Yesterday September 10 the Congregations of Freelton United Church and Strabane United Church met first separately to consider the Final Amalgamation Document and to vote on it.    It is through the movement of God in the Holy Spirit that I inform you that the each Church voted for the Amalgamation to create a new church to be known as Freelton Strabane United Church.    Following the individual meetings both Congregations met to discuss the next step and to pass motions to facilitate the amalgamation. 

We would like to thank the Amalgamation Committee for it's hard work over the past months.  We are also very thankful for the congregational input over that time as well.   

As the New Implementation Committee   begin their work we pray that God guide them in the monumental task before them.   

The final service for Freelton United Church will be on October 23rd at 10:30 at the Freelton Church with a lunch to follow

The final service for Strabane United Church will be on October 30th at 10:30 at Strabane Church with a lunch to follow.

The Augural Service of the New Freelton Strabane United Church will be on November 6 at 10:30 in Strabane Church with a pot luck lunch to follow.   

Anyone wishing to review the Minutes of the September 10 meeting and/or  the Final Amalgamation Document is encouraged to contact  Rev Will at the manse for a copy. 

May God bless and preserve our community of faith as we move forward united in a ministry which  calls us  To live our discipleship with integrity and grace.

Announcements

 Worship next week September 18th Freelton 10:30.

Come one come all to our old fashioned Rummage and Bake sale on September 24 8-1pm at Freelton United Church.  There are still tables for rent at $15 Contact Rev Will to rent yours before they are all gone.   Come and search out that hidden treasure.

 Rev Will is always Available for calls. If you find you need to talk or need something please don’t hesitate to call the Manse. 

Consider PAR as a means to support the Church   

In our lives God provides us with touch stones.  They are people who have been or are a part of our lives.   They are people that we can look to for wisdom and strength.    For most of us one of those touch stones has been Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  Her Majesty's steadfast devotion to service, her compassion and commitment has been an example by which we all could live by.   May we in our lives strive to be as kind and gracious as our Queen has been.   

May we hold the Royal family in our prayers in their time of grief.   May we hold the people of Great Britain and those of the Commonwealth nations also in our prayers.   

We have been privileged to have been a part of the Second Elizabethan age. 

As we move forward we ask that the wisdom and strength that we have known in Queen Elizabeth may also be reflected in our new King. His Royal Majesty King Charles III  May God bless him and watch over him.

God Save the King. 

Gathering   Blessed is the one who comes in the Name of Lord. 

Call to Worship

  One: Let us return to God who heals and binds up, that we may recall God‘s constant presence.

All: We will call to mind the deeds of God and remember God’s wonders of old.               

One: God pursues us wherever we go and searches for us when we are lost. 

All: We rejoice in God’s steadfast love that draws us near in the company of friends.         

   I have left the ninety nine behind to come and find you. To take you in my arms and hold you and carry you back to a familiar pasture.       

You are the lost coin and God comes into the darken room of our lives and begins to light the lights, to turn on every light in the house even though it is peek usage time.    God comes in with light and starts to move the furniture of our life around finding all the dust bunnies of our lives until he finds that precious coin of our spirit.

 Then God blows of the dust and just holds on to that coin of who we are like a kid with a penny on the way to the candy store.    Ok maybe not a penny more a toonie but you know what I mean. 

God comes searching for us. Even when we don’t realize we may be lost.   God comes searching for us when we know that we are lost. 

This is what it means to be the children of a living God.  Not a God on a shelf A God who has shown us a way in Christ and acts amongst us in the Holy Spirit. 

We are called at times to be the instruments that support for the shepherd searching in the field, the lamp on a stand. To help find that which has been lost.  To help the one who is most in need even if that person needs to be yourself. 

We are called to this journey of faith.  Sometimes we will see clearly or direction and other times we will become lost. 

We need to be still and know God. We need to be still and listen for God and then we will see our way, found in the love of God knowning that we are not alone.  Thanks be to God amen. 



Prayers of the people

Hear our prayer we humbly offer

Grant to us your peace O God

Hear our prayer we humbly offer

Grant to us your peace O God.

Prayers

God.  There are times God, that we feel lost, life can be so complicated. We can be pulled in so many directions There can be so many expectations. We become lost seeking direction lost navigating life lost in expectations.   Then into the darkened room of our life you light a lamp and in the flickering light of your love we see that all is not lost. You stand with us as our eyes adjust to the light of hope and possibilities, you dust off the dust of doubt and take our hand and assure us that you will lead us on the journey. And suddenly we just don’t feel so much alone.    We pray for the lost, those with lost health, lost direction, lost in life.  We pray for those lost in tragedy of war or natural disaster. We pray that you light might bring hope. We pray for those who are apart of our journey who are seeking healing or strength.   Help us to be a light to others.  God as we move forward as your people called to be a community of faith help us live out vision and mission of what it means for us to be your church in this community.  We pray for the memory of our late Queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and give thanks for the role model that she was. We are thankful that she has now entered the gates of heaven as one of the Saints. We pray for our King His Royal Majesty Charles III  and whole Royal family in their time of Grief. We offer prayers for all of the Commonwealth nations during this time of morning.

  We offer you our own prayers spoken in the silence of our hearts. 

Offering

We give thee but thy own.   The work of the Church continues and there are three ways you can continue to support that work.   Consider using PAR, use the donate button on our Web Site or drop your gift at the Manse.   Let us make our offering and give thanks.       

  One: Praise God who from all Blessing flow

Prayer Thank you, God, for your wonderful creation that continues to unfold before our eyes. We are Grateful that you have brought us to this time, we accept your mercy and seek to respond to others with the generosity you have shown us. Receive our offerings as symbols of our larger commitment as your disciples.