JANUARY 7, 2024 BAPTISM OF OUR LORD
BELOVED | Lauren Wright Pittman digital painting and collage
THE CHURCH GATHERS Pre-Service Music
Petite gavotte
Pierné
adapted from Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed, A Sanctified Art Call to Worship There are some days when we need the reminder that we belong to God. The world can be a harsh place; we often need that reminder. Let us care for one another. Let us speak the truth we each need to hear. Church, you belong to God. You are God’s beloved. Friend, you belong to God. You are God’s beloved. Let us worship the God who knows our names. Let us worship the God who calls us beloved.
Hymn
Down by the Jordan
see insert
adapted from Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed, A Sanctified Art Prayer of Confession Let us pray: Loving God, from the very beginning, you breathed life into us and called us good. However, somewhere along the way we replaced “good” with “not enough.” Somewhere along the way we turned the volume up on that phrase and began to doubt our own self-worth. Forgive us, for this is not what you have taught us. For when the world tells us we are not enough, you call us beloved. Show us how to return to that truth. Show us how to let go of all the untruths about ourselves we carry around. Show us how to rest in the good news of our belovedness. silence for prayer
Words of Assurance
Family of faith, God’s grace and understanding is deeper and wider than we could possibly imagine. So say these words of grace with me: Our story begins with belovedness. Even when we lose our way, even if we stumble and fall, God never stops breaking through the clouds to claim us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are known; we are forgiven; we are beloved. Thanks be to God! Alleluia! Amen.
SHARING IN WORSHIP TODAY
Acolytes - Carlin Markey, Juli Collins Liturgists - Leanne Griffths, Anna Griffiths, Mickey Hamilton Reader - Lori Pantaleo Musicians - Pick-up choir, Julia Hanna Ushers - Jill Hendershot, Tom Sanford, Bright Rajaratnam, Ida Cahill, Ed Febringer
TODAY'S FLOWERS ARE GIVEN
IN HONOR OF OUR CLERGY AND STAFF
IONA HARDING
TO HEAR THE WORD AND REFLECT Music Ministry
Living Water of God
David Lantz III
Children's Time
Where Children Belong
TFWS #2233
Scripture Readings Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11 This is the Word of Life. Thanks be to God. Sermon Nicene Creed
Rev. Jenny Smith Walz
TO RESPOND IN FAITH
UMH #880
Reaffirmation of Baptism
see insert
Hymn
UMH #252
When Jesus Came to Jordan
Prayers of the People The Lord's Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come; your 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 yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen Offertory
Air from Suite for Keyboard
Muffat
Hymn
Doxology
UMH #94
Prayer of Thanksgiving
AND SCATTERS TO BE IN THE WORLD
Hymn
Welcome
see insert
Sonata in C K159
Scarlatti
Benediction Postlude
PRAYER CONCERNS Prayers for the people of Israel and Palestine and also from Ukraine and Russia as they deal with the unbelievable horrors of war, and for leaders to find ways to peaceful resolution. Prayers for the lonely and depressed and for those giving them aid. Prayers for those who are without shelter amidst these storms and for those helping them. Prayers for the programs starting in the new year. Thanks for the success of the diaper drive and prayers of blessing for those who will receive them. HAVE PRAYER CONCERNS? For our Prayer Chain, call Yvonne Macdonald at 609-577-8369 or email her at yvonnee.mac@verizon.net. Email Pastor Tayler Necoechea at tayler@princetonumc.org when you or a family member is in the hospital or in need of a pastoral call.
Reaffirmation of Baptism Sisters, brothers, siblings in Christ: through the sacrament of baptism God's Spirit has been poured out through water, water poured over and immersing us, water that flows freely for all who will receive it, water from the streams of God's saving power and justice, water that brings hope to all who thirst for righteousness, water that refreshes life, nurtures growth, and offers new birth. Today we come to the waters, to renew our commitments in each other's presence to Christ who has raised us, the Spirit who has birthed us, and the Creator who is making all things new. And so I ask you, will you turn away from the powers of sin and death? We renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of our sin! Will you let the Spirit use you as prophets to the powers that be? We accept the freedom and power God gives us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves! Will you proclaim the good news and live as disciples of Jesus Christ, his body on earth? We confess Jesus Christ as our Savior, put our whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as our Lord, in union with the church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races! Will you be living witnesses to the gospel, individually and together, wherever you are, and in all that you do? We will remain faithful members of Christ's holy church and serve as Christ's representatives in the world. Will you receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments? We affirm and teach the faith of the whole church as we put our trust in God, the Creator of all; in Jesus Christ, his only Son; and in the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Almighty God, the life you birthed in us by baptism into Jesus Christ will never die. Your justice never fails. Your mercy is everlasting. Your healing river flows. Your Spirit blows where you will. We cannot stop you, God! But sometimes we try. We try to block the flow, we redirect the winds of the Spirit, or we walk so far away from the life-giving Stream that we do not hear its sound, and we forget its power. We parch ourselves.
