PRELUDE  “Christ, When for Us You Were Baptized”  duet with Dr. Dale Norris on Piano and Randy Martono-Chai on Organ

WORDS OF WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS          

ADORATION

INTROIT “We Are Standing on Holy Ground” arr. David/Bledsoe

CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 29      

ONE: Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, 

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

MANY: Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;

 worship the Lord in holy splendor.

ONE: The voice of the Lord is over the waters; 

the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.

MANY: The voice of the Lord is powerful; 

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

ONE: The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

 the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

MANY: He makes Lebanon skip like a calf and Sirion like a young wild ox.

ONE: The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

MANY: The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

ONE: The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl and strips the forest bare, and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

MANY: The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; 

the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.

ONE: May the Lord give strength to his people!

May the Lord bless his people with peace!

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, never turn away from the world, but reach out in love to rescue the wayward; by the mercy of Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

HYMN [Blue#461][GTG#409] “God is Here” 

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Merciful God, we confess that we are estranged from you and from one another. We treat others as strangers rather than as people created in your image and fellow children of God. We exploit the earth as though it were our possession rather than a gift entrusted to our care and a reflection of your image and glory. Forgive us our sins and transform us by your Spirit that we might live as people who have been baptized as your own children. Amen.

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,

is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

RESPONSE  [Blue#586] [GTG#601] “Amen”

1st SCRIPTURE Isaiah 42:1-9

2nd  SCRIPTURE Matthew 3:13-17       

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

HYMN [Blue#499] [GTG#489] “Wonder of Wonders”

SERMON   “By the River”   Rev. Dr. Martha J. Robson

 RESPONSE     

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,  and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY  “I Can Only Imagine” performed by Cindy Freudenthal on Flute, Dr. Dale Norris on Violin, and Randy Martono-Chai on Piano

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

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation to the Lord’s Table

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving – Blue Presbyterian Hymnal p. 13

The Lord’s Prayer – Blue Presbyterian Hymnal p.16

RESPONSE “Hear Our Prayer O Lord”

Breaking the Bread and Sharing the Cup

Sharing the Body and Blood of Christ

MUSIC DURING COMMUNION: [GTG#530] “One Bread, One Body” with Sandy Cranfill on vocals and Randy Martono-Chai on piano.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

HYMN [GTG#488] “I Was There”

PARTING PRAYER    

God of Heaven and Earth

who at the baptism of your Son Jesus Christ revealed him as your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Grant that we, who are baptized into his death and resurrection,

may hear your gracious call, be filled with your Spirit, and walk faithfully in the way of your beloved Son. Amen.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [Blue#316] [GTG#286] “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” verse 3 only

POSTLUDE   “Baptized in Water”  duet with Dr. Dale Norris on Piano and Randy Martono-Chai on Organ   

Special thanks and blessings to our guest musician, Dr. Dale Norris of Parkway Presbyterian Church, for his accompaniment on piano and violin during our worship.         

*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.