Crandall United Methodist Church

Worship Guide

February 8, 2026

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Creating Disciples of Jesus

who Transform the World

ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE

Greeting:

Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

People: And also with you!

Special Music: “His Eye is on the Sparrow” - Stefanie

Centering Words:

In the beginning God brought forth light out of the darkness. The light has shown throughout the centuries in the lives of prophets and teachers, young and old, and in the life of Christ. This light still shines today in you. Let your light shine!

*Call to Worship:

Jim:        Praise the Lord! Happy are those who delight in the Lord!

People:   We come to this place, where generations before us have gathered.

Jim:         Here we remember the light of God that shines in our lives.

People:   Here we allow God’s light to shine through us.

Jim:         Let us worship our radiant God

People:   Praise the Lord! Happy are we who delight in the Lord!

Leader:    Let us pray.

ALL: Amazing God, you have gathered us from many places to come together and praise you this day. For this we are grateful! As we worship today, may our minds be opened to learn your wisdom. May our eyes be opened to places that need healing. May our hands be opened to do your good work. May our hearts be opened to your Holy Spirit, who gifts us and guides us. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.

Hymn: “Seek Ye First”  

Seek ye first the kingdom of God

and his righteousness

and all these things shall be added unto you.

Allelu, alleluia

Ask and it shall be given unto you

seek and ye shall find

knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.

Allelu, allleluia

 PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

Words of Assurance 

When we call out to God, God is there to hear us.

Know that your prayers have been heard.

Now, receive the grace of God and live in God’s abundant mercy.

Amen.

*New Testament Reading: Matthew 5:13-20

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.  

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Leader:    This is the Word of God for the people of God

People:   Thanks be to God.

WORD AND RESPONSE

Time with Young Friends:  “Jesus Loves Me”

Children’s Message:  “Backpack of Love”

Hymn: “Gather Us In”  

Here in this place new light is streaming

Now is the darkness vanished away

See in this space our fears and our dreamings

Brought here to you in the light of this day

Gather us in, the lost and forsaken

Gather us in, the blind and the lame

Call to us now and we shall awaken

We shall arise at the sound of our name

We are the young, our lives are a mystery

We are the old who yearn for your face

We have been sung throughout all of history

Called to be light to the whole human race

Gather us in, the rich and the haughty

Gather us in, the proud and the strong

Give us a heart so meek and so lowly

Give us the courage to enter the song

Here we will take the wine and the water

Here we will take the bread of new birth

Here you shall call

your sons and your daughters

Call us anew to be salt for the earth

Give us to drink the wine of compassion

Give us to eat the bread that is you

Nourish us well and teach us to fashion

Lives that are holy and hearts that are true

Not in the dark of buildings confining

Not in some heaven light years away

But here in this place the new light is shining

Now is the kingdom, now is the day

Gather us in and hold us forever

Gather us in and make us your own

Gather us in, all peoples together

Fire of love in our flesh and our bones

Sermon: “Call to Action” Isaiah 58:1-12

¹      Shout out, do not hold back!

Lift up your voice like a trumpet!

Announce to my people their rebellion,

to the house of Jacob their sins.

²      Yet day after day they seek me

and delight to know my ways,

as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness

and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;

they ask of me righteous judgments,

they delight to draw near to God.

³      “Why do we fast, but you do not see?

Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?”

Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day,

and oppress all your workers.

⁴      Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight

and to strike with a wicked fist.

Such fasting as you do today

will not make your voice heard on high.

⁵      Is such the fast that I choose,

a day to humble oneself?

Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,

and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?

Will you call this a fast,

a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶      Is not this the fast that I choose:

to loose the bonds of injustice,

to undo the thongs of the yoke,

to let the oppressed go free,

and to break every yoke?

⁷      Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,

and bring the homeless poor into your house;

when you see the naked, to cover them,

and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

⁸      Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,

and your healing shall spring up quickly;

your vindicator shall go before you,

the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

⁹      Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;

you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

If you remove the yoke from among you,

the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,

¹⁰     if you offer your food to the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,

then your light shall rise in the darkness

and your gloom be like the noonday.

¹¹     The Lord will guide you continually,

and satisfy your needs in parched places,

and make your bones strong;

and you shall be like a watered garden,

like a spring of water,

whose waters never fail.

¹²     Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;

you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;

you shall be called the repairer of the breach,

the restorer of streets to live in.

RESPONSE TO THE WORD

 Hymn: “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross” 

Jesus, keep me near the cross,

there a precious fountain

free to all, a healing stream

flows from Calvary’s mountain.

In the cross, in the cross,

be my glory ever;

till my raptured soul shall find

rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

love and mercy found me;

there the bright and morning star

sheds its beams around me.

In the cross, in the cross,

be my glory ever;

till my raptured soul shall find

rest beyond the river.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

bring its scenes before me;

help me walk from day to day,

with its shadows o’er me.

In the cross, in the cross,

be my glory ever;

till my raptured soul shall find

rest beyond the river.

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait

hoping, trusting ever,

till I reach the golden strand,

just beyond the river.

In the cross, in the cross,

be my glory ever;

till my raptured soul shall find

rest beyond the river.

Affirmation of Faith: “A Statement of Faith of the UC of Canada”

We are not alone, we live in God's world. We believe in God: who created and is creating, who come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new, who works in us and other by the Spirit. We trust in God.

We are called to be the church: to celebrate God's presence, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone.

Thanks be to God. Amen

Gloria Patri  

Glory be to the Father and to the son

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Amen.

Prayers of the People: Joys and Concerns

   Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer

SENDING FORTH

Hymn:  “Make Me a Servant”

Make me a servant, humble and meek,

Lord, let me lift up those who are weak.

And may the prayer of my heart always be:

Make me a servant, make me a servant,

make me a servant today.

Make me a servant, humble and meek,

Lord, let me lift up those who are weak.

And may the prayer of my heart always be:

Make me a servant, make me a servant,

make me a servant today.

Benediction

Hymn: “As We Go”

As we go, may your Spirit go before us.

As we go, may we follow where you lead.

May we live what we have learned,

share the message we have heard,

and be a light unto the world as we go.