The Prelude
The Welcome, News and Announcements
The Call to Worship The VanOrdens
Leader: God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God,
People: We bless You.
Leader: Object of the Magi’s search,
People: We bless You.
Leader: Subject of an old man’s song,
People: We bless You.
Leader: Fulfilment of the Baptist’s preaching,
People: We bless You.
Leader: Mary’s son, Joseph’s son, God’s only son,
People: We bless You.
The Prayer of Confession The Van Ordens
Later after the angels, after the stable, after the Child, they went back…as we always must, back to the world that doesn’t understand our talk of angels and stars and especially not the Child. We go back complaining that it doesn’t last. They went back singing praises to God! We do have to go back, but we can still hum and recite the alleluias! Thanks be to God. Amen.
Our Response CAROL #151 “We Three Kings of Orient Are”
(Please from the safety of your home, sing, recite, hum or all three this Carol.)
We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star. Refrain: O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
Glorious now behold him arise; King and God and sacrifice: Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies. (Refrain)
The Hebrew Scripture Lesson Joel 2:25-27
I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent against you.
26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other.
The New Testament Lesson Matthew 2:1-12
2 1-2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory— this was during Herod’s kingship—a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East. They asked around, “Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We’re on pilgrimage to worship him.” 3-4 When word of their inquiry got to Herod, he was terrified—and not Herod alone, but most of Jerusalem as well. Herod lost no time. He gathered all the high priests and religion scholars in the city together and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” 5-6 They told him, “Bethlehem, Judah territory… 7-8 Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, “Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I’ll join you at once in your worship.” 9-10 Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time! 11 They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh. 12 In a dream, they were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country.
The Hymn #129, “Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming”
(Please from the safety of your home, sing, recite, hum or all three this Carol.)
Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.
Isaiah ’twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;
Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind.
To show God’s love aright, she bore to us a Savior,
When half spent was the night.
This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
True man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.
We Proclaim God’s Word
Prayer of Illumination
The Sermon “NeuroGenesis Versus the Practice of Hate”
Music for Meditation
We Respond to God’s Word
The Offertory
The Offertory Anthem
The Doxology
The Unison Prayer of and Dedication of Pledges
O God, from whom comes all the good things; we offer our gifts in the spirit of those long ago who opened costly treasures before Jesus. We give in response to your generosity, identifying with your compassion for victims of violence, poverty, and oppression. May all who are in need experience the unsearchable riches of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, even as their physical needs are met. May our pledges be a help in ways big and small to a world in need of your hesed. May we be coworkers with Christ, whose sacrifice bought our redemption. Amen.
The Joys and Concerns
The Silent, Intercessory and the Lord’s Prayer
…Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your 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
We Go Forth in God’s Name
**The Charge and Benediction
**The Sending Hymn #747, “The Lord Now Sends Us Forth”
The Lord now sends us forth with hands to serve and give,
to make of all the earth a better place to live.
The angels are not sent into our world of pain
to do what we were meant to do in Jesus’ name;
that falls to you and me and all who are made free,
Help us, O Lord, we pray, to do your will today.
The Postlude
Attributions
Call to Worship reprinted from Cloth For the Cradle, Wild Goose Pub; Invocation reprinted from Kneeling in Bethlehem, Ann Weems; Unison Prayer of Dedication reprinted from Whispers of God by Lavon Bayler
Many thanks to our Liturgists Nancy and Jerry Van Orden.
Kristen Parry, Administrator
Joseph Pepper, Music Director & Keyboardist
Daniel J. Russell, Interim Pastor
69 East Main Street, P.O. Box 597, Trumansburg, NY 14886
Web Address: www.fpcu.info
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