What s Happening. Poinsettias You can bring your poinsettias for decorating the altar for Christmas Eve to church this week through Wednesday.

Transcription

1 What s Happening Poinsettias You can bring your poinsettias for decorating the altar for Christmas Eve to church this week through Wednesday. Bundles of Joy - Gifts for newborns are distributed through the Axis Health Center to new mothers who are without health insurance and are unable to afford all the things a newborn needs. Please place your gifts in the narthex anytime between now and Christmas Eve. You may also write a check to Holy Cross and designate it for Bundles of Joy. The following items are needed: Newborn Diapers, Wipes, Baby Wash, Lotion, Powder or Ointment, Bottles (3 Pack), Newborn Outfits, Baby Booties or Socks, Hats, Bibs, Rattles, Pacifiers, Cloth Toys or Stuffed Animals, Cash or Gift Cards (Target, Babies R Us, etc.) Christmas Cookies - If you are interested in helping with a Christmas party for 45 Homeless Veterans baking cookies, donating towards gifts or even attending the party see Sally Trautwein. Cookies can be dropped off in the church office during this week until Thursday Flower Chart is now posted in the narthex. Please take a form and sign up for donating flowers for A Reminder- End of the Year- is rapidly approaching. December 31 st is a Saturday this year. Please make your donations prior to the 30 th to get proper 2011 tax credit. Remember there are many ways to give financially. One time donations may be made through Simply Giving (forms are available in the office or the Narthex), Paypal thru Stock (see me), or most directly by writing a check. Stewardship - Though there is not a formal campaign this year, your Finance Committee would like your help. We are budgeting for next year and are praying for increased income to meet our needs. If you are planning changes for next year, particularly those that will affect Current Operating or Debt Reductions please let me know by to kendall.trautwein@sbcglobal.net. 2

2 FISH - Do you like to eat? Are you interested in getting to know others from church? Then you may be interested in our upcoming adult fellowship opportunity. It is called - FISH, which is short for Fellowship In Someone s Home. Groups will be randomly formed at a kick-off potluck on Sunday, January 22 nd at 5:00 in the Parish Hall. The groups will consist of six people with the possibility of having two additional people if the hosts desire. The groups will meet to share dinner when it is convenient for those involved, approximately once a month. These will be simple get-togethers with a great way to get to know more people. The first round of FISH participants will start in February and end in May. Hopefully we will continue this again in the fall with new groups formed. Although the first round will start with just adults, children may attend the kick-off potluck. Please sign up on the Holy Cross Connected card or call the church office. FISH Contact person, Gloria Wallace, MINISTRIES HELP NEEDED Livermore Homeless Refuge help needed Our church is sponsoring the LHR during the weeks of January 23 and January 30 as well as March 19 and March 26. They are open Monday Friday when the temperature falls below 40 degrees or it rains. They ll be here from 6 pm 7 am the next day. Fill out the Keep Connected card to volunteer to get more information or go to their website at - You can also contact Sandra Chesterman, the Director of Operations at Bible Activity Time help urgently needed! Share the Gospel with the children on Sunday morning. Activities are based on the week s Gospel reading and bring His Word to life for the children. If you are interested, please fill out the Keep Connected card to volunteer or get more information. Puppet time help needed New puppeteers and human readers are needed for Sunday Mornings. You ll be taught what you need to know to enjoy the time! Fill out the Keep Connected card to volunteer and get more information. Sunday School Teachers needed Come and share a smile and some laughs while teaching our Holy Cross children bible stories. Lesson activities are provided. Fill out the Keep Connected card to volunteer or contact Donna Pontau at

3 FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT DECEMBER 18, 2011 HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH 1020 Mocho Street, Livermore, CA Church Office (925) Sunday Worship Celebration, 9:30 a.m. Please visit our web site at for more information Holy Cross Lutheran Pre-School & Junior Kindergarten - School Office (925) Welcome! We welcome you to this celebration of worship. Newcomers and members are invited to give the requested information on the Keeping Connected card inserted in the bulletin. The Keeping Connected card is also how we keep track of attendance. There are name tags in the pews for everyone to use. The Ark Nursery Parents with children to three years old are invited to use our staffed nursery across the hall from the sanctuary. A paging system is employed for your convenience and your child s safety. Children s Worship Helps There are activity sheets, crayons and books on the library shelves located in the Narthex. Ministry of the Word At the appointed time, a lector/reader will enact the grand narrative of our faith by reading from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the letters of Paul, and the Gospels. We believe the proclamation of these readings not only recalls the mighty acts of God, thereby serving as a reminder of who and whose we are, but also serves to constitute a new and right spirit within us, shaping and molding us to live authentically in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through the telling of this story, the liturgy serves to invite us into this sacred drama by simply listening to the proclamation of God s divine narrative that comes to us in poetry, prose, and song, or by following along on the separately printed scriptural readings found on the back of your bulletin cover. We Celebrate Holy Communion All are welcome to the Lord s Table. The wine is offered either by individual or common cup. For those who would prefer grape juice, it is already poured in cups in the center of the communion tray. While the age-appropriateness of when a child should receive the holy meal is not insignificant, a child s age should not preclude full participation in the sacrament. It is God s free gift to all, received in the spirit of faith that God can and does transcend all cognitive and emotive ability to fully understand the profound mystery of this most sacred of meals. At the same time, to more fully appreciate the rich and varied textures of the Holy Meal, one would do well to enroll their child in First Communion Instruction when he/she feels his/her child is of an age where such instruction would be meaningful. In short, the gift of God s grace offered to us in the Holy Meal is free, but it is not cheap. If you have questions about the age-appropriateness of your child s receiving the Holy Meal, please schedule a time to meet with Pastor John to discuss your concerns. 4

