December 6, 2020

Order of Worship

Sunday, December 6, 2019

Second Sunday of Advent

  (Bethlehem/Faith)

Welcome and Prayer

Call to Worship

Scripture Readings

Isaiah 11:1-3

¹ There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

² And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

³ And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

Galatians 4:4-7

⁴ But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,

⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Prayer of Invocation

Leader: We listen, Lord, for your words of comfort.

People:   We listen for joyful news of your arrival.

Leader: In the wilderness of this world,
we have heard voices announcing your coming.

People:   They have reminded us that
our lives are like the grasses of the field.

Leader: The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand forever.

People:   We hunger for your word, O Lord,
because your word gives life.

Leader: Your word is salvation – the joy of all humankind.

People:   Come and speak your word to us.

Leader:  Come, Lord, and speak to your people. Your word is life to us,
and your promises are true. Prepare our hearts and our world
to hear your voice and to see your glory.

Leader: Today we light two candles.

We light the first candle to remind us of our need for a savior.

We light the second candle to remind us of the promises

in God’s Word.

People:   O King of all nations, Jesus Christ,

               Only joy of every heart, Come and save Your people.

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence!

Verse 1

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded, For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth, Our full homage to demand.

Verse 2

King of kings, yet born of Mary, As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture, In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful His own self for heavenly food.

Verse 3

At His feet the six-winged seraph, Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence, As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Lord Most High!

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Verse 1

O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by;

Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting Light:

The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight.

Verse 2

How silently, how silently, The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still, The dear Christ enters in.

Verse 3

O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin and enter in, Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel!

Words: Phillips Brooks; Music ST.LOUIS, Lewis H. Redner

Children’s Sermon

(11 a.m. Service Only)

We Respond to God’s Presence

By Faith

Verse 1 By faith we see the hand of God

In the light of creation’s grand design

In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness

Who walk by faith and not by sight

Verse 2 By faith our fathers roamed the earth

With the power of His promise in their hearts

Of a holy city built by God's own hand

A place where peace and justice reign

Refrain:     We will stand as children of the promise

We will fix our eyes on Him our soul’s reward

Till the race is finished and the work is done

We’ll walk by faith and not by sight

Verse 3 By faith the prophets saw a day

When the longed-for Messiah would appear

With the power to break the chains of sin and death

And rise triumphant from the grave

Verse 4 By faith the church was called to go

In the power of the Spirit to the lost

To deliver captives and to preach good news

In every corner of the earth

Repeat Refrain

Verse 5 By faith this mountain shall be moved

And the power of the gospel shall prevail

For we know in Christ all things are possible

For all who call upon His name

Repeat Refrain

Words and Music by Keith & Kristyn Getty  & Stuart Townend. 2009 Thankyou Music  (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Gettymusic   (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

Pastoral Prayer:

The basket to receive His tithes and our offerings

is located on the left as you leave the Sanctuary.

We Worship Through Hearing

Sermon:

Series:

Waiting on God

Today’s Message:

“Waiting with Faith”

Luke 1

Communion

Prayer of Contrition

Sharing of the Elements

We invite to the Lord’s Table all those who are baptized disciples of Jesus Christ and are under the authority of Christ and His body, the Church. By eating the bread and drinking the wine with us as a visitor, you are acknowledging to the elders of this local church that you are in covenant with God and an active member of a congregation in which the gospel is faithfully confessed, taught, and believed. You also acknowledge that you are a sinner, without hope except in the sovereign mercy of God, and that you are trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. If you have any doubt about your participation, please speak to the elders before or after the service.

Declaration of Forgiveness

We Are Sent Forth in Worship

to Share the Gospel

O Sing a Song

Verse 1

O sing a song of Bethlehem, Of shepherds watching there,

And of the news that came to them From angels in the air.

The light that shone on Bethlehem Fills all the world today;

Of Jesus’ birth and peace on earth The angels sing always.

Verse 2

O sing a song of Galilee, Of lake and woods and hill,

Of Him who walked upon the sea And bade the waves be still:

For though like waves on Galilee, Dark seas of trouble roll,

When faith has heard the Master’s word, Falls peace upon the soul.

Verse 3

O sing a song of Calvary, Its glory and dismay,

Of Him who hung upon the tree, And took our sins away:

For He who died on Calvary Is risen from the grave,

And Christ, our Lord, by heaven adored, Is mighty now to save.

Words: Louis F. Benson; Music: KINGSFOLD (Lucy Broadman/Ralph Vaughn Williams)