Today’s service will be offered in 2 formats – video and text.
• View the video below
• download and print the service from this document – link
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• Good News! Walton’s UCW meetings are starting up again! We will be welcoming all ladies of any age who care to join us in Bronte Hall for our first fall meeting on Thursday, September 8, in the afternoon. 1:30 pm is our new meeting time. Tea, coffee and cookies will be provided. We look forward to seeing many familiar friends and new faces are especially welcome as we reconvene after a lengthy break. Refreshments and a brief business meeting will be followed by a thought-provoking discussion on “Pandemic Positivity” led by Rev Alexandra Arden. Please call the office at (905) 827-1643 if a drive is needed. Mark your calendars for the 2nd Thursday of each month: October 13, November 10 and December 8 all at 1:30 pm.
• Rally Day is coming up, mark your calendars now. Sunday, September 11th is the last of our 10:00am summer services, and the start up of our Sunday School and Youth Programming on Sunday mornings.
• Upcoming Bible Study “Christian Community” will be starting Thursday, September 22nd, at 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Bronte Hall. The Study will run for 10 weeks, on consecutive Thursday mornings. We all yearn for a sense of community. The topic of community seems to be even more relevant in the world and in each of our lives, as we look back over the last two and a half years. You are invited to take part in this Bible-based study, looking at ‘Christian Community’. What does the Bible say about Christian community? What does Christian community mean to you today? A time to gather, discuss, question, listen, share, laugh, and ponder, as we explore the meaning of Christian community together. Everyone is welcome. Please sign up through the church office to ensure everyone has a copy of the book. The cost of the book is $10.00 and is available through the church office. Any questions, please speak to Cathy Winn.
• Choir is starting up again!!! Junior, Youth and Chancel Choirs are starting up again on Thursday, September 8th, here at Walton. Mark it on your calendar and start warming up those vocal cords! Jillian will meet with the Junior Choir at 7:00pm – 7:45pm in the Gathering Room. Linda will meet with the Youth Choir in the Sanctuary 7:00-7:45pm. The Chancel Choir will meet at 8:00pm in the Sanctuary. Masks will be required while you are in the building. Stay tuned for more information and updates as we get closer to start-up.
• Upcoming Prayer Shawl Ministry gathering on Thursday, September 22, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. in Bronte Hall. The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets Prayer Shawls which are given out to Walton Community and beyond. Each child baptized at Walton receives a Prayer Blanket, made by the members of this ministry. The Prayer Shawls and Prayer Blankets are made with love and prayers, a reminder of God’s presence in our lives and in the world.Do you like to knit or crochet? Why not join us for a time of laughter, sharing, creating, prayer, and supporting others in this special ministry? New members are always welcome. Some supplies are provided. Please speak with Cathy Winn through the church office. October meeting will be Thursday, October 20th, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
• Art & Treasures sale – VIP preview: Walton is holding an Art & Treasures sale in Bronte Hall on Saturday, September 10 from 10 am-4 pm. We have lots of beautiful artwork, household items and attic treasures available for purchase. The sale will be open to the public, in conjunction with the Bronte Arts Market happening in our parking lot that day. As a Walton member or friend, you get VIP early access to view and purchase items during coffee time following the service on Sunday, August 28th and Sunday, September 4th before we open up the sale to the wider community. Come check out the wonderful and unique sale items, which were generously donated to the Walton Auction Committee from the pre-covid auction.
• Weeding Team – We need a few people who will help some others weed the south and new east gardens. If you can help out, let the office know. Thank you.
• Bronte Coat Drive is back this year! Tentatively, on the third Saturday in October. This has become a co-operative effort between, Church of the Epiphany, St. Dominic’s Church and Walton Memorial primarily; all of us having the betterment of people of our area as our goal. So, sew on that button, empty those pockets, sponge out that stain …… and, please give us your coats that you will not plan to wear next year or ever again! Donations will be accepted at the church starting September 4th.
