Order of Worship Third Sunday after Epiphany

January 21, 2024

Welcome - Shelly Wilson

Prelude - “Jacob’s Ladder” arr. Hancock/Anderson performed by Martha Anderson, organist Second Presbyterian Church, Lexington, Ky.

Lighting of the Candle of Peace

~~~Moments of Silence~~~

Call to Worship   (by William Stafford) and Invocation

If you don't know the kind of person I am and I don't know the kind of person you are, a pattern that others made may prevail in the world and following the wrong god home we may miss our star.

And so I appeal to a voice, to something shadowy, a remote important region in all who talk: though we could fool each other, we should consider—lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the dark.

For it is important that awake people be awake, or a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep; the signals we give — yes or no, or maybe—should be clear: the Shadow around us is deep.

Invocation

Beloved God, to you all hearts are opened and from you, no desires are hidden. Brighten the shadows of our minds and hearts by the grace and power of your love, we pray. Amen

Opening Hymn - “Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above” - CH#6

 Poem - I am not done yet - by Lucille Clifton

as possible as yeast
as imminent as bread
a collection of safe habits
a collection of care
less certain than i was
a changed changer
i continue to continue
where i have been
most of my lives
is where i’m going

Special Music - “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” - the Hollies

Click Here to Play the Video on YouTube

Scripture Reading - Genesis 28:10-17; 33:1-11  

Jacob left Beersheba and when he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. ¹²He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. ¹³There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham & Sarah and the God of Isaac & Rebekah. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. ¹⁵I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." ¹⁶When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." ¹⁷He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gateway of heaven."

Genesis 33 Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with a large company of men and he was afraid, so he put his beloved family behind him and, bowing himself to the ground, he went out to meet his brother. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. ⁵ When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “This is my family.” And all of the wives and children drew near and bowed down. ⁸ Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “They all are bearing gifts to find favor with my lord.” ⁹ But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” ¹⁰ Jacob said, “No, please; if I find favor with you, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God—since you have received me with such favor. ¹¹ Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I want.” So he urged him, and he took it.

Response - Thy Word - CH # 326

Sermon - “Doorways and Ladders” - Shelly Wilson

Hymn of Response - “In Loving Partnership” - CH#497

Prayers of the People (adapted from John O’Donohue To Bless the Space Between Us)

I invite you to rest in the presence of the Spirit of thresholds—before and after, of ladders--up and down, of labyrinths, around, in, and out, and through, and to meditate on these thoughts.

At any time you can ask yourself: At which threshold am I now standing? At this time in my life, what am I leaving? Where am I about to enter. What is preventing me from crossing my next threshold? What gift would enable me to do it? A threshold is not a simple boundary; it is a frontier that divides two different territories, rhythms, and atmospheres. Indeed, it is a lovely testimony to the fullness and integrity of an experience or a stage of life that it intensifies toward the end into a real frontier that cannot be crossed without the heart being passionately engaged and woken up. At this threshold comes alive; confusion, fear, excitement, sadness, hope. This is one of the reasons such vital crossings were always clothed in ritual. It is wise in your own life to be able to recognize and acknowledge the key thresholds: to take your time; to feel all the varieties of presence that accrue there; to listen inward with complete attention until you hear the inner voice calling you forward. The time has come to cross.

Please join in this contemporary version of the Lord’s Prayer:

Lord’s Prayer (contemporary version)

God, lover of us all, most holy one:
Help us to respond to you,
so that we may help create what you want for us here on earth.
Give us today enough for our needs.
Forgive our weak and deliberate offences,
just as we must forgive others when they hurt us.
Help us to resist evil and to do what is good.
For we are yours, endowed with your Spirit
to help make our world whole. Amen.

Call to Offering

We have come to the time in our service for the giving and receiving of our financial support for the work of the Church. Thank you for your support of our Church’s work for peace and justice in the world.

Offertory

We are grateful to receive tithes, donations, and offerings online via PayPal at the link below.

Doxology - OLD HUNDREDTH - (NCH #778)

Dedication of our Offerings                                                           

Spirit of God, when we share from our souls, we open our hearts to your works in this world. When we tend to our neighbors who struggle in weariness, we care for the Christ in our midst. When we welcome the prophet who shares your love through their advocacy, we care for the Spirit moving throughout our world. When we share with a stranger, we experience Divine hope, peace, joy, and love, as our reward for giving. Bless all gifts as they build your Realm here on earth. Amen.

Closing Hymn - “Bless Now, O God, the Journey” - CH#489

Benediction - Everything is Waiting for You by David Whyte

Your great mistake is to act the drama
as if you were alone. To feel abandoned is to deny
the intimacy of your surroundings.

Notice how the window latch grants you freedom.
Alertness is the hidden discipline of familiarity.
The stairs are your mentor of things
to come, the doors have always been there
to frighten you and invite you,
and the tiny speaker in the phone
is your dream-ladder to divinity.

Put down the weight of your aloneness and ease into the
conversation. The kettle is singing
even as it pours you a drink, the cooking pots
have left their arrogant aloofness and have
seen the good in you at last. All the birds
and creatures of the world are unutterably
themselves. Everything is waiting for you.Bottom of Form

Shalom (join hands and hearts and sign together)

Postlude - “Stairway to Heaven”  by Jerry Page & Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, performed by Heart (Nancy & Ann Wilson)

Worship has ended, let the service begin!

Welcome to our church, a sacred space where, indeed, all are welcome. A special greeting if you are a visitor with us today. 

Worship Leader: Pastor Shelly 
Coffee Host: Zoom Coffee with Shelly 
Worship Production: Kelly Yamanishi and Carolyn Cheng