Sunday, January 26, 2025 – Third Sunday after Epiphany
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Third Sunday after Epiphany
We Gather as People of Faith
Welcome
Minute Person
Announcements
Lighting the Christ Candle
Call to Worship
One: In a world of many voices,
All: We come seeking God’s Word.
One: In a world of uncertainty,
All: We come seeking God’s light.
One: In world that is ever changing,
All: We come seeking God’s eternal and unchanging love.
Hymn – “Eternal, Unchanging, We Sing” (VU #223)
Eternal, Unchanging, we sing to your praise;
Your mercies are endless, and righteous your ways;
Your Servants proclaim the renown of your name
Who rules over all and is ever the same.
Again we rejoice in the world you have made,
Your mighty creation in beauty arrayed,
We thank you for live, and we praise you for joy.
For love and for hope that no power can destroy.
We praise you for Jesus, our Master and Lord,
The might of his Spirit, the truth of his word,
His comfort in sorrow, his patience in pain,
The faith sure and steadfast that Jesus shall reign.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
One: Holy God, we hear your call to follow. We give thanks for your eternal and unchanging love that wraps us in grace.
All: We confess that there are times when we do not live as people of grace. There are times when we live in despair. There are times when we live in regret. There are times when we do not listen to your Word of love. Forgive us, we pray. Help us to open our hearts to you that we may experience grace and hope and love. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Sung Response – “Gloria” (VU #37)
Gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, gloria, alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to God, glory to God, glory in the highest!
Glory to God, glory to God, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Epiphany Words
We Hear God’s Word
Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
1 all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand, and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord, and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Scripture Reading: Luke 4:14-21
14 Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding region. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
May God speak to us through these readings of scripture.
Thanks be to God!
Hymn – “Ancient Words”
Holy words long preserved for our walk in this world;
They resound with God’s own heart,
O, let the ancient words impart,
Words of life, words of hope,
Give us strength, help us cope;
In this world where’er we roam,
Ancient words will guide us home.
Ancient words, ever true, changing me, and changing you;
We have come with open hearts,
O let the ancient words impart.
Holy words of our faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
O heed the faithful words of Christ
Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God’s own heart
O let the ancient words impart
Ancient words, ever true, changing me, and changing you;
We have come with open hearts,
O let the ancient words impart.
Meditation
Anthem – “In Your Presence”
In Your presence we are gathered
As the people called by your name,
We are longing for Your spirit now to come
And set our hearts aflame.
In Your presence we are gathered
As the people called by Your name,
We are longing for Your spirit now to come
And set our hearts aflame.
We are longing to taste the fruits of the spirit.
We are longing for vision that sees beyond the walls.
We are longing for the fragrance of sweet communion among us.
We are longing to hear again the everlasting call.
In Your presence we are gathered
As the people called by Your name,
We are longing for Your spirit now to come
And set our hearts aflame.
We long to touch the heart that made the mountains.
We long to touch the strength that made the sea,
To know the joy that made the human fam’ly,
To feel the power that sets the captive free.
In Your presence we are gathered
As the people called by Your name,
We are longing for Your spirit now to come
And set our hearts aflame.
Spirit, come and set our hearts aflame.
We Respond to God’s Word
An Invitation to Share
Offering Sung Response – “Grant Us, God, the Grace” (VU #540)
Grant us, God, the grace of giving;
With a spirit large and free,
That ourselves and all our living
We may offer faithfully.
Offering Prayer
Prayers of the People
Prayer Jesus Taught Us
All: Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, they 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, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
We Go Into God’s World
Hymn – “Christ Has No Body Now But Yours” (MV #171)
Christ has no body now but yours, no hands by your.
Here on this hearth, yours is the work, to serve with the joy of compassion.
No hands but yours to heal the wounded world,
No hands but yours to soothe all its suffering,
No touch but yours to bind the broken hope of the people of God.
No eyes but yours to see as Christ would see,
To find the lost, to gaze with compassion;
No eyes but yours to glimpse the holy joy of the city of God.
Christ has no body now but yours, no hands by your.
Here on this hearth, yours is the work, to serve with the joy of compassion.
No feet but yours to journey with the poor,
To walk this world with mercy and justice.
Yours are the steps to build a lasting peace for the children of God.
Through ev’ry gift, give back to those in need;
As Christ has blessed, so now be his blessing,
With ev’ry gift a benediction to be the people of God.
Christ has no body now but yours, no hands by your.
Here on this hearth, yours is the work, to serve with the joy of compassion.
Benediction
Sung Response – “Show Us Christ in One Another”
Show us Christ in one another, make us servants, strong and true.
Give us all your love of justice, so we do what you would do.
Let us call all people holy. Let us pledge our lives anew.
Make us one with all the lowly. Let us all be one in you.