• Calling all knitters! The Bronte COAT DRIVE Committee has a need for knitted scarves for our Annual Coat Distribution Event. If you could knit a scarf 5’ – 6’ long in black, grey or navy, we would be most happy to include it as a giveaway on October 15th , 2022. As you may know, there are many people in our community who are grateful to receive a coat from this event, and they are delighted to also receive a warm scarf (or hat or gloves)!
• FOOD BANK…the need is real! Every summer the food bank deals with reduced food and money donations because of families going on vacation and leaving town. Unfortunately, the families that depend on the food bank year-round still need that support. Please help by donating through your Walton envelopes, electronically through the website, or by bringing food items to put in our donation box outside Bronte Hall. It was mentioned that canned fruit and cereal are items needed right now. Go to the Fare Share website to find a complete list – www.oakvillefoodbank.com
• Children and youth are invited to view this week’s virtual Sunday School lesson online as we conclude our Happy Campers curriculum.
• Walton’s prayer chain is open. Confidential prayers requests can be sent to office@waltonmemorial.com
• If you need Rev. Jim for a pastoral emergency, please email him directly at jamescgillwuc@gmail.com.
As we gather today on these treaty lands, we are in solidarity with Indigenous brothers and sisters to honour and respect the four directions, lands, waters, plants, animals and ancestors that walked before us, and all of the wonderful elements of creation that exist. We acknowledge and thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation for being stewards of this traditional territory.
Val: Good morning and welcome to our Walton family worship service this morning. What is this Jim? It is beautiful, I love how it is shaped.
Jim: It is a trellis that was made in the shape of our Walton windows. Isn’t it incredible?
Val: I love it. It has a story right? You will be explaining it a little more later on in the service. I don’t want to take away from your sermon.
Jim: Yes, Val, it is a wonderful addition to our worship experience this morning. The addition of love. Let us join together in worship.
One: Let this be the welcoming place, the place of return. Let it be built by a love that bends towards those who return here, for it is a love that has been waiting like a candle in the window, ever lighting the way back and never willing to let go of the hope that each child will return home.
All: Let this be the place where the only appropriate response to love that has come to the end of its longing is to kill the fatted calf, feast and celebrate, send up balloons and prepare the party for that which has been lost has returned to be among us once more.
(adapted by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Mucky Paws)
One: God of wonder and glory, this world around us is awesome.
All: You created it!You continue to hold it together, even as we threaten to tear it apart.
One: God of justice and righteousness, to you we look for the truth.
All: You are the ultimate judge. Your wisdom cuts through the lies.
One: God of grace and mercy, the love you have shown us in Jesus is more than we deserve.
All: Your arms are open wide, like a waiting father for his prodigal children, ready to welcome and restore.
One: We come to you just now thirsting for your living water.
All: Guide us to the streams of your wonder and glory, your justice and righteousness, your grace and mercy, that we may drink and be satisfied, renewed for our continuing journey with Jesus. This we pray in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
( posted on the Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren)
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, forever and ever. Amen.
Alison: Good morning everyone. I want you to hold your hand out in front of you. What do you see? I see something amazing! We use them for almost everything we do – to build things, fix things, hold things, write things. Our hands can show love and kindness to people, but hands can also hurt people, so we have to be careful how we use them.
Val: Do you know who else uses our hands? God does! He uses our hands to do his work. That’s why hands are such an important symbol in the Bible. How many times do you think the word “hand” appears in the Bible? (children guess) 1466! That’s a lot.
A: Everyone’s hands are different. Nobody has the same fingerprints, and nobody’s hands look exactly the same. (Alison holds a child’s hand up next to hers to compare differences). What do you see? One is bigger than the other, one has nail polish and one doesn’t. One might have a few more wrinkles and age spots than the other. They are definitely different.
V: That doesn’t mean one is better than the other, though. God made each of our hands different because he wants us to use them in different ways. He gave each of us unique gifts that we can use to do God’s work.
A: You’re right! How many people in the congregation have helped out at the church in one way or another? Maybe you serve on a committee, read scripture, sing in the choir, or volunteer at the turkey dinner. Put your hands up.
V: How many of you help out in your community? Maybe you volunteer at another organization, check in on a neighbour, donate blood, or pick up garbage when you’re on a walk. Put up your hands if that’s you.
