The Celebration of the Gospel

December 27, 2015 —First Sunday after Christmas

“My eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.”
— Luke 2.30-31
________ We Gather as the Body of Christ______

GREETING
PRELUDE
The Holy Boy     John Ireland, arr: Geoff Edwards

[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   from Psalm 148
[The Psalm calls all Creation to praise God, who has raised up a source of salvation for us. Every tree and mountain and even the sea creatures get involved—and all sorts of people, too!]

Leader: Praise our God! Praise God to the top of the sky!
All:    Praise God all the angels, sun and moon and shining stars!
Praise God, sea monsters and the ocean deep, fire and hail, snow and smoke!
Mountains and hills, fruit trees and cedars!
Bees and cattle, creeping things and flying birds!
Powerful ones, rulers and all people! All people praise God!
Men: Praise God!   Women: Praise God   Young: Praise God!   Old: Praise God!
Leader: Praise God, whose glory fills the world.
For God’s wonders, we give God our joyful praise!
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* SONG Good Christian Friends, Rejoice   Blue hymnal # 224

CHILDREN’S TIME

____________ We Attend to the Word__________

THE WORD IN SONG
Mary, Did You Know? Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene, arr. Jack Schrader

PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of love, you have come among us in Jesus. Open our eyes to see you. Open our ears to listen for you. Open our hearts, and come to us.   By your birth in us, give us new birth. May your Word be made flesh. Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT   Isaiah 52.7-12
[The prophet celebrates the sharing of the good news that God has come to us: the “return of Yahweh to Zion.”]

How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news, who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem;
for Yahweh has comforted us,
God has redeemed Jerusalem.
Yahweh has acted strongly among the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
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SONG   The Snow Lay on the Ground Black hymnal # 2093

GOSPEL Luke 2.22-40
[Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple to dedicate him to God. There are two people there, Simeon and the prophet Anna, who are deeply mindful of God’s promises, and who are waiting for the Messiah. They both see in the child the presence of God’s powerful action in our lives.]

After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to God (as it is written in the law of God, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to God”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of God, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Belioved, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
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SERMON

SONG Once in Royal David’s City   Blue hymnal # 250

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
PASSING THE PEACE

_________We Share at Christ’s Table___________

OFFERING OUR GIFTS
Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine   Traditional German Carol, arr: Mark Hayes

* COMMUNION SONG   God Keep You Merry, Gentle Ones

God keep you merry, gentle ones, let nothing you dismay,
for Jesus Christ our savior was born upon this day,
to save us all from Satan’s power when we had gone astray,
Refrain: Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
oh, tidings of comfort and joy!

In Bethlehem in Judah this blessed babe was born,
and laid within a manger upon this blessed morn,
for which his mother Mary did nothing take in scorn.     Refrain…

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Beloved, God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is good to give God thanks and praise.

THE PRAYER OF JESUS
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. Amen.

SHARING THE HOLY MEAL          [Everyone is welcome at the table of Christ’s self-giving love.
The bread is wheat-, soy- and dairy free. We dip the bread in the juice.]

PRAYER OF BLESSING
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. You have made your Word flesh in Jesus, in this meal, and in our love for one another and for all the earth.   Send us in the name and Spirit of Christ to embody your love so that Christ may continually come into this world, to your glory. Amen.

______We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD

* SONG Go, Tell it on the Mountain   Blue hymnal #251

* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH   Colossians 3.12-17
[The author describes how to live as God’s Beloved Ones: with kindness, compassion, gentleness, generosity, forgiveness, and above all, love. ]

RESPONSE   We stand and sing to our neighbors:
Beloved, you are a child of God, whom angels sing above,
a sign of God’s salvation sweet, a sign of hope and love.
Now go in peace, my dearest friends. God will be with you all.
And let the Spirit guide you forth wherever God may call.

POSTLUDE
Bring A Torch   Traditional French Melody, arr: Patricia Lou Harris

[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]