New Year’s Eve and Day Priorities

elcome! Thank you for joining us for worship. We gather for worship in order to receive from

God the gift of forgiveness and to be strengthened by his Word. We also gather to offer him

our praise and thanksgiving for what he has done for us in Christ.

New Year’s Eve helps us remember God’s presence throughout our lives. While another year has

past, and we look forward to the coming of the year 2017, we recognize that in both our joys and our

sorrows, God has been with us. With his presence and promises we enter the new year making him

our priority.

The Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion)

The Bible tells us that those who take Communion together are to:

Recognize that Christ’s true body and blood are present in the Sacrament (1 Cor. 11:29),

Examine themselves as Scripture instructs (1 Cor. 11:28), and

Be one in faith and belief with the congregation with which they commune (1 Cor. 10:17).

For these reasons, it is our practice that only those who are members of our congregation or a

congregation of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) join us for Holy Communion. If

you are interested in learning more about becoming a member of our body of believers or want to

find out more about our Communion practice please speak to Pastor Schroeder after the service.

PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP

You have promised, O Lord, that you will be

with us to the very end of the age. Now as the

end of this year draws to a close, we thank you

for all the ways you have been with us this past

year — supporting, strengthening, guiding,

comforting, and healing. And we look forward to

sharing all our moments with you in the coming

year. Be our constant companion in whatever

comes our way. I pray this in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Minister: Daniel Schroeder

Pianist: Judith Winsor (New Year’s Eve)

Karen Adams (New Year’s Day)

W

3461 Merle Ave Modesto, CA 95355

(209) 551-0563 www.stpetermodesto.org

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OPENING HYMN O Lord, Our Father, Thanks and Praise

Christian Worship #72

CALL TO WORSHIP

M(inister): In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C(ongregation): Amen.

M: My times are in your hands.

C: Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

M: A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by,

C: or like a watch in the night.

M: My days are like the evening shadow.

C: But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever. Psalm 31:15a, 16; 90:4; 102:11a, 12a

CONFESSION OF SINS & ABSOLUTION

M: Lord, we confess to you all our sins of this night, of this year, of our lives.

C: Have mercy on us.

M: We have too often forgotten Your love and our love for others has faded.

C: Have mercy on us.

M: Restore us by your strong love and faithfulness.

C: Praise be to you, O God.

M: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31b

Upon this, your confession, I, as a servant of the Christ and by his authority, announce the grace

of God to all of you, and in the place and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you

all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

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SONG OF PRAISE

The setting of the Song of Praise is sung to the tune of Christian Worship #56.

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PRAYER OF THE DAY

M: Let us pray.

Eternal Father, before whom all generations rise and fall, teach us to think earnestly on the

brevity of our lives and on the immensity of your goodness. Help us to enter the new year trusting

in the name of your Son and walking in the way of his peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who

lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

THE WORD OF GOD

THE FIRST LESSON Haggai 1:1-15

Get your priorities straight.

IN THE SECOND YEAR OF KING DARIUS, on the first day of the sixth month, the word

of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,

governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest:

2This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet

come to rebuild the LORD’s house.’”

3Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai:

4“Is it a time for you

yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

5Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.

6You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You

drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn

wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

7This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.

8Go up

into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take

pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD. 9“You expected much, but see, it

turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the

LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is

busy with your own house. 10

Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld

their dew and the earth its crops. 11

I called for a drought on the fields and the

mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground

produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”

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12Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the

whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the

message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the

people feared the LORD.

13Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people:

“I am with you,” declares the LORD. 14

So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel

son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high

priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to

work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God, 15

on the twenty-fourth day of

the sixth month in the second year of King Darius,

PSALM OF THE DAY O God, Our Help in Ages Past

Psalm 90 Christian Worship #441

THE SECOND LESSON 1 John 2:15-17

Prioritize your love.

DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD. If anyone loves the world,

love for the Father is not in them. 16

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,

the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the

world. 17

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives

forever.

