Jesus backs our Covenant Prayer

January 4, 2025 John Wesley Covenant Service John 1:1-18 Year A Prelude Greeting Pastoral Introduction to the Covenant Renewal Service Today, we step into the footprints of giants. Nearly three centuries ago, a movement swept across England, a movement marked not by power or wealth, but by humble hearts ablaze with a holy fire. This was the Methodist movement—a revival that shook the very foundations of society, igniting a passion for holiness, justice, and devotion to God. Farmers and merchants, laborers and scholars, young and old alike gathered in homes, fields, and chapels, united by one singular cry: "Take my life, Lord, and let it be consecrated wholly to Thee." These were men and women who understood the cost of following Christ and embraced it with joy. They preached in the open air, endured ridicule, faced persecution, and yet persisted, driven by the unshakable conviction that their lives were not their own—they belonged to God. It was this commitment, this covenant with God, that fueled their courage, transformed their communities, and changed the course of history. John Wesley, the founder of this movement, knew the importance of renewal. He knew that the human heart is prone to wander, that even the most fervent soul can grow cold. And so, every New Year’s Day, he called his people together for a Covenant Renewal Service. It was a moment to remember their calling, to recommit their lives, and to declare once again, “We are Yours, Lord, wholly and completely.” Today, we gather in that same spirit. On the brink of a new year, we look back with gratitude and look forward with resolve. This is not a mere ritual or a tradition for tradition’s sake. It is a holy moment—a chance to reset, refocus, and reorient our lives around the One who gave everything for us. So let us prepare our hearts. Let us lay down our burdens, our ambitions, and our sins at the feet of Jesus. Let us, with generations of believers before us, declare our love, allegiance, and obedience to the God who has called us into His everlasting covenant. May this be a day of transformation, a day of fresh surrender, a day when heaven meets earth in the prayers of God’s people. Now, let us enter into this sacred time together, inviting the Holy Spirit to renew us, restore us, and equip us for all that lies ahead. (A John Wesley Covenant Renewal Service, Darrell Stetler II) Opening Prayer O God, Searcher of all our hearts, you have formed us as a people and claimed us for your own. As we come to acknowledge your sovereignty and grace, and to enter anew into covenant with you, reveal any reluctance or falsehood within us. Let your Spirit impress your truth on our inmost being, and receive us in mercy, for the sake of our Mediator, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (DAVID TRIPP, ENGLAND, 20TH CENT.) Song Love Came Down at Christmas UMH 242 THE INVITATION – Just print the title Dearly beloved: the Christian life, to which we are called, is a life in Christ, redeemed from sin by Christ, and consecrated to God through Christ. We have entered upon this life, having been admitted into that new covenant of which our Lord Jesus Christ is mediator, and which Jesus sealed with his own blood, that it might stand forever. On one side of the covenant is God’s promise to fulfill, in and through us, all that God declared in Jesus Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. We are sure that this promise still stands, for we have known God’s goodness and proved God’s grace in our own lives day by day. On the other side, we promise to live no more for ourselves, but for Christ, who loved us even to death. He called us to serve God so that the purposes of Christ’s coming would be fulfilled. From time to time we renew our vows of consecration—especially when we gather at the Lord’s Table. But today we meet expressly, as generations of our ancestors have met, to joyfully and solemnly renew the covenant which bound them and binds us to God. ( A John Wesley Covenant Renewal Service, Daniel Stetler II) WORDS OF ASSURANCE – Just print the title This is the message we have heard from Jesus and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ( A John Wesley Covenant Renewal Service, Daniel Stetler II Scripture John 1:1-18 New Year Message For centuries, the new year started in March – in the springtime. That would make sense, since that is the time that nature comes back to life with new blooms, babies and green grass. It is believed that Jesus would have been born in early spring, so his birthday is in March. Originally, John Wesley celebrated his covenant service in the spring. The Roman calendar had 10 months for centuries, March was the first month. Every year there were roughly 55 days between December and March where time did not exist. It was winter and it was just too darn cold and dark to think about anything. You were just supposed to stay inside and wait for planting season. You made no