Ministry Team commissioning

During worship on 3rd June our Ministry Team reformed with two new members – Janet Hogan, as our Interim Student Support worker with responsibility for the YUCY (youth group) program and Valentina Satvedi Leydon, as our Student House Support Worker with responsibility for the 10 young adults who live in our student houses on Brunswick Rd.

They join Ian Ferguson, our Minister of the Word, Peter Blair, our Olive Way Co-ordinator and Janet Watson Kruse, our interim Children & Families worker.

Janet Watson Kruse was informally blessed and welcomed to her role in May and so joined Janet and Valentina in the formal commissioning and blessing that took place during the service.

In the act of commissioning Ian invited us to pray in silence for Janet, Janet and Valentina and then prayed

By the Holy Spirit, O God,
give strength to your servants Janet, Janet and Valentina
and set their hearts on fire with love for you.
Increase in them your gifts of grace:
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and wonder in your presence,
the spirit of joy and delight in your service,
now and for ever.
Amen.

Together we sang the very beautiful blessing song ‘May God’s Sheltering Wings’.

May God’s sheltering wings,
her gathering wings protect you.
May God’s nurturing arms,
her cradling arms sustain you.
And hold you in her love,
And hold you in her love.

by Judith Snowdon, from More Voices, United Church of Canada, Woodlake Publishing Inc.
Reproduced with permission under ONE LICENCE # 604502