Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Love Is As Love Does

Transcription

1 Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Love Is As Love Does

2 The Prologue The Lord's Day Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Love Is As Love Does Ten O'clock in the Morning The Worship of God THE SERVICE OF PREPARATION Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of the conscience by God's holiness; the nourishment of the mind with God's truth; the purifying of the imagination by God's beauty; the opening of the heart to God's love; the surrender of the will to God's purpose and all of this gathered up in adoration. ~ William Temple In today's Witness from the Epistles in I Corinthians, we read some of the apostle Paul's most familiar and famous words. They are recognizable to all of us, even if we have not attended a traditional wedding!!! Albeit a bit early for Valentine's Day, these poetic words, describing the love expressed in beloved faith community, remind us of the way God longs for all humanity to relate. In a world so lacking in love, we gather around the sacred table once more, a symbolic reminder that we are united in God's love. As we celebrate the Eucharist this day, communing with one another through elements of bread and wine, may we be inspired to become more loving in our living as we continue to engage, inform, and inspire the world around us. Love is as love does! Gathering Music The Greeting The Spirit of the still speaking God be with you! And also with you. The Call to Worship and Welcome The Music for Organ Prelude George F. Handel The Lighting of the Altar Candles The Opening of the Lectern Bible The Gathering 1 Come and worship the One in whom we place our trust! Praise the One who delivers and rescues us, our rock and our refuge, a strong fortress always going before us. Gathered here, we place our hope in the One who created us, open to the One who knows us at the depths of our being! The Holy One accepts us just as we are, affirming us no matter what, giving us tasks to perform and the strength to do them! God's word of love is ours to proclaim, even as we embrace the mysteries of faith! We are here to worship the One who empowers us! Let us worship God!

3 The Choral Introit There's a Spirit in the Air Chancel Choir There's a spirit in the air, telling Christians everywhere: "Praise the love that Christ revealed, living, working in our world!" Lose your shyness, find your tongue! Tell the world what God has done: God in Christ has come to stay. Live tomorrow's life today. When believers break the bread, when a hungry child is fed, Praise the love that Christ revealed, living, working, in our world! Brian Wren The Collect 2 God of love, we have gathered in this sacred setting to render our praise, to worship the One in whose name we have been consecrated for discipleship and service; encounter us in this hour, that we may grow in knowledge and in action; disturb our certainties this day, that we might be opened to new insights, upsetting our priorities to make room for faith, hope, and love, expanding our horizons to encompass ideas we have never before entertained; open our hearts to people we have failed to welcome into our midst, perfecting among us that childlike trust that allows change to transform us in the presence of Your love; all this we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the holy and still speaking Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. THE SERVICE OF PRAISE t The Processional Hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling BEECHER 2

4 t The Litany of Praise 3 The Holy One invites us into the healing presence of God, our rock and our refuge, a strong fortress undergirding our faith! God knew us before we were born, summoning us even in our youth in service to God! Our rock and refuge, You are a fortress rescuing us from injustice, cruelty, and wickedness! We are touched by God's holiness! God touches our lips, putting words in our mouths, commanding us to speak, removing all our fears! In God we place our hope and trust, the One who meets us where we are and leads us to times of witness and praise! Revelation comes in unexpected places, meeting our needs, empowering us for service! Praise the Lord! t The Gloria GREATOREX THE SERVICE OF CONFESSION The Call to Confession 4 Arrogance, envy, harsh words, empty hands, pleasure in doing what we know is wrong these are the negative images that sometimes describe our lives. Let us confess in faith, trusting in the help that God's love restores us and makes us whole. In the silence and stillness of our moments together, let us confess before the Holy. 3

5 The Silent Confession The Corporate Confession 5 Let us pray to the Lord: Rock and refuge, our fortress, sometimes we are unable to speak words of hope because we listen to purveyors of fear. It is often difficult to be loving because our role models are ridicule and anger. On occasion, we are unfaithful to You because at an early age we learned to trust the promises of the false prophets who entice us with their simple thoughts. Even so, You are willing to forgive us. We lift our prayers to You, praying You would pour out Your forgiving mercy upon us. May faith abide in us, that we might serve others even as You have served us. May hope abide in us, that we might surround the broken with Your compassion and grace! May love abide in us, not only in these moments in which we acknowledge our brokenness, but in every moment of our lives, even as we abide in Christ Jesus. The Kyrie arr. David N. Johnson The Assurance of Pardon 6 Beloved faith community, hear the good news! The good news is, in God our fortress, we find a safe place for our lives. In God's forgiveness, we are offered the healing we so desperately need. In God's acceptance, we discover the love which abides in us through the presence of the still speaking spirit! Thanks be to God! THE SERVICE OF THE WORD The Witness from the Hebrew Scriptures * JEREMIAH 1:4-10 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you! I appointed you a prophet to the nations! Then I said, Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy! But the Lord said to me, Do not say, I am only a boy! For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. Then the 4

