December 21, 2025

WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE

PRELUDE                                            Prelude on " O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"                                   Hal Hopson

INTROIT                                         “Freedom is Coming”                                      South-African Freedom Song

WELCOME                                                                   

One: This is the day that the Lord has made

All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

*CANDLE LIGHTING                                                            Jeremy & Sydney Carroll

Reader: Advent is not a season of quiet waiting, but of holy defiance.

                To light a candle in the dark is to resist the darkness with hope.

                With each small flame kindled, we declare that God’s light still shines,

                and we will not despair.

                Today we light a candle to be reminded of Incarnate Love.

                The Word became flesh and lived among us.

                 In Jesus, light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.

                This candle is a flame of resistance against the powers of death and shadow.

All:   We welcome God-with-us, Love in flesh and bone.
          We will bear the light of Christ, for the world still waits for God’s  love to shine through us.

*Hymn 88                       “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” verses 1, 6-7                     VENI EMMANUEL

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION                                                                                                                                                   Mike Ayers

Word of Light,

We confess that we often fear the dark around us and within us.

We turn away from hard truths.

We shrink from the needs of our neighbors.

We doubt that our small flame could make any difference.

Forgive us.

Stir our hearts again with your mercy.

Shine through our shadows and make us whole.

Teach us to carry the light of Christ with gentleness and boldness,

that we may join you in healing this world you love.

Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

*RESPONSE OF PARDON 90            “Wait for the Lord” (2x)                         WAIT FOR THE LORD

*PASSING OF THE PEACE                                       

     One:   The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,

     All:      And also with you.

WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD

ANTHEM                                        “Soon and Very Soon”     arr. Jack Schrader

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE                         Marie Boozer

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

SCRIPTURE    John 1:1-18   CEB 

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. “The Word was with God in the beginning.” Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. A man named John was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light. The true light that shines on all people was coming into the world. The light was in the world, and the world came into being through the light, but the world didn’t recognize the light. The light came to his own people, and his own people didn’t welcome him. But those who did welcome him, those who believed in his name, he authorized to become God’s children, born not from blood nor from human desire or passion, but born from God. The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. John testified about him, crying out, “This is the one of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.’” From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace; as the Law was given through Moses, so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known.” 

SERMON                                                                                                  Rev. Trip Porch

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

HYMN 94                            “Now the Heavens Start to Whisper”                                           JEFFERSON

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE  followed by the Lord’s Prayer

TIME OF OFFERING   online giving is available at  www. indianolapres.org/give

OFFERTORY   “Now the Heavens Start to Whisper”  Michael Burkhardt

*OFFERTORY RESPONSE 79       “Light Dawns on a Weary World” verse 3              TEMPLE OF CHRIST

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION 

God of every spark and flame,

Bless these offerings. Use them to warm cold places, to feed the hungry, heal the hurting,

and brighten the shadows of this world. Kindle generosity in us, and let our lives shine with your love.

Amen.

*HYMN 133                                   “O Come All Ye Faithful”                                               ADESTE FIDELES

TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING

CHARGE & BENEDICTION

CHORAL RESPONSE                        “Amen”                               African American Traditional

POSTLUDE                           Finale on "Adeste Fidelis"                                Charles Callahan                                      

 Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452