08/28/2026
Barrhead United Church
August 30, 2026
14th After Pentecost
The Moses we meet in the Torah (first five books of the Bible) is not a mythical figure, an epic hero, an archetype, his blemishes airbrushed away to turn him into an object of adoration; and he is all the greater for it. No, he is human, gloriously human. (Rabbi Sacks)
Today’s Worship Leader: Roger Manuel
Welcome
Wherever you are on your faith's journey, wherever you have come from and wherever you are going to, whatever you believe, whatever you do not believe, you are welcome here.
Opening Prayer
God, you are God forever. This alone is cause for celebration, but we also know that we are your people! As we feel your love washing over us now, may we love you with every part of our being: heart, mind, body, and soul. We celebrate your love in our lives, and we ask for your help as we try our best to boldly share the good news of your love with others. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who models the way for us. Amen.
Hymn: Take my life and let it be VU 506
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days:
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee.
Take my voice and let me sing
always, only for my King;
take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee.
Take my silver and my gold:
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine;
take my heart: it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store;
take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
Lighting the Christ Candle
The Christ Candle is a sign of our prayers and the offering of our lives
In the service of our Creator; of our prayers for others, that they too
Might be strengthened in their faith and love of Creator.
The Christ Candle is a symbol of all those who, through time have shone as lights in the darkness of the world and of their prayers for us. And as a witness that this is a place of prayer, A place where people have knelt before, a place of quiet calm in the storms of our pain.
Hymn: Gather Us In (x2) MV 7
Gather us in, ground us in you.
Gather us in, ground us in you.
Gather us in, gather us in,
ground us, ground us in you.
Acknowledgment of the Land
Welcome to this place, Land is sacred and Holy.
Community is sacred and holy.
Ancestors walked this land and learned it’s wisdom,
passing it down to Indigenous people for thousands of years.
For some of us, we learned only recently of its strength and its needs.
We give thanks for the peaceful sharing of this land-Treaty 6 and Metis lands.
May we all seek out reconciliation and renewal of home and native land.
Prayer of Confession
God of the cross,
You who call us into active presence and participation,
Be present as we consider the ways you challenged
Us to live lives worthy of your purpose.
Be present as we recognize the wounds inflicted
On members of our community.
Be present as you call us to act with integrity and
hope in response to the systems of neglect, stigma, and isolation.
For we know, the toxic drug crisis continues to claim the lives
of neighbours, friends, family and community members,
For we know, the toxic drug crisis is volatile and reaches across the globe.
For we know, that every life lost is another story cut short
by the crucifixions of our world.
Challenge us. Enliven us. Call us.
Amen
—The Rev. Jeffrey Dale, MFA, M Div is minister at College Street United Church.
SILENCE
Words of Assurance
Dear friends, let your hearts be healed.
God is here with you, right now and walks with you into the world.
Do not fear! Peace be with you all. AMEN.
Hymn: O Love, That Wilt Not Let Me Go VU 658
O Love, that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O Light, that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
O Joy, that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross, that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
Passing the Peace
God makes peace within us. Let us claim it.
God makes peace between us. Let us share it.
Let us greet another as a sign of God’s peace.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Prayer of Illumination (sung): Praise God for This Holy Ground MV 42
“Praise God for this holy ground, place and people, sight and sound.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God’s goodness is eternal.
Praise God in whose word we find food for body, soul and mind.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God’s goodness is eternal.
Praise God who through Christ makes known all are loved and called God’s own.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God’s goodness is eternal.
Praise God’s Spirit who befriends, raises, humbles, breaks and mends.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God’s goodness is eternal.
Though praise ends, praise is begun where God’s will is gladly done.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God’s goodness is eternal.”
Scripture
Exodus 3:1–15: Moses encounters the burning bush
3 Now Moses[a] was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert[b] and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb.[c] 2 The angel of the LORD[d] appeared[e] to him in[f] a flame of fire from within a bush.[g] He looked,[h] and[i] the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed![j] 3 So Moses thought,[k] “I will turn aside to see[l] this amazing[m] sight. Why does the bush not burn up?”[n] 4 When the LORD[o] saw that[p] he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”[q] And Moses[r] said, “Here I am.” 5 God[s] said, “Do not approach any closer![t] Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy[u] ground.”[v] 6 He added, “I am the God of your father,[w] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look[x] at God.
7 The LORD said, “I have surely seen[y] the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.[z] 8 I have come down[aa] to deliver them[ab] from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious,[ac] to a land flowing with milk and honey,[ad] to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.[ae] 9 And now indeed[af] the cry[ag] of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them.[ah] 10 So now go, and I will send you[ai] to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
11 Moses said[aj] to God,[ak] “Who am I that I should go[al] to Pharaoh, or that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He replied,[am] “Surely I will be with you,[an] and this will be the sign[ao] to you that I have sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, you and they will serve[ap] God at[aq] this mountain.”
13 Moses said[ar] to God, “If[as] I go to the Israelites and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’[at]—what should I say[au] to them?”
