Sunday Service from Hillside Circuit for January 25th 2026:
Lectionary Theme: Unity and Discipleship in Christ
Occasion: 3rd Sunday after Epiphany
Lectionary readings:
Psalm 27: 1,4-9
Isaiah 9: 1-4
1 Corinthians 1: 10-18
Matthew 4: 12-23
[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to read it for yourself (and/or to listen to it) and then click or tap on Back to top to come back here.]
Songs:
Here are the songs for Sunday morning service. Click or tap on a song to open it in YouTube.
Praise to the Lord.
There’s a light upon the mountain.
What gift of grace is Jesus (Yet not I).
Great is the Lord.
Agnus Dei (Alleluia).
Christ from whom all blessings flow.
Jesus calls us.
All praise to our redeeming Lord.
Now unto him.
Prayers:
You can listen and join in with prayers from the English Methodist Service Book. They can be found at the Prayers for worship webpage.
Children’s Address:
Sermon:
Bible readings:
Psalm 27
1 You, LORD, are the light that keeps me safe.
I am not afraid of anyone.
You protect me, and I have no fears.
4 I ask only one thing, LORD:
Let me live in your house every day of my life
to see how wonderful you are
and to pray in your temple.
5 In times of trouble, you will protect me.
You will hide me in your tent
and keep me safe on top of a mighty rock.
6 You will let me defeat all of my enemies.
Then I will celebrate, as I enter your tent
with animal sacrifices and songs of praise.
7 Please listen when I pray!
Have pity. Answer my prayer.
8 My heart tells me to pray.
I am eager to see your face,
9 so don’t hide from me.
I am your servant, and you have helped me.
Don’t turn from me in anger.
You alone keep me safe. Don’t reject or desert me.
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Isaiah 9
1 But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain. The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee were once hated. But this land of the Gentiles across the Jordan River and along the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly respected.
2 Those who walked in the dark have seen a bright light.
And it shines upon everyone who lives in the land
of darkest shadows.
3 Our LORD, you have made your nation stronger.
Because of you, its people are glad and celebrate
like workers at harvest time
or like soldiers dividing up what they have taken.
4 You have broken the power of those who abused
and enslaved your people.
You have rescued them just as you saved your people
from Midian.
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1 Corinthians 1
10 My dear friends, as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to get along with each other. Don’t take sides. Always try to agree in what you think. 11 Several people from Chloe’s family have already reported to me that you keep arguing with each other. 12 They have said that some of you claim to follow me, while others claim to follow Apollos or Peter or Christ.
13 Has Christ been divided up? Was I nailed to a cross for you? Were you baptised in my name? 14 I thank God that I didn’t baptise any of you except Crispus and Gaius. 15 Not one of you can say that you were baptised in my name. 16 I did baptise the family of Stephanas, but I don’t remember if I baptised anyone else. 17 Christ did not send me to baptise. He sent me to tell the good news without using big words that would make the cross of Christ lose its power.
18 The message about the cross doesn’t make any sense to lost people. But for those of us who are being saved, it is God’s power at work.
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Matthew 4
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went to Galilee. 13 But instead of staying in Nazareth, Jesus moved to Capernaum. This town was beside Lake Galilee in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 So God’s promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,
15 “Listen, lands of Zebulun and Naphtali,
lands along the road to the sea
and east of the Jordan!
Listen Galilee, land of the Gentiles!
16 Although your people live in darkness,
they will see a bright light.
Although they live in the shadow of death,
a light will shine on them.”
17 Then Jesus started preaching, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven will soon be here.”
18 While Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers. One was Simon, also known as Peter, and the other was Andrew. They were fishermen, and they were casting their net into the lake. 19 Jesus said to them, “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” 20 Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.
21 Jesus walked on until he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus asked them to come with him too. 22 Right away they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus.
23 Jesus went all over Galilee, teaching in the Jewish meeting places and preaching the good news about God’s kingdom. He also healed every kind of disease and sickness.
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[Did you miss last week’s Sunday Services? They can now be found at Worship Archive – January 18th 2026.
Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit 
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