Theme: Grow Strong, Raised in Hope
Liturgist:
Theme Scripture for January: Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars,
O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise.Selah
Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!Selah
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.
For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.
Sermon Scripture for today: Luke 2:22-40
When
the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of
Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the
Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn
male is to be consecrated to the Lord”,
and
to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the
Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
Now
there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and
devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy
Spirit was on him.
It
had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die
before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Moved
by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents
brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law
required,
Simeon
took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign
Lord, as you have promised,
you
may now dismiss
your
servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which
you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation
to the Gentiles,
and
the glory of your people Israel.”
The
child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
Then
Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is
destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be
a sign that will be spoken against,
so
that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will
pierce your own soul too.”
There
was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of
Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years
after her marriage,
and
then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple
but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
Coming
up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke
about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of
Jerusalem.
When
Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
And
the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the
grace of God was on him.
Preparing for Worship
Chimes
Welcome & Announcements
Prelude
Words of Preparation
Hymn of Praise: Blue #4 Great Is the Lord
Call to Worship:
Leader:
How lovely is the dwelling place of God almighty!!
People:
Our souls long, we even faint for the courts of the Lord!
Leader:
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where
she may lay her young,
at the altars of our God.
People:
Our hearts sing! We rise to dance for joy to the living God!
Invocation
The Lord's Prayer
Gloria Patri
A Time for Offering
Call to Offering
Offering Meditation
The Doxology
Prayer of Dedication
We Join in Prayer
Prayer Concerns & Celebrations
Morning Prayer
We Contemplate & Live God's Word
Children's Sermon
Choir Anthem: Angels Sing (Whitman)
Scripture:
Sermon
Invitation to Discipleship
Hymn of Invitation: Red #381 Open My Eyes, That I May See ALL
Gathering at the Lord's Table
Call to Communion
Hymn of Communion: Red #92 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Prayers of Thanksgiving
Words of Institution
Breaking Bread & Pouring the Cup
Musical Meditation
Partaking of the Lord's Supper
We Depart to Serve
Benediction
Parting Hymn: Red #382 Be Thou My Vision st. 1
Postlude
