St. Paul s United Church of Christ A welcoming Christ-centered community...
The Baptism of Christ January 13 th, 2019 9:30 am Worship We re Glad You re Here! Welcome: No matter where you are on life s journey, you are welcome here! More than words, this statement is a reflection of the truth that we are all here because of God s love, grace, and mercy. This is a community held together by the honesty of our shared brokenness and the healing we receive through Christ. Get Connected: Use the Connection Card, signup online for the weekly E-news or monthly Newsletter, like us on Facebook, give us a call, or send an email. It is our joy to journey with you! Restrooms: These are located on the basement level of the church. Either go through the double doors in the front of the sanctuary and turn right to go downstairs, or use the stairwell in the back of the sanctuary and then walk through the fellowship hall. Children: Children of all ages are welcome within the worship service, so that may grow in God s love. (We readily expect to hear their presence and recognize their occasional need for a break from the worship space.) Children s activity bags, for use during worship, are available by both entrances to the sanctuary. A nursery, located beyond the double doors in the front of the sanctuary, is also available for children up to 5 years old. Please see an usher for assistance. Cell Phones: Remember to silence them (and watch chimes) as we enter into worship Hearing amplification devices: These personal devices are available for your use. Directly connected into our sound system, they make it possible to hear those leading worship without amplifying background noises. Please see our sound person for assistance. Your presence is a blessing: Let us know how we might better journey with you. Today s Scripture Readings Psalm 29 + Acts 8:9-25 + Luke: 3:15-18, 21-23a Minister All Members Pastor Rev. Joseph Motz Worship Steward Mary Motz Organist Grace Griffith Worship Leaders Acolyte Ethan Nuss Ushers Wanda Druzba & Pat Babel Nursery Jamie McGee & TBD 300 West First Street, Birdsboro PA 19508 610-582-8461 + office@stpaulsbirdsboro.org + www.stpaulsbirdsboro.org Pastor s e-mail: pastormotz@stpaulsbirdsboro.org
Order of Worship Welcome & Announcements Prelude (Prayer: Remind me God that in you every day is a new beginning. In you there is no sin, no failing, no shortcoming that needs to define who you are forming me to be today. Release within me now, and every other person here, all that keeps us from being claimed by this truth.) (Please rise in body or in spirit) Call to Worship Leader: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. People: In the formless empty of the earth, God s Spirit hovered over the waters of the deep. Leader: In the darkness, God proclaimed, Let there be light. People: The light shone across the waters as God declared its goodness. Leader: And so creation was begun in goodness at the hand of God, formed through the power of God s Spirit giving shape and form and light, which is the life of all that is and ever will be. All: Come, Most Gracious God! Come, O Holy Spirit! Come that we may share of your life! Hymn: Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart #295 (verses 1,4,5) Invocation Leader: We gather in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all that was, is, and ever shall be. People: Amen. Call to Confession (Please be seated)
All: Corporate Confession Merciful God, in baptism you grafted us into the body of Christ, promising us forgiveness of sin and newness of life. But we fail to live as forgiven and forgiving people. We keep destructive habits and harbor grudges. We allow our past to hold us hostage and are reluctant to welcome newness. In your loving-kindness have mercy on us and free us from sin. Remind us of the promises you have made to us in baptism so that we may live as your people, claimed through the waters and the Spirit of your promise. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, CRC Publications Silent Confession (The response is sung two times thru Join in singing as you are moved.) Songs and Prayers from Taizé #47, All rights reserved. OneLicense.net License #A-714498 Assurance of Grace Leader: Praise God, that in the power of the Spirit we are joint heirs with Christ! People: By the sacred waters of our baptism we have been saved and redeemed to God s holy life. Amen! Passing of the Peace Leader: The peace of Christ be with you. People: And also with you.
(After sharing Christ s Peace with others, please be seated.) (During the following hymn, children nursery/pre-k to 9 th grade are dismissed to participate in age specific Christian Education classes for the rest of worship. Parents/guardians of first time students are invited to follow children to their classroom in order to complete registration information before returning to worship. Following worship please pick-up children, 3 rd grade and younger.) Hymn: Wonderful Words of Life #315 (verses 1&2) Psalm: Psalm 29 (p. #866) Epistle Lesson: Acts 8:9-25 (p. #1704) The gift of the Holy Spirit is shown to be a gift a blessing from God that is given for the joy and the celebration of God s people. Gospel Lesson: Luke 3:15-18, 21-23a (p. #1594) John prepares the way for Jesus, calling forth the nearing time of God s Spirit. In Jesus baptism we see that this time has indeed now come. Leader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God! Sermon Remembering (Please rise in body or in spirit) Statement of Faith: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1 Pastor: What is your only comfort, in life and in death? All: That I belong body and soul, in life and in death not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who at the cost of his own blood has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me from the dominion of the devil; that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that everything must fit His purpose for my salvation. Therefore by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him. Amen.
