Rev. Russell Cobb Mrs. Renée Clifford Mrs. Becky Schneider United Church of Christ California, Missouri Interim Pastor Organist Bell Choir Director ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 2, 2018 First Sunday of Advent ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * - All those who are able, please stand. The Bell The Prelude Lighting of the Candles Kya Peck Hunter Hall Bell Choir Opening Welcome and Announcements * Call to Worship Lighting of the Advent Candle: Hope We light this candle to proclaim the coming of the light of God into the world. With the coming of this light there is hope. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. Isaiah 9:2 Let us worship in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Hymn No. 92 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
*Prayer of the Day Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection awaken us to the threatening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. *Prayer of Confession As in Isaiah s time we become unclean. Before God, we come seeking forgiveness. Gracious and merciful God, Like generations before us, we fail in our efforts to live in the peace and harmony you desire and our righteous deeds become as soiled cloths. We alone cannot wipe clean the slate of our transgressions. We fade like leaves and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Yet, you O God, like the potter, you fashioned us from clay in your holy image. In these silent moments hear the sighing of our spirits as we lay open our hearts to you. Mold us anew, O God, recreate a right image within us. Amen. *Kyrie Lord, Have Mercy Upon Us *Words of Assurance At God s command the heavens open, the mountains quake and love descends as an ever-flowing stream. A light shines in the night and the night cannot endure. Trust that the Power that created you in love now forgives and renews you in the same divine spirit. Go forth to proclaim the awesome deeds of our loving God! Thanks be to God! Amen
*Call to Praise O Lord, open our lips! And our mouths shall show forth your praise! *Act of Praise Gloria Patri (printed on laminated card in hymnal) Invitation to Children s Time Hymn for Children Children s Time Helping Others Jesus Loves Me Jo Ann Cantriel Anthem What Child is This? Bell Choir Prayer for Illumination Alan Chambers Speak to us, Lord. Speak to us in the waiting, the watching, the hoping, the longing, the sorrow, the sighing, and the rejoicing. Speak to us by your Word in these Advent days, and walk with us until the day of your coming. Amen. Scripture Lessons First Reading: Psalm 148:1-6 p. 546 Second Reading: Hebrews 1:5-7, 13, 14 p. 1044 Gospel Reading: Luke 2:9-14 p. 889 Sermon Characters of Christmas: The Angels, the Holy Spirit, and the Heavenly Host Invitation to the Offering Hymn No. 123 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (sung during offering)
*Prayer of Dedication God, whose faithfulness exceeds the limits of the earth, accept these gifts of our hearts and hands. May they be multiplied and magnified as the living presence of Christ s peace in the world. Amen. THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION Any Christian who wishes to know the presence of Christ and share in the community of God s people is invited to receive the Sacrament. The inner circle contains white wine. The outer circles contain red grape juice. Communion Prayer The Lord be with you. And with you also. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give God thanks and praise. Let us pray (the Communion Prayer continues ) The Lord Jesus on the night before he died, took bread, and after giving thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way Jesus took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me. Remembering your gracious acts, we offer our lives to you in service and praise as we keep the feast that Christ prepares: bread of heaven, cup of salvation, resurrection and life. Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Gracious God, now pour out your Holy Spirit among us: in this bread, in this cup, in your people; one in the body, one in the blood, one with Christ, one in mission, one in ministry, in this place, in every place, in this world, in the world to come. Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, almighty God, now and forever. The Lord s Prayer Sharing the Elements (Please hold the elements until all have been served, so that we may all commune together.) *Prayer of Thanksgiving Gracious God, may we who have received this sacrament live in the unity of your Holy Spirit and show forth your gifts of love and grace to each other and to all the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. *Hymn No. 125 *Benediction *Bell Choir Closing *Extinguishing of the Candles *Postlude Angels, from the Realms of Glory
Ushers: Ginnie Medlin, Dale Ratcliff, Philip Burger, Macie Trimble Greeters: Lisa Milligan & Lisa Motley Welcome, visitors! Please take a moment to fill out a visitor card (located in the pew rack) and place it in the offering plate. Thank you! A Nursery is available in the upstairs hallway, just outside the sanctuary. The attendant on duty is Taylor Geiser. The volunteer helper is Ginnie Medlin. Need some help with hearing? See an usher at the back of the sanctuary to check out a hearing assisted unit for your personal use in the sanctuary and in the Friendship Hall. Pinto Boys Basketball Chili Dinner Sunday, January 6 th 11 am - 1 pm Tickets $8 (Adult) $5 (Children 6-11) See Isaac Ash, Trystan Hees, Garrett Burger, Calen Kruger, Jackson Cassil, Martin Kilmer or DJ Schneider for tickets Rev. Cobb: rev.cobb@calmo-ucc.org; 573-489-7891 (cell phone) renee@calmo-ucc.org / Church office: 573-796-4885 Website: www.calmo-ucc.org Wednesday Evening Meal, December 5 th ~ 6pm-7pm Turkey & Noodles, Peas, Hot Rolls, Fruit, Dessert
