December 24, 2023

WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE

 PRELUDE                           “He Whom Shepherd Men Came Praising”                            arr. Paul Manz 

WELCOME                                                                                                Rev. Trip Porch

  One: This is the day that the Lord has made

  All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it

CANDLE LIGHTING – Ed & Agnes Kinschner

One:  How does a weary world practice love?

All:  By sending cards and picking up the phone.

One:  By practicing empathy, and assuming the best in others. By learning people’s

            stories and finding common ground.

All:  By advocating for justice and saving a place at the table.

One:  There are a million ways to practice love. So today we light the candle of love as

            a reminder and a charge.

All:   With God’s help, may we bring love into a weary world. Amen. 

*RESPONSE #90                    “Wait for the Lord” sung many times                WAIT FOR THE LORD

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION                                                                         Rev. Rick Nutt        

Holy God,
Somewhere in our childhood we face pressure to outgrow awe. We turn into adults who obsess over data and facts. We praise those who have answers and assume that wonder is an answerless game. Forgive us for closing that door to you.
Remind us that the kingdom of God belongs to children. Teach us the ways of awe and wonder, so that when we find ourselves speechless, our first words will be words of praise. With hearts open wide, we pray, amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

One: …So hear and believe the good news of the gospel:

All: We are forgiven.

        We are loved.

        We belong to God. Amen.

*RESPONSE OF PRAISE                  “He Came Down”                                         HE CAME DOWN  

He came down that we may have love;

He came down that we may have love;

He came down that we may have love;

Hallelujah forever more.                                                                               Text: Cameroon song

*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

SOLO                                   “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”                             arr. Mark Hayes

                                               Soloist : Sophia Haws

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION                       

SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:46-55

Mary said,

“With all my heart I glorify the Lord!
    In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.
He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant.
    Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored
        because the mighty one has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
    He shows mercy to everyone,
        from one generation to the next,
        who honors him as God.
He has shown strength with his arm.
    He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations.
    He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones
        and lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty-handed.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
        remembering his mercy,
    just as he promised to our ancestors,
        to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.”

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE                                                                                                       Dorothy Kyle

SERMON                                                                                                Rev. Trip Porch                        

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN NO. 100               “My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout”  STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN   

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE  followed by  The Lord’s Prayer  (on screen) 

TIME OF OFFERING   - Christmas Joy Offering

OFFERTORY                                  “People Look East”                                    arr. Ronald Nelson

*OFFERTORY RESPONSE                                                                    CRANHAM

Praise the One Creator, praise the Living Christ

Praise the Holy Spirit, praise both day and night

Praise when you are weary, praise in times of joy

Praise, my soul, with all your strength and your heart and voice                                                                                                                          

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

One:  Holy One, this Advent season we wait with love,

               All:  And we give with love.

One:  Love for you, our God;

               All:  Love for your beautiful people.

One:  Receive these generous offerings,

               All:  And use them for your works of love in our world.

Amen.

*HYMN NO. 105                                      “People Look East”                                                 BESANÇON

TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE                   “Light Dawns on a Weary World”                       TEMPLE OF PEACE

Love grows in a weary world 

when hungry hearts find bread and children’s dreams are fed.

Love grows in a weary world: 

the promised feast of plenty comes.

(refrain) The trees shall clap their hands;

the dry lands gush with springs;

the hills and mountains shall break forth with singing!

We shall go out in joy,

and be led forth in peace,

as all the world in wonder echoes shalom.

                                                                                                             Text: Mary Louise Bringle, 2001; used by permission 

POSTLUDE                                       “Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella”                                       arr. Keith Chapman                        

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