One Holiday at a time, PLEASE! November 25, 2018
A Service of Celebration and Decoration Prelude Our Great Band Greeting and Announcements Rev. Ken Heintzelman Call to Worship Led by Sue Stuart One: All: One: All: One: With faith to face our challenges, With love that casts out fear, With hope to trust tomorrow, We accept this day as the gift it is: a reason for rejoicing. So, with gratitude, let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life. Please stand if you are comfortably able and let us sing! Seasonal Song of Faith Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices, who wondrous things hath done, in whom his world rejoices; who from our mother s arms hath blest us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us; and keep us in his grace, and guide us when perplexed, and free us from all ills in this world and the next. All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given, the Son, and Holy Ghost, one Lord in highest heaven: the one eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore; for thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore. Centering Prayer Rev. Ken Heintzelman Special Music Shared by Our Great Band Our task together demands a comprehensive view of life, always intentionally pointed toward the future.
A Word About Life and Celebrations Shared by Rev. Ken Heintzelman Celebration Song # 1 Written by Forrest Bachtel and shared by the Cornerstone Chorale Verse 1: We re decorating the church. Decorating the sanctuary. Having a wonderful time. Lookout! Oh, my, now that was scary. Where did we put the ribbon? Who sat down on the wreath? Someone put Spiderman in the stable. That s just not funny. Good grief. Decorating the Church Would someone please help Mr. Andrews? His ladder collapsed and Mrs. Jennings can t hold him up there by herself much longer. Verse 2: We re decorating the church. We re decorating the sanctuary, Having a wonderful time. Ken says we must keep it merry. Somebody tore the tinsel. Someone knocked down a sconce. Someone doesn t know what to do. Let her do whatever she wants. Mr. Oliver, please put on your glasses. You just hung that star on Mrs. Larson s ear.
Verse 3: We re decorating the church. We re decorating the sanctuary. Having a wonderful time. I ve got Joseph. Who s got Mary? Somebody found a halo. Somebody found a wing. That angel has seen better days. She s being retired, poor thing. I don t care if you ve never heard of a Chrismon. There s no time to explain it right now. Just trust me and put it on the tree. Verse 4: We re decorating the church. We re decorating the sanctuary. Having a wonderful time. That s not an angel. That s a fairy. The altar looks so pretty. All glittery and new. Alice has broken a Christmas candle. Hurry and get the glue. That s lovely, ladies and gentlemen just perfect. And don t worry, I m almost positive that we can have that window replaced by Christmas Eve.
DECORATING TO-DO LIST Hang greenery and/or other decorations on the banisters Decorate the tree closest to the elevator Wipe out the hurricane lamps in the windows with a damp cloth Set candles in the hurricane lamps & iron holders in the windows Decorate the modesty rails in front of the choir Decorate the communion table Choose placement of the two nativity sets and arrange the pieces Add finishing touches (bows, flowers, ornaments, etc.) wherever needed There are two decorations that we would like everyone to help with. First, please choose a Chrismon and hang it on the large tree in the narthex. Second, please choose a Christmas ribbon from the table and staple it as shown to the dowel rod to make a community ribbon banner. These activities can be done during the decorating time, or as you leave after the service today. Thanks for your participation!
Celebration Song # 2 Deck the Halls Traditional Verses 2 & 3: Rod Reinhart 1. Deck the halls with boughs of holy, Tis the season to be jolly, Don we now our gay apparel, While we sing a yuletide carol, Fa la la la la la la la la 2. Forward now to peace and freedom, There a little child shall lead them, Break the chains of war and slavery, Pray with courage. Work with brav ry, 3. Dance away your victim s silence, Bring an end to fear and violence, War and hatred? No and never! Peace on Earth, we sing forever,
Invitation to Give Led by Sue Stuart One: All: Our offerings for the celebration of life, in this place and beyond, shall now be received. Let us pray together. Spirit of Life and Love, We have prepared our space for the season and for the coming of Christ. We offer our gifts to you. Infuse your spirit within them; and bless us this season as we seek to live as authentic people of hope and love. Amen. Offering and Offertory Shared by Our Great Band Dedication of Ourselves and Offerings Led by Rev. Ken Heintzelman One: All: One: As we depart one from another, let our hearts be secure through every human season. Let our hearts be secure in seasons of anguish as in seasons of joy, in seasons of failure as in seasons of success, in seasons of uncertainty as in seasons of security. Let our hearts be secure in this complex reality: green wreaths in the midst of winter, lights in the midst of darkness, strength of love in the vulnerability of a baby, grace in a world of stingy gifts, generous hearts and spirits in the midst fear and the lie of scarcity. In the wonder and paradox of the coming season let our hearts be secure,
All: for hearts know and understand and will respond if invited in. One: These are the times! All: We are the people. One: All of Creation is blessed! All: May we love all and serve all! One: May God be with you. All: And also with you. One: Amen. All: Amen. Joy To The World by G.F. Handel and Issac Watts 1. Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth its praises bring; Let every heart prepare Christ room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and heaven and nature sing. 2. Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns, Let all their songs employ, While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy. 3. Christ rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove, The glories of God s righteousness And wonders of God s love, And wonders of God s love, And wonders, and wonders of God s love.
A complete list of holiday happenings can be found at www.shadowrockucc.org/advent
12/2: Creative Breath 12/9: Light and Darkness 12/16: Obedience 12/23: Birth and Rebirth 2018 Advent Themes Meditation The season of Advent means there is something on the horizon the likes of which we have never seen before. It is not possible to keep it from coming, because it will. That s just how Advent works. What is possible is to not see it, to miss it, to turn just as it brushes past you. And you begin to grasp what it was you missed, like Moses in the cleft of the rock, watching God s hindquarters fade in the distance. So stay. Sit. Linger. Tarry. Ponder. Wait. Behold. Wonder. There will be time enough for running. For rushing. For worrying. For pushing. For now, stay. Wait. Something is on the horizon. Jan Richardson, Night Visions
Shadow Rock United Church of Christ 12861 North 8th Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85029 (602) 993-0050 www.shadowrockucc.org Karen Richter, Director of Spiritual Formation Abeth Spencer, Director of Communications Forrest Bachtel, Choir Director Julie Tuttle, Accompanist Joe Garcia, Percussion Dave Robinson, Guitar John Willis, Bass Guitar Heidi Zinn, Financial Officer and Technology Liz Helm, Wedding Ceremony Director Bill Peterson, Facility and Campus Care Volunteer Rev. Liana Rowe, Campus Partner Chaplain Lois Beberniss, Director of Campus Affairs and Festival Garden Rev. Ken Heintzelman, Senior Minister Dr. William O. Smith, Minister Emeritus The Congregation, Ministers to the World