United Church of Christ

Transcription

1 United Church of Christ

2 North Church of Portsmouth An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ December 23, :00 AM Fourth Sunday of Advent PRELUDE Come Thou Blest Dayspring S. Landon WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS You are welcome here no matter who you are and no matter where you are on life s journey, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE. *CALL TO WORSHIP (responsive) Leader: Not in the mighty places of power, but in little Bethlehem, in a barn out back: People: The Messiah is coming. Leader: Not born in nobility and wealth, but of Mary and Joseph, who pondered and planed wood: People: The Messiah is coming. Leader: Not announced by prophets, priests, and kings, but by two women, who were the first to know: People: The Messiah is coming. Leader: Nothing will be impossible for God, but when and where we least expect it, look among the straw and the stars: People: The Messiah is coming. Love is coming. We wait and we watch and we worship. *OPENING PRAYER (unison) Let your face shine on us, mighty God. Break through the obstacles that keep us from seeing your way. Melt down the barriers that keep us from knowing the embrace of your love. Remove from us the low self-esteem that keeps us from valuing the over whelming gift of life that you entrust to us. Speak to us here in life-changing accents. Amen. *HYMN O Come, O Come Emmanuel #154 *Indicates those who are able may stand

3 LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE (responsive) Barbara and Tom Bolko Reader: We have already lit the candles of hope, peace, and joy. Today as we continue to wait for a fresh coming of God in our lives we light the candle of love. We know that love is the foundation of all things so we strive together to be caught up in the love of God. Light the fourth Advent candle of love Reader: All: We pray together now: Love came down. Jesus showed us what love is all about. You love us unconditionally and we are thankful beyond words. Help the love that you bring us to be shared with all peoples. Help us to break down barriers in our world by loving like you love us. In the name of Love come down, we pray. Amen. CONGREGATIONAL SONGS Lift Up You Heads, O Mighty Gates #176 Hark the Herald Angels #185 While Shepherds Watched #228 CALL TO CONFESSION We do not like to think that God might be angry with us. Yet, we know the emptiness of our prayers, the greed of our consumption, the limits of our compassion. God understands more profoundly than we our failure to become the people we are intended to be. In silent reflection, may we be open to the wisdom and forgiveness of the Creator.

4 PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison) O promised Christ, our world is torn with violence and death, our peace depends on your coming. We sin against others, our forgiveness depends on your coming. Full of good intentions, we are poor at keeping promises, our only hope in being your people is in your coming to transform our lives. Lord Christ, flesh-bearing Word, our world waits: for your peace, which comes as softly as a snowfall; for your mercy, which fills the emptiness of our souls; for your grace, which is always more than our hearts can ever hold. Immanuel, come quickly, we pray. Silence kept ASSURANCE OF GRACE (responsive) In this season of waiting, the good news is forgiveness of sins, the gift of Advent is new life. Let us commit our lives to Christ s way of peace and hope and joy. Thanks be to the Advent God, who comes among us, setting us free to love and serve. Amen. *PASSING OF THE PEACE You are invited to stand and greet one another with the Peace of Christ, symbol of God s forgiveness. Please return to your place as the Gloria Patri begins and remain standing. *GLORIA PATRI #734 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. ANTHEM Advent Alleluia J. Althouse THE READING OF SCRIPTURE Micah 5: 2-5a and I John 4: SERMON Love Came From a Small Town Rev. Frank Newsome SPECIAL MUSIC Coventry Carol Traditional PASTORAL PRAYER AND THE LORD S PRAYER (unison) Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy w i l l 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. *Indicates those who are able may stand

5 THE MORNING OFFERING Call to Offering In this season, we remember the greatest offering of all time, God s gift of new life in Jesus Christ. The only appropriate response is our giving of ourselves. What we place on the altar today symbolizes the depth of our commitment. May we show how thankful we are. Offertory Chand du Berger G. Merkel *Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, you heavenly host; Creator, Christ and Holy Ghost. Amen. *PRAYER OF DEDICATION (unison) Thank you, God, for your mercy and protection, for feeding us physically and spiritually, for caring for us like a shepherd. We present our offerings as an act of gratitude. What we cannot match, we seek to be generous toward others. May these offerings do far more than support our church. We dedicate ourselves and these gifts to honor Christ through ministry in the world. Amen. *HYMN O Little Town of Bethlehem #180 *BENEDICTION (unison) May we go from this place and act in such a manner that we are living proof of a loving God. *CONGREGATIONAL BENEDICTION RESPONSE Go Now in Love Go now in love: though friends must part, your presence lives in every heart. Your gifts to us no words can tell: go now in love, in Christ go well. *POSTLUDE Moderato Maestoso E. Grieg *Indicates those who are able may stand

6 Lectionary Readings for December 23, 2018 Micah 5: 2-5a But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace. I John 4: So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, I love God, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. ************************************************************************************* White gifts will be collected at the Epiphany Pageant held during worship at Spinney Road on January 6, Gifts this year will be some type of school supplies (pens, pencils, etc.) wrapped in plain white paper.

