The beginning Knox Bayfield Rev Dolson Jan 10, 2021
The Lord be with you … and also with you.
Remember… if you need to access the church building be sure to follow the pandemic protocols with face masks, hand sanitizer. Be sure to put your name and contact information on the Contact Tracing List.
We are thankful to Jean Walker, organist, for her efforts in performing the hymns for the YouTube video. Remember to go to the end of the printed material for the lyrics to the hymns. This worship service is on our website https://pccweb.ca/knoxbayfieldpc/ and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTYgIPqvkMsDNal0b1gCiPg
The focus of the Mission Moment … highlights the PCCWeb Presence for Congregations and Ministries
Your gifts to Presbyterians Sharing equip congregations and groups of the PCC with simple and easily maintained websites through PCCWeb—a free web hosting and technical support service provided by the PCC Communications Office.
A website extends the ministry and mission of a congregation beyond church walls. Our congregations use this service which provides congregants with the ability to stay connected. Visitors have the opportunity to learn more about the congregation. Presbyterian Sharing helps us to stay connected.
All are welcome to join in the Knox Spiritual Study 2 – 3 pm on Sunday. Our winter study will focus on Learning to Walk in the Dark from Barbara Brown Taylor. Join in the conversation on Zoom! We have several copies of the book $24 at Knox Bayfield Contact Rev Lisa Dolson for Zoom instructions (519) 572 [dash] 8529 revlisa [dot] knoxbayfield [at] icloud [dot] com
The PCC website includes a new young adult series, The Weight of Waiting. https://presbyterian.ca/yas/
Your contributions to the church and its ongoing work are appreciated. Your regular offerings allow the church to continue its good work. The Knox Bayfield Session and Finance committee are diligent in their efforts to minimize expenses and meet financial commitments. Our updated financial reports indicate December income $6,920 and expenses in $5,551 with a year-to-date deficit of $4,471.
The Knox Bayfield Session will meet on January 11th and the Knox Goderich Session will meet on January 25th
Praying for Victims of Violence in Nigeria[1]
Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist group n Northeastern Nigeria, claim responsibility for an armed assault on a Secondary School in Katsina, Nigeria. More than 330 students are missing.
The targeting of children follows a history of violence by Boko Haram. They have claimed the lives of thousands of people and displaced millions. Boko Haram were responsible for the 2014 kidnapping of 234 girls in Nigeria.
We pray for the wellbeing and safe return of the missing students and for their families. We remember those who have been displaced by conflict, and pray for the wellbeing and peace of all who are caught in the violence of hatred and fear, whether perpetrator or victim.
Call to Worship Matthew 11:28–29
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls
Assurance of Pardon
This is the good news. Christ is the light of the world who grants forgiveness and healing of our sin. Thanks be to God.
May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you.
Hymn # 291 Thou Whose Almighty Word
Prayer For Illumination Mark 1:10–11
Send down your Holy Spirit, O God—tear open the veil of heaven and speak to us as beloved children so that we may hear and believe the good news of your Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Readings:
Genesis 1:1–5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1–7; Mark 1:4–11
The beginning
We continue to live in the midst of the COVID pandemic and in the midst of a lockdown in Ontario. This pandemic has changed so much of what we do on a daily basis. Our social connections have become more than physically distanced. Oddly, we meet on screens to connect with one another and to do our work. We meet one another outdoors or in public places with masks that cover half of our faces. We do not touch or embrace. We no longer run our fingers over things in public. Our senses are restrained in many ways. Our sense of smell, our tactile senses are restrained as we keep our hands and our faces to ourselves.
Our readings about creation, John the Baptizer and Paul’s letters remind us of that the scriptures are earthy, grounded in the real, tactile world. The passage from Mark’s gospel takes place at the Jordan River. We can pause to imagine the odours… the river water, the crowd, the wildlife, John in his camel hair clothing and locust diet. Perhaps Mark’s description reminds of the earthiness of this event in order to ground our spirituality in the earthiness of God’s creation. The grittiness of life, the reality of the shift that baptism brings into our spirituality.
In Genesis, God commanded creation into being. We understand God as an active God. God speaks and events happen. This text affirms that life and order are dependent upon the creative acts of God.
In our readings today, we began with … In the beginning when the wind of God swept over the face of the waters… and then we continue in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus was baptized in the waters of the Jordan.
