January 19, 2024
Worship Words: (adapted lyrics of Frederick W. Faber VT #156)
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea. There’s a kindness in God’s justice, which is more than liberty. There is welcome for those struggling, and the grace for those in tune. There is mercy with the Savior, there is healing in his blood. But we make God’s love too narrow by false limits of our own, and we magnify its strictness with a zeal God will not own. For the love of God is broader than the measures of the mind, and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind. If our love were but more in God, we should rest within God’s love, and our lives would be illumined by the presence of our Lord.
Responsive Reading: (from Psalm 36)
Guide: Your steadfast Love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains;
Many: Your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Guide: They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
All: For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. O continue your steadfast love to those who know you and your salvation to the upright of heart!
Hymns:
Great is Thy Faithfulness VT #419 / HWB #327
We Are One in the Spirit VT #387
Wade in the Water HWB #446 / VT #454
Video: Lift Every Voice and Sing VT #611
Scriptures: Isaiah 62:1-5 (Creole), John 2:1-11 (Creole), 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (Creole)
January 12, 2025
Responsive Reading: (adapted from Psalm 29)
Guide: Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of the Lord’s name; worship the Lord in holy splendor.
Many: The voice of Creator God is over the waters; the God of glory thunders. The voice of Creator God is powerful; the voice of Creator God is full of majesty.
Guide: The Lord makes Lebanon skip like a calf and Sirion like a wild ox. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
All: Creator God sits enthroned over the flood; Creator God sits enthroned as the One forever. May Creator God give strength to the covenant people and bless them with peace!
Hymns:
All People That on Earth Do Dwell VT #5
Come, Gracious Spirit VT #371 / HWB #303
Wade in the Water VT #454 / HWB #446
Video: We Three Kings – Gramophone Ghana
Scriptures: Isaiah 49:8-13 (Creole), Luke 3:15-17, 21- 22 (Creole)
January 5, 2025
Responsive Reading: (adapted from Psalm 72)
Guide: Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. May he judge your people with righteousness and your poor with justice.
Many: May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy and crush the oppressor.
Guide: May he be like the rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.
All: For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in is sight.
Advent Candle Lighting with Young Ones
Reader 1: We will always be facing opportunities to learn.
Reader 2: We learn through successes and achievements; we learn through mistakes and failures.
(Lighting the Christ candle – all connected)
All: With Christ as our center, we join hands with others walking together on the journey.
Hymns:
Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies HWB #216
What Child is This? VT #267 / HWB #215
Love Came Down at Christmas VT #255 / HWB #208
Video: We Three Kings – Gramophone Ghana
Scriptures: Isaiah 60:1-5a (Creole), Luke 2:41-52 (Creole)
December 29, 2024
Responsive Reading: (adapted from Psalm 148)
Guide: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise the Lord in the heights! Praise the Lord all the angels, all the Lord’s host. Praise the Lord, sun and moon; praise the Lord all you shining stars!
Many: Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea creatures and all the deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost. Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
Guide: Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! Young men and women alike, old and young together!
All: Let us all praise the name of the Lord together, for the name of the Lord alone is to be exalted; the Lord’s glory is above earth and heaven.
Advent Candle Lighting with Young Ones:
Reader 1: Have you heard the news? Jesus, the promised one has come!
Reader 2: I have heard the Good News! God is with us; Jesus is here!
(Lighting of the Christ candle with young ones)
All are connected to the candle lighter
All: Let us shout it aloud for everyone to hear! Come join us on this journey, as we live out the Good News of Christ!
Hymns:
Oh Come All Ye Faithful VT #241 / HWB #213
Congregational Singing (Various hymns sung)
Joy to the World VT #240 / HWB #318
Scriptures: Luke 2:1-20 (Creole)
December 22, 2024
Responsive Reading: (adapted from Psalm 113)
Guide: Halleluiah! All you who live in God’s way, Praise the Lord! Let the name of the Lord be praised. To remember and be alert to God is a blessing, now tomorrow, and always.
Many: From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, lift all your praises to God. God is creation’s source and the generative presence over all that exists.
Guide: Comparing God to anything falls short. The Lord raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap.
All: The Lord gives the childless one’s a family, gives them the joy of parenthood and family life. Praise the Lord!
Advent Candle Lighting with Young Ones:
All: With Christ as our center, we join hands with others walking together on the journey.
Child Dedication of Noah Hefner
Congregational Commitment: We rejoice with you and give thanks for the gift of your child, Noah. With God as our guide, we will share in Noah’s nurture and well-being. We will support, by our example and words, your efforts to provide a loving and caring home where trust in God grows and Christ may be known. Our prayers are with you and for you. May our shared life and witness help you grow together in faithfulness and joy.
