LAFAYETTE ORINDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 10:00 a.m. We Gather Prelude Noel with Variations Claude-Bénigne Balbastre (1727 1799) Variations on a Medieval Carol Robert Hebble (b. 1934) Stewart Scharch, organ Welcome Lauren Gully & Peter Whitelock Candle Lighting Lauren Gully & Lisa Canterbury We Praise Christmas Carols O Come, All Ye Faithful (Hymnal #133, verses 1, 3, 4) arranged by Brett Strader Away in a Manger (Hymnal #115) Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (Hymnal #119) Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Pardon Chris Baldwin Response Hallelujah Leonard Cohen (1934 2016) Story of Peace Peace Valerie Hedrick We Hear the Word Sermon Peace Lauren Gully (Isaiah 9:2 7, 52:7 10; Luke 2:8 14; Ephesians 2:14 17) Reflection O Holy Night Adolphe Adam (1803 1856) Joyce Lee, violin Pastoral Prayer & The Lord s Prayer Peter Whitelock We Respond We Are Called by Name Offering O Little Town of Bethlehem arr. John Innes (b. 1937) Good Christian Friends, Rejoice Brett Strader, piano; Stewart Scharch, organ Closing Carol Joy to the World arr. Brett Strader Prayer of Thanksgiving Charge & Benediction Peter Whitelock Lauren Gully Postlude Ring Out, Wild Bells Robert Hebble Stewart Scharch Everyone is invited to the Worship Plaza for coffee and fellowship.
Worship Flowers Christmas flowers are the gift of Elizabeth Johnson and Philip Jensen in loving memory of their son Robert Leavens Jensen. Floral Design Team Sherril Barber, Team Leader; Lassie Colebourn, Jane Ebe, Linda Giddings, Jayne Hegenbart, Pat Jeans, Suze McConnell, Clarice Odell, Penny Perry Hospitality Team Sharon Bartlett, Team Leader; Dick Courtney, Ann Loar, Colleen Fawley, Wayne Brock Julie & Jim Fulford, Carol Landey, Greeters Welcome Team A special thank you today to Hobie Cats, a Voyager group, for serving the coffee on the plaza. Worship & Music Team Peter Whitelock, Pastor/Head of Staff Gerald Chinen, Pastor, Care; Lauren Gully, Pastor, Mission & Formation; Jaime Polson, Pastor, Families Brett Strader, Director of Worship and Music Stewart Scharch, Organist; Tony Domenick, Assistant Music Director Chris Baldwin, Director of Community Engagement Lisa Canterbury, Advent Candle Lighter Joyce Lee, violin; Michael Henning, drums; Steve Danska, guitar; Terry Miller, bass Colleen Whitelock, vocal Devin Crane, Sound Technician; Jeremy Casella, Video Technician Hiroko Shibuya, Worship and Music Coordinator Music Licensing: CCLI #246351; CVLI, #504094534 CCS WORSHIPcast License #7791 Next Sunday Morning Worship Services We worship together at 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Livestream LOPC Worship at LOPC.org Sunday morning services are streamed live online. Visit LOPC.org and click WATCH LIVE tab on the top of the front page. Large Print Bulletins and Bulletin Supplements are available in the Narthex this morning. Bulletins are also available at LOPC.org, under Worship. LAFAYETTE-ORINDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 49 Knox Drive l Lafayette CA 94549 l LOPC.org l 925-283-8722
LAFAYETTE-ORINDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SUNDAY WORSHIP BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT Candle Lighting Pastor: Reader: Reader: Reader: Pastor: Christmas Carols Today we light the fourth candle of the Advent wreath. Each candle has a meaning. This first candle is HOPE, the second candle is LOVE. the third candle is JOY, and the fourth candle is PEACE. On this fourth Sunday in Advent we welcome Lisa Canterbury to light our candle. We light this candle in Peace. Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. Almighty God, you offer rest for our hearts, and peace for our souls. Give us grace to seek peace in our lives, peace in this community, and peace in the world. Through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Amen. Come, let us worship together. Arranged by Brett Strader O Come, All Ye Faithful (Hymnal #133, verses 1, 3, 4) Text: John Francis Wade, c. 1743; trans. Frederick Oakeley, 1841, alt.; Music: John Francis Wade, c. 1743 O Come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come, and behold him, born the King of angels! Refrain: O come, let us adore him O come, let us adore him O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord! Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest! Refrain Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning Jesus, to thee be all glory given Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! Refrain Away in a Manger (Hymnal #115) Text: Stanzas 1 2, Little Children s Book for Schools and Families, c. 1885; stanza 3, Gabriel s Vineyard Songs, 1892; Music: James R. Murray, 1887 Away in a manger, no crib for his bed The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
The cattle are lowing; the poor baby wakes But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky And stay by my side until morning is nigh Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay Close by me forever and love me, I pray Bless all the dear children in thy tender care And fit us for heaven to live with thee there Hark! the Herald Angels Sing (Hymnal #119) Text: Charles Wesley, 1739, alt.; Music: Felix Mendelssohn, 1840 Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king. Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies with the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Refrain: Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king! Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord Late in time behold him come, offspring of the virgin s womb Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity Pleased in flesh with us to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Refrain Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the sun of righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die Born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth Refrain Response: Hallelujah Words & Music: Leonard Cohen Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Halleujah The Scriptures Isaiah 9:2-7 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. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. Isaiah 52:7-10 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns. Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the LORD to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Luke 2:8-14 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in
bands of cloth and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors! Ephesians 2:14-17 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. The 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. Closing Carol: Joy to the World (Hymnal #134, verses 1, 2, 4) Text:Isaac Watts, 1719, alt. Music: Attr. George Frederick Handel, 1742; arr. Lowell Mason, 1836 Smart, 1867 Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare him room And heaven and nature sing x2 And heaven, and heaven and nature sing Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy x2 Repeat, repeat the sounding joy He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of his righteousness And wonders of his love x2 And wonders, and wonders of his love