Second Sunday After the Epiphany
Human Relations Day
PRELUDE ~“All Are Welcome” ~Rebecca Nelson, Piano
[by Marty Haugen]
GREETING FROM THE PULPIT
CALL TO WORSHIP ~Evia Briggs Moore, Liturgist
Leader: We gather virtually, from our homes far and near;
People: We come to experience the Good News of Jesus.
Leader: We connect with one another on this Human Relations Day,
People: Connecting to experience each other’s humanity.
Leader: Come and see the one proclaimed by Moses and the prophets.
People: Following Jesus, we invite others to come and see the promise of Beloved Community.
HYMN ~“I am the Light of the World” ~Jim & Jean Strathdee
I am the light of the world; you people come and follow me
if you follow and love, you’ll learn the mystery of what you were meant to do and be.
When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and the shepherds have found their way home
the work of Christmas is begun….
I am the light of the world; you people come and follow me
if you follow and love, you’ll learn the mystery of what you were meant to do and be.
CHILDREN’S TIME ~Alan Cook
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE….PASTORAL PRAYER….THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our God in heaven, your name is holy. Your kindom come, your will be done, on earth as 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 yours is the kindom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
PRAYER RESPONSE ~“Lead me, Lord” ~UMH #473
[Music: Samuel Sebastian Wesley]
SCRIPTURE READING ~John 1:43-51 ~Evia Briggs Moore, Liturgist
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
SERMON ~“Come and See: Ella Baker” ~Jan Everhart Hartliff
GIFT OF MUSIC ~“Ella’s Song” ~ Sweet Honey in the Rock VocalEssence Chorus 2010
[Words by Ella Baker; Music by Bernice Johnson Reagon; used by permission of VocalEssence, vocalessence.org]
We who believe in freedom cannot rest; we who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes.
Until the killing of a black man, black mother’s son
becomes as important as the killing of a white man, white mother’s son
That which touches me most is that I had a chance to work with people
passing on to others that which was passed on to me
To me young people come first, they have the courage where we fail
and if I can but shed some light as they carry us through the vale
the older I get the better I know that the secret of my going on
is when the reins are in the hands of the young,
who dare to run against the storm
Not needing to clutch for power not needing the light just to shine on me
I need to be one in the number as we stand against tyranny
Struggling myself doesn’t mean a whole lot, I’ve come to realize
that teaching others to stand up and fight is the
only way my struggle survives
I’m a woman who speaks in a voice and I must be heard
at times I can be most difficult, I’ll bow to no man’s word
We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes…
WORSHIP WITH TITHES AND OFFERINGS
This morning we share with United Methodists around the country in the first special offering of 2021. The Human Relations Day offering supports programs that promote racial justice. From the Philippines to West Congo to Alameda, California, Human Relations Day funds support programs to help create community and to lift people out of poverty.
OFFERTORY ~“Introspection” ~Rebecca Nelson, Organ
[By Richard Purvis]
PRAYER OF DEDICATION AND BENEDICTION
SONG OF SENDING FORTH ~“Shalom to You” ~United Methodist Hymnal #666
Shalom to you now, shalom, my friends.
May God’s full mercies bless you, my friends.
In all your living and through your loving,
Christ be your shalom, Christ be your shalom.