VERSE OF THE DAY Psalm 119:105

Alleluia.

Your word is lamp to my feet

and a light for my path.

Alleluia.

“Alleluia” is a word that comes to us from Hebrew, the language of the Old Testament. It means “Praise the

Lord!”

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THE GOSPEL LESSON Luke 12:24-34

Seek first God's kingdom and righteousness

ONSIDER THE RAVENS: THEY DO NOT SOW OR REAP, they have no storeroom or

barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26

Since you cannot do

this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not

even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28

If that is how God

clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the

fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29

And do not set your

heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30

For the pagan world runs

after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31

But seek his

kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the

kingdom. 33

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves

that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes

near and no moth destroys. 34

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

HYMN OF THE DAY Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower

Christian Worship #476

THE SERMON 1 John 2:15-17

Put Together Your Priority List for 2017

C

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THE NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,

begotten, not made, of one being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.

He suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

THE OFFERING

The members of St. Peter Lutheran Congregation have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this

community and around the world. Our guests are welcome to participate but need not feel obligated

to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.

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PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

M: I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.

C: Every day I will praise you and extol your name.

M: It is fitting, O Lord, in the final hours of this year, to express our gratitude for the countless gifts

of grace we have received from you.

C: You have been faithful to your promises and loving toward all you have made.

M: You clothe your creation with beauty; you feed even the birds and tell us that we are much more

valuable than they.

C: You know what we need, and you give us all good things.

M: Clothing and food, safety and health, possessions and money, even life itself—all these come to

us from your generous hand.

C: We thank you for these blessings, and we ask that you continue to grant them to us.

M: We thank you especially for your Word and Holy Supper, which strengthen our faith, shield us

from temptation, and equip us for service.

C: Increase our commitments to these precious gifts, so that we may continue to grow in the

grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Special prayers and intercessions may follow.

M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.

Silent prayer.

M:Almighty and eternal God, you have been gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in

love. As you led your people Israel with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, so

lead us by the light of your Word that we may live our lives to your glory and be prepared to die

in your peace.

C:We ask these things in the name of Jesus. In his name we began this year; in his name we

bring it to a close. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

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THE SACRAMENT

St. Peter Lutheran Church practices close communion. We invite confirmed

members to come forward to partake of the Sacrament. Thank you for your

consideration.

M: It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give you thanks, O Lord,

holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who came into our

flesh to redeem us and give us everlasting life. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of

heaven, we praise your holy name and join in their glorious song:

M: Now the Lord be with you, always.

M: As we lift our hearts to praise him,

M: Praise and thanks we offer you,

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HOLY, HOLY, HOLY (SANCTUS)

This setting of the Holy, Holy, Holy is sung to the tune of Christian Worship #63.

THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks,

he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: “Take and eat. This is my body, which is given

for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it all of you; this is

my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this,

whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

M: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C: Amen

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O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD (AGNUS DEI)

This setting of the Lamb of God is sung to the tune of Christian Worship #67

DISTRIBUTION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

During the distribution you are invited to join in singing the indicated hymn or to use the time for

private prayer and meditation. Appropriate prayers are found on page 11 in the front of the hymnal.

A personal preparation for the Lord’s Supper is found on page 156.

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DISTRIBUTION HYMNS Help Us, O Lord, for Now We Enter

Christian Worship #70

The Old Year Now Has Passed Away

Christian Worship #71

PRAYER AND BLESSING

M: Let us pray.

Lord, we thank you that once again you have been with us as we have gathered in your house and

at your table. We thank you, that of your mercy you have strengthened us with your heavenly

feast and with the very body and blood of your only Son. Bless our lives with your abiding

presence and bring us at last to your eternal kingdom. We ask this for Jesus’ sake.

C: Amen.

M: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.

C: Amen.

Hymn texts not in public domain were reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-706579: Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NIV,

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.