Marshall Presbyterian Church

January 10, 2021, Baptism of the Lord
Carol Ann West, Pianist
Rev. Melissa Upchurch, Pastor

ASSEMBLING IN GOD’S NAME

wELCOME

* CALL TO WORSHIP (from Psalm 148)

One: The voice of the Lord is powerful and full of majesty.

All May the Lord bless us with God’s peace!

One: The voice of the Lord proclaimed Jesus

as God’s beloved.

All: In our own baptisms, we are claimed

as God’s beloved.

* Opening Prayer

* HYMN Red Hymnal #288 We Three Kings

CALL TO CONFESSION

UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Merciful God, we confess that we are estranged from you
and from one another. We treat others as strangers or enemies 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…silent prayers of confession…Forgive us our sins and transform us by your Spirit so that we live “see-through lives” as people who have been baptized as your own children. Amen.

* ASSURANCE OF PARDON

One: Friends, hear the good news of the gospel and

of Jesus’ solidarity in his own baptism by John

with all who have been immersed in baptismal

waters, repenting of their sin. God has forgiven us

of our sins and set us on new paths. Let us remember our baptisms and trust in God’s mercy to restore our right standing as God’s own.

All: Thanks be to God. 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.

* PASSING THE PEACE

Special MUSIC

HEARING AND RESPONDING TO GOD’S WOR

THE Scriptures

Old Testament:     Genesis 1:1-5                         See bulletin
Psalm:                     29                                            “
Epistle:                   Acts 19:1-7                             “
Gospel:                   Mark 1:4-11                           “

One:    The Word of God for the people of God!
All:      Thanks be to God!

Message: Rev. Melissa Upchurch

* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from A Brief Statement of Faith)

We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church. The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church.

* HYMN Purple Hymnal #484 Congregation’s Choice

SHARING JOYS AND CONCERNS
Prayers of the People

Sharing the Gifts of God

Offertory

*Doxology (ca. 1500s)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

*Prayer of dedication And thanksgiving

O God, in our baptisms we have been named and claimed as your covenant people, connected deeply with you, with one another and with the earth. May these gifts be used as a witness to your love, peace and justice at work in the world, renewing the face of the earth.

GOING FORTH IN GOD’S NAME

Purple Hymnal #375 Shall We Gather at the River

*INVITATION
*CHARGE
*BENEDICTION

Genesis 1:1-5 – Common English Bible (CEB)

World’s creation in seven days

1¹When God began to create the heavens and the earth — ²the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters— ³God said, “Let there be light.” And so light appeared. ⁴God saw how good the light was. God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵God named the light Day and the darkness Night. There was evening and there was morning: the first day.

Psalm 29 – New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Voice of God in a Great Storm

A Psalm of David.

¹Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
²Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
worship the Lord in holy splendor.

³The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over mighty waters.
⁴The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
⁸The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,
and strips the forest bare;
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

Acts 19:1-7 – Common English Bible (CEB)

Paul in Ephesus

19¹While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul took a route through the interior and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. ²He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you came to believe?”

They replied, “We’ve not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

³Then he said, “What baptism did you receive, then?”

They answered, “John’s baptism.”

⁴Paul explained, “John baptized with a baptism by which people showed they were changing their hearts and lives. It was a baptism that told people about the one who was coming after him. This is the one in whom they were to believe. This one is Jesus.” ⁵After they listened to Paul, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in other languages and prophesying. ⁷Altogether, there were about twelve people.

Mark 1:4-11 ‒ New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

⁴John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

WHAT’S GOING ON AT MPC?

Thursday, January 14, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom : Session

Sunday, January 31, after worship: Annual Congregational
meeting; alt. date Feb. 7 after worship

Tuesdays, 1-3 p.m.: Neighbors in Need

6:30 p.m.: NA

No Gentle Faith Class this week

Fridays, 7 p.m. AA

Contact Barbara Zimmerman if you would like to buy tickets toward a quilt raffle to benefit Laurel Community Center. The quilt is queen size and was made by Barbara’s sister Kathryn Zimmerman! More about price during announcements.

Marshall Presbyterian Church, 165 S. Main Street, Marshall, NC 28753

Tel. 828 649 3622 / Pastor’s hours by appointment.

www.marshallpres.org or visit us on Facebook!