I Will Be With You

Call to Worship

When we pass through the cleansing waters of baptism and the troubled waters of our lives, God declares:

I will be with you.

When we go through the fires that refine us and the fires that threaten our livelihoods, God declares:

I will be with you.

Even when we travel to the far corners of the earth or down into the depths of our souls, God declares:

I will be with you.

So come, let us worship God whose love never fails, whose presence never leaves, whose mercies never end.

Praise be to God who, in the form of Jesus, waded into the waters of baptism to prove God’s solidarity with us! Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, July 2024.

Opening Prayer

Eternal Father,
at the baptism of Jesus
you revealed him to be your Son
and anointed him with the Holy Spirit,
Keep all who are born of water and the Spirit
faithful to their calling as your people;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2014/01/collect-baptism-of-our-lord.html.

Prayer of Confession

Creator of the universe,
we gather amazed at your power and glory.
We are eager to worship you and offer our praise,
but we are often reluctant to answer
when we hear you calling our name.
We sing our songs of tribute in the sanctuary,
but shy away from the river,
lest we be baptized
with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Forgive us when we forget your promise
to be with us always, O God.
Renew us with the power of your ever-present love,
and strengthen us to proclaim your justice
throughout the world. Amen.

Words of Assurance

(Isaiah 43:1)

Hear the words of our creator,
spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
“I have called you by name.
You are mine. Do not fear,
for I have redeemed you.”

Adapted from Laura Jaquith Bartlett on the Ministry Matters website, http://www.ministrymatters.com/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/01/confession-epiphany-1-c.html.

Benediction

May the Triune God, whose presence surrounds you always and everywhere, bless you with the deep assurance that you are never alone. In the waters, in the fires, in the far corners of the world, God is with us. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, July 2024.