January 4, 2026
Sunday Gathering
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-PRELUDE-
"Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" arr. M. Hayes

Brenda Gardiner

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-ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-
We acknowledge that the place where we are gathered today is the ancient and ancestral homeland of more than twenty Indigenous tribes. We mourn the loss of their lives, livelihoods, homes, and cultures, and acknowledge the legacy of violence against them.

We acknowledge that the space where we worship today was established and built by those whose Black ancestors were also abused and mistreated - some even bought and sold as enslaved people right here in our city.

We acknowledge the women who’ve faced unfair treatment and misogyny throughout the ages, and we acknowledge those who identify as LGBTQ or other who’ve been mistreated and misunderstood.

We acknowledge our role and responsibility as professed followers of Christ to stand for and alongside all of these and others who have been and continue to be oppressed.
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-SINGING TOGETHER-

“I Dream of a Church”

WE DREAM OF A CHURCH
WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME,
WE DREAM OF A PLACE
WE ALL CAN CALL HOME.
WE DREAM OF A WORLD
WHERE JUSTICE IS FLOWING
WITH HOPE AND PEACE GROWING,
WHERE GOD’S WILL IS DONE.

MAKE IT SO, MAKE IT SO!
WE PRAY FOR THAT DAY,
MAKE IT SO.
WE DREAM OF A WORLD
WHERE LOVE REIGNS AMONG US
AND YOUR WILL IS DONE,
O GOD, MAKE IT SO.
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-WELCOME-

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-SINGING TOGETHER-

“The Family of God”

“I Dream of a Church”

O GOD, FILL OUR HEARTS
TO REACH OUT IN WELCOME,
MAKE US TO SEE
YOUR VISION ONCE MORE.
LET’S DREAM OF A WORLD
WHERE OUR HANDS ARE YOUR HANDS,
WE OFFER OURSELVES,
O GOD, MAKE IT SO.

MAKE IT SO, MAKE IT SO!
WE PRAY FOR THAT DAY,
MAKE IT SO.
WE DREAM OF A WORLD
WHERE LOVE REIGNS AMONG US
AND YOUR WILL IS DONE,
O GOD, MAKE IT SO.

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-CALL TO WORSHIP-
God of Mystery, your light has led us to you.
ALLELUJAH!
ALL THROUGH OUR DAYS YOUR STAR HAS LIT THE WAY.

You have accompanied us, guided us, guarded us.

WE HAVE COME THROUGH MILES AND YEARS
TO THIS MOMENT.

We are still asking, “Where is this child?”
HELP US TO SEARCH, AND HELP US TO FIND.

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-OPENING PRAYER-

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-GREETING ONE ANOTHER-

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-SINGING TOGETHER-

“Arise, Your Light Has Come”
ARISE, YOUR LIGHT IS COME!
THE SPIRIT’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 CAPTIVE’S LIBERTY,
GOOD TIDINGS TO THE POOR.

ARISE, YOUR LIGHT IS COME!
ALL YOU IN SORROW BORN,
BIND UP THE BROKEN-HEARTED ONES
AND COMFORT THOSE WHO MOURN.

ARISE, YOUR LIGHT IS COME!
THE MOUNTAINS BURST IN SONG!
RIDE UP LIKE EAGLES ON THE WING;
GOD’S POWER WILL MAKE US STRONG.

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-SCRIPTURE-
Matthew 2:1-12, 16-18 (CEB)
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.”

When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and everyone in Jerusalem was troubled with him. He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born. They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote:
You, Bethlehem, land of Judah, by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah, because from you will come one who governs, who will shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod secretly called for the magi and found out from them the time when the star had first appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you’ve found him, report to me so that I too may go and honor him.” When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route.

When Herod knew the magi had fooled him, he grew very angry. He sent soldiers to kill all the children in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding territory who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had learned from the magi. This fulfilled the word spoken through Jeremiah the prophet:
A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and much grieving. Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were no more.
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-THE MESSAGE-
“The Awakening”

Kenny Bishop

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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“In the Quiet Curve of Evening”
IN THE QUIET CURVE OF EVENING,
IN THE CLOSING OF THE DAYS,
IN THE MOMENTS OF MY DARKNESS, YOU ARE THERE.
IN THE RHYTHMS OF MY BREATHING,
IN THE SPACE BETWEEN MY WAYS,
IN THE WEARY TIMES OF SADNESS, YOU ARE THERE.
YOU ARE THERE.
YOU ARE THERE.
YOU ARE THERE.
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-SHARNG JOYS & CONCERNS-

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-PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE-

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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“In the Quiet Curve of Evening”
YOU ARE THERE.
YOU ARE THERE.
YOU ARE THERE.

