Chilliwack United Church The Third Sunday of Advent 10:30 a.m. Prelude Lighting the Candle of Joy Every year we light candles as we prepare for the coming of Christ. More and more candles, more and more light, as we watch and wait for Jesus, the Light of the World. God of Promise, come into our darkness. Renew your hope and peace and joy in us, for you alone bring life out of death. Praise be to Yahweh who has heard my cry for help. Yahweh is my strength and my shield My heart trusts in God, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to God in song. Light the candles of hope, peace and joy. Gathering Song (Seated) No. 34 VU Come, Now, O God Come now, O God of joy, we are your people, pour out your spirit that we be one body. Welcome & Greeting God is with you. And also with you. - 1 -
Call to Worship Your promise dawns upon us, Living God. We wait expectantly. Your hope arises among us, Living God. We wait confidently. Your Cherished One appears for us, Living God. We wait in joy. Prayer of Approach Sunday, December 17, 2017 (In Unison) Loving God, this Advent season calls us to watch, wait, and yearn for the day when joy will be the everyday experience of everyone on the earth. Help us to notice the signs around us of your presence, and of your coming to be, that we might be surprised and renewed, and know that you are with us. Amen. Hymn No. 232 VU Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You Prayer of Confession (In Unison) Hope has come into the world but sometimes we are surrounded by despair. Peace has come into the world but often conflict continues. Joy has come into the world, and yet sometimes without reason we fail to embrace it. Forgive us and all your world, O God, and set us free... Assurance of Pardon Silent Prayer (time to sit in God's loving and forgiving presence) Anthem Cantata Part 8 Christmas is the Story of a Star - 2 -
Theme Conversation Sending Song No. 7 VU (Verse 3) Sunday, December 17, 2017 Hope is a Star Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, - 3 -
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. Sunday, December 17, 2017 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Thanks be to God. Amen. Reflection Hymn No. 624 VU Give to Us Laughter Life & Work of the Church Presentation of Our Offering Offertory Hymn No. 581 VU When We Are Living (Verse 2) Through all our living, we our fruits must give. Good works of service are for offering. When we are giving, or when receiving, we belong to God, we belong to God. - 4 -
Prayer of Dedication Preparation for Prayer No. 33 VU Prayer (Sing a few times) Watch, watch and pray, Jesus, the Word, will come. Watch and Pray The Lord's Prayer (Sung) Hymn No. 477 VU No. 959 VU I Come With Joy Commissioning & Blessing Sung Blessing No. 649 VU - Sing Twice - (You are invited to join hands with those around you to form a blessings circle ) Walk with me, I will walk with you and build the land that God has planned where love shines through. Postlude The church has a supply of hearing units for improved sound in the sanctuary. If you wish to use a set for the Sunday service, please pick one up from the sound booth at the back of the sanctuary. - 5 -
Announcements Leading the Service Today: Clergy; Rev. Bethan Theunissen Musician; Rod Swanson Music Director; Marilyn Taves Scripture Reader: Debora Soutar Lectionary Readings for December 24, 2017 Advent IV Love 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16 Psalm 89:1-4,19-26 Luke 1:47-55 (Song of Mary) Romans 16:25-27 Luke 1:26-38 Christmas Eve Isaiah 9:2-7 Psalm 96 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-14,(15-20) Budget Summary Average Weekly Revenue Required to Service our 2017 Operating Budget $ 3,559.00 Average Weekly Revenue to November 30, 2017 3,357.00 Deficit as of November 30, 2017 (5,805.00) Deficit as of November 30, 2016 (19,039.00) Average Mission & Service Weekly Revenue Required to Service our 2017 Objective $ 221.00 Average Mission & Service Weekly Revenue Received to November 30, 2017 179.00 Mission & Service Funds Received to Date November 30, 2017 8,549.00 Mission & Service Funds Received to Date November 30, 2016 10,659.00 For your information, complete regular Monthly Financial Statements are posted in the Narthex on the bulletin board next to the ramp. - 6 -
