Friday, January 24, 2025

Worship Service - January 26, 2025

                                          Elkton United Methodist Church
                                          Third Sunday after the Epiphany
                                                 Sunday, January 26, 2025
                                                                10:00 a.m.

GREETING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE............................................... “PRAYER OF DEVOTION”1............ JAMES MICHAEL STEVENS

OPENING

TIME OF CENTERING PRAYER

**RESPONSE #2071 (TFWS)................................................................. “JESUS, NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES”

Jesus, name above all names, beautiful Savior, glorious Lord. Emmanuel, God is with us,

blessed Redeemer, living Word.


**CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:       Children of God, we gather to worship, to sing and proclaim with joy the

                   good works God is already doing this year.
People:       We gather to worship, as is our privilege.

Leader:       We gather today to pray for our families, our community, and our world.

                   To name the challenges that press in around us, to lament the suffering in

                   our world, to declare our trust in God in the midst of hardship.

People:       We gather to worship, as is our blessing.

Leader:       We, like those in the Bible, gather to hear and receive the Word of God

                   proclaimed among us.  To encounter the life-giving message of God’s love

                   redeems us to be bearers of love and freedom in this world.

People:       We gather to worship, as is our joy.

Leader:       Children of God, listen.  Pay attention.  Ready your hearts.  God is here.

                   Jesus has come among us.  The Spirit brings the Word to life in our midst.

All:             We gather to worship, and this is our true celebration.  Thanks be to

                   God!  AMEN.

**HYMN #451 (UMH).................................................................................................... “BE THOU MY VISION”

CALL TO CONFESSION

If anyone sins, we have someone who pleads with the Father on our behalf—Jesus Christ.  

And Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not only our sins, but 

also the sins of the whole world.  Let us confess our sins before God and one another…


PRAYER OF CONFESSION (IN UNISON)

Loving God, we sometimes struggle to understand Jesus.  We lack the compassion and

courage to love the least, the lost, and the broken.  We generalize and dehumanize those 

who are different from us.  We remain walled into our safe abodes rather than going to

places Jesus went.  Forgive us for being insulated and isolated.  Open our hearts to those

struggling around us and help us to love them as you love them, working to bring in the

good news of the reign of God.  In Christ’s name, we pray.  AMEN.

SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

WORDS OF PARDON AND ASSURANCE

Leader:      Christ comes into our lives with the uncomprehensible power of his love

                  and gifts us with forgiveness and hope.

People:     Thanks be to God!  By God’s grace we are forgiven!  AMEN.


OLD TESTAMENT LESSON, NEHEMIAH 8:1-10 (PAGE 436)
Leader:   This is the Word of God for the people of God.
People:  Thanks be to God!

MUSICAL OFFERING.......................... “O JESUS I HAVE PROMISED”1.................... HANDBELL CHOIR

**GOSPEL LESSON, LUKE 4:14-21 (PAGE 61)
Leader:      This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
People:     Thanks be to God!

**RESPONSE #204 (UMH)................................................................................... “EMMANUEL, EMMANUEL”

Emmanuel, Emmanuel, his name is called Emmanuel.  God with us, revealed in us, 

his name is called Emmanuel.

SERMON........................................................ “OH WHAT A YEAR”............................ REV. ERIC WARNER

**RESPONSE #140 (UMH).......................................................................... “GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS”

PRAYER CONCERNS/PASTORAL PRAYER

THE LORD'S PRAYER (IN UNISON)

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

trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. 

AMEN.


RESPONSE #2215 (TFWS)................................................................................................. “CARES CHORUS”

I cast all my cares upon you, I lay all of my burdens down at your feet, and anytime that 

I don't know what to do, I will cast all my cares upon you.

CALL TO OFFERING

OFFERTORY............................... “I DON’T KNOW HOW TO LOVE HIM”1................. PAUL HUMPHREY

**DOXOLOGY #95 (UMH)..................................... “PRAISE GOD, FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW”

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

**OFFERTORY PRAYER

**HYMN #2241 (TFWS).............................................................. “THE SPIRIT SENDS US FORTH TO SERVE”

**BENEDICTION

May the Holy Spirit bless you with inspiration to recognize and pay attention to all the ways 

the Word of God springs to life around you, so that you may find and bring God’s love, peace, 

and hope wherever you go. AMEN.


**CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE

Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken.

Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, bind us together in love. 

POSTLUDE........................................ “ANY DREAM WILL DO”1.................. ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER

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         Flowers on the alter are given in memory Harold &Virginia Jones in honor of their birthdays 
                                                                by Romie & Millie Jones

                       Flowers on the organ are given in memory of Rev. Dr. Vernon L. Schmid
                                       on our 56th wedding anniversary by Susan Schmid

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**Indicates the congregation should stand if able

UMH: United Methodist Hymnal (red cover)
TFWS: The Faith We Sing (black cover)
W&S:  Worship & Song (green cover)

1Public Music performance provided for and reported to CCLI Licensing
Copyright License:  #1824650/Recording License:  CSPL148932 

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