January 22, 2023 Service

3RD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY January 22, 2023 11:00 a.m. Livestream WE GATHER BEFORE GOD CHIMES WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS PASSING OF FELLOWSHIP PADS PRELUDE To God We Render Thanks and Praise J.S. Bach CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? People: The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Leader: As we behold the beauty of God’s temple, we see God’s face. People: God is our shelter and our shade. We will sing to the God of our salvation! *HYMN NO. 411 Arise, Your Light Has Come! Festal Song 1. Arise, your light has come! The Spirit’s call obey. Show forth the glory of your God which shines on you today. 2. Arise, your light has come! Fling wide the prison door. Proclaim the captives’ liberty. Good tidings to the poor. 3. Arise, your light has come! All you in sorrow born, Bind up the broken-hearted ones and comfort those who mourn. 4. Arise, your light has come! The mountains burst in song! Rise up like eagles on the wing. God’s power will make us strong. *CALL TO CONFESSION Christ calls us to follow, knowing that we are human. Jesus knows we are not perfect. He knows we will not always get it right. All he asks is that we try, learn, and try again. Let us go to God, telling how we have tried and failed, that God may teach us what we must learn. *THE PRAYER OF CONFESSION Christ, our Messiah, you call us to fish for people, but we are hesitant to leave our boats. We are afraid to let go of the things we hoard, believing they make us secure. We are afraid to put our trust in you, afraid to follow, afraid we will fail. Forgive us. Transform our fear into faithfulness, and enable us to walk with you, that we may be part of your work in the world. *SILENT CONFESSION *DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS Leader: Just as Jesus called the disciples, so Christ calls us. Forgiven of our sin and freed to serve, let us answer Christ’s call. People: Christ calls us, forgives us, heals us, and teaches us. Thanks be to God! *CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE Seek Ye First Lafferty Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, And all these things shall be added unto you. Allelu, Alleluia! *PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST Leader: The peace of Christ be with you. People: And also with you. WE LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD TIME WITH THE CHILDREN FIRST READING Isaiah 9:1-4 NRSVUE But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 [b]The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. 3 You have multiplied exultation;[c] you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. 4 For the yoke of their burden and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. MUSICAL OFFERING What a Friend We Have in Jesus arr. Patricia Sanders Cota Bells of Eastminster SECOND READING Mathew 4:12-23 NRSVUE Now when Jesus[a] heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles— 16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”[b] 18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. 23 Jesus[c] went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news[d] of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. Leader: The word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION SERMON Fishing For People Rev. J