praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, mount of God’s unchanging love!

2 Here I raise my Ebenezer; hither by thy help I’m come;

and I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;

he, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood.

3 O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!

Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;

here’s my heart; O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.

WORDS OF WELCOME 

ADORATION   

CALL TO WORSHIP Isaiah 43:1

ONE: Do not fear, for the Lord has spoken:

MANY: I have called you by name; you are mine.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Holy God,

you sent your Son to be baptized among sinners, to seek and save the lost. May we, who have been baptized in his name,

HYMN [GTG#498] Loaves Were Broken, Words Were Spoken

1 Loaves were broken, words were spoken

by the Galilean shore. Jesus, Bread of Life from heaven,

was their food forevermore.

Chorus:

By your body broken for us,

by your wine of life outpoured,

Jesus, feed again your people.

Be our Host, our Life, our Lord.

2 Loaves were broken, words were spoken

in a quiet room one night.In the bread and wine 

you gave them, Christ, you came as Light from Light. Chorus

3 Loaves are broken, words are spoken,

as in faith we gather here. Jesus speaks across the ages:

“I am with you; do not fear!” Chorus

4 By the loaves you break and give us,

send us in your name to share bread for which 

the millions hunger, words that tell your love and care. Chorus

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION 

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION 

Merciful God,

In baptism you promise forgiveness and new life, making us part of the body of Christ. We confess that we remain preoccupied with ourselves, separated from one another. We cling to destructive habits, hold grudges, and show reluctance to welcome one another.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON 

GLORIA PATRI [Blue#579[ [GTG581]  

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning,

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

1st SCRIPTURE                       Isaiah 43:1-7         

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

2nd SCRIPTURE                                                    Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

 RESPONSE     

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH         Apostles’ Creed 

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY   Blessed Jesus, at Thy Word    arr. J.S. Bach

DOXOLOGY [GTG#606]

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE 

THE LORD’S PRAYER 

HYMN [GTG#547] Go, My Children, with My Blessing

1 Go, my children, with my blessing, never alone.

Waking, sleeping, I am with you, you are my own.

In my love’s baptismal river I have made you mine forever.

Go, my children, with my blessing, you are my own.

2 Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.

Here you learned how much I love you, what I can cure.

Here you heard my dear Son’s story; here you touched him,  saw his glory. Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.

3 Go, my children, fed and nourished, closer to me.

Grow in love and love by serving, joyful and free.

Here my Spirit’s power filled you; here my tender comfort stilled you.

Go, my children,  fed and nourished, joyful and free.

PARTING PRAYER 

O God Almighty,

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Grant us, we pray, to be grounded and settled in your truth by the coming down of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. That which we know not, reveal; that which is wanting in us, fill up; that which we know, confirm; and keep us blameless in your service; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING Election of Elders

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [GTG#700] I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me

1 I’m gonna live so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

I’m gonna live so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

POSTLUDE        Trumpet Tune    arr. Dennis Janzer

*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.