| January 12, 2025
† 11:00AM BAPTISM Whether this is your first time with us or your one thousand |
The Baptism of the Christ with Dove by Daniel Bonnell |
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GATHERING |
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GATHERING SONG Deep, Deep Love
Verse 1:
Your deep, deep love; washes over me
Your deep, deep love; fills my every need
How I long to hear, your voice call out my name
It draws me to Your deep, deep love
Verse 2:
Your deep, deep love; cleanses all my sins
Your deep, deep love; brings a peace within
How I long to hear, Your voice call out my name
It draws me to Your deep, deep love
Chorus:
Lord my heart is filled with praises, for Your goodness makes me sing
Jesus I’m forever grateful, for Your love has done a work in me
(Verse 1)
Oh yes it draws me to your deep, deep love
Oh yes it draws me to your deep, deep love
WELCOME
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
All may make the sign of the cross, as is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
our creator, our protector, our wellspring of life.
Amen.
Trusting that God receives our words and the meditations of our hearts,
let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Merciful God,
you speak blessing and compassion into the world.
Forgive us for the ways we act with judgment, cruelty, or indifference.
We ignore the needs of our neighbors; we resist your call to oppose injustice;
we give in to scarcity and fear; we assume the worst about one another.
Cleanse us from our faults and release us from their grasp.
Show us your loving kindness.
Restore our hearts and repair your world, that we may live in Christ’s ways.
Followers of Christ, God proclaims these words of assurance:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine.”
In ☩ Christ, you are forgiven. In the Spirit, you are made free.
Refreshed by the waters of mercy, live anew as beloved children of God. Amen.
CONGREGATION SONG Give Me Jesus
Verse 1:
In the morning, when I rise; in the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise; give me Jesus.
Chorus:
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus.
Verse2:
And when I am alone, Oh and, When I am alone,
And When I am alone, Give me Jesus.
(Chorus)
Verse 3:
And when I come to die, Oh and when I come to die,
And when I come to die, Give me Jesus.
Chorus 2:
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus.
You can have all this world, you can have all this world
You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Almighty God, you anointed Jesus at his baptism with the Holy Spirit and revealed him as your beloved Son. Keep all who are born of water and the Spirit faithful in your service, that we may rejoice to be called children of God, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
WORD
God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song
FIRST READING Isaiah 43:1-7
Near the end of Israel’s exile in Babylon, God promises to bring the people home. They need no longer be afraid, because the one who formed, created, and called them by name now redeems them from all their enemies. God declares them precious and honored, and God loves them.
A reading from Isaiah:
1 But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my sight,
and honored, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you;
6 I will say to the north, “Give them up,”
and to the south, “Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
and my daughters from the end of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.
Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Pastor Cassie
After the children’s message, children ages 3 – 6th grade are invited to go upstairs for Sunday School classes.
Visitors are welcome to join!
GOSPEL Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
The reading opens with questions about the identity of the Messiah. John the Baptist insists that he is not the Messiah; instead he points ahead to one who is coming. And whether the voice of God was heard by all or only by Jesus, God settles the matter: Jesus is God’s beloved Son.
The Holy Gospel according to Luke.
15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON Pastor Cassie
CONGREGATION SONG Down to the River to Pray
During the song, we will remember our baptisms through the rite of asperges!
Verse 1:
As I went down to the river to pray studying about that good ole way
And who shall wear the starry crown good Lord, show me the way
O sisters let’s go down; let’s go down, come on down.
O sisters let’s go down, down in the river to pray
Verse 2:
As I went down to the river to pray studying about that good ole way
And who shall wear the robe and crown good Lord, show me the way
O brothers let’s go down; let’s go down, come on down.
O brothers let’s go down, down in the river to pray
Verse 3:
As I went down to the river to pray studying about that good ole way
And who shall wear the starry crown good Lord, show me the way
O children let’s go down; let’s go down, come on down.
O children/ let’s go down, down in the river to pray
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Change My Heart O God
Change my heart O God, make it ever true
Change my heart O God, may I be like You.
With the Spirit of Christ shining upon us, let us boldly pray for the church, the world,
and all of creation.
You call us by name and form us. We give thanks for the gift of baptism. Nurture the baptized and equip people sent to proclaim the good news, especially Young Adults in Global Mission and Lutheran congregations in international countries
Your voice sounds over the waters. Speak words of healing over rivers and lakes, seas and oceans, from Lake Quinsigamond to the Merrimack River to the Atlantic Ocean. Heeding your voice, lead us to care for water, and the land and creatures it nourishes.
You give strength to your people. Uphold all who serve the common good. Guide federal and state legislators, city and county officials, judges and juries. Strengthen our resolve to serve all in need.
You are with us in challenging times. Draw near to all who are ill, undergoing treatment, or recovering from surgery especially Shana, Juliet, Michael, Bill, Lou, the friends and family of Marie Papp, Michael, Lloyd and Sue, all those affected by addiction or mental illness, and all military personnel and first responders.
