Worship at Home for
January 3, 2021
Due to the spread of Covid-19, we are taking a sabbatical from our normal Sunday morning gathering, but unity and community are more important than ever before in this season of uncertainty. To help facilitate this, we are providing an online service so that, one in heart, we can worship together even as we maintain distance out of love for our neighbors. This is designed to be used on your own or together as a family or community. We hope this resource is a blessing to you. Remember to check in on friends and neighbors with calls or text, especially the elderly among us and others who are particularly vulnerable. You can also check out the services from 3/15, 3/22, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24, 5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9. 8/16, 8/23, 8/31, 9/6, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, 11/15, 11/22, 11/29, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20, and 12/27.
Opening Songs
Centering Song
Call to Worship
Praise the Lord, O people!
For God strengthens the weak and blesses the children.
God grants peace and gives abundance for all.
God has created all things through the Word, and sustains the goodness of creation.
Hymns of Adoration
Seeking the Shalom of the City
ANTIRACIST ADJUSTMENT FOR THE WEEK of 1/3/2021
“What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8
To begin 2021, we’ll be exploring the book “I Bring the Voices of My People” by Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes who is the Associate Professor of Practical Theology at the Mercer University McAfee School of Theology. In her publication, Dr. Walker-Barnes presents a Womanist vision of racial reconciliation which centers the experience of black women and their intersectional perspective on systemic racism, reconciliation movements and white supremacy.
In season 4 of The Distillery, which is a podcast produced by Princeton Seminary as part of the Thread, Dr. Walker-Barnes shares some of her insights and observations after years of racial justice work. She offers a course enhancement to the Christian church’s paradigm of racial reconciliation focused on the building/growing of relationships between black and white individuals and on forgiveness flowing from the victim to the oppressor. She notes that relationships built on unequal power dynamics will not lead to equity. Dr. Walker-Barnes challenges the Church to actively engage systemic racism and to advocate for restorative care for all.
Reimagining Racial Reconciliation — The Thread (ptsem.edu)
As you sit with this week’s offering, remember to pay attention to the sensations that arise in your body and to where they are located. Do you notice agitation, constriction, release, pressure, energy, numbness, relaxation, warmth, coolness, softness, tightness? What statements resonate and which ones challenge? No judgment or analysis, just notice and let them go.
Body Settling/Soothing Practice: Humming (“My Grandmother’s Hands” page 142)
Pick a simple melody that feels comforting to your body such as the hymn Amazing Grace. Hum the first stanza all the way through from beginning to end using deep belly breaths. Repeat two more times. When you’re done stop and pay attention to how your body feels. What body sensations have changed from before you started humming? What has stayed the same?
Please feel free to forward any thoughts to me at the email listed below or by requesting to join the private Facebook group Antiracist Adjustments with the following link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1819196591561542/?ref=share . Blessings as you continue your antiracism spiritual practice.
(submitted by Pat Deeney, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Trenton NJ, pjdeeney@hotmail.com)
Call to Confession and Reconciliation
In this season of Christmas, we are reminded that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. Yet we are fearful and anxious; we do not trust in the light of God — the Word of God made flesh. Let us therefore confess our sin, trusting God’s promise of light and grace.
O God, you create and sustain all things by your Word. Your love is manifest throughout your good creation. Indeed, your Word became flesh and dwelt among us, so that we might see, hear and know you in ways never before possible. But we do not always trust in that revelation and in your sustaining power. We sometimes doubt that your abundant love will overcome hatred in our world. Forgive our disbelief. Have mercy upon us for our failure to abide in Christ and to walk in his light. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Hear the good news: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, and from that fullness we have all received grace upon grace. And to all who receive this good news, who believe in Jesus’ name, God grants power to become children of God — power to participate in God’s own life. Bear that family resemblance into the life of the world, for we are forgiven and restored to walk in the light, set on right paths of justice and peace.
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Reading by
Jacque Howard
Sermon by Pastor Karen
Hymn of Response
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven
Hallowed be Your name
Your kingdom come
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever
Amen.
Offering
Even as we are unable to gather for our Sunday morning worship services, many of the church’s expenses remain the same, and now more than ever we want to have the resources to bless the community around us. Your gracious donation will ensure that Westminster continues to Seek the Shalom of the Capital City of Trenton and beyond.
Westminster can receive donations via a simple text:
Text to 609-438-8828 the word “Give”
Westminster’s online giving number will respond asking how much you’d like to give, and steps to follow
Westminster can receive donations online:
Westminster can receive donations by check:
Westminster Presbyterian Church
PO Box 3719
Trenton, NJ 08629
Prayer of Dedication
Jesus, we hear your voice calling us
To love
To serve
To give
These gifts are our response to your call
Keep our hearts and ears open to continue to listen
Today and every day
Amen
Closing Song
Benediction
The Lord be with you
And also with you
La paz de Dios sea con-ti-go
Y tam-bien con-ti-go
Sa-wa-bona
Si-ko-na
Pyeong-hwa
Pyeong-hwa