The Order of Worship – December 21, 2025

This is the 355th Day of 2025.
There are 11 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.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Prelude:

Welcome & Announcements:
This month’s mission focus is staff gifts
Bible Study is at afaithtalk.com
Call to Worship: Jesus, Name Above All Names

Responsive Reading: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Show the light of your countenance

¹ Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock! 
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, 

shine forth ² before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. 
Stir up your might, and come to save us!

³ Restore us, O God; 
let your face shine, that we may be saved.

⁴ O LORD God of hosts, how long 
will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
⁵ You have fed them with the bread of tears, 
and given them tears to drink in full measure.

⁶ You make us the scorn of our neighbors; 
our enemies laugh among themselves.

⁷ Restore us, O God of hosts; 
let your face shine, that we may be saved.

¹⁷ But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, 
the one whom you made strong for yourself.

¹⁸ Then we will never turn back from you; 
give us life, and we will call on your name.

¹⁹ Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; 
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Praise the Lord

Opening Hymn: O Come, O Come Emmanuel…211 (Em)
Verse 1

O come, O come Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
Until the son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel
shall come to thee O Israel

Verse 2

O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
and order all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show
and cause us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel
shall come to thee O Israel

Verse 3

O come, O come great Lord of might
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height,
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel
shall come to thee O Israel

Verse 4

O come, thou Root of Jesse’s tree
An ensign of thy people be
Before thee rulers silent fall;
all peoples on thy mercy call
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel
shall come to thee O Israel

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: Jesus Messiah (G)

He became sin, who knew no sin
That we might become His righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross
Love so amazing, love so amazing
Jesus Messiah, name above all names
Blessed redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners,
the ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all

His body the bread, his blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled, and the veil was torn
Love so amazing, love so amazing
Jesus Messiah, name above all names
Blessed redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners,
the ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all

All our hope is in You,
all our hope is in You
All the glory to You, God,
the light of the world

Jesus Messiah, name above all names
Blessed redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners,
the ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all
the Lord of all, Lord of all, O Lord of 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: Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

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.

Gospel Reading:   Matthew 1:18-25
Our God near at hand

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

¹⁹ Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.

²⁰ But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 

²² All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ²³ “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”

²⁴ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵ but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

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

New Testament Reading:  Romans 1:1-7
Paul’s greeting to the church at Rome

¹ Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ² which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, ³ the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh ⁴ and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵ through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, ⁶ including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

⁷ To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Sermon Text:  Isaiah 7:10-16
The sign of Immanuel

¹⁰ Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, ¹¹ Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.

¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.”

¹³ Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

¹⁵ He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. ¹⁶ For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.”

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

Sermon:  “God’s Sign to Us”

Closing Hymn: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing…240 (F)

Verse 1

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new-born King;”
“peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners, reconciled!”
Joyful all ye nations rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new-born King!”

Verse 3

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new-born King!”

Filled Up and Poured Out

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