Call to Worship

All who thirst, come to the water
and drink deeply of these living streams.
Come, all who are weary;
come, all who yearn for forgiveness.
The Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ has washed over us,
and our gracious and holy God beckons and blesses us.
He is the fount of every blessing. 

To the one true God be praise
in all times and places,
through the grace of Jesus Christ.

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Greeting

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Prayer of Invocation

God of grace and glory,
you call us with your voice of flame
to be your people, faithful and courageous.
As your beloved Son
embraced his mission in the waters of baptism,
inspire us with the fire of your Spirit
to join in his transforming work.
We ask this in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
    worship the Lord in holy splendor.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
    and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,
    and strips the forest bare;
    and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace! 

Service of Confession & Assurance

Call to Confession

When we come into the holy presence of God,
our own humanity is laid bare.
When we stand in the living presence of truth,
our own falsehood is revealed.
People of God, let us acknowledge who and whose we are
and ask our ever-present God to forgive us.

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God,
in baptism you grafted us into the body of Christ,
promising us forgiveness of sin and newness of life.
But we fail to live as forgiven people.
We confess to sporadic beliefs and inconsistent faithfulness.
We keep destructive habits and hold grudges.
We allow our past to hold us hostage
and are reluctant to welcome newness.
Between our own lives and your justice and holiness
we see a wide gap that we cannot bridge.
In your loving-kindness
have mercy on us and free us from sin.
Remind us of the promises you have made to us in baptism
so that we may live as your people,
claimed in the waters of promise. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Water cleanses; purifies; refreshes; sustains: Jesus Christ is living water.

Our gracious God cleanses and renews us, his children,
through grace alone.
Through the gift of his Spirit,
he offers blessing and daily strength,
he unfolds the riches of his love,
deepens our faith,
keeps us from the power of evil,
and enables us to live holy and blameless lives
until his kingdom comes.

The Peace

The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.

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Affirmation of Faith: Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living 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.

Prayer of Illumination

Holy God,
at the waters of his baptism,
your Spirit descended on Jesus,
and you proclaimed him your beloved Son.
Send your Spirit on us as we hear your Word to us today.
May we say yes to your call to repentance
and be led to the life of abundance,
experienced in your kinship and your love. Amen.

Scripture Reading

Mark 1:4-11

14 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Sermon

Our sermon is brought to us by Rev. Jennifer Ryden, Chaplain of Discipleship at Hope College.

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Prayers of the People

In the waters of baptism, we were called to be God’s children
and to minister to one another.
Let us therefore pray for ourselves, for one another,
and for all those in need of our prayers, saying:
“Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.”

Let us pray for the church,
that it may stand fast in the one faith to which it has been called.
[Silence]
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Let us pray for the world,
that our conflicts may cease
and that peace may reign in this new year.
[Silence]
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Let us pray for our country,
that we will turn to you to heal our divisions
and to guide us to work for peace, justice, and the welfare of all.
[Silence]
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Let us pray for all Christians who have been baptized
into the one family of faith,
that our lives may reflect the forgiveness and love that were first shown us.
[Silence]
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Let us pray for all who are blind to the injustices of our world,
that their eyes may be opened and they may work
for an end to oppression and injustice.
[Silence]
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Let us pray for the sick,
that their sickness may be turned to health
and they may once again join us in our work and worship.
[Silence]
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Let us give thanks for the faithful who have gone before us,
that we may follow the example of their lives
and be reunited with them in the joy of everlasting life.
[Silence]
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Omniscient God,
you know our thoughts and needs better than we ourselves.
Accept the prayers that we now offer
and strengthen us to do your will,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Offering

In addition to our various funds (General, Building, Mission, Benevolence, Christian Education), online giving is also now available for today’s special offerings (3Sixty & Buen Pastor) through the Give button below.

Blessing

May the Holy Spirit of God, who at Jordan’s riverside
descended upon the Father’s well-loved Son, Jesus Christ,
and empowered him to obey God’s will, now rest upon you.
May the Spirit give you courage and strength to turn away from sin,
to obey God’s will,
and to proclaim the coming reign of God. 

May the triune God,
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless you and keep you always. Amen.

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