Called By A New Name
Worship
Lectionary Worship Aids
Series V, Cycle B
Call To Worship
Leader: God calls us out of our silence.
God bids us find our voices.
God calls us by a new name.
This is the story of Christmas.
All: We are God's family. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Collect
As we gather here, O God, to sing again the tunes of Christmas, let us renew our own sense of empowerment. As members of your spiritual family, let us carry forth the songs of Christmas into the silent chasms of human misunderstanding. For the sake of Jesus. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
In the midst of winter's constraints, embolden our hearts to leave behind what separates us from you and from each other, O God, so we might spring toward the right attitudes and the just actions of being part of your family. Amen.
06B Hymns1
First Sunday After Christmas (Holy Family)
Second Lesson: Galatians 4:4-7
Theme: Because You Are Children
Call To Worship
Wanted, chosen, adopted, family -- these are the words of Christmas. By adoption, one takes a child into one's own family by legal means and raises it as one's own. Come as wanted, chosen, adopted children of God. Come with the joy of knowing we belong to God by God's choice. Come with the peace of knowing whose we are. Come with an alleluia.
Collect
You treat us not as slaves, people made into things, but as individuals of value and worth. By Jesus' example, dear God, we would live out our lives freely choosing to serve you. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
When it comes to our children, Holy Parent, help us to differentiate between belonging to and possessing. Keep us mindful of the difference between being a servant and being a slave. Let us remember whose we are as children of God. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
06B Hymns1
First Sunday After Christmas (Holy Family)
Gospel: Luke 2:22-40
Theme: God's Child
Call To Worship
We think Christmas is for young families. Then we meet the very old -- an Anna, a Simeon, perhaps a great-aunt who did not marry, or one to whom no children were born. Come, be like the prophetess Anna or the devout Simeon to whom, in their advanced age, God gave the gifts of hope, of seeing possibility, and of being able to recognize Christ among us.
Collect
Thank God for the eldest among us who possess the perspective to see what is important. Thank God for those who have the time to carry others in their prayers. Thank God for those who convey the persistence of hope. Through Jesus. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
We lift up the eldest members of this church. Let those whose worn-out bodies tempt them to succumb to isolation find a way to inspire others. Let those who might yield to focusing entirely on themselves discover and share their wisdom. Let those given to surrender to the wearing down of the spirit offer encouragement to others who come their way. Amen.
06B Hymns1
____________
1. This Sunday, try a Singing Sunday to sing congregational choices of Advent/Christmas hymns. In addition to regular hymn times, include a "Time For Singing" for singing one verse of several hymns.
Leader: God calls us out of our silence.
God bids us find our voices.
God calls us by a new name.
This is the story of Christmas.
All: We are God's family. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Collect
As we gather here, O God, to sing again the tunes of Christmas, let us renew our own sense of empowerment. As members of your spiritual family, let us carry forth the songs of Christmas into the silent chasms of human misunderstanding. For the sake of Jesus. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
In the midst of winter's constraints, embolden our hearts to leave behind what separates us from you and from each other, O God, so we might spring toward the right attitudes and the just actions of being part of your family. Amen.
06B Hymns1
First Sunday After Christmas (Holy Family)
Second Lesson: Galatians 4:4-7
Theme: Because You Are Children
Call To Worship
Wanted, chosen, adopted, family -- these are the words of Christmas. By adoption, one takes a child into one's own family by legal means and raises it as one's own. Come as wanted, chosen, adopted children of God. Come with the joy of knowing we belong to God by God's choice. Come with the peace of knowing whose we are. Come with an alleluia.
Collect
You treat us not as slaves, people made into things, but as individuals of value and worth. By Jesus' example, dear God, we would live out our lives freely choosing to serve you. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
When it comes to our children, Holy Parent, help us to differentiate between belonging to and possessing. Keep us mindful of the difference between being a servant and being a slave. Let us remember whose we are as children of God. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
06B Hymns1
First Sunday After Christmas (Holy Family)
Gospel: Luke 2:22-40
Theme: God's Child
Call To Worship
We think Christmas is for young families. Then we meet the very old -- an Anna, a Simeon, perhaps a great-aunt who did not marry, or one to whom no children were born. Come, be like the prophetess Anna or the devout Simeon to whom, in their advanced age, God gave the gifts of hope, of seeing possibility, and of being able to recognize Christ among us.
Collect
Thank God for the eldest among us who possess the perspective to see what is important. Thank God for those who have the time to carry others in their prayers. Thank God for those who convey the persistence of hope. Through Jesus. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
We lift up the eldest members of this church. Let those whose worn-out bodies tempt them to succumb to isolation find a way to inspire others. Let those who might yield to focusing entirely on themselves discover and share their wisdom. Let those given to surrender to the wearing down of the spirit offer encouragement to others who come their way. Amen.
06B Hymns1
____________
1. This Sunday, try a Singing Sunday to sing congregational choices of Advent/Christmas hymns. In addition to regular hymn times, include a "Time For Singing" for singing one verse of several hymns.
