Worship program courtesy GC2016worship.org
PRELUDE Tamba Marimba Ensemble
ENTRANCE Worship in Motion Dancers
THE CALL
Cantor: Follow the star of Bethlehem, rise up people and follow…
Voice 1: It takes faith to follow the star.
Voice 2: God gives us faith for the journey.
Cantor: Follow the star of Bethlehem,
All Sing: rise up people and follow!
Voice 1: It takes courage to follow the star.
Voice 2: God gives us courage for the journey.
Cantor: Follow the star of Bethlehem,
All Sing: rise up people and follow!
Voice 1: It takes persistence to follow the star.
Voice 2: God gives us persistence for the journey.
Cantor: Follow the star of Bethlehem,
All Sing: rise up people and follow!
Voice 1: It takes reaching out to each other to follow the star.
Voice 2: God gives us one another for the journey.
Cantor: Follow the star of Bethlehem,
All Sing: rise up people and follow!
HYMNS
I Want to Walk As a Child of the Light (tune: HOUSTON)
One More Step Along the World I Go (tune: SOUTHCOTE)
Proclaiming
SCRIPTURE Matthew 2:1-12
Reader 1: In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, 'Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.'
Reader 2: When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
Reader 1: They told him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
"And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel." '
Reader 2: Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying,
Reader 1: 'Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.'
Reader 2: When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
Reader 1: On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Reader 2: And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod …
Reader 1 and 2: they left for their own country by another road.
SERMON "Listening to God's Dream," Bishop Suda Devadhar
SONG Na nzela la lola
Thanksgiving
Voice 1: I believe in a God who calls to me in unexpected ways. I believe in a God who can change the course of my life. I believe in a God who guides me into uncharted paths, and who never leaves my side. With this God to travel with me, I do not need to be afraid.
God of the unexpected journey, we thank you!
[Video Witness]
all sing: In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful (tune: ITLIBET)
Voice 2: I believe in a God who shakes up our accepted understandings and stereotypes. I believe in a God who humbles the rich and lifts up the poor. I believe in a God who guides me into unknown adventures, and who never leaves my side. With this God to travel with me, I do not need to be afraid.
God of surprises, we thank you!
[Video Witness]
all sing: In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful
Voice 3: I believe in a God who intends good for the world. I believe in a God who shines a light of love and justice and mercy. I believe in a God whose light is always with me even when I forget to open my eyes. With this God to travel with me, I do not need to be afraid.
God of the guiding light, we thank you!
[Video Witness]
all sing: Shukuru (Thanking You)
[sung in Juba Arabic, Spanish, Swahili, Hungarian, and English]
Sending
SONG
Come, Live in the Light! (tune: WE ARE CALLED)
BENEDICTION
Bishop Devadhar: Go and announce the Good News of God's liberating love,
We will go with Jesus! [in English]
Go under the authority of God alone,
We will go with Jesus! [in French]
Go and learn the depth and breadth of God's mercy,
We will go with Jesus! [in German]
Go with courage; listen for the voice of God,
We will go with Jesus! [in transliterated Russian]
Go with courage; look for the light of Christ,
We will go with Jesus! [in Spanish]
Go with courage, together with the Holy Spirit who binds us into one Body!
We will go with Jesus! [in your own language]
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Acknowledgements:
We are grateful for the leadership of these guest musicians:
Tamba Marimba Ensemble (Tigard UMC; Tigard, Oregon)
Worship in Motion (Federal Way UMC; Federal Way, Washington)
We also acknowledge our special guest, Dan Damon, contributing his jazz improvisational skills on the keyboard with the band for this service.
Unless otherwise noted, all liturgical pieces are written by Laura Jaquith Bartlett, ©2016 The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music & Worship Arts.
Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow; words and music: trad. African American spiritual; found at #2096 The Faith We Sing. Public Domain.
I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light; words and music: Kathleen Thomerson; found at #206 United Methodist Hymnal. © 1970, 1975 Celebration.
One More Step Along the World I Go; words and music: Sydney Carter; found at #96 Sing of the World Made New. © 1971 Stainer & Bell, Ltd., admin. by Hope Publishing Company.
Na nzela na lola (As long as we follow); words and music: Joseph Kabemba; found at #154Global Praise 3. © 2004 General Board of Global Ministries, GBGMusik.
In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful; words and music: Jacques Berthier; found at #2195 The Faith We Sing. © 1991 Les Presses de Taizé, admin. by GIA Publications, Inc.
Shukuru (Thanking You); words and music: worship chorus, Sudan, trans. by Greg Scheer; found at #13 For Everyone Born. © 2007 East Africa Annual Conference, admin. by General Board of Global Ministries, GBGMusik.
We Are Called; words and music: David Haas; found at #2172 The Faith We Sing. © 1988 GIA Publications, Inc.