Christmas Concert and Pot Luck Lunch Join us today following our worship service for a delicious pot luck lunch! Following the pot luck meal, we will enjoy our annual Christmas Concert. Sunday, December 17, 2017 The Annual UCW Cake & Cookie Sale and Tea was a HUGE success! Sincerest and heartfelt thanks goes out to all the volunteers, bakers and organizers of this popular event. We couldn't have done without all of you. A total of $4,103.32 was raised (cookies $1,650.40; Christmas cake $1,820.42; tea $632.50). Starting December 31, we will be collecting toques, mitts, scarves, men and women's underwear toiletries and dental hygiene products. These items will be distributed at the Saturday Manna Soup Kitchen on January 20, 2018. 2018 Church Calendars are now available! A very limited number of church calendars are available for purchase. They are a real bargain at only $6.00 each. Get yours from the church office or talk to Sandra Jacob. We continue to collect non-perishable food items for the local Salvation Army Food Bank. Please place your donations in the Salvation Army bin located in our Narthex. Our Chilliwack United Church Women continue to collect postage stamps. The stamps are collected for Eastern Star and are used to purchase cancer dressings. As we approach the end of the year, please keep in mind that contributions for the 2017 tax year must be received by the church on or before December 31. The church office will be open on Friday, December 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for your convenience. We with to thank all our donors for their wonderful generosity this year! Offering envelopes for 2018 have been prepared and are ready to be picked up. If you made a donation through offering envelopes in 2017, a new set has been prepared for you. If you do not have a set of envelopes, but would like one for 2018, contact the church office at 604-792-4634 and a set will gladly be prepared. - 7 -
Church Office Christmas Hours Closed: Saturday, December 23 to Thursday, December 28 and Monday, January 1, 2018 Open: Friday, December 29 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Come and Worship the Newborn King! Sunday, December 24 at 10:30 a.m.: Advent IV Worship Service led by Carolyn Gaunt Sunday, December 24 at 7:00 p.m.: Christmas Eve Worship Service led by Rev. Bethan Imagine: A Children's Retreat Children ages 8 to 11 are invited to Stillwood Camp & Conference Centre at Cultus Lake for a weekend of fun and friends; February 16 to 18, 2018. Registration is online at www.imaginechildrenretreat.ca For more information, email marlynichol@gmail.com - 8 -
The staff and volunteers at Chilliwack United Church wish you a most joyous Christmas filled with the gifts of the Spirit; hope, peace joy and love. Chilliwack United Church Monday, December 18 to Sunday, December 24 Monday, December 18 No meetings scheduled for today. Tuesday, December 19 9:00 Centering Prayer 1:00 Thrift Shop Open 7:30 Choir Practice Wednesday, December 20 Rev. Bethan in the office 10:00 Thrift Shop Open 10:30 Drop In Bible Study Thursday, December 21 Rev. Bethan in the office 10:00 Thrift Shop Open Friday, December 22 1:00 Thrift Shop Open Saturday, December 23 12:00 Sto:lo Nation Soup Kitchen 1:00 Thrift Shop Open Sunday, December 24 Advent IV/Christmas Eve 10:30 All Ages Advent IV Worship Service (Carolyn Gaunt leading Worship) 7:00 Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (Rev. Bethan leading worship) - 9 -
Chilliwack United Church 45835 Spadina Ave., Chilliwack, BC V2P 1T4 Phone: 604-792-4634 Fax: 604-792-9667 Email: chwkuc@shaw.ca www.chilliwackunitedchurch.com - 10 -
Minute for Mission Supporting Local Churches Our gifts for Mission & Service offer support to congregations. Let us hear a story from central Newfoundland. Worship is at 3:00 p.m. at Northern Arm Pastoral Charge, a four-point pastoral charge. Its members feel this is a convenient time for worshippers to gather. It also gives folks of other traditions who are curious a good opportunity to check the church out. Northern Arm is a warm, welcoming pastoral charge of The United Church of Canada on the beautiful Bay of Exploits. Worship is held in one of its beautiful churches each week. The charge receives a Mission Support Grant funded by Mission & Service. At the end of each year, if any funds are left over, Northern Arm makes a donation to Mission & Service in the spirit of gratitude to pay it forward. We sing thanksgiving for the giving heart of communities of faith whose gifts for Mission & Service change lives and offer hope! If Mission & Service is already a regular part of your giving, thank you so much! If you have not given for Mission & Service, please join me in making Mission & Service a regular part of your life of faith. In all our Mission & Service giving, with a willing heart, we sing thanksgiving to God! (M&S Minute for Mission - Pg 55) - 11 -