Calvary Presbyterian Church (Wilmington, CA)
NEW YEAR’S EVE
“Communion and Candlelight Service”
December 31, 2025 - 7:30 pm
PRELUDE / SILENT MEDITATION
Karine Bendicion
(The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him.)
Rev. Genesis Auste
CALL TO WORSHIP
One: God gives us one day at a time:
All: Long enough for laughter to follow any tears;
One: Deep enough for prayer and silence to dance together;
All: Time enough to help someone in need;
One: Plenty of time to notice beauty and praise the Maker;
All: Sufficient time to build a bridge of forgiveness or tear down a wall of resentment
One: The right time to embrace friends, smile at strangers, play with children, sing praise to God.
All: We end this day, we end this year, and another day and year begins. Come let us worship God as we end and then begin again. Amen.
OPENING HYMN #38
“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”
Mark and Serena Jardiniano
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES
INVOCATION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (together)
Holy and gracious God, you make all things new, and you hold out a new day and a new year for us. Yet how often we squander your gifts to us: letting our doubts overwhelm us, letting our sins bind us, letting our hate and bitterness stop us. You offer us new dreams, and we succumb to old weaknesses; you offer us hope and we choose to be afraid.
Creative God, we have touched the joy of Christmas. Let us carry a measure of delight and bounty of love into your new day. Fill us with the joy of living and the spirit of giving as we approach the new year. In the name of Jesus, born for us, Amen.
(A short moment of silence for personal reflection will follow this prayer, to be ended with the ringing of the bell.)
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
LIFE OF THE CONGREGATION
SHARING OF THE PEACE
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSON
OT: Psalm 28: 6-9/ Elder Tyler Bendicion
NT: Romans 15: 8-13/ Tony Bendicion
GLORIA PATRI #567
PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE/ THE LORD’S PRAYER
PRAYER RESPONSE
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, and fit us for heaven to live with Thee there.
ANTHEM
“Away in a Manger (Forever Amen)”
By Jonathan Smith & Phil Wickham
Traditional Words and Music: Martin Luther
CPC Chancel Choir
Karine Bendicion, conducting
MEDITATION FROM THE WORD OF GOD
“GOD IS UP TO SOMETHING - AGAIN!”
Rev. Emmanuel Orendain
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (together)
We are to get excited; we live in God's world. God is up to something – again!
We believe in God: who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We are excited about God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live in God’s newness – this year and the new;
to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us in years past and years to come. And God is up to
something again, a new and exciting thing.
This we believe and so we live, Amen.
Deacon Joy Reyes
OFFERTORY
DOXOLOGY #593
“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”
COMMUNION HYMN (on Powerpoint)
“What Feast of Love”
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Rev. Emmanuel Orendain and Rev. Genesis Auste
CLOSING HYMN #44
“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
CLOSING PRAYER AND BENEDICTION
The Light of Christ To The World
(Pastor recess with the bearers of the New Year and Christ Candles in front)
POSTLUDE
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.”