The Rev. Dr. Albert Potgieter, Pastor Elizabeth Frank, Music Director THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION WE APPROACH OUR GOD Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship L: We gather as God's people: P: To seek direction in the living of our lives. L: We gather as God's people: P: To be still and hear what God would have us do. L: We gather as God's people: P: To be renewed, restored and recreated. L: The glory of the Lord has risen upon us! We rejoice that we are God's people: P: To serve, to love and to sing God's praise. Votum Hymn of Praise: The First Nowell The first Nowell the angels did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; in fields where they lay a keeping their sheep, on a cold winter’s night that was so deep. Refrain: Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel. They looked up and saw a star shining in the east, beyond them far; and to the earth it gave great light, and so it continued both day and night. Refrain And by the light of that same star, three Wise Men came from country far; to seek for a king was their intent, and to follow the star wherever it went. Refrain This star drew nigh to the northwest: o’er Bethlehem it took its rest; and there it did both stop and stay, right over the place where Jesus lay. Refrain Then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heavenly Lord that hath made heaven and earth of nought, and with his blood our life hath bought. Refrain Call to Confession L: As we prepare to celebrate communion with our Lord and be nourished by the Spirit, let us examine ourselves first, before we eat the bread and drink from the cup. Pray in silence… Prayer of Confession All-glorious God, we have faith in Jesus Christ, and love towards your people, yet we are not without blemish in your sight, not full of love, wisdom, and other spiritual blessings you still have available for us. Our love is not as inclusive as yours, and there is much we need to learn. Give us clearer vision of all that we are meant to be, so that by becoming fulfilled, we may increase the glory that is properly revealed in Jesus Christ, your beloved. Amen! Lord Have Mercy - John Weaver Words of Assurance: L: Hear the Good News! The Savior has come to free us from all proud pretenses. P: The Christ has come in Jesus of Nazareth to show us the undeserved favor of God. L: Friends, believe the Good News! P: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. The Law of God: From Matthew 22 Jesus said, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Passing the Peace L: Peace be with you. P: And also with you. L: Extend the sign of God’s peace to each other. WE LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD Children’s Sermon Hymn: Angels We Have Heard on High, Gloria Angels we have heard on high singing sweetly through the night and the mountains in reply echoing their brave delight. Refrain: Gloria in excelsis Deo, Gloria in excelsis Deo. Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why these songs of happy cheer? What great brightness, did you see? What glad tidings did you hear? Refrain Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing; come, adore on bended knee, Christ, the Lord, the newborn King. Refrain See him in a manger laid whom the angels praise above; Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, while we raise our hearts in love. Refrain Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14 (NRSV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory. Message: Our Moral Compass - Pastor Albert A Compass for the New Year Four Cardinal Points Ephesians 1:4 (NRSV) North - We are . South - We are of God. Ephesians 1:5 (NRSV) Matthew 6:31-32 (CEV) Ephesians 1:7-8a (NRSV) Psalm 103:12 (NRSV) East - We are . West - We are . Ephesians 1:12 (NRSV) Using the Compass Always the compass. it frequently. Be aware of and . Always be aware of our True North, . WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD Celebration of the Lord’s Supper L: Beloved in the Lord Jesus, the meal which we are about to celebrate is a feast of remembrance, communion, and hope. P: We come to remember that Jesus was sent into the world to assume our flesh and blood, to become God with us, that we might be redeemed. L: We come to have communion with this same Christ who has promised to be with us even to the end of the world. P: We come in hope, believing that this bread and this cup are a pledge and a foretaste of a new heaven and a new earth, where we shall behold God. L: Jesus said, I was hungry and you gave me food; P: I was thirsty and you gave me drink. L: Here is the bread of life given for us; P: let all who hunger come and eat. L: Here is the fruit of the vine, poured out for us; P: let all who thirst come and drink. L: The Lord be with you. P: And also with you. L: Lift up your hearts! P: We lift them up to the Lord. L: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. P: It is right to give our thanks and praise! L: Holy and right it is to give you thanks and praise at all times and in all places, O God our Creator. Source of all life and goodness, You created heaven with all its hosts and the earth with all its plenty and preserve us by your providence. P: When we disobeyed, you sent Jesus to deliver us from sin and death and free us to joyful obedience. L: With your whole church on earth and with all the company of heaven we proclaim your glory. L: Most righteous God, we remember in this meal the perfect sacrifice offered once on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ for the sin of the whole world. P: United with Christ in his suffering, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, trusting in the power of God to triumph over evil, we wait in joyful hope for the fullness of God’s reign. L: 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. P: 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! Thanksgiving after Communion 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 forget not 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 he removes 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. Time of Offering and Thanksgiving Your offering may be placed in the plate near the entrance door or sent to the church via check in the mail to: CCD, 39-50 Douglaston Parkway, Douglaston, NY 11363, or digitally through Tithe.ly: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1332203 or you may text the word “give” to (844) 997-1849 Offertory: Gesu Bambino Pietro Yon Doxology - Old Hundredth Prayer of Dedication/Offering 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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Closing Hymn: As with Gladness Men of Old, Dix As with gladness men of old did the guiding star behold; as with joy they hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright; so, most gracious Lord, may we evermore be led to thee. As with joyful steps they sped to that lowly manger bed, there to bend the knee before him whom heav’n and earth adore; so may we with willing feet ever seek thy mercy seat. As they offered gifts most rare at that manger rude and bare; so may we with holy joy, pure and free from sin’s alloy, all our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to thee, our heav’nly King. Holy Jesus, every day keep us in the narrow way; and, when earthly things are past, bring our ransomed souls at last where they need no star to guide, where no clouds Thy glory hide. Blessing