plans, and kept no schedule. Finally in 700 BC, some Emporer decided to add winter to the calendar. January and February were added to the end of the calendar. That is why September which means 7th month is our ninth month. In 46 BC Julius Ceasar developed a new calendar with January and February at the beginning of the year. January become that time that you took account of your life and made resolutions. Janus is the two faced God with one eye on the past and one eye on the future. That was the time that you made plans for March and new life. February is named after the god Februa – who was a god known for cleansing the heart by destroying the old to make way for the new. So from the beginning of the calendar the new year resolutions made in January were destined to be destroyed by February. Eventually, the Christian Church stepped in and reclaimed and redefined all of the old Roman traditions. Our modern calendar was invented by Pope Gregory in 1582- with a lot of improvements like leap year to keep time on track. Catholic countries adapted the new calendar quickly. The protestant countries like the US and Britain didn’t adapt the calendar until 1752. So when John Wesley started the covenant service, it was March 25th. His first service was in 1755, and it was widely practiced by 1762. By that time it was moved to January 1st. John Wesley’s point was for us to use the spirit of January not so much to make personal plans, but to reconnect to God. To realize that our future is in God’s hands. It is not us who makes the covenant, because we are destined to break our promises. But to look the promises that God makes to us in the bible. The bible gives us countless stories where God kept God’s promise in the most questionable of circumstances. Today we say a Covenant Prayer acknowledging God’s power over our lives. The scripture for today is John 1 – a fitting scripture for the new year. It repeats the words of Genesis 1 – in the beginning was God. Only John adds Jesus to the mix. Jesus is the word that brings us grace. The new Testament means the new covenant. It is through grace of Christ that God fullfills the promise to us. Jesus words create life, so that our words create faith. John Wesley’s covenant acknowledges how grace create our future. If advent is about seeking, Christmas is about finding. Our answers to life come through prayer and preparation. And finding God in strange places. I know I have told this story before, but it fits. It is a story of a baby bear all alone playing in the snow. Unbeknown to him, there is a mountain lion stalking him. When we see the lion, he runs. He runs through the mountains, through the fields and even through the water. Finally when we reaches familiar territory he has the courage to stand up to the lion. He stands his ground and starts to roar. The mountain lion attacks and injures him. But this time he is not afraid and roars with all that he has. The mountain lion retreats and runs aways. The baby turns around and sees his father. The lion ran because of the bigger bear’s presence. The bigger bear was protecting the baby, and even licked his wounds. In the spirit of January – there is nothing wrong with making plans, resolutions and expressing hopes and dreams. When we renew our covenant with God- we know that God has our back and God will bring the future to life. Let us pray…… Children’s Sermon: “In God’s Hands” Object lesson: A soft piece of clay or Play-Doh (or a small ball of dough) Scripture connection: Romans 12:1 / John Wesley’s Covenant Prayer ________________________________________ Pastor: Good morning, friends! Have you ever made something with Play-Doh or clay? (Allow responses.) Look at this. (Hold up the clay.) Right now, it can be anything—a snake, a heart, a cross, or even a cookie! But here’s the important part: the clay doesn’t decide what it will be. It’s shaped by the hands that hold it. That’s a lot like us. A long time ago, a pastor named John Wesley wrote a very special prayer called the Covenant Prayer. In that prayer, we tell God something very important. We say: “I am no longer my own, but yours.” That means we are saying, “God, my life belongs to you.” Sometimes the prayer says things that sound a little tricky, like: • “Put me to doing” • “Put me to suffering” • “Let me be full” • “Let me be empty” But here’s what it really means—listen carefully: It means we are saying, “God, whatever happens— happy days or hard days, busy days or quiet days— I trust you.” Just like this clay trusts my hands. (Gently shape the clay into a simple heart or cross.) God promises something wonderful: When we put our lives in God’s hands, God shapes us with love, uses us to help others, and never lets us go. So when we pray the Covenant Prayer, we are saying: “God, help me love you. Help me serve you. Help me trust you.” Let’s practice together. I’ll say a line, and you repeat it after me. Call and Response: • Pastor: God, I belong to you. Children: