Freelton Strabane United Church

To live our discipleship with integrity and grace.

Horseshoe Falls Regional Council

Easter Sunday

Sunday, April   9th  2023

Minister:  Rev. Will Wheeler, B.A. M. Div. 905-659-3380  E-mail: wwwheeler@sympatico.ca

 Music Director Joan Simpson       

Announcements  

April 16 Studio and Studies at Freelton Strabane are pleased to offer you “ It’s a Small world the art of the Miniature” with Will Wheeler A look how miniatures are built, inspiration and photographing join us at the Church a 2p with light refreshments included. This is a free will offering event with proceeds being divided between Mission and Service and the former Freelton Church Window installation fund. 

After some prayerful thought we have decided to combine Art for the Soul and Tech Tuesday for seniors on the same day.   Starting at 1pm on April 18th

  In the Community to Serve. 

Our Local MP Dan Muys will be at Freelton Strabane for UPCOMING COMMUNITY CONSTITUENCY CLINICS: Tues. April 11th – 9:30am to Noon & 7:00pm to 9:00pm  and  Wed. April 12th – 1:00pm to 4:00pm  to help with assistance on federal matters like CRA, EI, Immigration, passports, OAS, CPP, certificates, Service Canada and more. 

  Prepare ye the way to Sing 

We are planning a Spring Concert for Sunday, April 30, at 7 PM.

There will be a variety of musical spots including the choir presenting selections from Godspell.

Anyone interested can join us for practices at Freelton Strabane Wednesday afternoons, starting at 1:30 PM.

Inspiration for our Lenten liturgy was taken from an article by Jayson Flores, May 15th 2014 “Seven Modern Sins” 

Studies and Studies is pleased to present on May 7 2023 at 2pm at Freelton Strabane United Church 1565 Brock Road Strabane.   (how to register at bottom)

SoulCollage®    Rise Up!

with

The Rev.Allison Playfair

Spring is here – finally! All around us there is new birth and rebirth in creation. If you are like me, you may be rediscovering where those bulbs were planted (or moved by squirrels) in your garden. After sleeping underground over winter, our friends, the perennials emerge. Birds return and begin building nests. Everywhere are signs of new life rising up. So too, in our lives, there may be parts of our inner life ready to rise up.

In our time together, we will open ourselves to the spirit within. Using meditative reflection, poetry and creation of a SoulCollage® card, we will explore and give expression to an aspect of ourselves that may be ready to Rise Up in our lives. 

What is SoulCollage®?

SoulCollage® is an expressive arts practice done individually or in community. Founded by Seena B. Frost, the method develops creativity and intuition, encourages self-discovery, and provides personal guidance.
SoulCollage® meets you wherever you are on this journey called life. You don’t have to be an artist to make SoulCollage® cards. Anyone can create and enjoy this powerful practice. In this practice, we cut out images that speak to us and create a collage that will give expression to an aspect of your inner life and bring inner wisdom and discovery to the surface.

Cost: $10. To cover the cost of materials. Allison is donating her time and expertise 

What we will provide

We will provide a blank card, a frame, glue stick and many illustrations and images to choose the pieces to create your own card as well as light refreshments. 

What you need to bring

A pair of sharp scissors and/or a fine point exacto knife, a journal (any kind will do) and a pen/pencil for writing.

Who is the facilitator?

Allison Playfair is a United Church Minister who is a certified SoulCollage®   facilitator, Labyrinth facilitator and experienced workshop leader who is open to the Spirit. She worked as a server and bartender in the first half of her working life and brings all her life experience, compassion and sense of humour to her leadership. Allison is on a journey of reclamation and creative restoration of her body, mind and Spirit. In her workshops, she holds inclusive and affirming space for safe and creative exploration. 

To Register please call the Manse at 905 659 3380 Payment can be made through E Transfer, or cash the day of. 

 Call to Worship

One: This is the Good News the grave is empty Christ is risen

All Hallelujah

One: this is the Good news the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never put it out.

All Hallelujah

One: This is the good News Once we were no people now we are God’s people

All Hallelujah

One: Christ is our peace,

All: the indestructible peace we now share with each other. 

One:  Jesus Christ is Risen Today .  The Angels sing and rejoice. They proclaim that hearts are healed and the weeping is done

All The earth shouts joy and new life begun Christ the Lord is Risen

One: We have travelled through the weeks of Lent frozen in the burdens we carry.  The Light of the new day, the light of God’s resurrected Sun now releases us from all that which would bind us. Christ once more has taken on our burdens and the stone is rolled away.  The stone is rolled away and the light of the risen Christ shines into the darkest corners of our lives a light that cannot be extinguished.

Christ Candle lit 

Prayer

We gather O God, Having travelled the Lenten road. We come today knowing the joy of the empty tomb and the promise of joy. , Bring new life, where we are worn and tired; new love where we have turned hard-hearted; forgiveness where we feel hurt and where we have wounded; and the joy and freedom of your Holy Spirit, where we are prisoners of ourselves.  And you say   “Fear not for the one you seek is not there, but here with you in our hearts.” We rejoice for the risen Christ is with us this day in our hearts filling us with joy.  Draw us together in our meditations and prayers this day as your people fill our hearts with your joy your presence. Amen.   

