We hope you find the following information helpful as you prepare for Sunday's hours of worship. Below you will find a posting of the Scripture that will be used to shape the worship we share together. You will also find a theme. The theme is there to help you have a sense of the worship environment and the direction in which we will orient our praise to God. And of course the order of worship for both the 8:30 and 10:40 services.
God bless you in your preparations and we all look forward to praising God together this coming Sunday morning.
Peace,
Mark and Lisa CR
Scripture: John 1:1-18
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[b]10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own,[c] and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,[d] full of grace and truth. 15 (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.’”) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,[e] who is close to the Father’s heart,[f] who has made him known.
THEME: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
CHURCH SEASON: January 5th is the Second Sunday of Christmas/
January 12th will be the first Sunday of the Epiphany Season
SOME BACKGROUND:
Though "the Word," "the light," and "the life' in this poem are too abstract, the poem has the answer to we often ask:
*What is the difference between God and Jesus?
*How are God and Jesus related?
John's answer to these questions is that God and Jesus are one. Jesus was part of God when the world was created. God became a person in Jesus of Nazareth. No one had seen God, but anyone who has seen or read about Jesus has seen or read about God, and therefore knows all there is to know about God.
If we explore "the Word" (Logos), and introduce it as a code word for God, it allows us to hear John's message--that God and Jesus are one throughout history, even before Creation.
We can also appreciate that God's presence with us as a person, Jesus, is the most important of the many ways God has loved us and cared for us.
The Gathering
Welcome
and Prelude
Lighting the Christ Candles
*Hymn
of Praise ……………….…………………………………………...#143
Joy to the World
*Call to Worship &
Invocation
We Celebrate
God’s Word Through Song & Music
Scripture……………………………………………………………
John 1:1-18
Sermon
Prayers of the People
We Share Our Joys & Concerns
Prayer Hymn…………………………..………………………………….….#115 There’s Something About That Name
Praying Together
The Lord’s Table
Invitation to the Table
Communion Hymn………………………….………….…………….…….#305 Into My Heart
Prayer of Communion
Words of Institution
The Lord’s Supper
The
Lord’s Prayer
Going Forth into the World
Challenge for Discipleship
*Discipleship Hymn……………………………….……See
the Screen (vs 1)
Shine, Jesus Shine
*Blessing
*********************************************************************************
January 5, 2020 Order
of Worship 10:40AM Service
*Stand if you are able
The Gathering
Welcome and Prelude
*Call to Worship *Hymn
of Praise and Lighting the Christ Candles………#143 (vs. 143) Joy to the World
*Invocation and the Passing of the
Peace
*Hymn of Faith…………………………………………………………….#677 Let There Be Peace on Earth
We Celebrate God’s Word
Scripture………………………………………………………….…John 1:1-18 Scripture
Encounter/Children’s Sermon
Sermon
Prayers of the People
We Share Our Joys & Concerns
Prayer Hymn…………………………..………………………………….….#115 There’s Something About That Name
Praying Together
The Lord’s Table
Invitation
to the Table
Communion
Hymn………………………….………….…………….…….#305 Into My Heart Prayer
of Communion
Words
of Institution
The
Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Prayer
Going Forth into the World
*Discipleship
Hymn………………………………………..……#67 (vs 1,3,6)
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
*Blessing
*Closing
Hymn…………………………………………. See the Screen (vs 1) Shine, Jesus Shine
