Freelton Strabane United Church

Horseshoe Falls Regional Council

Trinity Sunday 

June 15th  2025

Minister:  Rev. Will Wheeler, B.A. M. Div.            905-659-3380  E-mail: [email protected]

 Music Director Joan Simpson 

 

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


Call to Worship


One: Come celebrate the wisdom God created before the stars were born and set in place.     

 

All: Before the planets cooled around our starlet, wisdom ruled with God beyond all space.     

 

One: The majesty of earth is all around us, and infants sing the glory of the skies.           

 

All: We will rejoice that God created earth in grandeur , with towering ring mountain and fertile fields designed with wisdom, that we might be pleased. 

 Prayer of Approach

 

   

 Lord Jesus, do not leave us without revealing your full will to us. Keep speaking to us, ,keep showing us your glory, keep changing us for the better. Keep telling us the truth, even when it may hurt us to hear it. Keep believing in us so that we might believe in ourselves. Keep calling us so that we might come forth and be the faithful, lively, courageous followers that you deserve. Do not leave us. Amen

 


 All: (sung) In God we live and move and have our story.

 In love God lives in us and makes us whole

O Jesus may we hear the Word that calls us near;

Your story makes a home within our soul.

Your story makes a home within our soul


One Let us listen to the Word of God

  Romans 5:1-5     

John 16:12-15                 

One This is the word of the Lord

All Thanks be to God 

Prayer
Lord as we ponder your words open our hearts that we may understand and know you. Amen  

Sermon   

  One of my favorite fictional characters is Sherlock Holms. He has this ability to see what other do not see and enjoys a good mystery. 
There is something to be said about a good mystery. Those things that leave you wondering. Like When will Aliens reveal themselves to us, how many licks to the center of a tootsie pop or how do they get the center in the Cadbury Caramel bar or explain the Trinity. All great mysteries.    
I follow a content creator who discusses Rocks and Minerals. Saltshack is the name of the family business. Which is somewhat funny as the person who makes the content can be rather salty. The main theme of the postings is science behind rocks and minerals. There has been some very good salty commentary on the idea that rocks and minerals can be used from a spiritual standpoint for healing or divination. It really comes down to Science vs Spirituality. The same can be said about prayer. Science vs Faith. It is true from a scientific perspective there is no evidence that using rocks and minerals for healing, meditation or divination. Same is true for prayer there is no scientific evidence to prove that prayer works. Both sides will argue rather passionately. There is the gap between Science Spirituality and faith. That Gap is the mystery of the faith. Science rests on the tangible proof Spirituality rests on something that can not be proven. Spirituality and faith are antidotal. The idea of the Trinity is a human made concept to help us to try to understand mystery of God with us. The Trinity is and is not God is one but not one. If anything we confess that we acknowledge that the nature of God is three fold and that three but one. Sometimes you find a story and you just really like it.  
Abbot and Costello skit "Who's on First?" I think is very funny. I think it is a wonderful play on words 

   The Rev. Charles Woodward writes that Someone wrote a similar skit on the subject of the Trinity that begins this way:

When you come to church you need to know the key players . . . you know, the ones who are worthy of honor and praise. 

Honor and praise huh? Well who are they? 

O.K., now listen closely. There is one God. 

One God. That seems easy enough. What do you call this one God? 

This one God is called, "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit." 

Now wait just a minute. You told me that there is only one God. 

That's right! 

So which is it?

 So which is what? 

Which name do you use for this one God? 

The name I gave you.

 But you gave me three names.

 That's right.

 What's right? God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. 

So you have three Gods? 

No, one God. 

So which is it?

 Which is what? 

Father, Son or Holy Spirit? 

Yes! 

Yes to what? That's 

God's name. 

Which God? 

Our one God. 

Why did you give three names. 

Because they aren't the same. 

But you just told me there is one God. So which is it? 

Which is what? 

Which name is the name of your God? 

I told you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit 

But that is three. 

Yes, 

but it's only one. 

Yes.

Yes that is the Trinity.  

 

 

The Rev Jan Richardson an artist and writer reflects on the Trinity in contemplating the traditions that are found in Celtic Christianity. Her Reflection is around the triple spiral found in Celtic history. 

 

 The spiral is a symbol that can be considered as an eternity symbol When early humans observed the beauty of nature's spirals it’s not surprising that it would become a potent symbol for creation and growth. It is prominent symbol in Neolithic Celtic art and not surprisingly Celtic Christianity. 

 

In the Neolithic world, passing a spiral barrier (like the entrance stone to Newgrange in Ireland) the one is led into an inner sanctuary that was the necessary passport in the journey of the sacred dance, through the labyrinth to the sacred realms beyond the center. At the center, there is complete balance: the point where Heaven and Earth are joined.

