Chatham Circuit

St Louisville, Chatham & Liberty UMC

January 5, 2025

Epiphany of the Lord

Prelude
Bringing the Light

 

*Call to Worship:

L: Bring your gifts and bring your love this day!
P: Honor the King of love.
L: Bring your worship and bring your praise!
P: Pay homage to Christ Jesus, our King.

 

*Opening Prayer

Gracious God, we come into your presence

with joy and praise, grateful for the gift of Christ Jesus in our lives. As we celebrate this gift in our service of worship,

fill our hearts with Christmas joy and our spirits with the gift of your Holy Spirit. With joy and gratitude, we pray. Amen.

 

Hymn: There is a Song in the Air                              #249

 

1. There's a song in the air! There's a star in the sky! There's mother's deep prayer and a baby's low cry! And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing, for the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

 

2. There's a tumult of joy o'er the wonderful birth, for the virgin's sweet boy is the Lord of the earth. Ay! the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing, for the manger of Bethlehem
cradles a King!

 

3. In the light of that star lie the ages impearled; and that song from afar has swept over the world. Every hearth is aflame,
and the beautiful sing in the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!

 

4. We rejoice in the light and we echo the song that comes down through the night from the heavenly throng. Ay! we shout to the lovely evangel they bring, and we greet in his cradle our Savior and King!

 

The Lord’s Prayer

 

First Scripture:                                 Ephesians 13: 1 – 12

 

The Apostle’s Creed                                                 #881

 

*Second Scripture:                                Matthew 2:1 – 12

Gloria Patri                                                                #70

 

Message Lesson:                               Isaiah 60: 10 - 14

 

Spirit of the Living God                                            #393

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

 

The Message

 

Shine, Your Light has Come!

Bryan Moore

 

Hymn: This Little Light of Mine                                  #585

 

1 This little light of mine, I'm goin'a let it shine,

this little light of mine, I'm goin'a let it shine;

this little light of mine, I'm goin'a let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. (let it shine)

 

2 Everywhere I go

 

3 All through the night

 

The Lord’s Supper                                                   #13

 

The Lord be with you.

 

And also with you.

 

Lift up your hearts.

 

We lift them up to the Lord.

 

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

 

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

 

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

 

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

 

Holy are you and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

 

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

 

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:

"Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

 

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

 

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

 

By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

 

Behold the body of Christ, which was broken for you. Take and eat.

 

Behold the blood of Christ, which was shed for you. Take and drink.

 

Dear ones, you have been offered the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and you have received the Redeeming and Atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ for your transgressions. Brothers and Sisters, you are forgiven. Amen.

 

Prayers of the People

Father, it is at this time that we humbly come to praise you for the joys in our lives and the lives of others and to beseech your mercies for challenges that we and others dear to us face. At all times and in all places, encourage us to listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit, who leads us to follow your acts of Grace and Mercy.

 

Invitation to Respond to God’s Grace

On this day of celebration, let us bring our gifts, as sages of old once brought gifts to Christ the King. May our gifts become the light of Christ for the world.

 

*Doxology/Prayer

Generous God, thank you for the gift of Jesus. Thank you for the gifts of Christmas. Thank you for inviting us to bring gifts to your world. Bless the gifts we bring, that they may become vessels of Christ’s light and love in the world. Amen.

 

*Hymn: Blessed Assurance                                      #369

 

1. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

 

Refrain: This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long; this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.

 

2. Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight; angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love. (Refrain)

 

3. Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love. (Refrain)

 

*Responsive Benediction

 

L: Arise; shine!
P: The world needs our light.
L: Go forth with grace and love.
P: Every person needs our grace and love.
L: Go forth with the gift of Christ’s presence.
P: Christ’s presence will save us all. Amen.

 

Closing

“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

St Louisville

Mark and Deb Soter               Bryan Miller

Warren & Cliver Family          Pound Family

Bob and Bev Bevard               John & Dawn Bevard

Steve and Kathy Robinson

 

Chatham

Frances Garno                        Warner Family

Carol & Paul Rostofer             Layman Family

Kayla

 

Liberty

John & Janice Prather            Sally Lindsay

Sandy Hubbard                       Troy Mallow

Cindy and Paul                       Velma

Maria                                       Ruth and Rick

 

Chatham Charge News:

Bible Study will return on January 14th and 15th. Tuesday night at 7 PM via conference call line, as well as in person at St Louisville on Wednesday afternoon at 2PM. You can join either Bible Study by calling 508-924-5730. We will be studying from Luke, so read chapters 1 and 2.

 

St Louisville Church

 

Our next UMW meeting will be on January 21st at St. Louisville at 1:00.

Words of Confession

Christ Jesus, we yearn for your grace to fill our lives. We yearn to accept your love so fully that our hearts might overflow with love for your world. Gift us, not just with your mercy and grace, but with openness and confidence
to receive your gifts. Shine through our hearts, our lives, and our actions, that others may find in us generous friends of grace and love. May our prayers and actions bring your light and love to the world. Amen.

 

Words of Assurance

May peace prosper among us until the moon is no more. May we share signs of peace and love to sustain us in this New Year.

 

Contact info for Pastor Bryan

email: brmoore1@aol.com - phone: 614-323-9561