The Torah, the prophets, all prepare the way. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Miriam, King David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the baptizer all prepared the way. John declares that Jesus has the authority to baptize with the Holy Spirit. In the chapters that follow, we will see Jesus act out that authority—the authority to teach, the authority to heal and cast out demons, and the authority to heal physical illness.
The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River recalls what God did in the beginning … in Jesus we find the embodiment of heaven and earth, divine and human.
In our own baptism, we are reborn of water into the holy promise of God’s loving grace.
Each year the first Sunday after Epiphany comes at the start of the new year. A time when we have a restart, a time to reflect on the past and a time to live with hope in the present. We are mindful of the beginning of creation. In Genesis, God sees that the light on the waters is good. When creation is formed and humankind is formed, God sees it as good.
John the baptizer marks the arrival of Jesus. His way of living reminds us of the wilderness with his odd clothing and wild honey. We are mindful of God calling the Hebrews out of Egypt, out of slavery and into their lengthy wandering in the wilderness in their journey to the promised land. John baptized people in the Jordan, which acts as a natural border between wilderness and rich fertile land.
When Jesus was baptised and rose up out of the waters of the Jordan, the heavens are torn apart. Isaiah’s prayer, that God would tear open the heavens and come down , is answered. The promise of a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert is fulfilled. God declared at his baptism, “This is my beloved child, with whom I am well pleased.”
In the book of Acts, Paul explained that John’s baptism of repentance looks forward to Jesus. Hearing this, the Ephesians were baptized by Paul in the name of Jesus, and when Paul laid hands on them, “the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied”
The divine gift of the Spirit is joined with the commitment to live in the way of Christ. The Spirit nudges and strengthens believers to participate in mission, to give voice to their faith, and to witness the truth.
In Luke’s Gospel and in Acts, to prophesy is to speak about the present, to speak on behalf of God’s work in the world. When this is done with the power of the Spirit it can change the world.
Jesus told his disciples that the Spirit would be with them … “do not worry about… what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say”
Baptism by the Holy Spirit gave the power to proclaim the gospel with boldness in tongues that all could understand.
This gift of prophecy continues to call us to proclaim God’s good news to the poor and liberation to captives. This gift empowers us to speak truth to the powerful, to confront the authorities within the world. The Spirit inspires people to risk their lives for the sake of the good news. We are called to trust that with God … nothing is impossible. This Spirit is a powerful wind that breathes through our very beings, inspiring us to accomplish more than we can imagine. How is the Spirit moving in your life today? Praise be to God
Hymn # 404 O spirit come, our hearts inspire
The Offering Of Our Life And Labour To The Lord
Quote: It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.
Mother Teresa (1910–1997), Catholic missionary to India
The earth belongs to God, our creator; every good thing is a gift from the Lord.
Let us glorify God through the gifts of our lives. Let us offer our gifts with gratitude and joy with boldness and confidence through faith in Christ.
Blessing Of Gifts & Prayers Of The People
All-glorious God, maker of heaven and earth, we ask for strength and peace.
We pray for the world you have made. Move again over the troubled waters,
steeped in chemicals and stained with blood. Where carelessness and violence bring chaos may your Spirit move people to restore order, goodness, and life.
We pray for the church you have redeemed. Renew the gifts of your Spirit in us
Where we have been divided – make us one in the baptism we share.
We pray for the people you have created. . . May the leaders of all nations gain wisdom to know what is good. Where people are poor and hungry may there be justice and daily bread. We pray for the loved ones you have given us. . . .
Bless our families, friends, and neighbors. May they find your nurture and peace when there is trouble and danger. Where there is sorrow, sickness, or suffering
send your Spirit of comfort.
We give you thanks, O God, for every blessing and spiritual gift you have poured out upon us. May the gifts of our lives be a source of blessing in your world,
all to the glory of your holy name.
Almighty God, you have made us for a holy purpose, to comfort and care for each other. There are many within our church family in need of your special care at this time. We lift up Ron, Sandy, Peggy, Betty Lou, Jane, Bonnie, Jessie, Marlene, Rob, Courtney, and Grace’s daughter Lisa. We lift up all those who prefer to remain un-named as they face immense challenges of health and finances.
