United Church of Altona

09/14/2026

Rhineland and Area Food Bank is at the Altona United Church -
#45 - 3rd Ave. SE
Hours:
Mondays - 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 - 8:00 p.m

09/13/2026

Announcements for this week:
AUC Admin. Assist office hours:
Thursdays 9:00-Noon and Fridays 10:00-Noon Call: 204-324-6741 and leave a message
Email: [email protected]

*Sunday, Sept. 20 - 11:00 a.m.
Worship Leader: Rev. Myrna Stark
*Thursday, Sept. 24 - 4:30-6:30 p.m. Beef Stew Drive-Thru Fundraiser - by donation. In town delivery of pre-orders - call 204-324-8769 (see event poster)
*Sunday, Sept. 27 - 11:00 a.m.
Worship Leader: Rev. Myrna Stark
Sacrament of Communion
*Sunday, Oct. 4 - 11:00 a.m.
Worship Leader: Greg Costen
*Sunday, Oct. 11 - 11:00 a.m.
Worship Leader: Greg Costen
*Sunday, Oct. 18 - No Worship Service at AUC - You're all invited to attend Altona Mennonite Church at 11:00 - Guest Speaker: Niigaan Sinclair with Steps Toward Reconciliation. Potluck Lunch to follow
*Sunday, Oct. 25 - 10:30 a.m. Coffee and Pumpkin Palooza with Theresa & friends in the church basement
11:00 a.m. - AUC Worship Service
Worship Leader: Greg Costen

* TAB (Take a Break) AUC Fellowship Group Thursdays at 9:30 at AUC. All are welcome!
*Thank you to everyone for your financial contributions to Altona United Church. Your ongoing support is much appreciated.
Donation Options:
1. Mail - Altona United Church, 45 3rd Avenue SE Altona, MB R0G 0B3
2. Dropbox - Located by the education door east side of the church.
3. Online banking or e-transfer or assistance: [email protected]
*Are you new? recently moved? changed email address? If so please email [email protected] with your current info
*page - United Church of Altona
*Watch YouTube Altona United Church worship videos recorded "live" every Sunday 11:00 a.m.; available to view any time/any day
*The Sunday bulletin is posted on our page. Thanks for joining us in worship. 🥰

09/13/2026

Special thanks to Greg for leading us in worship, and to Karl for sharing his music ministry today. Much appreciation also to Tracey for greeting, and the reading of announcements and scripture for us. Thanks to all of you for joining us at the Altona United Church for worship, our annual Autumn Auction, and Potluck Lunch.
Have a wonderful day!

09/13/2026

Sunday, September 13, 2026 is the first Sunday of the Season of Creation (also known as Creation Time) in the Revised Common Lectionary. This season runs through October 11.

The Season of Creation is a time in our liturgical calendar to come together in caring for Creation and in the building of a healthier, more just world that reflects God’s dream.

"Help to Reawaken Our Love for Creation"

Creating God,
You have called us to be in loving relations with all the Earth,
living with respect in creation,
choosing love and seeking justice at all times.

Instead, humankind has acted in hateful ways,
exploiting natural resources,
choosing power and seeking wealth in the present over future abundance.

We need your help to fight for a better future!

Help to reawaken our love for Creation,
that is so magnificent that we, with all our creativity and knowledge,
could never articulate it;
and so passionate that we, with the personal price and communal cost,
would still fight for it.

Help to deepen our relationships and love for each other:
Affirming the wisdom of both young and old activists,
so that we are not discouraged by empty platitudes and naysayers; and
Growing our community of allies,
so that we can create a sustainable and faithful response to the imminent climate crisis.

For the sake of your majestic creation, and
For the love of all our relations.
Help us to fight for a better future.

Amen.

—This prayer has been adapted from one originally written for the Fridays for Future Climate Strike movement by Alydia Smith

Visit our Worship section for more resources, prayers, and study material: https://united-church.ca/worship-liturgical-season/creation-time-week-1

09/13/2026

Altona United Church Worship Service
Worship Leader: Greg Costen
Prelude
God Welcomes Us in Worship
Welcome and Announcements
Land Acknowledgement: As a faith community we seek to be inclusive, respectful, and compassionate followers of Christ through grace; and in so doing, we acknowledge with gratitude that we meet on Treaty 1 territory of Indigenous Peoples. We honour their connection to this land and commit to truth, reconciliation, and justice.

Candle Lighting

Opening Song: VU #226 (melody #81) For the Beauty

Call to Worship:
Leader: Come, let us gather together in the presence of God.
People: We come as we are, bringing with us the joys and struggles of this week.
Leader: Some of us come with grateful hearts. Some come carrying worries or questions. Some may simply be glad to have a place to be still for a while.
People: Whatever we bring with us, we bring it here, knowing that God is with us.
Leader: We gather as a community of faith—not because we have all the answers, but because we need one another, and because we trust in the love of God.
People: Here we can listen, reflect, laugh, pray, and remember that we are not alone.
Leader: So let us set aside, for a little while, the things that can wait, and make room for God’s Spirit among us.
People: Open our hearts, O God, and help us to see, hear, and receive what you have for us today.
Leader: Let us worship God, who meets us wherever we are and walks with us wherever we go.
All: Let us worship God.
Opening Prayer
Congregational Song: VU #660 How Firm a Foundation

Passing the Peace

Confession and Words of Assurance

God’s Word, Wisdom for Living

Prayer for Illumination

Scriptures: John 6:53-66

Congregational Song: VU #675 Will Your Anchor Hold?

