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Call to Worship (from Psalm 147)

L: Praise the LORD! How good it is to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting. 
P: The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.  He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. 
L: Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. 
P: Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre. 
L: The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
All:  Praise the LORD!

Responsive Call to Worship

L: Zion, adorn the bridal chamber,
P: Welcome Christ the King of glory
L: He comes to earth and appears in the temple.
P: Welcome Christ the King of glory.
L: Praise to the Lord Christ Jesus, giver of life.
All: Welcome Christ the King of glory.  

Opening Prayer for the Epiphany Season ( in unison)

O God, who in the work of creation
commanded the light to shine out of darkness:
we pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
may shine into the hearts of all your people,
dispelling the darkness of ignorance and unbelief,
and revealing to them the knowledge of your glory
in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

New Year Prayer

Creative God, you make all things new in heaven and on earth.
We come to you at the dawn of a new year with new desires and old fears, new decisions and old controversies, new dreams and old weaknesses.

Because you are the God of hope, we know that you create all the possibilities of the future.  Because you are a God of Love, we know that you accept all the mistakes of the past.

Because you are the God of our faith, we enter your gates with thanksgiving and praise, we come into your presence with gladness and a joyful noise, and we serve and bless you.   Amen.

 

Blessing God (use with Ephesians 1:3-14)

Let us bless the living God:

He was born of the Virgin Mary
Revealed in his glory
Worshipped by angels
Proclaimed among the nations
Believed in throughout the world
Exalted to the highest heavens.
Blessed be God, our strength and our salvation
Now and for ever. Amen.

The Word Made Flesh (John 1:1-18)

Search the Scriptures, as Christ told us in the gospels.
We find him born in our midst.
Born as a child and bound in swaddling clothes.
We find him born in our midst.
Laid in a manger and fed upon a mother's milk.
We find him born in our midst.
Presented in the temple and carried by Simeon.
We find him born in our midst.
In truth he has appeared in the world.
We find him born in our midst.  

In unison:

O Lord, you have given us your word
for a light to shine upon our path;
grant us so to meditate on that word,
and to follow its teaching,
that we may find in it the light that shines more and more
until the perfect day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Prayer of Petitions for the Christmas/Epiphany Season

In peace let us pray to the Lord

By the mystery of the Word made flesh
Good Lord, deliver us.

By the birth in time of the timeless Son of God
Good Lord, deliver us.

For the kingdoms of this world,
that they may become the Kingdom of our Lord and Christ
We pray to you, O Lord.

For your holy, universal Church,
that it may be one
We pray to you, O Lord .

For the witness of your faithful people,
that they may be lights in the world
We pray to you, O Lord .

For the poor, the persecuted, the sick and all who suffer; that they may be relieved and protected
We pray to you, O Lord.

For the aged, for refugees and all in danger,
that they may be strengthened and defended
We pray to you, O Lord .

For those who walk in darkness and in the shadow of death,
that they may come to your eternal light
We pray to you, O Lord.

Father, source of light and life,
Grant the prayers of your faithful people,
and fill the world with your glory,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Sending Forth (responsively)

We proclaim not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord.
And ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

For the God who said 'Let light shine out of darkness.'
Has caused his light to shine within us.

To give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God.
In the face of Jesus Christ.

As we go forth, let us be your representatives, o God.
May we be heralds of your good news to the world.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.