WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE “In Dulci Jubilo” arr. Gerald Near

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: We have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him!

People: Sages, leave your contemplations, brighter visions beam afar.

Leader: See the great desire of nations; ye have seen His natal star.

People: Come and worship, come and worship! Worship Christ the new-born King!

HYMN “We Three Kings of Orient Are” #66 (vss. 1, 2 & 5)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Great God of hope and peace, we thank you for the true light that enlightens everyone, which has come into the world. Forgive us when we have received him not, have failed to believe in his name, or have refused the power to become his children. Renew a right spirit within us; cause us to embrace the new Light and Life of Bethlehem’s manger, to share the prophets’ hope, to sing the angels’ song and to give glory to you for your wondrous love. Through Jesus Christ, the Child of Bethlehem…

Silent Prayers of confession

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. -- 1 Timothy 1:15 Hear then Christ’s word of grace to us: our sins are forgiven.

Thanks be to God!

GLORIA

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Eternal God, in the reading of the Scripture, may your Word be heard; in the meditations of our hearts, may your Word be known; and in the faithfulness of our lives, may your Word be shown. Amen.

SCRIPTURE LESSON: Matthew 2:1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” ³ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴ and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

⁶ ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸ Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” ⁹ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

SERMON: “Showing Forth” Rev. Barrett Ingram

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

*“catholic” (little c) is translated as “universal” and is not a reference to the Roman Catholic Church.

SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

Prayer of Thanksgiving and The Lord’s Prayer

Communion of the People

Prayer After Communion

HYMN “As with Gladness Men of Old” #63 (vss. 1, 4)

BENEDICTION

*POSTLUDE “How Brightly Beams the Morning Star” A. W Leupold

Prayer List:

Marguerite Hufham, Sarah Melvin, Louise Quick, Ronnie Rush, Juanita McGraw, Betty Johnson, Bill Jackson, Darrel Melvin, Happy Lashlee, Gerry Carey, Becky Regan, Mary Ward, Lucille Hood, Amy Johnson, Bill Marsh, Esther Collier, Madeline NcNeill Long, Shannon Wilcox, Ted Johnson, Clara Wooten Hunsucker, Ernest Ray Long, Jo Campbell, Linda Smith, Susan and David Butler, Doug Bergeron, Margaret Ingram, Bill Greene, Allison Ward, Jimmy Hickman, Holly Eppley, Betty Faircloth, Susan Deans, Carey King, Sammy Hatcher, Kim Worley Sellers, Carmen McQueen, Claudia Hester, Wynn Hair family, Lin Weeks, Billy Hester, Nellie Macon, Richard and Mary Jane Howell, Susan Priest, David Callihan, Ray Battle