The Service of Worship First Sunday of Advent / Greening of the Church December 2, :00 a.m.

Transcription

1 The Service of Worship First Sunday of Advent / Greening of the Church December 2, :00 a.m. Chiming of the Hour Greetings and Welcome The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you. Opening Voluntary The First Nowell THE FIRST NOWELL Concerns and Celebrations of the Church Fellowship Registration Please pass the fellowship pad found at the end of the row, record information, and return the pad to its starting point. Then please remove sheet and place in the offering plate when it is passed. PREPARATION Lighting of the Advent Candle Andy, Elizabeth, Ben & Maya Swaggerty Hymn #102 Savior of the Nations, Come (v. 1) NUN KOMM, DER HEIDEN HEILAND Savior of the nations, come; virgin s son, make here your home. Marvel now, o heaven and earth, that the Lord chose such a birth. As this the Season of the Child opens, we gather here to worship, daring to believe our God is with us! Our God, Creator of the earth and sun and stars above, among us in the Child to know us and show us the way! In this the Season of the Child, we raise our songs of praise! We celebrate the Light of the World among us in this world to reveal the Creator s love and grace to us! In this the Season of the Child, we look forward with hope, seeking to find strength so we might follow in the Way of the Child! We open this the Season of the Child by lighting the first candle of the Advent Wreath, the Candle of Hope. We re-dedicate ourselves to discipleship. We look to the Child to find our God. Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 43:18-21 pew Bible, OT, page 632 The Word of the Lord. large print, OT, page 672 Thanks be to God. Anthem Veni, Veni Emmanuel ERO CRAS (I Will Come) Michael John Trotta

2 O come, O come, the I Am that is with us Break the bond of the captive people who mourn in exile Derived of the incarnation of the Father. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! The great I Am Will be born for you. O come, gatherer of all nations, Come to make all whole, To save your servants from their separateness O come thou light of life (morningstar) To shine on us by your coming. Dispel the clouds of night, drive away the shadows of death. New Testament Lesson Matthew 5:43-6:1 pew Bible, NT, page 5 The Word of the Lord. large print, NT, page 5 Thanks be to God. Meditation Looking Forward Dave McNeilly Invitation to Discipleship To speak with someone about becoming a Christian, church membership or a special prayer need, please go to Room 133 following this service. The room is to your left when exiting the sanctuary. Morning Prayer and the Lord s Prayer (using sins and sin) 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin 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. Amen. The Gathering of Today s Gifts Offertory Beautiful Star of Bethlehem *Doxology with Alleluias *The Prayer of Dedication Adger M. Pace & Fisher Boyce LASST UNS ERFREUEN Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise Christ all people here below; Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise Holy Spirit evermore, Praise Triune God, whom we adore. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The Sacrament of the Lord s Supper Invitation and Words of Institution Communion of the People (You may take the elements as they are served.) As you pass the bread, please share the words: The body of Christ broken for you. As you receive the bread, you may respond: Thanks be to God. As you pass the cup, please share the words: The blood of Christ shed for you.

3 Communion Music Prayer After Communion The Paraments and Banners As you receive the cup, you may respond: Thanks be to God. GREENING OF THE CHURCH Luke 3:2b-6 The word of God came to John, son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, And the crooked shall be made straight, And the rough ways made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Hymn #93 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates TRURO (Families with young children are invited to go to the back during the third verse to pick up Chrismons to place on the tree.) The Chrismon Tree Luke 1:68-75 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty Savior for us in the house of his servant David, As he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, The oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, To grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, Might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. Hymn #105 People, Look East BESANÇON The Sanctuary Greens Luke 1:76-79 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, To give knowledge of salvation to his people By the forgiveness of their sins, By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Hymn #87 Comfort, Comfort Now My People GENEVAN 42 The Wreaths Isaiah 7:14, 11:1-2

4 Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse; and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. Hymn Now the Heavens Start to Whisper (v. 1, 3) #94 JEFFERSON (During the last verse, fifth graders are invited to go to the back and all other children are invited to gather on the Chancel steps to lead the next hymn.) The Nativity For so it has been written by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; For from you shall come a ruler, Who is to shepherd my people Israel. Matthew 2:5b-6 Hymn #115 Away in a Manger (verse 1: Children; verses 2 & 3: All) Mueller The Lighting Ceremony John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Carol #104 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You? (verses 1, 2) VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN *Benediction Christ came to bring us salvation and has promised to come again. Let us pray that we may always be ready to welcome him. Come, Lord Jesus, That the keeping of Advent may open our hearts to God s love, That the light of Christ may penetrate the darkness of sin, That these decorations may constantly remind us to prepare for the coming of Christ, That this Christmas season may fill us with the Light of Christ. Amen. *Benediction Response O Lord, How Shall I Meet You? (verse 3) *Postlude VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN You come, o Lord, with gladness, in mercy and goodwill, to bring an end to sadness and bid our fears be still. In patient expectation we live for that great day when your renewed creation your glory shall display.

