Announcements  

The Members of the Freelton Strabane United Church are warmly invited to a service at the Freelton Church on May 23^rd at 7pm to officially hand the keys over to the new Congregation and to welcome them to there new home.   There service will be in the Sanctuary with a brief reception to follow. 

Case for Kids Charity Walk.  To go for the annual Case for Kids Charity walk.  Freelton Strabane have pace setters for several years. The Walk is June 4. Please consider either walking or sponsoring someone in the congregation.

Prayer Shawl May 25 7p at the Manse.

 Join us for  “Sweet Memories” a Dessert Buffet fund raiser to aid with the installation of the Freelton Memorial Windows  at Freelton Strabane United Church May 27^th at 7pm  1565 Brock Road Strabane

The Evening will be Featuring a buffet of homemade dessert tea and coffee and silent Auction. Tickets are $20 and can be reserved by calling 905-869-7936 or contacting the wwwheeler@sympatico.ca

BBQ season is almost here so don't miss out on ordering some wonderful McGregors Boxed meats. All your favorites.  Contact Rev Will at 905 659 3380 or wwwheeler@sympatico.ca for product lists.  The Orders are due back  buy Sunday May 28th with payment via cash or Cheque Made payable to “Freelton Strabane United Church” . Pick up is at the Church 1565 Brock Road on Tuesday June 6th @ 6:45pm. Product comes frozen and must be picked up.

Orders can be dropped off at the manse mailbox @ 10 Douglas Street Freelton, or sent to Email jmcgeachy@xplornet.ca.

Freelton Strabane Council Will meet on Tuesday May 30^th at 7pm in the Church hall if you have any agenda items please contact Barb Woodburn

Coming up in September Studies and Studios presents. “Our Song” and evening of music to support the re installation of the Freelton Memorial Windows. Sept 24^th 7p 

Call To Worship

One: Gather to experience the power of God to lift us up beyond the bounds of earth.                                                 

All: Clap your hands, all peoples Sing to God with loud songs of joy                                                             

One: Wait for the promises of God, and give thanks  Open yourselves to the baptism of God’s Spirit.

All: sing praises to God, sing praises Sing praises to our Rulers, Sing praises.       

Prayer of Approach



  Lord Jesus, you and your way for us have been vindicated by your glorious resurrection. Then you ascended to heaven to take your rightful place in the reign of God. Rule over us, Lord Jesus. Establish your reign in our hearts, in every aspect of our lives. In our difficult times of life, give us confidence in the ultimate triumph of your will. Renew in us the conviction that you are Lord, that you shall have your way with all creation, that you shall continue to struggle against the structures of injustice and evil, and that you shall triumph. Amen

  Here was have the closing of the Gospel The Ascension   

When the disciples stood with Jesus and watched him ascend they just kept looking up with thoughts like… well that was impressive, but now what do we do?  I wonder if he is going to be long. Does anyone remember if he said anything this time about three days .

He did say stay.

But then in Acts the story is continued  They stayed looking up

Until God once more spoke to them in the angels. 

Men of Galilee why do you stand looking up toward heaven. This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.

Wow holy here he comes in clouds descending.

It is a Call to Action.  

  We can be like the disciples. Kind of standing still not moving ahead  having the second cup of coffee,  waiting for something big to happen.  Or we can heed the words of the Angel “there is nothing to be gained in standing still.”  We are called to be a living body of Christ not the statuesque body Christ.  Not to just look up, really all you see are clouds, not just to look down all you see are your feet or back  were all you see is where you have been but to look forward to what is in front of you but also into the future the unknown. 

To be people of action.   To leap into action even at times if we can’t see the way that we are going.  Trusting in the presence of God to lead us.   

Wait a moment there. Is there not wisdom in not rushing in. Did not someone famous sing only fools rush in?

As Jen Richardson in the last stanza of her poem “Wait” found in the painted prayer book reminds us. 

You cannot know it now, cannot even imagine what lies ahead,
but I tell you the day is coming when breath will fill your lungs
as it never has before
and with your own ears you will hear words coming to you new
and startling.
You will dream dreams and you will see the world ablaze with blessing.