God, I belong to you. • Pastor: Use me to love others. Children: Use me to love others. • Pastor: I trust you with my life. Children: I trust you with my life. Pastor: Friends, you are always in God’s hands— on the playground, at school, at home, and here in church. And God is shaping you into something beautiful. Let’s pray. Prayer: “Loving God, thank you for holding us in your hands. Help us trust you, follow you, and love others. We belong to you. Amen.” (ChatGPT version six) Song Go Tell it on the Mountain UMH 251 Prayer Lord’s Prayer *COVENANT HYMN – print the words Come, Let Us Use the Grace Divine (quoted) (Written by Charles Wesley in 1762 for Methodism’s Covenant Service) Come, let us use the grace divine, and all with one accord, In a perpetual covenant join ourselves to Christ the Lord; Give up ourselves, through Jesus’ power, His Name to glorify; And promise, in this sacred hour, for God to live and die. The covenant we this moment make be ever kept in mind; We will no more our God forsake, or cast these words behind. We never will throw off the fear of God Who hears our vow; And if Thou art well pleased to hear, come down and meet us now. Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, let all our hearts receive, Present with Thy celestial host the peaceful answer give; To each covenant the blood apply which takes our sins away, And register our names on high and keep us to that day! Stewardship Moment Radiant God, the light of your wisdom and love shines for all who seek you, guiding us not with force, but with grace. Like the magi, we come bearing gifts, not to earn your favor, but in response to the gift of Christ you’ve given us. Use these offerings to reflect your light into dark places, so that others might be drawn to your love, your justice, and your joy. Keep us faithful in our seeking, generous in our sharing, and willing to be led wherever your star shines next. In Jesus’ name, Amen. (Matthew 2:1-12) (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) THE COVENANT: (Congregation please stand) And now, beloved, let us bind ourselves with willing bonds to our covenant God, and take the yoke of Christ upon us. This means that we are heartily content that Christ appoint us our place and work, and that Christ alone will be our reward. Christ has many services to be done. Some are easy, others are difficult; some bring honor, others bring reproach; some are suitable to our natural inclinations and temporal interests, others are contrary to both. In some, we may please Christ and please ourselves; in others, we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. Yet the power to do all these things is assuredly given us in Christ, who strengthens us. Let us engage our heart to the Lord, and resolve in God’s strength never to go back. Being thus prepared, let us now, in sincere dependence on God’s grace and trusting in God’s promises, yield ourselves anew to Christ. (A John Wesley Covenant Renewal Service, Daniel Stetler II) THE COVENANT PRAYER I am not my own self-made, self-reliant human being. In truth, O God, I am Yours. Make me into what You will. Make me a neighbor with those whom You will. Guide me on the easy path for You. Guide me on the rocky road for You. Whether I am to step up for You or step aside for You; Whether I am to be lifted high for You or brought low for You; Whether I become full or empty, with all things or with nothing; I give all that I have and all that I am for You. So be it. And may I always remember that you, O God, and I belong to each other. Amen. (Rev. Jeremy Smith, HackingChristianity.com) Communion Page 13 – Don’t need to print May the Lord be with you. And also with you. May your hearts be lightened and filled with God’s love! We lift up our hearts and praise God above. Let us give thanks to the Lord, God our Father. We thank God and praise Him – it isn’t a bother! It is right and good-ful; holy and wonderful; blessed and joyful; To give thanks to you God, Almighty and faithful. For it’s you that has given us this worship time, Filled with laughter, some holy humor and rhyme. It’s you that has shown us your holy love, That you have sent from heaven high up above. And so, with your angels who first sang your song, We proclaim your goodness by singing along: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven is filled with your marvelous glory; Earth is filled with your light. Blessed is he who comes in your name – “Hosanna on high!” we loudly proclaim. Holy God, it’s your Son we remember today, Jesus Christ, the anointed, whom we try to obey. He encouraged the poor and freed the oppressed, And taught us that you care about the distressed. Through his suffering, death, and resurrection, He taught that Your grace beats out our imperfection. He ascended to Heaven and sits there beside you, But still remains with us in all that we do. On the night he was taken, he lifted some bread, He blessed it, and broke it, and here’s what he said: “Dear friends, this is my body to you that I give. Take it; share it: in you I will live. From now on, whenever, wherever you meet Remember our time when this bread here you eat.” When supper was over, he then took the cup, With praise and thanksgiving he lifted it up: “For the New Covenant, this is my blood; A sign of the Lord’s continuing love. For God has forgiven your every mistake, So trust in God’s love when this drink you partake.” May we offer ourselves for God’s greater glory, And proclaim what we know of this fabulous story: Christ Jesus: he died, but then rose again! He’ll return here on earth: Hallelujah! Amen. Holy Spirit, come down on us gathered here, With this bread and this fruit of the vine please appear. Make holy this food, fill us with your grace, So we proclaim gospel to the whole human race. We love you, Lord Jesus, we’ll shout out again Your glory and honor: Amen and Amen! (Allie Scott, HackingChristianity.com Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Go now, beloved, as people bound by the covenant of grace, redeemed by Christ, and empowered by the Spirit. May your hearts remain steadfast, your hands ready for service, and your lives reflect the light of God’s love. Walk boldly into this new year, knowing that the One who calls you is faithful and will strengthen you for every step. Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction

Driven to the Light

January 8, 2025 Isaiah 43:1-7 Driven to the Light Baptism of the Lord Year C Prelude Greetings Call to Worship When we pass through the cleansing waters of baptism and the troubled waters of our lives, God declares: I will be with you. When we go through the fires that refine us and the fires that threaten our livelihoods, God declares: I will be with you. Even when we travel to the far corners of the earth or down into the depths of our souls, God declares: I will be with you. So come, let us worship God whose love never fails, whose presence never leaves, whose mercies never end. Praise be to God who, in the form of Jesus, waded into the waters of baptism to prove God’s solidarity with us! Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, July 2024. Invocation (unison recommended) Holy One, awaken us again to Your outpouring Spirit of Love. Through this generous gift, stretch our souls wide and form us into channels of your healing grace. Gift us with an ability to recognize You in each other, all imprinted with Your beloved blessing. Clarify our intentions, purify our actions, fill our words with grace and our hearts with hope. Yes, soak our thinking, our praying, our hoping, our everything in You. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, David Long-Higgins) Song I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry UMH 2051 A Sermon for all Ages Children’s Time Remember your baptism "Let your light so shine that others, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father in heaven." Do you ever use candles at your house? In my home we have candles for some different reasons. When we are having a really nice dinner we might put candles on the table to help things look very special. If we lose power and its dark sometimes we light a candle to see (of course it’s a lot easier and safer to use a flashlight). The best way we use candles is for someone's birthday. In a lot of families, if you are a kid we place as many candles as your age on the birthday cake – then we light the candles, turn off the lights and sing to the birthday boy or girl? Is that what you do at your house? We put the candles on the cake to celebrate all the years someone special has been alive. Every year they have lived holds special memories and birthdays give us a chance to remember. For family and friends, we are thankful for each year. The older you get the brighter your cake is – filled with lots of birthday candles. In the church we celebrate another special day in your life, the day you were baptized. We celebrate that day when we as a church welcomed you into God's family. Now for some of you – you were baptized right here in this church. For others you might have been baptized in another place, that's just fine. Later today we as a congregation will all dip our hand in this water – where we baptize people in our congregation and remember each of our baptisms. Remember we are all God’s special children. Prayer: God of light, thank you for all the special days in our lives. Today we especially thank you for our baptism – let us never forget how much you love us. Give all the children a candle and invite their families to light it on the anniversary of the child’s baptism. This will help connect children that you did not baptize in your local church to their baptism stories. (United Methodist of Greater New Jersey) Do you know how to swim? Some people use something like these "floaties" to help them stay afloat when they they are first learning to swim. For some people, learning to swim can be a very