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-INVITATION TO COMMUNION-

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-COMMUNION MEDITATION-
“The Open Table”
COME, OH COME, COME TO THE TABLE.
GATHER ‘ROUND, COME WITHOUT FEAR.
KNOWN BY NAME HERE AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.

CIRCLE ‘ROUND, LET’S JOIN TOGETHER.
SHARE YOUR JOYS, AND BRING YOUR TEARS.
STRENGTH AND HOPE FOUND AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.

GOD IS LOVE; LOVE IS CREATING
SOMETHING NEW, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.
WE’RE CHILDREN OF GOD, HERE AT THE TABLE, THIS TABLE;
WELCOME HERE, TO THE TABLE OF LOVE.
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-IN GRATITUDE-

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-OFFERING-

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-ANNOUNCEMENTS-

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-INVITATION TO RESPOND-

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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Rooted and Grounded in Love” 

A BLESSED LIGHT, A LOVE SO WIDE,
THAT SHINES SO DARKNESS CAN’T RESIDE;
A BAFFLING LOVE WE BARELY GRASP,
A MYSTERY REVEALED.
GOD’S GIFT TO US, A PROMISE BOLD;
THE SPIRIT’S WORD, A POW’R UNTOLD.
GOD’S SEED OF FAITH LIVES IN OUR HEARTS
AS WE’RE ROOTED AND GROUNDED,
ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.

THE RICHNESS OF GOD’S LOVE DISPLAYED,
GOD’S WISDOM SET IN FULL ARRAY,
THE TAPROOT OF OUR STRENGTH TO SERVE
EXCEEDS THE DREAMS WE HAVE.
WITH VERVE AND LIFE WE GROW BEYOND.
THIS FERTILE SOIL IN US HAS SPAWNED
A VITAL SENSE OF WHAT CAN BE
WHEN WE’RE ROOTED AND GROUNDED,
ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.

TO US IS GIVEN AN INNER STRENGTH.
GOD’S LOVE: ITS HEIGHT AND DEPTH AND LENGTH;
THE SOURCE OF OUR SERENITY
IS BEDROCK ‘NEATH OUR LIVES.
A SOIL WHERE DEEPLY WE REMAIN,
THIS RICH, WARM EARTH OUR LIFE SUSTAINS.
WE RISE, WE GROW, GOD’S VINTAGE ALL,
EVER ROOTED AND GROUNDED,
ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.
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-BLESSING & BENEDICTION-

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-SINGING TOGETHER-
“Rooted and Grounded in Love” 

A BLESSED LIGHT, A LOVE SO WIDE,
THAT SHINES SO DARKNESS CAN’T RESIDE;
A BAFFLING LOVE WE BARELY GRASP,
A MYSTERY REVEALED.
GOD’S GIFT TO US, A PROMISE BOLD;
THE SPIRIT’S WORD, A POW’R UNTOLD.
GOD’S SEED OF FAITH LIVES IN OUR HEARTS
AS WE’RE ROOTED AND GROUNDED,
ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.

. . . . . . . . . .  

-THE TEAM-

ACCOMPANIST: Brenda Gardiner,  Lisa Loeffler, Timmy Smallwood

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: Tiff Jones

BUILDING CARE: Travis Hines, Keith Reid, Barry Thompson

FACILITIES CARE: Edmond Edwards, Lisa Loeffler, Steve Melton, Seth Tuska

NURSERY: Linda Netherton

PHOTOGRAPHY: Cynthia Buckner

PROPERTY CARE: Skeet Freytag, West Gillium, Lee Hamilton, Morgan Hamilton, Lorie Yaste

SERVICE PREPARATION: Travis Hines, Barry Thompson

SONG LEADER: Chris Prichard, Lisa Loeffler, Chris Cook

TECH: Nancy Alspach, Mason Bishop, Erin Drenkhahn, Dale Hamilton,  Keith Moore, Timmy Smallwood