Sunday Worship, Jan 9, 8&10AM. Online/In-Person

Very unusual gifts to give to a baby, yet perfectly suited for One who is King, Intercessor and Savior.
Come let’s discover the significance of the three gifts from the magi and
be reminded of why Jesus is the perfect gift for us in the New Year.

Both of our 8 & 10AM services continue to be livestreamed https://www.facebook.com/LodiUMC

Order of Worship
January 9, 2022

OPENING PRAYER     Liturgist: Jody Thistle (8AM), Sherian Foster (10AM)
Jesus, Light of Nations, you bring all peoples to you:
Make us bearers of light for each other.

Jesus, Light of the World, you show us the way to God:
May we reflect your light in dark places.

Jesus, Son of Mary, you are Love made manifest:
By our lives, may we reveal God’s love to the world.

Jesus, Splendor of God’s Glory, you came as a child:
Teach us to see you in the great and the small.

Jesus, Begotten One, you are the first-born of all creatures:
May we reflect the One from whom we come.

* MEDLEY OF ADORATION He Came Down (The Faith We Sing #2085) Sanctuary (TFWS #2164)
He came down that we may have love, he came down that we may have love,
he came down that we may have love, Hallelujah forevermore.
2. peace. 3. joy
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true.
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for you. (Repeat all)

SHARING JOYS AND CONCERNS Please share your prayer requests and joys. Type them in the comment section.

PASTORAL PRAYER

SCRIPTURE READING Matthew 2:1, 10-11
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. … They went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

SONG FOR ILLUMINATION     In the Bleak Midwinter (United Methodist Hymn #221, 1,2&4)
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone
Snow had fallen snow on snow, snow on snow
In the bleak midwinter, long ago

Our God heav’n cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain
Heav’n and earth shall flee away, when He comes to reign
In the bleak midwinter, a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

What can I give Him, poor as I am
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb
If I were a wise man, I would do my part
Yet what can I give Him, give my heart

MESSAGE

TIME OF DEDICATION This week’s liturgy comes from The Wesleyan Covenant for Renewal service.
Prayer of Commitment (The following is prayed in silence.)
O blessed Jesus, I come to you hungry, wretched, miserable, blind, and naked. I am tarnished by sin, and my uncleanliness makes me unable to be in a relationship with you. But your love for me is unparalleled, so with all my heart I accept you, and take you to be my Lord, for richer and for poorer, for all times and conditions, to love, honor, and obey before all others, until my death.
I embrace you in every way, renouncing my sinfulness, my wisdom, and my will, offering myself fully to you and taking your will to govern my life.
I enter into a covenant with you, come what may. Your grace will assist me when I run into trouble, and I know that nothing in life or death will separate me from you.

The Wesleyan Covenant Prayer (praying together this covenant prayer of the Wesleyan tradition.)
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Communal Prayer for Our Offering (Thank you for entrusting your church with your gifts)
O God, you have loved us and turned our hearts away from sin and back to you.
We desire to order and govern our whole life according to your direction.
Giving and guiding God, we express our commitment
through offering our gifts of time, talents, and money.
May they be, just as the gifts that the magi brought, pleasing to you and proclaiming who you are: the Messiah of all, through the works of your church, in the name of your Son Jesus, Amen.

HYMN OF FAITH   I Surrender All (United Methodist Hymn #354)
1 All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.

[Refrain] I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

2 All to Jesus I surrender, Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit, Truly know that Thou art mine. [Refrain]

3 All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me. [Refrain]

DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING  in Howard Thurman’s words from The Mood of Christmas

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