WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Transcription

1 WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Service for the Lord s Day Advent Choral Celebration For the Third Sunday of Advent December 17, 2017 PRELUDE Concerto Grosso ( Christmas ) Op. 6, No. 8 Arcangelo Correlli Vivace Pastorale LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH (As the light is brought into the Sanctuary, and the candles on the Advent wreath are lighted, the congregation is invited to sing the following:) O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, thou Wisdom from on high, who ord rest all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show; and teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, O come, thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai s height in ancient times didst give the law in cloud and majesty and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

2 OPENING SENTENCES Let us worship God. Jesus says: I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: God sends good news to the oppressed. *PROCESSIONAL HYMN 104 PRAYER OF CONFESSION O Lord, How Shall I Meet You God our Maker, we confess that we are not ready to meet you. You send your Spirit to release us, yet we remain captivated by sin. You stand among us in Christ Jesus, yet we claim we do not know you. Foregive us, God of grace. Make us holy; make us whole. Keep us safe and sound until the day of your coming; through Jesus Christ our Lord. VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN Kyrie (Sung responsively by the choir and congregation) James MacMillan 2

3 ASSURANCE OF PARDON (The liturgist pours water, which reminds us of our baptism.) Friends, believe the Good News: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven! *The Peace Since God in Christ has forgiven us, let us also forgive one another. The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION SCRIPTURE (Please exchange the peace with the words, The peace of Christ be with you. ) Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 (Old Testament, pages in your pew bible) Choir: Lord Jesus, come soon! Congregation: Lord Jesus, come soon! ACT OF PRAISE Gloria Antonio Vivaldi I. Gloria in excelsis Glory be to God on high. II. Et in terra pax And on earth peace to all of good will. III. Laudamus te We praise You. We Bless You. We adore You. We glorify You. Lindsay Cunningham and Susan Kelly, Sopranos IV. Gratias agimus tibi We give thanks to You V. Propter magnam gloriam for Your great glory. 3

4 VI. Domine Deus O Lord God, heavenly King, God the creator almighty Allison Stokes, Mezzo-Soprano VII. Domine fili unigenite O Lord, the only-begotten son, Jesus Christ. VIII. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Barbara Miller, Alto IX. Qui tollis Who takes away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. X. Qui sedes ad dexteram Who sits at the right hand of God, have mercy on us. Allison Stokes, Mezzo-Soprano XI. Quoniam tu solus sanctus For You only are holy. You only are the Lord. You only are most high, O Jesus Christ. XII. Cum Sancto Spiritu With the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen. WELCOME AND RITUAL OF FRIENDSHIP CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH (Everyone is asked to sign the Friendship Register, which is located on the center aisle end of each pew.) PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. 4

5 THANKSGIVING OFFERING Anthem The Holly and the Ivy English Carol/arr. Rutter The holly and the ivy When they are both full grown; Of all the trees that are in the wood The holly bears the crown. O the rising of the sun And the running of the deer, The playing of the merry organ, Sweet singing in the choir. The holly bears a blossom As white as any flow r; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ To be our sweet Saviour. The holly bears a berry As red as any blood; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ To do poor sinners good. The holly bears a prickle As sharp as any thorn; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ On Christmas Day in the morn. The holly bears a bark As bitt r as any gall; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ For to redeem us all. *DOXOLOGY OLD HUNDREDTH Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. 5

6 *PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. God of the ages, we praise you, for in the dawn of time you created the world, sending light by your Word to dispel darkness. In Jesus Christ you began a new creation, sending Him to be the Light of the world, to drive away fear and despair, and to rule in peace and justice, holiness and love. *THE LORD S PRAYER (Prayed in unison, see page 35 of the hymnal) SENDING *HYMN 105 People Look East BESANÇON *BENEDICTION POSTLUDE Arcangelo Corelli Allegro from Concerto Grosso ( Christmas ) Op. 6, No. 8 *(Those who are able may stand.) SERVICE NOTES WORSHIP LEADERS: Liturgist: Donovan Drake; (8:30 a.m.) Advent Wreath: the Caver Family; (11:00 a.m.) Advent Wreath: the Dave Family; Beadle/Acolyte: Alex Deerkoski. MUSICIANS: Westminster Choir; David Davidson, Carrie Bailey, violin; Monisa Angell, viola; Sari Reist, cello; Jack Jezioro, bass; Grace Woodworth, oboe; Jeff Bailey, trumpet; Agnes Bartek, harp; John W. Semingson, Director of Music Ministries; Polly Brecht, Organist. 6

