HOPE CHURCH BAPTISM OF THE LORD January 13, 2019 ~ 11:00 AM THE APPROACH TO GOD PRELUDE "Square" Fugue Guide me O Thou Great Redeemer Rachel Laurin B. W. Sanders WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP Take Me to the Water choir sings first, congregation repeats African American Spiritual VOTUM AND SENTENCES Our help is in the name of the LORD who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8 Amen. The voice of God resounds upon the water. The Spirit of the LORD hovers over the stream. The Son of God is named, Beloved. And all who worship shout out, Glory! Ascribe to the LORD majesty and strength. Let us worship God in holy splendor. from Psalm 29; Luke 3:21 22 * PROCESSIONAL HYMN Purple #476 Crashing Waters At Creation CRASHING WATERS *SALUTATION *Congregation to rise in body or spirit Bold type indicates congregational response
PRAYER OF CONFESSION Forgive Us, Lord cantor: verses; congregation: response For all the world s injustice, forgive us, Lord. For all of our indifference, forgive us, Lord. As we forgive each other, forgive us, Lord. According to your promise, forgive us, Lord. Deliver us from evil, forgive us, Lord. For joyful service free us, forgive us, Lord. Merciful God, You show us through water and fire; in bread and in wine that you are always with us. In our feasting and in our fasting, In the roar of waves and in the drip of a faucet, In a burning bush and in our burning desires, You are there. In all things, you have not left us alone. Yet, we confess that our hearts feel alone. In your word, you say I will be with you, But in our lives, we act as if we are self-sufficient. Give us humility and trust and take our haughtiness and loneliness. prayer continues in stillness Merciful God, Give us eyes to see your Spirit in our storms. Give us ears to hear your music in our misery. Give us wisdom to see an opportunity when those around us feel failure. Give us maturity to see renewal, when the world gives us floods. Make us continually aware of all the miraculous ways you are at work through us and despite us. Let the awareness of your love for creation spur us to love in the same way. Through Jesus Christ who showed us this love, we pray. Amen. WORDS OF ASSURANCE AND GOD S GUIDE TO GRATEFUL LIVING *ACCLAMATION Purple #482 Baptized in Water BUNESSAN 2
*THE PEACE The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. WORD WITH THE CHILDREN THE WORD OF GOD Children ages 3 through grade 5 leave for Children in Worship PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Come Light, Light of God congregation sings twice THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 43.1-7 p. 585 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. PSALM 29 Purple #10 Sing Glory to the Name of God LASST UNS ERFREUEN THE EPISTLE LESSON Acts 8.14-17 p. 892 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. THE GOSPEL LESSON Luke 3.15-22 p. 834 This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. SERMON Baptism by Fire PRAYER FOR BLESSING ~ silent meditation 3
THE RESPONSE TO GOD *CONFESSION OF FAITH from the Belhar Confession 1986, South Africa We believe in the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who gathers, protects and cares for the Church by Word and Spirit, as God has done since the beginning of the world and will do to the end. We believe in one holy, universal Christian Church, the communion of saints called from the entire human family. We believe that God has entrusted to the Church the message of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ; that the Church is called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world; that the Church is called blessed because it is a peacemaker; that the Church is witness both by word and by deed to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells. We believe that the Church must witness against and strive against any form of injustice, so that justice may roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Jesus is Lord. To the one and only God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be the honor and the glory for ever and ever. LIFE OF HOPE CALL TO PRAYER Take, O Take Me As I Am 4
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION Throughout the prayer the following response will be used: Lord, in your mercy; Hear our prayer.... ending with the Lord s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen. OFFERING Please sign and pass the Fellowship Pad, and pass it back. Offertory Blest Spirit, One with God above Blest Spirit, one with God above, Thou source of life and holy love, O cheer us with thy sacred beams, Refresh us with thy plenteous streams. O may our lips confess thy name, Our holy lives thy praise proclaim, With love divine our hearts inspire, And fill us with thy holy fire. *Doxology Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below; praise God above, ye heavenly host; * Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost, Amen. *or praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen *Prayer of Dedication *RECESSIONAL HYMN Purple #163 Wild and Lone the Prophet s Voice Brahms OLD HUNDREDTH ABERYSTWYTH *BENEDICTION POSTLUDE "Triangle" Fugue Rachel Laurin Those wishing to listen to the postlude are welcome to remain in the sanctuary. Forgive Us, Lord, words and music: George Lockwood 2000 Abingdon Press. Come, Light, Light of God, music and text, The Sisters of the Community of Grandchamp, Switzerland, Words: 2001 Faith Alive Christian Resources music arr. Bert Polman. Take, O Take Me as I Am, music and text by John Bell 1995 Iona Community, admin. GIA Publications, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-70325 5