Day 1041: Saturday, January 21, 2023

Tomorrow we celebrate The Baptism of Jesus and Our Own Baptisms. We also have a Community Meeting:

Tomorrow, January 22, 2023

Meeting Time: 2:30 - 4:00 with our liturgy at 4:00

We need everyone to participate as fully as possible. Every voice matters!

Location In Person:

Knox Presbyterian & Thanksgiving Lutheran Churches 1650 W. Third St.

Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Knox

Or Join us on ZOOM with the usual link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5193158573

Passcode: 1234

or open Zoom and Use Meeting ID: 519 315 8573

Passcode: 1234

Here's our financial report prepared by Linda and our meeting agenda in PDF Format:

Please download it and read it at your convenience. There will be printed copies at the meeting too.

Here's the Baptism of Jesus liturgy created by JoAnn, Jim, Marcie and Pat which we'll celebrate tomorrow:

Here's the liturgy in WORD and PDF formats:

Opening Song: Jesus Christ Yesterday Today and Forever:

by Sister Suzanne Toolan, RSM (Sung🎶)

Greeting

A Call for being together in the Spirit

Jim: This is our sacred time to connect with each other in the presence of the Divine.

All: We come together in unity, trusting that we are truly one in the Spirit.

Jim: Let us open our hearts to receive grace anew as we share in these holy moments.

All: With open hearts we sense a deeper connection with God and each other.

Jim: May the Spirit of God be vitally present in our midst.

All: Even as we bring forth the best that is within us.

Jim: We are blessed to be together for this time.

All: Let the blessing flow.

Opening Prayer JoAnn:

Gracious and loving God, we join our hearts and minds in this meeting place in expectation that you will meet us here. Enrich us with your grace in such a way that we experience again our connection with you, with each other, with all of life, and with ourselves. From this deep well of belonging may we then welcome all the dimensions of life and meet whatever comes with courage and grace. Grant us wisdom and inspiration in this day and for this time.

All: Amen

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Marcie: 1st Reading: Isaiah 42: 1-4, 6-7

Thus says the Lord : Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations,

not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street.

A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench

until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the Lord have called you for the victory of justice , I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

Responsorial Psalm: You Are Mine by David Hass (Sung🎶)

1. I will come to you in the silence, I will lift you from all your fear.

You will hear my voice, I claim you as my choice, be still and know I am here.

Refrain: Do not be afraid, I am with you. I have called you each by name.

Come and follow me, I will bring you home; I love you and you are mine

2. I am the hope for all who are hopeless, I am eyes for all who long to see.

In the shadows of the night, I will be your light, come and rest in me. Refrain.

3. I am strength for all the despairing, healing for the ones who dwell in shame.

All the blind will see, the lame will all run free, and all will know my name. Refrain

4. I am the Word that leads to all freedom, I am the peace the world cannot give. I will call your name, embracing all your pain, stand up, now walk, and live! Refrain.

Gospel Proclaimed John 1:19-35 Jim (printed Gospel is available to take home with you near the dessert)

Dialogue Homily- JoAnn

Some yeasty questions to get us started:

1 - What has your Baptism meant to you as an infant, youth or adult?

2- What has your Baptism come to mean to you as an aging adult?

3- How did you lived out your Baptismal promises as a younger person, as a middle aged person, today. Has it changed? In what ways?

Did it have anything to do with how you saw your vocation in life, the path you chose?

Did that path change as you grew and came to know more about yourself?

4. Were there people in your life that particularly mentored you?

5. If you are a godparent, how do you see your role?

6. Did you have godparents who were significant in your life?

Baptismal Promises (Composed by Marcie Dahlen)

When we were baptized, promises were made. Either our parents made them for us, if we were too young to consent or, we made them for ourselves if we were baptized as a young person or adult. This afternoon we invite you to renew your vows to reject the evils of our world in a way that addresses our everyday lives.

Marcie: Do you reject the injustice of poverty and all of its consequences— climate warming, racism, demonizing LGBTQ persons, homelessness, migrants waiting at the border of the richest country in the world to be allowed to share in the dignity of jobs and security?

All: We do, and ask God to help and guide us.

Marcie: Do you reject war and its terrible cost to humanity and the environment?

All: We do, and ask God to help and guide us.

