Sudbury United Methodist Church

Transcription

1 Sudbury United Methodist Church

2 Third Sunday of Advent December 16, 2018 Before worship, please feel free to greet those around you. Concerns or celebrations to be included in today s prayers may be recorded on cards in the pew pockets and passed to the ushers during the second hymn. During the prelude, let us prepare silently to worship God. *indicates worshipers may stand, as they are able Prelude: Tous les Bourgeois de Chartres Welcome to Week Three of the 2018 Advent Conspiracy C. B. Balbastre Jen Rockwell *An Advent Call to Worship Fully: (Dawn Léger, Canada, 21 st cent., alt.) Liturgist: Why am I so worried? People: Why do I worry about what to wear, and how many gifts I still have to buy? Liturgist: Why am I buying gifts? Because I have to? Or out of love? People: Do I have enough already? What can I share? (Here the third Advent candle is lighted.) Scripture: Luke 3:7-18 Liturgist: God has given us so much, yet we insist on acquiring more. People: God doesn t ask for things, God asks for our hearts. Liturgist: I can give something more valuable than a box. A gift from the heart may cost less but still mean more. *Opening Hymn: FWS # 2089 Wild and Lone the Prophet s Voice *Opening Prayer: (Dawn Léger, Canada, 21 st cent., alt.) Great Giver of Joy, you have provided all that we need to flourish as your children. Help us to find the deep joy that comes not from treasure, but only from you. Amen. Children s Time: The Givers of Bethlehem The Baker Special Music: Jesus Loves Me / What a Wonderful Child Iva Brown, soloist A Reading from Scripture: Zephaniah 3:14-20 (This reading can be found on page 877 in the Old Testament.)

3 Sermon: From Shame to Fame Pastor Joel Guillemette *Hymn of Response: FWS # 2218 You Are Mine A Time of Fellowship Greeting Our Guests Concerns and Celebrations Pastoral Prayer The Lord s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Presentation of Tithes and Offerings Stewardship Moment: Is There More to Giving Than Charity? Scott Pickens Jamie Solak Offertory: A Cradle for a Lamb Penny Rodriguez *Doxology: UMH # 94 - Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow (Tannenbaum) Praise God, from whom all blessings flow in every generation! Praise God, all creatures here below, who gives to us salvation! Praise God above, ye heavenly host! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Let all creation praise the Lord with love and adoration! *Prayer of Thanksgiving *Hymn of Commitment: UMH # 246 Joy to the World *Dismissal with Blessing Postlude: Noël Suisse L. C. Daquin

4 Reconciling & Welcoming Statement: The United Methodist Church is a community of believers and seekers, with differences in age, class, nationality, race, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, abilities, and limitations. We at SUMC recognize that there are attitudes, concerning these diverse characteristics, which violate the integrity of individuals and deny the richness of God s creation. Therefore, we affirm our welcome to all people into our community of faith. We are committed to be a fellowship in which all persons feel a part of our family, enabling them to grow in their faith, to be fed by our fellowship, and to contribute their talents to the life of the church in its worship, programs, and outreach. We call the church and society to be sensitive to all persons and to advocate programs which attempt to ensure justice for all. Sudbury United Methodist Church 251 Old Sudbury Road, Sudbury, MA Phones: (978) or (978) Fax: (978) Church Office: sumc@sudbury-umc.org Website: Church Staff Lead Pastor: The Rev. Joel Guillemette Dir. of Adult Formation: The Rev. Dr. H. Cho-Kim Christian Education Director: Eric Magnuson Youth Ministries Director: Zachary Moser Music Director/Organist: Kevin Murphy, AAGO Sanctuary Choir Director: Rob Hammerton Business Manager: Michael Greb Office Administrator: Shetal Kaye Sexton: Joe Picorelli pastorjoel@sudbury-umc.org pastorchokim@sudbury-umc.org eric@sudbury-umc.org zack@sudbury-umc.org kevin@sudbury-umc.org rob@sudbury-umc.org michael@sudbury-umc.org sumc@sudbury-umc.org joe@sudbury-umc.org We are a Stephen Ministry Congregation We are a Reconciling and Welcoming Congregation

