Firelands Presbyterian Church

www.firelandschurch.org
January 9, 2022
2626 East Harbor Road Port Clinton, OH 43452
419-734-6211 https://www.facebook.com/firelandschurch
Pastor Roberta Bella 513-253-6360 bobbie.bella@gmail.com
 Welcome to Firelands Church, a community of believers gathered by the Holy Spirit and committed to
serving God and growing together in Jesus Christ.
We invite all of our worshippers to stay for fellowship following the service
so that we might become better acquainted.

THE ORDER OF THE LITURGY

*Those who are able are invited to stand.

GATHERING

Prelude This is a Day of New Beginnings Young/Hayes

“This is a day of new beginnings, to show and share what love can do.
This is a day of new beginnings. Our God is making all things new.”

Welcome and Announcements

*Call to Worship
God is waiting for us
With a tender heart and a searching question.
God is ready for us
With truth from a deep well of wisdom.
God is eager to bless us
With springs of living water.
God is sending us.
To sing, pray, serve, and witness.
God is here.
Let the conversation begin.

*Opening Prayer
God of the covenant, in the river Jordan you bathed Jesus in glory and revealed him to be your
beloved Son. Jesus meets us where we are, immersed in the flow of life, raising us from fear and guilt
to lives of joy and purpose. Renew a heart of worship within all who are baptized in in his name and
strengthen us to faithfully serve you in the world; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

*Hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing Hymnal #475

Call to Confession
The Lord offers a wellspring of grace to cleanse our hearts and heal our brokenness. In confidence let
us confess our sins against God and neighbor.
Prayer of Confession
Holy Eternal God, we confess that we have sinned against you in our words, actions, and thoughts.
We have neglected you. We have hurt others. We have not always been faithful stewards,
compassionate neighbors, or supporters of harmony and mutual respect. We ignore your voice.
We allow the past to hold us hostage instead of trusting in the new life you have promised in
baptism. Too often we doubt your goodness, critique your blessings, and question your love. Have
mercy on us, O God. In your loving kindness free us from sin. Anoint us again with your Holy Spirit
that we might rise to new life and live together in grace, loving boldly and serving joyfully in the
name of Christ our Lord. Amen.

Silent Confession

Words of Assurance
The proof of God’s amazing love is this: that while we were yet – and still are – sinners, Christ died
for us. The godly for the ungodly. The just for the unjust. He himself bore our sins in his body on a
cross that we might be dead to sin and evil and alive to all that is good. Brothers and sisters, let us
trust in the One who redeems us. In Christ Jesus we are a forgiven people. This is God’s glory!
Amen!

*Response: You Are Forgiven Hymnal #581

We are forgiven. We are forgiven.
Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.
We are forgiven. We are forgiven.
Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.

WORD

Prayer for Illumination

Grant us, O God, a mind to meditate on you, eyes to behold you, ears to listen for your word, a heart
to love you, and a life to proclaim you; through the power of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen. †
†
Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-547)

First Lesson Isaiah 43:1-7

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear,
for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk
through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your
God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my
sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your
life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will
gather you; I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons
from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth— everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Second Lesson: Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John,
whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water;
but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing
floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a
voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!

Sermon

Musical Interlude The Lord’s My Shepherd Bain/McKibben

*Affirmation of Faith (from A Brief Statement of Faith)

In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God and the
communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel whom alone
we worship and serve. We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. We trust in God whom
Jesus called Abba, Father. We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of
life. With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or death can separate us
from the love of God in Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.

The Prayers of the Church

*Hymn “I Will Come to You” Hymnal #177

 COMMUNION

INVITATION
Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God! In days to come people will travel from north
and south, and east and west, to sit together at table in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry. Whoever believes in
me will never thirst.”
This is the Lord’s table. Our Savior invites all those who trust in him to share in the feast which he has
prepared. Let us offer God our grateful praise.

