Fourth Sunday of Advent | December 20, 2020

Worship

This week’s service is both live-streaming and in-person.

Live-Stream

Streaming tips

If you have trouble with the video above here is a direct link to the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oWgcrhzdxss. If you tune into the live-stream while the service has already begun, you can drag the scroller on the bottom are the way back to the left to begin the service. A recording of this live-streamed service will be available on this page following the service.

Click here to submit an Estimated Giving Card online.

Order of Worship

Prelude: Mary Did You Know?

Lighting the Advent Candle

Call to Worship: Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26

   I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever;
          with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
   I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
          your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

   You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
          I have sworn to my servant David:
   ‘I will establish your descendants for ever,
          and build your throne for all generations.’”                              

  Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:
          “I have set the crown on one who is mighty,
          I have exalted one chosen from the people.
  I have found my servant David;
          with my holy oil I have anointed him;

  my hand shall always remain with him;
          my arm also shall strengthen him.
  My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;
          and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
  I will set his hand on the sea
          and his right hand on the rivers.
  He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
          my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’”

Hymn #100: Canticle of the Turning

Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Forgiveness

Gloria Patri

Circle Time

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

Now when the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you.”

But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house.

Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Sermon: “Is It a Miracle?”

Solo: Sing We All Noel sung by Lara Moon

Affirmation of Faith: Luke 1:46-55

 My soul magnifies the Lord,
       and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
  for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
          Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
  for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
          and holy is his name.
  His mercy is for those who fear him
          from generation to generation.
  He has shown strength with his arm;
          he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
  He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
          and lifted up the lowly;
  he has filled the hungry with good things,
          and sent the rich away empty.
  He has helped his servant Israel,
          in remembrance of his mercy,
  according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
          to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Prayers of the People

Postlude: Angels We Have Heard on High

Benediction

CCLI License #768739

Festival of Christmas Music | December 13, 2020

Worship

This week’s service is pre-recorded. There is no in-person worship. Read the update from Session.

Live-Stream

YouTube tips

This week’s video is “premiering” at 10:00 a.m. on YouTube and Facebook. If you go to the YouTube watch page, worshipers will be able to interact with one another while participating in the service. After the premier, the video will be available for playback anytime.

If you have trouble with the video above here is a direct link to the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rp6ggZIe8d0. If you tune into the live-stream while the premier has already begun, you can drag the scroller on the bottom are the way back to the left to begin the service.

Zoom Prayer and Fellowship

We will have a 30-minute prayer and fellowship time on Zoom at 11:15.

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/3577569746

Call-in: (312) 626-6799 and use meeting ID 357 756 9746.

Click here to submit an Estimated Giving Card online.

Order of Worship

Lighting the Advent Candle

Call to Worship: Psalm 126

     When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
          we were like those who dream.
   Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
          and our tongue with shouts of joy;
     then it was said among the nations,
          “The Lord has done great things for them.”
   The Lord has done great things for us,
          and we rejoiced.

   Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
          like the watercourses in the Negeb.
   May those who sow in tears
          reap with shouts of joy.
   Those who go out weeping,
          bearing the seed for sowing,
     shall come home with shouts of joy,
          carrying their sheaves.

Hymn #82, verses 1& 4: O Little of Bethlehem (sheet music)

Prayer of Confession

Assurance of Forgiveness

We are forgiven. We are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:46-55

 My soul magnifies the Lord,
       and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
  for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
          Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
  for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
          and holy is his name.
  His mercy is for those who fear him
          from generation to generation.
  He has shown strength with his arm;
          he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
  He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
          and lifted up the lowly;
  he has filled the hungry with good things,
          and sent the rich away empty.
  He has helped his servant Israel,
          in remembrance of his mercy,
  according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
          to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Message: Sing Joy sung by Brian Shepard

This medley includes “Joy to the World,” “For Unto Us a Child Is Born,” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”

Affirmation of Faith: Our affirmation of faith today is a selection of the Nicene Creed.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

Interlude: What Child is This? on piano, keyboard, and organ

Prayers for Hope, Peace, Joy and Love

Anthem: Still, Still, Stilll performed by the Handbell Ensemble

Benediction

Postlude: Hark! The Herald Angel Sing on piano, keyboard, and organ

CCLI License #768739

Second Sunday of Advent | December 6, 2020

Worship

This week’s service is available by lives-streaming only. There is no in-person worship. Read the update from Session.

Live-Stream

Streaming tips

If you have trouble with the video above here is a direct link to the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oWgcrhzdxss. If you tune into the live-stream while the service has already begun, you can drag the scroller on the bottom are the way back to the left to begin the service. A recording of this live-streamed service will be available on this page following the service.

Zoom Prayer and Fellowship

We will have a 30 minutes prayer and fellowship time on Zoom at 11:15.

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/3577569746

Call-in: (312) 626-6799 and use meeting ID 357 756 9746.

Click here to submit an Estimated Giving Card online.

Order of Worship

Prelude: Away in a Manger with Infant Holy, Infant Lowly with Phil Thornbery on piano

Lighting the Advent Candle

Call to Worship: Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

  LORD, you were favorable to your land;
          you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
  You forgave the iniquity of your people;
          you pardoned all their sin.         

  Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
          for he will speak peace to his people,
          to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
  Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
          that his glory may dwell in our land.

  Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
          righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
  Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
          and righteousness will look down from the sky.
  The LORD will give what is good,
          and our land will yield its increase.
  Righteousness will go before him,
          and will make a path for his steps.

Hymn #82: Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus (sheet music)

Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Forgiveness

Gloria Patri

Circle Time

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading: Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in he prophet Isaiah,
     “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
          who will prepare your way;
   the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
          ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
          make his paths straight,’”
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11

   Comfort, O comfort my people,
          says your God.
   Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
          and cry to her
     that she has served her term,
          that her penalty is paid,
     that she has received from the Lord”s hand
          double for all her sins.

   A voice cries out:
     “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,
          make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
   Every valley shall be lifted up,
          and every mountain and hill be made low;
     the uneven ground shall become level,
          and the rough places a plain.
   Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
          and all people shall see it together,
          for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

   A voice says, “Cry out!”
          And I said, “What shall I cry?”
     All people are grass,
          their constancy is like the flower of the field.
   The grass withers, the flower fades,
          when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
          surely the people are grass.

   The grass withers, the flower fades;
          but the word of our God will stand forever.
   Get you up to a high mountain,
          O Zion, herald of good tidings;
     lift up your voice with strength,
          O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
          lift it up, do not fear;
     say to the cities of Judah,
          “Here is your God!”
  See, the Lord GOD comes with might,
          and his arm rules for him;
     his reward is with him,
          and his recompense before him.
  He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
          he will gather the lambs in his arms,
     and carry them in his bosom,
          and gently lead the mother sheep.

Sermon: “Parakeets in the Wilderness”

Duet: All is Well with Phil and Sarah Thornbury

Epistle Reading: Peter 3:8-15

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.

Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Prayers of the People

Postlude: Go Tell It on the Mountain

Benediction

CCLI License #768739

First Sunday of Advent | November 29, 2020

Worship

This week’s service is available by lives-streaming only. There is no in-person worship. Read the update from Session.

Live-Stream

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Click here to submit an Estimated Giving Card online.

Order of Worship

Prelude: O Come, O Come Emmanuel with the Handbell Ensemble

Lighting the Advent Candle

Call to Worship: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

   Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
          you who lead Joseph like a flock!
     You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
        before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
     Stir up your might,
          and come to save us!

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

   O LORD God of hosts,
          how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
   You have fed them with the bread of tears,
          and given them tears to drink in full measure.
   You make us the scorn of our neighbors;
          our enemies laugh among themselves.

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

  But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
          the one whom you made strong for yourself.
   Then we will never turn back from you;
          give us life, and we will call on your name.

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

Hymn #87: Comfort, Comfort Now My People

Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Forgiveness

Dear Lord, we are not doing that well on our own. Come down and help us. We thought we had matters in our own hands. Come down and save us. We presumed we had all that we needed to give ourselves a sure and certain future. Come down and rescue us from ourselves. Come, shine your light before us this Advent.

Gloria Patri

Circle Time

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading: Mark 13:24-37

“But in those days, after that suffering,
     the sun will be darkened,
          and the moon will not give its light,
  and the stars will be falling from heaven,
          and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake — for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 64:1-9

    O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
          so that the mountains would quake at your presence —
    as when fire kindles brushwood
          and the fire causes water to boil —
     to make your name known to your adversaries,
          so that the nations might tremble at your presence
   When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
          you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
   From ages past no one has heard,
          no ear has perceived,
     no eye has seen any God besides you,
          who works for those who wait for him.
   You meet those who gladly do right,
          those who remember you in your ways.
     But you were angry, and we sinned;
          because you hid yourself we transgressed.
   We have all become like one who is unclean,
          and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth
     We all fade like a leaf,
          and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
   There is no one who calls on your name,
          or attempts to take hold of you;
     for you have hidden your face from us,
          and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity
   Yet, O LORD, you are our Father;
          we are the clay, and you are our potter;
          we are all the work of your hand.
   Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD,
          and do not remember iniquity forever.
          Now consider, we are all your people.

Sermon: “Tear Open the Heavens”

Welcome & Announcements

Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind — just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you — so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Solo: Light of the Star with Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus sung by Julie Ramsey

The Lord’s Supper

Please provide your own bread and cup. We will share in the meal together.

Postlude: Canticle of Turning with Janet on piano

Benediction

CCLI License #768739

Christ the King Sunday | November 22, 2020

Worship

The service is at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary.

Live-Stream

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Click here to submit an Estimated Giving Card online.

Order of Worship

Prelude: O Love That Will Not Let Me Go with Blessed Assurance

Welcome & Prayer of Adoration

Call to Worship: Psalm 100:1-5

   Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
        Worship the LORD with gladness;
          come into his presence with singing.

   Know that the LORD is God.
          It is he that made us, and we are his;
          we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

   Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
          and his courts with praise.
          Give thanks to him, bless his name.

   For the LORD is good;
          his steadfast love endures for ever,
          and his faithfulness to all generations.

Hymn #37: Let All Things Now Living

Silent Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Forgiveness

Gloria Patri

Circle Time

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.

Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.

I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Sermon:

Solo: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing with violinist Tom Sobieski

Epistle Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

Prayers of the People & the Lord’s Prayer

Postlude: Prayer of Thanksgiving with violinist Tom Sobieski

Benediction

CCLI License #768739