5 Welcome, Guests! Sudbury United Methodist Church December 16, 2018 Are you visiting Sudbury UMC today? Welcome! If you have time after worship, please pause in the narthex to meet our pastor and a few of our church s leaders. If you have time for a longer visit, enjoy coffee and conversation in Hawes Hall, just past The Columns, on the south end of our facility. We hope you enjoy your visit and invite you to come back as soon as you can! Christmas Services at Sudbury UMC Sunday, December 23 at 9:30 a.m. Fourth Sunday of Advent Davison Chapel After lighting the Advent wreath s fourth candle and meeting the baker, Rev. Cho-Kim will preach Welcoming the Upside-Down Kingdom of God. 10:30 a.m. - Children s Pageant - Sanctuary This annual tradition is beloved by young, old, and in-between. The story of Jesus birth blends carols, dance, and surprises intentional and whimsical! Monday, December 24 Christmas Eve at 6:00 p.m. Moravian Lovefeast Sanctuary Since New Testament times, Christians have shared agape meals. Moravian Christians revived the 1 st century Lovefeast 300 years ago. Our gathering will include cookies and cider, carols, and beeswax candles trimmed with frills. 8:00 p.m. - Service of Carols and Candles, Word and Table - Sanctuary Sing beloved carols, enjoy choral and instrumental music, hear Pastor Joel s Christmas Eve sermon, It s Jesus Birthday but the Gift Is for You, celebrate Holy Communion, and take part in this year s traditional candlelight rendition of Silent Night. Be a Bethlehem Giver - It s Time to Pledge Your Support! Pledge materials can be found in the baskets at the center aisle end of each pew. The Stewardship and Finance Committee urges a generous pledge to fully support Sudbury UMC in exciting worship and music that challenge us to live the Reign of God preached by Jesus; a talented and dedicated staff doing so much we sometimes forget most are part-time. outreach to those in need, Habitat for Humanity, prison miniseries, Dominica, food pantries, social justice to inspire us, and connectional mission shares 49% for New England Conference administration and 51% to global and local missions. Giving to participate in what God is doing through Sudbury UMC is exciting and inspirational! It s a lot more than plowing snow and paying gas bills although it s nice to be safe and warm! PLEASE PLEDGE BEFORE CHRISTMAS WITH A GENEROUS HEART

6 Where Is the Rest Room? A unisex rest room is located in the southeast corner of the narthex, behind the back row of pews on the pulpit side of the sanctuary. The next closest rest room is located just past the side door of the sanctuary near the pulpit and three steps up. Is There a Room for Children during Sunday Worship Services? Infants and toddlers are welcome in worship. Parents with young children may also visit our Family Room with visual and aural access to the sanctuary. Stairs in the northwest corner of the narthex lead up to a cozy room furnished with sofas, toys, and children s books. If Our Shopping Cart Could Talk Sudbury UMC Is a Nut Free Zone! Donations made to the shopping cart in the narthex are delivered to Open Table, our partner in Maynard. If our shopping cart could talk, it would give a polite Thank You! to all who visit. Or, it might drop hints like, I always need solid white tuna in cans, spaghetti sauce in jars, mixed vegetables in cans, pineapple in cans, raisins, dried beans in bags, bread crumbs, condensed milk, rice pilaf, and instant coffee. Several Sunny Hill preschoolers and staff members have dangerous allergies to nut products and coconut oil. Do not bring food products or soaps containing tree nuts into the church and remember that coconut oil in kitchen cleaners and lotions can be lethal. Thank you! Stephen Ministers Offer a Listening Ear Loneliness, sadness, and anxiety sometimes increase as the holidays approach. Do you know someone who could benefit from a listening ear? Sudbury UMC s Stephen Ministers are available to offer support. To ask about starting a relationship, speak to Pastor Joel or Lori Granger. To pray with a Stephen Minister today, knock on the O Reilly Room door after worship. Thursday Bible Study Welcomes Newcomers Sudbury UMC s Thursday Bible study welcomes new participants. Meetings take place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays at Panera Bread located at 21 Andrew Avenue in Wayland s Town Center, two miles from Sudbury UMC! Each week s focus text is next Sunday s sermon passage. Remember to bring your Bible and a few dollars for something warm to sip. Show Your Thanks Donate to the Staff Christmas Gift We at Sudbury UMC have so much to be thankful for this holiday season...especially our staff! What are you most thankful for? Our music program; the youth program; Sunday school; Magic Years; building maintenance; office management; financial planning; pastoral leadership and care? The Staff Parish Relations Committee invites you to show your thankfulness to the staff at this time of year. Checks may be made out to Sudbury UMC, with Staff Gift in the memo line, and included with your Sunday morning offering or mailed to the church office.