Great Thanksgiving
God of mystery and miracle, it is right, and it is good, and it is our joy to give you thanks and praise.
When there was only darkness, you made light. When the earth was void, you created the universe.
When the world was empty, you formed us to be your people and have loved us from the beginning
with an everlasting love. When we forgot our love for you, you did not forget us, demonstrating your
faithfulness through an ark on the waters, a baby in a basket, prophets in the desert, and a Child on
the hay.
For this Child, your Son, our Savior, we give our thanks and praise. In him, your Word, dwelling with
you from all eternity, became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. Baptized in Jordan’s
waters, Jesus took his place with sinners and your voice proclaimed him to be your beloved. Your
Spirit anointed him to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind,
freedom to the oppressed. Living among us in power and grace, he touched broken lives with your
healing and peace.
Remembering all your gracious acts, O God, we take from your creation this bread and this wine and
joyfully celebrate as we await the day of his coming. With thanksgiving we offer our very selves to
you to be a living and holy sacrifice, dedicated to your service. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and
upon these your gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the
communion of the body and blood of Christ. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, and with all who
share this feast, united in ministry in every time and place.
As this bread is Christ’s body for us, send us out to be the body of Christ in the world. Keep us faithful
in service and sustain us in hope until Christ comes again in final glory and we feast at his heavenly
table. Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are
yours, Almighty God, now and forever. Amen.
The 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, the
power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Words of Institution
Our Lord Jesus, on the night of his arrest, took bread, offered thanks to God, broke it, and gave it to
his disciples, saying: “Take, eat. This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the
same way he took the cup, saying: “This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood, shed for you for
the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.” Every time we eat
this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the saving death of our risen Lord, until he comes again.

Communion of the People

Prayer
Eternal God, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ.
You have fed us with spiritual food in the sacrament of his body and blood. Send us now into the
world in peace. Grant us strength and courage to serve you, to speak your truth, seek your justice,
and love with your love; to the glory of Christ our Lord. Amen.

SENDING

*Hymn How Firm a Foundation Hymnal #463

*Charge
Now go out in joy. Walk in faith, confident of God’s presence even in times of sorrow and struggle,
with assurance in what is, hope in what will be, faith in the measured unfolding of our lives, and
radical trust in the hands that hold the universe.

*Benediction
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the comfort and challenge of God the
Holy Spirit surround, sustain, and uphold us all this day and every day.
Amen.
*Benediction Response See Back Page

Postlude How Great Our Joy Jungst/McDonald

Ministers in This Sunday’s Service Ministers in Next Sunday’s Service

Preacher: Rev. Bobbie Bella Preacher: Rev. Bobbie Bella
Reader: Karen Coffin Reader: Dick Dietz
Musicians: Susan Larcey Musician: Susan Larcey
Greeter: Dave Wahlers Greeter: Bill Umlauf
Fellowship host(s): Umlaufs Fellowship host(s): TBD
Deacon of the Month: Dennis Walls Deacon of the Month: Dennis Walls

Prayer Concerns
Christopher Longaker, Chuck & Pam Coykendale, Eric Pott, John McLaughlin, Judy, Sally, Janet Miller, Timothy
Work, Harold Douglass, Dick Dietz.
If you have a name to add to the prayer list, please contact the office. Names remain on this list for up to one
month unless they are resubmitted.

THIS WEEK AT FIRELANDS

Today Sunday School 9:30 AM
WORSHIP 10:30 AM followed by Fellowship
Monday Office open 10:30-2:30
Tuesday Dulcimer Group 2:00-4 PM
Session 7 PM
Wednesday Office open 10:30-2:30
10:30 -noon Wednesday Bible Study (large meeting
room)
Thursday
Friday Office open 10:30-2:30
Saturday
Next Sunday School 9:30 AM
Sunday WORSHIP 10:30 AM Followed by Fellowship
 The Church Office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings 10:30-2:30 unless
otherwise noted on the calendar above and/or the calendar on the firelandschurch.org
website.

Pastor Bobbie is available in the office on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 9:30 AM -4:30
PM

Firelands Family Dinner Out

Our first Firelands Family Dinner for 2022 will be held January 21 at 6:00 PM at 1812.Vicki Wheatly
will need to give Kevin an estimate so the cut off date is January 19 for planning purposes. A sign up
sheet is on the gathering table. Any questions please contact Vicki Wheatley at 440.227.8284.
Thanks!!!

Wednesday Bible Study Resumes

You are invited to
JOIN US
for Bible Study
with Pastor Bobbie
Wednesday January 12th 10:30am
A CELEBRATION OF ABUNDANCE
Mark 6:30-44