Here is the worship guide for Sunday, December 31, 2023.
PDF version of the worship guide to download or print.
The livestream will begin at 10:30 a.m. on our Facebook page or YouTube page.
Welcome and Announcements
Opening Prayer
Hymn: “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”
Words: John W. Work Jr. Music: Spiritual, harmonized by John W. Work III.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,
behold throughout the heavens there shone a holy light
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
The shepherds feared and trembled when lo! above the earth
rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
Hymn: “All Glory Be to Christ”
Words: Dustin Kensrue. Music: Traditional Scottish tune (“Auld Lang Syne”).
Should nothing of our efforts stand, no legacy survive;
unless the Lord does raise the house, in vain its builders strive.
To you who boast tomorrow’s gain, tell me what is your life?
A mist that vanishes at dawn, all glory be to Christ!
All glory be to Christ our King! All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign will ever sing, all glory be to Christ!
His will be done, His kingdom come, on earth as is above;
Who is Himself our daily bread, praise Him the Lord of love.
Let living water satisfy the thirsty without price,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, all glory be to Christ!
All glory be to Christ our King! All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign will ever sing, all glory be to Christ!
When on the day the great I Am, the Faithful and the True,
the Lamb who was for sinners slain, is making all things new.
Behold our God shall live with us and be our steadfast light,
and we shall e’er His people be, all glory be to Christ!
All glory be to Christ our King! All glory be to Christ!
His rule and reign will ever sing, all glory be to Christ!
Hymn: “My Shepherd, You Supply My Need”
Words: Isaac Watts. Music: North American Traditional.
My Shepherd, you supply my need, most holy is Your name.
In pastures fresh You make me feed, beside the living stream.
You bring my wand’ring spirit back when I forsake Your ways,
and lead me, for Your mercy’s sake, in paths of truth and grace.
When I walk through the shades of death, Your presence is my stay;
one word of Your supporting breath drives all my fears away.
Your hand, in sight of all my foes, does still my table spread;
my cup with blessings overflows, Your oil anoints my head.
The sure provisions of my God attend me all my days;
oh, may Your house be my abode, and all my work be praise.
Here would I find a settled rest, while others go and come;
no more a stranger, or a guest, but like a child at home.
Sermon: “Hope in God”
Psalms 42–43 (ESV)
To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.
1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation 6 and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
have gone over me.
8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly people,
from the deceitful and unjust man
deliver me!
2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Song: “As the Deer”
Words and music by Martin Nystrom.
As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after You.
You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship You.
You alone are my strength, my shield;
to You alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship You.
You’re my friend and You are my brother,
even though You are a King.
I love You more than any other, so much more than anything.
You alone are my strength, my shield;
to You alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship You.
I want You more than gold or silver, only You can satisfy.
You alone are the real joy giver, and the apple of my eye.
You alone are my strength, my shield;
to You alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship You.
Benediction
Numbers 6:24–26 (ESV)
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.