 

The Celts were firm believers of this ability and most of their myths and legends deal with this journeying. This was a movement through the experiences of life, death and rebirth is symbolized in the ever-changing directional flow of the spiral.  

Richardson Reflects

In their commentary on Trinity Sunday, the authors of Handbook of the Christian Year counsel us that rather than approaching this day with an emphasis on “the Trinity as an abstract concept, idea, or doctrine,” and seeking to explain or define it, it rather “seems more in keeping with the character of worship and of the Christian Year to treat Trinity Sunday as a day in which we praise and adore the infinitely complex and unfathomable mystery of God’s being

 

To just admire with wonder. 


 Justo Gonzalez reminds us that “Trinity is a mystery, not a puzzle. Love is a mystery, a crossword is a puzzle. You try to solve the puzzle, you stand in awe before a mystery."

To just be in wonder. 

We are reminded Don’t explain, Don’t always seek answers. Just Wonder

rather than explain, answer or worry just wonder 

Let us  for today not speak of Doctrine. But let us speak of wonder.

Let us speak of mystery. Of God revealed in the spirals of our lives.

Let us speak of our Oneness with God and be open to all of God the Creator God the Saviour God the presence in our lives.  I want you just to be. Even if it is just for a moment be with all of God. To be in God, in creation and growth, in heaven and earth. In hear in the spiritual To follow the sacred labyrinth of life trusting in God in the journey. 

 In the spiral dance of life as we move outward, inward may we find, and hold and experience the Wonder of the infinite drawing in of God’s Love enfold you, the embracing compassion of Christ encircle you and the turning of the Spirit draw you into the wondrous dance of life, love, mystery, hope and faith. The Three in one. God with us. We are not alone. 


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

 

 Todays prayer is based on the hymn Teach me, God, to wonder by Walter Farquharson.

 

 

Teach us, God, to wonder teach us God to see, to let your world of beauty capture me. Let us God be open let us be loving. Let our prayers for your world be spoken. Let us God be ready and be awake to be there for those that are in need. May we hold them in our prayers and name them in our hearts.  Let your Spirit be a courage and strength to those that are seeking. Seeking healing, direction, confidence and strength.  Teach of God to know you, hear you when you speak and see you in all the wonder of the world. May even in these most strange time may life be celebrated and joy given in your name.  United through the great prayer which you give us we say…Our Father….

 

 

Offering



  One: Praise God who from all Blessing flow

 

All:    Loving Creator, we bring these symbols of our stewardship, seeking your blessing on all the work we do. Grant us the depth of character truly to appreciate and care for all you have made. We dedicate to your service our time , our talent, and all the riches we accumulate. May what we share here be well used in ministry to one another and in outreach to the world. Amen.

                                          Amen

 

Commissioning and Blessing
 
  One: Go forth once more to look at God’s creation. Open minds and hearts to the mystery of life.  
All: We will seek to use wisely the dominion God grants, protecting all God’s creatures form exploitation. 
One: Grounded in God’s loving care, commit yourselves to compassionate care for others. Amen. 
 
One May God the one who brings us comfort surround you, May Christ our Joy walk with you. May the Continued presence of The Holy Spirit illuminate our path and keep us safe until we can gather again in community. Amen   
Join me now for coffee/tea and of course visiting.   Now that you have finished reading the service I encourage  you to call someone and wish them well for the day.   

Yesterday
we honour our heritage.

Today
we know that we are not alone,
that we live in God's world.

Tomorrow
with God,
we will discover
the undiscovered country.

Upcoming Events

    updated June 11th  2022 

Boxed Meat Sale. 
  Pick up will on June 14th starting approximately around 5:45-6pm (depends on the truck) Don't miss out on this grilling extravaganza 

Trunk Sale

It's time to start doing some of that spring cleaning and what better way to get rid of things than a Trunk Sale at Freelton United Church on June 18th from 8am to 1pm. We are offering 20x20 spots for $20 and 15 x20 spots for $15. So book now and don't miss out on this fun day. Hot dogs, muffins coffee and drinks will be for sale. To get your spot contact Rev Will at 905 659 3380 

We are asking people to bake us some muffins for sale at the Trunk Sale, Please bring them to the Church for 7am on June 18th or drop them off on the Friday.  

 
There will be a special joint meeting of the Freelton Council and the Strabane council on June 20th at 7pm at Strabane, to review the Amalgamation Document. Please Print and bring your copy with you. If you need it mailed again, please contact Rev Will