January 26, 2025
Third Sunday after Epiphany
* Denotes all are invited to stand. Bold text indicates portions of the service to be spoken or sung by the congregation.
Music for Gathering
Brian Jay
Organist
Welcome
Rev. Aaron J. White
Pastor
Call to Worship
We praise you, God, for the diversity of your body.
By God’s Spirit, we are one.
From diverse backgrounds and diverse places,
by God’s Spirit, we are one.
From diverse cultures and diverse generations,
by God’s Spirit, we are one.
From diverse questions and diverse dreams,
by God’s Spirit, we are one.
We celebrate our diversity. We celebrate our unity.
By God’s Spirit, we are one. Hallelujah!
* Hymn 395 “Blessed Jesus, at Your Word”
(Please see screens for lyrics.)
* Confession of Sin
Kathleen Keefer, Worship Leader
Holy God, we confess that we have wandered from your light.We follow paths of self-indulgence,instead of focusing on our need of you. We passively accept the suffering of the world, expecting others to stand up and work for the change we would like to see. Lord, in your strength, renew us and compel us by your invitation that we may work to pursue your justice and mercy for all people, sharing your light in ways great and small.
(Silence for personal confession)
Assurance of Pardon
May the God of mercy, the Lord of strength, forgive you all your sins; and may the Holy Spirit keep you in new life.
Amen.
Song of Praise
“All Praise to Our Redeeming Lord”
(Please see screens for lyrics.)
* Passing the Peace
May the peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Prayer for Illumination:
Kathleen Keefer, Worship Leader
First Reading:
Luke 4:14–21
14 Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and his reputation spread throughout the region.
15 He was teaching in the Galilean synagogues, and all were loud in their praise.
16 Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. Entering the synagogue on the Sabbath, as was his habit, Jesus stood up to do the reading.
17 When the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed him, he unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of our God is upon me: because the Most High has anointed me to bring Good News to those who are poor. God has sent me to proclaim liberty to those held captive, recovery of sight to those who are blind, and release to those in prison—
19 to proclaim the year of our God’s favor.”
20 Rolling up the scroll, Jesus gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21 Then he said to them, “Today, in your hearing, this scripture passage is fulfilled.”
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Minute for Mission:
PCM Youth
Topic: Super Bowl of Caring
Anthem:
“Creator Rhythm”
PCM Chancel Choir
Marilyn Puett – Interim Director
Second Scripture:
1 Corinthians 12:12–31a
12 The body is one, even though it has many parts; all the parts — many though they are — comprise a single body. And so it is with Christ.
13 It was by one Spirit that all of us, whether we are Jews or Greeks, slaves or citizens, were baptized into one body. All of us have been given to drink of the one Spirit.
14 And that Body is not one part; it is many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” does that make it any less a part of the body?
16 If the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” would that make it any less a part of the body?
17 If the body were all eye, what would happen to our hearing? If it were all ear, what would happen to our sense of smell?
18 Instead of that, God put all the different parts into one body on purpose.
19 If all the parts were alike, where would the body be?
20 They are, indeed, many different members but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” any more than the head can say to the feet, “I do not need you.”
22 And even those members of the body which seem less important are in fact indispensable.
23 We honor the members we consider less honorable by clothing them with greater care, thus bestowing on the less presentable a propriety
24 which the more presentable do not need. God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to the lowly members,
25 that there may be no dissension in the body, but that all the members may be concerned for one another.
26 If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members share its joy.
27 You, then, are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.
28 Furthermore, God has set up in the church, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then miracle workers, healers, assistants, administrators and those who speak in tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles
30 or have the gift of healing? Do all speak in tongues, or do all have the gift of interpretation of tongues?
31a Set your hearts on the greater gifts.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Time for Children:
Rev. Aaron J. White
Sermon:
Rev. Aaron J. White
* Hymn #692 “Spirit, Open My Heart”
(Please see screens for lyrics.)
Pastoral Prayer:
Congregation Response: Bless us with peace.
Invitation to Discipleship
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 sins as we forgive those who sin 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. Amen.
* Hymn #744 “Arise, Your Light Is Come!”
(Please see screens for lyrics.)
* News of the Kingdom
* Charge & Blessing
The Spirit of the Lord urges us to go, proclaiming the news of God’s favor! [So as] we go from this place on this day holy to God we rejoice in the strength of God, we fix our eyes on the grace of Christ, and we drink deeply of the Spirit, who makes us one. Alleluia!
Amen.
* Music for Departing
News Of The Kingdom
Congregational Meeting
There will be a congregational meeting following the Worship service today. Click here if you would like to open a PDF of the printed 2024 Annual Report.
Art For All
The Art for All monthly gathering to view and discuss art will be held on February 1st at 10:30 a.m. The event will be held at Joslyn Museum and admission is free. For more details, contact either Kathleen Keefer or Chuck McGavren.
Confirmation Class
A new confirmation class is starting mid-February for students in grades 7-9. If you know a young person in these grades, even if they haven’t been attending Sunday school, they are welcome to join. Email Aaron.white@pcmomaha.org for more information or to register by Feb. 7th.
Giving Statements
2024 end of the year giving statements are ready and available for pickup in the Commons. Statements are also available for viewing and download in your One Church profile.