CCLI license #1913561
Service of Word and Sacrament for January 3, 2021
This worship service includes a celebration of Holy Communion. If you wish to partake of elements when appropriate in the service we invite you prepare your juice and your bread (or alternative) ahead of time.
Prelude Of The Father’s Love Begotten” Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (348-413, plainsong) sung by Keisha Prime
Of the Father’s love
begotten
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the Source, the Ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore.
O ye heights of heaven, adore Him;
Angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him
And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert ring
Evermore and evermore.
Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
And unending praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory
Evermore and evermore.
OPENING WORDS / Call to Worship
Arise, shine; for your light has come. Behold the glory of the Lord. Alleluia!
OPENING PRAYER
Holy God, our creator, redeemer and sustainer, by the light of a wondrous star you led wandering magi to the humble infant Jesus, revealing to them your salvation for the world. In the miraculous and the mundane, in union with all who have glimpsed the light of your grace, lead us to Christ, that we may offer our worship and serve him with sincerity of heart; for he lives with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.
MUSIC “What Child is This?” William Chatterton Dix, 1858 sung by Keisha Prime
What child is this who laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping
This, this is Christ the king
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding
The end of fear for all who hear
The silent Word is speaking
This, this is Christ the king
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary
So bring him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant king to love him;
The king of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone him
This, this is Christ the king
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary
CALL TO CONFESSION
Isaiah proclaimed: Darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and God’s glory will appear over you. Let us acknowledge the darkness in our lives, repent of our sin, and receive the light of God’s mercy.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Holy God, you have given us everything; we have failed to respond with gratitude-filled lives. In Jesus Christ, you have given us your Word; we respond with apathy and fear. In Jesus Christ, you have given us your light; we try to hide that light and hoard it for ourselves. In Jesus Christ, you have given us new life; even this precious gift we have not appreciated. Have mercy on us, O God; forgive us. In Jesus Christ, give us the faith and power to become what you created us to be: beloved children, full of grace and truth. Amen
DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
You have been called by God, claimed in Christ, set free through the Spirit. Believe this good news: In Jesus Christ you are forgiven. Thanks be to God.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
By the compelling radiance of your Spirit, draw us near, reveal your truth, and teach us faithful obedience to your holy Word. Amen.
READING FROM THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES: Isaiah 60:1–6 NRS
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.
READING FROM THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 2:2–12 CEV
When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men[a] from the east came to Jerusalem and said, “Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east[b] and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard about this, he was worried, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem. Herod brought together the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them, “Where will the Messiah be born?” They told him, “He will be born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet wrote,
’Bethlehem in the land of Judea, you are very important among the towns of Judea.
From your town will come a leader, who
will be like a shepherd for my people Israel.’”
Herod secretly called in the wise men and asked them when they had first seen the star. He told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, let me know. I want to go and worship him too.” The wise men listened to what the king said and then left. And the star they had seen in the east went on ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child as. They were thrilled and excited to see the star. When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him. They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh[c] and gave them to him. Later they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they went back home by another road.
Footnotes
2.1 wise men: People famous for studying the stars.
2.2 his star in the east: Or “his star rise.”
2.11frankincense, and myrrh: Frankincense was a valuable powder that was burned to make a sweet smell. Myrrh was a valuable sweet-smelling powder often used in perfume.
SERMON “Bearing Gifts” The Rev. Lois Robinson Lehman
MUSIC “As with Gladness Men of Old” William Chatterton Dix, 1858 sung by Keisha Prime
As with gladness, men of old
Did the guiding star behold;
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright;
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.
As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger-bed;
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek the mercy-seat.
As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we, with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin's alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ! to Thee our heavenly King.
Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy Glory hide.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Sharing of Concerns
A Statement about Offering our Gifts
The magi brought gifts to Christ and offered their lives in worship. With thankful hearts, let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God.
Donations can be mailed to Lakeview Presbyterian Church at 1310 22nd Av S, St Petersburg, FL, 33705 or given online through our website @lakeviewpresbyterianchurch.org
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING/DEDICATION
Loving God, we give you thanks for the light of the world, Jesus Christ, through whom we have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in your promise. Receive the gifts we offer in union with Jesus our brother, and help us to live to the honor and glory of your name. Amen.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Invitation
As we begin this new year, we come again to the Lord’s Table, to celebrate, and to participate in this great feast which has been prepared for us. Once again we confront again the power, the mystery, the wonder, the glory of the Christmas story: the hope, the joy, the love and the peace that comes when God is present and guiding our lives.
God is always with us, supporting and sustaining us, but sometimes the crush of circumstances causes us to forget. So we come to this table, again and again, to rekindle the light of God’s presence so that it touches and changes our lives, and so that we carry that light out into the world with us. Come, for our Lord invites us.
The Words of Institution
On the night before he died, Jesus came to the table with those he loved. He took bread, and gave thanks to God. He broke the bread among his disciples and said: ‘Take this, all of you, and eat it. This is my body, given for you.’
When the supper was ended, he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. He passed the cup among his disciples and said, ‘Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is the cup of the new covenant sealed in my blood for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me.’
Now, whenever we eat and drink at this table, we celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection until he comes again.
The Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Holy One, the beginning and the end, the giver of life: Blessed are you for the birth of creation. Blessed are you in the darkness and the light. Blessed are you for your promise to your people. Blessed are you in the prophet’s hopes and dreams. Blessed are you for Mary’s openness to your will. Blessed are you for your Son Jesus, the Word made flesh.
With this bread and cup we remember your Word dwelling among us, full of grace and truth. We remember our new birth in his death and resurrection. We look with hope for his coming.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Holy God, we long for your Spirit. Come among us. Bless this meal. May your Word take flesh in us. Awaken your people. Fill us with your light. Bring the gift of peace on earth.
Come, Lord Jesus.
All praise and glory are yours, Holy One of Israel, Word God incarnate, Power of the Most Hight, one God, now and forever. Amen
Distribution of the Elements:
The bread of life; the cup of salvation
Prayer after Communion
Holy God, we thank you for this feast of grace and life. As we have been served, help us to serve our neighbors. As we have been fed, help us to feed all who are hungry. As we have been loved, help us to love the world-- because in Christ Jesus you have loved us. Amen.
Charge and Blessing
Go forth into the world. Proclaim the good news of Christ. Receive the inheritance of God’s promise. Live in the light of the gospel.
May Jesus Christ, light of the world, uphold you in love; Amen.
Postlude "Go Tell It on the Mountain” John W. Work II (1940 ) sung by Keisha Prime
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching
over silent flocks by night,
behold throughout the heavens,
there shone a holy light.
The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo! above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Saviour’s birth.
Down in a lowly manger
our humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation,
that blessed Christmas morn.
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
That Jesus Christ is born.
That Jesus Christ is born.
That Jesus Christ is born.