Holy One, who renews us to usher in Your Kingdom on earth, we come together on this World Communion Sunday with hearts full of gratitude and unity. We offer our thanks for the opportunity to celebrate the gift of communion with our siblings in faith around the globe. Guideus to remember that in Christ, we...

The Third Sunday in Creation Time South Stormon Pastoral Charge  (Ingleside-Newington United Church & St. Andrew's-St. Mark's United Church) https://www.facebook.com/southstormontunitedchurches Led by Rev. Min Hwang *Gathering Hymn This Is God’s Wondrous World (#296 VU) Welcome Lighting the Christ Candle Call to Worship God said, “Let the earth bring forth every kind of living creature.”   And God saw that it was good. God said, “Let us make humankind in our image.”   And God gave us dominion over all things on earth Why should humans have such power?   God entrusts us with the care of the earth and all that is in it, not to take but to respect, not to strip bare but to nurture. Let us give thanks and praise to God as we accept the responsibility given to us. *Wanda Winfield. Gathering Pentecost 2 2023, page 25.  Opening Prayer (Unison) Loving God, we praise you for the gift of the natural world and the blessings it bestows upon us. As we worship today, open...

Jesus’s parable about the Kingdom of God in today's Gospel reading may be difficult to understand from today’s perspective. The worker’s demand for more pay for longer hours seems reasonable and fair. Moreover, it can be challenging to understand the behaviour of the landowner who pays the latter workers first. However, if we look a little deeper into the historical background of Jesus’s time, the message of the gospel will be revealed brightly before us. During Jesus' time, nearly 90% of Jewish people lived in rural areas and small towns, and most of them were involved in farming. However, the majority of them were peasants because their land was owned by the higher classes of the Roman Empire. About 60 years before the birth of Jesus, Rome occupied Palestine, which led to radical changes in land ownership. All the land came under the control of the Roman Emperor, who distributed it to a few elites, nobles, and politicians. As a result, the most of Jews became poor peasants an...

Sunday Service on the Second Sunday in Creation Time, 2023 South Stormon Pastoral Charge  (Ingleside-Newington United Church & St. Andrew's-St. Mark's United Church) https://www.facebook.com/southstormontunitedchurches Led by Rev. Min Hwang *Gathering Hymn This Is God’s Wondrous World (#296 VU) Welcome Lighting the Christ Candle Call to Worship We come with praise for the beauty around us,   for prairie, for seas, for mountains, for tree. We come as stewards, partners in care   of the universe and the earth and all creatures there. We come in gratitude for God’s graciousness.   in our songs and worship, may our thanks be expressed! *Karen Coogan. Gathering Pentecost 2 2023, page 25.  Opening Prayer (Unison) Loving God, who created and is creating the world as your artistic masterpiece, we gather before you as your faithful stewards during this Creation Time. Grant us the ability to recognize your Word in every living being and your image in our fellow human...

Exodus 14:19-31 The Second Sunday in Creation, 2023 South Stormont Pastoral Charge Rev. Min Hwang Many of you may be familiar with the story from today's first Scripture reading, especially those who have seen the movies 'The Ten Commandments' or 'The Prince of Egypt.' At its surface, this text is about the story of God the Savior liberating the Hebrews who lived as slaves in the Egyptian Empire. However, upon closer examination, it reveals an inspiring narrative about God the Creator who cares for and protects the entire universe. In today’s text, two words are the key to understanding: “מִצְרַיִם (mizrayim)” meaning Egypt and “יָם” (yam) meaning sea. Remarkably, both words occur exactly 12 times. In the Bible, the number 12 often symbolizes perfection, as shown in the fact that the Israelites are composed of 12 tribes and Jesus has 12 disciples. Given the Bible’s propensity for wordplay using numbers and pronunciation, it becomes evident that these two words are i...

Romans 13:8-14 The First Sunday in Creation Time, 2023 South Stormont Pastoral Charge Rev. Min Hwang           In 2001, I watched a Korean movie called “Bungee Jumping of Their Own.” I barely remember what the film was about, but one particular scene still lingers in my memory. It’s the moment when the main character, In-Woo, a high school teacher, first meets his students at the beginning of the semester. He says: “Imagine placing a needle in a certain spot on Earth and letting a piece of thread fall from somewhere in the sky. The probability that this thread will land and stick on that needle, an incredible probability that cannot even be calculated, is the same probability that you and I are here together now. Among the countless countries on Earth, we met in Korea. Among the numerous cities in Korea, in Seoul. And even within Seoul, at this high school. Within the school, we met in the second grade, and even among the second graders, we met in class 5. ...