SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
Sunday, December 18, 2022 9:00am & 10:30am GATHERING
PRELUDE WORDSOFWELCOME
*CALLTOWORSHIP
Leader: WearewaitingonGod.Wearestillwaiting.
People: The darkness is deeper, but look! The star is beginning to shine. The everlasting light is creeping closer. Hope is in the air. Peace is promised. Joy is on the tips of our tongues.
Leader: Loveiscoming.Lovedivine,alllovesexcelling.
People: We are waiting on love. And Love is waiting on us.
*PRAYEROFINVOCATION
*HYMN#648 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
*AFFIRMATIONOFFAITH(Apostles’Creed)
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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on 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 Ghost, The holy catholic church, The communion of saints, The forgiveness of sins, The resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting. Amen.
*HYMN#245,v.2 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel ADVENTCANDLELIGHTING
PRAYEROFCONFESSION
Loving and faithful God, during this season of Advent, we celebrate that Jesus has come, and that He promises to come again! Jesus came to bring light and hope, but our hearts are often shrouded by darkness and despair. Jesus came to bring joy and peace, but our hearts are often encased by sorrow and turmoil. Jesus came to bring life and love, but our hearts are often hardened by resistance and contempt. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, we open our hearts in confession to be cleansed from our sinfulness and to be restored to the image of Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.
ASSURANCEOFPARDON(John3:16-17)
Leader: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Therefore, let us assure one another of God’s pardon.
All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God.
ANTHEM
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming German carol,16th century Chancel Choir
Lo,how a Rose e’er blooming From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, By faithful prophets sung. It came,a Flow’ret bright, Amid the cold of winter When half-spent was the night.
PRAYEROFILLUMINATION
Isaiah‘twas foretold it, The Rose I have in mind: With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind. To show God’s love aright She bore for us a Savior When half-spent was the night.
Spirit of God, speak once again through the Words of Scripture that our listening ears may hear Your voice. Help us to place Your Word in our minds, treasure it in our hearts, choose it with our wills, and live it through our bodies. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
SCRIPTURE Isaiah11:1-10NIV
1AshootwillcomeupfromthestumpofJesse; fromhisrootsaBranchwillbearfruit.
2 TheSpiritoftheLordwillrestonhim— theSpiritofwisdomandofunderstanding, theSpiritofcounselandofmight, theSpiritoftheknowledgeandfearoftheLord—
3 andhewilldelightinthefearoftheLord. Hewillnotjudgebywhatheseeswithhiseyes, ordecidebywhathehearswithhisears;
4 butwithrighteousnesshewilljudgetheneedy, withjusticehewillgivedecisionsforthepooroftheearth. Hewillstriketheearthwiththerodofhismouth; withthebreathofhislipshewillslaythewicked.
5 Righteousnesswillbehisbelt andfaithfulnessthesasharoundhiswaist.
6 Thewolfwilllivewiththelamb, theleopardwillliedownwiththegoat, thecalfandthelionandtheyearlingtogether; andalittlechildwillleadthem.
7 Thecowwillfeedwiththebear, theiryoungwillliedowntogether, andthelionwilleatstrawliketheox.
8 Theinfantwillplaynearthecobra’sden, andtheyoungchildwillputitshandintotheviper’snest.
9 Theywillneitherharmnordestroy onallmyholymountain, fortheearthwillbefilledwiththeknowledgeoftheLord asthewaterscoverthesea.
InthatdaytheRootofJessewillstandasabannerforthepeoples;thenationswillrally tohim,andhisrestingplacewillbeglorious.
Leader: ThisisthewordoftheLord.
All: Thanks be to God!
PRAYERSOFTHEPEOPLE
THELORD’SPRAYER
CARING
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. *HYMN#185
Jesus Loves Me
OFFERINGSOFTHEPEOPLE
OFFERTORY Mary, Did You Know? MargeSutton,RichardCook, soloists
GROWING
SCRIPTURE Romans5:1-11
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 throughwhomwehavegainedaccessbyfaithintothisgraceinwhichwenowstand.Andweboast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put ustoshame,becauseGod’slovehasbeenpouredoutintoourheartsthroughtheHolySpirit,whohasbeen giventous.
6 Yousee,atjusttherighttime,whenwewerestillpowerless,Christdiedfortheungodly. 7 Veryrarelywill anyonedieforarighteousperson,thoughforagoodpersonsomeonemightpossiblydaretodie. 8 ButGod demonstrateshisownloveforusinthis:Whilewewerestillsinners,Christdiedforus.
9 Sincewehavenowbeenjustifiedbyhisblood,howmuchmoreshallwebesavedfromGod’swraththrough him! 10 Forif,whilewewereGod’senemies,we werereconciledtohimthrough the deathof hisSon,how muchmore,havingbeenreconciled,shallwebesavedthroughhislife! 11 Notonlyisthisso,butwealsoboast inGodthroughourLordJesusChrist,throughwhomwehavenowreceivedreconciliation.
*BENEDICTION&RESPONSE Now unto Him
*POSTLUDE
Fuga sopra il Magnificat, BWV 733 J.S.Bach Dr.NatalieMealey, organ
