Bulletin
First United Church
Please click on the links below to download a PDF version of the the bulletin. The bulletin text for this week also appears as usual below.
Sunday Aug 14, 2022 ----->
Sunday Apr 24, 2022------------->
Good Friday--------->
Maundy Thursday------->
Sunday Apr 17, 2022 ------>
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First United Church
May 08, 2022
Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Silent Prayer
Call to Worship: (adapted from Psalm 30)
L: I exalt you, Lord, because you pulled me up.
P: My God, I cried out to you for help, and you healed me.
L: You lifted me up!
P: You changed my mourning into dancing. You took off my
funeral clothes and dressed me up in joy so that my
whole being sings praises to you.
L: You who are faithful to the LORD, sing praises to him; give
thanks to his holy name!
Hymn: Eternal Light, Shine in My Heart VU 629
Prayer of Thanksgiving for God’s Presence
Reading: Acts 9: 1-20a
Message: Blinded by the facts
Hymn: Be Thou My Vision VU 642
Offertory: We Give You But Your Own VU 542
Community Prayer/Lord’s Prayer
Hymn: Arise, Your Light Is Come VU 79
Blessing
Postlude
Announcements
First United’s Annual Meeting is set for the Lower Hall on Sunday, May 15 after the morning service. We hope to share in tea and coffee before the meeting starts.
More Annual Reports are at the back. They’ve been updated with 3 changes. Short term investments on p.22 should read 152,112 not 116,814. The Total Disbursements on p.18 should read 238,807.61 not 207,503.93. This means that the bottom line should read (18,635.60) not 12,668.08.
Ukraine: The crisis in Ukraine continues, as more are killed and displaced by Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked attack on a neighbouring state. While our response is neither political nor military, we can provide tangible help. First United alone has already raised $ 1160. This might not seem like much, but the United Church is part of a humanitarian consortium called the ACT Alliance. By pooling millions of donations we can actually be part of a difference-making effort. We will be closing this appeal soon, but if you want to help please be sure to identify your cheques or PAR byline to United Church Emergency Response – Ukraine.
The religious milieu at the time of Luke (c 85 CE)
It’s important to remember that while the gospels are set in the 30’s, the actual writing of the gospels took place decades later. A lot had changed between the time of Jesus and Luke.
In Jesus’ day there were several Jewish factions. Pharisees defended the Torah (The Law). Sadducees believed in the primacy of Temple worship. Essenes (John the Baptist?) were apocalyptic ascetics. Zealots were waiting for a Messiah to lead them militarily against the Romans.
Further, a group of Jesus followers emerged in the mid 30’s, led by Jesus’ brother James. They still considered themselves Jews, but they also believed Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, which led to tension between the Jesus movement and some of the other established factions.
Today’s reading from Acts 9 is Luke’s telling of the conversion of Saul/Paul the Pharisee, sometime around the year 33. Soon Paul began welcoming gentile converts into the Jesus movement, and by the late 40’s it had effectively split into two communities: Jewish Jesus followers, and gentile Christian converts who didn’t follow Jewish Law.
By the time Luke wrote his double narrative Luke-Acts in c 85, the Jewish-Roman War of 67-73 had effectively thinned out the number of Jewish groups. Zealots had been wiped out in the conflict; Sadducees had lost their purpose with the Roman destruction of the Temple in 70; Essenes and Jewish Christians had lost most of their leadership and following and were already beginning to fade away. There were only two main factions left. Modern Judaism began to take shape based on the teachings of the Pharisees. And because it had become a primarily gentile-based faith, Christianity came to be seen as an entirely new religion.
Memorials
Local: In loving memory of Bride Pretty by Calvin,
Sandra & family
Local: In loving memory of Janie Ball & Elva Durfy
by Don & Eugenie
Local: In loving memory of mother & grandmother
Elizabeth Laite by Jeanette, Robert & Joseph
Local: In loving memory of mother & grandmother
Eva Rowsell by Robert, Jeanette & Joseph
Local: In loving memory of mother & grandmother
Mary Follett by son Jeff, Emeline, Jason,
Matthew & families
Local: In loving memory of mother & grandmother
Rosemary Crewe by daughter Emeline, Jeff,
Jason, Matthew & families
Local: In loving memory of Eileen Hiscock & Doris
Gullage by Terry & Fred Gullage
Local: In loving memory of Elaine Bailey by Irene,
Phyllis, Ted, Joan & families
Local: In loving memory of mom, Lillian Noftall by
daughter Ruth Andrews & family
Local: In loving memory of mother & grandmother
Violet Smith by daughter Marjorie,
grandchildren Donna, David, Don & families
Local: In loving memory sisters & aunts Clara, Mary
& Shirley by Marjorie & families
Local: In loving memory of mother Myrtle Yates &
Jessie Stratton by Kitty & Edgar Stratton
Local: In loving memory of daughter Katherine
Tavenor by: Kitty & Edgar Stratton
Local: In loving memory of mother, grandmother &
great-grandmother Mary Gardner by Brad &
Daphne Gardner & family
Local: In loving memory of grandmothers & great-
grandmothers Myrtle Yates & Jessie Stratton
by Daphne & Brad Gardner & family
Local: In loving memory of sister & aunt Katherine
Tavenor by Daphne & Brad Gardner & family
Local: In loving memory of a dear friend Jeanette
Preston by Daphne & Brad Gardner & family
Local: In loving memory of Shirley Warren by
daughter Gail, sons Sean & Ryan & husband Roy
Organ: In loving memory of wife Mae Penney by
husband Gerald
Organ: In loving memory of mother Mae Penney by
son Jerry, Linda & family
Organ: In loving memory of mother Mae Penney by
son Bruce, Sharon & family
Organ: In loving memory of mother Mae Penney by
son Brian, Janice & family
Organ: In loving memory of mother Mae Penney by
daughter Aune & Fred Colbourne & family
Local: In loving memory of mother Margie Taylor by
Bert, Sandra & Brad
Local: In loving memory of mother Mary Follett by Janet, Ruth & families
Thank you for coming!
We hope you felt blessed by gathering together
Please remember that First United strives to be a scent free facility.
Church business (general inquiries, committee info,
bulletin announcements, etc.) should be directed to the Office Administrator.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 1:15 pm - 5:15 pm
Friday 9 am – 12 pm.
Closed Mondays
We are able to receive bulletin announcements until noon on Thursdays.
Rev. van Vliet is usually in the church offices
Monday through Thursday afternoons.
He tries to take Fridays off.
If you have a pastoral need call 634-5301 or
feel free to email, or drop in to the office.