Hymns:
Sing Praise to God Who Reigns VT #101
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming VT #216
O Little Town of Bethlehem VT #245
Good Christian Friends, Rejoice VT #261
Scriptures: Micah 5:2-5a (Creole), Luke 1:26-49 (Creole)
December 15, 2024
Responsive Reading: (adapted from Isaiah 12)
Guide: Surely God is our salvation; we will trust and will not be afraid, for the Lord is our strength and our might; for the Lord has become our salvation.
Many: With joy we will draw water from the wells of God’s redeeming presence. And we will say on that day; Give thanks to the Lord; call on the Lord’s name;
Guide: Make known the Lord’s deeds among the nations; proclaim that the name of the Lord is exalted.
All: Sing praises to the Lord, for the Lord has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.
Hymns:
Praise with Joy the World’s Creator VT #428
With Mary Sing Magnificat VT #208
Wisdom from on high Is Dawning VT #238
Scriptures: Luke 4:16-21 (Creole)
December 8, 2024
Responsive Reading: (adapted from Joel 2)
Guide: Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Many: Return to the Lord, our God, for God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.
Guide: Then afterward, God will pour out God’s spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
All: Even on those without power or status, in those days, the Lord will pour out the spirit of the Lord.
Advent Candle Lighting with Young Ones
All: We open our hearts to receive the Spirit, to become more like our loving God.
Hymns:
Praise with Joy the World’s Creator VT #428
Comfort, Comfort, O My People VT #212
How Firm a Foundation VT #592
O Come, O Come, Immanuel VT #210
Scriptures: Malachi 3:1-5 (Creole), Luke 11:11-13 (Creole), Luke 1:68-79 (Creole)
December 1, 2024
Responsive Reading: (adapted from Psalm 25)
Guide: To you, O Lord, we lift up our souls. Our God, in you we trust; do not let our enemies exult over us. Lead us to know your ways, O Lord; teach us your paths.
Many: Lead us in your truth and teach us, for you are the God of our salvation; for you we wait all day long. Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
Guide: Do not remember the sins of our youth or our transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember us, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord; therefore the Lord instructs the wayward in the way.
All: The Lord leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble the way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep the Lord’s covenant and decrees.
Advent Candle Lighting with Young Ones
All: Our path may move through rocky situations, but we will hold Christ as our center as we journey together.
Hymns:
God of Our Strength VT #47
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus VT #218
Praise to the Living God VT #204
Video: My Lord, What a Morning
Scripture: Daniel 6:6-27 (Creole), Jeremiah 33:14-16 (Creole), Luke 21:25-36 (Creole)
November 24, 2024
Responsive Reading: (adapted from Psalm 132 )
Guide: Lord, remember David—all the hardships he endured; how he promised to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, I will not enter my house or get into my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes, until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place.
Many: Let us go to the Lord’s dwelling place; let us worship at the place God rests his feet. Rise up, O Lord and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.
Guide: Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your faithful shout for joy. For the sake of your servant David, do not reject your anointed. Yahweh has sworn to David, and will always remain true.
All: “I promise that I will set a son of yours upon the throne. If your sons observe my covenant and the instructions I have taught them, their sons too for evermore will sit in your resting place.”
Hymns:
Come, Ye Thankful People VT #123
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise VT #98
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence VT #65
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee VT #103
Scriptures: 2 Samuel 23:1-7 (Creole), John 18:33-37 (Creole), Revelation 1:4b-8 (Creole)
November 17, 2024
Responsive Reading: Psalm 103:8-14
Leader: The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy. The Lord will not always chide, will not be angry forever.
(Lidè: Senyè a gen konpasyon ak lanmou, ralanti nan kòlè ak moun rich nan mizèrikòd. Senyè a pap toujou chèche, li pap fache pou toutan.)
People: God does not treat us according to our sins nor repay us according to our faults.
(Moun: Bondye pa trete nou selon peche nou yo ni ranbouse nou selon fot nou yo.)
Leader: For as the heavens are high above the earth so strong is God’s love for the God-fearing;
(Lidè: Paske kòm syèl la wo anpil sou tè a se konsa fò se lanmou Bondye pou pè Bondye a;)
People: As fas as the eat is from the west so far does he remove our sins.
(Moun: Osi lwen ke manje a soti nan lwès la byen lwen tèlman li retire peche nou yo.)
Leader: As parents have compassion on their children, the Lord has pity on those who are God-fearing
(Lidè: Kòm paran yo gen konpasyon pou pitit yo, Seyè a gen pitye pou moun ki gen krentif pou Bondye)
People: for he knows of what we are made, and remembers that we are dust.
(Moun: paske li konnen sa nou fèt, li sonje nou se pousyè.)
Hymns:
The Love of God VT #162
You are Salt for the Earth VT #297
O Healing River VT #706
Scriptures: Matt. 15:21-28 (Creole)