“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:14 (NRSV)
Here are the links for Sunday, September 21, 2025 worship service. Note that it is broken into two parts:
Part 1: https://youtu.be/qqRqFo9mRi0
Part 2: https://youtu.be/e3YPM0AzQSU
Sunday, September 28 2025 – Worship 10:45 a.m. Orange Shirt Sunday
Scripture to Ponder & Prayer
Fourth Week in September 2025
“A week when we remember those children who never returned home”
Scriptures for this week:
Jeremiah 32:1–3, 6–15; Psalm 91:1–6, 14–16;
1 Timothy 6:6–19; Luke 16:19–31
To Ponder:
Jeremiah 32:1–3, 6–15; Luke 16:19–31
A Brief Reflection
When Jeremiah was imprisoned for speaking God’s truth (Jeremiah 32:1–3), he was asked by God to do something surprising—buy a field, an act of hope in the midst of despair. The land transaction became a sign that God’s promise of restoration was greater than the destruction around them. Jeremiah’s obedience showed that even in the darkest times, God’s future is one of renewal and life.
In Luke 16:19–31, Jesus tells of a rich man who ignored Lazarus, a poor man at his gate. The parable is a stark reminder that ignoring the suffering of others has eternal consequences. It challenges us to see the dignity of those who are overlooked and to live lives of compassion and justice.
Phyllis Webstad’s story mirrors both the loss and the promise found in these scriptures. At six years old, her orange shirt—given with love by her grandmother—was taken away at residential school. That shirt became a symbol of her worth being denied, of her identity being stripped, and of the deep wounds inflicted upon Indigenous children, families, and communities.
Yet today, the orange shirt has become a sign of hope and truth-telling. Just as Jeremiah’s field purchase spoke of a future of restoration, the wearing of orange reminds us that “Every Child Matters.” It is a collective act of remembering, honoring, and committing ourselves to reconciliation.
As we mark Orange Shirt Day, may we see the face of Lazarus in Phyllis and in all survivors of residential schools. May we acknowledge the wounds of the past, and may our actions today sow seeds of justice, healing, and restored dignity.
A Question to Hold:
· Where is God calling me to listen deeply, act compassionately, and invest in the hope of reconciliation, even when it feels costly or uncomfortable?
Let us pray …
God of truth and reconciliation,
we remember the children who never came home,
and we honor the survivors who still carry deep wounds.
Open our eyes to the cries we might ignore,
open our hearts to the healing work you call us to,
and open our hands to sow justice and hope.
May the seeds we plant today grow into a future
where every child matters, and every life is cherished. Amen.
Come with an Orange Shirt this Sunday
We invite everyone to wear an orange shirt to remember and honour the children of Residential Schools and to affirm that every child matters. Orange Shirt Day began with the story of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwpemc woman, who had her new orange shirt taken away on her first day at St. Joseph Mission Residential School. She, like many others, cried herself to sleep, far from home, with no one to listen or show compassion.
Trinity United Church 