The Order of Worship – December 14, 2025

This is the 348th Day of 2025.
There are 17 days remaining in 2025.

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.

Third Sunday of Advent

Prelude:

Welcome & Announcements:
This month’s mission focus is staff gifts
Bible Study is at afaithtalk.com
Call to Worship: Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates…213 (D)

Responsive Reading: Luke 1:46b-55
My spirit rejoices in God

^46b “My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

⁴⁸ for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. 
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me, 
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy is for those who fear him 
from generation to generation.

⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm; 
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

⁵² He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, 
and lifted up the lowly;
⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things, 
and sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵ according to the promise he made to our ancestors, 
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Praise the Lord

Opening Hymn: People Look East…202 (D)
Verse 1

People look east. The time is near of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today: Love, the Guest is on the way.

Verse 2

Furrows, be glad.
Though earth is bare, one more seed is planted there.
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
that in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Rose, is on the way.

Verse 3

Stars, keep the watch.
When night is dim, one more light the bowl shall brim,
shining beyond the frosty weather,
bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Star, is on the way.

Verse 4

Angels announce with shouts of mirth
him who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming with the word,
the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today: Love, the Lord, is on the way.

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.

Praise Song: Joy to the World…246 (D)
Verse 1

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven,
and nature sing.

Verse 2

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let all their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat
the sounding joy.

Verse 3

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as
the curse is found.

Verse 4

He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders
of his love.

Pastoral Prayer
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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: Be Still My Soul…No. 534 (F)

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
Children’s Song (I’ve Got Peace Like a River…TFWS #2145)
Verse 1 

I’ve got peace like a river, 
I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
I’ve got peace like a river, 
I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul. 

Verse 2

I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul.
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul.

Verse 3

I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.

Verse 4

I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.
I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.

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:  Isaiah 35:1-10
The desert blooms

¹ The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus ² it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God.

³ Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. ⁴ Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.”

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; ⁶ then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; ⁷ the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

⁸ A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. ⁹ No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.

¹⁰ And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

Gospel Reading:   Matthew 11:2-11
The forerunner of Christ

² When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³ and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”

⁴ Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. ⁶ And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

⁷ As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.

⁹ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ ¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

Sermon Text:  James 5:7-10
Patience until the Lord’s coming

⁷  Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. ⁸ You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

⁹ Brothers and sisters, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!

¹⁰ As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

Sermon:  “Suffering & Patience”

Closing Hymn: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Bb)
Verse 1

It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth,
to touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.

Verse 4

For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.

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Filled Up and Poured Out

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