Mifflin Avenue United Methodist Church

11:00 AM Worship               Second Sunday after the Epiphany                  15 January 2012

 

GATHERING

   Prelude                                                                                                                    F. Birkholz

 

GREETING AND WELCOME                                                                                                

 

INTROIT                                                                                                                                    

   With Grateful Heart, I Thank You, Lord                                                               M.K. Beall

 

*CALL TO WORSHIP

   Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us.

   As we gather in this place, allow your Spirit to fill our very being.

   As we worship today,

      we remember our brothers and sisters

      who are worshiping elsewhere throughout the world.

   Inspire each of us to work more faithfully

      for justice and dignity of life everywhere.

   Raise our vision above the barriers

      of color, culture, and creed that separate us.

   Give us wisdom as we deal with one another.

   Help us to recognize and to respect different ways,

      rather than to judge.

   In the Spirit of Jesus who came not to be served, but to serve,

      we now must walk in the world.

   We must reach out our hands with help

      and open our hearts in love.

   Awake in us the desire to seek your way of serving you in the world.

   Amen.

 

*HYMN  UMH 393

   Spirit of the Living God                                                                                          Living God

 

*PRAYER  in unison

   God of all nations, we praise you that in Christ

      the barriers that have separated humanity are torn down.

   Yet we confess our slowness to open our hearts and minds

      to those of other lands, tongues, and races.

   Deliver us from the sins of fear and prejudice,

      that we may move toward the day

      when all are truly one in Jesus Christ.  Amen.

    

ANTHEM

   Show Me the Way                                                                                    DeYoung/Althouse

 

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

 

FIRST READING

   Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

  

SECOND READING

   John 1:43-51

 

   The Word of the Lord.

   Thanks be to God.

 

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

   Following the message, children from K-3 are invited to attend the Junior Church program.

 

SERMON

   Can Anything Good Come Out of ____________ ?

 

*HYMN

   In Christ There Is No East or West                                                                       Land of Rest

 

   In Christ there is no east or west, in him no south or north;

   but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.

 

   In Christ shall true hearts everywhere their high communion find;

   his service is the golden cord close binding humankind.

 

   In Christ is neither Jew nor Greek, and neither slave nor free;

   both male and female heirs are made, and all are kin to me.

 

   In Christ now meet both east and west, in him meet south and north;

   all Christly souls are one in him throughout the whole wide earth.

 

SHARING OUR JOYS AND CONCERNS

 

PASTORAL PRAYER

   Response:

   Lord, in your mercy,

   hear our prayer.

 

THE LORD’S PRAYER  in unison

    Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will

    be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us    

    our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into

    temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and   

    the glory, forever.  Amen.

 

*THE PEACE

 

OFFERING

   Prayer from Der Freischutz                                                                               C. Von Weber

 

*DOXOLOGY  UMH 95

 

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

  

*HYMN  UMH 557

   Blest Be the Tie That Binds                                                                                            Dennis

 

*BENEDICTION

  

*GOING FORTH

   Classical Postlude                                                                                                  R.J. Hughes

 

*Those who are able are invited to stand.