Online Worship – January 17, 2021

Come and see the grace of God,
Christ our teacher and our friend.
Come and see the son of God,
Christ our healer and salvation.
God is moving in this place.
Come and see! Come and see.

Kay James, lay reader.

 

1 I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin my hand will save.
I who made the stars of night, I will make the darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?

Refrain: Here I am Lord. Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.

3 I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them. My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send? [Refrain]

God of abundant mercy,
you embodied love for us in the life of Jesus Christ.
You ate with sinners and shared with outcasts.
You loved with boldness and healed with grace.
Forgive us, O God, when we do not trust your love:
when we doubt whether we are worthy of your care.
Forgive us, O God, when we try to cheapen love:
when we limit it to shallow feelings instead of bold actions.
Help us, O God, when we cannot feel your love,
when we are isolated, afraid, and unable to see your presence.
Forgive us, O God, of the ways we fall short.
Free us to try again, and let your love lead the way.
(Silence for Reflection)

The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. May the God of mercy, who forgives us all our sins, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Jillian Koenig, flute, accompanied by Heasuk Che, piano.

 

Brooke Tucker, Director of Faith Formation.

 

Kay James, lay reader.

Apostle’s Creed

Rev Dr Jeffrey Beebe

 

1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; 3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6 The LORD called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

1    O LORD, you have searched me and known me.
2    You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
         you discern my thoughts from far away.
3    You search out my path and my lying down,
         and are acquainted with all my ways.
4    Even before a word is on my tongue,
         O LORD, you know it completely.
5    You hem me in, behind and before,
         and lay your hand upon me.
6    Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
         it is so high that I cannot attain it.

7    Where can I go from your spirit?
         Or where can I flee from your presence?
8    If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
         if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
9    If I take the wings of the morning
         and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
10   even there your hand shall lead me,
         and your right hand shall hold me fast.
11   If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
         and the light around me become night,”
12   even the darkness is not dark to you;
         the night is as bright as the day,
         for darkness is as light to you.

13   For it was you who formed my inward parts;
         you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14   I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
         Wonderful are your works;
         that I know very well.
15   My frame was not hidden from you,
         when I was being made in secret,
         intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16   Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
         In your book were written
         all the days that were formed for me,
         when none of them as yet existed.
17   How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
         How vast is the sum of them!
18   I try to count them—they are more than the sand;
         I come to the end—I am still with you.

19   O that you would kill the wicked, O God,
         and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—
20   those who speak of you maliciously,
         and lift themselves up against you for evil!
21   Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?
         And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22   I hate them with perfect hatred;
         I count them my enemies.
23   Search me, O God, and know my heart;
         test me and know my thoughts.
24   See if there is any wicked way in me,
         and lead me in the way everlasting.

Barbara Davis, Kathy Link, Julie Pearson, Judith Spurrell, Lillian Warner, and Bob Wright. Accompanied by Jillian Koenig (flutist) and Heasuk Che (pianist).

Sandon

1 God of our life, through all the circling years, we trust in thee.
In all the past, through all our hopes and fears, thy hand we see.
With each new day, when morning lifts the veil,
we own thy mercies, Lord, which never fail.

2 God of the past, our times are in thy hand. With us abide.
Lead us by faith to hope’s true promised land. Be thou our guide.
With thee to bless, the darkness shines as light,
and faith’s fair vision changes into sight.

3 God of the coming years, through paths unknown we follow thee;
When we are strong, Lord, leave us not alone. Our refuge be.
Be thou for us in life our daily bread,
our heart’s true home when all our years have sped.

John 1:43-51 – Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael. Listen for God speaking to you today.

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.
The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.