ORDER OF WORSHIP FOR
THE FAITH REFORMED CHURCH
215 MIDDLE ROAD, HAZLET, NJ 07730
Abbreviated Liturgy for Online Worship
Sunday, January 16; Second Sunday after the Epiphany
VOTUM AND SALUTATION
CALL TO WORSHIP (Adapted from Psalm 36:5-10)
Leader: Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
People: And your faithfulness to the clouds!
Leader: Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains;
People: And your judgments like the great deep!
Leader: How precious is your steadfast love, O God,
People: All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Leader: They feast on the abundance of your house,
People: And you give them drink from the river of your delights.
Leader: For with you is the fountain of life,
All: And in your light we see light!
PRAYER OF PRESENCE
All: Lord God almighty, we offer you our praise. You created us in your goodness, and made us worthy of your love. Put your joyful spirit in each of our hearts. Help us to find happiness in our lives, and spread your joy and your love to all people. Bless us to find peace and harmony in your worship this morning. We ask this blessing in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE “Let the Whole Creation Cry” - Organist Ben Benfer
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (from the Book of Common Prayer)
All: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole hearts; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE (Titus 3:4-6)
All: “When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us by the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.”
CALL TO FAITHFUL LIVING (Luke 6:35-37)
Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
HYMN - “Day by Day and with Each Passing Moment” - Organist Ben Benfer
SCRIPTURE READINGS - John 2:1-11
THE MORNING MESSAGE - “Too Holy to Be Happy“
HYMN OF RESPONSE – “Amazing Grace” - Organist Ben Benfer
APOSTLES CREED
I believe in God the Father, almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried.
The third day he rose from the dead
He ascended into heaven
And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting.
Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER, LORD’s PRAYER, & BENEDICTION
Almighty God,
Hear us in our time of distress.
We pray for the sick and the dying, that your healing and your comfort may be with them.
We pray for the caregivers, that you may shield and strengthen them against all harm.
We pray for the lonely, that they may know your love and the love of their neighbors.
We pray for ourselves, that you may preserve us by your providence,
make us blessings to our neighbors,
and beacons of your radiant light in the darkest night.
Make your love burn brightly in all your people, as we look forward to the day when we may once again gather together in joy under your holy name.
We pray these things in the name of our Holy Shepherd, Jesus Christ,
Who taught us to pray with the words,
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 sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.
THE FAITH REFORMED CHURCH
215 MIDDLE ROAD, HAZLET, NJ 07730
Abbreviated Liturgy for Online Worship
Sunday, January 16; Second Sunday after the Epiphany
VOTUM AND SALUTATION
CALL TO WORSHIP (Adapted from Psalm 36:5-10)
Leader: Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
People: And your faithfulness to the clouds!
Leader: Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains;
People: And your judgments like the great deep!
Leader: How precious is your steadfast love, O God,
People: All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Leader: They feast on the abundance of your house,
People: And you give them drink from the river of your delights.
Leader: For with you is the fountain of life,
All: And in your light we see light!
PRAYER OF PRESENCE
All: Lord God almighty, we offer you our praise. You created us in your goodness, and made us worthy of your love. Put your joyful spirit in each of our hearts. Help us to find happiness in our lives, and spread your joy and your love to all people. Bless us to find peace and harmony in your worship this morning. We ask this blessing in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE “Let the Whole Creation Cry” - Organist Ben Benfer
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (from the Book of Common Prayer)
All: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole hearts; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE (Titus 3:4-6)
All: “When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us by the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.”
CALL TO FAITHFUL LIVING (Luke 6:35-37)
Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
HYMN - “Day by Day and with Each Passing Moment” - Organist Ben Benfer
SCRIPTURE READINGS - John 2:1-11
THE MORNING MESSAGE - “Too Holy to Be Happy“
HYMN OF RESPONSE – “Amazing Grace” - Organist Ben Benfer
APOSTLES CREED
I believe in God the Father, almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried.
The third day he rose from the dead
He ascended into heaven
And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting.
Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER, LORD’s PRAYER, & BENEDICTION
Almighty God,
Hear us in our time of distress.
We pray for the sick and the dying, that your healing and your comfort may be with them.
We pray for the caregivers, that you may shield and strengthen them against all harm.
We pray for the lonely, that they may know your love and the love of their neighbors.
We pray for ourselves, that you may preserve us by your providence,
make us blessings to our neighbors,
and beacons of your radiant light in the darkest night.
Make your love burn brightly in all your people, as we look forward to the day when we may once again gather together in joy under your holy name.
We pray these things in the name of our Holy Shepherd, Jesus Christ,
Who taught us to pray with the words,
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 sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.