Glebe Road United Church

09/02/2026

Even as the water falls on dry tea leaves
and brings out their flavour,
so may your spirit fall on us and renew us
so that we may bring refreshment and joy to others.

— Sri Lanka, Celebrate God’s Presence (CGP)

08/31/2026

Hear our prayers
that we may love you with our whole being
and willingly share the concerns of our neighbors. Amen.

— Blessings from Glebe

08/30/2026

Jesu, Joy of Our Desiring
Voices United #328

Jesu, joy of our desiring,
holy wisdom, love most bright;
drawn by you, our souls aspiring
soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,
with the fire of life impassioned,
striving still to truth unknown,
soaring, dying round your throne.

Through the way where hope is guiding,
hark, what peaceful music rings;
where the flock, in you confiding,
drink of joy from deathless springs.
Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;
theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.
You, forever, lead your own
in the love of joys unknown.

08/26/2026

Awesome, wondrous God,
dark, deep, and holy One,
we come to feel the mystery of your name.

Green growing God,
Christ of many stories and disciples,
we come to hear the parable of your love.

Bright, flashing God,
blowing wind and Holy Spirit,
we come to speak the gospel of your fire.

Distant yet intimate God,
woven, puzzled, grained by time,
we come to find the Trinity of your grace.

— Maren C. Tirabassi

08/24/2026

God, you are the power of liberation,
calling your servant Moses
to lead your people into freedom,
and giving him the wisdom
to proclaim your holy law.
Be our Passover from the land of injustice,
be the light that leads us
to the perfect rule of love,
that we may be citizens
of your unfettered reign;
we ask this through Jesus Christ,
the pioneer of our salvation. Amen.

— Blessings from Glebe

08/23/2026

A blog on the exhaustion we face combatting hate.

Tired of Being Exhausted
by Chris Mah Poy

I am so incredibly tired. The deluge of rising White nationalism, of anti-immigrant racism, of transphobic and homophobic rhetoric, policies and practices has left me totally exhausted. There are so many—too many—events and terrors for me to have the bandwidth to track and respond to each one.

When I heard that a White Supremacist group had recently gathered in Millarville, Alberta(opens in a new tab), to hold rallies and military-style training events, I was horrified! I must admit that my primary feeling was exhaustion. Becoming an anti-racist denomination is hard and soul-filled work. It brings no applause, no bonuses, no prestige—instead, it often brings sleepless nights and a sense of gaining inches when there are many miles to go.

I am deeply saddened that racism, racist policies, racist attitudes and racist beliefs persist in our society and church. I am filled with righteous anger when people with racist beliefs gather to intimidate, terrorize, and equip themselves with vitriolic wrath.

This isn't just an Alberta issue. These meetings are taking place across the country(opens in a new tab), covertly, and documented in places such as Halifax, NS; as well as the Caledonia, Niagara, and northern regions of Ontario.

I am heartbroken, along with all those who feel fear, exclusion, and the harms caused by systemic racism in our society.

But, friend-reader, I am very, very tired, and at this particular moment, I am asking, are you out there, ally? I have offered anti-racism training in the Chinook Winds Regional Council for years, co-coordinated and supported a First Third anti-racism conference, work on national anti-racism initiatives—and, still, I often feel very lonely.

About the White Supremacists gathering in Millarville and across Canada: What are you, church, going to do about it? White clergy, what will you preach? White person in the pews, how will you conduct yourself? Your Black, Indigenous, Asian, and racialized neighbours, clergy, loved ones, and staff are tired.

Chris Mah Poy is the First Third Ministry, Justice and Community of Faith Networks Coordinator for Chinook Winds Regional Council. He offers anti-racism training for communities of faith.

Some Resources:
▪ Action Dignity is ethnocultural, community and anti-racism non-profit in the City of Calgary. They offer anti-racism workshops and training opportunities; Systems-Led Anti-Racism Education | ActionDignity

▪If you would like to learn more about The United Church of Canada's Anti-Racism Journey visit: Anti-racism | The United Church of Canada

https://united-church.ca/blogs/round-table/tired-being-exhausted

[Photo Credit: Gerd Altmann | Pixabay]

08/23/2026

Joyful, Joyful We Adore You
Voices United #232

Joyful, joyful, we adore you,
God of glory, life and love;
hearts unfold like flowers before you,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
drive the gloom of doubt away;
giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.

All your works with joy surround you,
earth and heaven reflect your rays,
stars and angels sing around you,
center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
flowery meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing fountain,
sound their praise eternally.

You are giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
wellspring of the joy of living,
ocean depth of happy rest!
Source of grace and fount of blessing,
let your light upon us shine;
teach us how to love each other,
lift us to the joy divine.

08/19/2026

Open wide the window of our spirits,
God, and fill us with light;
Open wide the door of our hearts
that we may receive and entertain you
with all our powers of adoration and love. Amen.

— Jamie Norwich McLennan

08/17/2026

Through the waters of oppression and death, Lord God,
you led a people into the burning presence of your love.
As you fed them in the desert,
now feed us with the finest of wheat,
that we may know the liberating power
of the paschal feast. Amen.

— Blessings from Glebe

08/16/2026

For the Beauty of the Earth
Voices United #226

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies,

Refrain:
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light, Refrain

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild, Refrain

For each perfect gift sublime
to our race so freely given;
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven. Refrain