Bulletin for January 17, 2021
For previous bulletins go here.
This service will be livestreamed at 10 am Sunday, on the
St Paul’s YouTube channel
Through Faith, we walk on the path Jesus set for us.
The People of St. Paul’s Belong… Believe…Love ..Listen… Lead
WE APPROACH OUR GRACIOUS GOD
PRELUDE
WELCOME
LIFE & WORK OF THE CONGREGATION
CALL TO WORSHIP
Maybe the voice came like a whisper in the night,
filling your dreams with hope and meaning.
Maybe it came in in the early dawn,
waking you from sleep, preparing you for the day.
Maybe it came in the middle of the day,
pushing you onward, energizing your work for love.
Whenever you hear it, God’s voice whispers to us, calling us to worship, calling us to serve.
Let us worship together…
WE GREET EACH OTHER WITH THE PEACE OF CHRIST
(you are invited to use the chat box on YouTube to share words of Peace with each other)
LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE
Jesus said “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. “
As this candle is set up high so all can see by its light, so may we shine in the world.
Let us centre ourselves for worship ….
OPENING PRAYER
Do you notice the voice of the Holy One?
We experience the gentle nudging of God’s Spirit!
Are you aware of the hand of the Mysterious One at work?
We are surrounded by hints of the Divine.
May we be open to God’s presence and answer God’s call.
(written by Laura Turnbull Gathering:Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2020-2021 p.45)
Gathering Hymn VU299 Teach Me, God, to Wonder (1L)
WE SHARE AS GOD’S CHILDREN THE BIBLE’S STORY IN WORD AND IN SONG:
A TIME FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART
PRAYER FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God you whisper into our ears, calling us by name.
Like Samuel we do not immediately know who is there.
You whisper again, and again, and again,
waiting until we recognize what is happening and open our hearts to listen.
You challenge us with hard words to hear, hard truths to share.
So sometimes we choose to put it off for another day, pretending we did not hear you calling in the night.
But still you call, still you urge us back to the road of wisdom, you do not give up.
For the times we have rolled over and gone back to sleep,
for the times we have closed our ears and our hearts to your truth,
for the times we have chosen to keep silent when you call us to speak,
forgive and strengthen us we pray.
…time of silent prayer…
The God who calls us by name, who challenges us to live and serve, who moves us to share God’s truth, does so in love always. Where we miss the mark we are forgiven and called again to complete the task.
Call us again God. We will listen and we will answer. Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
1 Samuel 3:1-20
A MOMENT OF REFLECTION
~ trusting that God is at work in our midst we allow the words we have heard to settle and stir in our souls
SERMON Who’s There?
Hymn MV 161 I Have Called You by Your Name (1L)
WE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO GOD AND PREPARE FOR MINISTRY IN THE WORLD
THE OFFERING
Mission Minute
The Invitation:
Sharing of Celebrations and Concerns
Prayers of the People
LORD’S PRAYER
Hymn VU 506 Take My Life and Let It Be (PD)
COMMISSIONING:
Stop! Listen! Do you hear it?
Like the whisper of the wind, like the roaring of the storm.
God is calling us onward and outward.
As our worship concludes our service continues, as we share God’s truth and God’s love,
may we know that the God who calls us by name is with us always.
Thanks be to God! Amen
SUNG BENEDICTION: VU 82 A Light is Gleaming (ref, v4, ref)
POSTLUDE
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Previous Bulletins
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December
Bulletin for December 6th, 2020 – Advent 2 – Peace
Bulletin for December 13th, 2020 – Advent 3 – Joy
Bulletin for December 20th, 2020 – Advent 4 – Love
Bulletin for December 24th, 2020 – Christmas Eve
January
Bulletin for January 3rd, 2021 – Epiphany Sunday
Bulletin for January 10th, 2021 – Baptism of Jesus Sunday
Bulletin for January 17th, 2021