TAPESTRY UCW WORSHIP RESOURCES

CALL TO WORSHIP

One: We bring to this time, the threads of our history,

All : And we offer them in remembrance.

One: We bring to this time the threads of our present story,

All: And we offer them in celebration.

One: We bring to this time the threads of our story yet untold,

All: And we offer them in hope. Let us worship together.

PRAYER OF APPROACH

God of all time, we come to this place and this time and we meet to offer our praise and our thanksgiving. The past has been lived in your presence, the present is in your care, and the future is known only to you. We come today honouring fifty years of witness, study, fellowship and service, and we gather to rejoice in the wonderful story of the United Church Women.

Be with us today as we celebrate all that has been and all that is yet to be. In the sure knowledge of your presence we pray. Amen.

Hymn: “Dear Weaver of our Lives’ Design” VU #623

A Litany of Celebration.

Reader One:

We bring to this table golden threads and they remind us of our history. Throughout the story of the work of women in the United Church of Canada, there is a rich pattern of work done by the UCW. Our history is made up of many stories; the stories of women who struggled and prayed and worked ; the stories of churches where the Good News was told and enacted; the stories of the United Church Women across this country, serving meals, baking pies, sewing, studying, responding to need around the world.

This golden thread of our history gives luster and richness to the fabric of our tapestry of love.

Reader Two:

We bring to this table blue threads and they speak of our present. Blue reminds us of the sky and the waters of God’s creation, but blue can also mean truth, honesty, and justice. Through our work we honour all of creation, and we work in truth and honesty, striving for justice for all. Our fabric is filled with meaning and with story. We know the stories of churches where women nurture the young, support the elderly and offer their gifts of time, talent and money. The Mission and Service fund of the United Church is generously supported by the UCW, and the local congregations receive their loving support in many ways. Women of the UCW enact their love of God, church and each other every day.

This blue adds colour and beauty to the fabric of our tapestry of love.

Reader Three:

We bring to this table pure white threads and they speak of the future. No story has yet been written to add colour to the design, but the white threads speak to us of our untold story as we move into the future under the leadership of God. The future is a fabric whose colours and patterns have not yet been revealed, but it will be woven with love just as the rich and colourful patterns from our past and our present have been. It will be a tapestry that is strong and vibrant with life, and promise. This new tapestry will be woven with love and prayer and the labour of many hands. We weave white threads of hope into our tapestry of love.

HYMN “A Tapestry of Love” by Dianna Chappell, Brian Stevens.

Scripture Psalm 95: 1-7

Romans 8: 28, 31, 32, 35, 37-39

These passages were read at many of the inaugural services of the UCW in 1962. Or any others you choose.

Message….

This could be a sermon by one speaker. It could also be a dialog or simple drama telling the story of the work of the women of the UCW in the church. Suggestions available from betty.turcott@sympatico.ca

Let Us Pray.

Add to this prayer and adapt it to suit the congregation.

God of all times and places, we thank you for those who have laid a strong foundation on which we can build. Their names and their stories are written in many places, but always they are written on our hearts. We remember them and we offer our humble thanks for their lives and their witness.

God of the present time, we experience in our work and service the presence of the Spirit. We rejoice that we can gather together to work toward the coming of your community of justice and peace. There are many different strands to our work, and we offer them to you, to each other, to the church and to the world, in loving commitment to our purpose and your commandments.

God of tomorrow, we step into the future, not knowing what colours will be woven into our tapestry. But we know that you walk with us, and you are the great weaver of our lives’ design, and we entrust our lives and our work to you.

Give us wisdom, courage, hope and joy as we continue to weave together our tapestry of love.

We pray in the name of Jesus who taught us to say together ... Our Father …

Benediction.

The UCW benediction could be used or any suitable prayer.

Suggested Hymns

“An Anniversary Hymn” by Betty Turcott

“A Tapestry of Love” by Dianna Chappell, Brian Stevens.

“Weave Us Together God” by Rosemary Crowe

“Dear Weaver of Our Lives’ Design” Voices United #623

The following are some options for a visual symbol of weaving or tapestry.

Table cloths in the three colours can be carried forward and placed in view of the congregation during the litany.

OR

If you wish to create a weaving or a tapestry for this litany here are some options. If you have a weaver then perhaps she can create something. Or strips of fabric, heavy yarn, ribbon or paper could be used to fill in the weaving. They could be brought forward and used to create a simple weaving. Three women would be readers and then create the weaving. If preferred other women could be the weavers. The weaving can be easily done on a cardboard rectangle that is large enough to be seen (18” x 24) one inch slits are cut into the top and bottom and pre-strung with strong cord. The fabric strips are then woven between the cords. The weaving can continue during the hymns and at any other appropriate times. What ever is chosen, you might wish to alter the words of the litany.

OR

A piece of weaving could have been prepared in advance and simply brought forward and displayed.