Bulletin – Sunday, January 9, 2022 (Baptism of Christ)
Sunday, January 9, 2022
Baptism of Christ
Approach
Lighting the Christ Candle
We light this candle, honouring the One who said “I am the Light.”
Response
Arise, your light is come! The Spirit’s call obey;
Show forth the glory of your God, which shines on you today.
Call to Worship
One: Come in, hearing these words:
All: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.
One: Come in, knowing these words to be true:
All: I have called you by name, you are mine.
One: Come in, feeling these words in your bones:
All: You are precious in my sight.
One: We come to worship, hearing, knowing, feeling the love and wonder of our God.
All: Let us worship God this day.
Hymn – “A Light is Gleaming”
A light is gleaming, spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light.
Come share its gladness, God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.
When light comes pouring into the darkest place,
It hurts our eyes to see the glow.
Sometimes a word of hope reminds us of our fears,
Our memories and tears…
A light is gleaming, spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light.
Come share its gladness, God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.
When night is round us and every shadow grows,
A star is there to light our way.
It tells a story of Jesus who came near to say:
“God’s light will ever stay.”…
A light is gleaming, spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light.
Come share its gladness, God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.
And Jesus showed us a brighter path to walk.
He showed us things we hadn’t seen.
Now we, like Jesus, can help creation shine,
And this will be a sign…
A light is gleaming, spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light.
Come share its gladness, God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.
So let us live in the brightness God has giv’n
And let us rise to see the dawn.
We trust that God is here a-sparkle and ablaze,
Warming all our days.
A light is gleaming, spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light.
Come share its gladness, God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
God of gifts that transform, we gather in awe and wonder at the ways in which you name us.
Throughout time and space, you have called to our spiritual ancestors, naming them and renaming them as your people, to live in delight at being yours. Today, you continue to call us naming and renaming us, that in our quest for delight, we might see in us what you see, and share that splendor with the world.
May this time of worship help us to hear our names, that we might remember that your goodness lives in us and calls us forth to be members of your family, your creation. May your Spirit rest upon us now as it rested upon Jesus. Holy One, on this day when we bear witness to the baptism of Jesus, we hear a story of blessing, of love, of transformation.
But over time, this story may have caused us to see ourselves as separated, as special, as those who are better than others. Instead of being inclusive and celebrating who we are and whose we are, baptism has sometimes led us to believe that we are “more special” and “more favoured” than others. For all of these beliefs, we are sorry.
May we see the power of transformation that baptism holds and be transformed to see your grace, offered to all of us. Forgive and inspire us, reminding all of us that we are yours. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Time for All Ages
Hymn – “Jesus Bids Us Shine”
Jesus bids us shine with a pure, clear light,
Like a little candle burning in the night.
In this world is darkness, so let us shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.
Jesus bids us shine first of all for him;
Well he sees and knows it if our light grows dim:
Jesus walks beside us to help us shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.
Jesus bids us shine, then, for all around,
Many kinds of darkness in the world are found:
Sin, and want and sorrow; so we must shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.
The Word
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7
1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you;
6 I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Scripture Reading: Luke 3:15-17; 21-22
15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!
Meditation – “To Be Named!”
Anthem – “Down to the River to Pray”
The Response
Prayers of the People
One: God of Mystery and Light, we come to you this day in awe and wonder at your beauty and your ability to create and recreate all that swirls around us. You call us to be in covenant with you—to know and receive your love and to give it back to all creation, to each other, and to you. Envelop us this day, surrounding us in the safety that is the knowledge that your Spirit is with us as we seek to follow the path of Christ.
One: So much of your world is lost this day. People are lost to each other. Children are lost from their parents and caregivers. Men and women are lost in their struggle with drugs and alcohol. Families are lost because of disagreement, unemployment, and heartbreak. Countries are lost in the dust of war; refugees cry out in their loss of home and loss of safety…
One: But yet, your light shines wherever we are, searching us out as a lighthouse searches for a ship at sea. Your grace reminds us that we are worthy to be named—even if you must name and rename us so that we hear you calling to us. We are affirmed before we ask for affirmation. May we live in awe and wonder at this reality.
One: This day, we lift up those in our community who feel like they don’t belong: because they might not fit in with social norms at either school or work, because they are controlled by fear and anxiety, because they feel alone or judged, because they are sick or paralyzed by grief. Those who we hold in our thoughts and prayers this day…
One: Enable us to be the ones who help others to hear their name being called, to receive your love, your hope, and your Spirit of Peace.
One: We thank you that you have given us hands that can reach out, eyes that see deep beneath the surface, ears that hear truth, mouths that speak justice, and hearts that open wide to give and receive your love. Thank you for the will to try again when we fail, when we fall, when we need to learn from you and from each other.
One: Send your Spirit once again to help us use the gifts for the betterment of your world and the coming of your kingdom as we continue to pray in the words that Jesus taught us;
All: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Hymn – “I Have called You By Your Name”
I have called you by your name, you are mine;
I have gifted you and ask you now to shine.
I will not abandon you; all my promises are true.
You are gifted, called, and chosen; you are mine.
I will help you learn my name as you go;
Read it written in my people, help them grow.
Pour the water in my name, speak the word your soul can claim,
Offer Jesus’ body given long ago.
I know you will need my touch as you go;
Feel it pulsing in creation’s ebb and flow.
Like the woman reaching out, choosing faith in spite of doubt,
Hold the hem o Jesus’ robe, then let it go.
I have given you a name, it is mine;
I have given you my Spirit as a sign.
With my wonder in your soul, make my wounded children whole;
Go and tell my precious people they are mine.
Benediction
We have heard the words of the prophet: Do not fear!
As we go, may we go with courage! We have heard the story of Jesus’ baptism.
As we go, may we hear our name as a gift.
May God’s love and grace shine upon you. May the Light of Jesus shine from within you. May the joy of the Spirit shine all around you. And may you and those you love, wherever they might be, remember who you are and to whom you belong.
Amen, Amen, and may it be so, this day and forever more.
Response
O Light of Nations, fill the earth;
Our faith and hope and love renew.
Come, lead the peoples to your peace,
As stars once led the way to you.
