South Church in Andover
United Church of Christ

THE WORSHIP OF GOD
ORDER FOR THE SERVICE

January 29, 2006
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

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     Récit de tierce en taille  N. de Grigny

WELCOME       

Introduction of Visitors and Guests
Announcements  

Exchange of Peace

The peace of Jesus Christ be with you.

And also with you.

INTROIT     Animato   C. Dobrinski

CALL TO WORSHIP      Psalm 111

Praise the Lord.

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole Heart.

Great are the works of the Lord,

      studied by all who have pleasure in them.

Full of honor and majesty is his work,

   and his righteousness endures for ever.

He sent redemption to his people;

     he has commanded his covenant for ever

Holy and terrible is his name!

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

   a good understanding have all those who practice it.

* HYMN All Creatures of Our God and King  #455 Red

INVOCATION AND LORD’S PRAYER

     scripture  Mark 1: 21 – 28        (see insert)

* HYMN  Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing #356 Red

scripture        1 Corinthians 8: 1 - 13   (see insert)

SERMON 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE         

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS IN THANKSGIVING

Invitation

Offertory Anthem               Verleih uns Frieden F. Mendelssohn

Grant unto us thy peace, O Lord.

Grant us thy peace enduring, for there is none,

none with the strength, who could so firmly defend us.

For thou art our hope and safety.

*Doxology

*Dedication Prayer            

* HYMN He is King of Kings   #153 Red

* BENEDICTION

* RESPONSE                              Go Now in Peace   Don Besig

                                  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 God 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.

POSTLUDE   Litanies     Jehan Alain

* Those who are able may stand.

Rather than beginning in worship today, children in Kindergarten-6^th grade will go directly to their classrooms to prepare for the Children’s Worship Service.

Participating in Today's Service:

Greeters: Betsy and Tom Davis: Meg and Max

Acolytes: Griffin Lyons and Bridget Healey
Deacon: Peter Spollett

Youth: Alex Golan

Usher Supervisor: Jon King

The flowers this morning are given in memory of Jane A. Wohlers by her family.

The flowers are also given in memory of Virginia Rose Bailey by her family.  

Scriptures For This Day        New Revised Standard Version

Mark 1: 21 - 28

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and 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.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They 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.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him.

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.” Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— yet 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.

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. “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. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For 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? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.