Asbury United Methodist Church

February 1, 2026

All Are Welcome!

Prelude – Joys, Concerns, Announcements

Introit

Greeting – Gail Jacobson

Merciful God, let love be the driving force in our lives, aligning our will with Yours. Guide us to forgive others and ourselves, acknowledging the healing power of Your grace. Teach us to let go of resentment and to embrace the peace that comes from loving deeply. May Your love strengthen and sustain me through all trials.

Please stand as you are able at *.

*CALL TO WORSHIP

ONE: God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)
ALL: We come to worship the God of love, the God that created us from love, and to choose love for our God.

ONE: God wants to be in a relationship with the people. God wants to see us live in the love we were created from.

ALL: By choosing to live in love, we live in God. As we choose to serve, lead and love boldly, we are choosing to live as God’s disciples on earth.

*Hymn #292 “What Wondrous Love Is This”

What wondrous love is this,

O My soul, O my soul,

What wondrous love is this,

O my soul!

What wondrous love is this

That caused the Lord of bliss

To bear the dreadful curse

For my soul, for my soul,

To bear the dreadful curse

For my soul.

What wondrous love is this,

O my soul, O my soul,

What wondrous love is this,

O my soul!

What wondrous love is this,

That caused the Lord of life

To lay aside his crown

For my soul, for my soul,

To lay aside his crown

For my soul.

To God and to the Lamb

I will sing, I will sing,

To God and to the Lamb,

I will sing, I will sing;

To God and to the Lamb

Who is the great I AM,

While millions join the theme,

I will sing, I will sing;

While millions join the theme

I will sing.

And when from death I’m free,

I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,

And when from death I’m free,

I’ll sing on;

And when from death I’m free,

I’ll sing and joyful be,

And through eternity

I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,

And through eternity

I’ll sing on.

1st READING: Isaiah 54:10-17 NRSVUE             Gail Jacobson

For the mountains may depart

   and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

   and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,

   says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,

   I am about to set your stones in antimony

   and lay your foundations with sapphires.

I will make your pinnacles of rubies,

   your gates of jewels,   

   and all your wall of precious stones.

All your children shall be taught by the LORD,

   and great shall be the prosperity of your children.

In righteousness you shall be established;

   you shall be far from oppression; indeed, you shall not fear;

   and from terror; indeed, it shall not come near you.

If anyone stirs up strife,

   it is not from me;

whoever stirs up strife with you

   shall fall because of you.

See, it is I who have created the smith

   who blows the fire of coals

   and produces a weapon fit for its purpose;

I have also created the ravager to destroy.

   No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper,

   and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.

to build and to plant.”

Psalm 100, response #2- UMH pg. 821    Gail Jacobson

Response: Make joyful noise, lift up your voice! Ye nations of the earth, rejoice!

R

Make joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness!

  Come into God’s presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, who made us, is God.

  We are the Lord’s;

  We are the people of God,

  The sheep of God’s pasture.

Enter God’s gate with thanksgiving,

  And God’s courts with praise!

  Give thanks and bless God’s name!

For the Lord is good;

  God’s steadfast love endures forever;

  God’s faithfulness to all generations.     R

Anthem:

2nd READING: 1 Peter 5:6-11 NRSVUE      Gail Jacobson

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

GOSPEL READING: Mark 12:28-30 NRSVUE   Pastor Alison

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 

Pastor: The word of God for the people of God.   

People: Thanks be to God! 

SERMON: “I choose LOVE- Love God” Message by Pastor Alison Dix                   

Hymn #475 “Come Down, O Love Divine”

Come down, O Love divine, seek thou this soul of mine,

And visit it with thine own ardor glowing;

O Comforter, drew near, within my heart appear,

And kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn

To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;

And let thy glorious light shine ever on my sight,

And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long,

Shall far out-pass the power of human telling;

For none can guess its grace, till Love create a place

Where in the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.

SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION  

INVITATION

Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him,

  who earnestly repent of their sin

  and seek to live in peace with one another.

Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

CONFESSION AND PARDON

Merciful God,

We confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.

We have failed to be an obedient church.

We have not done your will,

we have broken your law,

we have rebelled against you love,

we have not loved our neighbors,

and we have not heard the cry of the needy.

Forgive us, we pray.

Free us for joyful obedience,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All pray in silence.

Pastor: Hear the good news:

  Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;

  that proves God’s love toward us.

In the name in Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Glory to God. Amen.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Lord be with you.

And also to 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.

And so,

  With your people on earth

  And all the company of heaven

  We praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and might.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

And so,

In remembrance of these your might acts in Jesus Christ,

We offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving

  As a holy and living sacrifice,

  In union with Christ’s offering for us,

As we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again!

All honor and glory is yours, almighty Father

Now and forever.

Amen, amen, amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in 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, the power, and the glory,

  forever.  Amen

GIVING THE BREAD AND CUP - please come forward, at the Methodist Church, we practice an open table where all are invited and welcome to partake.

Offering Time

Doxology #94

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise god, all creatures here below:

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Praise God, the source of all our gifts!

Praise Jesus Christ, whose power up-lifts!

Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Prayer of Dedication (Unison)

Gracious God, help us to remember that no matter what we have to give, you are ready to receive. Thank you for using our lives, our witness and our tithes as a means of growing your people, your assembly and your faithful throughout the world. Help us to grow in this vision and to spread your light throughout the world. AMEN.

*Hymn #617 “I Come with Joy”

I come with joy to meet my Lord,

Forgiven, loved and free,

In awe and wonder to recall

His life laid down for me,

His life laid down for me.

I come with Christians far and near to find,

As all are fed,

The new community of love

In Christ’s communion bread,

In Christ’s communion bread.

As Christ breaks bread and bid us share,

Each proud division ends.

The love that made us make us one,

And strangers now are friends,

And strangers now are friends.

And thus with joy we meet our Lord.

His presence, always near,

Is in such friendship better known;

We see and praise him here,

We see and praise him here.

Together met, together bound,

We’ll go our different ways,

And as his people in the world,

We’ll see and praise him here,

We see and praise him here.

*Benediction

Prayer for Home                                                                                                          

Lord, thank you for helping me to learn to love. Thank you for loving me and creating me to love. Help me to choose love when feels of frustration, desperation and despair seem so much easier. Help me to grow closer to you my merciful God and help me to know where I can show my love to create a better world for all. AMEN!

ANNOUNCEMENTS      

Today 2/1

8:45 am        Communion

9:45 am       Fellowship Time             

Wednesday 2/4

5:00 pm        Choir Practice

Next Sunday 2/8                             

8:45 am          Worship

9:45 am        Breakfast Brunch Social Hour

Pastor Alison Dix Cell: 319-573-4801   Email: Alison.dix@iaumc.net                             

Website: www.theasburymethodistcr.com

Office Phone: 319-364-3188   

Church Office Hours: Tue-Thurs 9 am to 1 pm