for January 25, 2026
We Gather
Personal and Quiet Reflection Before Worship
Before we speak,
before we sing,
before we explain ourselves or one another,
we pause.
We come from different weeks,
different burdens,
different hopes.
Some arrive confident.
Some arrive uncertain.
Some arrive carrying questions they no longer try to answer.
Yet we are not gathered by similarity,
nor by agreement,
nor by certainty.
We are gathered because Christ has called us—
not one by one into isolation,
but together into a shared life.
Here, we do not belong to our opinions,
our pasts,
or our divisions.
We belong to Christ,
and therefore to one another.
So take a breath.
Notice who is near you.
Notice who you carry with you in memory or prayer.
This is not a crowd.
This is a people being formed.
Let us become present to God,
and to one another,
as we gather to worship.
Opening Prayer
Called Together
Let us pray.
God of light and life,
you call us from many places into one gathering.
We come because you have called us.
You meet us where we are—
in joy and in weariness,
in confidence and in doubt.
We come as we are, trusting your grace.
You do not ask us to agree on everything,
but you call us to belong to you.
Hold us together in your love.
When we are divided by fear,
by pride,
or by old wounds,
Draw us back to Christ.
When we cling to voices other than yours,
or place our loyalty in things that cannot give life,
Re-center us in your truth.
Through your Spirit,
shape us not as a crowd,
but as a people—
Called together to follow Jesus.
As we worship,
open our hearts,
our minds,
and our lives to you.
May all we do give glory to God,
and build us up in love.
Amen.
Assurance of Grace
God’s faithfulness always precedes our action.
Hear the good news:
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
That light is not earned, and it is not withheld.
In Jesus Christ, God draws near—
not to divide us,
but to call us together.
Where fear has spoken loudly,
the Lord is our light and our salvation.
Where we have clung to lesser loyalties,
Christ has been made our wisdom and our peace.
The cross we feared would shame us
has become God’s power for life.
So receive this grace:
You are forgiven.
You are gathered.
You are called to belong.
In Christ, we are made one.
Thanks be to God.
Response to God’s Grace
When We Choose Division Over Christ
God of light and mercy,
you call us together in Christ,
yet we confess that we often choose our own way.
We cling to divisions that feel familiar.
We give our loyalty to voices that promise certainty instead of trusting your wisdom.
We follow when it is convenient,
and turn away when the cost feels high.
We speak of unity,
yet protect our own comfort.
When fear rises, we forget that you are our light and our salvation.
When the way forward is unclear,
we return to the shadows we already know.
Forgive us for the ways we have fractured your body.
Forgive us for confusing our preferences with your truth.
Forgive us for resisting the call to follow together.
Turn us again toward your light.
Draw us back to Christ,
the one who gathers, heals, and makes us one.
In silence, we confess what we carry…
(silence)
Amen.
Passing of the Peace
An Embodied Sign of God’s Grace in Christ Jesus
In Jesus Christ, we are not gathered as strangers,
but made one body.
Having been forgiven and drawn together,
we now share the peace that Christ gives—
a peace that breaks down walls
and binds us to one another.
The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
(Share Christ’s peace in ways fitting to your community.)
Scripture
Listen Together
Today’s readings tell a single story from many voices.
They speak of light breaking into darkness,
of Christ calling ordinary people,
and of a community learning what it means to belong.
These words were first spoken to divided, fearful, and searching people—
not unlike us.
As we listen,
we listen not as individuals alone,
but as a people being formed.
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Reading may be shared by multiple voices.
Reflection
Called Together
Across these readings, a pattern emerges.
God’s light breaks into places that feel overlooked and uncertain.
Jesus calls ordinary people without first resolving all their questions.
And the community struggles—then and now—to remember what holds it together.
Paul reminds us that division is not a small matter,
because it pulls our attention away from Christ.
When we give our loyalty to voices that promise clarity or control,
we forget that the cross is not about winning arguments,
but about being gathered together in Christ.
