South Church in Andover
United Church of Christ

THE WORSHIP OF GOD
ORDER FOR THE SERVICE

January 8, 2006

Let the prelude be a curtain of music which brings us into the sanctuary to worship God.
 Let necessary conversation be gentle and the preparation we make together be prayerful.

PRELUDE     Bist du bei mir  J. S. Bach

WELCOME       

Introduction of Visitors and Guests
Announcements    Lenten booklet 2006 Terry Guenard, Deacon

       New South Church Cookbook    Board of Women’s  Ministries

Exchange of Peace

The peace of Jesus Christ be with you.

And also with you.

INTROIT     The Journey     Simon Lole

CALL TO WORSHIP      Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name.

The voice of the Lord is upon the water.

The glory of God thunders upon many waters.

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood.

May God give strength to all people.
God bless all people with peace.

*HYMN  Great God, We Sing That Mighty Hand   # 454 Blue

INVOCATION AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

scripture   Mark 1: 4 - 11 (see insert)

LET THE CHILDREN COME   

Children in grades K-High School may move to their church school classrooms.
Parents of children up to age 7, please go to your child’s classroom after worship.

*   HYMN     Christ, When For Us You Were Baptized # 70 Red

scripture   John 1: 10 - 18 (see insert)

SERMON       Dr. Mutti

               The Outward and Visible Sign of the Grace of God

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE         

MISSIONS THAT MATTER

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS IN THANKSGIVING

Invitation

Offertory Anthem             Let the Bright Seraphim  G. F. Handel       

*Doxology    

*Dedication Prayer       

*HYMN God of Grace and God of Glory  # 420 Red

*BENEDICTION

*RESPONSE  Sevenfold Amen

POSTLUDE   La Réjouissance G. F. Handel

*Those who are able may stand.

Participating in Today's Service:
Greeters:
Acolytes: Christopher Hoyt and Charlotte Ozirsky
Youth: Matt Washburn
Deacon: Bill Schroeder

Trumpet: John Macleod

Soprano: Megan Sharp

The flowers this morning are from the Memorial Service,

 held here yesterday, for Peter Fine.

Scriptures For This Day        New Revised Standard Version

Mark 1: 4-11

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 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. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 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. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

John 1: 10-18

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

(John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.