Author: standrewspcancaster

Full Service for Sunday June 22, 2025
“Summer Psalms: Blessed To Be A Blessing”

Message Starts – 19:00

This Sunday we started a new summer series on the Book of Psalms. The Psalms are the prayer and worship book of the Bible and a great spiritual resource for any season of life. Psalm 67 serves as a prayerful reminder that God blesses some so that they may share that blessing with others, and that God’s ultimate goal is to bless all people. This Psalm also invites us to reflect on the nature of blessing; on God as the generous giver of blessings; and to consider how God has blessed us over the course of our lives. The preaching text was Psalm 67. The Gospel reading was Luke 6:20-36.

Preacher: Rev. John Read

All Music Used By Permission
CCLI License # 3046584 | CCLI Streaming: 20546703

Full Service for Trinity & Indigenous Peoples Sunday – June 15, 2025
“Listening to the Spirit”

Message Starts – 21:05

This Sunday we reflected on one of the brighter chapters in the mission of the Presbyterian Church with Indigenous peoples, that has led to a vibrant Indigenous Church in Taiwan. We considered what the ministry of the Rev. George Leslie Mackay can teach us about what might have been done differently here in Canada, and how we can listen to what the Spirit is saying us today as we continue to work towards a better relationship with Canadian Indigenous peoples. The preaching passage was Acts 16:6-15.

Preacher: Rev. John Read

You can learn more about George Leslie Mackay from the Presbyterian Church in Canada Archives: https://presbyterianarchives.ca/150-y…

You can also find a recent article on Mackay’s legacy in Taiwan here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world…

All Music Used By Permission
CCLI License # 3046584 | CCLI Streaming: 20546703

Music and Message for Pentecost and Heritage Sunday – June 8, 2025 “Created and Renewed by the Spirit”

This Sunday we reflected on the specific history of St. Andrew’s and story of how the whole Christian Church was born by the action of God’s Holy Spirit. As we continue to pray and work towards the renewal of our churches we are reminded that the story of any church is guided by the Spirit. The preaching passage was Psalm 104:1-4, 24-35 with reference to Acts 2:1-4.

The message closed with this ancient prayer to the Holy Spirit, which you may also use in your prayer life:

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth. Oh, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of his faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations. Through, Christ, our Lord, Amen.”

Preacher: Rev. John Read

Ministry of Music: “Hold It All”
Words & Music: Gustavo Santos | Laura Fanucci | Leslie Jordan | Matthew Kaemingk
© 2023 Integrity’s Praise! Music; Little Way Creative; Remaining portion is unaffiliated
Used By Permission CCLI License # 3046584 | CCLI Streaming: 20546703

Message for Ascension Sunday – June 1, 2025

We continue our post-Easter trip through the book of Acts, called ‘Raising Up,’ where we look at some of the ways the Resurrection of Jesus raises people up. This week turn back to the story of Jesus’ ascension in Acts 1:1-11 and consider how the Resurrection invites us into a new a different future. This can be exciting, but also a challenge as we so often would prefer God to turn the clock back to the best days from the past.

This message also connects with the 150th Anniversary of the Presbyterian Church in Canada that is now being celebrated as the General Assembly meets here in the city of Hamilton. https://presbyterian.ca/150-years-of-…

Preacher: Rev. John Read

Music for the 6th Sunday of Easter, May 25, 2025

This past Sunday we celebrated with a variety of special music as we celebrated the music ministry of Melodie Zylla, our long-time Director of Worship Arts. Melodie will be moving on to serve in a new role in June, so this will be the last special music posting before the summer. We also hope to have our new Livestreaming system up and running in the next week or two. Check this channel for further details

. “Goodness of God”
Words & Music: Ben Fielding | Brian Johnson | Ed Cash | Jason Ingram | Jenn Johnson |
© 2018 Capitol CMG Paragon; SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia; Fellow Ships Music; So Essential Tunes; Bethel Music Publishing
Used by Permission

“How Great Is The Greatness of God”
Words & Music: Bryan Christopher Fowler | Matt Boswell | Matt Papa
© Getty Music Hymns and Songs; Getty Music Publishing; Living Hymns; Love Your Enemies Publishing; Messenger Hymns
Used by Permission

“Overflow With Hope”
Based on Romans 15:13
Words & Music by Pepper Choplin
© 2024 Lorenz Publishing Company
Used by Permission

CCLI License # 3046584 | CCLI Streaming: 20546703
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Ancaster

Message for Healing & Reconciliation Sunday – May 25, 2025

We continue out post-Easter trip through the book of Acts, called ‘Raising Up,’ where we look at some of the ways the Resurrection of Jesus raises people up. This week we move into Acts 11:19-30 and reflect on how Jesus’ resurrection raises up the possibility of reconciliation between both individuals and groups of people.

This message refers to the work that the Presbyterian Church in Canada has done towards Healing and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples since the 1980s. To learn more about this work and the official documents that have come out of this process go to: https://presbyterian.ca/justice/socia…

Preacher: Rev. John Read

Message for the 5th Sunday of Easter – May 18, 2025

We continue out post-Easter trip through the book of Acts, called ‘Raising Up,’ where we look at some of the ways the Resurrection of Jesus raises people up. This week we move into Acts 11:1-18 and reflect on how Jesus’ resurrection affects how we relate to our neighbours.

Preacher: Rev. John Read

Message for the 4th Sunday of Easter & Mother’s Day – May 11, 2025

This message starts a short post-Easter trip through the book of Acts, called ‘Raising Up.’ Over the next few weeks we’ll be looking at some of the ways the Resurrection of Jesus raises people up.
This week we start in Acts 9:32-43 where we see how Jesus works through the Apostle Peter to raise up a woman named Tabitha (or Dorcas) and what this says about how God raises up women today.

Preacher: Rev. John Read

St. Andrew’s Music Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025

OPENING WORSHIP

“Jesus Christ is Risen Today”
Words: Anonymous (Latin) | Tate and Brady’s New Version (translation) | vs. 4 Charles Wesley | Music: Lyra Davidica 1708, 1749
Words & Music: Public Domain

“Great Things”
Words & Music: Jonas Myrin | Phil Wickham
© Capitol CMG Paragon (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) | Son of the Lion (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) | Phil Wickham Music (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) | Simply Global Songs (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) | Sing My Songs (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC])

CHOIR

“O Blessed Dawn Of Easter’s Day”
Words & Music: William B. Bradbury| Tony Wood ©2015 Wordspring Music,LLC (SESAC)/Tony Wood Songs (SESAC) (Adm. By Wordspring Music, LLC)
Used by Permission CCLI License #3046584 | CCLI Streaming # 20546703

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Ancaster

Message for Easter Sunday – April 20, 2025

This week we reflected on how the resurrection of Jesus gives us hope in the face of death and grief and gives us the courage to live each day as a gift from a generous God. Today’s message was based on Luke 24:1-12 & 1 Corinthians 15:12-26.

Our online service will be on pause for the next 2 weeks while Rev. John Read is off on study leave. But we’ll be back for Mother’s Day on May 11.