Gathering
Welcome
Thanksgiving for Baptism
P: Blessed be the Holy Trinity, + one God, the fountain of living water, the rock who gave us birth, our light and our salvation. Amen
Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism, we are clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness. Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
Water is poured into the baptismal font.
We give you thanks, O God,
for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight.
P: Through the waters of the flood, you delivered Noah and his family. Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom. At the river, Jesus, your most holy child, was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By water and your Word, you claim us as daughters and sons, making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.
We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life, and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ. Shower us with your Spirit, and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.
P: To you be given honour and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen
Gathering Song “O God of Light” # 507
1 O God of light, your word, a lamp unfailing,
shall pierce the darkness of our earthbound way
and show your grace, your plan for us unveiling,
and guide our footsteps to the perfect day.
2 From days of old, through blind and willful ages,
though we rebelled, you gently sought again,
and spoke through saints, apostles, prophets, sages,
who wrote with eager or reluctant pen.
3 Undimmed by time, those words are still revealing
to sinful hearts your justice and your grace;
and questing spirits, longing for your healing,
see your compassion in the Savior’s face.
Text: Sarah E. Taylor, 1883-1954, alt. © 1952, ren. 1980 The Hymn Society, admin Hope Publishing Company. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-736296. All rights reserved.
Greeting
P: 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.
Prayer of the Day
P: Let us pray,
Compassionate God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence and continually reveal Jesus as our Saviour. Bring wholeness to all that is broken and speak truth to us in our confusion, that all creation will see and know Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen
Word
First Reading
A disagreement has arisen among the Christians in Corinth about food that has been sacrificed to idols. Some believe that, as Christians, we know that idols are not really gods, and so there is no harm in eating food that has been sacrificed to them. Others disagree. Paul’s answer is based, not on what is legally correct, but rather on what builds up the faith in those who are weak in faith.
A reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, the 8th chapter.
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3but anyone who loves God is known by him.
4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘no idol in the world really exists’, and that ‘there is no God but one.’ 5Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— 6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
7 It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8‘Food will not bring us close to God.’ We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling-block to the weak. 10For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? 11So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. 12But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, Lord to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
P: The holy gospel according to Mark, the 1st chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord.
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ 25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ 26And the unclean spirit, throwing him into convulsions and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ 28At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
Hymn of the Day “Great God, Your Love Has Called Us” # 358
Great God, your love has called us here, as we, by love, for love were made.
Your living likeness still we bear, though marred, dishonored, disobeyed.
We come, with all our heart and mind your call to hear, your love to find.
We come with self-inflicted pains of broken trust and chosen wrong,
half-free, half-bound by inner chains, by social forces swept along,
by pow’rs and systems close confined, yet seeking hope for humankind.
Great God, in Christ you set us free your life to live, your joy to share.
Give us your Spirit’s liberty to turn from guilt and dull despair,
and offer all that faith can do while love is making all things new.
Apostles’ Creed
P: We are made God’s people through our baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith:
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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
he will come again 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
… we pray to you, O God:
Build us up through your love.
Sharing of the Peace
Meal
Offertory “Let the Vineyards be Fruitful” # 182
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
and fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
that we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with your presence, and give us
a foretaste of the feast to come.
Offertory Prayer
The Great Thanksgiving
P: The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Eucharistic Prayer
Blessed are you, O holy God: you are the Life and Light of all.
By your powerful word, you created all things. Through the prophets, you called your people to be a light to the nations.
Blessed are you for Jesus.
He is your Light shining in our darkness and revealing to us your mercy and grace.
A plate of bread in each home may be lifted up.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying: This is my body given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
A cup of wine in each home may be lifted up.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering, therefore, his preaching and healing, his dying and rising, and his promise to come again, we await that day when all the universe will rejoice in your holy and life-giving light.
By your Spirit, bless us and this holy meal, that refreshed with this heavenly food, we may be light for the world revealing the brilliance of Christ;
Through whom all glory and honour are yours with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, now and forever. Amen
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
Distribution
If you are in a group, you may serve one another. If you are alone, you may serve yourself. All use these or similar words:
The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
Blessing
Post-Communion Canticle “Thankful Hearts and Voices Raise”
Thankful hearts and voices raise; tell everyone what God has done.
Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and bear Christ’s holy name.
Send us with your promises and lead your people forth in joy
with shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia. Alleluia!
Post-Communion Prayer
Sending
Announcements may be made.
Benediction
P: May God the creator strengthen you;
Jesus the beloved fill you;
and Holy Spirit the comforter + keep you in peace,
now and forever. Amen
Sending Hymn “The Lord Now Sends Us Forth” # 538
The Lord now sends us forth with hands to serve and give,
to make of all the earth a better place to live.
The Lord now sends us forth with hands to serve and give,
to make of all the earth a better place to live.
The angels were not sent into our world of pain
to do what we were meant to do in Jesus’s name;
that falls to you and me and all who are made free.
Help us, O Lord, we pray, to do your will today.
The angels were not sent into our world of pain
to do what we were meant to do in Jesus’s name;
that falls to you and me and all who are made free.
Help us, O Lord, we pray, to do your will today.
Text: © 1998 Augsburg Fortress. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-736296. All rights reserved.
Dismissal
A: Go in peace to be the light of Christ!
Thanks be to God!
Brian Wilker is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Faith Coffee Time
Time: Jan 31, 2021 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 749 772 0637
Or, join us by phone by dialling:
647 374 4685, or
647 558 0588
Meeting ID: 749 772 0637
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