UJCC Sunday House Worship Service
January 31, 2021 * 4th Sunday After Epiphany
The Peace of Christ be with you! You are invited to use the following prayers & order of worship as we lift our hearts to God together from our respective homes!
Call To Worship
We hunger for power,
and you feed us
the bread of humility;
we long for freedom,
and you invite us to drink
the cup of self-denial.
Faithful and Just God:
our songs of gratitude will echo down the hallways of creation.
You speak
and all our props
are knocked out
from under our pride.
Then, you astound us
by reaching out your hand
to lift us to our feet
so we may follow you.
Holy Gift of God:
our songs of praise will echo down the hallway of our hearts.
Without your wisdom,
we would be speechless;
without your peace,
we would be heartless;
without your presence,
we would be graceless.
Bearer of Truth:
our songs of joy will echo down the hallways of eternity.
God in Community, Holy in One, may our songs echo in your heart as we worship you. Amen. (ts)
Song of Centering
We Humbly Adore and Receive
Children’s Time Rev. Sungrae Kim
* watch this first: The Frog and the Cow
Scripture Reading in Japanese I Corinthians 8:1-13 Miwa and Nanami Jones
Sermon “The Language of Meals” Rev. Akiko Miyake-Stoner
Choral Anthem “Beautiful Savior”
Song of Reflection
You are invited to continue your spiritual practice of giving to the church. Please either mail your offering to the church (136 N. Villa Ave., Clovis, CA 93612) or try our online giving option (LINK HERE). Thank you!
Doxology Youth Band
Joys and Concerns & Time of Prayer
You are invited to share your joys and concerns with one another using our usual format:
Person lifting the prayer: “O God of Mercy;” everyone’s response: “This is our prayer.”
After you share your joys and concerns, go around the circle and offer prayer, praying freely or using this format:
“God, I thank you for…” and “God, I ask for…”
You are invited to close together with The Lord’s Prayer.
* Please join in our Zoom Fellowship & Prayer meeting at 11:30 am
Meeting ID: 892 8141 6160
Or call: +1 669 900 6833
* Sunday School at 1 pm
Meeting ID: 833 3556 5421
* If you or your kids would like to contribute to our virtual worship by music, painting, photos, recipes, or anything, please contact Rev. Rae: sungrae@ujcclife.com
Go Now in Peace Becky Messer
Worship Resource: (ts) Thom Shuman, “Prayer of the Day: January 29, 2012” slightly adapted http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
8Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3but anyone who loves God is known by him.
4Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— 6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
7It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8“Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? 11So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. 12But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.