Bulletins

                                 March 26, 2023        11AM                                                              

The Gathering
Prelude
Greetings
Welcome & Announcements
Special Celebrations today:
Birthdays,
Anniversaries
Special Events in Life
				The Approach
L: May God Be with you!
P: And also with you!

Introit: SG 134 ... Sweet Hour of Prayer

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Call to Worship( Responsive)
L: Jesus had confidence in life after death.  That confidence can be ours.
P: The grief felt at Lazarus’ death was overcome by the reassurance of Jesus.
L: He said, “ I am the resurrection and the life.”
P: In raising Lazarus, Jesus demonstrated that death is not beyond the hope found in resurrection.
L: We are strengthened in our faith by the mighty acts of Jesus.
P: We are given courage and confidence by the power of God to overcome our worst fears.  AMEN

Hymn: VU 444 ... Child of Blessing, Child of Promise
Baptism: See Insert



							
								
									
									
									
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The Word of God Proclaimed
Anthem:
Gospel Reading: John 11: 21-27 ... Rev. Cole
( Please stand for the reading of the Gospel)
P: Praise be to Christ, The Living Word
										  
	
The Response
Offertory
Doxology
Offering Prayer: (Unison)
Offering Prayer ( Ezekiel 37, John 11)
From your hands, O God, come the blessings that make life possible, even the very gift of life itself.  In gratitude and thanks, receive from our hands this portion of our labors.  By your Spirit’s leading, may we use these gifts to bless the life of others with assurance of love, the promise of hope, and the course of justice.  This we do to your glory.  AMEN
HYMN: VU 352 ... I Danced in the Morning

Pastoral Prayer & Lord’s Prayer


	





Sending Forth


Commissioning: (Responsive)
L: Jesus calls, “ Follow me!”
P: We will follow Jesus.
L: Jesus calls, “ Follow me!”
P: We will leave the past to follow Jesus.
L: Jesus calls, “ Follow me!”
P: We will walk in the present to follow Jesus.
L: Jesus calls “ Follow me!”
P: We will follow Jesus.
AMEN

Benediction: Rev. Cole 
Organ Postlude:

									

									
										

									
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Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism


Statement of Purpose
L:  Sisters and brothers, we are called now to celebrate the gift of grace that is given to us in baptism.
P:   We are one body and one Spirit, we have one hope in God’s call to us.                                L:   There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and Creator of us all.                                P:   Out of the water of baptism, we rise with new life, forgiven of sin and one with Christ,     members of Christ’s body.
L:    Hear how Jesus welcomed little children: People were bringing children to Jesus that he          might bless them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was           angry and said to them; “Let the children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such that           the kingdom of God belongs. Truly, I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of                 God like a little child will not enter it.” 
P:   And he took them in His arms, laid his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Presentation of the children: Clerk 
On behalf of the congregation of Bethany United Church, I present to you 
·	Carter Richard Rose and Casey James Rose
Children of Jennifer Ann Forward & Justin Graham Rose, to be initiated into the body of Christ through baptism.

Profession of faith and Promises by Parents
L: Do you desire to have your children baptized?
Parents: I do by the grace of God.
L: Will you accept the responsibility of acting and speaking on your children’s behalf? Will you       endeavour to show your children the Christian life and to grow with them in faith?
Parents: I do by the grace of God.                              






 (Renunciation and Declaration)
L: Desiring freedom of new life, do you turn away from the forces of evil and renounce their powers?
Parents: I do by the grace of God.
L: Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept Jesus as your Saviour and Lord?
Parents: I do by the grace of God.
L: Will you join with your brothers and sisters in a church of your choice to celebrate God’s presence and to share in the life, work and ministry of Jesus Christ?
Parents: I will, God being my helper.

(Congregational Commitment and Profession of Faith)
(Congregation will you please stand)
L: As a baptized and baptizing church, do you commit yourselves to support and nurture these      persons with a community which worships God, resists evil and seeks justice?
All: We do.
L: Let us now affirm our faith in the words of the 
New Creed
All: 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.

The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father……
(Congregation please be seated)
Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: The Lord be with you.
 C: And also with you.




L: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them up to the Lord.
L: Let us give thanks and praise.
C: It is right to give God thanks and praise
L: Blessed are you, our God, Ruler of the universe, Maker of Heaven and earth, Keeper of the sky and sea. At the beginning, your Spirit was at work, brooding over the waters of creation’s birth. Again, and again, you have shown your grace to us through water: Cleansing the earth at the flood, parting of the Exodus at the Red Sea, Flowing from the rock in the wilderness.
C: Blessed are you, O God.
(Pouring and blessing of the water)
L: Therefore, eternal and present God, we thank you for the water with which you bless us. We pray that those who are baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus may live in your grace. Pour out, O God, your Holy Spirit upon us, and upon this water, that this font may become your womb of new birth, our fount of blessing and source of grace.
C: Blessed are you, O God.
L: All Glory, praise, honour be to you, now and forever. Amen.
The Act of Baptism
Marking with the sign of the Cross
Blessing
Congregation Welcome (Unison)
Welcome to Carter Richard Rose and Casey James Rose into the house of faith. We welcome you with joy and thanksgiving.
Carter Richard Rose and Casey James Rose, we welcome you as members of God’s family. We welcome you with love that you may know love. We welcome you with joy that you may know of Christ’s joy. We welcome you by name that you may know who you are. We welcome you by Christ’s name that you may know whose you are. You are part of our family and you will always find a welcome place here.				

Presentation of Certificates                               Clerk