frightening experience. They are so afraid of drowning that they don't want leave the shallow end of the pool, and if they do, they want to stay close to the edge and hold on to the side of the pool. The only trouble is, you can't learn to swim with your feet on the bottom or with your hands holding on to the side of the pool. I heard a story about a boy who wanted to learn to swim, but he was afraid that he might drown. Then, one day, a new swimming instructor came to the pool. This instructor's swimming lessons were exactly what the boy needed. He knew that the boy was afraid of drowning, so as the lesson began and the boy began trying to swim, he walked alongside with his hand underneath the boy's belly. His hand was like a safety net in the boy's mind. He knew that he had nothing to fear because his instructor was there to keep him from drowning! Sometimes, life can be a lot like learning to swim. It can be frightening. There may be times when we face uncertain situations and we may be afraid that we are getting in over our heads. Like the boy holding to the side of the pool, we want to hold on to those things of which we are sure. There is no reason for us to be afraid. Just as the swimming instructor's hand was there to keep the boy from drowning, we have God's promise that he will be there for us when we go through deep water. Listen to his promise. "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." We are at the beginning of a new year. It is time for a fresh start -- a time of new beginnings. It is exciting, but it can also be frightening. As you face new situations in the coming year, let God's hand support you. He will always be there for you and he won't let you down. Dear Father, as we face the uncertain days of a new year, we place our life in your hands. We claim your promise that you will be with us. Amen. (Sermons4Kids) Responsive Reading Psalm 29 UMH 761 Passing of the Peace As you greet those around you, look at each person and offer these words from Isaiah: “You are precious in God’s sight.” Scripture Isaiah 43:1-7 Sermon Driven to the Light Jaymie, I and Mr. Utke were sitting in the library talking during Sr. Lunch time – Mr. Utke told us that it was January 8th – national quit day. Jaymie looked at each other and I said,Oh it must be national quit your job day. We got excited until Mr. Utke said no. It is national quit you New Year’s resolution Day. It was the day when all of those wonderful plans that we made to change the world by changing ourselves come to an end and life goes back to normal. So what about you, how are your new year’s resolutions going? Last week we made a commitment to get closer to God this year – how is that going for you? It is a good day for a new start. I like the way the amplified version puts it in the present tense: "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it, and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." I don't know how it is with you, but I like new beginnings. It doesn't matter whether it's a new year, a new month, a new week, a new day--a new experience--I like new beginnings. "A Jesuit priest, C.J. McNespy, once noted that scholars do not agree as to when the liturgical (church) year really begins. The usual opinion, of course, is the first Sunday of Advent. Others start with the Easter vigil. Still others choose the Sunday which comes seventy days before Easter. Father McNespy wraps up the controversy happily; "in any case, since we need to be constantly starting over, it doesn't hurt to have several new years." (C.J. McNespy, America, 1-25-64, p.149, quoted by Ellsworth Kalas, "Ring Out the Old" December 29, 1985)--I'll take as many new years, as many occasions for new beginnings--as the calendar or religion or life will provide. I'm glad for the chance for starting again. And that's the reason I wanted to anchor what we say today in this passage of scripture from Isaiah. "Behold, I'm doing a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it, and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." So it's against this background of God intervening in history, a God who is always doing a new thing--it's against that background that I want us to look at these two approaches to life--if only/next time. The book of Isaiah is all about new starts. Our scripture says that God is doing a new thing. The book of Isaiah spans about 500 years of history. It is written by at least 3 authors. Isaiah 43 is believed to be written by the second author. The second book is good news from what is called the golden prophet – because he had a way of seeing the best in the middle of bad situations. He reminds us that trouble does not last always. This book is called the servant song – it is good news to a collective group of people who are coming out of exile. Chapter 42 reminds them that their captivity was the consequences of their own actions. They forgot about their relationship with God, they lost their center, and they were