The Service of Worship at the First Presbyterian Church of Ulysses in Trumansburg, The Baptism of Our Lord, January 24, 2021

The Service of Worship at the First Presbyterian Church of Ulysses in Trumansburg, The Baptism of Our Lord, January 24, 2021

The Prelude The Welcome, News and Announcements The Introit The Call to Worship Susan Ulrich One: We gather today remembering your presence amongst us and the call to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with you and our neighbors. One: We gather today remembering your presence amongst us and the call to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with you and our neighbors. All: We have the courage to dream the impossible. One: God of our ancestors and God of our dreams, we gather today to remember that you have created us all in your image and in your likeness. All: We have the courage to dream the impossible. One: We remember the ways you have delivered your people through trials L: We remember how you spoke into the darkness and created light. and tribulations since the beginning of time, right up until this present moment. All: We have the courage to dream the impossible. One: You have brought comfort and strength to those through the middle passage, racism, segregation, stripped identities and unjust laws. All: We have the courage to dream the impossible. One: God you have been the Guiding Light along the paths of despair and travail, bringing hope and love, leading toward a beloved community where all are equally seen and radically loved. All: We have the courage to dream the impossible. The Prayer of Confession God of our weary years and God of our silent tears, Thou who has brought us thus far on the way, we invite your presence into our midst as we pay tribute to all who have labored for justice, equality and love. Help us to labor so that every valley is exalted, every hill and mountain made low, the rough places are plain, and the crooked places made straight so that the glory of the Lord is revealed, and all flesh see it together. Let your love guide us to see one another as fully human with diverse hues, colors, ethnicities and cultures, and respect the content of their character. Let your spirit strengthen us for the fight of today and tomorrow until all God’s children can say with full conviction, “Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, I’m free at last.” Amen. The Hymn #163, “Wild and Lone, the Prophet’s Voice” (Please from the safety of your home, sing, recite, hum or all three.) Wild and lone the prophet’s voice echoes through the desert still, calling us to make a choice,bidding us to do God’s will: “Turn from sin and be baptized;cleanse your heart and mind and soul. Quitting all the sins you prized,yield your life to God’s control.””Bear the fruit repentance sows:lives of justice, truth, and love. Trust no other claim than those; set your heart on things above. Soon the Lord will come in power,burning clean the threshing floor: then will flames the chaff devour;wheat alone shall fill God’s store.”With such preaching stark and boldJohn proclaimed salvation near,and his timeless warnings holdwords of hope to all who hear. So we dare to journey on,led by faith through ways untrod, till we come at last like Johnto behold the Lamb of God. The Hebrew Scripture Lesson Genesis 8:1-12 8 1-3 Then God turned his attention to Noah and all the wild animals and farm animals with him on the ship. God caused the wind to blow and the floodwaters began to go down. The underground springs were shut off, the windows of Heaven closed and the rain quit. Inch by inch the water lowered. After 150 days the worst was over… After forty days Noah opened the window that he had built into the ship. 7-9 He sent out a raven; it flew back and forth waiting for the floodwaters to dry up. Then he sent a dove to check on the flood conditions, but it couldn’t even find a place to perch—water still covered the Earth. Noah reached out and caught it, brought it back into the ship. 10-11 He waited seven more days and sent out the dove again. It came back in the evening with a freshly picked olive leaf in its beak. Noah knew that the flood was about finished. 12 He waited another seven days and sent the dove out a third time. This time it didn’t come back. “This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Amen.” The New Testament Lesson Mark 1:1-9 1 The beginning of the good news[a] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.[b] 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,[c] “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,[d]who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:‘Prepare the way of the Lord,make his paths straight,’” 4 John the baptizer appeared[e] in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 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. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 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. 8 I have baptized you with[f] water; but he will baptize you with[g] the Holy Spirit.” 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 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. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved;[h] with you I am well pleased.” The Hymn #182, “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” (Please from the safety of your home, sing, recite, hum.) 1. heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast.” I came to Jesus as I was, Weary and worn and sad; I found in Him a resting place, And He has made me glad. 2. I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give The living water; thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live.” I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in Him. 3. I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light; Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise, And all thy day be bright.” I looked to Jesus, and I found In Him my Star, my Sun; And in that light of life I’ll walk, Till trav’ling days are done.

We Proclaim God’s Word Prayer of Illumination The Sermon “ Living Wet!” Part Two

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, you offer us wonderful gifts. In these offerings, may we make for change that doesn’t yet exist. May we give it a name. May we move through our fears. May we dare to call this hope wonderful, in the hope of Christ Jesus, we pray. 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 “Go Now in Peace”

Go now in peace. Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.

The Postlude

Attributions:
Call to Worship and Invocation adapted and reprinted from the Rev. Trayce Potter; Unison Prayer of Dedication reprinted from Whispers of God by Lavon BaylerMany thanks to our Liturgist – Susan Ulrich!

Kristin 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: http://www.fpcu.info