Activities: December 2, 2018 ~ December 9, 2018 Sunday, December 2, 2018: First Sunday in Advent 9:30 a.m.... Sunday School Giving Tree 10:30 a.m.... Worship 11:30 a.m......christmas Program Practice (Pick up your child no later than 1:30 p.m. (lunch provided in Friendship Hall) Monday, December 3, 2018: 7:00 p.m.... Sunday School Teachers & Officers Meeting Tuesday, December 4, 2018: 9:00 a.m.... Prayer Cell Wednesday, December 5, 2018: 6:00 p.m.... Fellowship Meal 6:30 p.m.... Bell Choir / Confirmation Music practice for Christmas Program 7:30 p.m.... Sr. Choir Sunday, December 9, 2018: Second Sunday in Advent 9:30 a.m...sunday School 10:30 a.m..... Worship 11:30 a.m......christmas Program Practice (Pick up your child no later than 1:30 p.m. (lunch provided in Friendship Hall) Christmas Program Practice Schedule Wednesday, December 5: Practice music during Children s Choir Practice Sunday, December 9: Pick up your child no later than 1:30 p.m. (lunch provided in Friendship Hall) Wednesday, December 12: Practice music during Children s Choir Practice Sunday, December 16: Dress rehearsal. Pick up your child no later than 1:30 p.m. (lunch provided in Friendship Hall) Wednesday, December 19: Practice music during Children s Choir Practice Sunday, December 23: Practice during Sunday School- 9:30-10:10 Monday, December 24: Program at 7 p.m.--- Please meet in the Friendship Hall at 6:30!
Middle School Giving Tree Our church will be participating in the Middle School Giving Tree this year. Gift Tags for the Giving Tree will be distributed in the downstairs foyer thru today. We will be helping 13 families with 18 middle school students this Christmas. (6 girls and 12 boys) All unwrapped gifts should be returned to the church between Dec. 2nd through Dec 7th. Please include the gift tag so we know which student the gift is for. We are also collecting canned food items and personal care items in the downstairs entry way to distribute to these families. Monetary donations will be accepted if any families do not want to shop. Please make your check payable to California Middle School. Please note MS Giving Tree on the memo line. Please stop by and pick up your Giving Tree Tag today. If you have any questions, please contact Allison Kruger - 573-353-6550 or kruger_family02@aol.com Attention Youth Fellowship We will be having a Youth Group Event on Friday, December 7 th at 6 pm at the church. We are going to organize the items that are collected for the Middle School Giving Tree. We will provide dinner for the youth at the beginning of the event, then work on organizing after we eat. This is open to any youth 3 rd grade and up in our church as well as the Peer Helpers at the school. So please help me in passing the word throughout the church. Parents can pick their kids up at 8:30 pm. Please RSVP by Tuesday, December 4 so that I know how much food to prepare. If you have any questions, please let me know. I hope we can get several youth to help with this great project! God Bless! Alisha Burger 573-353-6505
Please pray for these... Love & Justice in God s World Our Confirmands: Jackson Cassil, Grace Dampf, Peter Dampf, Lauren Friedrich, Martin Kilmer, D.J. Schneider, Macie Trimble All Those Who Need Our Prayers, including: Becky Zuidervaart Lois Heather Elsie Meyer Jerry Grant Jo Suggs Billy Meyer Danielle Farris Terri Devasher All Those Serving in the U.S. Military, including: Craig Hall (Air Force, stationed at Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX) Martin Knipker (son of Kenny Knipker) Dwight Bowlin (grandson of Jack & Carole Bowlin, Fort Bragg, NC) Dakota Meyer (grandson of Elsie & Billy Meyer, stationed in Fort Hood, TX) Madelynn Perry (granddaughter of Jan Anderson, army in reserves) Dylan Ash (son of Lanny & Ellen Ash, stationed at Rota Spain) Hayden Grant (grandson of Jerry & Kathy Grant, Air Force, Pensacola, FL) Seth Everett (Army National Guard, stationed in Iraq) Austin Cobb (Russ nephew) Marine Cpl in Middle East on USS Rushmore (11/29/2018)
Intro: Characters of Christmas: The Angels, the Holy Spirit, and the Heavenly Host Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2:12-23; Luke 1:13-17; Luke 2:9-14 Angels are all over the Christmas Story God had been silent 400 years he used angels to bring the good news of the Messiah What did Angels bring then & what do they bring to us today? I. Brought (Matthew 1:20 ) II. Brought a (Matthew 1:20) III. Brought (Matthew 1:21-23) IV. Brought (Luke 2:9-14) V. Brought (Matthew 2:12-23) Conclusion: The characters of the Christmas story were in tune with the spiritual realm. In times of distress, worry, and struggles, God s angels are not far away (II Kings 6:8-18) The angels brought the good news of the Messiah. Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men obeyed the angels. Do you need follow their example and obey the good news and take Jesus as your savior?