We held virtual worship on Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 10:00am. You watch a recording on Facebook by clicking here, or you may watch below.
MUSIC See Amid the Winter’s Snow music & photos
by Kathryn Parker
WELCOME TO CHRISTMAS 2/ EPIPHANY SUNDAY Everett K
CALL TO WORSHIP
We gather wondering,
‘Where will we find the Babe born in Bethlehem?’
We will find the Babe
in the laughter of children, in the wisdom of grandparents.
We gather asking,
‘where will we find the Child of Christmas?’
We’ll find the Child where the needy are gifted with hope,
where the oppressed are set free.
We gather wanting to know,
‘where will we find the Christ who has come for us?’
We will find our Hope
where fear is overwhelmed by grace,
where hatred is overwhelmed by love,
where all people are overwhelmed by joy.
OPENING TO GOD
We have heard-
We have heard of your Grace, Shaper of stars;
from those set free from injustice;
from our children who whisper of your joy;
from greeters of dawn’s fresh start;
from late risers who listen to the stories of the needy.
We have heard-
We have heard of your Light, Bright Star of the morning:
which can illumine the shadows of our lives;
which can show the path to God’s heart;
which can point the way
to where we become servants of the gospel.
We have heard-
We have heard of your Peace, Wisdom’s Radiance:
peace which can end war, as well as heal our hearts;
peace which can conquer our fears, & flood us with faith;
peace which can enter our lives
and overwhelm us with hope.
YOUNG PEOPLE’S MESSAGE Sand Painting Nativity
HEBREW SCRIPTURE LESSON Isaiah 60:1-5a
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice
GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, some Magi, astrologer priests from the East, came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”
When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
REFLECTION At-One-Ment Mitchell & Barb
WESLEY’S COVENANT SERVICE
I am no longer my own, but Yours.
Use me as You choose;
rank me alongside whomever You choose;
put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for You, or laid aside for You,
raised up for You, or brought down low for You.
Let me be full, let me be empty;
let me have all things, let me have nothing;
with my whole heart I freely choose to yield all things
to Your ordering and approval.
So now, God of glory, Source, Son, and Spirit,
You are mine and I am your own. So be it. Amen.
MUSIC Procession: Three Kings Music & photos by Kathryn Parker
PRAYER FOR THE WEEK We Chang, Districtrict Superintendent, Commonwealth East
O God who was in the Beginning and whose life and light are in every beginning,
we thank you for blessing all of your creation with the beginning of the New Year.
Awaken us on every morning to open ourselves to receive the life of your boundless love so that we never waste your new day with yesterday’s fear.
Enlighten the deepest place of our hearts at every night with the light of your hope so that we never end each new day with the darkness of despair and apathy.
Cleanse the mirrors of our lives and let them reflect the light of your compassion into the dark places of hatred, your peace into those of violence, your liberation into those of oppression, and your justice into those of injustice.
O God who has become one of us and moved into our neighborhoods,
we thank you for being our neighbor.
Help us reach out to find and welcome you in each of our neighbors near and far, regardless of who they are, where they are from, and whom they love.
O God whose fullness covers all the earth with grace and truth,
grant us daily wisdom to trust that your daily grace is more than sufficient for what we truly need. Nudge us each day to seek little deeper your truth that humbles our egos and enlivens your spirit in us.
O God whose face no one has ever seen yet whose heart is fully known in Christ Jesus,
let each day of this New Year bring us closer to your heart as you walk along with us on our daily journey to follow Jesus. Amen.
SHARING PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER
COMMUNION
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BENEDICTION
The earth gave you a cave,
the skies gave you a star,
the angels gave you a song.
At this feast we will give you our love.
The love that Mary gave her Son,
may we give to the world.
The love that you give us through your Son,
may we give back to you. Amen!
POSTLUDE The Friendly Beasts music & photos
by Kathryn Parker
