Grace Presbyterian Church
Serving people, through Christ, to meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the community and the world around us.
Welcome and Announcements
Prelude “Noel sur les Flutes” Louis-Claude Daquin
Responsive Call to Worship
One: Praise the Lord!
All: Praise the Lord from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights!
One: Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts!
All: Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light!
One: Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens!
All: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Opening Prayer
Hymn 21* “All My Heart Today Rejoices”
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Lesson (Unison) 2 Samuel 7:5 – 16
“Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders[a] of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and be disturbed no more, and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel, and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. But I will not take[b]my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.”
Time with Children
Hymn 49* “Once in Royal David’s City”
Unison Prayer of Confession followed by Silent Personal Confession Psalm 51:1, 2, 7-9
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities
Assurance of Pardon
Gloria Patri
Passing of the Peace
Scripture Reading John 1:1 – 14
Message Vulnerable. Helpless. Weak. Elder Norma Prescott
Affirmation of Faith (in unison)
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted him even more highly and gave him the name that is above every other name, so that at the name given to Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Offertory “Unto Us a Child is Born” Jean F. Dandrieu
Doxology
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Pastoral Prayer concluding with the Lord’s Prayer
Hymn 26* “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light”
Benediction
Mark your calendars:
Please plan on attending Saturday, January 6th and January 20 “Congregation Input Sessions for Church Rebuild” in the chapel at UCC from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.
Monday, January 1, Start the New Year with a walk in the park! Brookdale Park, that is. The group will meet at 10:00 a.m. in the upper parking lot, near the playground. Use the Bellevue Avenue entrance. We will walk at an easy pace and stop at several points for readings and prayer. Questions: Ask Jody or Pat Walsh or Emily Rishel.
Tuesday, January 2, 8:00 am, Men’s Breakfast at St. John’s Episcopal, 55 Montclair Ave. Montclair
PNC meeting 7:30 pm at the Manse
Wednesday, January 3, Caregiver’s Group 10:30 am at Union Congregational
Women’s Bible Study w/ Pastor Robin 2:30 pm at the Manse (Chapter 5)
Thursday, January 4, Church Rebuild online at 10:00 am
7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal at Union Congregational
After Worship Next Sunday:
Book Group after worship at the Manse
Youth Group Service Day at Toni’s Kitchen: 3-5pm 73 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair.
Daily Devotionals online Monday-Friday 9:00 AM
Check out www.gracemontclair.org for more information.
Food for the Little Pantry is desperately needed. Non-perishables only please. Food may be dropped off at the Manse or given to a Friends of Grace team member at church on Sunday.
Donations of socks, hats, gloves and new or gently used and washed blankets are wanted for Friends of Grace. They can bring them to church on Sundays and we will bring them to the manse for storage.