Worship Guide
January 23, 2022
Third Sunday after Epiphany
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greetings:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music:
Centering Words:
May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasant to you, Holy One, our rock and our redeemer.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: This day is holy to our God; do not mourn or weep.
People: The Spirit of the Holy One is upon us to bring good news to the poor.
Leader: This day is holy to our God; for the joy of the Holy One is our strength.
People: God sends us to proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and justice to the oppressed.
Leader: On this day, may the scripture be fulfilled in our hearing:
People: May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasant to you, Holy One, our rock and our redeemer.
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Holy maker of stars and planets, Holy mender of broken dreams, Holy fountain of joyful news, we stand in awe of your glory. We cry out with the psalmist in wonder, as your word is proclaimed in the silent song of the cosmos. We cry out with your faithful ones, as your presence is made known in the stories of your people at all times and places. When the people returned from captivity in Babylon, you gave them your precepts to sustain them, as they rebuilt the city. When Jesus read the words of your prophets to his hearers in the synagogue, he reminded them of your promise to release captives, to restore sight to the blind, and to free the oppressed. Today, you call us to be members of the body of Christ, your embodied Word made flesh, and to offer healing and wholeness wherever we go. May our songs and our stories, our praise and our thanks, be pleasant to you this day, Holy One, our rock and redeemer. Amen
Hymn: “As the Deer”
As the deer pants for the water,
so my soul longs after you.
You alone are my heart's desire,
and I long to worship you.
You alone are my strength, my shield;
to you alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart's desire,
and I long to worship you.
As the deer pants for the water,
so my soul longs after you.
You alone are my heart's desire,
and I long to worship you.
You alone are my strength, my shield;
to you alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart's desire,
and I long to worship you.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
Hear the good news: God heals our illusion of separateness and makes us one and whole.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Glory to God. Amen
*Gospel Reading: Luke 4:14-21
14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Leader: This is the Word of God, for the People of God
People: Thanks be to God!
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “The Most Important Piece...”
Hymn: “One Bread, One Body”
One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many through-out the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Gentile or Jew, servant or free,
woman or man, no more.
One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many through-out the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Many the gifts, many the works,
one in the Lord of all.
One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many through-out the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Grain for the fields, scattered and grown,
gathered to one, for all.
One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many through-out the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Sermon: “You Are the Body” 1 Corinthians 12:12-31
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love”
We are one in the Spirit,
we are one in the Lord,
we are one in the Spirit,
we are one in the Lord,
and we pray that all unity
may one day be restored:
And they'll know we are Christians
by our love, by our love;
yes, they'll know we are Christians
by our love
We will walk with each other,
we will walk hand in hand,
we will walk with each other,
we will walk hand in hand,
and together we'll spread the news
that God is in our land:
and they'll know we are Christians
by our love, by our love;
yes, they'll know we are Christians
by our love
We will work with each other,
we will work side by side,
we will work with each other,
we will work side by side,
and we'll guard human dignity
and save human pride;
and they'll know we are Christians
by our love, by our love;
yes, they'll know we are Christians
by our love
All praise to the Father,
from whom all things come,
and all praise to Christ Jesus, God's only Son,
and all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one:
and they'll know we are Christians
by our love, by our love;
yes, they'll know we are Christians
by our love
Psalter: The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Gloria Patri
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
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns:
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “This Is My Father’s World”
This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
in the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens Ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!
Benediction
