THIS IS GOD'S HOUSE - ALL ARE WELCOME

 “Meeting people at their point of need, Inviting all into a dynamic relationship with Christ”

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“I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.”   Psalm 122, vs 1

Lizzie Meden, Liturgist

Prelude Music                                                   

“Gesu Bambino”

Pietro Yon

 Processional Hymn    

Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!  Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.
Holy, Holy, Holy!  Merciful and mighty!  God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

GATHERING AROUND THE WORD

Call to Worship

Leader:      Happy are we who hear the joyful call to worship,

People:      for we walk in the light of God’s presence!

Leader:      Let us worship God together—

People:      celebrating who he is and all that he has done!

Leader:      For God is our strength and our protection,

People:      the One in whom we trust.

(based on Psalm 89)

*Lighting of the Advent Wreath

Watch and wait for Christ's coming!  Light candles of hope, peace, joy and love, remembering the promises of God with prayer.

We light this candle in hope.     We light this candle for peace.

We light this candle in joy!    We light this candle with love.

Out of love for the people of God, the Lord speaks through the prophet Isaiah, as found in the seventh chapter, verses 10-14: 

"The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, 'Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.'  But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.'  Then Isaiah said: 'Hear then, O house of David!  Is it not enough for you to try the patience of mortals, that you weary my God also?  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.'"

Let us pray:  God of hope, Prince of peace, Jubilee Judge, and Lord of love, your goodness is beyond our wildest imaginings.  You give us more than we can think to ask, coming to us with impossible possibility in the union of flesh and spirit.  Teach us to love this world and all people as you love us in Jesus Christ, our Lord.  God of promise, God of hope, into our darkness come.

Charlie and Melissa Yates

Hymn                                                                 

O Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant; O come ye; O come ye to Bethlehem!

Come, and behold him, born the King of angels!  O come, let us adore him;

O come, let us adore him; O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!

Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation; sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to God, all glory in the highest!   O come, let us adore him;

O come, let us adore him; O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be all glory given;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!   O come, let us adore him;

O come, let us adore him; O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!

ADESTE FIDELES

Invocation and Lord's Prayer (Unison)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen. 

CONFESSION OF SIN & ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Call to Confession (Unison)

O Holy God of Promise, we so often place our trust in the things we can see, and touch, and easily believe.  

But you did not ask us to believe what is easy, you asked us to believe what is true!  

Forgive us, Holy One, when we doubt the ways you work.  

Forgive us when we find it hard to believe an ancient story.

Forgive us when we question how you chose to enter the world, born as one of us.

Forgive our lack of faith and belief  in ways which seem so impossible to believe.

Help us to look in faith, open our belief, and set aside our doubts  that you sent your Son, born of a virgin – the one who has come to set us all free.

We offer these prayers in the name of your Son, Emmanuel, God with us.  Amen.

~ written by Rev. Jan Brooks, Cottonwood Falls Presbyterian Church

Silent Confession and Assurance of Pardon     

Response:   Thanks be to God!

 Gloria Patri



 Affirmation of Faith, Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell*; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic** Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  Amen.

  * ”hell” refers to the Hebrew word “Sheol,” a place of the dead, rather than the Hell of the final judgment.
** “catholic” is Latin for “universal,” implying the Christian unity that exists beyond all denominations.

Anthem                                   

“Angels, We Have Heard on High”

Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains.   Gloria in excelsis Deo! 

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heavenly song?  Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.  Gloria in excelsis Deo!

15th c French carol

Pastoral Prayer of the People

Scripture Reading

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

What a Difference a Pronoun Makes

Rev. Cress Darwin

Closing Hymn                                  

Joy to the World!

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!  Let earth receive her king;
let every heart prepare him room,  and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,  and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

(Short interlude) 

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!  Let all their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains  repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,  repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

(Short interlude)

He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.

ANTIOCH

Benediction and Choral Response                      

Rejoice!
Veni Emmanuel

Postlude                                                                

“From Heaven Above”
Bach/Zachau

2nd Presbyterian CCLI Lic. #2046860

INFORMATION & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Second Presbyterian is a church community where you will be known and nurtured. Have a prayer request? Please let us know here. Interested in joining Second? Find more about becoming a member here.

And get connected! Join a small group here. While we may be practicing social distancing these days, there are still ways to be involved and to offer your time, talents, and resources in service to others. Please reach out to our Director of Community and Communications Jordyn Pritchard to get connected.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – Our Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols service will be online only this year, and available on December 24th.  Cress’ Christmas Day Message, in lieu of an in-person service, will be available on the on December 25th.