SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2018 Dorchester United Church WE GATHER TO PRAISE GOD
MUSIC PRELUDE
(A time for quiet reflection and
preparation for worship)
CALL TO WORSHIP
:
Leader: When Jesus is born to Mary and Joseph, People:
God is there.
Leader: When Jesus is presented at the temple, People:
God is there.
Leader: When Simeon holds Jesus in his arms, People:
God is there.
Leader: When Anna recognizes Jesus in the temple, People:
God is there.
Leader: This very morning, People:
God is here.
Leader: In the future we cannot see, People:
God is there.
All: Let us worship God!
Passing of the Peace
-
The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the Fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with you…
And also with you.
HYMN
: "All Poor Ones and Humble" V.U. 68
SANCTUS
V.U. 315
*Children are welcomed to the front of the Sanctuary for Children's Time
during the Sanctus.
CHILDREN'S TIME:
God is Like an Apple
CHILDREN'S PRAYER
.
LORD'S PRAYER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ANTHEM:
PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON:
God of Past, Present and Future
God of the past,
accept the people we have been
and the baggage we drag behind us.
God of the present,
accept the people we are now
and the potential that lies within us.
God of the future,
accept the people we could be
and by your Spirit transform us.
CREED
:
We are not alone,
we live in God's world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Leader: The Spirit helps us. Men:
We are very weak,
Women:
But the Spirit helps us with our weakness. Men:
We don't know how to pray as we should,
Women:
but the Spirit speaks to God for us.
Worship Leader: The Spirit begs God for us, speaking to God with
feelings too deep for words. God already knows
our deepest thoughts. And understands what the Spirit is saying,
because the Spirit speaks for God's people in the way that agrees with
what God wants. So what should we say about this?
Men:
If God is for us, no one can stand against us. Women:
And God is with us. Can anything separate us from Christ's love? Men:
NO!
Women:
Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love?
Men:
NO!
Women:
Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love?
Men:
No
Leader: But in all these troubles we have complete victory through God,
who has shown extraordinary love for us. Yes, I am sure that nothing
can separate us from God's love
Leader: Death? All:
No
Leader Life? All:
No
Leader: Angels or Spirits? All:
No
Leader: Divorce? All:
No
Leader: Mental Illness? All:
No
Men:
Anything?
Leader: I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers,
nothing above us or nothing below us-nothing in the whole created
world-will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
MESSAGE
: "God with Us" Tabitha Carey
HYMN: "This Is God's Wondrous World"
M.V. 296
PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR
God of wisdom and truth at the beginning of this New Year
we look back and we look forward.
In the year that has passed
we experienced joy and we experienced sorrow;
we felt blessed and we felt challenged.
Some things went by much too fast,
and some things lingered for far too long.
Here in this place we are reminded that you are present through it all.
We are reminded that we are never alone.
We are reminded that nothing can separate us from your love
So at the beginning of this New Year, we pause now in silence to reflect on
the year that has passed. We remember the things from this past year that
we are most thankful for. We recall the moments we were the happiest. We
consider the times we felt most alive.
We recognize the times we gave and received the most love.
(silence)
We are grateful, God, that you were present in those times.
We also remember the things from this past year that we are least thankful
for. We recall the moments we were the least happy. We consider the times
we felt life draining from us.
We recognize the times we gave and received the least love.
(silence)
We are grateful, God, that you were present in those times too. Gracious
God, at the beginning of this New Year,
we also look forward to the year to come.
We are confident that you will be with us still,
when we are thankful and when we are not;
when we are happy and when we are sad;
when we feel alive and when we feel drained;
when we give and receive love and when we do not.
God, the world we live in is messy and challenging,
Yet, God, you are with us always.
So give us grace and give us courage
to live faithfully in this imperfect world.
Remind us always of the promise of your kingdom,
emerging around us and through us. Amen
COMMISSIONING: & CHORAL RESPONSE:
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that
you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans
15:13
POSTLUDE
(A time to quietly reflect on all that you have experienced this morning)
