St. John s Lutheran Church, Sweet Air P.O. Box Sweet Air Road Phoenix, MD

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1 NOTES Traditional Worship Celebration Advent December 3, :08 and 11:08 am St. John s Lutheran Church, Sweet Air P.O. Box Sweet Air Road Phoenix, MD

2 WELCOME TO ADVENT Pastor Lisa Arrington The tree is only partially decorated because Advent is also about waiting and preparation each week. INVITATION TO THE PRELUDE Pastor Lisa Arrington Pastor: Let s quiet our hearts and minds and prepare for Advent worship with the special Advent music. PRELUDE MUSIC Now, Lord, You Let Your Servant Go in Peace Michael Chambers PROCESSING WITH SYMBOLS OF ADVENT Sherry Glock, Candle (8:08) Steve Glock, Angel Chrismon (8:08) Susan Liberati, Candle (11:08) Eva Hoffman, Chrismon (11:08) Remain seated as the lights will be dim as Chrismon of the day appears on the screen The Angel Chrismon: The angel brings Mary good news of great joy that she is with child by the Holy Spirit. Angels are messengers. In the book of Daniel today, we will hear the Babylonian King order those believers who refused to worship idols, to be thrown into the fire. There were three men who defied the king and worshipped God. Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, because God sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. Emmanuel in Hebrew means God with us. Please rise and let us sing just the beginning of the hymn: Following the Cross, the Advent light of Christ is carried to the wreath along with the Chrismon for this day. Sand in the glass reminds us that the light comes down to earth. ELW #257 v. 1 ELW = Evangelical Lutheran Worship Book (cranberry colored hymnal) O come O come Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear No rejoicing? We are waiting for the 2 nd coming, the promised return of Christ. Let us pray in quiet meditation. 2 PLEASE PRAY FOR Those with illness: Shirley Alexander Nicole Bandy Craig Barzyk Pastor Partee Boliek Harrison Carr Andy Cashman Rose Como Chuck Cropf Mark Daneker Ava Daniels Evan Davis Iona Dorn David Fazenbaker Virgie Gover Mary Grande Ronald Grant Michael Gray Mark Habicht Malcolm Hobbs Grant Holland Nancy Jones Jack Kneafsey Barry Kuhne Bill Langlotz Judy Lapinski Jean Mace Keisha Mack Irene McNally Shirley Merritt & family Bill Moulds The Murphy family Charlotte Novotny Ellen Platt Cindy Price & family Candace Rader Joseph Regert Selena Riley Elaine Schmidt Claire Sigwart Harold Smith Pamela Spencer Margaret Walsh Henry & Gloria Weaver Sandy Wetsel Tom Wilfred Parker Wilson Names on the prayer list are printed with permission of the person named. After receiving permission you may place a completed yellow prayer request card in the offering plate or contact the church office to add a name to the prayer list. After four weeks on the list a name will be removed unless the office is notified for an extension of time. Visitation: please notify the church office if you anticipate a hospital stay. Thank you! 15 Special needs as noted by the Friday Prayer Group: Gun violence everywhere Peace, civility and protection from terror assaults at home and abroad Those who have been affected by natural disasters Pray for peaceful resolutions with North Korea Those with destructive addictions Deployed soldiers & families: Partners in Care Congregations for the MD National Guard Current ministries: Empowerment of the Holy Spirit in: Country Fair Day Ministry Team CROP Walk Deborah Circle Rebuilt Small Group 10am 1 st & 3 rd Wednesday Our mission partners: Amazing Grace Lutheran Church Prs. Gary Dittman & Carol Perlie (Baltimore) Prs. Mercedes & Isaias Nelson (Dom. Rep.) Pr. Tyrone Smith (New Orleans) National ELCA Bishop Elizabeth Eaton Delaware Maryland synod Bishop Bill Gohl Nicole & Kevin Fuhr, serving Central America Crucified Church in Johnstown, PA Pr. Josh Knipple Prayers of thanksgiving: Travis Webb Tom & Marci Weigle, Brittany, Taylor, Ryan Norene Weyforth Barbara Weyforth Ted Weyforth

3 MINISTRY ASSISTANTS 8:08AM 11:08AM Ushers: Marlene Zahn Charles Leedy* Jeff Zahn Heinz Oest Luella Leimbach Frank Altenburg Karen Leimbach TBA Greeters: Jeff Zahn Bixie Leedy Gary Smith Charles Leedy Readers: Nancy Murray Susan Liberati Preaching Minister: Pastor H. J. S. Otto Pastor H. J. S. Otto Presiding Minister: Pastor Lisa Arrington Pastor Lisa Arrington Assisting Minister: Marjorie Espenschade Don Zurwelle Communion Assts.: Nelson Ben gal Ellen Bruck Nancy Murray Kathy Cathell Gerry Peterson Susan Liberati Nursery Caregiver: Leah Hunt Leslie Reese Altar: Emily Walton Emily Walton Sound: Jeff Walsh Ed Compher Projection: Tim Rader Jason Jones Organist: Michael Chambers Michael Chambers We pause for holy meditation, confession and prayer. Lord, waiting is not easy. We are impatient. We are stubborn. We are anxious. We are worried and distracted. But the world needs the true light of Christ to shine. Help us to focus on your light, your Word, and may we see your angels in the midst of this world! Kyrie! Lord have mercy! Lights are raised for the Kyrie. KYRIE Setting One Page 98 New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 14 3

