at Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church

Transcription

1 at Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church

2 We welcome you and hope you are blessed as as we magnify and worship God today. Please sign the pew register so so we can know of of your visit and have an an opportunity to to get to to know you. If If today is is your first time visiting our church, consider picking up a a visitor brochure and gift in in the the back of of the Sanctuary. If If you have questions about a a sermon or or anything related to to the Bible or or Christianity, consider joining our pastor in in the Library (room across the hallway from the piano side entrance to to the Sanctuary) during the Sunday School hour. You hour. are (Note: welcome This to class join will us any not Sunday. meet in December, but will resume in January.) The Library is also available during both Worship services for The nursing Library mothers. is also available And for during parents both with Worship small children services who for nursing are unable mothers. to use And our for nursery parents or sit with in the small Sanctuary, children please who are take unable advantage to use of our our nursery Sermon or Listening sit in the Sanctuary, Room, located please across take advantage the hallway of our from Sermon the organ Listening side entrance Room, to the located Sanctuary. across the hallway from the organ side entrance to the Sanctuary.

3 WORSHIP SERVICE DECEMBER 16, 2018 PRELUDE The First Noel The first Noel the angels did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; in fields where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter s night that was so deep. Noel! Born is the King of Israel. They looked up and saw a star shining in the East beyond them far. Then to the earth it gave great light, and so continued both day and night. Noel! Born is the King of Israel. Then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heavenly Lord, that hath made heaven and earth of naught, and with his blood mankind hath bought. Noel! Born is the King of Israel. And when angels sing it was heavenly. Glory in the highest. THE LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE Luke 2:8-20 8:30 AM Service: John & Dylan Peters Family 11:00 AM Service: John & Tracy LaBreche Family CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 47 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted. 1

4 INVOCATION THE WELCOME OF GOD SONGS OF PRAISE Angels We Have Heard on High Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o er the plains, And the mountains in reply echo back their joyous strains. Gloria in excelsis Deo. Gloria in excelsis Deo. Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? Say what may the tidings be, which inspire your heav nly song? Gloria in excelsis Deo. Gloria in excelsis Deo. Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Gloria in excelsis Deo. Gloria in excelsis Deo. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; With th angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. 2

5 Christ, by highest heav n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord! Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th incarnate Deity, Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. Hail the heav n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness Light and life to all he brings, ris n with healing in his wings, Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. Here I Am to Worship Light of the World, you stepped down into darkness, Opened my eyes, let me see. Beauty that made this heart adore you, Hope of a life spent with you. So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that you re my God. You re altogether lovely, altogether worthy, Altogether wonderful to me. King of all days, oh, so highly exalted, Glorious in heaven above. Humbly you came to the earth you created, All for love s sake became poor. So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that you re my God. You re altogether lovely, altogether worthy, Altogether wonderful to me. Words and Music by Tim Hughes. 3

6 CORPORATE PRAYER OF CONFESSION Lord Christ, we confess our willingness to be loved but also our reluctance to love. We confess our readiness to accept your forgiving love but also our refusal to forgive. We confess our eagerness to grasp your offer of redeeming love but also our resistance to follow you without question. In this Advent time, forgive us our failure to respond as we should. Come to us anew, and by your grace, assist us to receive you with joy, as the shepherds; with gratitude, as Simeon; with obedience, as Mary; with love, as you have loved us. Even so: come, Lord Jesus. Amen. Worship Sourcebook D SILENT CONFESSION ASSURANCE OF PARDON The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: The Lord is our righteousness. People of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose coming we announce in this season, is our righteousness. In Christ, we are made right with God. Thanks be to God! Worship Sourcebook D Based on Jeremiah 33:14-16, NRSV. HYMN OF RESPONSE #200 (Vs. 1, 3, 4) It Came Upon the Midnight Clear 4

7 WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Members and Visitors please register your attendance on the Attendance Register. RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBERS (11:00 AM Service) Scott & Courtney McCrory Pete & Mary Jane McAskile PASTORAL PRAYER Children age 4-1 st grade may be dismissed to Worship Center at this time. SCRIPTURE READING Luke 2:8-20 (Pew Bible, page 857) 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 5

8 SERMON A New World Has Come Rev. Brad Allison The angel appears to the shepherds announcing the dawning of a new world. The old, cursed world may still seem to have a lot of life left in it, but its days are numbered. The angels have been waiting thousands of years for this day to come, ever since they heard of it when God told Eve that her seed would crush the head of Satan. How this one angel was selected to be the bearer of this glorious news we are not told, but it must have been the greatest moment of his existence. The day of crushing has now arrived with the birth of Jesus. The message of his birth, contrary to what we might expect, is given not to kings and those in power, but to those who were the epitome of average shepherds. After all, the powerful had a stake in the old world that was fading. Its coming demise was not good news for them. But to the humble, the poor and the faithful, indeed to any willing to forsake all to follow Christ, it is good news indeed. These shepherds show us the way into this new kingdom. I. Fear Rightly Interpreted II. A Word of Power Believed III. A Word of Weakness Received IV. Fruit Revealed 6

