What s Happening COLOR-FULL NOTES There is a bright piece of paper in the bulletins today. These are to be used to write a note to Pete Timmer. Donna Mapes will be putting them into a Christmas box for him to open up and read all the wonderful notes from his Holy Cross Family. Please hand these to an usher on your way out of church. Poinsettias If you would like to donate a poinsettia for the Christmas altar, please fill out the red form in today s bulletin and give it to an usher on your way out. You can bring your poinsettias to church the week of December 18 th. Bundles of Joy - Gifts for newborns are distributed through the Axis Health Center to new mothers who are without health insurance and are unable to afford all the things a newborn needs. Please place your gifts in the narthex anytime between now and Christmas Eve. You may also write a check to Holy Cross and designate it for Bundles of Joy. The following items are needed: Newborn Diapers, Wipes, Baby Wash, Lotion, Powder or Ointment, Bottles (3 Pack), Newborn Outfits, Baby Booties or Socks, Hats, Bibs, Rattles, Pacifiers, Cloth Toys or Stuffed Animals, Cash or Gift Cards (Target, Babies R Us, etc.) Troop 999 Annual Christmas Tree Lot is now open! Come support the Boy Scouts now until December 16 th. Trees starting at $15! They are located in the Groth Brothers car lot at 59 North L Street. The entrance is on Railroad Avenue. Hours are Monday Friday from 5 pm 9 pm and Saturday & Sunday 9 am 9pm. Holy Cross Book Club is reading In the Garden of Beasts by Eric Larson. You are invited to join us for the discussion on Tuesday, Dec 13 at 10 am in the Music Room. A Reminder- End of the Year- is rapidly approaching. December 31 st is a Saturday this year. Please make your donations prior to the 30 th to get proper 2011 tax credit.remember there are many ways to give financially. One time donations may be made through Simply Giving (forms are available in the office or 2
the Narthex), Paypal thru www.holycrosslivermore.org, Stock (see me), or most directly by writing a check. Stewardship - Though there is not a formal campaign this year, your Finance Committee would like your help. We are budgeting for next year and are praying for increased income to meet our needs. If you are planning changes for next year, particularly those that will affect Current Operating or Debt Reductions please let me know by email to kendall.trautwein@sbcglobal.net. 2012 Flower Chart is now posted in the narthex. Please take a form and sign up for donating flowers for 2012. MINISTRIES HELP NEEDED Livermore Homeless Refuge help needed Our church is sponsoring the LHR during the weeks of January 23 and January 30 as well as March 19 and March 26. They are open Monday Friday when the temperature falls below 40 degrees or it rains. They ll be here from 6 pm 7 am the next day. Fill out the Keep Connected card to volunteer to get more information or see Pastor John with any questions. Puppet time help needed New puppeteers and human readers are needed for Sunday Mornings. You ll be taught what you need to know to enjoy the time! Fill out the Keep Connected card to volunteer and get more information. Sunday School Teachers needed Come and share a smile and some laughs while teaching our Holy Cross children bible stories. Lesson activities are provided. Fill out the Keep Connected card to volunteer or contact Donna Pontau at 443-2047. Altar Flower Deliverer s needed Come join the few whose sole purpose is to deliver flowers and smiles to folks who can t make it to church. Fill out the Keep Connected card to volunteer or contact Lita Schaffer. 3
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT DECEMBER 11, 2011 HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH 1020 Mocho Street, Livermore, CA 94550 Church Office (925) 447-8840 Sunday Worship Celebration, 9:30 a.m. Please visit our web site at www.holycrosslivermore.org for more information Holy Cross Lutheran Pre-School & Junior Kindergarten - School Office (925) 447-1864 Welcome! We welcome you to this celebration of worship. Newcomers and members are invited to give the requested information on the Getting Connected card inserted in the bulletin. Name Tags are in the pews for everyone to use. The Ark Nursery Parents with children to three years old are invited to use our staffed nursery across the hall from the sanctuary. A paging system is employed for your convenience and your child s safety. Children s Worship Helps There are activity sheets, crayons and books on the library shelves located in the Narthex. Ministry of the Word At the appointed time, a lector/reader will enact the grand narrative of our faith by reading from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the letters of Paul, and the Gospels. We believe the proclamation of these readings not only recalls the mighty acts of God, thereby serving as a reminder of who and whose we are, but also serves to constitute a new and right spirit within us, shaping and molding us to live authentically in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through the telling of this story, the liturgy serves to invite us into this sacred drama by simply listening to the proclamation of God s divine narrative that comes to us in poetry, prose, and song, or by following along on the separately printed scriptural readings found on the back of your bulletin cover. We Celebrate Holy Communion All are welcome to the Lord s Table. The wine is offered either by individual or common cup. For those who would prefer grape juice, it is already poured in cups in the center of the communion tray. While the age-appropriateness of when a child should receive the holy meal is not insignificant, a child s age should not preclude full participation in the sacrament. It is God s free gift to all, received in the spirit of faith that God can and does transcend all cognitive and emotive ability to fully understand the profound mystery of this most sacred of meals. At the same time, to more fully appreciate the rich and varied textures of the Holy Meal, one would do well to enroll their child in First Communion Instruction when he/she feels his/her child is of an age where such instruction would be meaningful. In short, the gift of God s grace offered to us in the Holy Meal is free, but it is not cheap. If you have questions about the age-appropriateness of your child s receiving the Holy Meal, please schedule a time to meet with Pastor John to discuss your concerns. 4
