Hybrid Church, Baptism of Jesus, January 8, 2023, Rev. Sally Bullas

Hybrid Church, Baptism of Jesus, January 8, 2023, Rev. Sally Bullas

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

Welcome & Announcements

Whether you are gathering in person, on zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ. 

Centering & Stillness

Introit: Rise Up, Rise Up                                                           MV #130 

Rise up, rise up, rise up, O my soul.
Rise up and sing this blessing to God’s name.
Rise up, rise up, rise up, O my soul.
Rise up and sing this blessing to God’s name.

Greeting
One:  The grace of Christ Jesus, the love of God, 

          and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:     And also with you

Opening Words                     (From “Gathering,” written by Richard Bott, adapted)

One:  Every second of every minute, every minute of every hour, 

          every hour of every day…

All:    is God’s.

One:  Every breath we take, every heart that beats, every laugh lived,             every tear dropped…

All:    is God’s.

One:  Gift of the Creator.  Gift of Christ.  Gift of the Spirit-Alive!

All:    Gift of God.

One:  And so we are…

All:    grateful.

One:  And so we are…

All:    thankful.

One:  And so we are…

All:    here, present to God.

Opening Prayer                                (From “Gathering,” written by Bill Steadman, adapted) 

One:  We are here, Holy One, to engage in this gathering time.  We await  a sign that may indicate where we should go, what we should do,           how we should act, and where we can be a living presence for others.

All:    Open up to us, Loving Presence, all that life offers and  encourages us to share all that we can for the well-being of the world and all who live within it.  Amen.

Hymn: Arise, Your Light Is Come                                                                           VU #79

1 Arise, your light is come!

The Spirit’s call obey;

show forth the glory of your God,

which shines on you today.

2 Arise, your light is come!

Fling wide the prison door;

proclaim the captive’s liberty,

good tidings to the poor.

3 Arise, your light is come!

All you in sorrow born,

bind up the brokenhearted ones

and comfort those who mourn.

4 Arise, your light is come!

The mountains burst in song!

Rise up like eagles on the wing;

God’s power will make us strong.

Call to Reconciliation               (From “Gathering,” written by Gord Dunbar, adapted)

One:  Every time we answer your call, O God, we meet you again as if  for the first time. 

All:    Each moment is a revelation.  
One:  Each meeting leads to our hearts opening wider to you and to  others. 

All:    Each encounter shines light onto the strength of  relationships fostered while following Jesus the Christ…

One:  the one who invites and equips,
          the one who is companion and guide,
          the one who is Giver and Gift,

            he one who invites us to pray:

Silent Prayer

Words of Assurance              (From “Gathering,” written by Robin Wardlaw, adapted)

You are called to follow Christ and to lead change in this community and this world.  With God’s tender blessing, live out good news!

Passing of the Peace

One:    The peace of Christ be with you! 

All:      And also with you!

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace. Those on zoom, please unmute and share with one another.

Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may hear your Word today and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

 

First Reading: Isaiah 42:1-9 (NRSV)                               Reader: Lisa Griffith

Here is my servant, whom I uphold, 

   my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

I have put my spirit upon him;

   he will bring forth justice to the nations.

He will not cry or lift up his voice,

   or make it heard in the street;

a bruised reed he will not break,

   and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;

   he will faithfully bring forth justice.

He will not grow faint or be crushed

   until he has established justice in the earth;

   and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the Lord,

   who created the heavens and stretched them out,

   who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people upon it

   and spirit to those who walk in it:

I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,

   I have taken you by the hand and kept you;

I have given you as a covenant to the people,

   a light to the nations,

   to open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

   from the prison those who sit in darkness.

I am the Lord, that is my name;

   my glory I give to no other,

   nor my praise to idols.

See, the former things have come to pass,

   and new things I now declare;

before they spring forth,

   I tell you of them.

 

Psalm 29 (VU #756)                                                           Reader: Lisa Griffith

Refrain:  

Glory, glory, glory to our God.

Ascribe to God, you powers of the heaven,

ascribe to God all glory and strength!

       Ascribe due honour to God’s holy name,

       and worship in the beauty of holiness.   R

God’s voice is over the waters -

God’s glory thundering across the great waters.

       God’s voice is power,

       God’s voice is full of majesty.

God’s voice shatters the cedars,

splinters the cedars of Lebanon.

       God’s voice makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

       Mount Hermon stampede like a wild young bull.

God’s voice forks into tongues of fire,

God’s voice shakes the wilderness,

sets trembling the wilderness of Kadesh.

       God’s voice causes the oaks to whirl,

       stripping the forest bare;

       and in the temple all cry: Glory!   R

God sits enthroned above the waters,

       God is enthroned as sovereign forever.

