ORDER OF WORSHIP December 16th, 2018 3rd Sunday of Advent ~ Love Please sign and pass the Friendship Book ( pew pad ) where you can also record any prayer requests. Our prayer is that you will experience the presence of the Living God as we worship together. We invite you to focus your heart and mind in worship. * indicates please stand as you are able. WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Misty Cross PRELUDE A Manger Medley Piano/Organ Arr. Fred Bock CALL TO WORSHIP Listen to words of promise and hope and share the great good news: God is not distant or uncaring, but moves with loving power to meet us as we meet. Misty Cross The Living God is in our midst to rejoice over us with gladness, renew us in love, and lift us up with words of hope: I will remove disaster from you. I will deal with oppressors, rescue the lame, and gather the outcast. I will bring you home forever and change your shame into honor and praise. Thanks be to God! Copyright Brian A. Wren, Westminster John Knox Press, Jan 1, 2008
*SONGS OF WORSHIP: OF THE FATHER S LOVE BEGOTTEN (Hymn #145) (VERSE 1) Of the Father s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega, he the source, the ending he, of the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see, evermore and evermore! (VERSE 2) O that birth forever blessed, when the Virgin, full of grace, by the Holy Ghost conceiving, bore the Savior of our race; and the Babe, the world s Redeemer, first revealed his sacred face, evermore and evermore! (VERSE 3) O ye heights of heaven, adore him, angel hosts, his praises sing, powers, dominions, bow before him, and extol our God and King; let no tongue on earth be silent, every voice in concert ring, evermore and evermore! (VERSE 4) Christ, to thee with God the Father, and, O Holy Ghost, to thee, hymn and chant and high thanksgiving and unwearied praises be: honor, glory, and dominion, and eternal victory, evermore and evermore! LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES THE COLVIN FAMILY *SONGS OF WORSHIP: LOVE HAS COME (Hymn #110 Purple Hymnal)
(VERSE 1) Love has come, a light in the darkness! Love shines forth in the Bethlehem skies. See, all heaven has come to proclaim it. Hear how their song of joy arises: Love! Love! Born unto you, a Savior! Love! Love! Glory to God on high! (VERSE 2) Love is born! Come share in the wonder. Love is God now asleep in the hay. See the glow in the eyes of His mother. What is the name her heart is saying? Love! Love! Love is the name she whispers. Love! Love! Jesus, Immanuel. (VERSE 3) Love has come, He never will leave us! Love is life everlasting and free. Love is Jesus within and among us. Love is the peace our hearts are seeking. Love! Love! Love is the gift of Christmas. Love! Love! Praise to You, God on high! Call to Confession Prepare the way of the Lord! Let us make our confession to God. Prayer of Confession Lord Christ, we confess our willingness to be loved but also our reluctance to love. We confess our readiness to accept your forgiving love but also our refusal to forgive. We confess our eagerness to grasp your offer of redeeming love but also our resistance to follow you without question. Aaron Cross
In this Advent time, forgive us our failure to respond as we should. Come to us anew, and by your grace, assist us to receive you with joy, as the shepherds; with gratitude, as Simeon; with obedience, as Mary; with love, as you have loved us. Even so come, Lord Jesus. Amen. [Silent Prayer] Assurance of Pardon Surely God s salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and will make a path for his steps. In Christ, God s salvation is at hand and righteousness has come. Thanks be to God! Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources SONG OF WORSHIP: PLEASE REMAIN SEATED COME, THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING (Hymn #45) (VERSE 1) Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above; praise his name I m fixed upon it name of God s redeeming love. (VERSE 2) Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I ve come; and I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; he, to rescue me from danger, bought me with his precious blood. (VERSE 3) O to grace how great a debtor daily I m constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee: prone to wander Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here s my heart, O, take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Rev. Peter Blank OFFERING OF OURSELVES & OUR GIFTS Aaron Cross Offering Prayer O Mighty One, you have done and are doing great things for us, and holy is your name.
Bless all we offer you ourselves, our time, and our possessions that through us your grace and favor may be made known to all the world, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen. Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources *Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below Praise him above ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. You may bring your offering and/or light a candle at the front or back of the sanctuary. The children are excused at this time to attend Junior Chapel. Offertory Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine Organ On a 14th Century German Carol READING OF THE SCRIPTURES Diana Blank Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. MESSAGE Rev. Peter Blank An Attitude of Gratitude for Advent
Isaiah 12:2-6 (NIV) 2 Surely God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 In that day you will say: Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. 6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you. *SONG OF WORSHIP: GOD IS LOVE-HIS THE CARE (Hymn #400) (VERSE 1) God is love: his the care, Tending each, everywhere. God is love-all is there! Jesus came to show him, That we might all know him: (REFRAIN) (VERSE 2) Jesus shard all our pain, lived and died, rose again, Rules our hearts, now as then; For he came to save us By the truth he gave us: (REFRAIN) (VERSE 3) To our Lord praise we Sing Light and life, friend and king, Coming down love to bring, Pattern for our duty, Showing God in beauty: (REFRAIN)
~ REFRAIN ~ Sing aloud, loud, loud! Sing aloud, loud, loud! God is good! God is truth! God is beauty! Praise him! BENEDICTION Rev. Peter Blank POSTLUDE Today in Bethlehem Organ On a Polish Carol Elder Judy Potter is available for prayer after the service. In the pulpit today: Rev. Peter Blank is Knox s Temporary Supply Pastor. He and his wife Diana arrived in Spokane in August 2017 to help take care of Diana s aging father. Peter previously served congregations in central California, rural Nevada and NW Oregon. Peter has become bi-vocational he is both our pastor and a licensed Home Inspector for the Spokane area. Peter has a passion for learning and discipleship training. He is graduate of Pacific Lutheran University and Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary. With Diana, they have 5 grown children in their blended family scattered along the west coast; as pet lovers, they have two dogs and a cat. They love the Spokane area for outdoor hikes and lakeside fun. Today s Lectionary Readings Zephaniah 3:14 20 Philippians 4:4 7 Isaiah 12:2 6 Luke 3:7 18
Reflection Sometimes wealthy people worry that God or the church is requiring them to be poor. What is the difference between being poor and being fair? How do you feel about sharing? Household Prayer: Morning God, surely you are my salvation. I begin this day without fear, trusting you, for you are my strength. Help me to meditate all day on the thought that you are rejoicing in me! And keep me keenly aware, as I travel through this day, of ways that I may help others, especially those with special needs. Then bring me home to you at the close of the day. Amen. Household Prayer: Evening Thank you, God, for the gift of today and for guarding my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. All that I did and all that I left undone, I now give over to your safekeeping, trusting in your peace that surpasses all understanding. Be my rest as I sleep tonight, and renew me in your love for another day. Amen. The Morning & Evening Household Prayers and Questions for Reflection from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion. 2015