ORDER OF WORSHIP
6th Sunday after Epiphany
February 12, 2023
PRELUDE: ‘O Master Let Me Walk with Thee,’ Gilbert Martin
WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP
Come and worship, all you who love and serve the Lord--
Whether I am an outsider or an insider, I am welcome here
Come as you are
Whether I am an old-timer or a new-comer, I am welcome here
This is God’s house
Whether I am young, old, or in-between, I am welcome here
God is here and God welcomes each one who comes.
All: Let us worship our God.
*OPENING HYMN #324 (Blue) ‘Open My Eyes That I May See’
Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me.
Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear, everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my mouth, and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere.
Open my heart, and let me prepare love with Thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see.
Open my mouth, illumine me, Spirit divine!
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Loving God, you call us into community, teach us your ways, and bless us with abundant life. Yet we turn aside to follow other paths: we speak when we should not and just as often fail to speak up when we should. We let our differences divide us and cherish our resentments, shutting off our hearts from forgiveness and reconciliation. Forgive us when we wander from your love. Draw us into community with each other, remind us of your grace, and teach us to give grace that we may grow in faithfulness and work together in peace. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS
*GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE READINGS
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Psalm 119:1-8 (Responsive)
1 Happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
2 Happy are those who keep his decrees,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways.
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 O that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous ordinances.
8 I will observe your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
EPISTLE READING: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
1And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? 4For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human?
5What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. 9For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.
GOSPEL READING: Matthew 5:21-24
21“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.
SERMON ‘Who am I?’ Donna Flint, CRE
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (in unison)
We confess and acknowledge one God alone, to whom alone we must cleave, whom alone we must serve, whom only we must worship, and in whom alone we put our trust. Who is eternal, infinite, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invisible; one in substance and yet distinct in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
From Scot’s confession of 1560
*SERMON HYMN #438 (Blue) 'Blest Be the Tie that Binds'
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.
We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear,
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
From sorrow, toil, and pain,
And sin, we shall be free;
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.
CALL TO OFFERING
SPECIAL MUSIC ‘Jesus Name Above All Names’ Nancy Ohnstad, violinist and Mary Ermel, pianist
*DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen.
CLOSING HYMN #587 (Blue) ‘Amen’
Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POSTLUDE ‘Lead On, O King Eternal,’ Gilbert Martin
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
*HYMN ‘For All the Saints’
For all the saints who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Oh, may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
and win with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
ORDINATION OF OFFICERS
*HYMN ‘God Be with You’ (only verse 1)
God be with you till we meet again;
Loving counsels guide, uphold you,
With a shepherd’s care enfold you:
God be with you till we meet again.
BENEDICTION
6th Sunday after Epiphany
February 12, 2023
PRELUDE: ‘O Master Let Me Walk with Thee,’ Gilbert Martin
WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP
Come and worship, all you who love and serve the Lord--
Whether I am an outsider or an insider, I am welcome here
Come as you are
Whether I am an old-timer or a new-comer, I am welcome here
This is God’s house
Whether I am young, old, or in-between, I am welcome here
God is here and God welcomes each one who comes.
All: Let us worship our God.
*OPENING HYMN #324 (Blue) ‘Open My Eyes That I May See’
Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me.
Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear, everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Open my mouth, and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere.
Open my heart, and let me prepare love with Thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see.
Open my mouth, illumine me, Spirit divine!
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Loving God, you call us into community, teach us your ways, and bless us with abundant life. Yet we turn aside to follow other paths: we speak when we should not and just as often fail to speak up when we should. We let our differences divide us and cherish our resentments, shutting off our hearts from forgiveness and reconciliation. Forgive us when we wander from your love. Draw us into community with each other, remind us of your grace, and teach us to give grace that we may grow in faithfulness and work together in peace. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS
*GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE READINGS
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Psalm 119:1-8 (Responsive)
1 Happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
2 Happy are those who keep his decrees,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways.
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 O that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous ordinances.
8 I will observe your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
EPISTLE READING: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
1And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? 4For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human?
5What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. 9For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.
GOSPEL READING: Matthew 5:21-24
21“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.
SERMON ‘Who am I?’ Donna Flint, CRE
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (in unison)
We confess and acknowledge one God alone, to whom alone we must cleave, whom alone we must serve, whom only we must worship, and in whom alone we put our trust. Who is eternal, infinite, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invisible; one in substance and yet distinct in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
From Scot’s confession of 1560
*SERMON HYMN #438 (Blue) 'Blest Be the Tie that Binds'
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.
We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear,
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
From sorrow, toil, and pain,
And sin, we shall be free;
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.
CALL TO OFFERING
SPECIAL MUSIC ‘Jesus Name Above All Names’ Nancy Ohnstad, violinist and Mary Ermel, pianist
*DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen.
CLOSING HYMN #587 (Blue) ‘Amen’
Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POSTLUDE ‘Lead On, O King Eternal,’ Gilbert Martin
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
*HYMN ‘For All the Saints’
For all the saints who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Oh, may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
and win with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
ORDINATION OF OFFICERS
*HYMN ‘God Be with You’ (only verse 1)
God be with you till we meet again;
Loving counsels guide, uphold you,
With a shepherd’s care enfold you:
God be with you till we meet again.
BENEDICTION