Order of Service

The Baptism of the Lord

Order of Service

10^th January 2020

10.30am

http://www.corstorphinestninians.org.uk and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stninianschurch/

Good morning and welcome to everyone who has joined us on-line at St. Ninian's this morning.  We hope you will enjoy our worship of God together today. As a congregation our mission is to, 'Worship God together, encourage personal faith and prayer, spread the Good News about Jesus Christ, and love and care for others in our community.'

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This Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord.  The baptism of Jesus is one of the most theologically profound events in the Gospel narratives.  When the Father spoke ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ The divine sonship of Christ was announced in a vivid and dramatic way.  The event gives us a picture of the Trinity, with the Father’s gift of the Spirit to the Son.  Congregations commemorate Jesus’ baptism on the Sunday after Epiphany as they attend to key events in Jesus’ life between Christmas and Lent/Easter.

St. Ninian’s uses the Revised Common Lectionary is an approved week-by-week three-year cycle of biblical readings.  The readings lead us from Advent through the Christian year, the Bible, and Jesus’ life through birth, baptism, his public ministry, his death, resurrection and ascension.

‘Jesu joy of man’s desiring’                                          Bach

WELCOME, INTIMATIONS AND SHARING OF THE PEACE

We welcome one another with Christ's words 'Peace be with you'.

APPROACH TO GOD

CALL TO WORSHIP

HYMN: 159             

Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided,
Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today.

Lord, for that word, the Word of life which fires us,
speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us,
Lord of the word, receive your people’s praise.

Lord, for our land, in this our generation,
spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care;
for young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.

Lord, for our world; when we disown and doubt him,
loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain;
hungry and helpless, lost indeed without him,
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.

Lord, for ourselves; in living power remake us,
self on the cross and Christ upon the throne;
past put behind us, for the future take us,
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.

PRAYERS OF APPROACH, CONFESSION AND 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

SCRIPTURE:          Mark 1: 4 - 11 (New Revised Standard Version)

⁴ John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸ I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’ ⁹ In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

CHILDREN’S ADDRESS

HYMN: 600             

Spirit of God, unseen as the wind,
gentle as is the dove,
teach us the truth and help us believe,
show us the Saviour’s love.

You spoke to us long, long ago,
gave us the written word;
we read it still, needing its truth,
through it God’s voice is heard.

Without your help we fail our Lord,
we cannot live his way;
we need your power, we need your strength,
following Christ each day.

SCRIPTURE:          Genesis 1: 1 - 5 (New Revised Standard Version)

¹ In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, ² the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. ³ Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. ⁴ And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

SERMON

OUR RESPONSE TO GOD

HYMN: 489          

Come down, O Love Divine,
seek out this soul of mine,
and visit it with your own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, your holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes, in its heat consuming;
and let your glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity
my outward vesture be,
and lowliness become my inner clothing;
true lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
and o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
shall far outpass the power of human telling;
we cannot guess its grace,
till we become the place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.

OFFERING AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Freely given, our offering supports the work of Christ's church and symbolises our spiritual dedication to the building-up of the Kingdom of God.

PRAYERS OF LAMENT & INTERCESSION

We give thanks for our blessings, and cry out for help for others and ourselves.

SENDING OUT

HYMN: 594          

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

Inflame our souls with love,

transforming every heart and home

with wisdom from above.

Let none of us despise

the humble path Christ trod,

but choose, to shame the worldly wise,

the foolishness of God.

All-knowing Spirit, prove

the poverty of pride,

by knowledge of the Father’s love

in Jesus crucified.

And grant us faith to know

the glory of that sign,

and in our very lives to show

the marks of love divine.

Come with the gift to heal

the wounds of guilt and fear,

and to oppression’s face reveal

the kingdom drawing near.

Where chaos longs to reign,

descend, O holy Dove,

and free us all to work again

the miracles of love.

Spirit of truth, arise:

Inspire the prophet’s voice:

Expose to scorn the tyrant’s lies,

and bid the poor rejoice.

O Spirit, clear our sight,

all prejudice remove,

and help us to discern the right,

and covet only love.

Give us the tongues to speak

the word of love and grace

to rich and poor, to strong and weak,

in every time and place.

Enable us to hear

the words that others bring,

interpreting with open ear

the special song they sing.

Come, Holy Spirit, dance

within our hearts today,

our earthbound spirits to entrance,

our mortal fears allay.

And teach us to desire,

all other things above,

that self-consuming holy fire,

the perfect gift of love.

BENEDICTION

Go now in peace, never be afraid.

God will go with you each hour of every day.

Go now in faith, steadfast strong and true.

Know He will guide you in all you do.

Go now in love, and show you believe.

Reach out to others, so all the world can see.

God will be there, watching from above.

Go now in peace, in faith and in love.