We are dry and thirsty, O God. Come, refresh us! Come upon us, Holy Spirit! Come upon us, Holy Spirit! Come upon these waters. Come upon these waters. Let these waters be to us drops of your mercy. Let these waters remind us of your righteousness and justice. Let these waters renew us in the resurrection power of Jesus. Let these waters make us long for your coming reign. Most Holy God, Abba, Father! Glory to you! Spirit of fire, Spirit over the waters, Spirit of holiness! Glory to you! Eternal God, One in Three and Three in One! All glory this yours, now and forever. Amen! Come dip your fingers in the water. Feel the water. Make the sign of the cross on your forehead, your hand, your body. Hear God name you and claim you! Hear God call you beloved, call you by name, call you God's child, tell you that with you, God is well pleased. Remember that you are baptized, and rejoice!
BELOVED By Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman Inspired by Luke 3:21-22
Luke’s account of Jesus’ baptism is brief and vague. He was baptized among “all the people” (Luke 3:21) by an unnamed baptizer, and until he prays, the scene is rather unremarkable. During his prayer, however, an iconic scene unfolds with the heavens opening, the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove, and a voice booming from heaven.
BELOVED | Lauren Wright Pittman digital painting and collage
in the form of a dove, and a voice booming from heaven. As I considered how I might visually respond to this text, it was difficult to imagine this event with a beginner’s mind. I’ve seen lots of imagery of Jesus in the water with clouds breaking open and a dove descending, or Jesus bursting out of water into a beam of light. These images are powerful, but I wasn’t sure if creating a similar image would be helpful, or if I’d be offering insight into the text that hadn’t already been visually explored. I began to meditate on what was unspoken and implied in Luke’s account, and one moment that stuck out in my imagination was the moment Jesus was underwater. How did Jesus feel when he held his breath and descended into the river? This image offers a snapshot of Jesus right before he steps into his calling, on the threshold of spectacular affirmation. He is completely suspended, embraced, and upheld by the waters of baptism. The water’s surface is choppy. The future is unknown and precarious. His path is a lonely and formidable one, eventually leading to his suffering and death. Despite what is to come, Jesus reaches toward the surface. Two fish are drawn to the light of his halo, foreshadowing his companionship with fishers and his miraculous feeding of the five thousand. All of creation is leaning into his call. This is what trusting your belovedness feels like—muscles and bones relieved of gravity’s burden, serenity, weightlessness, oneness with creation, and the warmth of God’s love permeating every cell of your body and every corner of your soul.
During our season of Epiphany, our sermon series is called “Rooted.” During this time, we will be studying how life-giving and revitalizing going back to our roots can be, even when life around us and community seems to be withering or dying. This week, as we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord, we also remember our own baptism and the covenant that was made. We root ourselves in the community of love that Jesus envisioned, with the understanding that each of us comes together shaped by our own previous experiences with church.
While studying our roots, we easily can understand the metaphor of a tree. This tree in particular is a hardy tree from the desert called a Mesquite. The roots of a mesquite tree run deep beneath the surface to reach the water table far below. Even if a tree has withered and died, it is nearly impossible to kill off. The roots will send new shoots, and life will begin to blossom once again. As we remember the hardships of the last few years, we can envision our roots, like a mesquite’s. Despite having what feels like a spiritual drought, we are reaching for the living waters of the Holy Spirit and revitalizing our communities through finding our roots again.
WELCOME TO
Princeton United Methodist Church We are a diverse faith community, engaged in enlivening spiritually thirsty people to joyfully respond to God’s love and grow as disciples of Christ, so that together we may experience the fullness of life.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
WELCOME PARTY
New to Princeton UMC? Hoping to make some new friends and see what Princeton UMC is all about? Then come to the Welcome Party! The party starts Sunday, January 21st, at 11:30am at Princeton UMC and online.
SPIRITUAL FORMATION IN TODAY’S WORLD You are invited to join Pastor Jenny in this cohort-based spiritual formation experience in 2024. Participants in Spiritual Formation in Today’s World will receive the wisdom and teaching from four top-notch faculty, as well as the gift of journeying together with the same team and community for a year, spanning four sessions, 12 total days of online interaction, plus covenant group times between sessions. See Pastor Jenny for more information.
CONFIRMATION 2024
All 8th graders are invited to sign up for 2024 Confirmation class. Class begins Jan 28th and will meet every Sunday after church. Please email Pastor Tayler by Jan 24th to register!
ALTAR FLOWERS NEEDED
It is that time of year again! Altar flowers are needed for 2024. For questions, or to sign up, check out the Happenings, or reach out to Pam Nugent at poodleluvs@aol.com.
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