December 25 Order of Service and Announcements

10:00am Services December 25, 2022 MORE PEOPLE, MORE LIKE CHRIST

Address: 34605 N. Tom Darlington Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85266 Office phone: (480) 488-3384 / Fax: (480) 488-0850 Facebook: Desert Hills Presbyterian Church (Scottsdale, AZ) YouTube: “Desert Hills Presbyterian Church” Instagram: Follow us @DesertHillsPres Website: www.deserthills.org

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY Sunday, December 25, 2022 10:00am

GATHERING PRELUDE WORDS OF WELCOME *CALL TO WORSHIP Leader:

The world was once in darkness.

People:

Now we have God’s Light, Jesus, to shine on us.

Leader:

The words and promises of God are all true!

People:

God has given us the best gift of all!

Leader:

Rejoice! God is with us!

People:

Praise be to God! AMEN.

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION *HYMN #273

Good Christian Men, Rejoice

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (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. *GLORY BE TO THE FATHER

#813

PRAYER OF CONFESSION Gracious God, You have sent Your Son to us to show us the way. Even when we have turned our backs, followed our own paths, You offer us Light. Forgive us when we are so willful and stubborn. Forgive us when we think more about ourselves and our comforts than we think of reaching out to others. Remind us again that Jesus witnessed to us the Light of Love that serves, guides and heals. Thank You for loving us so much that You would give us this most precious gift. And when we again falter and fail, lift us once more and pour Your Light into our lives, that we might fully understand the power and depth of Your love for us. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON (John 3:16-17) 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

Sing We Now of Christmas Choir Sing we now of Christmas, Noel sing we here!

Listen to our praises to the Babe so dear.

Traditional French Carol

Refrain: Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel!

Sing we now of Christmas, sing we all Noel!

Prophets sang of Christmas long before the dawn.

Now the Light is shining, and we join their song. Refrain Angels sang His glory at the humble birth.

Hear the song crescendo, as it fills the earth. Refrain PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION 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 Isaiah 9:1-7 NIV Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.

4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.

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Leader: All:

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

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CARING PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE 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 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 #262

Away in a Manger

*HYMN #279

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

OFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE

OFFERTORY

Go, Tell It on the Mountain

*DOXOLOGY #815

Traditional Spiritual

OLD HUNDREDTH

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

GROWING SCRIPTURE 1 John 1:1-4 NIV That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.

SERMON

“We Need Christmas”

Rev. Brett Everett

*HYMN #258

Go, Tell It on the Mountain

GOING *BENEDICTION & RESPONSE

*POSTLUDE

Now unto Him

Toccata in C Major, BWV 564 Dr. Natalie Mealey, organ

#234

J.S. Bach

PRAYER REQUESTS ASSISTED LIVING & HOMEBOUND: Anne Wellington(9), Yvonne Banducci BEREAVEMENT PRAYER FOR FAMILY/FRIENDS: Patrick Ferrell (Mary Kay and John Thurston), Su Fong, Betty Shoults, Carolyn Sturrus.

HEALING: Nancy Taylor(6), Tom Purnell(13), Steve Haver(13), Ruth Blakeslee(8), Chris Scotti(5), Paul Meredith(7), Bill Hanley, Debbie Roam (#) Parish Shepherd MILITARY: Mathew Croteau, Austin Ast, Charles Porter, Kenn Mattson, Ben Williamsz, Ryan Richard, Isaiah Skinner, Isaac Corbett, Chanteal Williams Dotson, Ethan Groce, Clark Benham, Conrad McDermott, Graham Benham, Christopher Bingham, Cade Brennan, Joshua Fielder, Elizabeth Fricker, Gregory Fricker, Joseph Galaviz, Cherise (nee Harry) Smallcanyon, Aaron Heinricks, Ryan Leavitt, Kate Miller, Jonathan Mulder, Chris Skinner, Tyrus Smedes, and Kyle Reimer, Fred Alcantu.

IN NEED OF PRAYER? DO YOU HAVE A JOY TO SHARE? We are here to pray for you and with you.

Our Sunday Prayer team believes in the power of prayer. Look for one of us with a purple lanyard throughout the church grounds before or after each church service. We will pray with you and/or fill out a prayer request card for continual prayer.

Please submit your prayer request online at deserthills.org/request-prayer/

WALKING BESIDE MINISTRY It can be difficult to hold onto our faith when things go wrong. Sometimes when we are suffering, we are so overwhelmed by emotion that we cannot function as we normally would. And the holidays can be one of the most challenging times of the year, emotionally and spiritually.

Our team is here to walk alongside you to listen, care, encourage, pray, and provide support. We extend Christ’s love, peace, and hope in a confidential relationship. Give one of us a call; we would love to show you where and how Christ is at work.

Barb Conti Laurann Cook Kurt Koch

Thea Miller Sara Sebransky DHPC Office

(480) 419-8232 (714) 270-8121 (630) 721-9348 (480) 620-8632 (480) 888-6192 (480) 488-3384

Beverley Keele Shirley Klein Joe Gilleland Steve Haver Moon Kahn

(843) 540-9514 (602) 881-0936 (480) 575-8406 (602) 625-0159 (480) 391-2034