ORDER OF WORSHIP December 2nd, 2018 1st Sunday of Advent ~ Hope 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 Dick Raymond PRELUDE CALL TO WORSHIP Piano/Organ Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Arr. Lani Smith Awake! Rejoice! Prepare to meet your God! Christ is coming Open the door. Sweep the path Prepare the way! Dick Raymond Christ came at Christmas to live as one of us. Christ comes today to love us and to lead us. Christ will come tomorrow, wherever we may be. Christ will come when time and space are ended, end everything returns to God. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Amen. Copyright Brian A. Wren, Westminster John Knox Press, Jan 1, 2008 *SONGS OF WORSHIP:
COME, THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS (Hymn #135) (VERSE 1) Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in thee. Israel s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear Desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart. (VERSE 2) Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a king, born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring. By thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone; by thine all sufficient merit raise us to thy glorious throne. ADVENT BEGINS IN THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT (VERSE 1) Advent begins in the darkness of night, waiting and watching for signs of a light walking in faith that the path will appear, daring to follow in spite of our fear. (VERSE 2) Advent begins with our dreams yet deferred. Love sounds ridiculous; prayer seems absurd. But in the midst of life s centerless maze, we lift together our protest of praise. (VERSE 3) Advent begins in oppressions domain,
marked by the cries of confusion and pain. Yet hope is kindled where justice is done, mercy is nurtured, and peace is begun. (VERSE 4) Advent goes on till the promised dawn breaks, tyrants are toppled, and God s dream awakes. Hope is perfected, and faith is made sight. Love is our center and Christ is our light. 2017, GIA Publications, Inc. Text: 2017, GIA Publications, Inc. Mary Hahn and Family Prepare the way of the Lord. We light this candle in hope as we await the coming of our savior, Jesus. Prepare, then, the way of the Lord. LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Rev. Peter Blank Call to Confession Prepare the way of the Lord! Let us make our confession to God. Camille Troxel Prayer of Confession Merciful God, always with us, always coming: We confess that we do not know how to prepare for your Advent. We have forgotten how to hope in miracles; we have ignored the promise of your kingdom; we get distracted by all the busyness of this season. Forgive us, God. Grant us the simple wonder of the shepherds, the intelligent courage of the Magi, and the patient faith of Mary and Joseph, that we may journey with them to Bethlehem and find the good news of a child born for us. Now, in the quiet of our hearts, we ask you to make us ready for his coming. Amen. [Silent Prayer]
Assurance of Pardon The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise, I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called The Lord is our righteousness. People of God: Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose coming we announce in this season, is our righteousness. In Christ, we are made right with God. Thanks be to God! based on Jeremiah 33:14-16, NRSV Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources SONG OF WORSHIP: PLEASE REMAIN SEATED PEOPLE, LOOK EAST (VERSE 1) People, look east. The time is near of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, trim the hearth and set the table. People, look east, and sing today Love, the Guest is on the way. (VERSE 2) Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare, one more seed is planted there, Give up your strength the seed to nourish, that in course the flower may flourish. People, look east, and sing today Love, the Rose, is on the way. (VERSE 3) Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim, one more light the bowl shall brim, shining beyond the frosty weather, bright as sun and moon together. People, look east, and sing today
Love, the Star, is on the way. (VERSE 4) Angels announce with shouts of mirth him who brings new life to earth, Set ev ry peak and valley humming, with the word, the Lord is coming. People, look east, and sing today Love, the Lord, is on the way. -Purple Hymnal #105 OFFERING OF OURSELVES & OUR GIFTS Camille Troxel *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. Offering Prayer You are holy, O God of majesty, and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. You sent him into this world to satisfy the longings of your people for a Savior, to bring freedom to the captives of sin, and to establish justice for the oppressed. He came among us as one of us, taking the lot of the poor, sharing human suffering. We rejoice that in his death and rising again, you set before us the sure promise of new life, the certain hope of a heavenly home where we will sit at table with Christ, our host.. Amen. Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources 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 Come, Long-Awaited Savior Organ David Parton READING OF THE SCRIPTURES Joyce Miller
Psalms 25:1,4-10 1 In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. 4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. 8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. Jeremiah 33:14-16 14 The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior. MESSAGE Rev. Peter Blank There Will Be Signs Sermon Text: Luke 21:25-36 25 There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At
that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. 29 He told them this parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 34 Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. Sermon Notes: ANTHEM Christmas Communion Song Choir *SONG OF WORSHIP: CHRIST IS COMING, LET CREATION (Hymn #271) (Verse 1) Christ is coming! let creation bid her groans and travail cease, Let the glorious proclamation Hope restore, and faith increase. Christ is coming! Christ is coming! Come, O blessed Prince of Peace. Come, O blessed Prince of Peace. (Verse 2) We can now but tell the story Of your bitter cross and pain; We shall yet behold your glory In your coming back to reign.
Christ is coming! Christ is coming! Let each heart repeat the strain. Let each heart repeat the strain. (Verse 3) With that blessed hope before us, Let no harp remain unstrung; Let the mighty advent chorus Onward roll from tongue to tongue. Christ is coming! Christ is coming! Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come Rev. Peter Blank SHARING AROUND CHRIST S TABLE COMMUNION Christ becomes a part of our flesh through Holy Communion. The Lord s Supper is not an end in itself. It always points beyond itself to celebrate God s grace and covenant faithfulness. This does not mean the physical aspects of the celebration are incidental or unimportant. The Lord s Supper should be a celebration fitting to the abundant grace of God offered in Christ.
Invitation to the Lord s Supper Breaking of the Bread & Pouring of the Cup Sharing the Body and Blood of Christ *CLOSING SONG It is the custom at Knox, in celebration of Holy Communion, to hold hands and form a circle around the sanctuary to sing our closing song BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS (Hymn #708) Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. BENEDICTION POSTLUDE Rev. Peter Blank Then Shall Your Light Break Forth Organ French Advent 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. Let s celebrate God s goodness together with a potluck meal after worship next Sunday, Today s Lectionary Readings Jeremiah 33:14 16 1 Thessalonians 3:9 13
Psalm 25:1 10 Luke 21:25 36 Questions for Reflection Even in the midst of trouble and turmoil, God allows us glimpses of the kingdom to come. What signs of promise do you see that bolster your hope in a new heaven and a new earth? Household Prayer: Morning Thank you for this new day to sing your praise and watch for signs of your kingdom. By your Spirit, let me abound in love for you and your children, that in living and loving I may point to your coming reign. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Household Prayer: Evening Thank you for the signs of your coming reign, and for the power of your saving love. Bless all those whom I met today, and strengthen their hope in your power and grace. Now as I close my eyes, I relinquish all anxieties and fears, trusting in your providence and mercy. Amen. The Morning & Evening Household Prayers and Questions for Reflection from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion. 2015