07 Jan BULLETIN – JANUARY 7, 2024
WELCOME to MESSIAH & ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCHES
The Reverend Nancy Brody, Pastor
Greta Wright, Music Director
Sunday, January 7, 2024
First Sunday of Christmas
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFESSION and FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, creator of darkness and light, word of truth, wind sweeping over the waters.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Silence is kept for reflection.
God, our rock and refuge, we pour out our hearts before you. We have known you but have not always loved you. We have wounded one another and sinned against you. We have not always recognized the Holy Spirit dwelling in each of us. Remember your covenant. Renew your creation. Restore us, that we might proclaim your good news to all. Amen.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. God has spoken: The time of grace is now. In Jesus, the reign of God has come near. By the authority of ☩ Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. You are God’s beloved.
Amen.
ENTRANCE HYMN
Shall We Gather at the River #690
APOSTOLIC GREETING Page 57
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And aslo with you.
KYRIE Pages 57-59
🎶In peace let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶For this holy house, and for all who offer here and online their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶Help, save, comfort, and defend us gracious Lord.
🎶Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE Pages 58-59
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessings and glory are his.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. Sing with all the people of God, join in the hymn of creation: Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever, Amen.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. For the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign, Aleluia.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Holy God, creator of light and giver of goodness, your voice moves over the waters. Immerse us in your grace, and transform us by your Spirit, that we may follow after your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST READING GENESIS 1:1-5
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
PSALM 29
Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due God’s name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
the Lord makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord bursts forth in lightning flashes.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests bare. And in the temple of the Lord all are crying, “Glory!”
The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore.
O Lord, give strength to your people; give them, O Lord, the blessings of peace.
SECOND READING ACTS 19:1-7
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—altogether there were about twelve of them.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Page 62
🎶Alleluia, Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia. Alleluia.
The Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark, the 1st chapter.
🎶Glory to you, o Lord.
GOSPEL MARK 1:4-11
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
🎶Praise to you, o Christ.
SERMON
HYMN of the DAY
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing #60
PROFESSION of FAITH Nicene Creed Page 64
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the virgin Mary
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYERS of INTERCESSION
As we celebrate Christ embodied in human form, we pray for God’s blessing on the church, the world, and all of creation.
A brief silence.
Holy Spirit, inspire wisdom in your church. Uplift believers and participants to share the truth of your word. Encourage us to live into the promises of baptism, working for justice and peace in all the world. O Lord, give strength to your people; give us, O Lord, the blessings of peace.
Holy Spirit, renew creation. Restore all sources and bodies of water. May habitats flourish and grow. Summon stewards and caretakers of the land to cherish your good works. O Lord, give strength to your people; give us, O Lord, the blessings of peace.
Holy Spirit, give strength to leaders present in every country and community. Commit them to equity and healing. Grant them discernment and compassion as they lead in love. O Lord, give strength to your people; give us, O Lord, the blessings of peace.
Holy Spirit, protect and cherish the most vulnerable among us. Accompany those separated from family or hurting from broken relationships. Shelter our unhoused neighbors and any experiencing poverty. Protect those incarcerated in prisons and detention centers. Care for the sick and suffering (especially those on our prayer list). O Lord, give strength to your people; give us, O Lord, the blessings of peace.
Holy Spirit, we’re grateful to know that we’ve never had to experience life without you. Please keep encouraging and guiding, teaching and comforting not only us but those who don’t acknowledge your presence. Help us follow the example of Jesus. O Lord, give strength to your people; give us, O Lord, the blessings of peace.
Holy Spirit, trusting in your assurances, we remember all who have died and rest in God’s care. Give hope to those who grieve even as we rest in your eternal promise of resurrection. O Lord, give strength to your people; give us, O Lord, the blessings of peace.
Knowing that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, we offer these prayers and the silent prayers of our hearts in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is one with God the Father and Holy Spirit, who fully within each godhead does always willingly offer us strength and generously gives us the blessings of peace. Amen.
EXCHANGE of PEACE
OFFERING
OFFERTORY Page 66
🎶Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord and fill to the brim our cup of blessing. Gather a harvest of the seeds that were sown, that we may be fed with the bread of life. Gather the hopes and the dreams of all; unite them with the prayer we offer now. Grace our table with your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.
PRAYER
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts. With them we offer ourselves to your service and dedicate our lives to the care and redemption of all that you have made, for the sake of him who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
LITURGY OF HOLY COMMUNION Pages 68-72
🎶The Lord be with you.
🎶And also with you.
🎶Lift up your hearts.
🎶We lift them to the Lord.
🎶Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
🎶It is right to give him thanks and praise.
🎶It is indeed right and salutary….we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
🎶Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might; heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosana, Hosana, Hosana in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosana in the highest.
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 our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
POST-COMMUNION CANTICLE
🎶Thank the Lord and sing his praise; tell everyone what he has done. Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear his name. He recalls his promises and leads his people forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving. Aleluia, Aleluia.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
BENEDICTION Page 74
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
Amen.
CLOSING HYMN
Good Christian Friends, Rejoice #55
DISMISSAL Page 74
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE