FEBRUARY 2, 2020 THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD AT THE TEMPLE 8:15 AM IN THE HOLMES CHAPEL 10:30 AM IN THE SANCTUARY THE REVEREND DR. THOMAS H. YORTY PASTOR Worship in the Sanctuary • 10:30 AM Welcome to this Place of Christian Worship Do not wait for someone else to begin worship. Pray silently for yourself, for those about you, for the poor and the oppressed, for those present, for those who will shortly lead our common worship. Latecomers may enter the Sanctuary during the singing of the first hymn or during the Response to the Assurance. Ushers are available for assistance. Please turn off all cell phones. All Children will meet in the Holmes Chapel at 10:30 AM for Children’s Worship. They will join their families at the end of the service. Opening Voluntary Variations on HYFRYDOL Albert Travis (b. 1940) It is the tradition of this congregation to remain silent during the Opening Voluntary as we collectively prepare for worship. Welcome and Announcements Dr. Yorty Order of Worship Chiming of the Trinity The sounding of the chimes, invoking Creator, Son, and Holy Spirit, is an invitation to prepare for worship through a time of silent reflection. Please be respectful of those who are praying. Introit Entrance Responsory Gerre Hancock The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him The Lord preserve thy going out and thy coming in; from this time forth and evermore. Almighty and ever-living God, we humbly pray that, As your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, So we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Call to Worship The people stand and remain standing for the hymn that follows: Hymn in Procession, No. 376 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling HYFRYDOL Call to Confession Prayer of Confession God, we have not done what is blameless and right, Nor spoken truth from the heart with love. We do not keep your word, and when we participate in gossip, Our words and deeds cause pain. Forgive us by the power of your mercy, That we might stand in the goodness of Christ And walk in the light of his love. Amen. Time for silent prayer. Kyrie The people sing. Thomas Pavlechko (b. 1961) -2- Assurance of Pardon Response The people stand to sing. Passing the Peace of Christ The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. Please share the peace of Christ with your neighbors. Prayer for Illumination Psalm Psalm 84:1-8 Peter Hallock‡ (1924-2014) 1How dear to me is your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.2 The sparrow has found her a house and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 3Happy are they who dwell in your house! they will always be praising you. 4Happy are the people whose strength is in you! whose hearts are set on the pilgrims’ way. 5Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a place of springs, for the early rains have covered it with pools of water. 6They will climb from height to height, and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion. 7Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; hearken, O God of Jacob. 8Behold our defender, O God; and look upon the face of your Anointed. Scripture Lesson Micah 6:1-8 1Hear what the Lord says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. 2Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. 3‘O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! 4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.’ 6‘With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’ 8He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Gospel Acclamation The people stand. -3- Gospel Lesson The people stand. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, Lord Christ. Matthew 5:1-12 1When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ. Gospel Acclamation Sermon Living Beatitudes Rev. Hennessy Hymn, No. 5 The people stand to sing. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence PICARDY Invitation to the Offering Offertory Anthem O How Amiable Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) O how amiable are thy dwellings, thou Lord of hosts! My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found her a house and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young: Even thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house. They will be always praising thee. The glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us; Prosper thou the work of our hands upon us. O prosper thou our handiwork. O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home. The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper It is the practice of this congregation to welcome all baptized persons, including those children whose parents have given their permission, to join in receiving the elements. Unfermented grape juice is used. Invitation Great Prayer of Thanksgiving The Lord be with you. And also with you Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. -4- It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and praise, God of majesty and splendor. By your power you created all that is, making a universe out of chaos, and ruling over all things in love. Throughout the ages you called your people to love and serve you, and to be your light among the nations. When we failed you, you did not fail us and sent prophets to call us back to your ways. We praise you that in the fullness of time, you revealed your love by sending your Son Jesus to be the Light of the world. He came to heal our brokenness and to set before us the ways of justice and peace. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with angels and archangels and with all the faithful of every time and place, who forever sing to the glory of your name: The people sing. You are holy, O God of majesty, and blessed is Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord. He was born to dwell among us, full of grace and truth; in him we have seen your glory. He lived for you, spoke your truth, and showed your love. Lavished with gifts from the magi, he gave his life for others. Baptized by John in the Jordan, he poured out his mercy for all. Turning water into wine at a wedding, he transformed sorrow into joy. In his death on the cross, he overcame death. Rising from the tomb, he raised us to eternal life, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. Remembering your gracious acts in Jesus Christ, we take from your creation this bread and this wine and joyfully celebrate his dying and rising as we await the day of his coming.