Evangelical United Church of Christ
Third Sunday after Epiphany
January 22, 2017 8:00 a.m.
THE BELLS CALL US TO WORSHIP
PRELUDE: “This is My Father’s World” Chancel Bells
WE WELCOME MEMBERS, FRIENDS, AND VISITORS
**WE GREET EACH OTHER (You are invited to stand and share the Peace of Christ with your fellow worshippers.)
CHORAL INTROIT
Show**CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Come, all who have known gloom and anguish.
Come, all who have walked amid terrors of the night.
People: Sometimes we feel oppressed and forsaken.
Our losses are difficult to bear.
Leader: In times of despair and conflict, our God is our salvation.
He is our stronghold; we have nothing to fear.
People: Our struggles loose there power over us when we look
up to God. Today we come seeking God in this place.
Leader: So come; behold the beauty of our God.
Come and find shelter in his love.
People: We will sing and make melody to God.
We will dare to lift up shouts of joy.
HYMN OF PRAISE: “The Church’s One Foundation” No. 272
OPENING PRAYER
Shine on us today, gracious God, for we need the light and salvation you offer. At times, we have been selfish in our desires and quarrelsome in our relationships. We have allowed fear to divide us from those who seem different, and let distrust separate us from our brothers and sisters. We ask you to come to us this morning and shine your light into our darkened ways. Help us to see that we are truly one foundation through Jesus Christ, our Lord in the midst of things that can divide us. We ask you to unite us in Jesus who dwells with you and the Holy Spirit in perfect harmony. Amen.
SCRIPTURE AT A GLANCE
SPECIAL MUSIC: “Change My Heart, O God” Chancel Choir
NEW TESTAMENT READING: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
MESSAGE “#$@%&!” Pastor Chris Hill
HYMN: “Jesus Calls Us” No. 337
JOYS AND CONCERNS
PASTORAL PRAYER/OUR LORD’S PRAYER
THE GIVING OF OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS
CALL TO OFFERING
OFFERTORY: “O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee” – Prim
**RESPONSE
**PRAYER OF DEDICATION: (unison)
Let these gifts follow Christ’s lead into the lives of people who live in poverty or despair. Use them, O God to heal divisions among your children. Show us how to be instruments of peace. Ready us to follow Jesus, to make an offering of ourselves, not just our money. Heal us so we can become instruments of your healing. For these purposes, we dedicate this offering and our lives.
WE SHARE OUR LIFE TOGETHER
**PARTING HYMN: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” No. 344
**BENEDICTION
**CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE: (unison)
POSTLUDE Notes to Worshippers: Double asterisks (**) indicate times when you may stand if you are comfortably able.
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
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