December 22, 2024

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Love

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Prelude

Kathy Shrader

The Call of the Bells

Bringing Forth the Flame of Hope

Welcome & Announcements

Chris Zepp

RISE Christmas Eve Service
Kemper Knoll Farm, 2 pm

We will gather in Darlene Kemper’s barn at 2 pm (ish) for a relatively brief worship experience and Christmas Eve fun! Some seating will be available, but you’re welcome to bring a chair, too. Though we will be in the barn, please dress to stay warm, bring blankets, etc! And feel free to invite all of your friends and loved ones!

Call to Worship

~Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock

(Bold text = All read)

Stop. Listen. Pay attention. Love is coming near.
We wait in the love of the coming Messiah that transforms us.

The Hope Bringer, Peace Maker, Joy Sustainer grows in a womb, preparing to be born among us.
We wait in the love of the coming Messiah that transforms us.

With Mary, we long for the coming of the Child who will transform the world, bringing justice where injustice reigns, fullness where hunger persists, and favor to the ones the world calls lowly.
We wait in the love of the coming Messiah that transforms us.

So let us join our voices & our lives in magnifying God, our Savior!
We come to wait and to declare the coming of the Love that transforms us!

Amen.

Opening Hymn

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - UMH #219

1 What Child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

Chorus:
This, this is Christ, the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

2 Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.

Chorus:
This, this is Christ, the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

3 So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king to own Him.
The King of kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Chorus:
This, this is Christ, the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

Joys and COncerns

Pastor Gordon Meriwether

Congregational Prayer

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.
Amen.

Sweet Blessings

Pastor Gordon Meriwether

Hymns for a Baby Boy

Brent Holl

“Rejoice, Rejoice”

~Marty Haugen

Awake! Awake and greet the new morn,
for angels herald its dawning.
sing out your joy, for soon he is born,
behold! the Child of our longing.
Come as a baby weak and poor,
to bring all hearts together,
he opens wide the heav’nly door,
and lives now inside us forever.

To us, to all in sorrow and fear,
Emmanuel comes a-singing,
his humble song is quiet and near,
yet fills the earth with its ringing;
Music to heal the broken soul
and hymns of loving kindness,
the thunder of his anthems roll
to shatter all hatred and blindness.

In darkest night his coming shall be,
when all the world is despairing,
as morning light so quiet and free,
so warm and gentle and caring.
Then shall the mute break forth in song,
the lame shall leap in wonder,
the weak be raised above the strong,
and weapons be broken asunder.

Rejoice, rejoice, take heart in the night,
though dark the winter and cheerless,
the rising sun shall crown you with light,
be strong and loving and fearless.
Love be our song and love our prayer,
and love, our endless story,
may God fill ev’ry day we share
and bring us at last into glory.

“The Virgin Mary”

~West Indian Carol

The Virgin Mary had a baby boy (x3)
And they say that His name is Jesus.

He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh yes, believer! Oh yes, believer!
He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.

The angels sang when the baby born (x3)
And they say that His name is Jesus.

He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh yes, believer! Oh yes, believer!
He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.

The shepherds came where the baby was born (x3)
And they say that His name is Jesus.

He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh yes, believer! Oh yes, believer!
He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.

The wise men came where the baby was born (x3)
And they say that His name is Jesus.

He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh yes, believer! Oh yes, believer!
He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.

“Gabriel’s Message”

~Sabine Barin-Gould

The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame.
"All hail," said he, “thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favor’d lady." Gloria!

"For known as blessed mother thou shalt be,
all generations laud and honor thee.
Thy son shall be Immanuel by seers foretold,
most highly favor’d lady." Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
"To me be as it pleaseth God," she said.
"My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name."
Most highly favor’d lady, Gloria!

Advent Reflections

Sara Davis

Personal Reflection

Lighting of the Advent Candles - Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love

SCRIPTURE READINGs

Psalm 89:1-2 (CEB)

“1 I will sing of the Lord’s loyal love forever.
I will proclaim your faithfulness with my own mouth
from one generation to the next.
2 That’s why I say,
“Your loyal love is rightly built—forever!
You establish your faithfulness in heaven.”

Luke 1:39-55 (CEB)

39 Mary got up and hurried to a city in the Judean highlands. 40 She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 With a loud voice she blurted out,
“God has blessed you above all women, and he has blessed the child you carry. 43 Why do I have this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her.”
46 Mary said, “With all my heart I glorify the Lord!
47 In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.
48 He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant. Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored
49 because the mighty one has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
50 He shows mercy to everyone, from one generation to the next, who honors him as God.
51 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations.
52 He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed.
54 He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, remembering his mercy,
55 just as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.”

Message

Alexis Ward Ownes

A Mother’s Love

Offering

Invitations

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Offertory

Kathy Shrader

Doxology - UMH #95

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.