ORDER OF WORSHIP FOR
THE FAITH REFORMED CHURCH
215 MIDDLE ROAD, HAZLET, NJ 07730
(* indicates to stand if you are able)
Sunday, January 3; Second Sunday after Christmas Day
VOTUM AND SALUTATION
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP (Adapted from Psalm 8)
Pastor: O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
People: You have set your glory above the heavens.
Pastor: Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark against your foes.
People: To silence the enemy and the avenger.
Pastor: To humanity you have given dominion over the works of your hands;
People: All the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and fish of the sea;
Pastor: O Lord, our Sovereign,
All: How majestic is your name in all the earth!
PRAYER OF PRESENCE
All: Gracious and loving God, send your Holy Spirit upon us. Rich and poor, young and old, man and woman, we come together to glorify your name. Bless us this morning in our worship of you. Let our prayers reach you; let our praises please you; and let our offerings reflect your love. We pray this as we pray for all things, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE “Morning Has Broken”
(hummed – not sung)
Morning has broken like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!
PASSING OF THE PEACE
(please stand, but remain in place, and greet your nearest neighbors with a wave and a blessing of peace)
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
All: Eternal God, we confess that we have failed to seek your will. You create us in your image, yet we dishonor your holy name. You call us to live as one body, yet we seek our separate ways. God of grace, forgive us. By the work of your Holy Spirit within us, make us holy and whole. Help us to live for your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Responsive Hymn – to be hummed, not sung) - Hear our prayer O Lord. Hear our prayer O Lord. Incline thine ear to us, and grant us Thy peace. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE (Zephaniah 3:17)
All: The Lord, your God, is in your midst – a warrior who gives victory! He will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love, he will exult over you with loud singing, as on a day of festival.
*Gloria Patri: Glory be to The Father Hymn #805 (hummed – not sung)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end, Amen, Amen.
SUMMARY OF THE LAW (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.”
HYMN FOR ILLUMINATION (seated) “Spirit of the Living God” Verse 1 (hummed – not sung)
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me;
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SERMON HYMN “Lord of the Church, We Pray for Our Renewing”
(Verses 1 & 2) – Hummed, not sung
Lord of the church, we pray for our renewing:
Christ over all, our undivided aim.
Fire of the Spirit, burn for our enduring,
Wind of the Spirit, fan the living flame!
We turn to Christ amid our fear and failing,
The will that lacks the courage to be free,
The weary labors, all but unavailing,
To bring us nearer what a church should be.
Lord of the church, we seek a Father’s blessing,
A true repentance and a faith restored,
A swift obedience and a new possessing,
Filled with the Holy Spirit of the Lord!
We turn to Christ from all our restless striving,
Unnumbered voices with a single prayer –
The living water for our souls’ reviving,
In Christ to live, and love and serve and care.
SCRIPTURE READINGS – Luke 2:15-21
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
THE MORNING MESSAGE - “Looking Ahead“
*OFFERTORY PRAYER AND DOXOLOGY
*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.
CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
Let us break bread together on our knees; Let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.
Let us drink wine together on our knees; Let us drink wine together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.
Let us praise God together on our knees; Let us praise God together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Holy and right it is, and our joyful duty
to give thanks to you at all times and in all places,
O Lord our Creator,
almighty and everlasting God!
You created heaven with all its hosts and the earth with all its plenty.
You have given us life and being,
and preserve us by your providence.
But you have shown us the fullness of your love
in sending into the world your Son, Jesus Christ,
the eternal Word, made flesh for us and for our salvation.
For the precious gift of this mighty Savior who has reconciled us to you
we praise and bless you, O God.
With your whole Church on earth and with all the company of heaven
we worship and adore your glorious name.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Most righteous God,
we remember in this Supper
the perfect sacrifice offered once on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ
for the sin of the whole world.
In the joy of his resurrection and in expectation of his coming again,
we offer ourselves to you as holy and living sacrifices.
Together we proclaim the mystery of the faith:
Christ has died!
Christ is risen!
Christ will come again!
Send your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray,
that the bread which we break and the cup which we bless
may be to us the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
Grant that, being joined together in him,
we may attain to the unity of the faith
and grow up in all things into Christ our Lord.
And as this grain has been gathered from many fields into one loaf,
and these grapes from many hills into one cup,
grant, O Lord, that your whole Church
may soon be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Brothers and sisters,
since the Lord has now fed us at his Table,
let us praise God’s holy name with heartfelt thanksgiving!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits--
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him,
who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all,
and will also give us all things with him.
Therefore shall my mouth and heart show forth the praise of the Lord,
from this time forth forevermore. Amen.
JOYS & CONCERNS – MORNING PRAYER – THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Lord’s Prayer – “sins / those who sin against us”)
CLOSING HYMN “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice” (verses 1 & 2)
(hummed – not sung)
Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today!
Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss; Jesus Christ was born for this;
He has opened heaven’s door, and we are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!
*CLOSING PRAYER & BENEDICTION
*CHORAL POSTLUDE: "Lord, Dismiss Us with your Blessing"
(hummed – not sung)
Lord, dismiss us with your blessing; fill our hearts with joy and peace;
Let us each, your love possessing, triumph in redeeming grace;
O direct us and protect us, traveling through this wilderness.
