Bulletin for 12242023

December 24, 2023 Fourth Sunday of Advent

Adult Sunday School @ 9:30 AM Sunday In-Person and Livestream Worship Service @ 10:45 AM “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.”

Matthew 5:14 NRSV

The Church on the Hill, Near the Cross, In the Word and on the move for Christ

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Monday

Youth Church Sunday @ 10:45 AM

Pastor’s Prayer Call @ 7:00 AM

Adult Sunday School now in person @ 9:30 AM

Monday - Friday

Sunday Service on Livestream @ 10:45 AM

KAIROS Call @ 1:00 PM :HGQHVGD\ Bible Study on Zoom @ 7:00 PM

&KXUFK 2IILFH +RXUV Monday through Friday 9AM - 4 PM One Hagerty Blvd.

West Chester, PA 19382 610.692.2446 www.stpaulsbaptist.org

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Sunday, December 24, 2023 6:00 pm Rev. Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr., Senior Pastor Rev. Orville Brissett, Minister of Music and Worship Arts Jesus: The Ultimate Gift Praise and Worship……… “Come Let’s Worship”……….…..Inspirational Choir James Johnson, Soloist Welcome…………………………………………………Rev. Dr. Tracie Gatewood Prayer of Invocation……..……………………………..Rev. Dr. Tracie Gatewood Scripture……………..Matthew 1:22-23 NRSV………..Rev. Dr. Tracie Gatewood Lighting of the Advent Candle……..………………………….The Gilbert Family Selection………………….“Walk In The Light”……….…….Inspirational Choir Selection…….…………..“Mary Did You Know”……….………Indira Jai’Karan Selection……………………“We Three Kings”....……………Inspirational Choir Beverly Craig, Pianist Video Presentation…….…….“Little Drummer Boy”………….Youth Department Selection………………“Jesus, Oh What a……………...……………Youth Choir Wonderful Child” Offertory Prayer…………….……………………………Trustee Louise Bazemore Offertory Video………………………………………………………………………

Hymn……...…………..…….“Silent Night”……...…….…..Choirs/Congregation (Choir and congregation to light candles) Selection…………...……“Oh Holy Night”……………….Instruments of Praise Gerald Chavis, Soloist Selection……...….“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”….….Candace Croft Selection……………..‘There’s No Christmas………………..Inspirational Choir Without You”

Selection………………….…….“Joy to The World”………….Inspirational Choir Asha Ross, Soloist Benediction………………….…………………………Rev. Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr. Postlude………………………………………………………Instruments of Praise

Order of Worship The Fourth Sunday of Advent Sunday, December 24, 2023 Rev. Orville Brissett Minister of Music and Worship Arts

Reverend Dr. Richelle Gunter Worship Leader

Praise and Worship Lighting of the Advent Candle The Call to Worship The Choral Introit……… Holy, Holy, Holy….…........Congregation Prayer of Invocation..….….…..…......Reverend Dr. Richelle Gunter Prayer Chant…………….The Lord’s Prayer………..Congregation

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Musical Interlude……………………..………………………

Advent Litany……………………………………………….

The Hymn of Consecration... “O How I Love Jesus”…..Inspirational Choir

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Greeting our Visitors…..…………….........Brother David Durnell Pastoral Emphasis & Scripture Lesson............... Rev. Dr. Wayne E. Croft Sr., The Ministry of Giving Offertory Prayer…….…...................................Trustee Beverly Craig

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Announcements …..…….....................................................................

Prayer of Intercession………...……….....Deacon Darryl Gatewood Choral Response.…...……………..…………………..………...

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The Ministry of Music

Sermonic Selection……….. “Emmanuel”………Inspirational Choir “We don’t need another political uprising. We don’t need another conqueror on the scene. What we need is a special word, that will bond within our hearts and give us direction from above. We need a Word from the Lord. A Word from the Lord. Just one Word from the Lord, will remove all the doubts and cause the sun to shine and give peace of mind. Speak Lord, Speak Lord.”

The Ministry of Preaching The Reverend Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr.

“God is Love”

Zephaniah 3:14-20 NRSV *Call to Discipleship

Departing to Serve

*PleaseStand **UshersMaySeatWorshippers ***Congregation Seated Worship with us online at https://stpaulsbaptist.org/

ADVENT LITANY : LOVE

LEADER: For God so loved the world that on a silent night in a humble town called Bethlehem, God gave God’s only begotten Son. Oh what a love, what perfect love.

PEOPLE: Come God of Love, come.

LEADER: God sent God’s standard of love: To love one another; to love your neighbors; to love your enemies and pray for them; and to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

PEOPLE: Come God of Love, Light of the world.

LEADER: God gave humankind the Gift of Love. A love that holds nothing back. A love that is patient, kind, and envies no one. A love that is never boastful, conceited, rude or selfish. A love that is not quick to take offense and keeps no records of wrongs.