Marcie: Do you reject the empty promise of excessive consumerism when half of the world goes to bed hungry?

All: We do, and ask God to help and guide us.

Marcie: Do you believe that individuals and small communities can make a difference?

All: We do, and ask God to help and guide us.

Marcie: Do you believe that we are all part of the communion of saints and as such, are called to love one another and forgive one other?

All: We do, and ask God to help and guide us.

Marcie: Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. Jesus served ALL people; often crossing social, racial, and religious boundaries. Jesus understood the interconnected nature of humanity and taught us to serve all without expecting something in return.

All: Amen.

Prayer of the Faithful- Spoken with usual hand gestures

John: Offering of our hands, toil and the sweat of our brows. (Basket)

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Marcie: On the night before he died, Jesus was at table with his friends.

He took bread, gave thanks to you, broke it, and gave it to his friends saying

All: This is my body, broken for you.

Pat: As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine. Again he gave thanks to you, gave it to his friends and said,

All: This cup is the new covenant of my lifeblood shed for you and for all. And as often as you do this, You do this in memory of me.

Acclamation: (Sung🎶)

We remember how you loved us all your life.

And still we celebrate for you are with us here.

And we believe that we will see you when you come,

when you come again. We remember! We celebrate! We believe!

Marcie:

Now, gathered at your table, we offer to you our gifts of bread and wine, and ourselves, a living sacrifice. Pour out your Spirit upon all these gifts that they, and we, may be the Body and Blood of Christ. Breathe your Spirit over the whole earth and make us your new creation.

Pat: In the fullness of time bring us with all you saints from every tribe and language, from

every people and nation to feast at the banquet prepared from the foundation of the world.

Pat and Marcie: (Holding up the bread and wine)

For it is through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and

honor is yours, O Gracious God, now and forever.

Amen (Sung 🎶)

Marcie: Now together, as one community, we offer to you O God, our prayer, in the name of

your beloved son and our brother, Jesus:

All: Our Mother, Our Father,

holy and blessed is your true name.

We pray for your reign of peace to come.

We pray that your good will be done.

Let heaven and earth become one.

Give us this day the bread we need.

Give it to those who have none.

Let forgiveness flow like a river between us, from each one to each one.

Lead us to holy innocence beyond the evil of our days.

Come swiftly Mother, Father, come.

For yours is the power and the glory and the mercy:

Forever your name is All in One.

Offering our Gift of Peace

Pat: Let us offer to one another a sign of our peace and love.

Invitation to Communion

Marcie:

Everyone is welcome to this table.

Our God, whom the universe cannot contain, is present to us in this bread.

Our God, who redeems us and calls us by name, now meets us in this cup.

So come, Beloved Friends, and take this bread, drink this wine.

In them, God comes to us, so that we may come to God.

Pat: We invite everyone now to partake of this communion we share. (As the cup is passed,if you choose, please only dip the bread into the cup)

Communion Song

Taste and See by: James Moore (Sung🎶)

Refrain: Taste and see, taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

O taste and see, taste and see the goodness of the Lord, of the Lord.

1. I will bless the Lord at all times. Praise shall always be on my lips;

My soul shall glory in the Lord, for God has been so good to me. Refrain

2. Glorify the Lord with me, together let us all praise God's name.

I called the Lord who answered me; from all my troubles I was set free. Refrain

3. Worship the Lord, all you people. You’ll want for nothing if you ask.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. In God we need

put all our trust. Refrain

Closing Blessing

Pat: God Of Open Hands (extend your hands if you'd like)

God of open hands, you care for the needs of every living thing, open my hands to imitate yours, open my ears to listen with my heart.

Where there are needs to be met, open my hands and open my listening heart.

When I don't think i can open my hands and she have given my all, let me think of you God of open hands

Open my hands and my listening heart to your love

And help me listen to God within me. Help me to not fill my moments with noise and distraction.

Help me keep those little openings open, let my soul rest.

Let me create my own sacred space in my heart, in my mind, And in my listening.

And when I am up late at night, and during the night let me both connect my prayers with all other prayers and then – I am not so alone.

May there be peace with you and peace within me and peace within all of us.

Let me open my hands and listen with my heart.

And the people of this beloved Emmaus Community proclaim:

Amen!

Jan 22 2023- Adapted from a reading by Amy Ekeh