HARROWSMITH-VERONA PASTORAL CHARGE

UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

Worship Time:  10 am at Trinity, Verona

Office Phone: 613-372-2525 or 613-374-2777

Voluntary Associate Minister: Rev. Dr. Peter Bartlett

Retired Voluntary Minister: The Rev’d. Ian MacKay

Office Administrator: Rebecca Peters

Director of Music: Stan Stinchcombe

Website: www.h-vpastoralcharge.org

e-mail: office@h-vpastoralcharge.org

 

BHM1

In appreciation of Black History Month, “Sun Warms the Freemen”

Painted by artist Joseph Holston 2008

 

Trinity United Church acknowledges the traditional territory upon which we gather. For thousands of years, the First Peoples sought to walk gently on this land. They offered assistance to the first European travelers and shared their knowledge for survival. We seek a new relationship with the First Peoples of this land, one based in honour and deep respect.

 

Sunday, February 1, 2026

Worship Leader:  Ian Mackay

Lay Reader:  Jane Mackay

EPIPHANY IV   

 

WE GATHER

 

ORGAN PRELUDE  

GREETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 

LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE

 

HYMN:  “O Worship the King”   (VU #235)

1.  O worship the King, all glorious above, O gratefully sing Gods power and Gods love; our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, pavilioned in splendour, and girded with praise.

 

2.  O tell of Gods might, O sing of Gods grace, whose robe is the light, whose canopy space, whose chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, and broad is Gods path on the wings of the storm.

 

3.  The earth with its store of wonders untold, Almighty, your power has founded of old; has stablished it fast by a changeless decree, and round it has cast, like a mantle, the sea.

 

4.  Your bountiful care, what tongue can recite  It breathes in the air, it shines in the light; it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, and sweetly distils in the dew and the rain.

 

5.  Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in you do we trust, nor find you to fail; your mercies how tender, how firm to the end, our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

 

SCRIPTURE SENTENCES

 

CHORAL INTROIT:  “Gather Us In”   (MV #7)

 

LITANY OF APPROACH

One:  Welcome, people of God, to this time of celebration; Come with open minds and hearts to worship God.

All:  We come to this holy place seeking a blessing.  We come as apostles to renew our faith.

One:  Be still, that the Holy Spirit be known to us;  Be open to the grace and peace of sacred love.

All:  We affirm that God loves us and all people; We seek to live that love among all we meet.

 

PRAYER OF APPROACH:  (Unison)

Creator of all worlds, we lift up our hearts and souls to you.  All the earth is yours, and all who dwell here are your children.  We seek once more to experience your truth, to receive your blessing, to ascend above the limitations we have known.  You are strong and mighty beyond our imagining.  We aspire to become more than we have believed ourselves to be individually and also in our togetherness.  We praise you for the gifts of your enduring goodness.   Amen.

 
MUSICAL PRESENTATION:  “God of the Bible”   (MV #28)

 

FOR ALL AGES

 

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 and the power and the glory, for ever and ever.   Amen.

 

HYMN:  “Para, Para, Pitter Pat”   (VU #309)

1.  Para, para*, pitter pat, see it rain, see it rain; para, para, pitter pat, tell me why it rains.  So the garden hard and dry will be softened by and by, and the flowers one by one soon will see the sun.

 

2.  Chira, chira*, wafting down, see it snow, see it snow; chira, chira, wafting down, tell me why it snows.  So the branches everywhere will a snowy blanket wear; warm and cosy they will stay, on a winter’s day.

 

3.  Kira, kira*, little stars, see them shine, see them shine; kira, kira, little stars, tell me why you shine.  So that others travelling, over roads a-darkening, soon will find their pathways bright, in the starry light.

 

4.  Chuchu*, little bird, hear it sing, hear it sing; chuchu, little bird tell me why you sing.  So that others lonely, listening to my melody, in their hearts will hear me say, “God loves you today.”

 

*onomatopoeic Japanese words

(Children and teachers may leave for church school classes.)

 

WE GIVE BACK

 

OUR OFFERINGS  (Offering plates are available at the back of the church.)   

 

DEDICATION OF THE OFFERING  (Standing)  Tune: Haydn  (VU #231)

O God, whose pardon we embrace,

Repenting all our sin,

Direct our lives in ways made new

By Christ’s own reign within.

As Jesus preached and healed and taught,

We too would risk our all,

 To right the world’s inhuman woes

In answer to your call.

 

OFFERTORY PRAYER:   (Unison)

Thank you, God, for hunger satisfied and dreams fulfilled.  Thank you for the inheritance of faith.  Accomplish good among us, we pray, through the sharing of these gifts and the commitment of our lives.  Equip us to seek justice, love kindness and to walk humbly with you, our God.  Amen.

WE LISTEN

 

EPISTLE:  I Corinthians 1:18 – 31 (Pg. 991-992)

GOSPEL:  Matthew 5:1 – 12 (Pg. 837-383)

                         

HYMN:  “Ask Me What Great Things I Know”   (VU #338)

1.  Ask me what great thing I know that delights and stirs me so, what the high reward I win, whose the name I glory in:  Jesus Christ, the crucified.

 

2.  Who defeats my fiercest foes?  Who consoles my saddest woes?  Who revives my fainting heart, healing all that grief imparts?  Jesus Christ, the crucified.

 

3.  Who is life in life to me?  Who the death of death will be?  Who holds all my days secure, in God’s heart where love is sure?  Jesus Christ, the crucified.

 

4.  This is that great thing I know; this delights and stirs me so:  faith in Christ who died to save, Christ who triumphed o’er the grave, Jesus Christ, the crucified.

 

SERMON:  “Radical Reversals”

 

PREPARATION FOR PRAYER:  (Sung Seated) (Sung twice)   (MV #119)

God our protector, keep us in mind.

Always give strength to your people.

For if we could be with you one day in time

It is better than a thousand without you.

 

PASTORAL PRAYER     

 

WE GO FORTH

 

HYMN:  “He Leadeth Me”   (VU #657)

1.  He leadeth me: O blessed thought! O words with heavenly comfort fraught! What e’er I do, where ‘er I be, still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me! He leadeth me! By his own hand he leadeth me!  His faithful follower I would be, for by his hand he leadeth me!

 

2.  Sometimes ‘mid scenes of deepest gloom, sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom, by waters calm, o’er troubled sea, still ‘tis his hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me! He leadeth me! By his own hand he leadeth me!  His faithful follower I would be, for by his hand he leadeth me!

3.  Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine, no ever murmur nor repine, content, whatever lot I see, since ‘tis my God that leadeth me.

He leadeth me! He leadeth me! By his own hand he leadeth me!  His faithful follower I would be, for by his hand he leadeth me!

 

4.  And when my task on earth is done, when by they grace the victory’s won, even death’s cold wave I will not flee, since God through Jordan leadeth me.

He leadeth me! He leadeth me! By his own hand he leadeth me!  His faithful follower I would be, for by his hand he leadeth me

 

BENEDICTION   

 

SENDING FORTH:   “Go To the World”  (VU #420)

Go to the world!  Go as the ones I send,

For I am with you ‘til the age shall end,

When all the hosts of glory cry, “Amen!”

Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!

 

ORGAN POSTLUDE:  Bouree in A Minor

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS & MEETINGS

Worship Leader for Sunday February 8th:

Rev. Dr. Peter Bartlett

Lay Reader for Sunday February 8th:

Julia Goodfellow

 

 

MEETINGS:  The next meeting of the Stewards and Session will take place this Tuesday February 3rd.  Stewards will meet at 1:00 pm, and Session will meet at 2:00 pm.

 

ANNUAL REPORTS:  Your copy of the annual report will be available to pick up next Sunday February 8th.  This will give you time to review it and form any questions you may have for the meeting.

 

ANNUAL MEETING:  Please plan to attend our next Annual General Meeting which will take place on Sunday February 22nd following church service in the hall.

 

SWEETHEART FELLOWSHIP:  The next church fellowship will take place on Sunday February 15th. 

 

THANK YOU:  A huge thank you to everyone who helped to coordinate our January winter breakfasts, and also to those who attended.  Thank you to the set up crew, the kitchen crew, the clean up crew, and the eating crew!  Well done everyone!