Again and again, Scripture points us back—not to agreement,
but to belonging.
Not to individual certainty,
but to shared trust.
Faith, here, is not something we achieve alone.
It is something we practice together—
learning to listen, to follow, and to remain with one another as God’s light continues to meet us where we are.
As we reflect together,
we do not seek quick answers.
We listen for what is calling us—
and for who we are called to walk alongside.
Shared Reflection
Take time to reflect together. Let the conversation unfold. As a Christian community, you may want to start this discussion during worship, and finish it over a meal, bible study, or community time later in the week.
You are free to listen quietly, to speak honestly, or to pass.
When Readiness Becomes a Barrier
Many of us have learned to believe that we should be ready before we respond—ready with answers, clarity, or confidence.
Where might that assumption be shaping your faith right now?
What possibilities might we miss if we wait to feel ready before we follow where God may be leading beyond our comfort zone.
Division Comes Naturally
Where do you notice division or fragmentation—in the church, in the wider world, or even within yourself?
In today’s readings, what moment or phrase unsettled you or caught your attention in an uncomfortable way?
When faith becomes difficult, what do you notice yourself clinging to instead of Christ?
What Pulls Us Apart?
Paul speaks directly about division in the church. What do you think pulls communities apart most easily?
Jesus calls people to follow him together, not separately. What makes shared following harder than individual belief?
How do fear, certainty, or loyalty to familiar voices shape the way we listen to one another?
The Center That Gathers Us
Isaiah speaks of light breaking into darkness. Where do you see signs of that light in these readings—or in your own life?
What does it mean to say that the cross, not our opinions or preferences, is what holds us together—division empties the cross of its power?
How might belonging come before understanding in the way Jesus forms community? What subtle clues help people feel like they belong?
Living the Gospel Together
We do not move forward by doing everything at once.
Prayerfully consider what ways God is inviting to embrace this week—not as an obligation, but as an experiment in shared faith.
You may select from one of the invitations below, or commit to another faithful experiment. As a community, you may want to take some time to share your thoughts and pray for one another.
Invitation 1 — Practice Listening
Set aside time to truly listen to someone you normally rush past, disagree with, or overlook—without correcting, fixing, or responding quickly.
Invitation 2 — Practice Staying
When tension or discomfort arises—in conversation, community, or worship—notice the urge to withdraw, freeze, or fight, and choose instead to remain present.
Invitation 3 — Practice Naming Belonging
Once this week, intentionally name someone as part of your community—with words, a message, or an act of care—reminding them they are not alone.
(Silence may be kept and communal prayer may follow.)
Affirmation of Faith
The Confession of 1967
Modern Language
We are called to be people who help make things right.
God is at work bringing the world back together.
In Jesus, broken relationships are being healed.
That work has been placed in our hands.
Our unity is not something we force or manufacture.
It is a gift we receive.
Jesus is the one who holds us together.
We belong to Christ, and to one another.
Guided by the Spirit, we choose to live as one—
In what we trust,
in how we live,
and in how we show up for the world.
This is not our doing.
This is God’s grace.
Thanks be to God.
Prayers of the People
“O Lord, You Hold Us Together”
In a moment, we will stand and form a wide circle. At the center is a simple sign of Christ among us.
You were given a card earlier.
If you wish, write a name, a place, or a situation you want to hold in prayer.
You do not need to explain it to anyone.
All are welcome to participate in this prayer, but none are required. If you prefer, you may remain where you are. At the very least, you may feel comfortable responding verbally with the community.
When you are ready, step into the center
and place your card there.
Take your time.
There is no rush.
When all who wish have come forward,
we will stand together.
You may extend a hand toward the center,
or simply hold your hands open.
After each moment of silence,
we will pray one short line together:
“O Lord, you hold us together.”
Some prayers will be spoken.
Some will remain silent.
All are heard.
When the prayer is complete,
we will return to our places,
carrying one another with us.
The Lord’s Prayer
We pray together, saying:
(The Lord’s Prayer is prayed in the words familiar to the community.)
