Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas December 30, 2018 | 11 am

St. John’s Lutheran Church Salisbury NC

Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt. Matthew 2:14

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Welcome to St. John’s!

For more information about today’s worship, please refer to the pew card found in the hymnal.

Gathering

Welcome Please sign the Friendship Pad and pass it to your neighbor in the pew.

Prelude Do You Hear What I Hear arr. Stephen DeCesare Madison Hines, trumpet

Prayers of Confession. Please stand, turning towards the cross of Christ.

We make the sign of the cross as a sign of our baptism.

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us pray. Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Silence for reflection and self-examination.

Gracious God, Have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned from you and given ourselves into the power of sin. We are truly sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion for give us our sins, known and unknown, things we have done and things we have failed to do. Turn us again to you, and uphold us by your Spirit, so that we may live and serve you in newness of life through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

God’s Promise of Forgiveness

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus came to earth to free you of sin and restore your relationship with God.To those who believe in Jesus Christ he gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sharing the Peace of Christ The peace of the Lord be with you always. And also with you.

Entrance Hymn 275 Angels, from the Realms of Glory REGENT SQUARE

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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.

Kyrie. A centering prayer asking for God’s mercy and peace.

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Hymn of Praise Tune: Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply, echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Let us pray. Shine into our hearts the light of your wisdom, O God, and open our minds to the knowledge of your word, that in all things we may think and act according to your good will and may live continually in the light of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Please be seated

Word

First Reading: Isaiah 61:10 — 62:3

The prophet writes: 10I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

62:1For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.

2The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory;and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.

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3You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Second Reading: Galatians 4:4-7 St. Paul writes: 4When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. 6And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Please stand as we sing the refrain to Angels We Have Heard on High.

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Gloria in excelsis Deo.

The Holy Gospel: Matthew 2:13-15

Today’s gospel follows the visit of the Wise Men: 13Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." 14Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."

The Gospel of our Lord. Thanks be to God! Sermon Pastor Rhodes Woolly Please stand Hymn 296 What Child Is This GREENSLEEVES

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Apostle’s Creed. The three paragraphs of the Creed express our belief in the three-fold nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Please be seated Collection of our Tithes and Offerings Offertory Music Prelude in C Major (Ave Maria) Bach/Gounod

Kevin Agner, cello

Offertory Hymn As the gifts are presented, the congregation stands and sings the Doxology.

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.

Prayers of Intercession. Each petition ends: Lord in your mercy. Hear our prayer. The Lord’s Prayer 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.

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Prayer and Blessing

Sending

Benediction Sending Hymn 290 Go Tell It on the Mountain GO TELL IT Dismissal Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! Thanks be to God! Postlude

Unless otherwise indicated, today’s service is from Evangelical Lutheran Worship and is reproduced by permission of Augsburg Fortress Liturgies annual license #26999.

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