Wait for it.
Still yourself.
Stay.

True We need to balance action with stillness. To be still is to listen for the spirit To act is to discern the spirits will. 

This is the beginning.  It is from this point that the church begins to form. Today we are called to see it again as the beginning.   Not the church as it has been known in the past but the beginning of what the Church can be.  We are called to commit to being a community of Faith that is open to the coming of spirit.  We commit to be a place of welcome, of peace, of renewal, A place of comfort and of support.  We commit to being a place  of joy and yes of service found through our faith. 

  We come to this place for all of this but also for that moment to wait, still ourselves to calm our mind and be with God. To try to discern what action means. 

Yes we shall look to our old title of church to honour where we have been but we must look forward and define who we are in this new time.

Now is the time to begin to live the faith.

We are called to look forward as the angels tell the disciples to look forward to what it means to be disciples in spreading the good news of the gospel.

We are called to be a people of faith.   We are called to look forward to see God in our everyday to use our gifts talent to share that same good news which so inspires us.

Wonderful words.  that sounds all well and good we have heard them before but what does that mean? 

Well  I don’t know. That’s the exciting part. That’s the frightening part. That’s the wait and be still part, the lets just move forward part.   

I believe its ok not to know because God knows and we will know in time. That is faith.  We are called to be in the moment. 

  We are like the disciples just finding out what it is to Christian, we are like the great explorers that came to this land Kelso, Thompson Frazer Mackenzie Franklin or Cabot. Striking out from what they knew. Not knowing what was beyond but making that step ahead into the unknown.

Welcome to the beginning, but wait there is more to come. Oh much more. How freighting. How exciting. Today we are reminded once more that in life in death in life beyond death we are not alone. Thanks Be to God. 

Prayers of the people 

God once more we encounter you on the mountain top. Once more we are tempted to stay, but you once more call us to be bold in our faith and start to climb back down to where your work waits us. As we embrace the journey that has been set for us, give us such courage to not be afraid of were you would have us go  We confess we like the familiar, it makes us feel safe. However as we contemplate your ever changing world we see that familiar can be something very fleeting. 

Help us find the balance between the call to action and the need for stillness.   

We pray for all those people that are displaced by war and politics and ideologies and the trials of life . When the familiar comfort of home is lost we pray that your Spirit moves to bring stillness of peace once more. 

 We pray for those who long for the stillness that comes with healing of body and soul.  We pray for all those that are ill who long for the familiar comfort of feeling well. 

We pray for those who we know and name them to you that you may be with them where they are in their journey. 

We offer you the prayers of our hearts, and the prayer that binds us as one as we say. Our Father 

Offering

 In gratitude and humble trust

We bring our best today

To serve your cause and share your love

With all along life’s way

O God, who gave yourself to us

In Jesus Christ, your Son,

Teach us to give ourselves each day

Until life’s work is done.

Prayer   Loving God May your work in Christ be accomplished through these gifts and through our faithful attention to the tasks you call us to. May the programs and outreach of this church be worthy of your support, and may each of us be faithful bearers of your good news. Amen. 

  SWEET MEMORIES



 Join us for  “Sweet Memories” a Dessert Buffet fund raiser to aid with the installation of the Freelton Memorial Windows  at Freelton Strabane United Church May 27^th at 7pm  1565 Brock Road Strabane

The Evening will be Featuring a buffet of homemade dessert tea and coffee and silent Auction. Tickets are $20 and can be reserved by calling 905-868-7936 or contacting the wwwheeler@sympatico.ca

Fiddley dee dee it BBQ you See 



BBQ season is almost here so don't miss out on ordering some wonderful McGregors Boxed meats.  All your favorites.   Contact Rev Will at 905 659 3380 or wwwheeler@sympatico.ca for product lists.    The Orders are due back   buy Sunday May 28th with payment via cash or Cheque Made payable to “Freelton Strabane United Church”” . Pick up is at the Church 1565 Brock Road on Tuesday June 6th @ 6:45pm. Product comes frozen and must be picked up.

Orders can be dropped off at the manse mailbox @ 10 Douglas Street Freelton, or sent to  Email jmcgeachy@xplornet.ca.