We lift up the care-givers and those who receive care during the pandemic. We pray that your Spirit will linger with your people during this challenging time. A time of isolation that has left many feeling fragmented and in despair. May they sense your protective love. Through Christ, with Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, we magnify you, almighty God.
O holy One, we pray for clarity, passion, and true fellowship to awake us to your presence. May your face shine upon the church and all this weary world. We pray
in the name of the One born in a manger, who taught his disciples to pray…
Our Father who art in heaven, hallow’ed 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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
# 727 Let there be light
HYMN: # 705 God, who made the earth
Benediction Gen. 1:3; Ps. 29:2
May faithfulness and righteousness spring up as you walk in the way of peace.
May the blessing of God, Living Word, and Holy Comforter be with you now and always. Amen
Postlude Let There Be Peace on Earth
Questions for Reflection
What is the difference between baptism with water alone (Acts 19:3, Mark 1:8) and baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:4–5, Mark 1:8)? Why is it important to use water in baptism? What does water mean in your daily life? What difference does the Holy Spirit make in baptism? What difference does the Holy Spirit make in your daily life?
Morning Prayer
Living God, maker of light, thank you for the gift of this day. Let me be a light in your world so that people will look at me and see the goodness of your creation; in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Evening Prayer
Living God, maker of light, thank you for the gift of this night. Let me be at peace in your presence so that I may rest, be restored, and arise to praise your glory; in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Daily Prayer Gen. 1:1; Ps. 29:9; Acts 19:5–7; Mark 1:8
God of heaven and earth, we gather in the name of Jesus to hear your holy Word and to be immersed in your Spirit. Speak to us with grace and truth and pour out your love upon us so that this temple may resound with joyful shouts of glory; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture readings next week: 1 Samuel 3:1-20; Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51
291 Thou Whose Almighty Word
Words: J Marriott Music: F de Giardini, CS Lang
Thou whose almighty word chaos and darkness heard
And took their flight, hear us, we humbly pray, and where the
Gospel day sheds not its glorious ray let there be light
Saviour who came to bring on they redeeming wing
Healing and sight, health to the sick in mind, sight to the
Inly blind, now to all huma kind let there be light
Spirit of truth and love, life-gibing, holy Dove,
Speed forth thy flight; mover o’er the waters’ face, bearing the
Lamp of grace and in earth’s darkest place let there be light
Blessed and holy Three, glorious Trinity
Wisdom, Love, Might, boundless as oceans tide rolling in
Fullest pride, though the world, far and wide, let there be light
404 O spirit come, our hearts inspire Lyrics: C Wesley Music: T Tallis
O Spirit, come; our hearts inspire; let us thin influence prove,
Source of the old prophetic fire and fount of life and love
Come, Holy Spirit, for in thee thy prophets wrote and spoke
Unlock the truth, thyself the key; unseal the sacred book
Expand thy wings, celestial Dove; brood o’er our natures’s night
On our disordered spirits move, and let there now be light
God’s very self we then shall know, if thou within us shine,
And sound with all thy saints below the depths of love divine
#705 God, who made the earth Lyrics: S Bett Rhodes Music: C Bonner
God, who made the earth, The air the sky, the sea,
Who gave the light its birth, Still cares for me.
God, who made the grass, The flower, the fruit, the tree,
The day and night to pass, Still cares for me.
God, who made the sun, The moon, the stars we see,
Who sees life‘s clouds come on, Still cares for me.
God, who made all things, On earth, in air, in sea,
Who changing seasons brings, Still cares for me.
#727 Let there be light
Lyrics: FW Davis Music: RJB Fleming
Let there be light; let there be understanding
Let all the nations gather; let them be face to face
Open our lips; open our minds to ponder
Open the door of concord, opening into grace
Perish the sword; perish the angry judgement
Perish the bombs and hunger; perish the fight for gain
Hallow our love; hallow the deaths of martyrs
Hallow their holy freedom; hallowed be your name
Your kingdom come; your Spirit turn to language
Your people speak together; your spirit never fade
Let there be light; open our hearts to wonder
Perish the way of terror; hallow the world God made
#299 Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea,
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert and art and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide thee,
though our eyes in sinfulness thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love and purity.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
all thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.
[1] https://presbyterian.ca/2020/12/17/praying-for-victims-of-violence-in-nigeria/