7 We are glad that you are worshiping here today. If you seek a church home in Portsmouth, we hope that you will return to worship with us again. The tear off form on this bulletin or a pew card, filled out and placed in the offering plate or handed to an usher or the pastor, will help us to know you better as we serve God together. On this day and all days we keep Marondera Church, our Ukama partner in Zimbabwe in our prayers. Holy Communion is usually celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. The Table is open to all. The cup contains grape juice and a gluten-free bread is available please speak to a Deacon. Children are welcome at the discretion of their parents. The Reader today is Caroline McMullen. The Deacons of the church are: Brenda Delfino, Joanne Coleman Yeaton, Nancy Layton, Gail Darrow and Caroline McMullen. The Choir Members of the church are: Gail Darrow, Caroline McMullen, Liz Good, David Greer, June Lurvey, Judy Ringer, Jill Newsome, Marjorie Perkins, Betsy Murphy, Nichole Prince and Joyce Silva The Bell Choir Members of the church are: June Parker, Brenda Delfino, Nancy Layton, Betsy Kinner, June Lurvey, Mark Shaw, Mark J. Shaw, Betsy Murphy and Joyce Silva Large print bulletins & Assistive listening devices are available from the ushers. We welcome all of God s children in worship. Should it be needed, there is a staffed nursery in the balcony with books, farm animals and barn, coloring pages, and stuffed animals.

8 This Weeks Calendar All Worship services begin at 10 am Sun. 12/23 MS Worship Troop 164 Mtg. 10am 6pm Monday, December 24 Christmas Eve 6pm & 11pm Worship at Market Square Sunday, December 30 First Sunday After Christmas Worship at Market Square Coffee Hour Sign Up We will be returning to the Parish House for worship on January 6, Please choose a Sunday to serve coffee and add your name to the new signup sheet posted by the kitchen door in Fellowship Hall. Your participation is much appreciated!! Mon. 12/24 Tues. 12/25 Wed. 12/26 Thurs. 12/27 Seacoast Pathways MS Worship MS Worship Christmas office closed Seacoast Pathways Properties Committee OA/OA (Men) Choir Bell Choir Fri. 12/28 Seacoast Pathways AA Meeting Sat. 12/29 ACA Mentor (PH lounge) Sun. 12/30 MS Worship Troop 164 Mtg. 9a-3:3-p 6pm 11pm 9a-3:30p 7pm 6pm 6pm 7pm 9a-3:30p 7:30pm 10am 10am 6pm Did you know North Church Portsmouth has a Facebook page?! If you re on Facebook, please visit our page to LIKE and REVIEW it, which will bring more visitors. Also visit our Soul Café on Facebook at: Series /

9 PLAY SPACE and LITTLE ARTISTS at the Soul Café We are back by popular demand and ready to begin our second year at North Church! Infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents are invited to come and play in our Sunday school space downstairs in the Parish House on Wednesday mornings from 10a.m.-12noon, January 9 - April 17, Volunteers are needed to welcome families into our Play Space each week. If you are interested in joining the fun, please contact Jill Newsome or Pam Woodward. We look forward to hearing from you! All the tags on the Giving Tree have been fulfilled by our members of North Church! Thank you for all of your support in this Christmas mission! The Giving Tree will now become the Mitten Tree at the Parish House. Throughout the month of January, the Mission Board will be collecting mittens and hats for children in Portsmouth's three elementary schools. We ask that you place these on the tree. The school nurses have also indicated a need for children's size small (for 5 & 6 year olds) underwear, sweatpants and socks. Remember North Church in your planned giving

10 Poinsettias Given In Loving Memory & In Honor Of Gay Adams In memory of her parents Alpha and Gus Lundmark Barbara and Tom Bolko In memory of their parents Daisy & Harold Butle and Frank & Mary Bolko Brenda Delfino Sue and Mike Foye Mark & Liz Good Betty Gilman Cheryl Kenney & Mary Louise Brozena Pete & Betsy Kinner Barbara C. Lodge Caroline McMullen Priscilla Pettis Pizz Family Nichole Prince Vera Ritcey Paula Roberge In memory of her parents David & Lucille Delfino In memory of their parents James & Rita Corning and Donald & Pauline Foye In memory of their parents Barbara & Charles Thompson and grandsons William & Samuel In honor of her grandchildren In memory of their parents Tony & Rosemary Brozena and Karl Kenney In memory of their parents In memory of her parents Mary & Roy Cushman In memory of her parents Dr. & Mrs. Clarence Isaacson In honor of her 4 children & their spouses, 10 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren In memory of Mildred Pizz & Stanley Pizz In memory of her mother Elizabeth Pence In memory of her loved ones In memory of her parents Paul & Gloria Teague

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12 I/We would like to know more about this church I/We are visitors this Sunday NAME: DATE: PHONE: ADDRESS: NORTH CHURCH STAFF: Senior Pastor Rev. Frank Newsome Director of Music Ministry Mr. Nathan Amsden Superintendent of Church School Ms. Brenda Delfino Administrative Assistant Ms. Paula Schena Custodian Mr. Paul Gobbi OFFICE INFO: 355 Spinney Rd., Portsmouth, NH (603) Mon. - Fri./ 9am - 2pm office@northchurchportsmouth.org