14 God said to Moses, “I AM that I AM.”[av] And he said, “You must say this[aw] to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘The LORD[ax]—the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name[ay] forever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation.’[az]
Meditation: Moses and the burning bush
Prayer: Turning Aside to See
Bruce Sanguin: If Darwin Prayed
Hymn: I, the Lord of Sea and Sky VU 509
(Here I am, Lord)
I, the Lord of sea and sky
I have heard my people cry
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart
I, who made the stars of night
I will make their darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart
I will break their hearts of stone
Give them hearts for love alone
I will speak my words to them
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart
I, the Lord of wind and flame
I will tend the poor and lame
I will set a feast for them
My hand will save
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart
Mission and Service: Nourishing Students
At Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, the Ecumenical Chaplaincy is responded to student food insecurity with a practical ministry of care. Supported by Mission and Service, local church volunteers prepare homemade meals that are stored in freezers at the Faith and Life Centre. The ecumenical chaplain distributes the meals to students who ask for them, ensuring nutritious food is available when it’s needed.
As students prepare to return to campus for a new academic year, many are looking forward to new classes, new friendships, and new opportunities. For some, however, the start of the semester also brings financial pressure as they balance tuition, rent, textbooks, and rising grocery costs.
All these added and rising costs mean many students have little left in their budgets after paying for essentials. For some, skipping meals or relying on inexpensive, less nutritious food becomes part of getting through the semester.
The homemade meal program helps fill that gap. Volunteers cook meals in their own kitchens, package them in take-away containers, and replenish the freezer throughout the year. Their commitment means students can access nourishing food when they need it, helping ease one of the many pressures that can come with university life.
A homemade meal doesn’t solve every challenge a student faces, but it makes a meaningful difference. Good nutrition helps students concentrate, engage in their studies, and make the most of the opportunities that are presented to them.
We are helping sustain this work through Mission and Service, by supporting the cost of ingredients and containers, making it possible for volunteers to continue preparing meals for students experiencing food insecurity. Together, congregations, volunteers, and the chaplaincy are responding to the growing need with practical care.
As another school year begins, this ministry reminds us that care takes many forms. Sometimes it looks like a listening ear. Sometimes it’s a place to belong. And sometimes it’s a homemade meal waiting in the freezer.
As students return to campus, our gifts to Mission and Service help ministries like Brock University’s Ecumenical Chaplaincy provide practical support when it’s needed most. Together, we can help ensure students have access to nutritious meals and a caring community throughout the academic year. Let’s give generously.
Invitation to the Offering
All that we have belongs to God. As we celebrate our unity as a community of faith and focus our hearts on the risen Christ, we joyfully lay our possessions at the Lord’s table. Through the grace of God and the bounty of this church, we have the ability to share our gifts so that all may have what they need to live. We thank God for the opportunity to truly be in fellowship with one another and with the world through our offerings today.
Hymn: What Can I Do? (x2) MV 191
What can I do? What can I bring? What can I say? What can I sing?
I’ll sing with joy. I’ll say a prayer. I’ll bring my love. I’ll do my share.
Offering Prayer
Creator God, you have blessed our lives with relationships that both inspire and challenge.
We offer these gifts so that we might continue to build relationships
with one another and with your whole creation.
Bless these gifts that they may bring wholeness and life abundance to all your people.
We pray. Amen.
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Concern & Candle Lighting
SILENCE
God of the last, God of the first, God of all those in between,
hear these concerns as we seek your presence
in our lives and in a world in need. Amen.
United Church Creed
We are not alone; we live in God’s world.
We believe in God: who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence, to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us.
We are not alone. Thanks be to God.
Upcoming Worship
Sept 6 – Danny Fontaine
Sept 13 – Danny Fontaine
General Givings Income
2026 Goal ~ $100,000.00
YTD ~ $59,097
Last week’s General Givings ~ $4,592
M&S YTD ~ $9,602
Refreshments will be served after worship.
All are welcome!
Announcements
• Please help yourself to a BUC memory book, located on the pew by the door.
• Sept 4, 11 & 18 - Join us at 9:30am every Friday the first 3 weeks of each month to experience Scripture Meditation (Bible Study /Lectio Divina)
• Sept 1 - 4:30pm UCW Meeting
• Sept 2 – 6:30pm Introduction to the Alberta referendum and United Church responses. BUC will be hosting a Zoom connection to this event on-site for those that want info and clarification regarding the upcoming Referendum.
• Sept 13 – Welcome Back! Fall Potluck Breakfast
• Sept 20 – Join us for a Celebration of New Ministry (covenanting) with Danny Fontaine followed by our 2026 Harvest Sale & BBQ lunch. Free-will donations to M & S.
• Thank you, Jan Pype, for folding our bulletins
Praise and Prayer List
Thanks be to God for prayers answered.
Continue to pray for:
-Those affected by Mental Health Concerns
-Residents of Long-Term Care and Lodges
-Grieving Families in our Community
-All Victims of Violence
-Survivors of Residential Schools
-For all Churches, Local, National and Worldwide
World Council of Churches-Ecumenical Prayer Cycle:
Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau & Senegal
Blessing
As you leave this place, may God’s love surround you, uphold you, and empower you to be agents of love in this world. Amen.
Hymn: Take Time to Be Holy VU 672
Take time to be holy; speak oft with thy Lord.
Abide in him always, and feed on his word.
Make friends of God's children; help those who are weak,
forgetting in nothing his blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy; the world rushes on;
spend much time in secret with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like him thou shalt be;
thy friends in thy conduct his likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy; let him be thy guide,
and run not before him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow thy Lord,
and, looking to Jesus, still trust in his word.
Take time to be holy; be calm in thy soul,
each thought and each motive beneath his control.
Thus led by his Spirit to fountains of love,
thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
Voices United 506 Take my life and let it be sung by Yvonne Milley
