We encourage you to read and reflect on these scriptures, songs, notes, and prayers as we look forward to our time of worship together this coming Sunday.

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Please print this guide or have it handy in digital format for use during the service.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Please join in on the bolded lines.

A new day has dawned, a new year begun
O Lord, call us so we may hear Your voice
The world turns to hopes and dreams of the future
O Lord, keep us in Your ways and on Your path
We enter this new year with hope and excitement
O Lord, remind us that You lead us and guide us as we follow. Amen.

MUSIC: LIGHT HAS COME

CCLI #7139748 | Eric Young © 2019
Performed by Emmaus Road Worship Team

CORPORATE PRAYER

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O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

MUSIC: HOPE FOR EVERYONE

CCLI #7121812 | Jason Ingram and Matt Maher © 2018
Performed by Emmaus Road Worship Team

MUSIC: INSTRUMENTS OF PEACE

Leslie Jordan © 2019
Performed by Emmaus Road Worship Team

WORD

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Her Story: Austin Channing Brown

INTRO
Today, let’s learn about the incredible life of Harriet Tubman. Harriet worked to free slaves during the Civil War era. She found her inspiration from the story of Moses and the Exodus.

THE BIBLICAL EXODUS
At the beginning of the book of Exodus, the Israelite people were enslaved by the Pharaoh in Egypt. God called a man named Moses to confront Pharaoh and demand that the Israelites be freed. Moses confronted Pharaoh many times, but Pharaoh refused! After finally agreeing to let them go, Pharaoh changed his mind because he realized building and production would stop the labor of enslaved people.

With God’s help, Moses led the Israelites out of
slavery in Egypt. They were free!

This story is incredible! An oppressed, enslaved group of people were set free and eventually made it
to a land of plenty!

Harriet Tubman has come to be known as a kind of Moses.

HARRIET’S STORY
Even though slavery was all Harriet had known since birth, she knew it was wrong and evil.

She dreamt of freedom and an end to the injustice of enslavement.

As she worked in the plantation fields, she and the other enslaved people sang songs inspired by the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.

One of those songs, now known as Spirituals, went like this:

When Israel was in Egypt’s land
Let my people go
Oppress’d so hard they could not stand
Let my people go

Go down, Moses
Way down in Egypt’s land
Tell old Pharaoh
Let my people go

Harriet must’ve strongly identified with the Israelites. She knew the pain of that work, the risks and fear, and believed that God wanted the same for her people. She had hope in God and for freedom. She desired for this wrong to be made right.

ESCAPE
In 1849, Harriet was going to be sold because her plantation owner died. She decided to visit a Quaker woman at her house to find out if she was a safe white person. Harriet knocked on her door and she said “Thee is most welcome here.”

This woman then taught her about the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a team of safe houses that assisted people as they escaped enslavement and went north to be free.

She sang the songs she used to sing in the fields, reminding herself that God meant for all people to be free.

Harriet shared this quote when she recounted her story: “I looked at my hands to see if I was still the same person now that I was free. There was such glory over everything. The sun shone like gold through the trees and over the fields, and I felt like I was in heaven.”

How Her Story Inspires Us
Harriet Tubman became a conductor of the Underground Railroad, leading many to freedom! Just as Moses led his people to freedom, so did Harriet, which is how she became known as a kind of Moses.

Harriet’s life reveals so much of Jesus to us. She never stopped working to help others find freedom. She freed literal captives. She stood up for the oppressed. She knew God wanted all people to be free and that all people were valuable!

The Christian life is one where we live like Jesus and join his redemptive work here and now.
-To free the enslaved and stand up for the oppressed
-To treat all humans with respect and dignity. 
 -To make things better for all people.

This is the redemptive work of God we are called to be part of… how can YOU join this work?

TABLE

Prepare the elements of “bread” and “wine” for use as we gather around The Lord’s Table. These can be any items convenient around the home that symbolize these for you. 

CONFESSION OF THE MYSTERY OF FAITH

Christ has died.
Christ is risen. 
Christ will come again.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

As we pray together, we invite you to share your own requests and testimonies with us this week. If you have a request you can share it live in our video stream chat, or you may email us at emmausroadfc@gmail.com

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven,
        hallowed be your Name,
        your kingdom come,
        your will be done,
        on earth as in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins
        as we forgive those
        who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, 
        and deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, 
        and the power,
        and the glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

BENEDICTION

You are invited to hold your hands out, palm-up as we receive this benediction.

God our Father, as followers of Jesus, we accept our commission from you to invest our lives in others.
We will live out your kingdom here with humility, wisdom and courage, asking your Son to be our model of grace in the world.
Give us eyes to see the path of service you desire and ears to hear the cry of the world’s needs.
May you be our Lord, our light, and guardian in the work you call us to do.
Guide us now to serve in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.