The
Congregations of St. Mark’s and St. David’s
United
Church of Canada
Port Hawkesbury/Port Hastings, NS
Office: 625-2229, Fax 625-3597, e-mail: stmarks1@eastlink.ca
Blog:
http://ourcontactonline.blogspot.com/
Minister: Nan Corrigan D. M.
Minister of Music: Al Fougere
January 12th, 2014-Baptism of Jesus
A
thought around which to gather as we worship: “All
I want to say to you is, ‘You are the beloved,’ and all I hope is
that you can hear these words as spoken to you with all the
tenderness and force that love can hold. My only desire is to make
these words reverberate in every corner of your being.”
(From
Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World
by
Henri Nouwen. New York: Crossroad, 1992.)
Announcements The Work of Church and Community
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
Greeting
One: The peace of Christ be with you. All: And with your
spirit.
*
Introit Responsive
reading from A
Song of Faith
Sung
Response: Out of Deep... VU
453 Refrain only
There
is water in the river
bringing
life to tree and plant.
Let
creation praise its giver:
there
is water in the font. Water
is poured into font
To point to the presence of the holy in the
world,
the church receives, consecrates, and shares
visible signs of the grace of God.
In company with the churches
of the Reformed and Methodist traditions,
we celebrate two sacraments as gifts of Christ:
baptism and holy communion.
In these sacraments the ordinary things of
life
—water,
bread, wine—
point beyond themselves to God and God’s
love,
teaching us to be alert
to the sacred in the midst of life.
Before conscious thought or action on our part,
we are born into the brokenness of this world.
Before conscious thought or action on our
part,
we are surrounded by God’s redeeming love.
Baptism by water in the name of the Holy
Trinity
is the means by which we are received, at any
age,
into the covenanted community of the church.
It is the ritual that signifies our rebirth in
faith
and cleansing by the power of God.
Baptism signifies the nurturing, sustaining,
and transforming power of God’s love
and our grateful response to that grace.
Responsive
Reading excerpted from A Song of Faith:
A
Statement of Faith of the United Church of Canada
Sung
Response: There
is water in the river
bringing
life to tree and plant.
Let
creation praise its giver:
there
is water in the font.
*Call
to Worship Based
on Psalm 29
One:
Ascribe to God glory and strength!
All:
Worship God in the splendour of holiness!
One:
God’s voice speaks in the midst of
our chaos.
All:
God’s voice flows like the living waters of grace.
One:
May God give strength to the people.
All:
May God bless the people with grace.
*
Hymn Arise, Your Light Is Come VU 79
Opening
Prayer
Creator
God, the baptismal waters remind us of creation
and
we remember you have created us as your people.
This
is good news!
You
sent your son, Jesus Christ, to be the presence of love among us and
to show us how to be more loving.
This
is good news!
You
send your Spirit to teach us how to follow in your Way with our words
and actions.
This
is good news!
As we receive your good news, help us to be good news for others.
Amen.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
Isaiah
42:1–9 God’s servant brings justice.
This
is the witness of the Hebrew people. All: Thanks
be to God.
Psalm 29 Ascribe
to God all glory and strength VU 756
Hymn Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty VU315
Opening the Word and the Lord’s Prayer
Gospel Acclamation
Matthew
3:13–17 Jesus is baptized.
This
is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Reflection
*The community is invited to come up to the
bowl, dip fingers into the water and offer their own silent prayers
of thanks for the gift of water.
WE RESPOND IN FAITH
*Affirmation of Faith A New Creed VU 918
* Hymn Jesus Came, A Child Like Me VU 583
Minute for Mission
Offering
Our Gifts to God
*Offering
Prayer
Life-giving Spirit, may these gifts help us to be a light to the
nations, open eyes that are blind, and bring release to the
prisoners. Through the power of your Spirit, multiply our efforts
that we might be tangible signs of your kingdom. Amen.
Prayers
of Thanksgiving and Intercession
One: In the small things, O God,
All: in water and bread and word, we find your promises
.
.
May we pour it, break it, and speak it, that the world may be
renewed.
WE GO TO SERVE GOD
* Hymn All
Glory, Laud and Honour VU 122
*
Commissioning and Benediction
The God who created the waters of the world, the Christ of living
waters, the Spirit of cleansing waters be with us now and always.
*
Choral Amen