4 PRELUDE Indescribable Music Team GATHERING SONG ELW 242 5

5 ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING THE BOST FAMILY We have lit three candles for hope, for peace, and for joy. Today we light the fourth candle the candle of love. With this flame we signify the love of God that surrounds and fills us at all times, but that we recognize in a special way in the Christmas story. There is no greater power than love. It is stronger than rulers and empires, stronger than grief or despair, stronger even than death. We love, because God loves us. 6

6 SONG OF PRAISE Shine On Us Lord let Your love Love with no end Come over us Lord let Your love Love with no end Come over us That we may be saved That we may have life To find our way In the darkest night Let Your love come over us Let Your light shine on us PRAYER OF THE DAY Leader: Loving God, All: we open ourselves to you this Christmas season. As these candles are lit, light our lives with your imagination. Show us the creative power of hope. Teach us the peace that comes from justice. Fill us with the kind of joy that cannot be contained, but must be shared. Magnify your love within us. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, That we may walk in the light of Christ. Amen. FIRST READING 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Sandra Mollon Word of God. Word of Life. Thanks be to God. 7

7 SECOND READING Romans 16:25-27 Julice Winter Word of God. Word of Life. Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION The Holy Gospel according to Luke. Glory to you, O Lord. THE GOSPEL Luke 1:26-38 Pastor John Bost The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. CHILDREN S MESSAGE Pastor John Bost SERMON Pastor John Bost 8

8 HYMN OF THE DAY ELW 265 9

9 PRAYERS INTERCESSION Leader: With the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, Let us pray for the church, those in need, and all of God s creation. Each petition of the prayers ends with these words: Leader: Lord in your mercy, All: hear our prayer. Leader: Into your hands, gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through Jesus Christ our Savior. All: Amen. PEACE Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you always. All: And also with you. OFFERTORY ANTHEM Mary Did You Know MUSIC TEAM OFFERING Leader: Let us pray, All: God of abundance, We bring before you the precious fruits of your creation, And with them our very lives. Teach us patience and hope as we care for all those in need Until the coming of your Son, our Savior and Lord. Amen. 10

10 HOLY COMMUNION DIALOGUE Leader: The Lord be with you. All: And also with you. Leader: Lift up your hearts. All: We lift them to the Lord. Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All: It is right to give our thanks and praise. THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE Leader: In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me. For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. All: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. 11

11 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 and ever. Amen. INVITATION TO COMMUNION Leader: These are the fruits of God for the people of God. The disciples knew the Lord Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Come to the table of the risen Christ. Come to the table, all are welcome, for the gifts of God are FREE! 12

12 COMMUNION SONGS ELW

13 14 ELW 257

14 15 ELW 723

15 16

16 17 ELW 272

17 PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Leader: God our shepherd, All: we give you thanks that you have fed us even now with the banquet that is yet to come. Keep us alert for signs of your presence in the world around us. Send us as healing oil and sheltering comfort to those in need, and make us bold in testifying to the light of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. BLESSING Leader: God most high, God with us, God poured out on us, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. All: Amen. 18

18 SENDING SONG 19

19 BENEDICTION/COMMISSION AND BLESSING Leader: All: Leader: All: Depart in peace, and take with you the certain knowledge That God is always coming into the world. We will seek God, not in a long ago stable or ancient manger, But in the people we meet and the depths of our own hearts. May the blessing of Christmas make you a blessing to others; May the peace of the season pervade all that you do. We will welcome the challenge of discipleship. We will offer ourselves as God s ministers. We will go forth in hope, peace, joy, and love. DISMISSAL LEADER: ALL: Go in peace. Remember the poor. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE 20

20 This Week at HCLC Sun 12/18 9:30 am Worship Celebration 12:00 pm Daisy Troup Meeting Mon 12/19 7:30 pm Boy Scouts Tue 12/20 7:00 pm Finance Committee 7:30 pm Music Team Wed 12/21 10:00 am Mid-Week Forum 7:00 pm AA Meeting 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal Thurs 12/22 10:30 am Young at Heart 1:00 pm Mom s In Touch 3:00 pm Strings Rehearsal 7:00 pm Church Council Fri 12/23 8:00 pm AA Meeting Sat 12/24 7:30 am Men s Ministry 5:00 pm Christmas Eve Service 8:00 pm Christmas Eve Service Next Sunday, Christmas Day, December 25 9:30 am Worship Celebration Sunday school, Jr. High Ministry and Sr. High Ministry are on a break until next year! THE CHURCH OFFICE will be closed on Monday, December 26 th Attendance Last Sunday, December Questions? Comments? Have something to share with the congregation? Submit your ideas, announcements or articles for the weekly bulletin no later than Wednesday for inclusion in that Sunday s bulletin. You can call the Church Office at , or submit your ideas, questions and comments via to admin@holycrosslivermore.org 21