The Celebration of the Gospel
January 11, 2015 — Sunday of the Baptism of Jesus
As he was coming up out of the water,
he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
— Mark 1.10-11
______ We Gather as The Body of Christ____
GREETING
PRELUDE Adagio from Symphony No. 5 – Charles-Marie Widor
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
CALL TO WORSHIP
SONG # 2089 Wild and Lone
CHILDREN’S TIME
______ We Attend to the Word____
THE WORD IN SONG
At the River, adapted by Aaron Copland, arranged by R. Wilding White
PRAYER OF THE DAY Blue Hymnal # 253
OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 1.1-5
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness God called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
NEW TESTAMENT Acts 19.1-7
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied— altogether there were about twelve of them.
GOSPEL Mark 1.4-11
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
SERMON
SONG # 2251 We Were Baptized in Christ Jesus
BAPTISMAL RENEWAL 8:15 page 50 / 10:30 page 33
SONG # 2253 Water, River, Spirit, Grace
CONFIRMATION COVENANTS
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
PASSING THE PEACE
_____ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World____
OFFERING OUR GIFTS Poured Out For You – Austin North
* OFFERING SONG # 605 v. 3 Wash, O God our sons and daughters
* PRAYER John Wesley’s Covenant Prayer # 607
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG # 606 Come, let us use the grace divine
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We stand and sing to our neighbors: # 666 Shalom to you
POSTLUDE Postlude In G Minor – Lani Smith
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]