Greeting (Revelation 22:20) Leader: Jesus says: I am coming soon. People: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (please pass the fellowship pads)

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1 Sunday, December 2, 2018 Gathering in God s Name Music for Meditation Greeting (Revelation 22:20) Leader: Jesus says: I am coming soon. People: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (please pass the fellowship pads) Prelude "The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came arr. by J. Bert Carlson Call to Worship (Isaiah 49:13) Leader: Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! People: For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. *Opening Hymn #28 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice Lighting of the Advent Candle Deb & Jerry Root Call to Confession Prayer of Confession O promised Christ: We are a world at war. Our peace depends on your coming. We are a sinful people. Our pardon depends on your coming. We are full of good intentions but weak at keeping promises; our only hope of doing God s will is that you should come and help us do it.lord Christ, Word made flesh, our world waits for your peace, for your pardon, and for your grace. Even so: come, Lord Jesus. Amen. * please rise in body or spirit Lay Leader: David Crouse

2 Declaration of Forgiveness (Isaiah 40:1-2) Hear the Good News! Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Your sins are pardoned. The penalty is paid. Thanks be to God! *Gloria #3 Comfort, Comfort You My People (v. 3) Make you straight what long was crooked, make the rougher places plain; Let your hearts be true and humble, as befits God s holy reign. For the glory of the Lord now o er earth is shed abroad; And all flesh shall see the token that God s word is never broken. *Passing of the Peace Leader: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God. The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. People: And also with you. (Please greet your neighbors: The peace of the Lord be with you. Responding: And also with you. ) Children s Message Sharing God s Word Prayer for Illumination God of the universe, revealed to us in Holy Scripture through the writings of the prophets and the preaching of John the Baptist, you have called us to prepare our hearts for your visitation. Ready us now to hear your Word and to respond as faithful servants, to the glory of Christ. Amen. Old Testament Reading Isaiah 40:1-11 pg. 586 Hear the word of the Lord from the prophet Isaiah: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

3 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. A voice says, Cry out. And I said, What shall I cry? All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah,

4 Here is your God! See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Leader: The Word of God for the people of God. People: Thanks be to God Epistle Reading Ephesians 1:3-12 pg. 946 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. Leader: The Word of God for the people of God. People: Thanks be to God

5 Sermon Text 1 John 1:1-4 pg. 985 Leader: The Word of God for the people of God. People: Thanks be to God Message Word of Life Pastor Kip Murphy Responding to God s Word Profession of Faith Nicene Creed (Ecumenical) We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. Note: catholic means universal. Call for Offering (The offering is a way for members and friends of First Presbyterian Church to support the church s mission and ministry. If you are our guest today, please feel under no compulsion to give.)

6 Offertory I wonder as I wander arr. by J.J. Niles and L. H. Horton Chancel Choir Maureen Delaney-Lehman, solo *Doxology #22 Angels, from the Realms of Glory (v. 4) All creation, join in praising God the Father, Spirit, Son, Evermore your voices raising to the eternal Three in One: Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King! *Offertory Prayer ~The Lord s Supper~ Invitation to the Lord s Table Great Prayer of Thanksgiving Hymnal p.13 The Lord s Prayer (unison) 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. Communion of the People For those of you who would like additional prayer during communion, your Stephen Ministers will be available in the narthex to pray with you. Unison Prayer After Communion Gracious and abundant God, even as we wait for the fulfillment of your creation, you meet us in Christ at this table, in this meal. We thank you for feeding us with the bread of life and quenching our

7 thirst with the cup of salvation. Now send us out into the world by the power of your Holy Spirit to share your life and salvation with all whom we meet. Amen. Extending the Table We send you out with this bread and cup to share the feast of the risen Lord. We who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Home Communion is available for those who are unable to attend church services. To have Communion served at your place of residence, please advise Linda in the church office. *Closing Hymn #2 Going in God s Name Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus *Charge to the Congregation & Benediction Leader: As we faithfully live our lives in this coming week, what does God call us to do? People: God calls us to be a Christ-centered, missional church that proclaims the Word of God and demonstrates the relevance of his Word to all people. *Benediction Response #13 Prepare the Way (v. 1) Prepare the way, O Zion, your Christ is drawing near! Let every hill and valley a level way appear. Greet One who comes in glory, foretold in sacred story. O blest is Christ that came in God s most holy name. Postlude Good Christian Friends, Rejoice arr. by Barbara Harbach (You may be seated or leave quietly during the postlude.)