For the month of February, all WTUC services will be held through Zoom.
To celebrate the month of Valentine’s Day, the speakers will share on the topic of relationships:
Join us on Zoom on Sunday mornings, 10:00 JST at https://scad.zoom.us/j/99371434588
We invite you to join the West Tokyo Union Church family on Sunday at 10:00 am as we share together the ways in which God has taught us to “Sing a New Song” during this past many months of dealing with a pandemic reality. Our message will be an “open mic” time where we can share our thoughts, joys and struggles with each other as a community. Hamlet and some of Ruth’s puppet friends will start off the sharing time. Sounds like they might have a new song to sing.
Open Mic Points to Ponder:
2. “Love one another,” says Jesus. How has this become easier or harder during this past year? What have you learned about loving others?
The Bible readings for this sixth Sunday of Easter are as follows:
Psalm 98 —
Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
John 15: 9 – 17 — “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”
We hope to see you online on Sunday morning!
Join us! Note the change in worship time from 11 to 10. The message, “Lent: Nourishment for Your Soul,” will be preached by Rev. Paul Shew.
West Tokyo Union Church is a family of believers. We are especially aware at this point in our church history that the church is not a building. The church is people.
As was decided at our all-congregational meeting, we will be starting weekly Zoom worship services using a slightly less formal format.
Preaching and scripture reading responsibilities will be shared. We will include some liturgy and our organist will provide music for the hymns. Sunday, February 21 is the first Sunday in Lent. We hope that our members in Japan and even previous members now living in other parts of the world will be able to join us as we share in a Zoom worship gathering of believers.
PRELUDE (Kazuko)
WELCOME AND CALL TO WORSHIP
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Unison: And also with you.
OPENING SCRIPTURE Psalm 25:1-10 (lay reader A — xxxx)
Hymn #57 O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
PRAYER (lay person B — xxxx)
(Can start with prayer in own words, then conclude with:
Beloved friends, in this season of repentance and healing, we accept God’s invitation to be ever-mindful of the needs of others, offering our prayers on behalf of God’s community in the church and the world.
Fill us with your strength to resist the seductions of our foolish desires and the tempter’s vain delights, that we may walk in obedience and righteousness, rejoicing in you with an upright heart. And now we pray together the pray our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to pray, saying:
THE LORD’S PRAYER in unison
HYMN #292 What Wondrous Love is This
OFFERING- Donate online
OFFERTORY PRAYER (lay person C — xxxx)
Sample prayer:
Dear God, we thank you for this community, the Church. Together we are your body in this world, and we thank you that we are able to contribute to the Church with our tithes and offerings. We are giving and setting aside offerings in different ways now, but we know that you transcend time and distance. You are the one who binds our hearts and intentions together into your perfect plan. We ask that you would consecrate and bless our offerings and service to the glory of Your Kingdom. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
SCRIPTURE Genesis 9:8-17 (lay person A) Mark 1:9-15 (lay person C)
MESSAGE “Lent: Nourishment for your Soul†By Rev. Paul Tsuchido Shew
HYMN #298 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
BENEDICTION or CLOSING PRAYER (Paul)
POSTLUDE (Kazuko)
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS (Malcolm)
FELLOWSHIP TIME (or people can feel free to leave)