taken into captivity. Chapter 43 tells them that no trouble lasts forever. God’s justice always ends in mercy. As a matter of fact, chapter 43 of Isaiah is the only place in the Hebrew Bible where God directly says I love you – I care about you. God says that you are special. God will always be with you. In tough times and Good God is still there with you. If you are going through the fire, God goes there too. If you have to go through the water, no matter how murky or dirty – God is there with you. The movie, Schindler’s List is the story of the struggle that the jews went through in the holocaust. In one scene a man is desparately looking for a place to hide from the nazis. He decides that he will hide in the toilet of an outhouse. Only to discover that there are two children already hiding knee deep in the dirty polluted water. God goes with them in the dirty waters of life. Sometimes in life we can all feel that we are knee deep in murky dirty water – And God is there with us. God is also in the water of baptism. Today is a good day to remember our baptism. Today is a good day to experience God’s grace, today is a good day to start all over again. We have all sinned, we have all fallen short of the glory of God. In a world where we all struggle to survive in some way, we can easily get caught in the world of if only – A young man who had made it big had been away from home a long time traveling to exotic places all over the world. He had not been very attentive to his widowed mother. His conscience began to bother him and he decided to do something about it. He sent her a unique gift, a rare South American parrot for which he'd paid $1200. Well, time went by. Two weeks, three weeks, and he heard nothing. And the fourth week he called. When he got his mom on the phone he said, "Did you get the bird I sent you?" "Oh yes!"--It was so nice, I cooked it the day after it came. It was delicious!" "You cooked it! Mom, that was a rare South American parrot. It cost me $1200. That parrot could speak five languages." "My goodness, son," the mother responded. "If only you'd said something." If only! We hear it all the time. If only I hadn't had that accident. If only I'd lived in some other place. If only I were more beautiful. If only he had not died so young. If only people were friendlier to me. If only I had more money. If only I were younger. If only I were older. If only I had a different kind of job. If only people really knew my abilities. If only--and it goes on and on. If only. We're going to talk about that today, but we're going to talk about it in the context of an alternative stance: next time. There's a world of difference between "if only" and "next time." "If only" looks backward; "next time" is a look forward. "If only" is a word of defeat; "next time" is a word of hope. The world of if only is much more than living a life of regret. It is looking at the past and wishing that circumstances had been different. We have all had our fair share of if onlys. How does living in the world of if only’s work out for you? Does it give us the power to change things? Does it give us hope? Does it give us grace? Does it make us feel better? Probably not. It is based on the past, it based on circumstances that we cant do anything about. Instead of living in the world of if only, what if we lived in the world of next time. Next time is a second chance. Instead of looking back on spilled milk, next time gives us a chance to do something different. It gives us the power to make a difference. It gives us grace, and where there is grace, there is also the presence of God. In the world of grace, God is with you, God is on your side, God is doing a new thing. Isnt it comforting to know that in God’s world there will always be a next time. Laura Lee is the would-be victim of Hodgkin disease who has demonstrated this fact eloquently. She wrote at least two books, both recording her feelings, thoughts, and observations as she walked through the valley of the shadow of death. She likened the choices of life to standing before a button panel. "You push the down button for bitterness, resentment, and self-pity. Or you can push the up button and draw closer to God, closer to others and to be a better person. It's always an act of the will, a will beyond emotions or what you feel like doing. You can be deceived by feelings." What are you doing this year to draw closer to God? God is right there right next to you. The waters of baptism represent the presence of God in our lives. God is there in the murky water, God is in the cleansing water of baptism. That brings us comfort. Four-year-old Virginia and her family were enjoying the first visit by their new pastor. Gathered around the living room were Mother, Father, Virginia, Grandmother and the pastor. Soon it was Virginia's bedtime. After a bath, Virginia invited everyone to come up and hear her bedside prayers. Grandmother, whose arthritis was bothering her, chose not to