EBENEZER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
4901
Woodbine Road
Sykesville,
Maryland 21784
(410)795-6136
Rev.
Judith A. Emerson, Pastor
January 8, 2012
8:30 AM and 11:00 AM
Baptism of
the Lord Sunday
Order of Worship
PRELUDE Prelude
on “O Morning Star” Chesterton
LIGHTING THE CANDLES
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
*CALL
TO WORSHIP
Let the heavens declare the glory
of the Lord!
Let us give unto the Lord all
glory and praise
Let our
lives declare the glory due to our merciful God!
For the voice of God fills our
ears with its beauty and strength.
Let us lift our voices in praise for
God's kindness and mercy!
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
*HYMN “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” UMH No. 89
PRAYER
Almighty and merciful God, in Jesus we saw
a life of perfect commitment. Even when faced with danger, from His baptism to
the cross, Jesus never strayed from Your will. Help us
to be faithful, Lord. In Christ we pray. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 1:1-5 OT pg.
1
ANTHEM (8:30 AM) “Great, Great Joy” Chancel Choir
(11:00 AM) Cherub Choir
Joyful Noise Choir
CHILDREN’S SERMON (11:00 AM) Sandy Biddinger
EPISTLE Acts
19:1-7
NT pgs. 130-131
HYMN “Spirit Song” UMH No. 347
GOSPEL Mark 1:4-11 NT pgs. 32-33
The Gospel of Mark begins with the
ministry of John the Baptist. He is the messenger spoken of in the scriptures,
the voice which cries out in the wilderness. He is sent to prepare the way of
the Lord through his call for repentance and baptism in water for the
forgiveness of sins. The people flock to him, but he tells of a mightier one
still to come who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
HYMN “Jesus,
Name Above All Names” TFWS No. 2071
SERMON “We Cater to Clutter” Rev. Judy Emerson
HYMN “When Jesus Came to Jordan” UMH No. 252
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Joys and Concerns
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. For thine is
the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever. Amen.
THE GIFTS OF THE PEOPLE
Offertory
*Presentation of Gifts
*Doxology UMH No. 94
*Prayer of Dedication
Loving God, may
these gifts that we gladly lay upon your altar enable ministries that support
those in need. We pray with praise and
thanksgiving offering ourselves and our gifts to your service. In Jesus’ name
we pray. Amen
*HYMN “Shall We Gather at the River” UMH No. 723
*DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING
*POSTLUDE
To Our Visitors
Welcome to Ebenezer United Methodist Church! We are so happy you are
visiting today. It is our prayer that you will feel the warmth of our church
family spirit, and that you will experience God’s presence in a mighty way as
you worship with us this morning.
We
offer a nursery during worship for infants through kindergarten. The nursery is located down the hall in our
education wing. Our staff will certainly come and get you if your child needs
you. Please feel free to utilize this ministry of our church.
It
would be helpful if you would sign the attendance roster on the end of the pew
and complete a Welcome Card and place it in the offering plate. We would like
to keep in touch and help you learn more about Ebenezer UMC. We are blessed by
your presence with us this morning.
This Week
|
Day |
Event |
Time |
|
Monday |
Feed
My Sheep |
10:30
AM |
|
Tuesday |
Stephen
Ministry meeting |
7:30
PM |
|
Wednesday |
Choir
practice |
6:00-8:30
PM |
Guess What’s New in Your Pew?
We no
longer have attendance cards
We are
returning to the attendance roster!
Please
sign the book and pass it down the pew!
Special Prayer Requests cards are in the pew rack
in
addition to our prayer request board in the narthex.
Fill out
a card when needed and place it in the offering plate.
Stephen Ministry Cards are now available for your
information!
Welcome Cards are in the pew rack
for our Visitors to
complete and place in the offering plate.
End
of Year Financial Statements for Your Taxes
If you would like a giving statement for the total contributions you
have made to Ebenezer UMC in 2011, please make a note on the attendance roster
next to your name and a statement will be prepared for you.
CHURCH PLANNING MEETING
Our annual church planning meeting will be on Saturday, January 21 from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM. All are welcome to attend and hear about what we accomplished this past year here at Ebenezer and help as we make plans for 2012. We will hear reports from the various committees and look over the goals we set at our Charge Conference. Please bring a breakfast item to share as we will eat while we work!
Essential One-Hundred for 2012
Bible Reading Plan
You will find a special bookmark in your bulletin today about the Essential 100. This is a carefully selected list of short Bible passages – 50 from the Old Testament and 50 from the New Testament. Most are about 1-2 chapters in length, just the right amount for a busy person to read in a few minutes. They’re organized into 20 sets of 5 readings each, so you can easily get the big picture of the Bible without getting overwhelmed.
Whether you are new to the Bible or you’ve been reading it for years, by following this plan for your personal daily or weekly devotions, you will discover that this is a unique and meaningful way to get an overview of the Bible’s message. Portions of The Essential One-Hundred will be used as a guide for a Lenten Study this year. As you read through the Bible remember that your goal is not to just make it through, rather, it is to gain further insight and to draw closer to God by becoming more spiritually disciplined.
MISSION POSSIBLE
Heidi Davis will be serving as a volunteer Missionary to the Children of Zion Village in Namibia from January 11 through March, 2012. Children of Zion, Inc. is an organization committed to providing for all of the children at the Children of Zion Village. They are committed to providing food, shelter, clothing, medical care, education and love as they share the stories of Jesus with them and teach them of God’s love. Several children have medical needs requiring ongoing care.
If you wish to make a financial contribution to support the ongoing cost of food, shelter, clothing and medical expenses, it would be very much appreciated.
Please make your check payable to Ebenezer UMC and be
sure to include a notation that reads: Children of Zion Village. You may leave
your check in the church office.