SERVICE CANCELED – January 5

Due to inclement weather, worship for Sunday, January 5 has been canceled. Please stay safe and warm, and check on family and friends as the winter storm continues. We’ll see you next week.

Welcome to Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ. With joy, we gather this morning to worship the God of Jesus Christ. A Blessed New Year to all! Today during worship, we will recognize and install our 2025 officers. Thank you to those who have volunteered their time to the life of our church.

WELCOME

PRELUDE — Classic Trio — Young

*CALL TO WORSHIP — Jo Ann Moody
One: Arise! Shine; for your light has come!
All: The glory of God has risen among us!
One: Lift up your eyes!
All: We are awake! Praise God for deliverance and blessings!
One: Let your hearts rejoice, and be radiant with hope!
All: God’s wondrous ways are being revealed to us today!

*HYMN — We Three Kings of Orient Are — #220

We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain,
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign. [Refrain]

Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, all men raising,
Worship Him, God on high. [Refrain]

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain]

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice:
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Peals through the earth and skies. [Refrain]

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION — Jo Ann Moody
God of Holy Light; we come to this time and place to be with you, to worship you, and to learn from you. May our time together resemble your creation of light in the darkness.
Eternal God, your purposes become clear to us in Jesus Christ. We come with boldness to claim our relationship with you. We are grateful for pioneers in faith whose discipleship has patterned for us a way of life rooted in your Gospel The flames which you ignited within our forebears have not burned out. Your love and compassion are still proclaimed in the Church, where your people continue challenging centers of earthly power. Today, our search for meaning has led us to this place of worship.We gather to praise you and to discover more fully who you are calling us to become. Guide us. This we pray in your name, Christ Jesus. Amen.

*RESPONSE — The First Noel — #205

Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon their knee,
And offered there in His presence
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.

Refrain:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
That hath made heaven and earth of naught,
And with His blood mankind hath bought. [Refrain]

INSTALLATION OF 2025 IVY CHAPEL UCC OFFICERS

GOD’S WORD — Isaiah 60:1-6 — Jo Ann Moody

SPECIAL MUSIC — What Wondrous Love Is This — Cotter

RESPONSIVE READING — Adoration of the Magi / Matthew 2:1-12 — #640

SERMON — Pastor Dan

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PRAYER OF JESUS — Pastor Dan

*HYMN — Here, O My Lord, I See Thee — #259

Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face;
Here would I touch and handle things unseen;
Here grasp with firmer hand th’eternal grace,
And all my weariness upon Thee lean.

Here would I feed upon the Bread of God;
Here drink with Thee the royal wine of heav’n;
Here would I lay aside each earthly load;
Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiv’n.

I have no help but Thine; nor do I need
Another arm save Thine to lean upon;
It is enough, my Lord, enough indeed;
My strength is in Thy might, Thy might alone.

Mine is the sin, but Thine the righteousness;
Mine is the guilt, but Thine the cleansing blood.
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace;
They blood, Thy righteousness, O Lord, my God.

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION — worship book, pp. 10-11
All who desire to receive are welcome to receive the bread and the cup at Christ’s Table.

*HYMN — Arise, Your Light Is Come! — worship book, p. 25

Arise, your light is come!
The Sprit’s call obey;
Show forth the glory of your God,
Which shines on you today.

Arise, your light is come!
Fling wide the prison door;
Proclaim the captives’ liberty,
Good tidings to the poor.

Arise, your light is come!
All you in sorrow born,
Build up the broken-hearted ones
And comfort those who mourn.

Arise, your light is come!
The mountains burst in song!
Rise up like eagles on the wing;
God’s power will make us strong.

*BENEDICTION — Pastor Dan

*POSTLUDE — Cathedral Fanfare — Young

January 7 – Epiphany!

Happy New Year from Ivy Chapel. Star of Wonder! Today we celebrate Epiphany and are glad to have guest musician Judy Lindquist here with us to lead worship.

We also mark this day with Communion. If you are worshipping with us at home, please gather the elements before the service begins so we may celebrate God’s gift to us together.

WELCOME

PRELUDE

*CALL TO WORSHIP
One: How majestic is God’s name in all the earth!
All: Be glad, and celebrate!
One: Hear God’s word for our day.
All: May we respond as the shepherds did.
One: Let’s go to Bethlehem.
All: May we display the ambition of the Magi!
One: Let’s follow God’s starlight to the Christ Child’s birthplace.
All: Come and behold him; born the king of angels!

*HYMN – We Three Kings of Orient Are – #220

We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain,
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign. [Refrain]

Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, all men raising,
Worship Him, God on high. [Refrain]

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain]

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice:
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Peals through the earth and skies. [Refrain]

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION
God of new things and God of all things; you are the Giver of grace. You surprised the world in Bethlehem. The way that you came alive in the commonplace was amazing! You did not send someone else. You came yourself! You were born as a vulnerable, little baby. We are grateful that you often come to us in quietly reassuring ways that do not call attention to yourself.

We praise you, Christ Jesus, for your wonderful, everlasting love! We give you thanks from the bottom of our hearts. May our lives humbly point to your presence in the world and faithfully contribute to your vision of a world led by you, Emmanuel, God-with-us. Amen.

*RESPONSE – The First Noel – #205

The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay,
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Refrain:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night. [Refrain]

And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went. [Refrain]

GOD’S WORD – Isaiah 60:1-6 & Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

SPECIAL MUSIC – How Beautiful (T. Paris) – Judy Lindquist

RESPONSIVE READING – ADORATION OF THE MAGI, Matthew 2: 1-2 – #640

SERMON – Pastor Dan

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Pastor Dan

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
All who desire to receive the bread and the cup are welcome to receive the sacrament.
The cups in the outer ring on each tray contain grape juice. The other cups contain wine.

*HYMN – As With Gladness Men of Old – #219

As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold,
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright,
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led by Thee.

As with joyful steps they sped,
To that lowly manger bed,
There to bend the knee before
Him, whom heav’n and earth adore,
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek thy mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
At the manger, rude and bare,
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heav’nly King.

Holy Jesus, ev’ry day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

*BENEDICTION – Pastor Dan

*POSTLUDE