A: How many of you do God’s work at home, school, or work? How many of you are a good friend, reach out to others, and try to be kind to other people. Put up your hands. Look at all those hands! Every one of them is different. Every one of them has a purpose. Every one of them can be used to do God’s work in so many different ways, no matter if they are big hands, little hands, old hands or young hands.
V: Isn’t that amazing? Let’s use our hands, to give our hands a hand! (applause). And let’s say a prayer together:
Loving God, please guide my hands to do your will. Please use my hands to help others every day. AAAAAAA-men.
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.
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight.
When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.
But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured and not on the Sabbath day.”
But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it to water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”
When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame, and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things being done by him.
Be careful, then, how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sometimes I observe people staring at these two stained glass windows during the service, and even staring at them during my sermon. I don’t take it personally. These are both striking McAusland stained glass windows depicting Jesus, made in 1913 and cleaned and restored about 10 years ago. Some people have told me they meditate, reflect or just ponder while looking at them. I wonder how, in so many ways, these windows help those who are facing pivotal choices and life-altering transitions that day and in the days ahead.
In our Ephesians reading today, it says: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.” This is wise advice to consider as I continue my summer series of messages on the “one another” theme. Many biblical statements in the Christian Scriptures or New Testament give wise advice about the idea of “one another.” We have been especially considering how we can “one another one another” in a practical sense.
Today we hear this Jesus story of the woman at the synagogue. One Sabbath when Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, this woman was there who had been crippled for 18 years. She was so very bent over she could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” What a blessing. Jesus put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Note if you will what the first response was from the woman; she praised God. She gave thanks!
In the Ephesians passage, we hear yet again a “one another” passage. It connects so well with the story of the woman at the synagogue when it says, “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God.” Note the last five words, “always giving thanks to God.” Our thanksgivings must never be limited only to the second Mondays of October.
I began this message by talking about Walton’s stained glass windows. In the front of the sanctuary is a wooden version of the Walton windows. It is a handmade trellis constructed by congregation member Michael Hitchcox for the wedding of his son Andrew and daughter-in-law Chelsea. I conducted the lovely wedding at a cherry farm in Vineland. This trellis took a part of Walton to this outside wedding venue. I am going to use it today to place three items on it which we can give thanks to God for. Let us look at this wooden window and what is placed on it as we follow the words of Ephesians: “always giving thanks for another.”
First, we can always give thanks for “one another.” (put on window frame) So many of you said the thing you missed most since March 2020 was seeing your Walton family face to face.
Arnold the Praying Penguin Blog asks, “Why is Christian community important? It is how we serve one another. As Christians, we are called to serve one another, to love one another, to help others, to use what we have to serve other people. I Peter 4: 9-10 says, ‘Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.’ Community gives us the opportunity to serve one another, as we get to know other people and their needs. The more people we know, and know well enough to share our needs with, the more people we will have the opportunity to help when they are in need.
Being in a community also often gives us the opportunity to serve other people together. As well, Christian community is to encourage and to be encouraged. ‘Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfil the law of Christ.’ says Galatians 6:2. Being part of a community means that we don’t have to go through any of these things, whether joyful or painful, alone.”
Secondly, we can always give thanks for “holy space.” (put on wooden window frame) Of course, we can pray, sing, read the scriptures and worship in any space inside or out. However, there are, “holy spaces” often in our lives which are spiritual touchstones, if you will. They are settings that hold a unique place in our inner being. Here is one of those holy spaces – the Walton sanctuary. It is a multi-generational refuge. It is a place where we share both great joy and great loss. They can both be brought before God here. What these windows have seen if they could speak! Here, for more than a century, thousands have poured out their hearts and souls to God.
People who worship with us virtually say a similar thing. It is quite powerful to see how we can engage with worship virtually. Even seeing this holy space virtually transports them to this holy place of worship, praise and thanksgiving. Some people who have never been in this sacred space in person say a similar thing.