PEOPLE: God of Love, The Hope of Salvation, come.

LEADER: God’s love does not gloat over other people's troubles, but rejoices in the right, the good, and the true. God’s love can face anything, there is no cap to its faith, to its hope, to its joy, and there is no limit to its possibilities. Prepare ye the way of the Lord.

ALL: As God’s chosen people, the love we proclaim is entirely unlike every form of human love. It is the love of Christ. Clear the way in us, your people. Break into our world and into our hearts again. Magnify Your love in us until it overflows to our family, our neighbors, our enemies, and our world. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by You, that we may shine the light of Your compassionate love.

Come, God of Love, come.

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SAVE THE DATE St. Paul's Baptist Church

137th Church A.nniver1ary danuary 21, 2024

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Home Daily Bible Readings MONDAY “Christ the Savior Is Born” (Matthew 1:18-25) TUESDAY “Mary’s Exultant Faith” (Luke 1:46-55) WEDNESDAY “Reject Abhorrent Imitations of Faith” (Deuteronomy 18:9-14) THURSDAY “Make Disciples in Faith” (Matthew 28:16-20) FRIDAY “God’s Salvation for All the Earth” (Isaiah 49:1-6) SATURDAY “Arise, shine; Your Light Has Come” (Isaiah 60:1-6) SUNDAY “Worship the King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:1-12 )

MINISTRY MOMENTS CLOTHING MINISTRYACCEPTING WINTER CLOTHES OPEN TUESDAYS 1PM-3PM QUILTING MINISTRY*WILL RESUME JANUARY 9TH CHOIRINSPIRATIONAL CHOIR PRACTICE TUESDAYS @ 7PM

Looking for an opportunity to give of your time and talents? We are praying for volunteers to serve on the planning committee and/or to be available to join us at the dinner as we give back and serve the community.

To learn more about this outreach dinner and how you can help, please join us for an informational meeting on Sunday, January 7, 2024 immediately following morning service in Room 306.

All ARE WELCOMED Chairperson – Brother David Durnell, Evangelism Ministry Co-Chair - Trustee Dwayne Loper Co-Chair - Sister Pam White, Missionary Ministry

Members In Nursing Homes and Hospitals Select Specialty Hospital Sister Angela Asparagus Room #927

Rockland Place (Nursing Home) Sister Geneva Porter-Room 230 1519 Rockland Road Wilmington, DE 19803 Pembrooke (Nursing Home) Sister Deedra Matthews-Room 226 1120 West Chester Pike West Chester, PA 19382

Members Convalescing at Home Deacon Jesse Craig Sister Lurerlene Crook Brother Lynell Laws Brother Albert "Skeater" Hill Sister Sonya Combs-Adams

Church Family the following items will help us serve with greater efficiency:  Any items that you need to be placed in the Sunday Bulle�n must be submitted to the Church Office by noon on Wednesday. You may email your announcement informa�on to assistantsecretary@stpaulsbap�st.org. If informa�on is received a�er the deadline, it will be placed in the next upcoming Sunday Bulle�n.  Announcements will only be placed in the bulletin 3 weeks prior to the event.  Any in-service Ministry announcements can be sent to spbcannouncementministry@gmail.com. They will announce Pastoral Emphasis and St. Paul’s ministry news only. The deadline is Monday to be announced 3 weeks out.  Any item of informa�on for Pastoral Emphasis, or if you are reques�ng to make an announcement on Sunday, must be submitted by noon on Friday. You may either call 610.692.2446 Ext. 140 or email your announcement informa�on to churchoffice@stpaulsbap�st.org. We realize that things do happen between Friday and Sunday and that the need may arise wherein someone has to get a note to Pastor. However, in an effort to give Pastor minimal distrac�ons on Sunday mornings as he prepares for worship, aside from an emergency, please refrain from sending a note to Pastor reques�ng that he make an announcement.

Opportunities for sharing time and talents

 Part time Church Sexton M-F 6pm-9pm Contact the church office at churchoffice@stpaulsbaptist.org  Weekend Church Sexton

Saturday and Sundays

 REACTIVATION of the SAFETY & SECURITY MINISTRY

Do you take safety and security seriously?

Do you have a special skill set that could benefit the safety and security ministry?

Did you serve on the safety and security ministry previously? If you answered yes to any of these questions then please use the tiny URL to express interest in serving on the ministry. https://tinyurl.com/SPBC-SSERP23

For more information, please contact Dr. Carmen Lesesne or email security@stpaulsbaptist.org

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ST. PAUL'S BAPTIST CHURCH MARTIN LUTHER KING PLAZA

ONE HAGERTY BOULEVARD WEST CHESTER, PA 19382 PHONE: 610-692-2446 FAX: 610-692-7582 EMAIL: CHURCHOFFICE@STPAULSBAPTIST.ORG WWW.STPAULSBAPTIST.ORG