Marshall Presbyterian Church
January 3, 2020, 2nd Sunday
of Christmas
Carol Ann West, Pianist
Rev. Cathy Chang, Guest Minister
Alex and Carol Brown, Liturgists
ASSEMBLING IN GOD’S NAME
wELCOME
* CALL TO WORSHIP (based on Psalm 147 and John 1)
One: Praise the Lord, O people!
All: For God strengthens the weak and blesses the
children.
One: God grants peace and gives abundance for all.
All: God has
created all things through the Word, and
sustains
the goodness of creation.
* Opening Prayer
* HYMN Christmas
carol – Congregation’s choice
CALL TO CONFESSION
UNISON PRAYER OF
CONFESSION
O God, you create and sustain all things by your
Word. Your love is manifest throughout your good creation. Indeed, your Word
became flesh and dwelt among us, so that we might see, hear and know you in
ways never before possible. But we do not always trust in that revelation and
in your sustaining power. We sometimes doubt that your abundant love will
overcome hatred in our world. Forgive our disbelief. Have mercy upon us for our
failure to abide in Christ and to walk in his light. Amen.
* ASSURANCE
OF PARDON
ALL: Hear the good news: The Word became flesh and
dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, and from that fullness we have all received
grace upon grace. And to all who receive this good news, who believe in Jesus’
name, God grants power to become children of God — power to participate in
God’s own life. Bear that family resemblance into the life of the world, for we
are forgiven and restored to walk in the light, set on right paths of justice
and peace. 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: Congregation’s choice
HEARING AND RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD
prayer for illumination
THE Scriptures
Gospel: John
1:1-18 See Bulletin
Old
Testament: Jeremiah 31:7-14 Listen
One: The
Word of God for the people of God!
All: Thanks be to God!
Message: A See-Through Life Rev. Cathy Chang
* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from Confession of Belhar)
We believe that God has entrusted the church with the message of reconciliation
in and through Jesus Christ; We believe that the church is called to be the
salt of the earth and the light of the world, that the church is called blessed
because it is a peacemaker, that the church is witness both by word and by deed
to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells. We believe
that God’s life-giving Word and Spirit will enable the church to live in a new
obedience which can open new possibilities of life for society and the world. Jesus
is Lord. To the one and only God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be the honor
and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
*
HYMN Christmas Carol – Congregation’s
choice
SHARING JOYS AND CONCERNS (See bulletin
insert)
Prayers of the People and
Lord’s prayer (The
Lord’s
Prayer is located at the bottom of page 35 in the
purple
hymnal)
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, receive the gifts we offer in gratitude for
abundant gifts that we have received from you, and now return to you to further
your work in the world. Amen.
GOING FORTH IN GOD’S NAME
*
HYMN Christmas carol – Congregation’s
choice!
*INVITATION
*CHARGE
*BENEDICTION
John 1:1-18 (New Revised Standard Version)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things
came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.
What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all
people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through
him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The
true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being
through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and
his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in
his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood
or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And 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. (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.’”) From his
fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given
through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen
God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made
him known.