5 Beautiful Star of Bethlehem * Please rise either in body or spirit. Bold print indicates congregational participation. Worship Leaders Adger M. Pace & Fisher Boyce Dave McNeilly, Interim Pastor Amanda Hines, Associate Pastor Karrie Rushing, Director of Music Brad Collier, Organist Gerald McGowan, mandolin John Morrow, guitar Paul Shackelford, bass Wilma Shackelford, flute James Randall & Carson Fraley, percussion Please lift in prayer: Our Congregation Cares Church Family Betsy Baggett, John Brookbank, Martha Coffman, Vickie Coleman, Thelma Flye, Ben Lattin, Joyce Lewis, Gerald McGowan, Linda Parham, Judy St. John, Joe Sullivan, Dallas Taylor, Sarah Whitehurst, Fred Wood Family and Friends: Christina Basnight (daughter-in-law of Shelley Basnight) Todd Cahoon (friend of Earlene Hite) Scott Groot (father-in-law of Matt Steele) Angie Harrell (friend of Ed & Carol Scull) Anne Lanier (friend of Jeri Jackson) Katherine Lasecki (friend of Debbie Hahn) Frances Maness (sister of Betty Bailey) Pat McArthur (mother of Michelle Money) Jeff Mitchell (friend of Barbara Thomson) Sheila Nasea North (sister of Melissa Nasea) Jim Person (stepfather of David Webb) Arthur Reinders (father of Debra Mizelle) Ray Stallings (cousin of Betty Tart) Nan Vinson (friend of Mary Beth Pugh) Military personnel and families; our national, state and local leaders and people called our enemies. We are a Stephen Ministry congregation. For information, contact Sandra Ward, Bill Lehman, or Jim Young. Our Congregation in Ministry Advent: Make sure to attend our Christmas Joy program and Advent Festival today. The program begins at 5:00 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:00 p.m. A special visitor from the North Pole will be in the parlor right after dinner. The Advent Festival begins around 6:45 p.m., which will include crafts for kids and wreath making for adults. Bring some greenery if you plan to make a wreath. Meetings: Ministry meetings are today at 3pm, followed by Communication Council at 4pm. Worship & Education will not meet today.

6 Advent Calendars: Advent calendars and devotionals are available on the round table in the Welcome Center. One each per family, please. Presbyterian Women: Circle 1 will meet Dec. 10, 10:30 a.m. at the church; Circle 3 will meet Dec. 10, 2pm, at the home of Antoinette Patterson; Circle 6 will meet Dec. 11, 7:00 p.m. at the church; Cypress Glen Circle will meet Dec. 11, 10:00 a.m. at Cypress Glen. MOC: There will be NO Men of the Church breakfast on December 4. MOC Christmas Dinner: The Men of the Church Ladies Night Christmas dinner will be held on Tuesday, December 4, 6:00 p.m. at Brook Valley Country Club. The cost is $28 per person. Angel Tree: Thank you for supporting our Angel Tree for Winterville Manor. Please return the items by December 9th. We will take the stockings over on Dec. 16, 3 pm. Cantata: On Sunday, December 9, the 11am worship service will feature the cantata, What Sweeter Music, sung by the Chancel Choir and accompanied by a chamber orchestra. Alternative Christmas Gifts: Check the Welcome Center for Alternative Christmas giving options, including Honor cards for the Community Crossroads Center. Each card has a $5 minimum donation. Spring Musical Auditions: All 2nd-8th graders are encouraged to attend auditions for the spring musical, on Sunday, December 9, 3pm to 4pm in the sanctuary. For more information, contact Karrie Rushing, karrie@fpcgreenville.org. Youth Christmas Mission Project: The last phase of the Youth Christmas Mission project is the collection of food items! The list of items needed is on the bulletin board outside of the kitchen. Please bring your items by Sunday, December 16 so that Brian and the youth can deliver the items to the families that week. Thank you! Contact Brian Dilday with questions, Montreat: Current 4th-12th graders who are planning to attend Montreat Worship & Music (June 22-29), see Karrie for a brochure & registration form. A deposit of $50 and completed registration form are due by Dec. 30. Any adult interested in attending Week 1 (June 15-22) may register through the website: presbymusic.org/montreat when the portal opens on December 15. Directory Photos: Our last day for directory photos will be Tuesday, December 11. Contact Janice Gray to schedule a time, janice@fpcgreenville.org. Fabulous Friday: We will meet at 5:30pm at the church on Dec. 7 to go downtown for the Christmas Tree Lighting and then head to Meadow Lights. We will stop for dinner on the way. $15 should be enough for dinner, the train ride, and candy at the general store. Today is the deadline to sign up. Make plans to attend one (or more!) of our Christmas Eve services, 5pm, 8pm, and 11pm.