go upstairs with the others and remained seated on the sofa. Just as Virginia knelt down, a flash of lightning followed by a crash of thunder filled the room. "I want to go downstairs with Grandmother," cried Virginia. "I'm scared." The adults in the room tried to reassure her. "Jesus is right here with you," said Mother. "He's even in your closet and under your bed," added Father. The new pastor said, "Yes, remember, Virginia, Jesus is right here in your bedroom." Suddenly another blinding flash of lightning and deafening blast of thunder rattled the windows. Virginia, pointing a finger directly at the pastor, said through clenched teeth, "You stay up here in my bedroom with Jesus. I'm going downstairs to my grandmother's lap!" And off she ran. You see, baptism is something like Grandmother's lap. In the midst of the rejections and raging storms of life, baptism reminds us where the love is. Named and claimed as God's child forever, we know that we have been chosen. No matter what. Hear again the promise of the Lord: "I have called you by name and you are mine ... you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you" (vv. 1, 4). And that's the truth." CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio, Where Is God In All This, by Tony Everett We thank God for comfort, peace, grace. You know in the coming year, none of us knows what will happen, or even how we will handle it. No matter how many resolutions we may have, life will still throw us unexpected curve balls. We all face an uncertain future. But the good news is that we do not have to face the future afraid. Whatever happens, God will be right there by our side. Remember your baptism and be thankful! Let us pray….. Song It is Well With My Soul UMH 377 Prayers of the People Before we are born, before we do anything or make something of ourselves, before we make our first mistake or confess our first sin or fail majorly, you claim us, God our Creator, and call us beloved. We give you thanks and praise this Sunday for Jesus’ baptism and for ours, for the sign and seal of your claim on us and the sacred water from which we emerge newly born in Christ. That you come so close, Holy God, close enough to kiss our forehead with holy water and Holy Spirit, is astonishing. How can we comprehend a love such as this? How could we ever earn this amazing grace? You call us to you in love, O God, and send us to love others in Christ’s name. Hear our prayers this day as we hold the weary and the suffering in our p2 hearts and minds. We pray for those recovering and rebuilding from hurricanes and natural disasters. Shelter and protect those who have lost loved ones and homes, God. Be their refuge and their strength. We pray for refugees, for children and families, mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles seeking asylum, safety and opportunity. Your love knows no boundary or border, Holy God. Help us to love as you love. We pray for the sick and their caregivers. We pray for first responders and hospital personnel. Give hope to those who are called to help and heal. May our world know well-being. We pray for countries and communities struggling for safety and freedom. We pray for those without access to healthcare, food or shelter. Help us, Holy God, to dismantle oppressive systems that privilege and hoard. Help us build new and just systems for our collective flourishing. We pray for those who, in this new year, feel helpless and hopeless. Remind them, Savior God, that the night is not night to you. Remind them, Covenant God, that you have called them by name, that they belong to you, that none of us is alone. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Luke writes in chapter 3, describing Jesus’ baptism, followed by the gift of the Holy Spirit and a voice claiming, “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.” As we remember that description, I’m struck by what a remarkable reality it is for each one of us to be claimed by God. Remember? Isaiah 43 says, “I have called you by name, you are mine.” In gratitude for that relationship, we come to offer our gifts of money, time and talent. With joy, we bring the best we have to celebrate the way God reaches out to us. May each of us reach deep to offer our gifts today. Prayer of Thanksgiving Source of all being, Hear our thanks as we offer ourselves and these symbols of our daily living to you. May your Spirit pour into us, as it came into Jesus, for we truly want to be claimed by you as we follow him. Help us find ways to live the Good News of your love for one and for all, Help us use these gifts and our time and talents in service with Jesus, your Beloved Son, Amen. (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Invitation to Reaffirm Our Baptismal Covenant We gather today to worship and praise the God of awe and majesty. We come to encounter the God who knows us each by name and who walks with us in intimate love. We come to reaffirm the blessing we have