You draw us into community. Embolden ministries of racial reconciliation, nurture work on behalf of immigrants and refugees, and equip each to use their gifts for the sake of neighbors near and far. Bless Carys Delannoy with a sense of your loving presence on her 15th birthday, remembered through our altar flowers given by the Delannoy family today.
You grant us peace. Comfort all who grieve. Dwell with us in this life and, at the last, join us with the saints whom you have created, formed, and named. We especially give thanks for the life and faithful witness of former President Jimmy Carter.
We entrust our prayers to you, O God, in the sure and certain hope that your promise is revealed among the people.
Amen.
PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you all. And also with you.
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MEAL
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ
DIALOGUE
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give God thanks and praise.
PREFACE
SANCTUS Holy, Holy Scholtes
Holy, holy, holy Lord; God of power and might; heaven and earth are full of Your glory
Holy, holy, holy Lord; God of power and might; heaven and earth are full of Your glory
Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
you have brought us this far along the way.
In times of bitterness you did not abandon us,
but guided us on the path of love and light.
In every age you sent prophets,
to make known your loving will for all people.
The cry of the poor has become your own cry;
our hunger and thirst for justice is your own desire.
In the fullness of time, you sent your chosen servant to preach good news to the afflicted,
to break bread with the outcast and despised, and to ransom those in bondage to prejudice and sin.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup
we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Remembering, therefore, his life, death and resurrection,
we await the day when Jesus shall return to free all the earth from
the bonds of slavery and death.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Send your Holy Spirit, our advocate, to fill the hearts of all who share this bread and cup
with courage and wisdom to pursue love and justice in all the world.
Come, Spirit of freedom!
Join our prayers and praise with your prophets and martyrs of every age, that, rejoicing
in the hope of the resurrection, we might live in the freedom and hope of your Son.
Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Let us pray as Jesus taught us, each in the words or language of our choice.
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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass 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 and ever. Amen.
OR
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.
COMMUNION
At this table, Christ is both host and meal, and offers himself to all who hunger and thirst for his presence. We believe that he is truly present in this sacrament.
When you come forward, the pastor will place bread in your hand. Gluten-free wafers are available upon request. You can receive wine by taking a cup from the tray (the cups in the center contain white grape juice).
If you do not wish to commune, you are welcome to come forward and receive a blessing.
If you need to receive communion in your seat, simply notify an usher.
No one is too young to receive this sacrament, though some families wish to give their children some instruction before they take their first communion. If a young child accompanies you, please indicate to the pastor whether they should receive bread or a blessing.
COMMUNION SONG Holy Spirit Bryan & Katie Torwalt
CCLI#6087919
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BLESSING
The Spirit of the triune God
☩ bless you with joy,
anoint you with compassion,
and send you in love. Amen.
SENDING SONG Wade in the Water
Italicized lyrics are sung by the band. Congregation responds with non-italicized
Chorus:
Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Wade in the water, God’s a gonna trouble the water
Verse 1:
(See that host all dressed in white)
God’s a gonna trouble the water.
(The leader looks like the Israelite,)
God’s a gonna trouble the water.
(chorus)
Verse 2:
(See that band all dressed in red,)
God’s a gonna trouble the water.
(Looks like the band that Moses led,)
God’s a gonna trouble the water.
(chorus)
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Let your light shine! Thanks be to God.
Thank you to those who helped with worship today:
Worship Assistant Margaret Holst
Ushers Lucy Pelland
New Direction Praise Team Randy Gomez, Michelle Grim Kati, Lawrence Kati,
Linda Frederico & Sam Augustus
Altar Care Katie Zimmermann & Trudy Roybal
Upcoming Commemorations
Martin Luther King Jr., renewer of society, martyr, died 1968
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
An American prophet of justice among races and nations, King was an eloquent preacher, a leader of the nonviolent resistance to race-segregated society, and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Born on this date, he was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Antony of Egypt, renewer of the church, died around 356
Friday, January 17, 2025
One of the earliest of the Egyptian desert fathers, Antony gave away his sizeable inheritance and became a hermit. Later he became leader of a group of monks who devoted themselves to prayer, worship, and labor.
Pachomius, renewer of the church, died 346
Friday, January 17, 2025
Born in Egypt, Pachomius became a Christian while a soldier. He became a hermit (a solitary monk) and organized others into a religious community. His rule for monasteries influenced later ones in both the Eastern and Western churches.
Confession of Peter
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Today the church remembers the apostle Peter’s great acknowledgement of Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This festival serves as a fitting beginning to the week in which we particularly pray that all Christians might be united in faith and witness.
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| From Sundays and Seasons.com. © 2024 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #27028. New Revised Standard Version Bible, ©1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. CCLI#1313879. OneLicense # A-716488 |