South Stormont Pastoral Charge

Today, the word “freedom” can mean many different things. Political freedom means that everyone has the right to speak, vote, gather, and share ideas without fear. Economic freedom is the ability to choose and own what we need or want. In ethics, freedom is about being able to follow our beliefs and do what we think is right without being forced by others. In philosophy, freedom is the opposite of determinism. It is linked to free will, which gives each of us the power to find meaning in life and to walk our own path. In all of these meanings of freedom, there is one shared idea: every person has the worth and dignity to make their own choices and take their own actions. Every human being is born with a value that cannot be taken away. The first line of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, puts it this way: “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the...

*Gathering Hymn Joyful, Joyful We Adore You (#232 VU | vs. 1&2) Welcome & Land Acknowledgement Lighting the Christ Candle Call to Worship One: In worship, we are invited to call upon the name of the Lord,   All: to call on God’s presence for all we need. One: We call upon God in hope and prayer,   All: bringing before God our dreams and our fears, trusting God with our desires and our disappointments. One: We call upon God in joy and music, All: bringing to God our laughter and delight, honouring God in our friendships and communities. One: We call upon God craving mercy and care   All: to be comforted by God’s love, forgiven by God’s grace, and strengthened through faith in God’s eternal power. One: Come, call upon God as we worship today. *Gill Le Fevre, Gathering Pentecost 1 2025 . Page 36. Opening Prayer *Opening Hymn Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart (#378 VU | vs. 1,3,4) Prayer of Confessional and Renewal (Unison) God of love and life, we h...

Today we gather to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the United Church of Canada. One hundred years ago, churches from different traditions came together to form a new church. The Methodists, most of the Presbyterians, and the Congregationalists united to become the United Church. Although their histories, ways of worship, and theological perspectives were not the same, they shared a deep hope. They believed that by coming together, they could follow Jesus Christ more faithfully, love one another more fully, and care for their communities more passionately.  Since then, the United Church has journeyed along many paths. It has been a church willing to take bold steps, seeking to respond to the needs of each new time. It has spoken out for justice and inclusion. It has been a shelter for weary souls, a place of comfort, healing and renewal. It has worked for peace, cared for God’s creation, and walked alongside those who were once pushed aside. The United Church has not always been ...

  *Gathering Hymn Joyful, Joyful We Adore You (#232 VU) Welcome & Land Acknowledgement Lighting the Christ Candle Call to Worship One: We are called to be the Church,   All: not only on Sunday mornings as we gather, not only when it suits us, but always and in every place. One: We are called to celebrate God’s presence,   All: through song, through prayer, through action and care for one another, within these four walls and beyond. One: We are called to live with respect in creation. All: Though the voice of creation comes to us in many languages and forms, we are called to be attentive, to collaborate, and to follow. One: We are called to love and serve others,   All: and we do this, not because of our own rules and laws, but because it is God who asks us to do it, by Christ’s example. One: We are called to seek justice and resist evil. All: We do so every time we intentionally take time to notice injustice, because evil does not always take the s...

Today is Pentecost Sunday. This is the day we remember when the earliest followers of Jesus were filled with the Holy Spirit and the Church came into being. It is the day when a new community of faith was born through the breath of God. It is a day full of mystery, courage, and hope. According to the book of Acts, on the 40th day after the resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven. Before he left, he told his followers not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of God. He said, “This is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4–5). So they stayed. About 120 people remained in Jerusalem. They waited and prayed. They did not know what would happen, but they trusted what Jesus had told them. Several days later, it was the day of Pentecost. This was a Jewish festival when people from many different places came together in Jerusalem to worship and celebrate. The city was filled wit...