6 command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. Then the Lord's hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant! Listen to what the Spirit of the still speaking God is saying. Thanks be to God! The Response, PSALM 71 In You, O Lord, I Put My Trust ST. PETER The Witness from the Epistles * I CORINTHIANS 13:1-13 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient! Love is kind! Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude! It does not insist on its own way! It is not irritable or resentful! It does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth! It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things! Love never ends! But as for prophecies, they will come to an end. As for tongues, they will cease. As for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part. But when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways! For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part. Then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three! And the greatest of these is love! Listen to what the Spirit of the still speaking God is saying. Thanks be to God! t The Sequence Hymn Loving Spirit OMNI DIE 5

7 * There will be a break between verse two and verse three for the reading of the Gospel. It is read in the midst of the beloved faith community, reminding the congregation that the gospel is for all people, and that our call is to carry out its witness in the world. At this high point in the liturgy, the Gospel is not worshipped, but rather is reverenced with respect as it proclaims the ministry and mission of Jesus, represented in words attributed to Jesus. t The Witness from the Gospels* LUKE 4:14-21 Then [Jesus] began to say to them, Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His mouth. They said, Is not this Joseph s son? He said to them, Doubtless you will quote to Me this proverb, Doctor, cure yourself! And you will say, Do here also in Your hometown the things that we have heard You did at Capernaum. And He said, Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land. Yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl Him off the cliff. But He passed through the midst of them and went on His way. The Gospel for Today. Thanks be to God! THE SERVICE OF COMMITMENT The Service of Installation 7 Within the whole family of God on earth, the Church appears wherever believers in Christ Jesus are gathered in His name. This congregation manifests itself as Christ's Church as a local beloved faith community bound together for worship, for fellowship, and for service. To this end, we are structured for mission and ministry, witness and mutual discipline, and for the nurture and renewal of our members. God graces our church with leaders equipped for its work by gifts of the holy and still speaking Spirit. Today, we rejoice in the rich blessings of God as represented in the leaders who have been called to Christ's service and who now acknowledge this calling by the dedication of their lives to Christ's servant ministry. The apostle Paul, in writing to the church at Corinth, reminds us of the way various members of the church function in mutual responsibility toward one another in the life of a congregation: 6

8 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of services, but the same Lord. And there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ~ I CORINTHIANS 12:4-7 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as God chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. ~ I CORINTHIANS 12:12-20 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ~ I CORINTHIANS 12:27 The Charge to the Candidates Some among us are charged with the mission, ministry, and outreach of the church, including members of the Diaconate. They are gifted with a grasp of the gospel exemplified in word and deed. They give disciplined expression of the faith in teaching and in praying at the Lord's table. They have a vision for the SouthShore Church and its mission and ministry, and are dedicated to expressing it in wise counsel. They are gifted with the ability to assist in the ministration of the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. They assist in pastoral care and in spiritual discipline. They fulfill administrative responsibilities in the conduct of the work of the SouthShore Church. Some among us are Trustees. They serve faithfully to represent the will of the SouthShore Church in all of its legal and fiduciary actions. They oversee the administration of our facility and our finances. Some among us are Officers. They serve in leadership capacities as the church seeks to fulfill its ministry under the headship of Christ. They seek to build up SouthShore United Church of Christ in every way. The Litany of Installation Let us remember the model of leadership provided by our Lord, who came not to be served but to serve, and who said to His disciples, "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all." 7

