On This Day of Celebration

On this day of ce­le­bra­tion

At this time when hopes are new

God

we ga­ther as your peo­ple

Called to put our trust in you.

You have made the world we live in;

You have worked through his­to­ry.

In your plan we find our pur­pose

In your love

our un­ity.

Long ago

you sent our Sav­ior

To this world in deep des­pair.

In your Word made flesh you came

Our life to know

our sins to bear.

Christ has died and Christ is ris­en!

At this new year we pro­claim:

Yesterday

to­day

for­ev­er—

Jesus Christ is still the same!

Through two thou­sand years of changes

Through these pass­ing cen­tu­ries

You have called your church to wit­ness

To Christ’s love that claims and frees.

Each new ge­ne­ra­tion hears you

Each must find a fresh new way

To make known the life you of­fer

To the peo­ple in their day.

On this day

we pause and won­der

What the fu­ture years will bring

Yet we know you clothe each flow­er

And you make each spar­row sing.

How much more will you pro­tect us

With your guid­ing

car­ing hand!

By your Spir­it

lead us bold­ly

In the fu­ture you have planned.