31 Dec 2016 (Sat) • 10.30pm • Sanctuary

Faith Methodist Church

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Faith Methodist Church Wesleyan Covenant Renewal Holy Communion Service

31 December 2016, 10:30PM

Prelude

*Call to Worship Pastor: Rejoice, friends of God! Celebrate the new life that has been born among us. People: Thanks be to God, we are born anew in Jesus Christ, the hope of all the world. Pastor: We come to God, this night of all nights, to praise Him for His faithfulness throughout our days and to pray for guidance in the coming year. All: We come to God, our Creator Redeemer, who formed us and molds us, who healed us and makes us whole. We place ourselves before God, whose care we know and whose help we seek.

*Hymns of Praise O God, Our Help in Ages Past UMH 117 Great Is Thy Faithfulness UMH 140

*Prayer of Illumination All: Teach us your way, O Lord. Give us understanding and strength to obey your Word with all our hearts. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. Scripture Text Daniel 1:1-21 Sermon Title Foolproof Formula Hymn of Response Be Thou My Vision UMH 451

CHRIST-CENTRED PREPARATION

CHRIST-CENTRED PRAISE

CHRIST-CENTRED PROCLAMATION

(*) Congregation to stand

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Order of Farewell for Rev John Benedict Foo

Personal Prayer Invitation to the Lord’s Supper UMH 12 Confession Pardon

Corporate Prayer Pastor: Almighty God, in Jesus Christ you taught us to pray and to offer our petitions to you in His name. Guide us by your Holy Spirit, that our prayers for others may serve your will and show your steadfast love, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. All: Amen.

Pastor: Let us pray for the world. [Individual prayers may be offered in silence.]

Pastor: God our Creator, you made all things in your wisdom, and in your love you save us. We pray for the whole creation. Overthrow evil powers, right what is wrong, feed and satisfy those who thirst for justice, so that all your children may freely enjoy the earth you have made and joyfully sing your praises, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. All: Amen.

Pastor: Let us pray for the church. [Individual prayers may be offered in silence.]

Pastor: Gracious God, You have called us to be the church of Jesus Christ. Keep us one in faith and service, breaking bread together and proclaiming the Good News to the world, that all may believe you are love, turn to your ways, and live in the light of your truth, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. All: Amen.

CHRIST-CENTRED PRAYER AND PROMISE

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Pastor: Let us pray for our congregation [Individual prayers may be offered in silence.]

Pastor: Strengthen this congregation in its work and worship. Fill our hearts with your self-giving love, that our voices may speak your praise and our lives may conform to the image of your Son. Nourish us with your Word and sacraments, that we may faithfully minister in your name and witness to your love and grace for all the world, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. All: Amen.

Pastor: Let us pray for families and friends. [Individual prayers may be offered in silence.]

Pastor: God of compassion, bless us and those we love, our families and friends, that, drawing close to you, we may be drawn closer to each other, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. All: Amen.

Hymn of Reflection Lead Me, Lord UMH 473 Offertory Prayer/Offering Anthem This Is My Father’s World TTB Vocal Team Family News *Doxology (sung to the tune of OLD 100th) UMH 95

The Covenant Pastor: And now let us confirm our commitment by a solemn covenant to Him. What would it take for us to make a covenant with God? What would it mean for us to commit ourselves to His plan for our lives in 2017? First, it would mean the forgiveness of our sins and the constant realization of our continual need of the grace of God in our lives. Second, it would mean a resolve in our own lives to live as disciples of our Lord, forgoing our own selfish motivations and living in our world as servant to others in the name of God.

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Finally, it would mean not trusting in our own strength and abilities, but anchoring in the source of our strength and abilities… God Himself. God is here in a very real way. His presence is here to give evidence of His promises to us. Can you trust Him? Let us spend some moments prayerfully reflecting on the Covenant...

The Covenant Prayer All: Father, we are grateful to you for all your mercies. We humbly bow before you and renew this covenant today. We are no longer our own but yours. Put us to what you will, rank us with whom you will. Put us to doing, put us to suffering. Let us be employed by you or laid aside for you, Exalted for you or brought low by you. Let us be full, let us be empty. Let us have all things, let us have nothing. We freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You are ours, and we are yours. So be it. And the covenant which we have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Communion Hymn Just As I Am, Without One Plea UMH 357

The Great Thanksgiving UMH 13 The Lord’s Prayer (Wesley Tulus) Partaking of God’s Love in Christ Welcome 2017

*Hymn of Dedication And Can It Be that I Should Gain UMH 363 *Benediction *Congregational Response Three-Fold Amen UMH 898 Postlude

CHRIST-CENTRED PARTICIPATION

Sunday, 1 January 2017, 10:00AM

One Family Holy Communion Dedication Service

Sanctuary & Worship Hall (Level 1 & 4)

No ONE JAM Children’s Programme

Floral Offering and Thanksgiving

From Kum Keong, Jenny, Isaac, Teresa and Christiana Chan

The Pastors, Church Leaders, Staff and their families would like to wish you

A BLESSED NEW YEAR 2017