7 MUSIC NOTE: Today, Vivaldi is among the most popular of all composers, but this has not always been the case. During his lifetime he did enjoy considerable success, but following his death, his music was neglected for many years. It wasn t until the emergence of the early music groups in the 1960 s that his music once again enjoyed widespread popularity. Vivaldi was a Catholic priest and a virtuoso violinist. The Gloria, together with the Four Seasons, is undoubtedly Vivaldi s best-known work. He wrote it for the Ospedale della Pieta, the Venetian girls orphanage where he taught music from The girls at the orphanage were trained to play musical instruments, sing, and to perform in both choirs and orchestras. According to contemporary reports, the concerts that they gave were of a very high standard, and the entrance fees contributed significantly to the maintenance of the orphanage. The text of the Gloria is an ancient hymn from the Latin Mass. The hymn begins with the words that the angels sang when the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds in Luke 2:14. We still sing this text regularly at Westminster following confession as an Act of Praise in response to the Assurance of Pardon. The wonderfully sunny music Vivaldi composed for the Gloria is divided into twelve movements that are full of distinctive melodies, rhythms, varied voicings, and orchestration. It is these characteristics that give it such wide and universal appeal. -John Semingson, Director of Music Ministries USHERS: (8:30 a.m.) Ron Stanley, Sylvia Grant, Laura Stanley, Marc Stanley, Sarah Frances Stanley, David Wyatt; (11:00 a.m.) Jim Jenkins, Emily Jenkins, Kathryn Jenkins. Should a congregant need assistance at any time during the service, please contact one of the ushers in the Narthex or Parlor. ADVENT: Advent is the first season of the liturgical year, consisting of four Sundays in which the church prepares for the celebration of the Incarnation. The seasonal color is royal blue, symbolic of kingship and of hope. Each Sunday an additional candle on the Advent wreath is lighted, symbolic of the dawning of the light of God s Kingdom, inaugurated in the birth of the infant of Bethlehem. As we approach Christmas, the Sanctuary will change in appearance. Each Sunday decorations will be added as the Church s hopeful joy increases. 7

8 ANNOUNCEMENTS WELCOME: Westminster Presbyterian Church welcomes you to share our common journey to become more faithful disciples of Christ. Our love and acceptance of each other affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, regardless of our differences, and bear witness to the love of God for all people and our commitment to Christ. Any who are interested in joining us in this journey are invited to speak with one of our Greeters stationed by the Baptismal font after each worship service. The Greeters for today are (8:30 a.m.) Sara Wilkinson and (11:00 a.m.) Aline Patte. LARGE-PRINT BULLETINS AND ASSISTIVE HEARING DEVICES are available in the Narthex from one of the ushers ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS GIFT MARKET: Today is the last Sunday that the Alternative Christmas Gift Market table will be in the Parlor. Come visit us during the Sunday School hour and after the 11:00 a.m. worship service. The catalog and order form will be available online at Give the gift that gives twice! CHRISTMAS EVE CHILDREN S OFFERING: Everyone who will be attending the Christmas Eve worship service for children and families, which begins at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 24, 2017, is reminded to bring canned goods as their offering for the day. All food stuffs collected will be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank. CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING: A Presbyterian tradition for many years, the Christmas Joy Offering is one of the four special offerings designated by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to provide congregations with direct ways of supporting specific causes that help those in need. The receipts from the offering are distributed equally to the Board of Pensions for assistance programs and to the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, KY, to support eight Presbyterian racial/ethnic schools and colleges. The Christmas Joy Offering envelopes are available in the pew literature racks. PRAYER SERVICE FOR WHOLENESS will be held today in the Chapel immediately following the 11:00 a.m. worship service. This brief and informal service (roughly 15 minutes) will include time spent centering ourselves in God s love. Rev. Heidi Hudnut-Beumler and Claire Harris Kramer co-lead this service. 8

9 WINTER NEW MEMBER CLASS TO BEGIN JANUARY 7, 2018: Westminster Presbyterian Church welcomes all people to share our common journey to become more faithful disciples of Christ. Twice a year, new member classes are held for those who want to explore membership or have already discerned they feel called to join this community of faith. The Winter New Member Class will begin on Sunday, January 7, 2018, and will be held during the Sunday School hour, 9:45 10:45 a.m. for seven Sundays. (Nursery care is available, as are Sunday School classes for children and youth.) All interested in membership or in learning more about Westminster and the Presbyterian Church (USA) are encouraged to attend. If you are interested in finding out more about the membership process at Westminster, please contact the Rev. Heidi Hudnut-Beumler ( ; hhudnutbeumler@nashvillewpc.org), or Elder Jim Hartman ( ; overlookjim@yahoo.com). To sign up to participate in the Winter New Member Class, please contact Trisha Biggs ( ; tbiggs@nashvillewpc.org). COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: The music used in the service this morning is copyrighted under Christian Copyright Licensing International, Inc., No

10 UPCOMING SERVICES AT WESTMINSTER DECEMBER 24, 2017 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT Service for the Lord s Day 11:00 a.m. Advent worship service (not a Christmas Eve service) Westminster Choir DECEMBER 24, CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES The Feast of the Nativity 2:00 p.m. Children s Service with all Children s Choirs ( 2016 attendance: 448) 5:00 p.m. Candlelight Communion Service with the Westminster Choir (2016 attendance: 838) 8:00 p.m. Candlelight Communion Service with the Westminster Choir (2016 attendance: 260) 10:30 p.m. Candlelight Communion Service with the Laudate Youth Choir (2016 attendance: 202) DECEMBER 31, FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS 11:00 a.m. Worship Service only Carols and Brass WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 3900 West End Avenue Nashville, Tennessee Phone: ; Fax: