January 1 online worship

Preparations for Worship:

• Do your best to eliminate distractions like the phone, TV, etc.
• Worship actively! Whether you are by yourself or with others, try reading the parts of the service aloud (responses, lessons, and prayers).
• This service is for children too. Help them participate. Ask those who have that ability to read a prayer or lesson aloud. Take a moment to describe what’s happening. Ask questions. Encourage little ones to draw what they are hearing while you all listen. Unlike our more typical Sunday worship at church, you can pause at any time for questions and discussion.
• Before you begin, load each of the videos below. (You might first have to get past a distracting ad.)
• Pause for a moment of quiet meditation. Then pray:
  “Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and speak your praise. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.”

CONFESSION OF SINS AND FORGIVENESS

Pastor:  In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregation:  Amen.

Dear friends, let us approach God with a true heart and confess our sins, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us.

Lord of life, I confess that I am by nature dead in sin.  For faithless worrying and selfish pride, For sins of habit and sins of choice, For the evil I have done and the good I have failed to do, You should cast me away from your presence forever.  O Lord, I am sorry for my sins. Forgive me, for Jesus’ sake.

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. In his great mercy, God made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in our sins.  Hear the word of Christ through his called servant: I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

For the well-being of all people everywhere, that they may receive from you all they need to sustain body and life, hear our prayer, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the spread of your life-giving gospel throughout the world, that all who are lost in sin may be brought to faith in you, hear our prayer, O Christ.

Christ, have mercy.

For patience and perseverance in this life, that we may not lose the hope of heaven as we await your return, hear our prayer, O Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord of life, live in us that we may live for you.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Eternal Son of God, on this day you were called Jesus, a name that proclaims you to be the Savior of all people. Give us strength in the new year to live each day to the honor of your name; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

LESSON – NUMBERS 6:22-27

22The Lord said to Moses, 23“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24“ ‘ “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’ 27“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

GOSPEL – LUKE 2:21

    21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

DEVOTION – GALATIANS 3:23-29

NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  Amen.

OFFERING

Offerings may be given on-line at tithe.ly/risensavior, mailed to the church, or dropped off at the church.

Our members have joined together in faith and love to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world.  Guests need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. The heavens are the work of Your fingers, yet You willed to save us in the most humble and sacrificial of ways. Already eight days after being born of the virgin Mary, Your Son was at work for our salvation by fulfilling Your Law and shedding His blood.

Receive our heartfelt thanks for the righteousness and forgiveness of sins we have obtained through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

Blessed God, You sent Your Son into our flesh, and as an infant He first shed the blood that would cleanse us from our sin. Accept our thanks for the loving kindness shown to us sinners.

Grant us a steadfast faith, that we would not forget all of Your benefits or lose sight of Your promises.

O God, You declare that in Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for we are all one in Him. Preserve us from all ungodly prejudice, yet instill in us a deep appreciation of our distinctive callings.

Grant that we would not resent what You have called us to be and to do, but rejoice to serve as You have ordained.

Lord Jesus, head of the Church, we praise you for the privilege of being part of your body of believers and serving others with love and hope. Thanks for another year of blessings to our congregations and synod in 2022: the restarting of events after the pandemic, the opening of new mission fields, and the unique ministries being carried out by each of our congregations. We pray that you would guide our work this coming year.

If it is your will, supply more called workers to lead ministry efforts and help us to reach many more people with the gospel. We pray this knowing that you’ll do for us immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

Father in heaven, bless and keep us by Your grace. Remember those in need who cry out to You.

According to Your will and wisdom, lift up Your countenance upon them and give them peace. Gracious Father, in Your steadfast love You have put off the day of Jesus’ return until the perfect time, when the number of Your elect is complete. Keep Your people watchful, vigilant and awake with Your gift of faith until that day; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who taught us to pray…

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; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

THE LORD’S BLESSING

Brothers and sisters, go in peace.  Live in harmony with one another.  Serve the Lord with gladness.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. Amen.

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