Sackville United Church
There is room at the table for everyone...
RITUALS
Communion
The Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, Eucharist—these different terms refer to the same sacrament shared by most Christian denominations, a symbolic meal.
Communion is celebrated at a table that suggests the dining table in our homes. At the communion table, we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the host and all are guests. The meal uses the symbols of small pieces of bread and a taste of wine or juice to remind us of Jesus’ last supper with his followers and of God’s enduring love.
Like other United Church congregations we set an open table where all who seek to follow The Way of Jesus are welcome to share in this simple meal of hope.
A Sunday Gathering
Gathering on Sunday is the tradition of people who follow The Way of Jesus. Gathering in community to sing, support one another, ponder ancient wisdom and hold the world in care and prayer sustains and invigorates us. We follow the liturgical calendar and the ancient liturgy of gathering, listening and responding. When possible there are treats and coffee and conversation both before and after the gathering. The Sunday School meets during the gathering upstairs in the Godly Play area.
Our Sunday Gatherings are lived streamed on Facebook Live and embedded here on this web site. We hope you will join us on Sunday... there is room at the table for everyone!
Birth, Baptism & Confirmation
We welcome the opportunity to celebrate the wonder of life and express our belief that human love is intimately linked with the Mystery we call God.
If you have questions about baptism, are wishing to have your child baptized, or wish to be baptized yourself, or renew your baptismal vows (confirmation), contact our Minister.
Marriage
We are always excited to celebrate with couples the love they have found in relationship. Our Minister works with couples to assist them in creating a marriage service that is unique to their relationship and reflects the values of life-giving community. As an open and affirming congregation we take seriously our desire to support all couples in their relationship beyond the day of celebration. If you are planning a wedding please contact our Minister. Lloyd would be most happy to speak with you.
End of Life
As a community we celebrate the beginning of life with the sacrament of baptism and just as importantly, we mark the end of life with private and public rituals.
Some individuals and families can find it helpful to gather in intentional ways as a loved one nears death and speak words of love and affirmation. If this is something you would like to explore please contact our Minister.
Birth, Baptism & Confirmation
Baptism is a symbolic action that signifies the new life God gives us as we join the church community. Baptism uses water as a symbolic cleansing that signifies the acceptance of new life within the church family. The sacrament of baptism is the single rite of initiation into the Christian community, the church.
As part of the United Church, we offer baptism to persons of all ages. We believe the gift of God's love doesn't depend on our ability to understand it, so we baptize people as infants right up through adulthood. With children, instruction is given to parents or sponsors to equip them for the child's Christian nurture. During the ceremony, which usually takes place during a regular Sunday Gathering, everyone in the congregation pledges support for the child and their parents.
Often, adults who were baptized as children will confirm their faith (Confirmation) or Renew their Baptismal Vows.
If you are seeking baptism for yourself or your child, or would like to confirm or renew your baptismal faith, please speak to the Minister.
Baptism is one of two sacraments celebrated by United Church congregations. A sacrament is a symbolic action, or ritual, by which people of faith encounter the presence and goodness of God.
In a sacrament, ordinary things like water, bread, and wine are used to point us to God and God’s love, reminding us of the sacred in life. In the United Church, we celebrate two sacraments: baptism, the ritual that formally recognizes we belong to the Christian community, and communion, a symbolic meal initiated by Jesus. These sacraments are of central importance to our faith.
The other sacrament we celerbrate is communion. You can read about our celebration of this sacrament here.