Communion (Optional)
A Table That Unites Us in Christ
Invitation to the Table
This is the table of Jesus Christ.
Here, light is shared with those who have walked in darkness.
Here, division does not have the final word.
Here, Christ gathers us—not because we agree,
but because we belong to God.
At this table, we do not come as individuals alone,
but as one body,
drawn together by grace.
If you hunger for hope,
if you long to be held in something larger than yourself,
you are welcome here.
Come,
for Christ is near,
and all is ready.
(Communion may be celebrated according to the practice of the community.)
Sending
Psalm 27:4 (NRSV)
“One thing I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in his temple.”
Reflections for Later
For Newcomers
- You do not need to know everything to belong.
- Faith begins with being gathered, not being correct.
- Questions are not obstacles; they are how communities learn together.
For Long-Time Members
- Unity is not sameness or comfort.
- Maturity looks like staying in relationship, especially when it is difficult.
- The call of Christ still disrupts settled patterns.
For Churches Without a Pastor
- Authority rests not in one voice, or in loud voices, but in shared discernment.
- Worship can be designed to emphasize participation, listening, and response.
- The Spirit works through the gathered body, not just trained leadership.
Suggested Songs (Optional)
Songs may be sung, listened to, or replaced with silence, depending on the needs and gifts of the community. Participation matters more than perfection.
Come, Sing, O Church, in Joy! (GTG 305)
The Church of Christ in Every Age (GTG 320)
Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation (GTG 394)
I Come with Joy (GTG 515)
We Are One in the Spirit (GTG 300)
Go, My Children, with My Blessing (GTG 547)
About This Resource
This worship service is offered for the shared life of Christian communities. It may be used as written or adapted freely to fit the context in which you gather.
The service is designed to be accessible to congregations without a pastor and can be led with minimal preparation. It is also intended to support pastors, elders, and lay leaders as a framework for preaching, teaching, and guiding worship. The goal is not to prescribe a single way of worshiping, but to offer a faithful structure that can be shaped by those who gather.
This site is intentionally designed to be read easily on smartphones and other personal devices. Resources are presented so that individuals and communities can participate fully in worship without relying on printed orders of worship. Whether gathered in a sanctuary, a fellowship hall, a living room, or another shared space, people should be able to access the service simply, clearly, and in real time.
At its heart, this service reflects a conviction that worship is a communal practice. Christian worship is not meant to be an experience created by a few and observed by many, but a shared act through which a community is formed together. God is glorified as people speak, listen, pray, and reflect side by side.
Communities are encouraged to consider their own circumstances and space. Worship may be most faithful when chairs are arranged in a circle or in the round, when people can see one another’s faces, or when leadership is shared across voices. Simple changes in posture or arrangement can help reinforce the truth that the Word of God addresses the whole community, and that the Spirit speaks through many.
We worship to give glory to God, and we worship to be formed together. We are shaped by God’s Word, and we are shaped by one another. This resource exists to support that shared work, trusting that God is already present among the people who gather.
This resource is shared in a spirit of openness and learning. It is offered with the hope that it will serve real communities in real circumstances—and that it will grow stronger through use. Feedback, adaptations, and suggestions are welcome. If something worked well, or if something proved difficult, those insights matter. This work is shaped best when it reflects the lived experience of those who gather for worship, and your voice can help make these resources more faithful, more usable, and more responsive to the needs of the church.
Pastors, elders, and others are welcome to use the questions provided after the scripture readings to craft a message or discussion. From time to time, other structures will be used for crafting the questions, but Matt often relies on the Homiletical Loop by Lowery as an excellent tool to drive engagement.
Rights and Use
© Church Commons. 2025.
Written by Rev. Matthew J. Skolnik. All rights reserved.
These materials may be used and adapted for worship and educational purposes within Christian communities. They may not be sold or redistributed for commercial purposes without permission.
Resource Details
Date: January 25, 2026
Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23
Theme: Called Together
Lectionary: RCL Year A