GATHERING MUSIC

This is The Day (traditional)

This is the day
That the Lord has made
We will rejoice
And be glad in it

There’s a Spirit of Love In This Place

There’s a spirit of love in this place,
There’s a spirit of love in this place.
You can’t see it, but it’s there,
Just as precious as the air.
There’s a spirit of love in this place.

There’s the presence of peace in this room,
There’s the presence of peace in this room.
In God’s tenderness is found
Peace that passes human bounds.
There’s the presence of peace in this room.

O alleluia, sing alleluia!
We bless your holy name.
O alleluia, sing alleluia!
There’s a spirit of love in this place.

There’s a space for grace in our hearts,
there’s a space for grace in our hearts.
It’s in learning to forgive that our spirits truly live.
There’s a space for grace in our hearts.

O alleluia, sing alleluia!
We bless your holy name,
O alleluia, sing alleluia!
There’s a space for grace,
there’s the presence of peace,
there’s a spirit of love in this place.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Hyerim & Beth

Hyerim: God is an invitation.
Beth/All: A lure.
Hyerim: A chance to do things differently.
Beth/All: Always before us,
God is the possibility of collective change.
Hyerim: Though everyday ordinary patterns of living
disguise evil and cover over sins of power,
Beth/All: God makes known what is hidden,
calls us to courage, makes us capable of radical solidarity.
Hyerim: We are not left powerless.
Beth/All: Every day there are openings.
Hyerim: Every day a chance to choose what is right.
Beth/All: Every day an opportunity to repattern the world.

Hyerim: Today is a new day of opportunity. Today, God is inviting you, luring you into this community, this season. Today, there is an opening for you. Welcome. You are welcome here.

HYMN OF PRAISE

Welcome

Words: Mark Miller and Laurie Zelman Music: Mark Miller

Let’s walk together for a while and ask where we begin
To build a world where love can grow and hope can enter in.
To be the hands of healing and to plant the seeds of peace,
Singing welcome,

Refrain:
Welcome to this place.
You’re invited to come and know God’s grace.
All are welcome, the love of God to share,
‘Cause all of us are welcome here; all are welcome in this place.

Let’s talk together of a time when we will share a feast,
Where pride and power kneel to serve the lonely and the least,
And joy will set the table as we join our hands to pray,
Singing welcome,

Refrain

Let’s dream together of the day when earth and heaven are one,
A city built of love and light, the new Jerusalem,
Where our mourning turns to dancing, every creature lifts its voice!
Crying welcome!

Refrain

SCRIPTURE

Jene

Isaiah 40:3-9

3 A voice cries out:
‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 Then the glory of God shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of God has spoken.’

6 A voice says, ‘Cry out!’
And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of God blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand for ever.
9 Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
‘Here is your God!’

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.

SONG OF RESPONSE

We Resist – Mark Miller

We Resist, we refuse to let hatred in!
We rise up, we won’t back down!
We’re in this ‘til the end.

Pray for your enemies!
Welcome the stranger!
Show love to your neighbor!
We’re in this ‘til the end.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND REMEMBRANCE

Beth

Eternal God we give thanks for your presence among us today. It is with joy we gather here in this place at the beginning of a brand new year. As we set out on this educational journey together we bring with us excitement and trepidation, curiosity and questions. We remember that surrounding all of us in this room are countless others – mentors, teachers, parents, siblings, family, friends – who have walked with us and who have helped us arrive here at Drew. We give thanks now for this great cloud of witness by saying their names aloud or typing them in the chat online:

The congregation calls names aloud/types names into the chat.

Hear our prayers and our thanksgivings for all whom we have remembered this day – both aloud and in our hearts. May their presence never be far from us. Amen.

BAPTISMAL VOWS

David

One: Our responsive litany is drawn from baptismal vows. These vows, these commitments, are set before all of us – baptized or not – as an act of covenant in community. These vows speak to our communal commitment to love, compassion, service, and justice.

One: On behalf of this community, I ask you:
Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness,
and reject the evil powers of this world?

Many: I do.

One: Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you
to resist evil, injustice, and oppression
in whatever forms they present themselves?

Many: I do.

One: According to the grace given to you,
will you remain faithful members of this community
and serve as a representative of love in the world?

Many: I will.

RESPONSE TO VOWS

Hakuna Wakaita Sa Jesu/“There’s No One Like Jesus”

Hakuna wakaita sa Jesu
Hakuna wakaita sa ye
Hakuna wakaita sa Jesu
Haku, Haku na na!

I’m running, running
Searching, searching
I’m turning, turning
Searching….
Haku Haku na na!

BLESSING

Professor Mark Miller

SENDING FORTH

Hakuna Wakaita Sa Jesu
(reprise)

***

Worship Notes:
Call to Worship adapted from enfleshed. https://enfleshed.com/liturgy/miscellaneous-prayers/