Pentecost is a time of new beginnings.  The church is considered to have begun at Pentecost, when, as indicated in the reading from Acts, the disciples were seen to have been touched by tongues as of fire and empowered to speak the languages of all the various nationalities present in Jerusalem that day.

At St. Andrew’s we are experiencing a new beginning.  Last week our beloved minister of just over 8 years retired and while this has left us all very sad, yet we are excited by the prospect of a new beginning with the new minister that we trust God is calling to minister among us.  While we know that this process will take some time, we are confident that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate promised by Jesus to his followers in the passage from John’s gospel, will guide us through this time of discernment to the beginning of a new ministry here in downtown Kingston.  We also trust that throughout our time of discernment, through the Holy Spirit, we will remain united as one in Christian community and love.

Organ preludes will begin around 10:25 a.m. and the service will commence at 10:30 a.m. This is the link for this morning’s service is  https://youtu.be/Babl9_x0G_k   Previous services can be found on the St. Andrew’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/StAndrewsPresbyterianChurchKingston 
 
Have a look at the Order of Service, notes of the Director of Music, scripture readings, hymn lyrics and announcements below – this electronic form includes hyperlinks for easy connection, but you can print the pages if you wish for reference as the hour unfolds, or even through the week. We invite you to join in worship, study and service as you are able.
 
 

 

Ascension Sunday.

One of our gospel texts sets before us the scene of the Risen Lord leaving his disciples, soon to send the Holy Spirit and knit them together into the Living Body of the Living Lord, the Church. I love how this artist emphasizes not only the dynamic character of the moment, the diversity of the disciples, the light into which Jesus was returning, but in particular the arms stretched wide in blessing (Luke 24:50-53). 

It is a blessing Christians have felt ever since that day. 

But this blessing, then and now, is for a purpose. As made clear at the very beginning of God’s people with Abram and Sarai, we are blessed to become a blessing. And so one gospel scene leads immediately into another, and words from the Sermon on the Mount as treasured by the followers of Jesus after his resurrection and ascension … ‘You are the salt of the earth’ (Matthew 5:13). We conclude this month’s series of images of the Church with this declaration and calling of our Lord. 

When I think about salt, I think about how salt is of no use or value as long as it remains in the salt shaker. Only as it leaves the container can it preserve or enhance our food. Is Jesus suggesting that Christians are called together, but only so we might be shaken out to live in and for this world loved by God? that God is at work in the world beyond the sanctuary, that good exists beyond the Church, and that our ministry as Christians is to identify, enhance and support the good in this world in the service of welcoming God’s realm of justice and peace?

A lot of questions. But also a fullness of blessing.

The last image of every service of worship at St. Andrew’s is of raised arms, and the last words heard are of benediction. As this minister enters into retirement, I thank God for this original and abiding blessing of our Lord, and I pray that this congregation and us all as Christians continue know it and live it.

Organ preludes will begin around 10:25 a.m. and the service will commence at 10:30 a.m. This is the link for this morning’s service is https://youtu.be/fXuLXMBURD0  Previous services can be found on the St. Andrew’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/StAndrewsPresbyterianChurchKingston 
 
Have a look at the Order of Service, notes of the Director of Music, scripture readings, hymn lyrics and announcements below – this electronic form includes hyperlinks for easy connection, but you can print the pages if you wish for reference as the hour unfolds, or even through the week. We invite you to join in worship, study and service as you are able.
 
 

 

An hour of organ, carols and readings as we celebrate the coming of the Holy One in Jesus born in Bethlehem.

With the recent suspension of in-person worship in the sanctuary, this service will be available online only, a ‘reprise’ of last year’s beautifully edited recording, and available at https://youtu.be/eq1KS4J3Spw

 

 

 

 

Saint Simon. James Tissot (circa 1890)

We welcome Reverend Paul Kern to lead us in worship this Sunday.

This Sunday we will be looking at one of Jesus’ apostles – Simon the Zealot.  This is a figure we don’t hear about much, mostly because there is not much said about him in the Scriptures.  What we do know is that he likely joined Jesus with an idea of how God was going to build a kingdom and fix a broken world. Eventually he came to realize that kingdom building was/is far beyond our initial beliefs, and so much more than our zealous passions.

Have a look at the Order of Service below, and join us either in the sanctuary or by live-stream at https://youtu.be/TQVE9aj5MOI  . Organ preludes will begin around 10:25 a.m. and the service will commence at 10:30 a.m. Previous services can be found on the St. Andrew’s Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/StAndrewsPresbyterianChurchKingston

The Order of Service and announcements can be found below, with the hymns printed out further down the page. 

Download (PDF, 372KB)

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Stock image from The Worship Center World Headquarters Inc. from facebook.com/twcworldhdq/photos.

 

We welcome Reverend Stephen Kendall, Principal Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, to lead us in worship this Sunday. Have a look at the Order of Service below, and join us either in the sanctuary or by live-stream at  https://youtu.be/B4Qh63akSNc . Organ preludes will begin around 10:25 a.m. and the service will commence at 10:30 a.m. Previous services can be found on the St. Andrew’s Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/StAndrewsPresbyterianChurchKingston

The Order of Service and announcements can be found below, with the hymns printed out further down the page. 

Download (PDF, 368KB)

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Uncredited stained glass window in the chapel at Val du Charron, Wellington, RSA

We welcome Reverend Nancy Hancock to lead us in worship this Sunday. Have a look at the Order of Service below, and join us either in the sanctuary or by live-stream at https://youtu.be/MSL1SdP10zQ . Organ preludes will begin around 10:25 a.m. and the service will commence at 10:30 a.m. Previous services can be found on the St. Andrew’s Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/StAndrewsPresbyterianChurchKingston

The Order of Service and announcements can be found below, with the hymns printed out further down the page. 

Download (PDF, 369KB)

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Joshua Passing the River Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant. Benjamin West. 1800

“Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15

We welcome Rev Harry Klassen to lead us in worship again this Sunday. Have a look at the Order of Service below, and join us either in the sanctuary or by live-stream at   https://youtu.be/Zg1IXD6RMuo  Organ preludes will begin around 10:25 a.m. and the service will commence at 10:30 a.m. Previous services can be found on the St. Andrew’s Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/StAndrewsPresbyterianChurchKingston

The Order of Service and announcements can be found below, with the hymns printed out further down the page. 

Download (PDF, 600KB)

Download (PDF, 123KB)