Order of Worship

Opening Voluntary

Welcome/Greetings

Choral Introit

*Opening Hymn ##568 – “Christ for the World We Sing”          

*Call to Worship

L:  Praise the God of mercy and love.

P:  Praise God with angels in the highest heavens.

L:  Praise Christ, who came as a child.

P:  Praise Christ with all God’s children, young and old alike.

L:  Praise the Holy Spirit, who calls us here.

P:  Praise the Spirit from the depths of our souls.

*Opening Prayer

Loving God, we come into your presence with joy in this holiday season.  But we also come with sorrow for a world struggling in pain.  Bring hope to our weary world.  Bring love to our hearts.  Bring joy to our lives.  And help us bring hope, love, and joy, as we follow your Son, Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, we yearn to be merciful and gracious, as you have been merciful and gracious to us.  Grant us the mercy to redeem our lives, and give us the strength to live as those who are redeemed.  Help us resist the forces of evil and cruelty that kill our hope and destroy our souls.  Fill us with your light and love, that we may overflow with mercy, compassion, help, and hope for our world.  In your holy name, we pray. Amen.

Words of Assurance

In love and mercy, God redeems us.  In grace and joy, God lifts us.  In strength and security, God carries us all the days of our lives.

Passing of the Peace of Christ

In this time of glory and praise, let us rejoice by sharing signs of Christ’s peace.

Children’s Message        Rev. Eumin Kim

Scriptures

Old Testament – Isaiah 63:7-9

⁷ I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.  ⁸ He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior.  ⁹ In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.  In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

L:  The Word of God, For the People of God.  P:  Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading –   Matthew 2:1-12

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  ³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.  ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.  ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:  ⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”  ⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.  ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child.  As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”  ⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

L:  The Word of God, For the People of God.  P:  Thanks be to God.

*Hymn before Sermon #254 – “We Three Kings”                 

Sermon – “Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh””     Rev. Eumin Kim

Pastoral Prayer

Lord’s Prayer

Invitation to Tithes and Offering

Just as visitors from the East brought gifts to the Christ child, we too are invited to bring gifts to Christ’s church in service of God’s work in the world.  Any gift of love is a gift of gold.

*Hymn No. 95 – Presentation of the Offering

*Prayer of Dedication

Generous God, thank you for the gift of Christ Jesus in our lives and in our world.  Thank you for the gifts we return to you now.  Bless these gifts, that they may support Christ’s loving presence in our ministry, in our community, and in our world.  Amen.

*Closing Hymn #251 – “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”  

*Dismissal with Blessing

Closing Voluntary