We Gather Together to Worship Our God
Prelude: Jesus, Lover of My Soul/ Charles Wesley
Gathering Hymn: Shine, Jesus, Shine
Today:
- 9 am, Sunday School for all ages. Preschool-7th meets downstairs, High School meets in the Fireside Room, and the Adult class is studying Christ in the Covenants in the Sanctuary.
- 10:30 Worship in the sanctuary.
- 6:00 pm, Tonight, Hymn Sing and Fellowship to welcome our new members. Please bring a dessert to share.
This Week:
- 6:30 pm, Tuesday, Mercy Ministry Team meeting.
- 5:00 pm, Wednesday, Sonlight Puppeteer practice.
- 5:30 pm, Wednesday, Kids’ Quest for pre-k—7th grade. Meal provided.
- 5:30 pm, Wednesday, J-Curve Study for the adults at the church. Meal provided. See Ron B. for more information.
- 5:30 pm, Wednesdays, New Members’ class for the middle and high schoolers.
- 6:15 pm, Wednesday, High School Youth Group at the Community Center. See Shonda J. for more information.
- 6 am Thursday, Men’s Prayer-time and Bible Study.
- 8 am Saturday, Men’s Prayer-time and Bible Study.
General:
- Following worship on January 15th, we will have a congregational meeting to ratify the 2023 budget.
- 5:30 pm, January 15th, Small Groups meet at the church. Fellowship meal, hymn sing, and then will break off into three groups for prayer and study.
- 5:30 pm, January 15th, Young Adult Bible Study at Jay and Kayla’s. (Address in bulletin) Meal provided.
- 6:00 pm, January 20th, Family Shepherd Evening. We invite the men of our families to join us. We will share a meal together, have fantastic fellowship, and give solid Biblical teachings to help equip you to be the shepherd of your family. If you are able to attend, please fill out a response card so we can plan on how many to expect for the meal. Extra response cards can be found on the table near the door in the Foyer.
- January 22nd, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Following worship, there will be a potluck.
- We have put together a family devotional that will take you through the New Testament this coming year. If you have not had a chance to receive one, you may pick one up at the table in the Foyer.
- To help strengthen marriages, we will be starting a new Discipleship Group called Love and Respect. If interested in attending, please fill out a response card.
Responsive Call to Worship: Isaiah 55: 6 – 12
Leader: Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
All: Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Leader: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
All: You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Prayer of Adoration
Hymn of Praise: God of the Ages
We Confess Our Faith
Responsive Reading: Heidelberg Catechism Question 1
Leader: What is your only comfort in life and death?
All: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.
We Confess Our Sin
Responsive Call to Confession: James 4: 4 – 10
Leader: Don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?
All: But he gives us more grace.
Leader: That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, O sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Silent Confession of Sin
Prayer of Confession
Responsive Assurance of Pardon: From the Book of Common Prayer
Leader: The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has no pleasure in the death of sinners, but would rather they should turn from their wickedness and live. He has given authority to his ministers to declare to his people when they repent the forgiveness of their sins. God pardons and absolves all who truly repent and believe his holy gospel.
All: So we ask him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that what we do now may please him and that the rest of our life may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn of Assurance: Hymnal #468 My Faith Has Found A Resting Place
We Give Thanks To The Lord
Tithes and Offerings
Offertory: Consolation No.3 in Db— Frank Liszt(1811-1886) Liszt was a prolific nineteenth-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, music teacher, arranger, organist, philanthropist, author, and nationalist.
This composition is classified into the Poetic and Religious Harmonies category. Liszt is considered the most virtuoso pianist of all time.
Doxology
We Hear God Speak
Small Talk
(Following this time, a nursery is available, Toddlers’ Church for ages 2-4, and Children’s Church for ages 5-8.)
Prayer of God’s People
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, The power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Avoiding Dead Religion Romans 10: 16 – 20
A copy of the sermon notes is available: 1-8-23 sermon notes
Audio Only:
Hymn of Response: Hymnal #455 And Can It Be? (Verses 1, 3, 4, 5)
We Are Dismissed with God’s Blessing
Benediction
Step By Step
Postlude: All Glory, Laud, and Honor—Melchior Teschner