Answering the Call

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Hymn: O Come, All Ye Faithful
 
Call to Worship
​As we gather as God's children on this Sunday after Christmas, we continue to feel the excitement that comes with the arrival of the Baby Jesus. And although the presents have been opened, the greatest gift of all is here for us to enjoy all year long. As we do our best to look forward to a new year, let us take with us the memories and accomplishments from days past. On this last Sunday of the year help us to reflect on your loving guiding presence that has been with each of us, every day.

Call to Confession
It is in our confession that we realize our desires for God and our hope for God’s mercy. It is in admitting the truth of our lives that we take the first step toward wholeness and healing. So let us make our confession this day.
 
Prayer of Confession
We come to you this day, gracious Lord, exhausted from all the activities of the season. It seems that we spend so much energy, time and resources in preparation, and then when it is over, we collapse. We wonder what happened to all the enthusiasm we had. Lord, forgive us for placing our energies in getting and gathering. Give us peace and strength to renew our commitment to you. Remind us again to look around at the many ways in which we can be of service to you by serving others. We ask it all in your Holy Name. Amen. 

Time of Personal Reflection
 
Assurance of Pardon
In Christ there is no east or west,
In him no south or north,
But one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.
In Jesus Christ, there is new life.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
 
Hymn: The First Noel
 
Apostle's Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
      maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
      who was conceived by the Holy Ghost
      and born of the virgin Mary.
      Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
      was crucified, dead and buried.
      On the third day he arose from the dead.
      He ascended into heaven
      and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
      From thence he shall 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.
 
Children's Sermon
 
Prayer of Illumination
 
Scripture Lesson
​Exodus 3:1-15

Moses and the Burning Bush
3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father,[a] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you[b] will worship God on this mountain.”

13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.[c] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
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15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,[d] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’
“This is my name forever,
    the name you shall call me
    from generation to generation.

Sermon: Answering the Call
 
Hymn: Hark the Herald Angels Sing
 
Prayer of Thanksgiving
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 God thanks and praise
 
Church Joys and Concerns
If you have a joy or concern to share that is not listed below, and you feel comfortable doing so, you may share it in the comments.
 
Birthdays
Dec 27  Chip Rogers
 28 Debbie Marton
 30 Lyndon Herschell
 31 Tom Miller, Jr
Jan 2 Garnet Welling, Robbie Mundell
 3 Bevery Calhoun

Anniversaries
Jan 1 John and Donna West
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Added to our prayer chain this week was Tim Knabenshue (Debbie Durila’s brother) who has COVID and is in isolation.

Continued prayers for Roma Grose, Ruth Hampe, Susan Schively, Jimmy Davis, Judy Donaldson, Margo Johnson, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Lisa Phillips, Mickey Gubitti, Chip Rogers, Dixie Avoila, Virginia Coffield, Dennis McWreath, Chuck Warlow, Chuck Dicks, Randy Moore, Margaret Knabenshue, Janet Schively, Mary Ann Durila, Patty Nagey, Dr. Craig Fox, Karen Eisiminger, Kelley Gump, Mary Ann McFeeley, Ed Horne, Donna West, June and Keith McGill, Dianna Donaldson, Chuck Montecello, April Hincy, Glenn Miles, Dave Cummings, Ken Jackson, Doug Ward, Mark Knabenshue, Rick McFeeley, Ricky Amos, Deron Wood, Susan Alberti, Bryan Dunn, Dana Wilson, Marge McWreath, Marlene Huffman, Debbie Kelley, Seth Cummings (3 yrs old) dental surgery on 31st.

Pastoral Prayer and the Lord's Prayer
 
Hymn: Go Tell It On the Mountain
 
Charge and Benediction

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We're so glad you decided to join us this morning for Pastor Gary's last Sunday at North Buffalo.

If you need anything during this time, please contact a session member. If you have a request for our prayer chain, or announcements to add to our weekly joys and concerns, please contact Linda Miller. If you need food from our food pantry, please contact Becky Phillips.