Hymn: Blessed Quietness #288 (Please be seated) Remembrance of Baptism (Though not an act of baptism or rebaptism, the ritual remembrance of one s baptism is a tangible way for us to remember that we are God s and that through the waters of God s grace, made Holy by Christ, we are being saved to new life each day.) Pastor: They were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, Jesus was indignant, and said to them, People: Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the realm of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the realm of God like a child shall not enter it. Pastor:.Bless by your Holy Spirit, gracious God, this water that as we gather to receive of its touch, we may be awakened anew to your Spirit that first entered fully into us through our baptism when you, through the faithful witness of the church, united us into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. People: Amen. (As you so feel moved, come forward to receive a blessing and reminder of your baptism) Receiving of Tithes and Offerings (We give as an act of worship, tangibly offering ourselves to God s service.) Offertory (Please rise in body or in spirit to sing glory to God) Gloria Patri
Prayers of the People (Believing in God s truth, we open ourselves as God s servants through prayer.) All: The Lord s Prayer 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Commissioning Benediction Sending Hymn: O God, Our Help in Ages Past #335 Postlude (As the acolyte carries the Light of Christ out into the world, so too are we to carry Christ s light from this sanctuary into the world, our communities, and our homes. May the presence of the Spirit go with you until we gather again in the shared joy of God s worship.) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Announcements Mission Birdsboro 5K Race Mark your calendars now for the April 27 th - 5K and 1 mile fun run/walk hosted by St. Paul s to benefit the work of Mission Trip Birdsboro and the ministry of St. Paul s. The 1 mile fun run begins at 8:30am and the 5k starts at 9am, with the course running through the heart of Birdsboro. Registration information is available at stpaulsbirdsboro.org/mission5k.html. Mission Trip Birdsboro (updated info) The dates of July 17-21 st have been set for our 6 th annual local based, community mission trip. Applications for assistance will be available Feb. 8 th, with participant registrations opening March 17 th.if your background checks are more than 5 years old, or if you don t have any, now is a great time to apply for them. If you have any questions contact Dawn Fear or Pastor Joe. Hoagie Time! - January 25 and January 26 th is the 1 st hoagie sale of 2019. Orders will be due January 18 th and the price of each hoagie will increase.50 to $6.00. For this hoagie sale, the 10% tithing will be going to St. John s Hill U.C.C. in Boyertown. Without Hill Church s congregational members who volunteer during hoagie making days, we would not be able to make as many hoagies as we do. They also order hoagies at each sale. If you are interested in volunteering, see Sherry Hunter. Weather Cancellation Policy for Worship - Notice of cancellation, whenever possible, will be posted by Sunday morning at 7:30am on the website, Facebook page, church answering service message, and WFMZ 69news. Congregational Meeting - Sunday, February 10 th (Snow Date Feb. 24 th ) Continuing in our new structure of providing shorter and more regular congregational meetings, our next official meeting is scheduled to follow worship on February 10 th. The meeting topics are currently slated to include: Congregational Coaching Update, Capital Improvement Team Kickoff (with various draft proposals shared for an accessible bathroom), and the 2018 End of Year Financial Report. Proxy voting will be available again as this becomes a regular option for congregational meetings. Be sure to stay connected and to look for updates as we approach the meeting date.
The Life and Ministry of St. Paul s UCC Sunday, January 13 // First Congregational Coaching Session Hearts Ablaze Worship CE Building Lg. Meeting Room 9:00am 1:00pm Worship Church Sanctuary 9:30am 10:45am Youth CE Church CE Wing during worship Meet w/congregational Coach Church 12:00pm 2:00pm New Millennium CE Building Lg. Meeting Room 7:00pm 8:00pm Monday, January 14 All About Families CE Building Lower Level 8:00am 8:00pm Threefold Blessing Church Sanctuary 6:30pm 8:30pm Boy Scouts CE Building Lg. Meeting Room 7:00pm 8:30pm Tuesday, January 15 Hearts Ablaze Prayer Meeting CE Building Lg. Meeting Room 6:30am 7:30am All About Families CE Building Lower Level 8:00am 8:00pm Office Open CE Building Office 8:30am 12:30pm Hungry Soul Ministry CE Building Lower Level 12:30pm 1:15pm Pastor s Open Office Hours @ Boone Area Library 3:00pm 5:00pm Wednesday, January 16 All About Families CE Building Lower Level 8:00am 8:00pm Office Open CE Building Office 8:30am 12:30pm Disciple Bible Study CE Building - Primary Room 9:00am 11:00am Consistory CE Building Primary Room 6:30pm 8:30pm Hearts Ablaze Youth CE Building Lg. Meeting Room 7:00pm 8:00pm Thursday, January 17 All About Families CE Building Lower Level 8:00am 8:00pm Office Open CE Building Office 8:30am 12:30pm Sober @ 6:30 CE Building Lg. Meeting Room 6:30pm 7:30pm Friday, January 18 All About Families CE Building Lower Level 8:00am 8:00pm Beginner s Meeting CE Building Lg. Meeting Room 7:00pm 8:00pm Sunday, January 20 Hearts Ablaze Worship CE Building Lg. Meeting Room 9:00am 1:00pm Worship Church Sanctuary 9:30am 10:45am Youth CE Church CE Wing during worship New Millennium CE Building Lg. Meeting Room 7:00pm 8:00pm
Flower Dedication To the Glory if God and in memory of my parents, G. Frank and Fay Babel, by Pat Babel. Healing Kitty Kready Angela Mary Jane Whitmeyer Phil McGraft Tom Comfort in Time of Loss Those lost to addiction Ministry Support Prayer List Long Term Care Support Pam Spinale Phil McGrath Bruce Dragan Paul Miller Lisa Sniscak Levi Burgess Michael Murray David Miller Grace Treat Fred Miller John Miller Mabel Stubbs Neil Miller Joys & Celebrations As Well As Prayer List Guidelines: To add someone to the Prayer List, please complete the Connection Card that is in your bulletin. Due to privacy concerns, it is necessary to receive an individual s consent before their name can be placed on the prayer list. If you are unable to get their consent, but would like the Pastor to be aware, you are invited to share the name privately.