Virtual Worship for January 3, 2021
The Second Sunday of Christmas
PRELUDE
GATHERING
INTRODUCTION OF THE DAY
Within the gospel reading’s profound words lies the simple message that God is revealed in a human person. Though we may try to understand how the Word existed with God from the beginning of time, the wonder we celebrate at Christmas is that the Word continues to dwell among us. Christ comes among us in the gathered assembly, the scriptures, the waters of new birth, and the bread and the wine. Through these ordinary gifts we receive the fullness of God’s grace and truth.
GATHERING SONG
Angels We Have Heard on High
Performed and arranged by Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia
1. Angels we have heard on high,
sweetly singing o'er the plains,
and the mountains in reply,
echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain
Gloria in excelsis Deo;
gloria in excelsis Deo.
2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heav'nly song? Refrain
3. Come to Bethlehem and see
him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn king. Refrain
Text: French carol; tr. H. F. Hemy, The Crown of Jesus Music, 1866
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
\who was in the beginning,
who makes a dwelling among us,
who covers us with justice and mercy.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
God of goodness and lovingkindness,
we confess that we have sinned against you
and our neighbors.
We have turned away from your invitation to new life.
We have turned away from the lowly and downtrodden.
In your abundant mercy, forgive us our sins,
those we know and those known only to you,
for the sake of the one who came to live among us,
Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
Hear the good news of peace and salvation!
God forgives us all our sins,
not through our own work,
but through ☩ Jesus Christ, made known to all people.
With all who come to the manger,
rejoice in this amazing gift of grace.
Amen.
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Almighty God, you have filled all the earth with the light of your incarnate Word. By your grace empower us to reflect your light in all that we do, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
A LITANY OF WELCOME FOR PASTOR BROWN
President of the Congregation: A church family is constantly changing as individuals come and go in our church life. It is important and right that we recognize these times of passage, of endings and beginnings. Today we share this time of welcome with Pastor Brown, whose time as our Interim Pastor begins. Pastor Brown, in the presence of this congregation, will you commit yourself to this new trust and responsibility, and promise to discharge your duties in harmony with the constitutions of the church?
Pastor Brown: I will and I ask God to help me.
President of the Congregation: Will you love, serve and pray for these people of God, nourishing them with the Word and Holy Sacraments, and lead them forward during this important time of change?
Pastor Brown: I will and I ask God to help me.
President of the Congregation: Will you lead these people of God in giving faithful witness to the Word of God and in making known the love of God through loving service among them and in this community?
Pastor Brown: I will and I ask God to help me.
President of the Congregation: Almighty God, who has given you the will to do these things, give you the power of his Spirit so that you may perform them with strength and compassion.
Congregation: Amen.
President of the Congregation: I ask all of you, people of this congregation, will you receive this messenger of Christ, Pastor Brown, who continues the work of bringing the Gospel of hope and salvation? Will you regard her as a fellow servant of Christ and work with her in the ministry of this congregation?
Congregation: We will and we ask God to help us.
President of the Congregation: Will you pray for her and our congregation as we strive to live together in the peace and unity of Christ as we navigate this transition period?
Congregation: We will and we ask God to help us.
President of the Congregation: Pastor Brown, by your statements of commitment and the affirmation of this congregation, we welcome you as the Interim Pastor of this congregation in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
WORD
THE READING
Ephesians 1:3-14
In Jesus, all of God’s plans and purposes have been made known as heaven and earth are united in Christ. Through Jesus, we have been chosen as God’s children and have been promised eternal salvation.
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SPECIAL MUSIC
In the Bleak Midwinter, Holst, Rossetti, arr. Nettleton
Michael Elia, Violin Trio
GOSPEL
John 1:1-18
The holy gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
[1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.]
10He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. 15(John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ”) 16From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
From Chaos to Cradle
Pastor Harkness
HYMN OF THE DAY
Word of God, Come Down on Earth (Verses 1-2, 4)
Performed and arranged by Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia
1. Word of God, come down on earth,
living rain from heav'n descending;
touch our hearts and bring to birth
faith and hope and love unending.
Word almighty, we revere you;
Word made flesh, we long to hear you.
2. Word eternal, throned on high,
Word that brought to life creation,
Word that came from heav'n to die,
crucified for our salvation,
saving Word, the world restoring,
speak to us, your love outpouring.
4. Word that speaks God's tender love,
one with God beyond all telling,
Word that sends us from above
God the Spirit, with us dwelling,
Word of truth, to all truth lead us;
Word of life, with one bread feed us.
Text: James Quinn, SJ, b. 1919
Text © James Quinn, SJ, Selah Publishing Co., Inc., North American agent. www.selahpub.com
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PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Joining our voices with the song of the angels, let us pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.
A brief silence.
The response to “Lord in your mercy” is “hear our prayer.”
The prayers conclude:
God of mercy, come quickly to us with grace upon grace as we lift these and all our prayers to you, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
OFFERING
OFFERTORY MUSIC
We Three Kings, Hopkins, arr. Nelson
Nanette Lutz, Piano Trio
OFFERING PRAYER
Gracious God,
You came to us as one unknown,
bringing joy and salvation to the earth.
Nourish us at your banquet table,
that with all who welcome your birth
we may proclaim your peace,
revealed in Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
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 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 and ever.
Amen.
SENDING
BLESSING
Almighty God,
who sent the Holy Spirit to Mary,
proclaimed joy through the angels,
sent the shepherds with good news,
and led the magi by a star,
bless you this day ☩ through the Word made flesh.
Amen.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Share the gift of Jesus.
Thanks be to God.
SENDING SONG
Love Has Come
Performed and arranged by Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia
1. Love has come—a light in the darkness!
Love shines forth in the Bethlehem skies.
See, all heaven has come to proclaim it;
hear how their song of joy arises:
Love! Love! Born unto you, a Savior!
Love! Love! Glory to God on high.
2 . Love is born! Come, share in the wonder.
Love is God now asleep in the hay.
See the glow in the eyes of his mother;
what is the name her heart is saying?
Love! Love! Love is the name she whispers;
Love! Love! Jesus, Immanuel.
3. Love has come and never will leave us!
Love is life everlasting and free.
Love is Jesus within and among us.
Love is the peace our hearts are seeking.
Love! Love! Love is the gift of Christmas;
Love! Love! Praise to you, God on high!
Text: Ken Bible, b. 1950
Text © 1996 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (ASCAP) c/o Integrity Media, Inc., 1000 Cody Road, Mobile, AL 36695 Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.
POSTLUDE
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