Thank you Nelson with Elizabeth Waller, family and friends

​Call to Worship    Psalm 111:1-3      

​Great Are the Lord's Works
One: Praise the Lord!
All: I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
       in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
One: Great are the works of the Lord,
         studied by all who delight in them.
All: Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
       and his righteousness endures forever.

​Thanking Nelson     
 For every Lesson you’ve prepared
     The Love of God has been shared.

---

​The Pipers & Nancy      “Here I Am Lord”

I’d like to call Nelson to the front…

Nelson at of the beginning of 2017 you retired from Pulpit Lay Ministry…
In which year did you begin preaching…
-which year did you take the lay minister’s course
-do you have any ideas how many different churches you preached at...

Today we would like to dedicate this service to you …to say thank you for all the times you preached your inspirational sermons to us here in Rockburn.                                                                                 As it is printed in the bulletin today:

Nelson :For every Lesson you’ve prepared, the Love of God has been shared.

We want you to know we are truly grateful and thankful for the work of God, You have so graciously created & shared with us & for the way you have strengthened our Church.

Today, We have talented musicians performing lined up, a poem to be read, we are going to sing some of your favourite hymns with coffee & cookies to follow.  We would also like to present to you a wee thank you gift. (a framed song of “Great is Thy Faithfulness”)                                                            
I found something in the Bible that totally suits this moment:  and it reads    1 Thessalonians 3:9
“How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?”                                                                    
Let us now get this service started by singing   Great is Thy Faithfulness

God of all times and places we thank you that there is no place we can go where your spirit is not already there.  Long before us, you were. Long after us you will be. Here and now, in the sad and in the joyous, in fear and in confidence, in hope and in despair, in beauty and in distress, you are present.  Where you are life is blessed. Love is energized.
 
Courage is discovered.

As we pray for our world and its people, rekindle our belief, not that you will do our bidding, but that you will purify our prayers making them serve your will. Hear us as we bring before you the people whom we love and care for.  (Pause)

Bring the fullness of life to those we love. 

We focus our prayer on people in our communities and in our world that are struggling, we call to mind especially those who are lonely, worried or plagued with anxiety. (Pause)

Bring peace of mind to all who live despair.

We pray for places in our world where there is injustice and hatred. (Pause)

Bring your compassion and kindness to places of brokenness.
We bring before you in silence the prayers that have been on our hearts this week. (Pause)
 
We lift all these prayers to you the name of Jesus who taught us to pray…
 
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 debts, 
as we forgive our debtors.
 
And lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil. 

For thine is the kingdom, 
and the power, and the glory, 
for ever and ever. Amen.

​Joe's poem dedicated to Nelson
​
Nelson

One day I went to church when I wasn’t going to,
and I heard a man with a message, 
and I saw him loud and clear.
You see, it wasn’t the content or the way he said it,
it wasn’t the scripture though he knew it well.

It was the man himself, he spoke like a friend
and I saw in his eyes - I see them clear -
I saw a small twinkle like a jolly Kris Kringle
and I knew that this coming to church to just hear him
was the event of my day, this one holy Sunday.

Now, this man made me feel like I’d known him forever,
and yet I’d just seen him a time or two before.
And this day when he spoke he spoke of a whole people
who suffered together beset by the strong.
I turned to my wife,”Do you remember his name?”
“Who?”

“Who? Why him. The one with the beard like the Baptist.
The one up there in the pulpit, speaking of injustice.
Speaking in a way I picture Christ himself might speak,
kindly, and softly, not like a preacher, but drawing a picture,
more like a neighbour speaking of crops, telling a story
of a great man in Africa, one called Mandela,
who suffered in jail a very long time.”

“No,” she replied, “I don’t remember his name.”

But then he kept talking, and he spoke of his subject again,
this Mandela who suffered more than any ten men should,
but survived, and forgave, and showed the world
the profile of a real Christian, one who perseveres like Job
and loves like Christ…and then…and then I remembered.
The man he referred to with whom he shared a name.

And the name, it was Nelson. And I sighed. 
I was finally satisfied.


- Joe Hevesy, Apr. 2, 2017

​Rob & Gordon:       GARDEN SONG (inch by inch, row by row ----)

Scripture Reading:          

1 Thessalonians 3:9
    “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy
            that we feel before our God because of you?”

Hymn:              # 98 “It Only Takes A Spark”

Message:         “From the desk of God”  ​

From the Desk of God

Effective Immediately:

Please be aware that there are changes you need to make in your life. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill my promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you. I know, I already gave you the 10 Commandments. Keep them. But follow these guidelines as well...

1. QUIT WORRYING

Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST

Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to me. And, although my to-do-list is long, I am, after all, God. I can take care of anything you put into my hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.

3. TRUST ME

Once you've given your burdens to me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on my list. Problem with finances? Put it on my list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For my sake, put it on my list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.

4. LEAVE IT ALONE

Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started? Leave them with me and forget about them. Just let me do my job.

5. TALK TO ME

I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please don't forget to talk to me - OFTEN! I love you. I want to hear your voice. I want you to include me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with me. I want to be your dearest friend.

6. HAVE FAITH

I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in me that I know what I'm doing. Trust me, you wouldn't want the view from my eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

7. SHARE

You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.

8. BE PATIENT

I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places, meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes me a little longer than you expect to handle something on my to-do-list? Trust in my timing, for my timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.

9. BE KIND

Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for my sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical. Please know I love each of your differences.

10. LOVE YOURSELF

As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for one reason only - to be loved, and to love in return. I am a God of Love. Love me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It makes my heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me. Don't ever forget that!

With all my heart, I love you,

GOD

​Norm & Rob:      “You Gotta Walk That Lonesome Valley"

​Hymn:         # 62 “To God Be The Glory”   Mary’s Songbook

 
Benediction & Choral Amen
​     May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope..