Old Greenwich, THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL United Church Connecticut CHURCH OF GREENWICH of Christ Founded in 1665 The Songs of Advent The Third Sunday of Advent 13 December 2009 10 o clock in the morning
W e welcome you this morning, the third Sunday in Advent. If you are visiting with us, we hope you will make yourself known to one of the pastors and to those around you. We invite you to join us for coffee in the Auditorium immediately following the service. Advent is a time of preparation and a season of spiritual reflection; for a few moments, as you listen to the prelude, put aside the rush and bray of the modern Christmas cacophony and listen again for angels bending near the earth. PREPARING FOR WORSHIP *All who are able please stand Seating of latecomers PRELUDE Les Bergers (from La Nativité) CALL TO COMMUNITY Please sign and pass the red book. Terence J. Flanagan, organ Oliver Messiaen Rev. Dr. David D. Young PRAISING GOD CHORAL INTROIT The Cherub Choir; Lisa Flanagan director, Debbie Berner, piano The Friendly Beasts Medieval French melody, Arranged by Doug Schalin Jesus our brother, kind and good, Was humbly born in a stable of wood. Friendly beasts around him stood, Jesus, our brother kind and good. I, said the donkey, shaggy and brown, I carried his mother up hill and down, I carried her safely to Bethlehem town, I said the donkey, shaggy and brown. I, said the sheep with curly horn, I gave him my wool for his blanket warm, He wore my coat on Christmas morn, I, said the sheep with curly horn. I, said the cow all white and red, I gave him my manger for his bed, I gave him my hay to pillow his head I, said the cow all white and red. CALL TO WORSHIP (Robert Davis)
* OPENING HYMN AND PROCESSION The Baptist Shouts on Jordan s Shore New Century (black) Hymnal 115 LIGHTING OF THE THIRD ADVENT CANDLE David, Colleen and Grace Alfano Opening Sentences Scripture: Isaiah 42:6-7 Prayer: O God of light, who has sent to this world and our lives The light of the nations and the savior of us all, Let our light so shine in the darkness That many will know your grace and your salvation. Amen. Lighting of the third Advent Candle: We light this candle as the symbol of hope as we anticipate the revelation of God with us, the Word made flesh, who dwells among us. During the lighting of the Advent Wreath, The Palmer Handbells will play Away in a Manger, Arranged by Barbara B. Kinyon. CALL TO CONFESSION CONFESSING TO GOD PRAYER OF CONFESSION Lord, like our original parents, we too are tempted by the smooth words of the serpent s tongue: it will not matter, it will not hurt, you will not die. And so, careless of our immortal souls, we eat of the fruit of desire, of the judgment of others and of self-righteousness that bars true humility from our hearts. Forgive us, and grant us strength when we are tempted to be less than you have called us to be. Create in us a mind fixed on things above, a soul concerned with things of eternity, and a heart that goes out to others. And so save us, every one. Amen.
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. WORDS OF ASSURANCE Congregational Response Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Thomas Wyman Beck, son of Robert and Mary Beck Tyler Vincent Phillips, son of Todd Joseph and Kelly Dougherty Phillips BAPTISMAL RESPONSE Child of blessing, child of promise, baptized with the Spirit s sign; With this water God has sealed you unto love and grace divine. As the response begins, the Church School children and teachers will leave for their classrooms. Children in second grade and older will leave independently. Children in kindergarten and first graders will meet their teachers at the back of the Meetinghouse (Narthex) and will go to their classrooms as a group. It is not necessary for parents to accompany their children because there are Hall Helpers to guide anyone who needs help. HEARING GOD'S WORD FIRST LESSON Charlie Baird Isaiah 12:2-6 urely God is my salvation; S I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD,
call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. SCRIPTURE ANTHEM The Chancel Choir Advent Carol Peter Niedmann The people of the world confessed; No Law makes way to happiness. No strife in ages gone before brought lasting peace, and souls restored. How long before the world can know The end of Satan s deadly woe? How long till blindness, deafening fear will cease, and touch of Love draw near? The leaves of prophecy unfold; Isaiah s dream of Love is told. A vision full of power and might, A Lord of light beyond all light! How long before we see Love s face, and hearts are touched by saving grace? How long till Zion s songs are heard, and mankind knows God s healing Word? Isaiah saw his glimpse of God in majesty above, and awed; While angels soared and sang for him the Sanctus of the seraphim. How long, he asked, till all can see with opened eyes, and hear of Thee? How long before Thy truth above will touch all hearts with fire of Love? The temple, shaken, filled with smoke. Then, touched with fire, the prophet spoke in open answer to God s call, to bring this message to us all: When Jesus comes, we ll see God s face. His tiny hands will