PRELUDE  “Christ, When for Us You Were Baptized”  duet with Dr. Dale Norris on Piano and Randy Martono-Chai on Organ

WORDS OF WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS          

ADORATION

INTROIT “We Are Standing on Holy Ground” arr. David/Bledsoe

CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 29      

ONE: Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, 

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

MANY: Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;

 worship the Lord in holy splendor.

ONE: The voice of the Lord is over the waters; 

the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.

MANY: The voice of the Lord is powerful; 

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

ONE: The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

 the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

MANY: He makes Lebanon skip like a calf and Sirion like a young wild ox.

ONE: The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

MANY: The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

ONE: The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl and strips the forest bare, and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

MANY: The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; 

the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.

ONE: May the Lord give strength to his people!

May the Lord bless his people with peace!

PRAYER OF THE DAY 

Holy God, 

you sent your Son to be baptized among sinners, 

to seek and save the lost. May we, who have been baptized in his name, never turn away from the world, but reach out in love to rescue the wayward; by the mercy of Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

HYMN [Blue#461][GTG#409] “God is Here” 

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Merciful God, we confess that we are estranged from you and from one another. We treat others as strangers rather than as people created in your image and fellow children of God. We exploit the earth as though it were our possession rather than a gift entrusted to our care and a reflection of your image and glory. Forgive us our sins and transform us by your Spirit that we might live as people who have been baptized as your own children. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON                     

GLORIA PATRI [Blue#579[ [GTG581]     

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

RESPONSE  [Blue#586] [GTG#601] “Amen”

1st SCRIPTURE Isaiah 42:1-9

2nd  SCRIPTURE Matthew 3:13-17       

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

HYMN [Blue#499] [GTG#489] “Wonder of Wonders”

SERMON   “By the River”   Rev. Dr. Martha J. Robson

 RESPONSE     

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,  and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY  “I Can Only Imagine” performed by Cindy Freudenthal on Flute, Dr. Dale Norris on Violin, and Randy Martono-Chai on Piano

DOXOLOGY [GTG#606]

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation to the Lord’s Table

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving – Blue Presbyterian Hymnal p. 13

The Lord’s Prayer – Blue Presbyterian Hymnal p.16

RESPONSE “Hear Our Prayer O Lord”

Breaking the Bread and Sharing the Cup

Sharing the Body and Blood of Christ

MUSIC DURING COMMUNION: [GTG#530] “One Bread, One Body” with Sandy Cranfill on vocals and Randy Martono-Chai on piano.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

HYMN [GTG#488] “I Was There”

PARTING PRAYER    

God of Heaven and Earth

who at the baptism of your Son Jesus Christ revealed him as your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Grant that we, who are baptized into his death and resurrection,

may hear your gracious call, be filled with your Spirit, and walk faithfully in the way of your beloved Son. Amen.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [Blue#316] [GTG#286] “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” verse 3 only

POSTLUDE   “Baptized in Water”  duet with Dr. Dale Norris on Piano and Randy Martono-Chai on Organ   

Special thanks and blessings to our guest musician, Dr. Dale Norris of Parkway Presbyterian Church, for his accompaniment on piano and violin during our worship.         

*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.

PRELUDE  “O Little Town” with Ron Palmisano on vocals and Randy Martono-Chai on piano

WORDS OF WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS          

ADORATION

INTROIT “O Tannenbaum” 

CALL TO WORSHIP (Jeremiah 31)      

ONE: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; 

MANY: Give praise, and say, “Save, O Lord, your people.”

ONE: They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion; 

MANY: They shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again.

ONE: With expectation and joy as we begin a new year, let us worship the living God!

PRAYER OF THE DAY 

Eternal God, 

a thousand years in your sight 

are like a watch in the night. 

As you have led us in days past, 

so guide us now and always, 

that our hearts may learn to choose your will, 

and new resolves be strengthened; 

through Jesus Christ our Lord, 

who lives and reigns with you 

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

one God, now and forever. Amen.

HYMN [Blue#263][GTG#12] “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” 

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

We cry out: “Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel,” for we are a people in need of saving. You promise to gather your people, but we confess that we want to put limitations on who is saved. We want you to save those we define as strong and beautiful and wise; You call the blind and the lame, the children and those in labor. Forgive us, O Holy God, for our prejudice and narrow vision. Forgive us for our lack of faith. Forgive us for doubting your promise and declining your invitation. By your Spirit, renew us. Turn our mourning into joy and our sorrow into gladness that we might return to you and your way.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON                     

GLORIA PATRI [Blue#579[ [GTG581]     

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

RESPONSE  [Blue#586] [GTG#601] “Amen”

1st SCRIPTURE Psalm 147:12-20

2nd  SCRIPTURE John 1:1-18       

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

HYMN [Blue#303] [GTG#440] “Jesus, Lover of my Soul”

SERMON   “Light, Grace and Truth”   CP Ford J. Dieth

 RESPONSE     

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,  and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY   “What Child is This?” duet with Cindy Freudenthal on organ and Randy Martono-Chai on piano.

DOXOLOGY [GTG#606]

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE 

THE LORD’S PRAYER 

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

RESPONSE “Hear Our Prayer O Lord”

HYMN [Blue#280] [GTG#649] “Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound”

PARTING PRAYER   A prayer of Jerome  

Lord, the gift of your Word is a light for our path. Help us to study your way and follow your teaching until we know the true Light who has come into the world and will come again in glory: 

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [Blue#] [GTG#137] “He Came Down” verse 1 only

1 He came down that we may have love;

he came down that we may have love;

he came down that we may have love;

hallelujah forevermore.

POSTLUDE   Hallelujah Chorus by G. Handel             

*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.