Baptism of Christ A – January 11

January 11, 2026
Baptism of Christ / First Sunday after Epiphany
Isaiah 42:1-9 | Stretched Them Out

Call to Worship

Leader:
Come, you who are weary,
you who have been bruised by life,
you whose flame has flickered in the winds of the world.

All:
We come, longing to be renewed.

Leader:
The Holy One who stretches out the heavens
is stretching us now—
stretching our hearts toward courage,
our hands toward compassion,
our lives toward gentle justice.

All:
We open ourselves to be stretched into new life.

Leader:
A voice from heaven says to us, as it said to Jesus:
You are my beloved.
This Spirit rests upon us, too.

All:
We are God’s Beloved, called to bring gentle justice.

Leader:
Come, let us remember who we are.

All:
Let us worship God with joy.

Invocation

Leader:
Let us pray.

Holy One,
Breath of Creation,
You stretched out the heavens and set the earth dancing with life.
You whispered belovedness over Jesus rising from the Jordan,
and your Spirit rested upon him like a gentle dove.

Rest your Spirit upon us now.

Stretch our hearts where they have grown tight.
Soften the places that have been hardened by fear or disappointment.
Wake the embers of joy that still glow beneath the ash.

Remind us that we are your Beloved,
not because of what we have done,
but because of who You are
and the love that holds us.

As we gather at the water today,
let us remember who we are,
and who we are becoming together—
your people of compassion, courage, and gentle justice.

In the name of Christ,
the One who shows us how to be human,
we pray.

People:
Amen.

Invitation to Generosity

Leader:
Beloved of God,
we remember today who we are—
a people formed in water and Spirit,
held in love,
and called to bring gentle justice to the world.

We do not give out of guilt, or out of scarcity,
or because the church needs to keep the lights on.

We give because love takes form in us.
We give because we belong to one another.
We give because our lives are woven together with all creation.

Our offering is the way we say:
Yes—
we will live as God’s Beloved.
Yes—
we will stretch our hands toward compassion.
Yes—
we will join Christ in the work of healing.

Let us, then, bring our gifts—
our time, our treasure, our commitments, our lives—
with joy.

People:
We give because we are God’s Beloved,
and we belong to one another.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

Leader:
Let us pray.

Holy One,
Source of Living Water,

You have gathered us in,
washed us in grace,
and reminded us that we are your Beloved.

As water flows from its source
to nourish field and forest,
so let our giving flow outward—
to nourish hope,
to tend to healing,
to join the slow and sacred work of renewing the world.

Bless these gifts,
and bless the lives from which they come.

May they ripple outward
in acts of compassion,
in courage where it is needed,
in justice that is gentle and strong.

Just as the river does not hold itself,
teach us not to hold back our love.

We offer what we have and who we are,
with joy and trust,
for the sake of your dream of flourishing.

People:
Amen.

Baptismal Renewal

A basin or font of water is placed where all can come to it. Water is poured so the sound is heard.

Invitation

Leader:
Beloved of God, today we remember that we are a people formed in water and Spirit.
We remember that Jesus stepped into the waters of the Jordan,
not because he needed to be cleansed,
but to show us what it means to be fully human—
to say yes to God, yes to belovedness, yes to the work of gentle justice.

Today we step into that yes again.

Acknowledging Our Need for Renewal

Leader:
We have known bruising.
We have known moments we wish we could live again.
We have known times when our flame burned low.

People:
We long to begin again.

Leader:
The One who stretches out the heavens is still stretching us—
stretching our courage,
stretching our compassion,
stretching our capacity to love and to be loved.

People:
We open ourselves to be stretched into new life.

Leader:
Hear the good news:
Nothing is sealed.
Nothing is beyond mending.
The story is not over.
It has only just begun.

People:
All is forgiven. All is being made new.

Leader:
Can we begin again?

People:
Yes. By the grace of God, we will begin again.

Silence.

Blessing the Water

Leader:
Holy One, you moved over the waters at creation.
You carried your people through the sea and into freedom.
Your Spirit descended upon Jesus in the river.
Bless this water now.

Let it awaken memory.
Let it carry mercy.
Let it stir our hearts toward your dream.

People:
Amen.

The Renewal

The congregation gathers in a circle or line around the water.

Each person dips a hand into the water,
touches their own forehead,
then turns to the next person.

Person 1 (touching Person 2):
“Rejoice and be glad. Remember your baptism.”

Person 2 (receiving):
“We begin again. Amen. Amen.”

Both together:
“Nothing separates us from the love of God.”

The blessing continues person to person, until all have blessed and been blessed.

Music may play softly, or silence is kept.

Affirmation of Calling

Leader:
We are the Body of Christ—
not alone, but together.

People:
We are God’s beloved.

Leader:
The Spirit that was in Christ is in us.

People:
We are called to bring gentle justice.

Leader:
We will not break the bruised reed.
We will not extinguish the smoldering flame.

People:
We will walk in compassion, courage, and joy.

Leader:
This is our covenant.
This is our life together.

People:
Amen.

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Stretched Them Out: Service Prayers for The Baptism of Christ/Epiphany 1A was written by Rev. Michael Anthony Howard who serves as Minister of Faith in Action for Living Water Association, Ohio NorthEast. Michael’s work supports congregations as they weave theology, justice, and place-based ministry into faithful action that bears prophetic witness to God’s dwelling among us.