NEC Sunday Worship – 4 PM on 2021-01-03


SPOTLIGHT OF OUR WORSHIP PARTICIPANTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Perhaps a moment of music as we begin? 


BILL reads  Jeremiah 31:7-14
For thus says the LORD: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, “Save, O LORD, your people, the remnant of Israel.”

See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.

With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.”

For the LORD has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again.

Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the LORD.


BILL – leads us in a Prayer of Adoration

Joy to the World – Page AE


Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

let every heart prepare him room,

and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,

and heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let all their songs employ;

while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,

repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

nor thorns infest the ground;

he comes to make his blessings flow

far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,

far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

and makes the nations prove

the glories of his righteousness,

and wonders of his love,   and wonders of his love,

and wonders, wonders of his love.


LAURA READS Wisdom of Solomon 10:15-21
A holy people and blameless race wisdom delivered from a nation of oppressors,

She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs.

She gave to holy people the reward of their labors; she guided them along a marvelous way, and became a shelter to them by day, and a starry flame through the night.

She brought them over the Red Sea, and led them through deep waters;

but she drowned their enemies, and cast them up from the depth of the sea.

Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly; they sang hymns, O Lord, to your holy name, and praised with one accord your defending hand;

for wisdom opened the mouths of those who were mute, and made the tongues of infants speak clearly.

SHERI SHARES PRAYER OF CONFESSION



Amazing Grace – Page 3

Amazing grace,    how sweet   the sound,   that saved   a wretch   like me

I once   was lost,   but now   I’m found,   was blind,  but now   I    see

 

Twas grace  that taught   my heart   to fear,   and grace   my fears   relieved

How precious   did that grace  appear,  the hour  I first   believed

 

Through many   dangers  toils and snares,   I have   already   come

Tis grace   that brought us   safe thus far,   and grace   will lead   us   home

 

The Lord   has promised good   to me,    His word   my hope   secures

He will   my shield   and portion be,   as long   as life  en – dures

 

When we’ve   been there  ten thousand years,   bright shining   as the  sun

We’ve no  less days  to sing  God’s praise,   than when  we  first   be – gun

 

Amazing grace,    how sweet   the sound,   that saved   a wretch   like me

I once   was lost,   but now   I’m found,   was blind,  but now   I      see


MARILYN READS John 1:10-18

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.

He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,

who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

(John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'”)

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.


LAURA LEADS

Any reflections we want to share based on the scriptures, songs and/or prayers?

 


STEVE LEADS: Sharing of Joys & Concerns

  • Confluence of pandemics (COVID-19, racial injustice, income inequality, climate);
  • CONCERNS:
    • Sheri’s recovery progress
    • OTHER UPDATES?
    • OTHER CONCERNS?
  • JOYS:
    •  
    • OTHER JOYS?

 

Prayer – concluding with The Lord’s Prayer


Silent Night – Page AF

Silent night, Holy night,         All is calm, all is bright, 

‘round yon Virgin Mother and Child,    

Holy Infant so tender and mild, 

Sleep in heavenly peace,        sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, Holy night,          shepherds quake at the sight, 

glories stream from heaven afar,

Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia; 

Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born.

Silent night, Holy night,         Son of God, love’s pure light.  

Radiant beams from Thy holy face, 

with the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.


STEVE – AS WE CLOSE… (in unison:) 

Friends,

Life is short

and there is precious little time

to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us…

So make haste to be kind,

and be swift to love,

because in every act of love and kindness, the God who first formed us,

reforms and transforms us

again and again.

And certainly for these blessings,

all of God’s people say. 

AMEN!