Bay Ridge United Church Worship Celebration 11:00 AM Second Sunday of Advent December 6, 2009 *Prayer of Confession Cleansing God, we hear the call to repentance, but we struggle to respond. A voice tells us to turn around, but we prefer our own ways. You seek to purify us in the furnace of your love, but we constantly elude your searching hand. Our sin leads us in other directions, away from you, away from life. Look with mercy on us. Clear a place within us so that something new might be born, something that will return us to way you have shown us in Jesus Christ. Amen. *Hymn: Son of God Music by Jacques Berthier Son of God, O Lord Jesus Christ, show us your mercy. Lord, hear our prayer. Lord, hear our prayer. *Congregation stands (Ccli # 1681707 One License # A-717492) Hymn: Make Way (See insert) THE GATHERING *Advent Candle Lighting Liturgy See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, says the Lord of hosts. The light of hope has awakened our spirits. A voice cries out in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Renew in us your covenant, O God, that we may be ready for the dawn of your salvation. We light a second candle to bring light to every darkness, and to guide us in the way of peace. With gratitude for your light, O God, we will prepare to welcome a new birth of your love. Prayer of the day O Root of Jesse, you reach deep down into the darkness of the earth and stir the world s longings for deliverance and hope: raise up within our own lives a spirit of courage and strength, of wisdom and insight, that we may do your work for the coming of your kingdom through the merits of the one we know as the beginning of the ages, even Christ, our Lord. Amen. *Assurance of Pardon WELCOME VISITORS Passing of the Peace Because of the N1H1 virus that is going around, a simple bow rather than a handshake may be offered. Announcements Prayer for Illumination Malachi 3:1 4 Song of Zechariah (Luke 1: 68-79) LISTENING FOR GOD S WORD Blest be the God of Israel who comes to set us free and raises new hope for us: a Branch from David's tree. So have the prophets long declared that with a mighty arm God would turn back our enemies and all who wish us harm. With promised mercy will God still the covenant recall: the oath once sworn to Abraham, from foes to save us all; that we might worship without fear and offer lives of praise, in holiness and righteousness before God all our days.
My child, as prophet of the Lord, you will prepare the way, to tell God's people hey are saved from sin's eternal sway. Then shall God's mercy from on high shine forth and never cease to drive away the gloom of death and lead us into peace. Philippians 1:3 11 Luke 3:1 6 Sermon: Rev. Jane Donnelly Response: #74 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling RESPONSE TO GOD S WORD Presentation of Our Offerings Offertory: Prepare the Way of the Lord Words & Music by Lloyd Larson SENDING FORTH My Spiritual Practice and How it Helps Me by Bob Adamski *Hymn: People Look East (See insert) Evangelism Prayer Loving God, convict our hearts to your mission of loving grace in the world and grant us the courage to follow you into the streets and alleys, city halls and conference rooms, hospitals and schools, homes and hearts with your message of love, justice, and reconciliation conveyed in our every word and every deed. Amen. Charge and Benediction Sung: We Are an Offering We lift our voices, we lift our hands, we lift our lives up to you; we are an offering. Lord use our voices, Lord use our hands, Lord use our lives, they are yours; we are an offering. We are an offering. Prayers of the People For... we pray to the Lord. Response: Lord, hear our prayer. The Lord s Prayer THE LORD S TABLE (COMMUNION SERVICE CARD IN NARTHEX) Communion Hymn: #222 Let Us Break Bread Together