Sermon: I Just Don’t See It …

Congregational Song: VU #703 In the Bulb There is a Flower

Offering: (In Unison) We are pleased to return some of the abundance of our lives to share with others who need a caring touch. Accept the work of our hands and the love of our hearts. Accept them and use them through Christ our Lord. Amen

God Sends Us

Prayers of the People: (Congregational Response after “For this we ask …” “God of Love, Hear Our Prayer”)

Closing Hymn VU #806 O God Our Help in Ages Past

Benediction

Postlude

Thank you for joining us today!

Altona United Church Worship Service
Worship Leader: Greg Costen
Prelude
God Welcomes Us in Worship
Welcome and Announcements
Land Acknowledgement: As a faith community we seek to be inclusive, respectful, and compassionate followers of Christ through grace; and in so doing, we acknowledge with gratitude that we meet on Treaty 1 territory of Indigenous Peoples. We honour their connection to this land and commit to truth, reconciliation, and justice.

Candle Lighting

Opening Song: VU #226 (melody #81) For the Beauty

Call to Worship:
Leader: Come, let us gather together in the presence of God.
People: We come as we are, bringing with us the joys and struggles of this week.
Leader: Some of us come with grateful hearts. Some come carrying worries or questions. Some may simply be glad to have a place to be still for a while.
People: Whatever we bring with us, we bring it here, knowing that God is with us.
Leader: We gather as a community of faith—not because we have all the answers, but because we need one another, and because we trust in the love of God.
People: Here we can listen, reflect, laugh, pray, and remember that we are not alone.
Leader: So let us set aside, for a little while, the things that can wait, and make room for God’s Spirit among us.
People: Open our hearts, O God, and help us to see, hear, and receive what you have for us today.
Leader: Let us worship God, who meets us wherever we are and walks with us wherever we go.
All: Let us worship God.
Opening Prayer
Congregational Song: VU #660 How Firm a Foundation

Passing the Peace

Confession and Words of Assurance

God’s Word, Wisdom for Living

Prayer for Illumination

Scriptures: John 6:53-66

Congregational Song: VU #675 Will Your Anchor Hold?

Sermon: I Just Don’t See It …

Congregational Song: VU #703 In the Bulb There is a Flower

Offering: (In Unison) We are pleased to return some of the abundance of our lives to share with others who need a caring touch. Accept the work of our hands and the love of our hearts. Accept them and use them through Christ our Lord. Amen

God Sends Us

Prayers of the People: (Congregational Response after “For this we ask …” “God of Love, Hear Our Prayer”)

Closing Hymn VU #806 O God Our Help in Ages Past

Benediction

Postlude

Thank you for joining us today!

09/13/2026

Altona United Church Sunday Scipture:

John 6:53-66

Jesus said it again, “With all the earnestness I possess I tell you this:
Unless you eat the flesh of the Messiah and drink his blood, you cannot
have eternal life within you. But anyone who does eat my flesh and
drink my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him at the Last Day. For
my flesh is the true food, and my blood is the true drink. Everyone who
eats my flesh and drinks my blood is in me, and I in him. I live by the
power of the living Father who sent me, and in the same way those who
partake of me shall live because of me! I am the true Bread from heaven;
and anyone who eats this Bread shall live forever and not die as your
fathers did—though they ate bread from heaven.” (He preached this
sermon in the synagogue in Capernaum.)
Even his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. Who can tell
what he means?”
Jesus knew within himself that his disciples were complaining and said
to them, “Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see me,
the Messiah, return to heaven again? Only the Holy Spirit gives eternal
life. Those born only once, with physical birth, will never receive this
gift. But now I have told you how to get this true spiritual life. But some
of you don’t believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who
didn’t believe and knew the one who would betray him.)
And he remarked, “That is what I meant when I said that no one can
come to me unless the Father attracts him to me.”
At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

09/13/2026

Altona United Church Sunday morning ministry with Karl Haw:
VU # 226 - For the Beauty of the Earth
VU # 660 = How Firm a Foundation
VU # 675 - Will Your Anchor Hold?
VU # 703 - In the Bulb there is a Flower
VU # 806 - O God Our help in Ages Past

09/13/2026

09/12/2026

ALTONA UNITED CHURCH FACILITY RENTAL OPTIONS:
*Use of all facilities - weddings, meetings, funerals, family gatherings, birthday parties, baby showers, recitals, etc.
*Sanctuary (see Photo Album Sanctuary for pictures)
*Basement (see Photo Album Church Basement for pictures)
*Wireless microphone and/or projector rental
Please contact Altona United Church at [email protected]
or call 204-324-6741 and leave your message