EPIPHANY
The feast of Epiphany occurs on January 6th, immediately following the 12th and final day of Christmas. Epiphany (meaning "manifestation, or "appearance") marks the arrival of the Magi, and celebrates the revelation of Jesus as a Light for all the nations. In the weeks following Epiphany, the Church reflects on Jesus' baptism and his teaching and healing ministry that began with the first of his signs at the wedding feast in Cana.

REFLECTION

Jesus’ public ministry may best be characterized as a life of marginality. He was a homeless man with a group of homeless people around him. The people Jesus called to be his disciples were marginalized people. None came from the religious establishment; they were not elders, high priests, or Judaic-law teachers. Most were fishermen, except for a tax collector and a clerk, Judas, who betrayed Jesus. His other associations were primarily with the poor, weak, outcast, foreigners, and prostitutes.

— Jung Young Lee

My history and experience is in African American churches where many congregations and their leaders suffer from oppression sickness. Oppression sickness is a legacy of cultural oppression suffered by African Americans and passed down from generation to generation. Religious authorities with a history of rejection turn into oppressors by excluding and condemning those of whom they disapprove.

— Yvette Flunder 

One of the unfortunate characteristics of the Christian mission in Asia has been the presentation of the gospel of Christ in terms of a slogan: ‘Jesus is the Answer’. In my own Japanese language ‘Jesus is the Answer’ sounds extremely awkward, cheap and superficial. In my culture it would be understood as saying that Christianity works mechanically, therefore it has no significant spiritual dimension … Instead, Jesus is inviting us to come and walk with him. What is the use of knowing the way if one does not walk on it?

— Kosuke Koyama

COLLECT
Provoking God, calling us through the face of the Other: free our fickle hearts from our need to divide and exclude the foreign and the misfit; lead us through the storms of rage to a clear and new beginning; through Jesus Christ, whom hatred cannot touch. Amen.

PRELUDE

GREETING
Rev. Stephen Gundlach (he/him), Worship Leader

Leader: The Lord be with you.    

ALL: And also with you.

PREPARATION

CALL TO WORSHIP
based on Psalm 19:1-4, NRSV

The heavens are telling the glory of God; 
and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.

Day to day pours forth speech, 
and night to night declares knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words; 
their voice is not heard; 
yet their voice goes out through all the earth, 
and their words to the end of the world.

The glory of God echoes throughout the world. 
Let us praise the name of the Lord.

PRAYER OF ADORATION

PRAISE

SONGS

Christ Be All Around Me
David Leonard, Jack Mooring, Leeland Mooring, Leslie Jordan, 2014

Build My Life
Brett Younker, Karl Martin, Kirby Kaple, Matt Redman, Pat Barrett, 2016

RENEWAL

CALL TO CONFESSION
1 John 3:11,16-18, NRSV

This is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We know love by this, that Jesus laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

For the times we fail to offer hospitality to those in our world who suffer injustice, oppression, and poverty, we pray to our God:

Have mercy on us and your people.

For the times we lack courage to address the causes of systemic racism violence and inequality, we pray to our God:

Have mercy on us and on your people.

For the times we give in to despair and resignation when confronted
 with the injustice of our world, we pray to our God:

Have mercy on us and on your people.

For the times we allow our fears to triumph over the call to solidarity, we pray to our God:

Have mercy on us and on your people.

Merciful God, receive our petitions. Heal the brokenness in our hearts and in our world caused by injustice, indifference, selfishness and fear. Open our hearts to hear the cries of your suffering people. Support us as we seek to respond in solidarity and love. 

Amen.

SILENT CONFESSION

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
1 John 4: 11,12b, NRSV

Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. If we love one another, God lives in us, and God’s love is perfected in us. This is the good news.

Thanks be to God!

PASSING THE PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you all.

And also with you.

SONG

Peace Be With You
John 14:27 · Karl Digerness

BLESSING OUR CHILDREN & YOUTH    

Leader: People of God, what is our prayer for our children and youth? 

People: May the Lord be with you. 

Children: And also with you.

Leader:  Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” May the Lord fill you with the love of Christ, and may your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

All: Thanks be to God!

SONG OF ASSURANCE

You Alone Can Rescue
Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman, 2008

COMMITMENT

WORDS OF WELCOME

Up Coming Events Here >

SCRIPTURE

John 4:5-26; 39-42, NRSV

So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.” Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

Reader: The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

SERMON SERIES: Experiencing Jesus…
Rev. Dr. Peter Choi (he/him)

Experiencing Jesus… As Savior

OFFERING OURSELVES & OUR GIFTS

The offering is a way for Christians to support the mission and ministry of the church. Christians offer a sacrificial portion of their resources–time, talents, possessions–as an act of faith and gratitude in response to God’s grace. While many at City Church make their regular contributions through online giving and automated bill pay, offerings are a part of our worship service as an opportunity for the regular, proportionate and generous giving of the resources God has given us.

GIVE HERE

OFFERING PRAYER

God of light and life, bless these gifts that we have given, that they may further your reign of peace and healing in our city and world. Amen.

MUSICAL OFFERING

All The Way My Savior Leads Me
Text: Fanny Crosby, 1875 · Music: Rich Mullins, 1992

COMMUNION

Guidelines for Reception of Communion

Communion, also called The Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist, is the family meal of Christians. We invite all committed followers of Jesus Christ to partake of this sacrament: those who are baptized members of a congregation that proclaims the gospel, who are at peace with God and with their neighbor, and who seek strength to live more faithfully for Christ. If you are not a Christian, or if you are not prepared to share in this meal, we encourage you to spend this time in prayer. We hope that this time is helpful to you as you consider your relationship with Jesus Christ and with His people, the church.

INVITATION TO THE LORDS TABLE
Rev. Melisa Blankenship (she/her)

CONFESSION OF FAITH: Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. 
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 
He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. 
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 
He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, 
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts!

We lift them up to the Lord!

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

SONG

Sanctus
Karl Digerness, ©2012

Together we proclaim the mystery of the faith:

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE BREAD & CUP

The Gifts of God for the People of God

COMMUNION PRAYER

God of truth, we have seen with our eyes and touched with our hands the bread of life: strengthen our faith, that we may grow in love for you and for each other; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PASTORAL PRAYER

THE LORD'S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

SONG

God With Us
Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan, 2012

BENEDICTION

May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. And the blessing of God almighty, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

Let us go forth to serve the world as those who love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God!

POSTLUDE

MUSICIANS

Jeff Marrs, drums
Jason Muscat, bass
Adam Shulman, piano
Christi Chew, vocals
Karl Digerness, guitar/vocal