touch our race. In infant laughter heaven sings the power of Love above all things! (Sandra Niles) SECOND LESSON Betsy Kreuter Mark 1:1-13 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased. And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. * HYMN With Joy Draw Water New Century (black) Hymnal 109 SERMON Ready. Set. Stop. Rev. Daniel B. England RESPONDING TO GOD *AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (The Nicene Creed) We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. (The First Council of Nicaea was a council of Christian bishops convened in Nicaea in Bithynia - present day Iznik in Turkey - by the Emperor Constantine in 325 AD.) *Advent Gloria (refrain from Angels We Have Heard on High) Gloria in excelsis Deo, Gloria in excelsis Deo. CALL TO PASTORAL PRAYER PASTORAL PRAYER AND QUIET MEDITATION CALL TO OFFERING Rev. Kate S. Forer OFFERTORY ANTHEM The Chancel Choir; Terry Beaurline, tenor Springs in the Desert Arthur B. Jennings Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come and save you. The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as a rose. For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams flow in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return with songs and everlasting joy: and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. *Advent Response (verse 3 of As With Gladness Men of Old) As they offered gifts most rare, At the manger rude and bare, So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sin s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring, Christ to thee, our heavenly King. *PRAYER OF DEDICATION GOING FORTH TO SERVE GOD *CLOSING HYMN AND PROCESSION Joy to the World! the Lord Is Come Pilgrim (red) Hymnal 130 *CLOSING SENTENCES Leader: Go now in anticipation of Emmanuel, God with us. People: Praise be to God, who has loved us enough to become one of us. Leader: Go with joy in your hearts. People: For through Christ Jesus, we have been redeemed. *BENEDICTION *BENEDICTION RESPONSE POSTLUDE Sortie sur Adeste fideles Pierre Cochereau The flowers in the Meetinghouse today are given in loving memory of C. A. and Joan Westbrook by their family. The First Congregational Church of Greenwich declares itself to be open and affirming; open to all for participation, membership, leadership and employment, and affirming of all who wish to join us as children of God. We continue to give thanks for God's guidance in our journey of faith. We have child care for babies and toddlers every Sunday in the Preschool area. Your children are always welcome for the entire service or for a respite time if needed. Please see an usher if you need directions. The 10:00 am Service is broadcast live each week on WGCH 1490 AM Radio. In addition, the service is available through the church s website, www.fccog.org. A bulletin can be found there as well as a link to the live broadcast. Previous sermons may also be found there.
Calendar TODAY Church School Today we will meet in our classes after the Baptisms. We will learn about the angel who visited Joseph and told him that Mary was going to give birth. We will also learn that this was foretold in the Old Testament book of Isaiah. The 6th graders will prepare for today s visit to Pilgrim Towers where they will deliver our congregation s gifts, share lunch, sing carols and play games! The Pastors Class continues their Christmas movie series, looking theologically at Frosty the Snowman. Coffee Hour Following our Worship Service this morning, we invite you to a very special Coffee Hour! Many of the groups and committees that make up our wonderful church will have booths set up in the Auditorium. Stop by to learn about the wide range of opportunities that you can be involved in, the ways that our congregation is involved in our community and world and some of the amazing ways that God is at work in this place! This is great for all ages! Enjoy! Parish Nurse Sue Asselin, RN is available in Room 203 after the Worship Service. Stop in to have your blood pressure checked or discuss any health concerns. Youth Choir rehearses today in the Choir Room from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm. Christmas Tree Sale Reminder If there are trees remaining today, they will be on sale until 4:30 pm or until they are sold out. The sales benefit our outreach programs. Our Annual Christmas Dinner and Carol Sing will take place today at 6:00 pm. We had such a fantastic turnout last year and hope that you will be a part of this year s celebration. Sign up today during Coffee Hour. Also, remember to bring a side dish to share. There will be special activities for kids! THIS WEEK JPF / Junior Pilgrim Fellowship, 6-8 grades, meets on Tuesday in Room 103 from 6:00 to 7:15 pm. Swell the Chorus! Rehearsals of the Community Chorus for our annual Messiah have begun and continue this Tuesday and Wednesday, December 15 and 16 from 8:00 to 9:30 pm. If choral singing is your gift, join us! Talk to John Stansell if you have questions. Tai Chi Tai Chi continues on Wednesdays at 8:00 am and Thursdays at 9:00 am. Every class is different and very enjoyable. Please come join us. If you have any questions, please contact Prill Meyer at 203-637-4214.