9 Candidates: In Christ's name and by His grace, we accept our mission of witness and service to all people. Let us remember the unity that God has given us: one body, one spirit, one hope of our calling! One Lord, one faith, one baptism! One God and creator of all, over all, through all, and in all! Candidates: We rejoice in God, maker of heaven and earth, and in the covenant of love which binds us to God and to one another. Let us remember the church we are chosen to serve using the gifts with which we are equipped "for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ." Candidates: We are joined together in discipleship and in obedience to Christ. Let us remember the commission, the head of the Church gave His followers to go into all the world witnessing, making disciples, baptizing, teaching, and serving, and realize that charge is intended for those who would lead SouthShore United Church of Christ. Candidates: In the bonds of Christian faith we yield ourselves to God that we may serve the One whose realm has no end. Do you now gladly accept the particular office to which you have been elected, and do you promise to fulfill its duties? Candidates: I do, the Lord being my helper. We thank You, God, for these who have accepted special servant roles in a particular part of the church. We see gifts in them that can be put to good use in building up the body of Christ and in the ministry of reconciliation. Preserve the resolve each of these servants has at this moment. All: Amen and Amen! The Hymn of Installation Lord, Make Us Servants CANONBURY 8

10 The Prayer of Installation Let us pray to the Lord: Gracious God, we rejoice that You have called us to be Your people in this time and place. Help us to fulfill the mission and ministry to which You call us as we seek to know what faithfulness in You requires of us. Strengthen the resolves that have been made in this sacred setting, upholding Your leaders with hope and encouragement that they may endure every frustrating difficulty. Fill this congregation with Your loving, holy and still speaking Spirit that each may work together harmoniously and that all members work together for the common good and to Your glory. We pray in Christ's name. Amen. The Declaration In the name of Christ Jesus, the head of the Church, and by the authority of this congregation, I declare you properly installed to your respective offices for the terms to which you have been called. Amen. The Blessing May grace and peace abound in you in abundance and in the knowledge of God and of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. t The Eucharistic Hymn Come and Feast, for All Are Welcomed REGENT SQUARE 9

11 t The Peace The peace of Christ be always with you. And also with you. The Concerns of the Church David Lickfeldt The Pastoral Prayer The Receiving of Our Gifts The Offertory Anthem With Grateful Heart arr. Mark Schweizer Chancel Choir With grateful heart my thanks I bring, before the throne Thy praise I sing! I worship in Thy holy place, and praise Thee for Thy truth and grace. O Lord, enthroned in glory bright, Thou reignest in the heavenly height. Thy truth and grace together sing in Thy most holy word divine. The work Thou hast for me begun, shall by Thy grace be fully done. For ever mercy dwells with Thee. O Lord, my God, abide with me! t The Doxology OLD HUNDREDTH t The Presentation of Our Gifts 10

12 t The Prayer of Thanksgiving Loving God! We have no need to speak in tongues, but only to offer words of encouragement. We do not have to be know-it-alls, but what we do know is our need to be about the work of lifting burdens from those around us. We do not need to give everything, but with our generosity, we will join our gifts with those of others to reach out in love to those who have little or nothing. Amen! t The Greeting 8 May the God of love be with you! And also with You. THE SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION t The Sursum Corda (Lift up your hearts.) 9 Do not be afraid to offer your hearts to God. We do so, knowing they will be filled with God's love. Always and forever, let us praise our God! In every time and space, we offer our praises to the One who abides in us and in all creation! You could have spoken any tongue, loving God, but You silenced the cacophony of chaos with the simple words, "let there be," and creation, in all its goodness and beauty, sprang forth from the depths of your heart. Mysteriously, You chose to create us in Your image, knowing the risk that we might reject You. Unfortunately, we often have, placing our faith in death, learning more about its darkness than we ever dared dream. Empowered with Your words, prophets came to remind us of the consequences of our turning from You. It was as if we loved darkness and death more than Your goodness and grace. We ignored the advice offered in the law of Your covenant, the relationship You intended for us, gaining for us absolutely nothing! Even so, You gave us the priceless treasure of Your heart, fully embodied in Christ Jesus, teaching us how to live, love, and learn of You in relationship with one another. t The Sanctus 10 With those who worry they cannot do what You ask, with those who believe Your word is fulfilled, we join our voices in singing Your praises: Holy, holy, holy, awesome voice of life and hope. All creation resounds with Your wondrous love. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the One who comes to be baptized with water and the Spirit. Hosanna in the highest! 11