Sermon

Six weeks ago was the beginning of Lent. How can this be. Last week already Palm Sunday and then holy week. A meal shared on Maundy Thursday. Then Good Friday     Today the journey ends today the women come to the tomb to weep.   Today we can proclaim Christ is risen.  Today darkness must give way to light.  Joan and the Choir are working on their Spring concert some of the music from the rock opera Godspell      There is a song called  On the Willows.  A Sad song based on one of the psalms. The song asks: “Sing us one of the Songs of Zion, but how can we sing, sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land. “ The women came to the tomb in the foreign land of grief and there are times when we can ask  How can we sing the songs of praise to a risen Lord when we are in this foreign land  in the burdens that we are called to carry at time.   

The answer is found in the next song on the soundtrack: Beautiful City. 

Out of the ruin and rumble, out of the smoke.   Out of the night of struggle, can we see a ray of hope?   One pale thin ray reaching for the day.   Out of a day of great suffering and pain. Out of a cross and stone sealed tomb, can we see a ray of hope? One pale thin ray reaching for the day. 

In the darkest hour of the night when the world slept in grief for the lost son of God. In the cool of a cave, air heavy with the scent of spiced wrapping a Spirit slips into a cold body and there in that moment an intake of breath and the words whispered,  “All is forgiven.”  Angels containing joy remove wrappings and the world wakes to a new day. The pale thin rays reaching for a new day.

The Sun barely cresting the horizon, air still clinging to the cold of night, the cold of death as they make their way to a sealed tomb.  The dew baptizing their feet as they walk through the garden, the morning scent of flowers replaced by funeral spices.  The women came to the tomb expecting to perform a loving ritual a final farewell, and in a moment it was as if the very rocks themselves sang the praise of God. Deep base notes that quaked the very ground.  For they expected a sealed tomb. They expected a great stone.   

The Angel sitting on the rock feet swinging rhythmically dancing the folds of the glistening white robes 

Holy words  “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. ⁶He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’

How can it be, can it be?   In joy in disbelieve they ran back only to encounter Jesus right there, right there before them! 

We come to this day, out of habit, expecting the ritual, the story told, the sacrament shared, The Sanctuary beautifully flowered,  We come to this day with expectations of family, of turkey and ham and chocolate,   Easter is much more than all of that.

Easter is a deep knowing of how much we are loved by God. Easter is hope for a new beginning.  Easter is that which defines our faith. Easter becomes our strength our resolve our faith our calling to be followers of a Risen Lord.

Easter is bigger than just one day.  Today becomes the defining moment in who we are.

Rejoice and sing Rejoice and praise the Lord Rejoice for Christ the Lord is Risen today!

 Easter is the shedding of the foil of burdens that we carry to reveal the sweetness of the Gift given in resurrection.  Should we contain this movement of the Spirit of God?  No! Can we contain this movement of the Spirit of God? 

 For that first quaking of the earth as the stone rolled aside continues to rumble beneath our feet today.  Arise and shine for your light has come.

For what is expected cannot be expected anymore for God has done the unexpected. Jesus burst the tomb and in his passing grabs our hand gleefully telling us that all has changed in this moment. 

Brace yourselves, Change has come, change is coming The spirit of God is moving.  Be in this moment and know the deep love of God, the saving power of Christ our risen lord and the unexpectedness of the Holy Spirit 

To finish with a final Lyric quote from Godspell

Day by day ,Day by day, Oh Dear Lord Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly, Love thee more dearly, Follow thee more nearly
Day by day

Easter will be our strength to live these words.  For today we are not alone,  in death we will not be alone and in the life we are given today we will not be lone thanks be to God. 

Litany of living in the light

One: In the Joy of the new day in the presence of the empty tomb. We celebrate the life we are given in the resurrection

All We today renew our faith and commit ourselves to mission and ministry of God.

One How shall we do this?

All We shall live in the light of Hope

One the stone is rolled away Amen

All We shall live in the light of faith

One the stone is rolled away Amen

All We shall live in the light of Love

One the stone is rolled away amen

All: We shall live in the light in the being a place open to the community

One: The stone is rolled away Amen

All: We shall live in the light by doing outreach to those in need

One: the stone is rolled away Amen

All: We shall live in the light by being open to New ideas and dreams of how we may as the body of Christ live out our commitment to be the church in this community

One: the stone is rolled away Amen

All: We shall live in the light by being a part of the universal Church

One: The stone is rolled away amen

All: We shall live in the light by sharing prayers for all the brokenness of the world For those that are in need, those that are lost, those that seeking still.

One: The stone is rolled away the tomb is burst open and we have new life in Christ. May we through the power of the Holy Spirit work joyfully in the light of the Lord to help the love of God to shine and dispel the darkness. .

All For we are not alone

One In Life

All In death

One in Life beyond death

All We are not alone. Thanks be to God Amen

Offering

 Prayer May our gifts give testimony to the risen Christ. As we share in his ministry of healing and reconciliation, pour out your spirit in our midst that we may be equipped and empowered to carry out your purposes. We cannot keep the good news to ourselves; teach us how to pass it on Amen.

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