9 GIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS Joy Has Dawned Joy has dawned upon the world, promised from creation. God s salvation now unfurled, hope for every nation. Not with fanfares from above, not with scenes of glory, but a humble gift of love, Jesus born of Mary. Sounds of wonder fill the sky with the songs of angels, as the mighty Prince of Life shelters in a stable. Hands that set each star in place, shaped the earth in darkness, cling now to a mother s breast, vulnerable and helpless. Shepherds bow before the Lamb gazing at the glory. Gifts of men from distant lands prophesy the story. Gold a King is born today. Incense God is with us. Myrrh his death will make a way, by his blood he ll win us. Son of Adam, Son of heaven, given as a ransom; reconciling God and man, Christ, our mighty Champion. What a Savior, what a Friend! What a glorious mystery once a babe in Bethlehem now the Lord of history. Gloria in excelsis Deo. Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. HYMN OF RESPONSE #218 Angels From the Realms of Glory BENEDICTION POSTLUDE Excerpts from AVPC Worship: Questions You ve Wanted to Ask Q. Is it okay to clap after the choir performs? A. Yes, if you are clapping for the right reason. If your response is to applaud the choir s performance, then we would prefer you not clap. But if you are clapping because after hearing the choir sing praises to God, there is something welling up in your heart toward God in worship, and you just can t contain it inside, then a hearty Amen or clapping to God would be very appropriate. For more questions and answers like this, we encourage you to pick up a free copy of our booklet, AVPC Worship: Questions You ve Wanted to Ask located in the Parlor and Welcome Center. Words and Music used by permission. All rights reserved. CCLI #

10 OUR MISSIONARIES OF THE WEEK are Agron and Elona Sopaj serving with CRU in Turkey where they minister among college students. THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT - This morning we light the candle to remind us that the birth of Jesus represents the dawn of redeeming grace for us all. May we rejoice and praise God as the shepherds did over 2,000 years ago. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. DECEMBER SUNDAY SCHOOL - We are combining all of o+ur adult, youth, and children s Sunday School classes in December for some special programming. Today is our Annual Children s Christmas Pageant. After that will be another CCB picture opportunity. Children ages 0-3 will attend their regular Sunday School classes. There will be no Sunday School on December 23 and 30. CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE - Join us for our Candlelight Christmas Eve Service, Sunday, December 24 at 4:30 PM and 6:00 PM. SENIOR HIGH WINTER RETREAT - Winter Retreat for Senior High students will be December at Shocco Springs Conference Center. In order to choose your own t-shirt size, you must register by December 18. Otherwise, you must register by December 21. Cost is $80 per student. Registration forms are located in the church office. Contact Clint (clint@avpc.org) with questions or concerns. We hope to see all Senior High students there! FAITH PROMISE FOR MISSIONS - As we celebrate Advent and Christmas and approach the end of the year, the Missions Team reminds us of our missionaries. Their financial support is dependent upon our Faith Promise giving. Consider again your pledge made in faith in the Lord s provision. Gifts for the 2018 Missions budget must be received by December 31. THE DEADLINE FOR YEAR-END GIVING: DEC 31- All funds need to be in or postmarked by December 31. If you intend to make a stock donation, please be sure to coordinate with our bookkeeper, Jimmie Campbell, as soon as possible. WTW BIBLE STUDY STARTING BACK ON JAN 7 - The Women-to-Women Bible Study at AVPC is a great place to grow in your knowledge of the Word and to get to know the women of this church. During the Winter/Spring of 2019 we will be studying the book of Hebrews. Studies begin meeting the week of January 7 and information about dates and times can be found on our website in the Women s Ministries section. Study guides are available in the church Parlor for $8. wendy.allison83@gmail.com with questions. 8 12/09/18 Receipts Year-To-Date Receipts Year-To-Date Requirements Over(Under) Budget General Fund $49,018 $1,089,739 $1,128,765 ($39,026) Faith Promise $5,030 $298,163 $339,847 ($41,684)

11 SUNDAY (DECEMBER 16) 8:30 AM Worship Service Brad preaching on Luke 2:8-20 9:45 AM Joint Sunday School Children s Christmas Pageant and CCB picture opportunity 11:00 AM Worship Service Brad preaching on Luke 2:8-20 SUNDAY (DECEMBER 23) 8:30 AM Worship Service Michael preaching on 1 John 4: :00 AM Worship Service Michael preaching on 1 John 4:9-19 A NOTE FROM MICHAEL MACCAUGHELTY - I am grateful, humbled, and encouraged by the congregation s vote to call me as an Associate Pastor. (This will become official upon the action of Evangel Presbytery.) My family and I continue to be amazed at God s goodness to us through this church. I deeply enjoy and cherish being a shepherd here, and the responsibility and honor drive me to ask for warfare prayer, for there are many potential pitfalls, and I can do nothing apart from abiding in Christ Jesus. I pray God will strengthen and grow His kingdom in and through us as we strive together in the good fight for Jesus sake. To Him Who Is Able - Michael 9

12 VISION A community of Christ s coming kingdom, bringing hope to a broken world. MISSION Loving God and loving others as we are transformed by his love. ELDERS Michael Chick Clint Cvacho Drennen Defnall Jerry Dyson Tim English Bob Ketchum Jay Lloyd Karl Poythress Danny Wachs DEACONS Jason Allday Tucker Alley Woody Armstrong Steve Barley Steve Driggers John Franklin Billy Jackson Tom McCallum Darren Popwell Ken Pugh Charlie Stephens Rob Wise Ed Wofford STAFF Bradford E. Allison, Senior Pastor Stephen Whitner, Associate Pastor Worship Michael MacCaughelty, Assistant Pastor Outreach Blake Harris, Adult Ministry Leader Clint Cvacho, Youth Director Betty Carter, Children s Director Amy MacCaughelty, Women s Ministry Director Christine Rowlette, Administrator Jimmie Campbell, Bookkeeper Sarah Sinquefield, Administrative Assistant Dee Mayhew, Worship Ministry Assistant Michelle Taylor, Children s Administrative Assistant Diana Lloyd, Nursery Director Jameson Overton, Organist Carol Apol & Ricky Klose, Sound Ministry Directors Jody Fredrickson, Facilities Manager 4660 Caldwell Mill Road Birmingham, Alabama