13 t The Sanctus LAND Holy, Holy, Holy OF REST As patient as ten thousand years of sun rises, a mere blip of eternity, as gracious as grace can be, Jesus showed us love in so many ways. He never blew His own horn or wished He was someone else! He never bullied the vulnerable, never whined, and avoided every grudge. He did not look the other way when we were foolish, encouraging everyone to own up to their mistakes. He picked up all our burdens. He trusted everyone the world discounts. He looked beyond all our fears as well as His own, taking on everything evil and death had to offer in order that everyone might experience God's resurrection love. The Words of Institution 11 Your love has never retired, eternal God of love, but Your still speaking Spirit is poured out in gifts on this Table and upon those gathered around it. This bread, though broken, will feed us that we might be able to bear the brokenness of those around us, believing in all those doubted by the world. The cup of wine, containing faith, hope, and love, will send us into the world to serve in the belief that justice is our future. May grace abound and endure until peace becomes reality rather than fantasy. And when we run out of things to say and words drift away, with even much more to learn, when Your fullness comes and all the pieces of life fall into place, Your children will see You clearly, God in beloved faith community, Holy in One. We long for everyone to know You as You know us, rejoicing that Your steadfast love, the grace of Jesus, and the Spirit's hope rest forever in Your love even as we all will. 12

14 The Acclamation 12 We may not have prophetic powers! We may not know as much as we think we do! But we can speak of that mystery of faith: God's word came, offering His life in faith, even to death on a cross! God's word comes to offer resurrection hope to all! God's word will continue to come, bringing love for each one of God's children! The Prayer of Consecration 13 Let us pray to the Lord. God who first loved us, we give You thanks for tangible elements reminding us of the great mystery found in bread and wine, a Eucharistic feast broken and poured out as symbols of Your steadfast love, abiding grace, and abundant mercy. Fill us with Your love that comes through Your holy and still speaking Spirit as we gather around this table of gracious goodness. Even as You nurture us with holy food and drink, we pray this spiritual sustenance will satiate our hearts and minds for a life of loving and faithful living in You. All this we pray in the name of the One who loves us unconditionally, Christ Jesus our Lord! Amen. The Lord's Prayer And now, with confidence as the children of God in beloved faith community, let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught with words like these: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Alleluia. The Table has been set and Christ invites us to join Him here. Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia. Communion will be served by intinction at the Chancel. You are invited to come forward to receive the Eucharist. If you prefer, a member of the Diaconate will be glad to serve you at your pew. Wine is offered from the Pulpit or Gospel side, while grape juice is available from the Lectern or Epistle side. Individually-wrapped gluten-free wafers are available. Everyone is invited to partake of the elements as you receive them. The Invitation to the Table The Sharing of the Eucharist 13

15 The Music for Communion I Come with Joy arr. Brian Wren Chancel Choir I come with joy, a child of God, forgiven, loved and free, the life of Jesus to recall, in love laid down for me, in love laid down for me. I come with Christians far and near to find, as all are fed, the new community of love in Christ's communion bread, in Christ's communion bread. As Christ breaks bread, and bids us share, each proud division ends. The love that made us, makes us one, and strangers now are friends, and strangers now are friends. Together met, together bound by all that God has done, we'll go with joy, to give the world the love that makes us one, the love that makes us one. The Music for Organ Largo John Keeble The Post-Communion Prayer 14 Let us pray to the Lord. God of immense love, we give You thanks for this holy sacrament and for the grace we receive in this holy communion. Thank You for feeding us with holy food and quenching our thirst with Your libation, poured out for all people. Embolden us with these Eucharistic elements of bread and wine, and with the nourishment of Your abiding love, that we might boldly go forth with Your still speaking Spirit into the world to serve You and our neighbor. All this we pray in the name of the One who loves us Amen! The Dismissal Let us go forth in Christ. Thanks be to God! THE SERVICE OF DISCIPLESHIP t The Processional Hymn Christian Hearts in Love United HYMN TO JOY 14

16 t The Closing of the Lectern Bible t The Extinguishing of the Altar Candles t The Benediction 15 God touches our mouths! Let us go and share good news! Jesus touches our hands! Let us go and serve everyone in need of life and hope! The Spirit touches our hearts! Let us go and welcome those longing for acceptance and love! Amen and Amen! The Music for Organ t Those who are able are invited to stand. Allegro Dietrich Buxtehude Rev. Dr. Timothy W. Shirley, Senior Minister Mr. Thomas Desmond, Director of Music Ms. Cynthia Creel, Organist Dr. Jo-Anne Winslow, Administrative Secretary Mrs. Jo Prater, Moderator Dr. Shirley timwshirley@gmail.com Phone: (813) Fax: (813) Mr. Desmond southshoreuccmusic@gmail.com Mrs. Prater southshoreucc@aol.com Church uccscc1@gmail.com Church Website: uccsuncitycenter.org Community Church College communitychurchcollege@gmail.com Community Church College Website: 4lifelearning.org February 3, 2019