The Order of Worship – December 1, 2024

This is the 338th Day of 2024.
There are 28 days remaining in 2024.

Filled with the Holy Spirit,
we are a people of prayer
committed to love one another
and equipped to share Christ’s love throughout the world.

Advent! – Hope

Prelude:

Welcome & Announcements:
This month’s mission focus is Staff Gifts
Bible Study Tuesdays & Thursdays at afaithtalk.com
Five Loaves – No meetings for December.

Call to Worship: Oseh Shalom

Lighting of the Hope Candle

Response: Psalm 25:1-10
Your paths are love and faithfulness

¹ To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
² O my God, in you I trust; 
do not let me be put to shame; 
do not let my enemies exult over me.
³ Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; 
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
⁴ Make me to know your ways, O LORD; 
teach me your paths.
⁵ Lead me in your truth, and teach me, 
for you are the God of my salvation; 
for you I wait all day long.
⁶ Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, 
and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; 
according to your steadfast love remember me, 
for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!
⁸ Good and upright is the LORD; 
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
⁹ He leads the humble in what is right, 
and teaches the humble his way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, 
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
Praise the Lord!

Opening Hymn: Come, thou long-expected Jesus…No. 196 (F)

Verse 1

Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Verse 2 

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

Affirmation of Faith:
The Apostle’s Creed..No. 881

I believe in God the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified,
dead,
and buried;
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge
the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Gloria Patri…Page 70

Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.

Solo: What Wondrous Love Is This

Baptism: Hazel Margaret Johnson

Praise Song: Child of Blessing, Child of Promise…No. 611 (G)

Verse 1

Child of blessing, child of promise,
baptized with the Spirit’s sign;
with this water God has sealed you
unto love and grace divine. 

Verse 2

Child of love, our love’s expression,
love’s creation, loved indeed!
Fresh from God, refresh our spirits,
into joy and laughter lead. 

Verse 3

Child of joy, our dearest treasure,
God’s you are, from God you came.
Back to God we humbly give you;
live as one who bears Christ’s name.

Verse 4

Child of God your loving Parent,
learn to know whose child you are.
Grow to laugh and sing and worship,
trust and love God more than all.

Pastoral Prayer
Contact us here to add your concern to our prayer list.

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.

Anthem: Because He Lives

Offertory

Doxology:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen

Children’s Moment & Song
Children’s Song: 

The Friendly Beasts

Verse 1

Jesus, our brother, strong and good,
was humbly born in a stable rude,
and the friendly beasts around him stood,
Jesus, our brother, strong and good.

Verse 2

“I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
“I carried his mother uphill and down,
I carried his mother to Bethlehem town;
I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

Prayer for Illumination
Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.

Old Testament Reading:  Jeremiah 33:14-16
A righteous branch springs from David

¹⁴ The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵ In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶ In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: The LORD is our righteousness.”
Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

Gospel Reading:  Luke 21:25-36
Watch for the coming of the Son of Man

²⁵ “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. ²⁶ People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.
²⁸ Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
²⁹ Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; ³⁰ as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. ³¹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
³² Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. ³³ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
³⁴ “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, ³⁵ like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.
³⁶ Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

Sermon Text:  1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Strengthen hearts of holiness

⁹ How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? ¹⁰ Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
¹¹ Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. ¹² And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. ¹³ And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Leader: This is the word of God for the people of God.
People: Thanks be to God.

Sermon:  “Love and Holiness – Abundant and Strong” 

Closing Hymn: Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates….213 (D)

Verse 1

Lift up your heads,
ye mighty gates;
behold,
the King of glory waits;
the King of kings
is drawing near;
the Savior of the world is here!

Verse 4

Thy Holy Spirit
lead us on
until our glorious goal is won;
eternal praise,
eternal fame be offered, Savior, to thy name!

Filled Up and Poured Out

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