December 31, 2006, 11:00 AM

WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE
Preparation for Worship
Call to Worship –
People of God, on this last day of the year, where is your trust placed?
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Grace, mercy and peace to you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.
Amen!
Invocation –
God of all time, who makes all things new, we bring before you the year now ending.  For life full and good, for opportunities recognized and taken, for love known and shared, we thank you.  Where we have fallen short, forgive us.  When we worry over what is past, free us.  As we begin again and take our first few steps into the future, where nothing is safe and certain, except you, we ask for the courage of the Magi, who simply went and followed a star. We ask for their wisdom in choosing to pursue the deepest truth, not knowing where they would be led.  In the year to come, God of all time, be our help and company. Hold our hands as we journey onward, and may your promise of shalom, where all will be at peace, be our guiding star.
Amen.
*Opening Praise – 23 “The Lord, My Shepherd, Rules My Life”
*We Greet Each Other
*Continuing Praise – “

Call to Confession –
We cannot come before God unless we are first honest with ourselves about who we are, about the mistakes we make, and about how well or poorly we care for others.  In this spirit, let us offer our prayers to God.
Prayer of Confession –
As we draw to the close of this year and claim the year ahead, our Father, we need to confess to you those pieces of the past that persist in pulling us backward.  Through admitting our failures and sharing our sin, we would like to put away those things that nibble and nag, de-energize and depress.  With boldness, then, and a certain measure of embarrassment, we admit to squandering time and talent, good intentions and better ideas, opportunities for growth and occasions for grace.  We admit that we have most often taken care of ourselves while others have stood in line.  We have defined our interests carefully and our goals precisely, using energy and expertise to the detriment of family, friends, community and church.  We agonize with memories that sit heavily and images that cause us to blush and ask that you would grant us your forgiveness as we confess our individual regrets and remorse in silence....
Hear our prayer as we come to you in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. 
Amen.
Assurance of Pardon – Psalm 103:6-18
*Song – 556:1,3 “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
Children’s Time
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Reading – John 1:1-5; Revelation 21:1-6
Message – “Looking Forward, Looking Back”
Prayer
WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING
*Song – 337 “Joy to the World!  The Lord Is Come”
The Offering – General Fund
Offertory – “Thinking of Home”  Paul Peterson
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Intercessory Prayer
WE ARE DISMISSED TO LOVE AND SERVE
Opportunities for Ministry and Service
*God Blesses Us
*Parting Song – 633 “He Is Lord”
Postlude

THIS WEEK IN THE LIFE OF VALLEY CHURCH
This morning our worship is led by Elder Bill Kutz.  May God bless him as he shares with us a year-end message from God’s Word.

There will be a New Year’s Eve service this evening at 7:00 PM.  Elder George De Jager is leading this service.  This is a great way to end 2006 and to anticipate God’s blessings in 2007.

The Gelders are away this week for their usual post-Christmas time with family in Michigan.  If you need pastoral care during their time away, please contact one of the elders.

Saturday, 10:00 AM Remove the Chrismon tree and decorations

Thank you for your generous gift this Christmas.  Your monetary gift is much appreciated but your partnership in doing the Lord’s work at Valley Church is even more a blessing to us. 
The Gelders

Congratulations to Miriam Vos and Dey Perez, who were married yesterday in a ceremony at the First Lutheran Church of Pasadena, California.  May God bless them with many years of joy together.

Next Sunday, January 7, 2007

SUNDAY SCHOOL:  9:45 AM Sunday School classes resume for all ages.  The adults will be starting a study of the life of David, “A King under Construction”.

MORNING WORSHIP:     11:00 AM   Our worship will be led by Pastor Gelder.  He will begin a new series on “Who Is Jesus?”  The message this week will be “Jesus:  The Growing Home Boy” based on Luke 2:51-52 and Matthew 13:55-56.