Worship Service
January 10, 2021
Note: The prelude begins 15 minutes into the video and the audio file
We are RECEIVED as the Beloved of God
PRELUDE
WELCOME
OPENING PRAYER
Creator God,
We come to you this day with heavy hearts. On Epiphany, we witnessed an assault on our nation’s Capitol Building, the people’s house. We witnessed false claims leading to lack of understanding, then fear and then hate which manifested into violence. We mourn the loss of life, pray for healing for those injured and for emotional healing for our nation. Help us to advocate for justice and accountability and turn away from anger and vengeance. We are a nation in grief.
We have lost many lives and livelihoods to the Covid pandemic and the loss of life has not stopped with a change in the calendar year. Help us process our pain and remind us to see each other as children of God and not judge each other based on political affiliation or race. Help us to set aside our own selfish desire for power and privilege and to recognize that we are our brother’s keeper and we are all siblings in Christ.
Help us to be more like the Wise Men who took the time to seek the Christ child and offer their gifts. Help us to recognize the Herod’s of this world and not be led astray by their lies. We pray our nation will have its own Epiphany and continue its journey by a different road that leads to peace and reconciliation.
We end our prayer with the Prayer of St. Francis. May it be a blessing to those who hear it during these troubled days.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
SONG – Breathe Worship & Song # 3112
CHILDREN’S TIME
SONG – Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone
We are TRANSFORMED by the Word of Jesus Christ
LUKE 8:4-15
4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it.6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture.7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.10 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
‘When they look, they won’t really see.
When they hear, they won’t understand.’
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. 13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
JAMES 1:22
22 Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
GOOD NEWS Attitudes in Listening to God’s Word part 2
SONG – Draw Me Close
RESPONSE TO GOD’S GRACE (OFFERING)
Pastor: God wants our love more than God wants our offerings; God cares about our hearts not the amounts of our offerings. (Hosea 6:6).
All: As we count all the blessings God has already given to us, we cheerfully give our offerings to God, the Provider, with grateful hearts. Amen! (2 Corinthians 9:7).
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
We are SENT in the Power of the Holy Spirit
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BLESSING AND SENDING
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you, my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.