January 12, 2025
First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of our Lord
Announcements
Invocation
Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-7
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."
“God Leads Us Along”
Hymn #92
In shady green pastures
so rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along.
Where the water’s cool flow
bathes the weary one’s feet,
God leads His dear children along.
Some thro’ the waters,
some thro’ the flood,
Some thro’ the fire,
but all thro’ the blood.
Some thro’ great sorrow,
but God gives a song
In the night season
and all the day long.
Sometimes on the mount
where the sun shines so bright,
God leads His dear children along.
Sometimes in the valley
in darkest of night,
God leads His dear children along.
Some thro’ the waters,
some thro’ the flood,
Some thro’ the fire,
but all thro’ the blood.
Some thro’ great sorrow,
but God gives a song
In the night season
and all the day long.
Tho’ sorrows befall us
and Satan oppose,
God leads His dear children along.
Through grace we can conquer,
defeat all or foes.
God leads His dear children along.
Some thro’ the waters,
some thro’ the flood,
Some thro’ the fire,
but all thro’ the blood.
Some thro’ great sorrow,
but God gives a song
In the night season
and all the day long.
Away from the mire,
and away from the clay,
God leads His dear children along.
Away up in glory,
eternity’s day,
God leads His dear children along.
Some thro’ the waters,
some thro’ the flood,
Some thro’ the fire,
but all thro’ the blood.
Some thro’ great sorrow,
but God gives a song
In the night season
and all the day long.
“How Firm a Foundation”
Hymn #689
How firm a foundation,
ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith
in His excellent Word!
What more can He say
than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge
to Jesus have fled?
“Fear not; I am with thee.
O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God,
I will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee,
and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious,
omnipotent hand.”
“When thro’ the deep waters
I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow
shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee
thy trials to bless,
And sanctify to thee
Thy deepest distress.”
“When thro’ fi’ry trials
thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient,
shall be thy supply.
The flames shall not hurt thee;
I only design
Thy dross to consume
and thy gold to refine.”
“E’en down to old age
all My people shall prove
My sov’reign, eternal,
unchangeable love;
And when silver hair
shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still
in My bosom be borne.”
“The soul that on Jesus
hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not
desert to his foes;
That soul, tho’ all hell
should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never,
no never forsake.”
Scripture: Psalm 29
1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, "Glory!"
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!
Invitation, Confession, Pardon, Peace
Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.
Merciful God, We confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church.
We have not done your will, we have broken your law,
we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy.
Hear the good news,
Christ died for us while we were still sinners,
which proves God’s love for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, You Are forgiven
In the name of Jesus Christ, You Are forgiven
Glory to God, Amen.
Offering
Doxology
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
Joys & Concerns
(Please keep it to 1 sentence)
Scripture: Acts 8:14-17
14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
15 The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit
16 (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).
17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
“No Longer Slaves”
You unravel me, with a melody
You surround me with a song
Of deliverance,
from my enemies
Till all my fears are gone
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
From my mothers womb
You have known me
Love has called my name
I’ve been born again, into a family
Your blood flows through my veins
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
I am surroundedBy the arms of the father
I am surroundedBy songs of deliverance
We've been liberatedFrom our bondage
Were the sons and the daughters
Let us sing our freedom
You split the sea
So I could walk right through it
My fears were drowned in perfect love
You rescued me
And I will stand and sing
I am the child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fearI am a child of God
I’m no longer a slave to fearI am a child of God
“Prayer of Consecration”
Verse 1
Hear my prayer of consecration
Have my heart again
All of me upon the altar
Mind and soul and strength
Verse 2
Light the fire that I remember
Burned within my soul
Rekindle these fading embers
Holy flame of love
Chorus
Spirit breathe upon this altar
Father have my undivided heart
Jesus I surrender
All I want is to be set apart
(For you)
Verse 3
In the shelter of your mercy
I lay down my life
Every breath to offer up
A living sacrifice
Bridge
My life to lift you high
My heart to bring you joy
My hands to serve the ones you love
To comfort and restore
You’re worthy of my praise
You’re worthy of my song
You’re worthy of my everything
Jesus have it all
Scripture: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
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."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 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.
Luke 3:21-22
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."
