January 26, 2025 – Third Sunday After The Epiphany
A livestream of this service will take place on our YouTube channel on Sunday, January 26, at 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time. A video recording of the live stream will be available on our YouTube channel from 6:00 PM EDT on Sunday, January 26.
Previous livestreams and other worship and musical content is available on our YouTube channel. You can also check out our entire worship services archive. Our SoundCloud channel has yet more music and worship content.
Introit
Prelude
Lighting of the Christ Candle
This is the Christ Candle. We light the candle to help us remember that Jesus Christ, the light of the world, is with us in every place and every time.
Call to Worship
One: There is one true God
All: whom to know is life eternal, whom to serve is joy and peace.
One: God creates all that is.
All: The whole universe displays the majesty and power of its Maker.
One: We worship God as the source of all life.
All: With thanks we acknowledge God’s wisdom, power, faithfulness, and love.
Opening Hymn
“Oh for a thousand tongues to sing” (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 374). Words (1739, alt) by English Methodist leader and hymnwriter Charles Wesley (1707–1788). Music (tune: “Richmond”) first published in 1792 by English minister Thomas Haweis (pronounced to rhyme with “pause”; 1734–1820) and both adapted and shortened in 1808 by English music teacher and composer Samuel Webbe the younger (1768–1843); descant by New Zealand-born British organist and composer Craig Sellar Lang (1891–1971). Words, music and descant public domain.
Prayers of Approach and Confession, & Lord’s Prayer (sins)
Creator, Christ and Spirit,
you are the maker of a better world. You are the creator of lasting peace. We worship you for the gifts of peace and healing that You bring into troubled lives. You have shown us the way to work for justice, to love friend and enemy alike, to build a better world. In this time of worship, inspire us to believe our work in your name makes a difference. So may we live to bring glory to you through our commitment to you and the communion we share with so many around world as your faithful disciples.
Knowing your love is everlasting, we confess to you our sins:….
God of grace and harmony,
we confess we can be divisive when you call us to unity, quarrelsome when you call us to seek peace, and critical rather than caring. We have grown used to our own ways and cannot imagine you would ask us to change even for the sake of the Gospel. Forgive us when we mistake our familiar traditions for your truth. Show us how we can witness to your love through working and worshipping together.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.
Declaration of Pardon
God’s mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. It shines into the world and scatters the darkness. Know that you are forgiven and forgive one another. Be at peace and walk in the newness of life, led by God’s light.
All: Thanks be to God.
The Peace
One: May the peace of Christ be with us all.
All: And also with you.
Musical Reflection
Fun with the Young at Heart (children’s story)
We sing verse 1 of “Jesus loves me this I know”.
“Jesus loves me, this I know“ (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 373). Words (1859 or 1860) by American writer Anna Bartlett Warner (1827–1915). Revisions to v2 and v3 by Canadian Anglican priest David Rutherford McGuire (1929–1971). Music (1862; tune: “Jesus loves me”) by American musician William Batchelder Bradbury (1816–1868). Words, revisions, and music in the public domain.
The Life and Work of the Church (Announcements)
Scripture Readings
1 Corinthians 12: 12–31a <– these link to on-line texts of the NRSV bible
Luke 4:14–30 (14–21)
Click here for additional scripture readings from today’s lectionary. Links courtesy of the Revised Common Lectionary, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library.
1 Corinthians 12: 12–31a
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect, 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work powerful deeds? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
Luke 4:14–30 (14–21)
14 Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding region. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
19
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” 23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’ ” 24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months and there was a severe famine over all the land, 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many with a skin disease in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Sermon
Please, join our Sunday worship service at 11 am, in person or on-line, to hear the full version of the sermon.
Hymn
“Teach me, God, to wonder” (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 704). Words (1973) by Canadian minister and hymnwriter Walter Henry Farquharson (1936–). Music (1974; tune: “Teach me, God, to wonder”) by Canadian composer Ron Klusmeier (1946–). Words copyright © 1973 WorshipArts. Music copyright © 1974 Ron Klusmeier; used by permission of One License, license number 722141-A.
