Scripture: Mark 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b] 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”[c]—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[d]

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[g] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Jesus Announces the Good News

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

40 A man with leprosy[h] came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

41 Jesus was indignant.[i] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Photo of Jesus Baptism by Tiffany 

By James G. Howes, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16116252

Worship Christmas Day 2022

On a rare Sunday Christmas Morning we gathered with our St. Mark family just as we would have with our families at home, and it was a wonderful celebration of the Joy, Peace, Hope, and Love that God gave us with that family in the manger long ago!

John Northrip

We were invited to "come as you are" even if wearing PJs!  Click here for the worship service on YouTube

 

Christmas Worship Prayers

  

CENTERING PRAYER

 

On this day, Gracious Lord, you come to us as Word, as light, as flesh. Teach us to know you so well that our lives may befriend this world you made. Be with us today, we pray, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

 

Christ is born!

Alleluia!

Jesus is among us!

Alleluia!

Shout with joy, give thanks, and sing!

Alleluia!

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

 

Holy Incarnate God, we fail to see your true light clearly. We have not loved you, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not loved ourselves. Our feet have not brought good news to the poor nor have our voices defended the Earth. Forgive us, blind us with your holy honesty, so that we may more clearly see your will, and walk with sure steps into the way of wholeness and peace. We pray this in Jesus’ name. (Silent Confession)

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – The Apostles’ Creed

 

OFFERING

 

For the sake of those in need, for the care of the church in proclaiming Christ’s birth, and for all God calls us to do, let us gather our tithes, our offerings, and our gifts. Let us pray…

These gifts, O God, are first from you, signs of your goodness meant for all your children. We joyously give you thanks for all we have and are and ask your blessing on our offerings. Turn our lives to your will as we receive and as we give, for the sake of your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Click here for the Christmas Day Order of Worship.

 

Christmas Eve Psalm 132

 Christmas Eve Psalm 132

1O LORD, remember in David's favor
     all the hardships he endured;
2how he swore to the LORD
     and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3"I will not enter my house
     or get into my bed;
4I will not give sleep to my eyes
     or slumber to my eyelids,
5until I find a place for the LORD,
     a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob."

6We heard of it in Ephrathah;
     we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7"Let us go to his dwelling place;
     let us worship at his footstool."

8Rise up, O LORD, and go to your resting-place,
     you and the ark of your might.
9Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
     and let your faithful shout for joy.
10For your servant David's sake
     do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

11The LORD swore to David a sure oath
     from which he will not turn back:
"One of the sons of your body
     I will set on your throne.

12If your sons keep my covenant
     and my decrees that I shall teach them,

their sons also, forevermore,
     shall sit on your throne."

13For the LORD has chosen Zion;
     he has desired it for his habitation:
14"This is my resting place forever;
     here I will reside, for I have desired it.
15I will abundantly bless its provisions;
     I will satisfy its poor with bread.
16Its priests I will clothe with salvation,
     and its faithful will shout for joy.
17There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David;
     I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
18His enemies I will clothe with disgrace,
     but on him, his crown will gleam."

Click here for Christmas Eve worship bulletin.

Daily Prayer for December 23

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Daily Readings for Friday, December 23, 2022

• Morning Psalms 102; 148
• First Reading Isaiah 33:17-22
• Second Reading Revelation 22:6-11, 18-20
• Gospel Reading Luke 1:57-66
• Evening Psalms 130; 16

God, our creator, you have given us work to do and call us to use our talents for the good of all. Guide us as we work, and teach us to live in the Spirit who made us your sons and daughters, in the love that made us sisters and brothers. Remember, O God, your church. Unite it in the truth of your Word and empower it in ministry to the world. Remember the world of nations. By your Spirit renew the face of the earth; let peace and justice prevail. Remember our family and friends. Bless them and watch over them; be gracious to them and give them peace. Remember the sick and the suffering, the aged and the dying. Encourage them and give them hope. Rejoicing in the communion of saints, we remember with thanksgiving all your faithful servants, whom you have called from this life. We are grateful that for them death is no more, nor is there sorrow, crying, or pain, for the former things have passed away. (Add your prayers.) Amen.

Go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)

Shepherds

Shepherds and Kings

"8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."

While pondering the life of a shepherd and remembering a sheep dog trial we once attended in Wales, I realized how much of the birth of Jesus involves the shepherds---not the Three Kings with their treasures, but the shepherds.

