First lesson: Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

Second lesson: Romans 10:8b-13

Gospel lesson: Luke 4:1-13

Gospel Lesson: Luke 6:27-38

FIRST LESSON Psalm 27

SECOND LESSON Philippians 3:17-4:1

First Lesson: Jeremiah 1:4-10

Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

FIRST LESSON 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many,

are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or

Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am

not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the

ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any

less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body

were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a

single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye

cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of

you.”

On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those

members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less

respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do

not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that

there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one

another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice

together with it.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church

first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of

assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all

teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all

interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

GOSPEL LESSON Luke 4:14-21

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread

through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by

everyone.

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the

sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given

to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the

synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled

in your hearing.”

Rev. Katherine preached "Remaining Awake" in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy.

The First Lesson was Isaiah 1:16-18

The Gospel Lesson was John 2:1-11

FIRST LESSON Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void,

and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of

the waters.

SECOND LESSON Revelation 4:11

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.”

 HYMN For the Earth Forever Turning

For the earth forever turning; for the skies, for ev’ry sea;

for our lives, for all we cherish, sing we our joyful song of peace.

For the mountains, hills, and pastures in their silent majesty;

for the stars, for all the heavens, sing we our joyful song of peace.

For the sun, for rain and thunder, for the seasons’ harmony,

for lives, for all creation, sing we our joyful praise to Thee.

For the world we raise our voices, for the home that gives us birth;

in our joy we sing returning home to our blue-green hills of earth.

FIRST GOSPEL LESSON Luke 2:1-7

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This

was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own

towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of

David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to

be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were

there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped

him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

ALL CAROLING (seated) Joy to the World vs. 2 #179

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns; let all their songs employ;

while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy,

repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

SECOND GOSPEL LESSON Luke 2:8-14

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then

an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were

terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see— I am bringing you good news of great

joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the

Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a

manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and

saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace among those whom he favors!’

ALL CAROLING (seated) Joy to the World vs. 3 #179

No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground;

he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found,

far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.

THIRD GOSPEL LESSON Luke 2:15-20

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go

now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So

they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw

this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed

at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her

heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had

been told them.

ALL CAROLING (seated) Joy to the World vs. 4 #179

He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove

the glories of his righteousness, and wonders of his love,

and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.

FIRST LESSON 1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new

birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance

that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the

power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the

genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—

may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe

in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your

faith, the salvation of your souls.

GOSPEL LESSON Luke 15:11-32

Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father,

“Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between

them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and

there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine

took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need.

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to

feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one

gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have

bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will

say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called

your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’”

So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled

with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him,

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your

son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him;

put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and

celebrate; forthis son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began

to celebrate.

‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music

and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has

come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then

he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he

answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have

never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might

celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property

with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!”

Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to

celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and

has been found.”’

FIRST LESSON Jeremiah 29:11-14

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to

give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear

you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find

me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the

places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent

you into exile.

SECOND LESSON Hebrews 11:1-3

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our

ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of

God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.