Order of Worship

First Sunday of Advent

GATHERING AS THE BODY OF CHRIST

Prelude

Angels from the Realms of Glory

UMH #220

Welcome and Sharing of Announcements

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: The risen Christ is with us.

People: Praise the Lord!

Pastor: (Invitation to worship, encouragements and blessings)

A Time to Make Connections

Call to Worship

Liturgist: Something stirs deep within us – a longing, a hope,

People: A thirst for joy, a hunger for peace, a yearning for blessing.

Liturgist: We know deep within that our hopes and fears

People: Will be met by angel songs and baby sighs.

Liturgist: It is Advent -

People: Season of waiting, hoping, yearning.

Liturgist: Advent-Time to go home.

Lighting of the Advent Candle 

Reader One: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1 NRSV)

Reader Two: We are glad. Whether we drove in or climbed up, whether we logged on or tuned in. We are glad to be here in this community, with this family. It is a place of joyful hope, of radical welcome. It is a place where, together, we can wait in wondrous anticipation of the kingdom to come.

Reader One: “Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that God may teach us God’s ways and that we may walk in Gods paths’” (Isaiah 2:3 NRSV).

Reader Two: We light this candle as a sign of our hope, our joyous hope that we can be restored – our faith restored, our strength restored, our confidence restored, our joy restored as we watch and wait with all God’s people for the promise to be fulfilled.

Opening Prayer

Give to us all, dear God, a sense of your presence and peace. In the dark night of the world’s anguish, we pray to you out of our need. Hear us as we come, intensely alone, let holding hands in the darkness, making one another’s cares our own. Strengthen the poets, the prophets, the peacemakers, the dreamers, and the dancers of life. Surprise us today by a new star that lights up the sky, giving us hope and banishing our despair. In the name of the One who is coming. Amen (Permission is granted to print this page for local church use. © 2012 Abingdon Press

Opening Hymn

 “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”

UMH #196

Message in Music 

 “Is Your Heart Prepared for a King?”

by Robert Lau

Adult Choir

Children's Time

Courtney Till

(in-person only)



Joys and Concerns

(In-person Only)

Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

Prayer Response

 “O Little Town of Bethlehem” 

UMH #230 (verse 1)

ATTENTION TO THE WORD OF GOD

Scripture Readings Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:46-55

For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders, and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Great will be his authority, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name; indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Liturgist: The word of God for the people of God.

People: Thanks be to God.  

Message

“The Redemption of Scrooge I: Making Change from Bah Humbug!”

 Pastor Seok-Hwan

We Respond

Offertory Hymn

 “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”  

UMH #213

Doxology

 UMH #95

*Offertory Prayer

God of hope,  We come today bringing our gifts, and dedicating them to your service.  Bless these gifts and use them to serve the needs of the many who need to know your presence.  We bring them with joy in our hearts, and songs of hope and praise on our lips.  Amen. 

*Closing Hymn

"In the Bleak Midwinter"

UMH #221

Response

“Walk In the Light” 

by Don Besig & Nancy Price

Adult Choir

The Blessing and Sending Forth       

The blessings of God await those who watch  and wait for the signs of Christ’s coming. Go forward into this day watching for the signs. Go forward into this day and become signs or the whole world that Christ is coming.

Postlude

“Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates” 

arr. David Lasky