South Church in Andover
United Church of Christ

THE WORSHIP OF GOD
ORDER FOR THE SERVICE

February 5, 2006
Fifth Sunday After Ephinany

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     Chorale Partita on “Lobet den Herren”   J. Ahrens      

WELCOME       
     Introduction of Visitors and Guests

     Announcements         

     Exchange of Peace

     The peace of Jesus Christ be with you.
         And also with you.

INTROIT     Morning Song     Palestrina/Prudentius   

CALL TO WORSHIP      Psalm 146

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

I will praise the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have being.

 The Lord sets the prisoners free;         

the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

The Lord will reign for ever, Praise the Lord!

* HYMN  Praise to the Lord, the Almighty   # 15 Blue      

PRAYER OF CONFESSION         (unison)

Eternal God, whose word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word and deed; by what we have done and by what we have left undone.  God of mercy, forgive us, renew us and lead us that we may delight in Your will and follow in Your ways, to the glory of Your holy name.  We ask these blessings through Jesus Christ, our Savior.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

SCRIPTURE          Isaiah 40: 21 – 31                                (printed in bulletin)

* HYMN     Here, O my Lord, I see Thee Face to Face     # 287 Blue
                                  Verses 1 - 3

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation

Communion Prayer

God be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to God most high.

Prayer of Consecration

Breaking the Bread and Pouring the Cup

Pastor: Alleluia! Christ our Passover is offered for us.

People: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!

Sharing the Elements by the Deacons

Prayer of Thanksgiving      (unison)
Almighty God, thank you for refreshing our souls at Your table by granting us the living presence of Jesus Christ. Strengthen our faith. Increase our love for one another.
Send us forth into the world in courage and peace, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

* HYMN     Here, O my Lord, I see Thee Face to Face     # 287 Blue
                                  Verses 4 & 5

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.

SCRIPTURE   Mark 1: 29 - 39         (printed in bulletin)

SERMON     Strength Renewed     Dr. Mutti

prayers of the people AND THE LORD'S PRAYER

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS IN THANKSGIVING

Invitation

Offertory I will sing new songs of gladness  A. Dvorak  

* Doxology          

* Dedication Prayer            

* BENEDICTION

Scriptures For This Day        New Revised Standard Version

Mark 1: 29-39

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Isaiah 40: 21-31

Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.