PRELUDE Ancient Words Music Team GATHERING SONG ELW 248 5
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING THE BAGBY FAMILY We have lit the first two candles, one for hope and one for peace. Today we light the third candle, the candle of joy. This should be the easy one, because joy is all around us in the children, the lights, the music, the gathering together. But how often do we let our preparations or our memories push joy to the side? Joy is like an underground spring that wells up within us, but joy is also a choice, an attitude. Like a muscle, it needs to be exercised. So today we open ourselves to joy, trusting that God has already planted it in us. All we need to do is give it care and offer it to share. (Three candles are lit as the congregation sings.) SONG OF PRAISE Shine On Us PRAYER OF THE DAY Leader: Loving God, Lord let Your light Light of Your face Shine on us Lord let Your light Light of Your face Shine on us That we may be saved That we may have life To find our way In the darkest night Let Your light shine on us All: We open ourselves to you, trusting that this is how you made us: you created us for joy-filled hearts and lives. Show us the creative power of hope. Teach us the peace that comes from justice. Fill us with the kind of joy that cannot be contained, but must be shared. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, that we may walk in the light of Christ. Amen. 6
FIRST READING Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Kristi Littell Word of God. Word of Life. Thanks be to God. SECOND READING 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Erik Jurgenson Word of God. Word of Life. Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION The Holy Gospel according to Mark. Glory to you, O Lord. THE GOSPEL John 1:6-8, 19-28 Pastor John Bost The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. SPECIAL PERFORMANCE Holy Cross Lutheran School Choir CHILDREN S MESSAGE Pastor John Bost SERMON Pastor John Bost 7
HYMN OF THE DAY ELW 239 8
PRAYERS INTERCESSION Leader: With the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, Let us pray for the church, those in need, and all of God s creation. Each petition of the prayers ends with these words: Leader: Lord in your mercy, All: hear our prayer. Leader: Into your hands, gracious God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through Jesus Christ our Savior. All: Amen. PEACE Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you always. All: And also with you. OFFERTORY ANTHEM The Advent Road CHOIR OFFERING Leader: Let us pray, All: God of abundance we bring before you the precious fruits of your creation, and with them our very lives. Teach us patience and hope as we care for all those in need until the coming of your Son, our Savior and Lord. Amen. 9
HOLY COMMUNION DIALOGUE Leader: The Lord be with you. All: And also with you. Leader: Lift up your hearts. All: We lift them to the Lord. Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All: It is right to give our thanks and praise. THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE Leader: In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me. For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. All: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. 10
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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. INVITATION TO COMMUNION Leader: These are the fruits of God for the people of God. The disciples knew the Lord Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Come to the table of the risen Christ. Come to the table, all are welcome, for the gifts of God are FREE! 11
COMMUNION SONGS ELW 241 12
13 ELW 815
14
15 WP 2
16
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Leader: God our shepherd, All: we give you thanks that you have fed us even now with the banquet that is yet to come. Keep us alert for signs of your presence in the world around us. Send us as healing oil and sheltering comfort to those in need, and make us bold in testifying to the light of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. BLESSING Leader: God most high, God with us, God poured out on us, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. All: Amen. 17
SENDING SONG ELW 551 18
BENEDICTION/COMMISSION AND BLESSING LEADER: ALL: LEADER: ALL: Rejoice in God always, and again I say, rejoice For God has created you with the capacity for joy. We will find what makes us joyful, And make that our gift to the world. Trust in God s good will for all of creation and open yourself to God s gentle, transforming love. We will welcome new possibilities in our lives. We will offer ourselves to God s goodness. We will go forth in hope, and peace, and joy. DISMISSAL LEADER: ALL: Go in peace. Remember the poor. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE 19
This Week at HCLC Sun 12/11 9:30 am Worship Celebration 10:45 am Sunday school Jesus is Born! 10:45 am Jr. & Sr. High Ministries 5:00 pm Sr. High Christmas Party Mon 12/12 7:30 pm Boy Scouts Tue 12/13 10:00 am Book Club 7:30 pm Music Team Wed 12/14 10:00 am Mid-Week Forum 7:00 pm AA Meeting 7:00 pm Boy Scouts Committee Meeting 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal Thurs 12/15 10:30 am Young at Heart 1:00 pm Mom s In Touch 3:00 pm Strings Rehearsal 6:00 pm HCLS Christmas Program 6:00 pm Venture Club Fri 12/16 8:00 pm AA Meeting Sat 12/17 7:30 am Men s Ministry 7:00 pm Sr. High Dumpster Christmas Next Sunday, December 18 9:30 am Worship Celebration 12:00 pm Daisy Troop Meeting Sunday school, Jr. High Ministry and Sr. High Ministry are on a break until next year! Attendance Last Sunday, December 4 161 Questions? Comments? Have something to share with the congregation? Submit your ideas, announcements or articles for the weekly bulletin no later than Wednesday for inclusion in that Sunday s bulletin. You can call the Church Office at 447-8840, or submit your ideas, questions and comments via email to admin@holycrosslivermore.org 20