Worship Service for May 11, 2025 – Guildwood Community Presbyterian Church

May 11, 2025 – Fourth Sunday of Easter

A livestream of this service will take place on our YouTube channel on Sunday, May 11, at 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time. A video recording of the live stream will be available on our YouTube channel from 6:00 PM EDT on Sunday, May 11.

Previous livestreams and other worship and musical content is available on our YouTube channel. You can also check out our entire worship services archive. Our SoundCloud channel has yet more music and worship content.

We welcome Dr. Hanné Becker as guest music director.

Introit

Prelude

Lighting of the Christ Candle

This is the Christ Candle. We light the candle to help us remember that Jesus Christ, the light of the world, is with us in every place and every time.

Call to Worship

One: With all those in heaven and on earth, let us say together:
All: Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!

One: Let us praise God with joyful hearts:
All: We come before the throne of God to worship day and night.

One: Called together by the Holy Spirit, let us rejoice and sing:
All: We will hunger and thirst no more; Christ brings us eternal life.

Opening Hymn

“For the beauty of the earth” (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 434). Words (1864) by American hymnwriter and poet Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1835–1917). Music (1838; tune: “Dix”) by German musician and composer Konrad Kocher (1786–1872). Harmony by English musician, organist and music editor William Henry Monk (1823–1829). Harmony revised by Canadian organist and Presbyterian hymnbook editor Carman Hilliard Milligan (1909–1999). Words, music and original harmony public domain. Revised harmony copyright © Carman H. Milligan.

Prayers of Approach and Confession, & Lord’s Prayer (sins)

God of the ages, God of today, you are compassion; our cup overflows. You are hope; you lead us into green pastures. You are truth; you lead us beside quiet streams. You are life; you restore our souls. Morning, noon and night, O God, you are the source of our joy. We gather to worship you as one family of your people, honoring you as our Creator, trusting you as our Saviour, celebrating you as the Spirit who gives us life.

Trusting in your compassion and grace, we confess to you our sins: …

Merciful God, we confess we stray from your ways like lost sheep; we follow the devices and desires of our own hearts, ignoring the needs of others and seeking more for ourselves. We judge ourselves more generously than others and fail to offer others the forgiveness we seek from you. Forgive the ways we betray your love, and return us to your paths of truth and mercy.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.

Declaration of Pardon

Christ dwells in our hearts through faith, for we are being rooted and grounded in his love. The forgiveness he offers is a gift of this love. Receive God’s forgiveness with faithful hearts, and be at peace with God, with yourself and with each other.
All: Thanks be to God.

The Peace

One: May the peace of Christ be with us all.
All: And also with you.

The Life and Work of the Church (Announcements)

GCPC Senior Choir presents

“Walking in Sunlight”. Anthem incorporates the hymn “Heavenly Sunlight” with words (1899) by American minister and hymnwriter Henry Jeffreys Zelley (1859–1942) and music (1899; tune: “Sunlight”) by American preacher and composer George Harrison Cook (1864–1948). Cook wrote the tune first and then asked Zelly to write the words. This arrangement (2011) by American composer Mary McDonald (1956–). Words and music public domain. This arrangement copyright © 2011 Lorenz Publishing; used by permission of One License, license number 722141-A.

Fun with the Young at Heart (children’s story)

We sing verse 1 of “Jesus loves me this I know”.

“Jesus loves me, this I know“ (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 373). Words (1859 or 1860) by American writer Anna Bartlett Warner (1827–1915). Revisions to v2 and v3 by Canadian Anglican priest David Rutherford McGuire (1929–1971). Music (1862; tune: “Jesus loves me”) by American musician William Batchelder Bradbury (1816–1868). Words, revisions, and music in the public domain.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 23 <– this links to on-line text of the NRSV bible

Click here for additional scripture readings from today’s lectionary. Links courtesy of the Revised Common Lectionary, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely[e] goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

Sermon

Please, join our Sunday worship service at 11 am, in person or on-line, to hear the full version of the sermon.