Did you know many people like to come and just spend time here alone or with close loved ones, family, or friends in this sacred sanctuary? There is an open invitation to look at our windows and meditate, reflect, and ponder – and just not just on Sundays. You are welcome to come by and spend time here if it is not booked for someone else. Of course, we ask you to first check that someone is here in the office to let you in and out.
Thirdly, we can always give thanks, for we are not alone. (Put on window frame). In the early months of Covid, I spent most days alone in this facility. People would drop by the Allen Entrance, which I appreciated so much. They came to say hello, leave an offering or just touch base. But most of the time I was physically alone in the church.
Remember those early days? Whatever you did every day before March 2020 changed in some way with Covid. Our days were upended from working at home, doing online school, lining up outside at Food Basics to shop, visiting at the end of a driveway or learning to Zoom. More than one of you told me during that time this line from the United Church Creed, which we said in unison earlier in the service, spoke to you. It goes, “In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.”
We are not alone. To me, that is very Good News. We should do as Ephesians tells us today: “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God.” You see, it all goes back to the idea of “one another.” Thanks be to God.
I recall one day in late March 2020 when we were fumbling through recording our first virtual service in various locations. That day I was praying, “O God can we pull it off? Show us the way. Give us the people and give us the technology.” That day numerous people drove very slowly past my office window waving. Some with a Queen Elizabeth wave, others waving wildly as if it were a tied game at the bottom of the 9th and the bases are loaded with two outs. I will forever treasure those drive-by waves.
So, I leave you with this question today. What do you give thanks for while looking at these McAusland windows or looking at Michael’s Walton window trellis? What would you post on them as your thank yous?
All: Be present Lord.
One: Heavenly Father, when our wilderness journey ends and normalcy returns to our lives, remind us to look back and see where you carried us through, deepened our faith, and provided us with your loving care.
In the day of trial:
All: Be present Lord.
Holy Spirit, when suffering is the result of our own sin, inspire us to turn around, ask for help, accept your forgiveness, and live a new life in your grace.
In the day of trial:
All: Be present Lord.
Holy Spirit, Reconciling God, in Christ make us a new creation, by forgiving our sins and sending us out with a mission to be your ambassadors of love, peace and new life.
In the day of trial:
All: Be present Lord.
Almighty God, hope beyond hope, love beyond understanding, forgiver and forgetter of our awful sins, wait for us in patience, but needle us with the memory of your loving self, your loving home.
In the day of trial:
All: Be present Lord.
Lord Jesus, as you told parables in order to make the gospel clear, put us in a story of your choosing, and bring us to a deeper faith in you.
In the day of trial:
All: Be present Lord.
We pray for those who need to be reminded that there is healing in your presence, and homecoming, because there is a home….
In the day of trial:
All: Be present Lord.
From every wilderness day, Good Lord deliver us. Amen.
( adapted by Richard Bansemer, and posted on Lutheran Forum)
We don’t always know how much money we have, or how much we will need; in these precarious economic times we are tempted to hoard our money for ourselves.
In this offering, we have the opportunity to show our faith, that our God will supply all our needs.
Our offering will now be received.
♥ by secure online payment from your debit or credit card. Click here to go to our donation page to make a single or recurring donation. Multiple funds can be included in one donation by using the “Add Donation” button
♥ by cheque through the mail slot at the Church office entrance or by Canada Post
♥ by monthly PAR payments. To sign up contact stuart@waltonmemorial.com
All: Loving God, we walk by faith, we live by faith, we give by faith.
God of great gifts, you have given us so much, accept these gifts from our hands, our faithful response to your abundant grace. Amen.
(adapted Carol Penner, Leading in Worship)
Go forth into the world trusting with your hearts
the wisdom God grants upon all who seek to follow God’s will.
When called to lead, do so with humility and confidence in God.
Be in this world a sign of Jesus’ presence.
Share compassion with all whom you encounter.
Live wisely in God’s name,
and glorify God in all you do.
And may the grace, mercy and wisdom of God be our support, guidance and strength from this day forward and for evermore. Amen.
(adapted by the Rev. Dr. Bertrice Wood. Posted on the United Church of Christ website)
Here is Rev. Jim’s mid-week update for date
