Order of Worship

29 December 2024

Welcome to Shadow Rock United Church of Christ!

We do not promise answers but we pledge

faithfulness to walk with each other and nurture

trust in the deep goodness of life.

WELCOME TO SHADOW ROCK UCC!

Prelude ~

Shared by Travis Meyers

WELCOME! Thanks for making Shadow Rock your chosen

spiritual family.

GATHERING IN THE SPIRIT’S PRESENCE

Centering Affirmation:

Welcome and Announcements

Led by Pastor Ken

Opening Words

One: Who are we and what are we called to do?

All: We are the sensitive and responsive ones

called to create a world where every person

is radically affirmed and barriers between

people become bridges of inclusion, justice,

and spirituality.

Call to Worship

Led by Pastor Ken

(Please stand in body, mind, or spirit)

"What brings you joy?"

We know that joy has a contagious ripple effect, so today for our call to worship, we are going to share our joy. I invite you to close your eyes now. Picture the things in your life that bring you joy. It could be something as simple as a warm cup of coffee on a cold morning, or as grand as a person, a place, or an experience.

Now take a moment to reflect on this question: What brings you joy?

Now, I invite you to open your eyes and turn and find someone sitting next to you. Share with one another what brings you joy in your life. Talk amongst yourselves for a few minutes.

Shadow Rock Family of faith, tell me: what are some of the thingsthat bring you joy? Yell it out!

Singing Our Faith ~ Hey! Hey! Anybody Listening!

Chorus

Hey! Hey! Anybody listening?

Hey! Hey! Anybody there?

Hey! Hey! Anybody listening?

Anybody care?

1. We’ve got good news, good news, good news, good news:

Christ the Lord will soon be found here!

Good news, good news, good news, good news:

Let’s help spread the news around here!

If I had a drum I’d drum it, a mandolin I’d strum it,

A humming bird hum I’d hum it,

Everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.

Chorus

2. People come on, come on, come on, come on:

Let’s sing out for Mary’s son here!

Come on, come on, come on, come on:

He’ll bring joy for every one here!

If I had a harp I’d twang it, a tambourine I’d bang it,

A fireman’s bell I’d clang it,

Everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.

Chorus

3. Come on, sing out, sing out, sing out, sing out!

Tell the world about his birth now!

Sing out, sing out, sing out, sing out!

Loud and clear to all the earth now!

If I had a chime I’d ring it, a finger cymbal ching it,

We’ve got this song let’s sing it,

Everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere

Chorus

Hey! Hey! Anybody listening?

Hey! Hey! Anybody there?

Hey! Hey! Anybody listening?

CALL TO CONFESSION

Friends, one of the most inherently joyful and beauƟful

moments in our Ɵme together comes through the moment of

confession. For when we are honest with God in the prayer we open ourselves up to receive God’s grace and mercy. And that giŌ—that grace—is full to the brim with good news! So join me in this prayer of confession, not out of shame or guilt, but because there is healing and a joy on the other side of this prayer that will take your breath away. Let us pray together; let us choose joy.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Joyful God, You told us that in order to enter the kingdom of

heaven, we must be like children. Did you mean that like

children, we must pracƟce unhindered joy? Did you mean that like children, we should lean into laughter, release our

cynicism, and open ourselves to delight? In a world as broken and baƩered as ours, we admit, this oŌen seems easier said than done. Forgive us, paƟent God, for the moments when we are so focused on the bad that we miss the good. Forgive us for hearing the naƟvity story and staying in our seats instead of jumping for joy. We know that even now you are sowing delight in our lives. Open our hearts up to it. With graƟtude we pray, amen.

WORDS OF FORGIVENESS

Friends, hear and believe the good news of the Gospel: We are seen. We are loved. We are forgiven. That is news worth

celebraƟng! That is news that should make us want to cheer,

laugh, cry with relief, dance, and sing all at the same Ɵme! So in response to God’s goodness, I invite you to rise in body or spirit.

Let us make a joyful noise for God’s abundant love and peace.

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o’er the plains

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Prayer for Illumination

Shared by Pastor Ken

LESSON ONE/LISTEN FOR JOY Isaiah 9:2-3

The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness—

on them light has shined.

You have mulƟplied the naƟon,

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with joy at the harvest,

as people exult when dividing plunder.

For the yoke of their burden,

and the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor,

you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For all the boots of the tramping warriors

and all the garments rolled in blood

shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

For a child has been born for us,

a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

and he is named

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,

EverlasƟng Father, Prince of Peace.

