CHINESE METHODIST (CANTONESE) CHURCH, KUALA LUMPUR.

The Order of Worship Enter Into or Renew The Covenant with God December 31, 2011 10.00 pm WATCHNIGHT SERVICE

PROMISES TO KEEP
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December 31, 2011 Dudley Condron Read Isaiah 60 : 1 - 6 Ive had the same doctor for twenty years. Strange, the effect his words have on the way I feel. He chooses what he says carefully, knowing they can open the way to my recovery, or make me fearful and resistant. Isaiah-of-the-Exile had some of my doctor in his soul. He knew how to help keep faith alive in the hearts of a defeated people. Read Isaiah 59 again; a graphic description of the wretched plight of Israel in Babylon. Gone was the nation; gone, too, their beloved fellowship. Gone were their leaders, the priest and kings, and their business, homes, and family members as well. All described in Isaiah 59. Then come those grand opening words of Isaiah 60 : "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." He was wishing his people a "happy new year. " What Isaiah said was not rooted in fantasy. God, Isaiah believed, had promises to keep. He made a powerful call to Israel to move with courage into the future prepared for them by God. Ours are dark times also. Can we believe God has a future for us? Some look at our troubled times and conclude it is the end of the world. Isaiah provides a refreshingly hopeful view of the faith required to move us into the new year. Prayer : O Lord, enable us to rise and shine, to join that growing number of people who are pushing back the darkness, through Christ, the Lord. Amen.

ORDER OF WORSHIP
Pianist : Mr. Lam Siu Chong Organist : Ms. Esther Ho WELCOME & PARISH NOTICES INTROIT * GREETING Another Year Is Dawing Mr. Thomas Ng Joyful Choir Mr. Thomas Ng Interpreter : Mr. Danny Wong

L: Grace and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. P: Amen. L: Come let us worship the Lord who established a new covenant through his Son Jesus Christ. P: We come in spirit and in truth. * HYMN UMH 89 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee Mr. Antrick Yoong

*PRAYER OF ADORATION

L: Let us worship our Creator, the God of love; God continually preserves and sustains us, we have been given complete knowledge of God's glory. P: You are God; we praise you, acknowledge you to be the Lord. L: Let us glory in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, for our sake he became poor, he was tempted in all points as we are, but he was without sin, he went about doing good and preaching the gospel of the kingdom; he accepted death, on the cross; he was dead and is alive for ever; he has opened the kingdom of heaven in all who trust in him; he sits in glory at the right hand of God; he will come again to be our Judge. P: You, Christ, are the King of Glory. L: Let us rejoice in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life. Through the Spirit we are born into the family of God, and made members of the body of Christ; the witness of the Spirit confirms us; the wisdom teaches us; the power enables us; the Spirit will do far more for us than we ask to think. P: All praise to you, Holy Spirit.

SILENT PRAYER (Soft music of Hymn No. 301 will be provided by the pianist) THE LORD'S PRAYER SCRIPTURE READING
* HYMN OF PRAYER

Philippians 3 : 12- 14

Mr. Michael Lum (C) Mr. Danny Wong

(E)

UMH 397 I Need Thee Every Hour

*Indicates congregation standing

CONFESSION :

Rev. Ling Shiang Ming

L: Let us humbly confess our sins to God. O God, you have shown us the way of Life through your Son, Jesus Christ. We Confess with shame our slowness to learn of him, our failure to follow him, and our reluctance to bear the cross. P: Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us. L: Let each of us in silence make confession to God.

SILENCE
L: Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us. P: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; In your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new right spirit within me. L: Now the message that we have heard from God's Son and announce is this: God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him if we live in the light- just as he is in he light - then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purified us from every sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, and there is no truth in us. But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right; he will forgive us all our wrong doing. P: Amen. Thanks be to God. L: Let us pray : All : Father, you have appointed our Lord Jesus Christ as Mediator of a new covenant; give us grace to draw near with fullness of faith and join ourselves in a perpetual covenant with you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

OFFERTORY SENTENCE
" Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." 2 Corinthians 9 : 15

Mr. Thomas Ng OFFERTORY PRAYER

O God, thou who hast given thine only Son to be our Savior, our largest gift are but too small. Yet thou dost receive what we bring. Use our offerings, we pray, to spread abroad the good news of Christ Jesus. Amen.

ANTHEM

This Is A Day of New Beginning

Joyful Choir

*Indicates Congregation Standing

* DOXOLOGY

UMH 95 Praise God, From Whom All Blessings UMH 451 Be Thou My Vision Pressing on toward the Goal UMH 354 I Surrender All Rev. Dr. Yu Chee Huat (An Anthem will be presented) Ms Teoh Lee Yng

* HYMN MEDITATION * HYMN

OFFERING FOR THE POOR AND NEEDY

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER THE COVENANT Then, the people standing, the minister shall say,

UMH 26 - 31

And now, beloved, let us bind ourselves with willing bonds to our covenant God, and take yoke of Christ upon us. This taking of his yoke upon us means that we are heartily content that he appoints us our place and work, and that he alone be our reward. Christ has many services to be done; some are easy, others are difficult; some bring honor, other bring reproach; some are suitable to our natural inclinations, and temporal interests, others are contrary to both. In some, we may please Christ and please ourselves; in others, we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. Yet the power to do all these things is assuredly given us in Christ, who strengthens us. Therefore let us make the covenant of God our own. Let us engage our heart to the Lord, and resolve in his strength never to go back. Being thus prepared, let us now, in sincere dependence on his grace and trusting in his promises, yield ourselves anew to him. Here let the people kneel or bow, and the minister say in the name of all, O Lord God, holy Father, who hast called us through Christ to be partakers in this gracious covenant: We take upon ourselves with joy the yoke of obedience, and engage ourselves, for love of thee, to seek and do thy perfect will. We are no longer our own, but thine. Then all shall say, I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt, put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

* HYMN OF DEDICATION * BENEDICTION SILENT PRAYER RESPONSE

UMH 399 Take My Life, and Let it Be Rev. Dr. Yu Chee Huat

POSTLDE _____________________________________________________________________________________

THE PRAYER for Years End

Unto you, O Father, we offer our praise and thanksgiving for the enrichment of our lifes experience, by your presence. We thank you for the love of each other, for the warmth and security it brings into our lives, giving us a sense of fulfillment. Make us ever more sensitive to each others varied needs day by day. Heighten oawareness so that we may be conscious of needs without having to be told. Grant that our relationship may help each of us to feel fulfilled and encouraged in the future development of our lives within the security of our enduring love, which is your gift to us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

---------------------------1. Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days of auld lang syne CHORUS For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne; We 'll take a cup of kindness yet For auld lang syne. 2. And here' a hand, my trusty friend And give a hand of thine; We will take a cup of kindness yet For auld lang syne (Chorus)

AULD LANG SYNE

A Prayer for a New Year ---------------------------O God of fresh beginnings, we praise your for every fresh beginning, especially for the prospects and privileges of this new day. We give thanks and dedicate its waking moments to commit all our powers to your onward moving purposes for all humankind. We offer ourselves to become increasingly more aware of your kingdom of love. Help us neither by attitude nor action to deny our commitment of this day to you and the purposes of your kingdom, as we have learned them, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.