THIS IS GOD'S HOUSE - ALL ARE WELCOME

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

LET US KNOW YOU WORSHIPED WITH US TODAY - Please fill out a contact card to assist with COVID-19 contact tracing and to let us know you worshiped with us today even if you are a member.

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

Diana and Kayo Anderson, Liturgists

Prelude Music                                                   

  Guest musicians: Emma Joyce, violin; Gretchen Roper, clarinet

 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:    A voice cries out:  "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

People:     Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Leader:    Speak to us Lord.  As you promised through your prophets Isaiah and John the Baptist, come to us now.

People:     May all the barriers be removed so that we can receive your Word and worship you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

–written by David Beswick

*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.

Hear God's promise of peace from Isaiah 11:1-10:

      A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.  The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.  His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.  He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.  Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

       The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.  The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den.  They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain;  for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.  On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Let us pray:  Faithful God, you are at work to restore all of creation in its intended harmony.  Give us your shalom that we may be reconciled to all enemies in the peace that passes all understanding through Christ Jesus our Lord.  God of promise, God of hope, into our darkness come.

Killen family

Hymn                                                                 

On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry  announces that the Lord is nigh;
awake and hearken, for he brings  glad tidings of the King of kings!

Then cleansed be every life from sin; make straight the way for God within,
and let us all our hearts prepare  for Christ to come and enter there.

We hail you as our Savior, Lord, our refuge and our great reward;
without your grace we waste away  like flowers that wither and decay.

Stretch forth your hand; our health restore, and make us rise to fall no more.
O let your face upon us shine  and fill the world with love divine.

WINCHESTER NEW

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)

Merciful God, how many John the Baptists, how many prophets of your light, have we ignored because they were not what we were looking for?   How many times have we ignored voices crying in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord."  How many times have we breathed a sigh of relief, and turned our backs on your messengers, because they did not speak the message we expected to hear? Help us hear anew,  the cry of those who would lead us to Christ.  Tune our ears to your heralds, that we might also testify to your light. Amen.

— adapted from The Abingdon Worship Annual 2008, © 2007 Abingdon Press by B.J. Beu. Posted on the Ministry Matters website. 

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.

BAPTISM of Leighton and Ella Anderson

Children of Diana and Kayo Anderson

Leader:      Leighton / Ella  is now received into the holy catholic church.  Through baptism, God has made him / her a member of the household of God, to share with us in the priesthood of Christ.  I change you, the people of this congregation, to nurture and love him / her and to assist him / her to be a faithful disciple.             

People:      With joy and thanksgiving we welcome you into Christ’s church; for we are all one in Christ. We promise to love, encourage and support you, to share the good news of the gospel with you and to help you know and follow Christ.

Anthem                                   

“The Lord Will Soon Appear”  

The Lord will soon appear;  cast off all fear and sadness.  O hear the ancient seer:  The night will ring with gladness.

All earth prepare the way;  all hills and valleys ring. Soon dawns the glorious day, God’s glory now we sing.

J.S. Bach
BWV 24, arr. Hopson

Pastoral Prayer of the People

Scripture Reading

Isaiah 40:1-11

Sermon

Penalty Paid - Next?

Rev. Cress Darwin

SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

Communion Anthem                                   

“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”  

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.

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.

text: 4th c. liturgy
music: PICARDY, French melody

 The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving        

Leader:     The Lord be with you.

People:     And also with you.

Leader:     Lift up your hearts.

People:     We lift them to the Lord.

Leader:     Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People:     It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Closing Hymn                                  

O Lord How Shall I Meet You

O Lord, how shall I meet you, how welcome you aright?
Your people long to greet you, my hope, my heart’s delight!
O kindle, Lord most holy, a lamp within my breast,
to do in spirit lowly all that may please you best.

Love caused your incarnation; love brought you down to me;
your thirst for my salvation procured my liberty.
O love beyond all telling, that led you to embrace
in love, all loves excelling, our lost and fallen race.

You come, O Lord, with gladness, in mercy and goodwill,
to bring an end to sadness and bid our fears be still.
In patient expectation we live for that great day
when your renewed creation your glory shall display.

ST. THEODULPH

Benediction and Choral Response                      

Rejoice!
Veni Emmanuel

Postlude                                                                

“Good Christian Friends, Rejoice / Gentle Mary Laid Her Child”

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.

Our guest musician today, Gretchen Roper is the Second Clarinetist of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and also plays in many other Lowcountry orchestras and ensembles.  She also runs a thriving private studio, and is a clarinet repair specialist.