251228: Worship Bulletin

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

*Call to Worship: Lamentations 3:21-24

Minister: This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

People: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

Minister: his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;

People: great is your faithfulness.

Minister: “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

Unison: “therefore I will hope in him.”

*Hymn of Adoration: “In Christ Alone” (SH No. 9)

1 In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease;
my Comforter, my All in All;
here in the love of Christ I stand.

2 In Christ alone who took on flesh;
fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness
scorned by the ones He came to save;
'til on that cross as Jesus died
the wrath of God was satisfied;
for ev'ry sin on Him was laid;
here in the death of Christ I live.

3 There in the ground His body lay;
Light of the world by darkness slain.
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
for I am His and He is mine,
bought with the precious blood of Christ!

4 No guilt in life, no fear in death;
this is the pow'r of Christ in me.
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man
can ever pluck me from His hand;
'til He returns or calls me home,
here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!

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*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Prayer

Heavenly Father, my faith is in you, my expectations are from you, my love goes out toward you. I believe you, accept your Word, yield to your will, rely on your promises, and trust in your providence. I do not need signs and wonders to believe, for your Word is sure truth. I have cast my anchor in the port of your peace, knowing that the present and future are in your nail-pierced hands. You are so good, wise, just, and holy, that no mistake is possible to you. You are the fountain of all law; what you command is mine to obey. I yield to your sovereignty all that I am and have; do with me as you will. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Adapted from “Repose” in The Valley of Vision

*Affirmation of Faith Heidelberg Catechism 1

Minister: What is your only comfort in life and death?

People: That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Unison: Thanks be to God!

*Gloria (Tune: “Regent Square”)

Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
glory be to God the Spirit: great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, blessing, praise, thanksgiving while eternal ages run!

Psalter Reading: Psalm 71

*Hymn of Response: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (No. 196)

1. Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

2. Joy to those who long to see thee,
Dayspring from on high appear;
Come, thou promised Rod of Jesse,
Of thy birth we long to hear!
O'er the hills the angels singing news,
glad tidings of a birth;
"Go to him, your praises bringing;
Christ the Lord has come to earth"

3. Come to earth to taste our sadness,
he whose glories knew no end;
by his life he brings us gladness,
our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.
Leaving riches without number,
Born within a cattle stall;
This the everlasting wonder,
Christ was born the Lord of all.

4. Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

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The Prayers of the People

Unison: God of all grace, you have given us a Savior. Produce in us a faith to live by him to make him all our desire, all our hope, all our glory.

Minister: We praise you, for he is our refuge.

People: May we abide in him as our dwelling place.

Minister: He is our foundation.

People: May we build our lives on him.

Minister: He is the way and the truth.

People: May we walk in his ways, according to his truth.

Minister: He is our guide.

People: May we follow him always.

Minister: He is our example.

People: May our lives be conformed to his image.

Minister: He is our prophet.

People: May we receive with faith his promises and instructions.

Minister: He is our high priest.

People: May we rely on his intercession.

Minister: He is our king.

People: May we obey him.

Unison: We come to you in his mighty name. Amen.

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Encouragement

Minister: Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20)

Unison: Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

*Hymn of Thanksgiving: “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” ( No. 521)

1 My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.

2 When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale
my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]

3 His oath, his covenant, his blood
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]

4 When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found;
dressed in his righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]

Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology (Tune: “Lasst Uns Erfreuen”)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below; Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise Him, above ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
O Praise Him! O Praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

*Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: Romans 5:1-11

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “Ligaments of Hope” (Rev. Mike Glodo)

*Hymn of Response: “Prophets’ Words Foretold a Savior” (SH No. 18)

Prophets’ words foretold a savior in Bethlehem that night
Hailed by angels, shepherds, wisemen, Emmanuel our Light.
Royal blood his kingly mantle, yet in kindness came to show
Human flesh in God’s hands dealt death its final, fatal blow.
Lowly infant in a stable, make all our prayers take flight.
Coming Christ, our God incarnate, be all our soul’s delight.

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*Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregation standing, if able.