7 All Aboard the Jingle Bell Express! Today s Church School lesson for kids from age three through Grade 5 will begin after Children s Time in worship. This morning s class will focus on making Christmas presents for parents and other special caregivers. Would you like to help next Sunday? Eric Magnuson at eric@sudbury-umc.org. Join the Conspiracy Let s Take back Christmas. Advent Conspiracy Opportunities for 2018: Tuesday, Dec. 18: Caroling at Open Table (5:30-6:30 p.m.) Join the carol sing at Open Table, 33 Main Street in Maynard, while guests share a meal. Contact Brad Stayton at Saturday, Dec. 22: Christmas Caroling Flash Mob at Sudbury Farms (4:00-5:00 p.m.) Dress festively to surprise unsuspecting shoppers at Sudbury Farms, 439 Boston Post Road in Sudbury. Contact Brad Stayton at Sunday, Dec. 23: Caroling at Deaconess Abundant Life Center (12:00-1:15 p.m.) Carols at Deaconess Abundant Life, 80 Deaconess Road in Concord. Contact: Brad Stayton at Wanted: Interim Director of Christian Education Are you a teacher, retired or active? Can you help Sudbury UMC bridge the gap from the beginning of 2019 till the end of the school year? If your answer to either of those questions is Yes, the Staff-Parish Relations Committee would like to talk with you! Due to the resignation of Eric Magnuson, the SPRC, working with the Christian Education Commission, is searching for an interim director. This half-time position includes organizing the curriculum for Church School classes, recruiting volunteers, and keeping weekly records. If you have five months to give to Sudbury UMC, please contact Sherry Stonebraker at sstoneb@aol.com or no later than December 16. Calling All Yuletide Musicians and Instrumentalists Do you play an instrument made of brass or wood, strung with strings or voiced by reeds? Sudbury UMC s musical leaders, Rob and Kevin, are beating the bushes for musicians to play during four Advent and Christmas services on December 23 and 24. Are you a hidden talent, waiting for the right moment to make your move? Is there an instrument hiding in the back of your closet that should get dusted off and played? Don t wait! Volunteer today! Send an to kevin@sudbury-umc.org or rob@sudbury-umc.org for each service s musical mix and the rehearsal times to prepare for them. The hard and fast deadline for sign-ups is Monday, December 17, at 9:00 a.m.

8 One More Advent Soup Supper On Wednesday, December 19, come to Hawes Hall at 6:00 p.m. for a simple meal of soup, bread, and veggies hosted by the Membership and Community Life Commission. After supper, Advent worship will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Davison Chapel. Also available will be classes for children, teens, and adults. Programming ends at 7:15 p.m. Here are the choices: Advent Conspiracy led by Pastor Cho-Kim in the O Reilly Room, this class will dig into the weekly themes of the Advent Conspiracy: Generous Giving for Mission. The Advent Conspiracy redirects the time and effort we put into Christmas on Jesus. Advent Contemplation Pastor Joel, Kevin Murphy, and Rob Hammerton will lead worship in Davison Chapel that includes lighting the Advent candles and singing Advent chants and hymns from monastic traditions in Salisbury, England, and Taizé, France. After each week s scripture readings, participants may reflect while seated in silence or while walking the labyrinth. Davison Chapel in candlelight is a special place! Give it a try! Advent Candle Themes Zack Moser will lead teens in the Youth Room. Videos from The Bible Project explores Greek and Hebrew words in the Bible to find layers of meaning often lost in translations. Videos correspond to the prior Sunday s Advent candle: Love and Hope After class, the Advent Carpet-ball Tournament. Finding Bethlehem in the Midst of Bedlam for kids in grades five and younger, Wendy Guillemette will introduce some of the givers who lived in Bethlehem when Jesus was born: December 19: The Baker. The Christmas story comes alive as children learn what each giver did in the village of Bethlehem and how that job gave back to the community. Advent Soup Supper Sign-Up to Help in Hawes Hall The Membership and Community Life Commission invites you to volunteer for this year s last Advent Soup Suppers on December 19. Homemade soup, bread, fruit, vegetables, juice, coffee and tea are needed. Set-up and clean-up, too. Oscar at owhtwo@msn.com or call Blue Christmas and the Longest Night Having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year? Overwhelmed by preparations for the holidays? Grieving lost loved ones, lost jobs, lost relationships? The Sudbury Clergy Association invites you to attend this year s Blue Christmas service of healing on Friday, December 21, at 7:00 p.m. hosted by St. John Lutheran Church, 16 Great Road, Sudbury. This quiet service promises a safe space to acknowledge the grief, depression, and anxiety that sometimes complicate the celebration of Christmas when loss is recent and fresh or lingering and long. Quiet Time for Spiritual Growth Quiet time with The Upper Room can lead to a spiritual growth spurt! Booklets are available in the narthex. Or visit The Upper Room online at