The Palmer Handbells rehearse on Thursday evening from 6:15 to 7:15 pm in the Meetinghouse. Chancel Choir rehearses on Thursday evening from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in the Choir Room. The 43 nd annual performances of Handel s Messiah, Part I and Hallelujah Chorus, will take place this Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20 at 4:00 pm. Hannah Golodinskii, Wanda Brister, Thomas Mooney and Erik Kroncke are our soloists. No tickets are required. A $20.00 per person donation is requested. Plan now to attend. You ll be glad you did! NEXT SUNDAY CPF and SPF Let s celebrate! Our annual Progressive Dinner is on December 20. We will meet at the church at 5:00 pm and begin our journey together. Bring a fun gift to share for our gift swap. (The weirder, the better. Spend no more than $10.00.) See you soon. NEWS AND NOTICES The Nights Off Christmas gathering will take place at the home of Debbie Lacivita on Monday, December 21 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. This evening group welcomes all women of the church and is a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and making new friends within the congregation. For further information, please contact Karen Young at 203-637-7877 or klyct1@aol.com. Bible Study - 2010 The popular Bible Studies will continue in late January with Paul s letter to the Romans, a weighty treatise to be sure, but not impossible. This is the book that dawned so brilliantly on Martin Luther and was the foundation of the Protestant Reformation. It is the summary of all that God revealed to Paul about the meaning of Jesus life and ministry and the truths that impelled early Christians to tell the gospel to the whole world. For modern Christians, it gives grounding and content to our faith and will move us beyond a mere vague emotional connection to the church and to God. Be sure to be a part of this series. Also new to the church s web page are recordings of Dan England s Bible Studies (well, most of them anyway) beginning with the Genesis study that started in the fall. There are also CDs of each session available for loan in the Church Office. Prayer Shawl Ministry Prayer shawls are tangible reminders of God s unconditional love and presence in our lives and the ongoing love and support of our congregation. If you know of anyone experiencing a personal crisis who would benefit from the warm embrace of a shawl, please contact one of the pastors, the Parish Nurse or the Church Office. Stephen Ministry Have you thought about it? Could this be your calling? Experience the joy of listening. We are preparing for a new training session to begin in January 2010.
To find out more, please speak with any Stephen Minister, pastor or Angela Stevens. The Rummage Room Month of December - Be sure to go by The Rummage Room and see the award winning window displays created by our talented manager, Maria Drieghe, and our equally talented assistant manager, Nancy Hamilton. The awards are from the Old Greenwich Garden Club and the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce. Sunday, December 13 - We hope that during coffee hour today you will visit The Rummage Room booth at the Program Fair. Friday, December 18 - The annual Christmas Party for customers from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Come and sing Christmas carols with Stephanie Keis. The shop closes at 5:00 pm for the Holidays. Monday, January 4 - The Rummage Room reopens and donations are welcomed. A week-long 50% off sale on all winter clothing (with the exception of ski wear) will be the opening event. Wish List for January - new volunteers, Christmas items and new gifts you might want to recycle, jewelry and ski clothing. The Women s Ministries, The Rummage Room Committee, The Rummage Room Staff and the 60+ volunteers who keep The Rummage Room running smoothly wish to express their appreciation to all of our customers. It is because of you that The Rummage Room is able to help so many people in their time of need. Merry Christmas to all and we wish you a joyous New Year! Celebrate Advent and Christmas at First Church The Services of Advent Sunday Worship at 10:00 am December 13 and 20 Christmas Eve Services 10:00 am - Carols and Stories 4:00 pm - Family Service and Pageant: Once in Royal David s City 5:00 pm - Community Carol Sing 8:00 pm - Carols and Communion 11:00 pm - Candlelight Service Christmas Dinner and Carol Sing Part I of Handel s Messiah and Hallelujah Chorus Our annual candlelight performances of this masterpiece will be held in the Meetinghouse on: December 19 and 20 at 4:00 pm As always, we will have a spectacular chorus as well as four featured soloists including our own Hanna Golodinskii Join us for a night of food, fellowship and a rousing Christmas Carol sing along today at 6:00 pm! Sign up during Coffee Hour for this favorite Christmas event!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas Memorial/Honor Flowers and Decorations Last call: The Chancel Committee invites contributions for decorations for the Meetinghouse this Christmas. Any amount is welcome. Please deliver the completed form with your check to the Church Office (payable to the First Church Flower Fund) by the end of today. Thank you. In Memory/Honor of By Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ Please print names legibly to minimize spelling errors. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The First Congregational Church of Greenwich 108 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich, Connecticut, 06870 (203) 637-1791 www.fccog.org Ministers: Members of The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. David D. Young Minister of Communication and Adult Education: Rev. Daniel B. England Minister of Pastoral Care: Rev. Avery C. Manchester Associate Pastor for Christian Education: Rev. Kate S. Forer Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry: Rev. Mark D. Montgomery Director of Music/Senior Organist: Dr. John Stansell Associate Organist/Director: Terence J. Flanagan Director of Church School: Rosemary Lamie Director of Membership: Ginny Breismeister Parish Nurse: Susan Asselin, RN Pastors Emeriti: Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Stiers and Rev. Sally Colegrove