You give strength to your people, O God.

       Now give to your people

       the blessing of peace.   R

 

Gospel Reading                                                                                    Reader: Lisa Griffith

As is your custom, please stand or sit for the reading of the gospel. 

Reader: God be with you.  |
All:      And also with you

Reader:           The Good News of Jesus the Christ according to Matthew

All:          Glory to you, Christ Jesus.

 

Matthew 3:13-17 (NRSV)

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’  

 

       Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

       All:     Praise be to Jesus Christ       

Reflection:                     “Called in Righteousness”

Silent Reflection

Hymn: I Have Called You by Your Name                                MV #161  

1 I have called you by your name, you are mine;

I have gifted you and ask you now to shine.

I will not abandon you;

all my promises are true.

You are gifted, called, and chosen; you are mine.

 

2 I will help you learn my name as you go;

read it written in my people, help them grow.

Pour the water in my name,

speak the word your soul can claim,

offer Jesus' body given long ago.

 

3 I know you will need my touch as you go;

feel it pulsing in creation's ebb and flow.

Like the woman reaching out,

choosing faith in spite of doubt,

hold the hem of Jesus' robe, then let it go.

 

4 I have given you a name, it is mine;

I have given you my Spirit as a sign.

With my wonder in your soul,

make my wounded children whole;

go and tell my precious people they are mine.

Nicene Creed (New)                                            (Don Welch, progressivechristianity.org)

Let us affirm our faith . . .

We believe in God,
the creative force that sustains and
nurtures humanity in ways
beyond our understanding.
          We believe that Jesus of Nazareth
          embodied the power of this force;
          extraordinarily able to grasp its meaning,
          he revealed this face of reality to us
          in his life and teaching.
Because he was human, like us,
through grace and mercy
he offers us access
to this incomprehensible power.

          There are forces in our lives
          that assault humanity,
          that bring suffering, degradation
          and death.

Because of the strength of such forces,
Jesus was rejected and killed.
But death did not silence his voice.

Evil will not eradicate the good that
he showed us, a good that
lives in us and through us.

          The power of this creative force
          is at work in our lives today.
          Our forefathers and mothers
          gave witness to this source of life and
          goodness in their words and deeds.
We, as members of this community
of faith, will likewise give witness
in our words and deeds.

Secure in our faith, we will fear no evil.
When we falter, goodness and mercy
will rescue us.
          Beyond our lives, grace will abound.

          Amen.

Prayers of the People                                                                     Susan  Brockley                                             One:   Holy One,        

All:    Hear Our Prayer

The Prayer of Jesus (sung)                                                                              VU #959 Our Father in heaven, 

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, 

your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil,

for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,

now and for ever.

Offering

Doxology                                                                                                                                         CP #669

Praise God the Source of life and birth,

Praise God the Word, who came to earth.

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All Glory, honour to God’s name.

Offering Prayer                                      (From “Gathering,” written by Jani Francis, adapted)

One:  We dedicate our every gift, and our intentions, to align with your will for the greater good of all.  

All:    Bless us, and use all we have to offer to bring the light of

          your healing love to the shadowed places in this world.

          Amen. 

Hymn: I Am the Light of the World                                            VU #87

Refrain:

I am the Light of the World! You people come and follow me.

If you follow and love, You'll learn the mystery

of what you were meant to do and be.

1When the song of the angels is stilled,

when the star in the sky is gone,

when the kings and the shepherds have found their way home,

the work of Christmas is begun!   R

2To find the lost and lonely one,

to heal that broken soul with love,

to feed the hungry children with warmth and good food,

to feel the earth below the sky above!   R

3To free the prisoner from all chains,

to make the powerful care,

to rebuild the nations with strength of goodwill,

to see God’s Children everywhere.   R

4To bring hope to every task you do,

to dance at a baby's new birth,

to make music in an old person’s heart,

and sing to the colours of the earth!   R

Thank You

Blessing                                                                                                          Iona Community

If you are with another person, you’re invited to bless each other, taking every other line.

 

One:   The Creator’s blessing be yours on your road, on your journey,            guiding you, cherishing you.

Right/ The Son’s blessing be yours, wine and water, bread and stories,

Zoom feeding you, challenging you.

Left:   The Spirit’s blessing be yours, wind and fire, joy and wisdom,            comforting you, disturbing you.

All:     The Angel’s blessing be yours, on your house, on your living, guarding you, encouraging you. Let us walk together, a community on a journey, sustained in God’s blessing. Amen!

One:   Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:     Thanks be to God! Alleluia!