SING WITH JOY ~ Go Tell It On the Mountain

Go, tell it on the mountain,

over the hills and everywhere.

Go, tell it on the mountain

that Jesus Christ is born.

Down in a lowly manger

our humble Christ was born,

and God sent us salvaƟon,

that blessed Christmas morn.

Chorus

When I am a seeker,

I seek both night and day.

I seek the Lord to help me,

and He shows me the way.

Chorus

God made me a watchman

upon the city wall,

and if I am a light

I am the least of all.

Chorus

PRACTICE OF JOY WITH OUR CHILDREN

LESSON TWO/LISTEN FOR JOY Psalm 148

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

praise him in the heights!

Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!

Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!

Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the

heavens!

Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,

fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!

Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!

Wild animals and all caƩle, creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the

earth!

Young men and women alike, old and young together!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his glory is above earth and heaven.

He has raised up a horn for his people,

praise for all his faithful,

for the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the Lord!

SING WITH JOY ~ O Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant, and

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold him,

Born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore him,

O Come, let us adore him,

Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exultaƟon,

Sing, all ye ciƟzens of heaven above;

Glory to God

In the highest

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

Christ the Lord!

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning

Jesus, to Thee be glory given

Word of the Father

Now in flesh appearing

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

Christ the Lord!

PRACTICE OF JOY WITH EACH OTHER

(Passing the Peace)

Celebrations

Led by Pastor Ken

Special Music for Thinking of You Cards

~ Shared by Travis Meyers

In the pew racks are cards with the title “Thinking Of You”. Please use these cards to write a note to someone so they know they are remembered and cared for. Put the card in the offering plate when it comes by and the church office will forward the cards to the person you addressed in the card. This was one of the elements of our time together you lifted up as important for all of us. Thank you! 

LESSON THREE/LISTEN FOR JOY Isaiah 55

For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you

shall burst into song,

and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;

instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;

and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,

for an everlasƟng sign that shall not be cut off.

SING WITH JOY Away In a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The liƩle Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,

The liƩle Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

The caƩle are lowing, the baby awakes,

But liƩle Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky

And stay by my cradle Ɵl morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,

And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there.

PRACTICE OF JOY IN PRAYER AND GIVING

Friends, so far this morning we have leaned into the good news and the cheer of this season through music, fellowship,

connection, and scripture. To that list, we will now add prayer.

One thing that we know to be true is that we are surrounded by sources of joy and reminders of God’s goodness. However, those countless gifts can be easy to miss in the hustle and bustle of our lives. So today, we are going to name the things that inspire gratitude. I invite you to take the paper squares at the end of your aisle. While the music plays, write down a few sources of joy in your life that you want to thank God for. These gratitude prayers could be as simple as, “God, thank you for my brother, who always makes me laugh,” or as deep as, “God, thank you for the ability to experience joy in a world that so often feels broken.” When you have finished writing your gratitude prayers, come forward and hang your paper prayers on the prayer frame.

As you come forward, you can also place your offerings and

thinking of you cards in the offering plates so that in this act we not only give our prayers to God, but our giŌs as well. If it is better for you to remain seated, raise your hand and an usher will collect your prayers and offerings. Friends, I now invite you to close your eyes. Roll your shoulders back. Take a deep breath in, and let it out. Release the tension from your shoulders and jaw. Picture the things in your life that bring you deep joy.

Picture the things that remind you of God’s good news for all. Write them down and let us gather our prayers.

EMPOWERING AND SENDING

WORDS FOR MISSION

One: Shadow Rock Family of faith, in a hurling and lonely

world, in a battered and bruised society, there is good

news: Jesus Christ is born! So as you leave this place,

may you be quick to laugh and quick to hope.

All: May we not hesitate to join in the dance, or join in the

song. May we extend a hand to our neighbor, and find God in every moment of joy.

One: For unto you a child is born. That is good news! So go in peace trusting in that promise. These are the Ɵmes!

All: We are the people!

One: All Creation is blessed.

All: May we love all and serve all.

One: God be with you

All: And also with you.

One: Amen!

All: Amen!

Sending Forth Song ~ Trees of the Field

You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace

The mountains and the hills will break forth before you

There'll be shouts of joy and all the trees of the field

Will clap, will clap their hands

And all the trees of the field will clap their hands

The trees of the field will clap their hands

The trees of the field will clap their hands

While you go out with joy

Thank you for being with us!

Sermon Reboot is ON for today.

This is a time to talk about the message and explore together using the ORID Art Form Conversation methodology. What is ORID? It stands for Observation, Reflection, Interpretation, and Decision. You will get the hang of it.