4 GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST Setting One Page 99 SHARING PEACE Assisting Minister Let us share peace and take it into the world. The peace of the Lord be with you always. ALL: And also with you. Let us greet one another friends and visitors alike. Remember some people prefer to share the peace verbally due to flu season. We are a very loving church but please ask someone if it is okay to share a hug. Hand sanitizer is in the back of the church. 4 13

5 COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION HYMNS: Let Us Break Bread Together on Our Knees ELW # 471 Comfort, Comfort Now My People ELW #256 BLESSING AND PRAYER Assisting Minister Receive the blessing. May the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in His grace. Amen. Let us pray. Lord we thank you for the word made flesh, the Word of life and bread of heaven. Thank you for connecting us as the body of Christ. Rebuild your church. Rebuild each of us. That, fed by your Word, we may be your church rising in grace, learning the story, loving to tell the story as student disciples on a big mission following Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. NEXT STEPS Pastor Lisa Arrington NEW: Now, Lord, You Let Your Servant Go In Peace Setting One Page 113 BIBLE READING John 18:36-37 Reader An introduction for our reading on Act 4 Israel. In our main reading of Daniel, the people of Israel are in exile, captive in Babylon. The king of Babylon makes a decree that any Jew that does not bow down to the golden statue shall be thrown in the fire. Likewise, in the Gospel of John, we are reminded there is always a struggle for power in this world. Jesus reminds the disciples God s kingdom is above all kingdoms. A reading from John 18: 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here. 37 Pilate asked him, So you are a king? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice. Reader: This is the Word of God, word of life. All: Thanks be to God. ST. JOHN S BRONZE Daniel and the Lion s Den Cathy Waldrop Linda Chambers, narrator BIBLE READING Daniel 3: Reader King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue whose height was sixty cubits and whose width was six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 8 Accordingly, at this time certain Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, 12 5

6 and entire musical ensemble, shall fall down and worship the golden statue, 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These pay no heed to you, O King. They do not serve your gods and they do not worship the golden statue that you have set up. 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought in; so they brought those men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and you do not worship the golden statue that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. 17 If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up. 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face was distorted. He ordered the furnace heated up seven times more than was customary, 20 and ordered some of the strongest guards in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 So the men were bound, still wearing their tunics, their trousers, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 22 Because the king s command was urgent and the furnace was so overheated, the raging flames killed the men who lifted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 But the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up quickly. He said to his counselors, Was it not three men that we threw bound into the fire? They answered the king, True, O king. 25 He replied, But I see four men unbound, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the fourth has the appearance of a god. 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here! So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men; the hair of their heads was not singed, their tunics were not harmed, and not even the smell of fire came from them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king s command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god ex- 6 PRESENTING OUR OFFERING TO GOD Assisting Minister Let us pray: All: For all that you have bestowed upon us, O Lord, we give you thanks. Out of the gratitude of our hearts, we present these gifts, dedicating them to your merciful work on behalf of all those less fortunate than ourselves. May they be a testimony to the miracles you have brought about on behalf of your faithful people. Amen. HOLY COMMUNION Pastor Lisa Arrington P: The Lord be with you. All: And also with you. P: Lift up your hearts. All: We lift them to the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All: It is right to give our thanks and praise. P: 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. THE LORD S PRAYER INVITATION TO COMMUNION Today, Communion will be celebrated at the altar rail. Follow the guide of the ushers to start at the center of the rail. You're invited to receive the bread (gluten-free), then individual glasses of red wine or white grape juice. The presiding pastor will bless and dismiss everyone once all have received. If you have difficulty making it up the steps to the railing, notify an usher and it would be our privilege to bring Communion to you. LAMB of GOD Setting 1 Page

