#90Bells

This morning we rang the bell at St. Andrew's-St. Mark's United Church in Long Sault 90 times to mark the 90th anniversary of The United Church of Canada. The bell rang at 10:30 AM, the time that the inaugural worship service of the United Church began on June 10, 1925, as Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalist, and members of local Union churches streamed into the old Mutual Street Arena in Toronto singing "The Church's One Foundation." Many United Church communities of faith across the country are celebrating the anniversary with bell ringing, and as bells aren't as common now as they once were, some are using hand bells, noisemakers or electronic ring tones. Check #90Bells on Twitter to track the commemorations!

This is the prayer used at that inaugural service 90 years ago:

O God, who to an expectant and united church didst grant at Pentecost the gift of the Holy Spirit, and hast wonderfully brought into one fold those who now worship thee here: Grant us the hope of the same Spirit in all our life and worship that we may expect great things from thee, and attempt great things for thee, and being one in thee may show the world that thou didst send Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.