THE FAITH REFORMED CHURCH
215 MIDDLE ROAD, HAZLET, NJ 07730
(* indicates to stand if you are able)
Sunday, January 3; Second Sunday after Christmas Day
VOTUM AND SALUTATION
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP (Adapted from Psalm 8)
Pastor: O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
People: You have set your glory above the heavens.
Pastor: Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark against your foes.
People: To silence the enemy and the avenger.
Pastor: To humanity you have given dominion over the works of your hands;
People: All the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and fish of the sea;
Pastor: O Lord, our Sovereign,
All: How majestic is your name in all the earth!
PRAYER OF PRESENCE
All: Gracious and loving God, send your Holy Spirit upon us. Rich and poor, young and old, man and woman, we come together to glorify your name. Bless us this morning in our worship of you. Let our prayers reach you; let our praises please you; and let our offerings reflect your love. We pray this as we pray for all things, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE “Morning Has Broken”
(hummed – not sung)
Morning has broken like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!
PASSING OF THE PEACE
(please stand, but remain in place, and greet your nearest neighbors with a wave and a blessing of peace)
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
All: Eternal God, we confess that we have failed to seek your will. You create us in your image, yet we dishonor your holy name. You call us to live as one body, yet we seek our separate ways. God of grace, forgive us. By the work of your Holy Spirit within us, make us holy and whole. Help us to live for your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Responsive Hymn – to be hummed, not sung) - Hear our prayer O Lord. Hear our prayer O Lord. Incline thine ear to us, and grant us Thy peace. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE (Zephaniah 3:17)
All: The Lord, your God, is in your midst – a warrior who gives victory! He will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love, he will exult over you with loud singing, as on a day of festival.
*Gloria Patri: Glory be to The Father Hymn #805 (hummed – not sung)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end, Amen, Amen.
SUMMARY OF THE LAW (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.”
HYMN FOR ILLUMINATION (seated) “Spirit of the Living God” Verse 1 (hummed – not sung)
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me;
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SERMON HYMN “Lord of the Church, We Pray for Our Renewing”
(Verses 1 & 2) – Hummed, not sung
Lord of the church, we pray for our renewing:
Christ over all, our undivided aim.
Fire of the Spirit, burn for our enduring,
Wind of the Spirit, fan the living flame!
We turn to Christ amid our fear and failing,
The will that lacks the courage to be free,
The weary labors, all but unavailing,
To bring us nearer what a church should be.
Lord of the church, we seek a Father’s blessing,
A true repentance and a faith restored,
A swift obedience and a new possessing,
Filled with the Holy Spirit of the Lord!
We turn to Christ from all our restless striving,
Unnumbered voices with a single prayer –
The living water for our souls’ reviving,
In Christ to live, and love and serve and care.
SCRIPTURE READINGS – Luke 2:15-21
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
THE MORNING MESSAGE - “Looking Ahead“
*OFFERTORY PRAYER AND DOXOLOGY
*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.
CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
- INVITATION
- COMMUNION HYMN – “Let Us Break Bread Together”
Let us break bread together on our knees; Let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.
Let us drink wine together on our knees; Let us drink wine together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.
Let us praise God together on our knees; Let us praise God together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.
- COMMUNION PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Holy and right it is, and our joyful duty
to give thanks to you at all times and in all places,
O Lord our Creator,
almighty and everlasting God!
You created heaven with all its hosts and the earth with all its plenty.
You have given us life and being,
and preserve us by your providence.
But you have shown us the fullness of your love
in sending into the world your Son, Jesus Christ,
the eternal Word, made flesh for us and for our salvation.
For the precious gift of this mighty Savior who has reconciled us to you
we praise and bless you, O God.
With your whole Church on earth and with all the company of heaven
we worship and adore your glorious name.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Most righteous God,
we remember in this Supper
the perfect sacrifice offered once on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ
for the sin of the whole world.
In the joy of his resurrection and in expectation of his coming again,
we offer ourselves to you as holy and living sacrifices.
Together we proclaim the mystery of the faith:
Christ has died!
Christ is risen!
Christ will come again!
Send your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray,
that the bread which we break and the cup which we bless
may be to us the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
Grant that, being joined together in him,
we may attain to the unity of the faith
and grow up in all things into Christ our Lord.
And as this grain has been gathered from many fields into one loaf,
and these grapes from many hills into one cup,
grant, O Lord, that your whole Church
may soon be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
- WORDS OF INSTITUTION
- CELEBRATION OF COMMUNION
- PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Brothers and sisters,
since the Lord has now fed us at his Table,
let us praise God’s holy name with heartfelt thanksgiving!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits--
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him,
who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all,
and will also give us all things with him.
Therefore shall my mouth and heart show forth the praise of the Lord,
from this time forth forevermore. Amen.
JOYS & CONCERNS – MORNING PRAYER – THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Lord’s Prayer – “sins / those who sin against us”)
CLOSING HYMN “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice” (verses 1 & 2)
(hummed – not sung)
Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today!
Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss; Jesus Christ was born for this;
He has opened heaven’s door, and we are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!
*CLOSING PRAYER & BENEDICTION
*CHORAL POSTLUDE: "Lord, Dismiss Us with your Blessing"
(hummed – not sung)
Lord, dismiss us with your blessing; fill our hearts with joy and peace;
Let us each, your love possessing, triumph in redeeming grace;
O direct us and protect us, traveling through this wilderness.