January 22, 2017 Welcome to OPC

Welcome and Announcements Chimes Welcome and Announcements Greeting Each Other Ringing of the Bell

Lighting of the candles Prelude “Morning Prayer” Lighting of the candles Introit “Come Let Us Sing”

*CALL TO WORSHIP AND INVOCATION L: We come to this place where God pours out mighty love on us. P: We join our voices in praise, our fears and worries left behind.

L: We gather with our sisters and brothers, those who seek to follow Jesus, P: So we might know who this One called Immanuel is;

L: We open our hearts to the knowledge and presence of Jesus the Christ; P: Help us this morning, O Holy God, to see and to know Jesus more fully.

L: Bless us and guide our worship. P: Let us worship God!

*HYMN #466 “O for a Thousand Tongues” v.1 O for a thousand tongues to sing my dear Redeemer’s praise, The glories of my God and King, the triumphs of God’s grace!

*HYMN #466 “O for a Thousand Tongues” v.2 Jesus, the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease; ‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ‘tis life, and health, and peace.

*HYMN #466 “O for a Thousand Tongues” v.3 Christ breaks the power of reigning sin, and sets the prisoner free; Christ’s blood can make the sinful clean, Christ’s blood availed for me.

*HYMN #466 “O for a Thousand Tongues” v.4 My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim, To spread through all the earth abroad the honors of Thy name.

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison) Gracious God, we hate when we mess up. And yet we do it often. Sometimes we snap at people we love;

sometimes we withhold love from them when we are angry sometimes we withhold love from them when we are angry. Please forgive us. Forgive us for not following your call to love and honor those around us.

Please come into the broken places in our lives, which are often places we have created, and bring healing.

Strengthen us for the daily stresses of life which can lead us to make bad decisions. Grant us the wholeness and peace which come only from you.

(silence is observed for reflection and prayer)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON L: Come, sisters and brothers, receive the forgiveness, wholeness, and peace of God and follow Jesus as he leads you to love.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON P: We claim God’s forgiveness, and will sing of God’s love for us. Thanks be to God!

CHOIR ANTHEM “Good News!”

Time With Young Christians

PROCLAIMING THE WORD SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah 49:1-7

Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. He made my mouth like a sharp sword,

in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’ But I said, ‘I have labored in vain,

I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God.’ And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob to him,

and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength—he says, ‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to

restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’ Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised,

abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, ‘Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’

SCRIPTURE READING: John 1:29-42

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.”

I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.

I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.’

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’

They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John.

You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter) You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter). L: This is the Word of the Lord. P: Thanks be to God!

“What Are You Looking For?” Rev. Tedd Pullano

*HYMN #384 “O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go” v.1 O love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee; I give Thee back the life I owe, that in Thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be.

*HYMN #384 “O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go” v.2 O light that followest all my way, I yield my flickering torch to Thee; My heart restores its borrowed ray, that in Thy sunshine’s blaze its day may brighter, fairer be.

*HYMN #384 “O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go” v.3 O joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to Thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain, and feel the promise is not vain, that morn shall tearless be.

*HYMN #384 “O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go” v.4 O cross that lifteth up my head, I dare not ask to fly from Thee; I lay in dust life’s glory dead, and from the ground there blossoms red life that shall endless be.

OFFERING OUR GIFTS TO GOD Offertory Invitation Offertory “Veni Sancte Spiritus”

*DOXOLOGY #592 Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION (unison) Holy One of all creation, you continue to ask us to follow you. At this moment, we follow you by presenting these offerings of our money.

Please bless them, multiply them, and use them to bring your love to the world.

RESPONDING TO THE WORD JOYS AND CONCERNS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

The Lord’s Prayer (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 Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

BEARING AND FOLLOWING THE WORD INTO THE WORLD

*HYMN #2129 “I Have Decided to Follow” v.1 I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back, no turning back.

*HYMN #2129 “I Have Decided to Follow” v.2 The world behind me, the cross before me (repeat 2x) No turning back, no turning back.

*BENEDICTION

*HYMN #2129 “I Have Decided to Follow” v.3 Though none go with me, still I will follow (repeat 2x) No turning back, no turning back.

*HYMN #2129 “I Have Decided to Follow” v.4 Will you decide now to follow Jesus? (repeat 2x) No turning back, no turning back.

Postlude -- “Serenade” (from String Quartet Op. 3 No. 5)