The View from the Middle: Service Outline for Sunday, January 22, 2023

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

Alliance, Ohio

Sunday, January 22, 2023

9:30 AM

PRELUDE O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright Ashdown

Confession and Forgiveness

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

Amen.

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,

who makes all things new,

whose mercy endures forever.

Amen.

Trusting in God’s mercy, let us confess our sin.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy One, source of our renewal,

we confess that we are wrapped up in sin,

and cannot free ourselves.

We have not practiced your righteousness.

Our hearts have turned away from you.

For the sake of the world you so love,

forgive us,

that we may be reconciled to one another

for the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

Thus says our God:

“The former things have come to pass

and new things I now declare.”

God’s mercy makes us new.

We are forgiven in the name of ☩ Christ our Savior.

Amen.

HYMN Thy Strong Word #511 v. 1-4

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 Rise, Shine, You People! #665 v. 1

PRAYER OF THE DAY

CHILDREN’S SERMON

FIRST READING ISAIAH 9:1-4

¹There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time [the Lord] brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. ²The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. ³You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. ⁴For 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.

PSALM 27:1, 4-9 ¹The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then ^| shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I ^| be afraid?
⁴One thing I ask of the Lord; one ^| thing I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek God ^| in the temple.
⁵For in the day of trouble God will ^| give me shelter, hide me in the hidden places of the sanctuary, and raise me high up- ^| on a rock.
⁶Even now my head is lifted up above my enemies ^| who surround me. Therefore I will offer sacrifice in the sanctuary, sacrifices of rejoicing; I will sing and make music ^| to the Lord.
⁷Hear my voice, O Lord, ^| when I call; have mercy on me and ^| answer me.
⁸My heart speaks your message— ^| “Seek my face.” Your face, O Lord, ^| I will seek.
⁹Hide not your face from me, turn not away from your ser- ^| vant in anger. Cast me not away—you have been my helper; forsake me not, O God of ^| my salvation. SECOND READING 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-18

¹⁰Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. ¹¹For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. ¹²What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” ¹³Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. ¹⁸For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

GOSPEL MATTHEW 4:12-23

¹²Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. ¹³He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ¹⁵“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—¹⁶the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” ¹⁷From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ¹⁸As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. ¹⁹And he said to hem, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” ²⁰Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. ²²Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. ²³Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

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

HYMN Will You Come and Follow Me #798

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 I Love to Tell the Story #661