Offering
The season of Epiphany begins January 6, the day celebrating the journey of the Magi to greet Christ, the new-born king. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. Our gifts are not so exotic, but what we offer today and throughout the year honours Jesus as Lord of our lives and Saviour of the world.
Offering – Musical Reflection
We remind everyone that we must continue to pay our bills; in the absence of being present at Sunday worship, you may sign up for pre-authorized remittance (PAR), donate online, or drop off your offering envelope in the mailbox at the church. Do not leave a cash donation unattended in the mailbox; instead, please call the office (416.261.4037) to ensure someone will be there to receive it. The building will be checked daily for mail and phone messages. If you are not comfortable leaving an envelope, you are welcome to contact the office (once again, 416.261.4037) and someone will pick up your offering.
Dedication of our Gifts
Our offering will now be received.
Doxology 306
“Praise God from whom all blessings flow” (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 306). Based on the tune “Old 100th“ with words (1989) by English hymnwriter Brian A. Wren (1936–). Words copyright © 1989 Hope Publishing Co.; used by permission of One License, license number 722141-A. Music public domain.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise God all creatures high and low;
praise God in Jesus fully known,
Creator Word and Spirit One.
Prayer of dedication
Creator God, you made each of us in our uniqueness, and together, you made all of us to bear your image in the world. Accept our gifts, unique as they are, and bless them for the sake of your Son, Jesus. May they bear his grace and mercy into the world you love so your purposes will be fulfilled. Amen.
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Hope
God of life, God of love.
You created us and set us in relationship with each other: In families and neighbourhoods, in churches and communities, in cultures and nations. We give you thanks for the rich gifts of arts and culture, of home life and community celebration which bring meaning and encouragement to our lives. Help us contribute our gifts to the traditions and imagination that sustain the best of our common life from one generation to the next.
God of mercy and forgiveness,
You call us to live together in peace and unity. In this Week of Prayer for Christian unity, we pray that your Spirit will create understanding and co-operation among all who bear Christ’s name. Help us share our gifts with each other so that churches within our community may flourish and our common mission will find new energy. Lead us to reach out to those of other faiths and no faith so that, together, we may be a blessing in the world you love.
God of healing and hope,
We pray for our neighbourhoods and our nation. Where people are divided and bitterness turns into resentment, show us how to work for reconciliation. Inspire our leaders at every level of community life to work together for the care of the most vulnerable and to restore the goodness of our common life. Make us generous citizens and careful stewards of the land you entrust to us together.
God of justice and mercy,
We pray for the world you love, the world Christ died to redeem, so deeply divided by religious and political animosities, by ancient bitterness and current conflict. Encourage world leaders to work for peace and understanding, especially in places torn apart by violence, by poverty, by hunger and by the effects of natural disasters. May the hope that Jesus embodies encourage us all to work for positive change.
God of courage and comfort,
We remember those of our congregation and community in need of your special attention today…. Use us as agents of your healing and hope as we offer ourselves in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Closing Hymn
“Lord, the light of your love is shining” also known as “Shine, Jesus, shine” (Book of Praise 1997, Hymn 376). Words and music (both 1987; tune: “Shine, Jesus, shine”) by English singer and composer Graham Kendrick (1950–). Words and music copyright © 1987 Make Way Music admin. Integrity’s Hosanna! Music; used by permission of One License, license number 722141-A.
Changing the Light
Now, it is time to change the light. The light that was in one place can now be in every place and every time going with you wherever you go.
Benediction
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (the risen Christ), the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you always. AMEN.
Blessing
“Celtic Blessing”. Words Irish traditional. Music by former GCPC Music Director Carmen Lappano. Words public domain. Music copyright © Carmen Lappano; used by permission.
Postlude
Copyright © 2025 Guildwood Community Presbyterian Church
Last updated 2025-01-25 11.35 – First version.