January 28 @ St. Paul's UMC: Worship

Flowers from the Vander Vorstes

The bells offered today's anthem

Fellowship joys!

Good times!

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

(link to today's worship)

Today’s Meditation Verse: “Fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins; sure knowledge is for all who keep God’s laws. God’s praise lasts forever!”  —Psalm 111:10 (CEB)

Welcome...Pastor Charles

Prelude...Hyeji Park / “More Love to Thee,” arranged Jungmin Kim

*Call to Worship...Rebecca Glancy 

Welcome, travelers. Welcome. Sometimes it is harder to cross an unrepaired sidewalk than travel a thousand miles. Sometimes it is harder to forgive an old friend than to welcome a stranger. But God teaches us that we should welcome the stranger as we would welcome Jesus Christ. However far we have come this week, we bring gifts of ourselves, our minds, our compassion, our love, and our dedication. Let us continue our journey together.  —Bread for the Journey (1981, Ruth C. Duck, ed.)

*Hymn... “Christ Whose Glory Fills the Skies” (UMH #173)

Prayer of Confession (inspired by Mark 1:21-28)...Rebecca Glancy (To be read responsively)

God, we thank you for this extraordinary world and its reminders of resilience, grace, hope and life: for when grass shoots break through concrete when the sun emerges after storms, when people offer laughter in deep sadness, in these moments we see glimpses of who you are – and we are grateful. Yet if we reduce you to being like the cycle of nature or the best of humankind, we diminish your power to make the impossible real: to break apart the impenetrable evils of oppression, to cast out the very real fears that paralyze us, to banish the insidious demons of judgement and worthlessness.

Forgive us God when we do not trust you to deal with the unspeakable awfulness in our lives and world. In the silence, we name the parts of our lives and our world that we believe are too broken to ever be made whole. Cast out our demons. Lord, make us new again.

Forgive us when we contribute to the brokenness of the world and the lives of people around us. In the silence, we name the things we have done that separate us from you and from others. Cast out our demons. Lord, make us new again.

Forgive us when we trust darkness more than we trust your light. In the silence, we name the things we think we need to keep hidden. Cast out our demons. Lord, make us new again.

Scripture says that those who are in Christ are a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, the new has come! Hear then Christ’s word of grace to us: “Your sins are forgiven.” Thanks be to God.

—written by Cheryl Lawrie and posted at holdthisspace.org

Community prayer concerns and celebrations / Pastoral Prayer / The Lord’s Prayer...Pastor Charles

Psalter Lesson: Psalm 111...Rebecca Glancy

Bell Anthem...“Christ of the Snow,” arranged by Valerie W. Stephenson, based on a Hungarian carol

Gospel Lesson: Mark 1:21-28...Pastor Charles

This is the Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.

Sermon...Pastor Charles / “Could it be?”

*Hymn...“Christ for the World We Sing” (UMH #568)

*Words for the Journey...Pastor Charles

Postlude...Hyeji Park / “Blessed Assurance,” arranged by Sumin Choi