Today is December 6 Worship & Sunday School 11:00 AM Coffee Hour Following Service Second Sunday of Advent/Lighting of the Advent Wreath Tuesday, Dec 8 Sunday, Dec 13 Sunday, Dec 20 Thursday, Dec 24 ~L KING AHEAD~ Board Meeting 7 pm Third Sunday of Advent Lighting of Advent Wreath Fourth Sunday of Advent Lighting of Advent Wreath Church Family Christmas Celebration Christmas Luncheon Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 5 pm Fourth Avenue PC Food Pantry: Please help us collect another 50 pounds! Christmas Joy Offering: On December 13 we will receive this offering. You will find a special envelope for it in your offering box. The receipts of the Christmas Joy Offering are distributed evenly to the Board of Pensions for special assistance to retired pastors and church workers and the Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and colleges. Please read the inserts in your bulletin, which give two examples of how these donations are used. Church Family Christmas Celebration: a time for the children (and anyone else) in the congregation to share a poem, a song, a thought, a skit, etc. If you play a musical instrument you may play a piece. Let Pastor know so that your participation can be incorporated into the service on Sunday, December 20. Our customary Christmas Pot Luck Luncheon follows this service. Our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service is December 24 at 5 pm. ~ANN UNCEMENTS~ Welcome to our Sunday Morning Worship Service! If this is your first time with us, please sign the guest register next to the front doors in the Narthex. Lectionary Readings for December 13, 2009 Third Sunday of Advent are as follows: Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7; and Luke 3:7-18. Advent devotional materials are available in the Narthex. Today s flowers are given by Bob & Janet Adamski in loving memory of their fathers, Horace Gaw and Edward Adamski. The 2009 flowers Sign-up sheet is posted in the Narthex. December Birthdays 7- Frank McCarthy 13- Gabriel Benitez 17- Dawn Dimino 25- Jevon Chattergoon 27- Annette Lee If you do not see your name on the list, please sign our When is your Birthday sheet located in the Narthex.. Bible Study is held each Sunday at 10:15 10:45 am. Choir will meet each Thursday at 10:00 am through the Christmas Season.
OUR JOYS AND CONCERNS Please Pray For the Following Grieving The Haraldsen Family, The Pynn Family Healing & Other Concerns Radha Bachoo, Glenn Bergstol, Peggy Buck, Ruth Combes, Zerish Easton, Paul Fox, Teeluckram John, Bessie Kinsella, Victoria Lee, May Lee, Marian Lee Lau, Gene McDonagh, Josephine McDonagh, Vincent Misciagno, Mary Mohammed, Stephen Petrowicz, Loretta Poole, James Porter, Betty Smith, Cynthia R. Somma, Rosemary Stowe, Bob Wilkinson Healthy Pregnancy Jennifer Morabito Congratulations to Proud Parents, Vikram & Laura Gupta on the birth of Layla Ashley Anne Gupta! Prayer Pray for World Peace, Pray for Natural Church Development Process, Pray for Growth for the Sunday School Thy kingdom come! The glorious triumph hastens. When peoples all shall crown Him King of kings; saints shall rejoice, and angels stop to listen. While earth His everlasting glory sings. C. McKibbin, 1909 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 Prayer Requests cards can be found in the Narthex by the front door of the Church. Names will appear on the Healing and Grieving lists for (3) months and may be renewed.
Bay Ridge United Church 636 Bay Ridge Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11209 Church Office 718-836-4978 Rev. Jane Donnelly, Pastor Janet Adamski, Clerk Sara Paar, Music Coordinator Dawn Dimino, Secretary Diane Morales, Sexton Church Office Hours: Email: Web page: Monday - Thursday 10am 2pm bayridgeunitedchurch@verizon.net http://churches.rca.org/bayridge/ Pastor s Contact Telephone: (516) 414-8478 Email: bruc_pastor@verizon.net Church Board Elders 2009 Deacons 2010 Gabriel Benitez (2) Annette Lee (2) Helen Graham (1) Sheela Parshad (2) Roberta Simson (2) Elders 2010 Shantie Chattergoon (2) Jim Gillies (2) Elders 2011 Janet Adamski (2) James Cruickshanks (1) Julie Lin (1) Lisa Suzuki (1) Elizabeth Theofan (1) Financial Secretary: Patrice Chattergoon Treasurer: Bob Adamski Assistant Treasurer: Gabriel Benitez Church Health Team Bob Adamski Shantie Chattergoon James Cruickshanks Elizabeth Theofan A United Congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Reformed Church in America