Father Peter Gower

Theme

As Jesus is baptized, God calls him the beloved Son. God calls us as daughters and sons today.

Prelude

Welcome

Call to Worship

Pastor: We are the people of God,
People: Marked by water,
Pastor: Claimed by the Spirit,
People l: Precious and honored in God's sight.
Pastor: We are the body of Christ,
People: Gathered around the table,
Pastor: Fed by the Bread of Life,
People: Filled with the cup of joy,
Pastor: Strengthened for the new year.
People: We are the community of faith,
Pastor: Following God's star,
People: Bringing our gifts,
Pastor: Seeing the Holy in the ordinary,
People: And being made new as we travel new roads.

*Hymn of Praise          # 150                Ivory Palaces

Invocation  (the Lord’s Prayer) Refresh us with your Word, O God. Baptize us with the power of the gospel, as we hear it read and proclaimed this day. As you did in the beginning, send your Spirit to hover over the chaos — the chaos of our own frenzied and disordered souls — that we would hear your truth ringing forth in a clear and unambiguous voice: Good News, for ourselves and for this entire world.
Gloria Patri

Our  Offering to God    This is a moment of opportunity. Even as the wise men gave gifts we now will share in the generosity of God to others. Your offering will now be received.

Doxology

Prayer of Dedication            Come, bless all that we have given, O God. Make true our love for others and make real our offerings to you. Guide us in the use of all that we bring now. This we pray in Christ’s name.

Scripture Reading                Acts 19:1–7       

Like the gospel, Acts tells of John’s baptism – a baptism of repentance. The people hungered for more. As the Holy Spirit comes upon Jesus in baptism, so the Holy Spirit comes upon the people when baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

*Hymn of Prayer  # 553                Morning Has Broken

Pastoral Prayer  We rejoice, O God, in this festival of Epiphany. It is a day ignored by the culture, and a day even ignored by many of your people. But for those of us gathered in this place, may your light burst upon us in a new way.

        We have spent 12 days celebrating the birth of the Christ Child. We now spend a season celebrating Christ’s great work among us, great bursts of light in the world.

        Even as the Magi were overjoyed upon seeing the star, may we be overjoyed in the light of the Christ. Even as the Magi bowed down and worshiped the Christ, may we bow in reverence and love this day. Let us arise and shine, for our light has come.

        In this Epiphany season, may we continually be brought to a greater awareness of your love for the world through the great works done by Christ. From baptism to miracles to transfiguration, your Son is one whose sandals we are not worthy to untie. Yet he is a Savior that invites us into his very bosom. Praise to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

*Hymn of Praise          #130         Tell Me the Story of Jesus

Scripture Reading                Matthew 2:1–12

They were given a sign. They looked, they found, and they worshiped. Overwhelmed with joy, they offered the King what they had. God’s people today are given a sign. We also look, find, worship, and offer our gifts.

Message                                                                    Rev. Peter Gower

*Hymn of Response             # 503        Jesus Call Us; O’er the Tumult

*Sending forth            Go as the loved children of God.  Go as those gifted and commissioned to bring love to all   people.

*Postlude

Thought for the Day

As baptized children of God we are called to live in the model of Christ. We are to “let our light shine” to glorify our Father in heaven.