The View from the Middle: Service outline for Sunday, January 1, 2023

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

Alliance, Ohio

Sunday, January 1, 2023

9:30 AM

PRELUDE Fanfare on “Antioch” Hancock

Confession and Forgiveness

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

HYMN Once in Royal David’s City #269

GREETING

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

Kyrie

Hymn of praise Angels We have Heard on High #289

PRAYER OF THE DAY

CHILDREN’S SERMON

FIRST READING NUMBERS 6:22-27

²²The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ²³Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,
²⁴The Lord bless you and keep you;
²⁵the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
²⁶the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
²⁷So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

PSALM 8

¹O ^| Lord our Lord,
how majestic is your name in ^| all the earth!—
²you whose glory is chanted above the heavens out of the mouths of in- ^| fants and children;
you have set up a fortress against your enemies, to silence the foe ^| and avenger.
³When I consider your heavens, the work ^| of your fingers,
the moon and the stars you have set ^| in their courses,
⁴what are mere mortals that you should be mind- ^| ful of them,
human beings that you should ^| care for them?
⁵Yet you have made them little less ^| than divine;
with glory and hon- ^| or you crown them.
⁶You have made them rule over the works ^| of your hands;
you have put all things un- ^| der their feet:
⁷all ^| flocks and cattle,
even the wild beasts ^| of the field,
⁸the birds of the air, the fish ^| of the sea,
and whatever passes along the paths ^| of the sea.
⁹O ^| Lord our Lord,
how majestic is your name in ^| all the earth!

SECOND READING GALATIANS 4:4-7

⁴When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. ⁶And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

GOSPEL LUKE 2:15-21

¹⁵When 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.” ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

²¹After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

HYMN Cold December Flies Away #299

APOSTLES CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the

forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

Prayers of Intercession, PEACE

OFFERING

Communion Prayer

LORD'S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into

temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen

Distribution of communion

Hymn It Came Upon a Midnight Clear #282