7 standing by your word. Give us even a portion of their strength and bless us as you have blessed them, with the unfailing promise of life eternal. Lord in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. We pause in silence to remember all those on our prayer list. We pause to remember all those who are on our hearts. We place all these things into your gracious hands, and place our trust in you, O Lord, who hear all, see all, and know all. With gratitude, we thank you for your faithfulness to us. Amen OFFERTORY Let the Vineyards be Fruitful ELW # 182 Please rise as you are able & offering plates will be brought forward. cept their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that utters blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins; for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. Reader: This is the Word of God, word of life. All: Thanks be to God. MESSAGE Advent ~ New Hope for Tired Saints Pastor H. J. S. Otto ADVENT HYMN The King Shall Come ELW # 260, vss 1, 2, 3, 5 OFFERING & ART ANTHEM 40 th ANNIVERSARY OF THE KNEELERS During the offering instead of special music, ushers are invited forward while we have a visual tribute to the artistic needlework of beloved members who offered us treasures that tell the story to the glory of God In 1977 Ken Vansant was looking for volunteers to complete Needlepoint Communion Kneelers and worship chair cushions. It took a lot of volunteers to do this new project which was dedicated in Advent Each picture tells the story. What do the symbols mean? LUTHER S COAT OF ARMS kneeler: The circle symbolizes eternity. The black cross rests against the petals of a rose, the Messianic rose. THE FISH kneeler: This was a secret sign used by the early persecuted Christians to designate themselves as believers in Jesus. ST. MATTHEW kneeler: St. Matthew was a tax collector when Jesus called him. This is the reason for the 3 money bags assigned as his symbol. ST. PHILIP kneeler: The cross and the two loaves are assigned to St. Philip s bewilderment regarding the feeding of the five thousand. ST. BARTHOLOMEW kneeler: St. Bartholomew the flaying knives remind us of St. Bartholomew s terrible tortures in the persecution. 10 7

8 ST. JAMES (THE GREATER) kneeler: The escallop shell is a symbol for the traveler because he used this shell to scoop water to drink on his travels. ST. THOMAS kneeler: St. Thomas s symbol is a carpenter s square and a spear, because this apostle is said to have built a church with his own hands, in India. Later, he was persecuted there and was killed with a spear. ST. PAUL kneeler: St. Paul was referred to as the Apostle to the Gentiles but he was not one of the twelve apostles. He has the sword assigned to him because he was a persecu tor of the Church. The book is a symbol of his conversion into the greatest preacher of the Church. He is symbolized by an open Bible with the words Spiritus Gladius (sword of the Spirit), and behind the Bible the sword of the Spirit itself. THE DOVE kneeler: The Dove signifies the Holy Spirit hovering over the water at creation, and above Jesus at his baptism. THE CUP AND THE GRAPES kneeler: Grapes signify the sacrament of the Holy Communion, and is most appropriately found about the Communion table. THE BREAD AND THE WHEAT kneeler: The bread and the wheat from which it is made, are symbols of the body of our Lord which we take during Holy Communion. THE SHELL kneeler: The shell is used frequently as a symbol for Holy Baptism. Three drops of water indicate baptism, In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. ST. JAMES (THE LESS) kneeler: The saw is the symbol of St. James the Less. St. James was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple for his beliefs; his body was sawed to pieces. JUDAS kneeler: Judas symbol is the money bag with the silver coins. ST. JOHN kneeler: This symbol is assigned to St. John because an attempt was made on his life through poison put into the communion cup. Showing the serpent arising out of the chalice was the only way in which they could make you think of poison in the wine. 8 ST. PETER Cushion: The crossed keys are assigned to St. Peter to recall his confession and our Lord s gift to him of the keys of the kingdom. This from St. Matthew 16:18-19, And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ST. JUDE Cushion: His symbol is the ship, which stands for his many mission voyages for Christ. ST. ANDREW Cushion: While St. Andrew was preaching in Greece, he was put to death on a cross of this type. He requested that he be crucified on a cross unlike that of his Lord. Since the date of the first Sunday in Advent is always the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew s Day, (November 30), this cross has become the emblem of the beginning and the end of the Church Year. ST. SIMON (THE CANAANITE) Cushion: Simon s symbol is a book upon which rests a fish, because Simon became a great fisher of men. THE MESSIANIC ROSE Cushion: The little rose of Palestine is often called the Messianic Rose. It s a hardy white rose that blooms at Christmas. It stands as a symbol for the Promised Messiah. FINAL PRAYERS Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for gifts made by hand. We thank you for the kneelers that tell the story and help us with kneeling at your altar. We pray for all servants who from their labors rest. Send your sustaining spirit to those around the globe who live in places where it dangerous, even against the law to worship as they please. Strengthen all who have the courage to attempt reforming unjust systems and promoting peace in their countries. Lord in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. Sometimes the deadly flames we face are invisible to the outside world: toxic relationships, internal demons, illnesses of mind and spirit. Deliver us, O God, from all that erodes our souls, and send your powerful healing this day to... Lord in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer. Your saints of every age have faced challenges and dangers in the face of 9

Testify to the Truth 1

Testify to the Truth 1 Testify to the Truth Selections from Daniel 3 John 18:36-37 Westminster Presbyterian Church Rev. Douglas Browne December 3, 2017 (1 st Sunday of Advent) Selections from Daniel 3 King Nebuchadnezzar made