Message: Pastor Ryan
Covenant Prayer
We often try to be fully alive through our own strength and on our own terms. This does not work. In order to be fully alive, we must trust in God to make us alive. Without God’s enlivening spirit, we are merely dust and ashes. Therefore, early in each calendar year, we set aside time to renew our promises to God through the Covenant Renewal Service. A Covenant Renewal Prayer
Let me be Your servant. Let me follow your commands. I will no longer follow my own desires. I give myself completely to your will.
I am not my own. I am Yours alone. Make me into what You will. Rank me with those You will. Put me to use for You. Put me to suffering for You. Let me be employed for You. Let me be laid aside for You. Let me be lifted high for You. Let me be brought low for You. Let me be full or let me be empty. Let me have all things or let me have nothing. With a willing heart, I freely give everything to Your pleasure and disposal.
My righteous God, for the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ, see me now as I fall down before You. Forgive my unfaithfulness when I have not done your will. You promise mercy if I turn to You with my whole heart.
From the bottom of my heart, I here and now renounce every idol in my life, covenanting with You that I will not commit any known sin. By turning against Your will I have turned my love toward the world.
Before all heaven and earth, I here and now acknowledge You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as my Lord and God. I vow to give all of myself, body and soul, to be Your servant and to serve You in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life.
Jesus, I here and now accept You and the only new and living Way. With all my power, I accept You as my Lord and Head. I renounce my own unworthiness, and vow that You are the Lord, my righteousness. I renounce my own wisdom and take You for my only guide. I renounce my own will and take Your will as my law.
I here and now willingly take on Your yoke and burden. All Your laws are holy, just, and good. I accept them as the rule for my words,
thoughts, and actions, promising I will strive to order my whole life around your direction.
Jesus, I here and now make this covenant with You and accept whatever comes in life.
O God, You know that we have made this covenant today in sincerity, without deceit or reluctance. If You find anything false in us, guide us and help us to set it right. And now, glory be to You, God the Father. From this day forward, I shall look upon You as my God and Father. Glory be to You, God the Son. You have loved me and washed me from my sins in Your own blood. From this day forward, I shall look upon You as my Savior and Redeemer. Glory be to You, O God the Holy Spirit. By Your almighty power, You have turned my heart from sin to God. From this day forward I shall look upon You as my Comforter and Guide. O mighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you have now become my Covenant Friend. And I, through Your infinite grace, have become Your covenant servant. You are mine and I am Yours. So be it. May this covenant that I have made here on earth be ratified in heaven. Amen
Keeping the Covenant Renewal Prayer 1. Set apart time in your day, more than once, to be spent alone with the Lord. Seek to perceive God’s special care for you and gracious acceptance of you. Carefully think through the words of this covenant and its conditions. Examine your heart, even if you have freely given your life to Christ. Name the sins in your life. Be sure you are clear in all of these so you do not lie to God!
2. Uphold a serious spirit of holy awe and reverence.
3. Claim God’s covenant. Do not trust in your own strength and power but rely upon God’s promise of giving grace and strength.
4. Be determined to be faithful. You have given your heart and life to God. You have opened your mouth to dedicate yourself to the Lord. With God’s power, never go back to your former way of living.
5. Be prepared to renew your covenant with God. Fall on your knees. Lift your hands. Open your hearts.
Communion
The Communion Supper, instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a sacrament, which proclaims His life, His sufferings, His sacrificial death and resurrection, and the hope of His coming again. Brothers and sisters in Christ,the Christian life is redeemed from sin and consecrated to God.The Supper is a means of grace in which Christ is present
by the Spirit.
It is to be received in reverent appreciation and gratefulness for the work of Christ. All those who are truly repentant, forsaking their sins, and believing in Christ for salvation are invited to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ. We come to the table that we may be renewed in life and salvation and be made one by the Spirit.
In unity with the Church, we confess our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Holy God, We gather at this, your table, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who by your Spirit was anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, set at liberty those who are oppressed.
Christ healed the sick, fed the hungry, ate with sinners, and established the new covenant for forgiveness of sins. We live in the hope of His coming again.
On the night in which He was betrayed, He took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, gave it to His disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
Likewise, when the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to His disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you, this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.” Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
And so, we gather as the Body of Christ to offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these your gifts. Make them by the power of your Spirit to be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ, redeemed by His blood.
By your Spirit make us one in Christ, one with each other, and one in the ministry of Christ to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen. And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, let us pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen
Benediction
Our mission is to love people so that
they become Disciples of Christ!
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