received through our baptism. In baptism, we remember God’s saving actions throughout history, and we have the opportunity to answer yes as God whispers our names. As a community of God, we gather today at the waters of baptism to reaffirm our commitment to Christ and to experience anew the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Laura Jaquith Bartlett) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook You are each precious in God’s sight. We go from this place, claiming our identity as children of God. God has called you by name. We go into the world to answer God’s call. Alleluia! (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Laura Jaquith Bartlett) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Remember that your first name is Beloved, given to you by God before any other name. Remember also it is the name given to every human being. May this blessed gift and claim of God grow in your heart and mind. And may it flow through you as a blessing into the life of the world. Blessings on you, Beloved! Amen and Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, David Long-Higgins) Additional Illustrations The Hassidic Jews have a story about the sorrow tree. According to them, on Judgment Day we will be invited to hang all of our own miseries upon the tree of sorrows. When we've done that we will be given permission to walk around the tree and survey everyone else's miseries in order to select a set we like better. According to Hassidic legend, in the end, we freely choose our own personal set of sorrows once more. That's a charming way of saying that when we see the suffering and sorrow of others, more often than not, we're quite happy to keep our own. A man at a party walked over to a woman and said, "You're wearing one of the most beautiful diamond rings I have ever seen." She responded, "It's the Chapman diamond, and a curse comes with it." Taken aback, the man asked, "and what is the curse?" The woman's face clouded as she replied, "Mr. Chapman, who gave it to me." Let me share a poem which I think will tie it all together--a rather folksy poem. I'm not sure Miss Olga would think it was great poetry, but it ties together the contrast between a "what if" and a "next time" kind of life. Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl and one was an optimistic soul but the other one took the gloomy view, "I shall drown," he cried, "and so will you!" And with one last despairing cry, he closed his eyes and said goodbye. But the other frog had a merry grin, Said he couldn't get out but wouldn't give in. "I'll swim around 'til my strength is spent. But for having tried, I'll die content." Bravely he swam, until it would seem His struggles began to churn the cream. On top of the butter he finally stopped. And out of the bowl he happily hopped. So what's the moral. It's easily found. If you can't get out, just keep swimming around! I hope you get the picture: the contrast between an "if only" and a "next time" approach to life. No matter what happens, no matter what our circumstances, we can affirm with conviction "next time" because our God is a consuming fire, burning away all the sin and failure of the past; He is a God who is "doing a new thing," making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Verse 20 both alludes to the universal nature of God’s loving, redemptive action, and proclaims the particularity that love is capable of expressing. While the water is given to all the wilderness, God declares that it flows there in order to "give drink to my chosen people." Modern homes with indoor plumbing always have water available - yet a young child, too small to reach the sink, is still completely dependent on a parent to get a drink. The same tenderness is implied in Isaiah’s image - the mighty creator God who makes whole rivers race through the land will still stoop to hold a cup to the thirsty lips of the children God “formed for myself." Once that thirst is quenched, however, v.21 reminds the reader, everyone has a responsibility to say "thank you," praising God again and again for the very staples of life. ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Collected Works, by Leonard Sweet That which binds us all together in this household of faith, however, is the fact that we have all been "redeemed" together. That is what we have in common -- not blood, not soil, not economics or status. Rather, we share together the one fact that God has redeemed us all. He redeemed Israel out of Egypt, that is, he bought her back out of slavery, which is what redemption means (cf. Leviticus 25:47-49). And so too he redeemed each one of us out of slavery to sin and death, and he redeemed the person who is to be baptized. Long before our baptisms, long before any one of us had done anything to deserve it (cf. Romans 5:8), God redeemed us from sin and death by the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The only place where God directly says, “I Love You”