The shepherds were minding their flocks when an angel appeared to them (not to the innkeeper, not the kings, not Herod, but shepherds).  Those simple shepherds didn't question what they saw or heard, but immediately headed to Bethlehem. They responded with faith and were the first to see the newborn child.

Those migrant shepherds who moved around the hills with their flocks also began spreading the good news of Jesus's birth: "All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."  Again, these were not the people in power or the people with wealth, but simple shepherds to whom everyone listened and were amazed.  

As a contrast, no angels appeared to the three kings: they followed a star.  When they reported to Herod, why they were going to Bethlehem, Herod began plotting to kill them and to kill the child.  So while the shepherds announcement brought hope to the people, the kings brought fear and destruction with their announcement.

Although called "King of the Jews", Jesus preferred to be called the shepherd.   The simple, constantly migrating shepherd, not the king, is what he identified him.

John 10:14-16 New International Version (NIV)14 :“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

From the beginning of Christ's story, Christianity was a "grass roots movement" among the poor, the marginalized, the enslaved---even beginning with Jesus's birth.  We are forgetting the "roots" of our religion when we forget about the simple, the poor, the migrant and the value they bring compared to the kings with all of their power and wealth.  The spreading of the Word began with the shepherds. 

Jaclyn Morgan

Re-posted from a post in 2018

Christmas Worship

 Christmas Eve – 5 PM

Everyone is invited to join us for Christmas Eve services at St. Mark Presbyterian Church. The family worship service is at 5:00 PM and will feature familiar favorites, an uplifting message, and our children's "living nativity." You are welcome to celebrate this most holy night with your neighbors at #DiscoverStMark.

 

Christmas Eve – 7 PM

You are invited to join us on this most holy night as we celebrate the good news of Jesus Christ and his birth in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. The 7:00 service will have carols, communion, and candlelight. God's love is for everyone, and you are welcome to worship with us on this special night.

 

Christmas Day – 10 AM

 

We welcome you to join us as we gather for in-person and online worship on Christmas morning. The informal service will take place in the sanctuary, and everyone is invited to come as you are. This is another wonderful opportunity to “come and worship Christ, the newborn king.”

 

Lord, thanks for Ethan, our new choir director

 

DECEMBER 12, 2022 BY WTUCKER

Who arrived in September, shy and unassuming, always asking how were things done here before and honoring the tradition, whether it made sense or not and for several weeks never rehearsed us more than an hour and smiled at every stumbling attempt the men made at new music, his harshest criticism, “Let’s try that again,” then delighted with how we attempted three or four measures until we got it right.

Then in October we started to rehearse the Christmas cantata, the lovely “Winter Rose” (Joseph Martin), and we expanded our choir by a half dozen volunteers, and the first hour was brisk and more business-like, but our new director still encouraged and showed obvious delight if we improved our execution of a difficult section and would occasionally forget to lead us into our entrances, but would charmingly insist that we enter whether he remembered or not, accepting his own fallibility with such good humor that we began to savor our own fallibility, too, increasing our confidence as the performance date approached, and pretty soon was calling for confident entrances and hearty voices, whether the right notes came out or not and started using exhortations like “That blew me away” making us feel like we might actually bring this off on the final Sunday morning.

Then the four-piece orchestra arrived in December and the narrators were summoned to our dress rehearsal, along with four acquaintances of the choir director to bolster the shallow bass and tenor sections and suddenly it was a six-ring circus with so many role-players, it seemed that only a magician could keep the whole enterprise together, but the director expanded his attention to every detail and made notes in the score in the middle of directing the whole show and when it came down to the final run-through, knew where the creaky parts were, so we rehearsed with laser focus on those parts and then, the ultimate offering of music, which was embellished by a red rose set in a bouquet on the altar by our youngest choir member, and the director cued every entrance with an encouraging smile and the whole thing was over in less time than an afternoon nap and we were applauded and satisfied we had given our best . . .

And the director called the narrators, the tiny orchestra, the accompanist, the soloists and the choir, too, to take their bows and took one modest bow of his own and carried off the enterprise with the aplomb of an expert, and we felt blessed by our new choir director for his unassuming orchestration of every detail and sheer positive energy he infused, giving us joy to praise and honor You on the celebration of your amazing incarnation.

Thank you for Ethan.

Click here for the worship service featuring the Winter Rose

Copied with permission from Bill Tucker's blog