Hymn

“The Lord’s my shepherd (Psalm 23)”. (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 11). Words Psalm 23; paraphrase, Scottish Psalter, 1650. Music (1872; tune: “Crimond”) by Scottish amateur hymn composer Jessie Seymour Irvine (1836–1887). Harmony by Thomas Cuthbertson Leithead Pritchard (1885–1960). Descant by W. Baird Ross (1871–1950). Words, music, harmony and descant all public domain.

Offering

May we bring forward our gifts, tithes and offerings.

Offering – Musical Reflection

We remind everyone that we must continue to pay our bills; in the absence of being present at Sunday worship, you may sign up for pre-authorized remittance (PAR), donate online, or drop off your offering envelope in the mailbox at the church. Do not leave a cash donation unattended in the mailbox; instead, please call the office (416.261.4037) to ensure someone will be there to receive it. The building will be checked daily for mail and phone messages. If you are not comfortable leaving an envelope, you are welcome to contact the office (once again, 416.261.4037) and someone will pick up your offering.

Dedication of our Gifts

Our offering will now be received.

Doxology 306

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow” (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 306). Based on the tune “Old 100^th“ with words (1989) by English hymnwriter Brian A. Wren (1936–). Words copyright © 1989 Hope Publishing Co.; used by permission of One License, license number 722141-A. Music public domain.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise God all creatures high and low;
praise God in Jesus fully known,
Creator Word and Spirit One.

Prayer of dedication

Generous God, thank you for all we have received from you in Christ and in creation; your generosity to us overflows. Bless the gifts we bring and use them and us in the service of your reign of justice and peace, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Guide. Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Hope

Shepherding God, you walk with us and show us how to love each other. We now turn to you with our hopes and concerns and love for others in these uncertain times. Draw near to us and to all those for whom we pray, so that your love will be known in the world this day.

Nurturing God, on Christian Family Sunday, we pray for the families we belong to in which we received some reflection of your unconditional love. We thank you for parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, for the generations who started our families and all they gave to us. Today we thank you for all those who mothered us and we pray for loving mothers and fathers throughout the world, especially those in places of conflict and violence who are worried for their children and the future.

Strengthen every caregiver’s hope and courage by the power of your Spirit, and create peace in the world so children can grow up in safety.

God who holds all people in your hands, we pray for families in our community and around the world in these uncertain times. We remember families in need: those struggling with economic upheaval, unemployment and the high cost of living, those who know sorrow because someone has died or gone away, those who live in pain or fear, or face some kind of discrimination.

Surround all people with your love and courage; bring them support from their neighbours, and guide each child and young person into the future.

God of the nations, we pray for the family of nations in this time of threat and conflict. Change the hearts of leaders bent on destruction or conquest, greed and self-promotion. Give wisdom and courage to those who seek justice through negotiation, and protect all those who offer themselves in aid and advocacy work.

Bring peace with justice to this troubled world.

God of love, we pray for each other and for our church family. We give you thanks for the friendship and fellowship we share and the unique gifts each one brings to our life together. Rekindle our energy for ministry and mission and show us our path into the future.

Make us a beacon of hope in your name. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Caring God, the Good Shepherd, guiding us through dark valleys and green pastures, we thank you for your presence with us in all times and situations. Amen.

Closing Hymn

“Will you come and follow me” (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 634). Words (1987) by Scottish hymn-writer and Church of Scotland minister John L. Bell (1949–) and his Scottish hymn-writing partner Graham Maule (1958–2019), both affiliated with the Iona Community. Music (Scottish traditional; tune “Kelvingrove”) arranged in 1987 by Bell. Words copyright © 1987, Iona Community, GIA Publications, Inc., agent; used by permission of One License, license number 722141-A. Music public domain. Arrangement copyright © 1987 GIA Publications; used by permission of One License, license number 722141-A.

Changing the Light

Now, it is time to change the light. The light that was in one place can now be in every place and every time going with you wherever you go.

Benediction

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you always. AMEN.

Blessing

Postlude

Last updated 2025-05-08 20:40 – First version.