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United
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Phone
775-5362 · Fax 775-6475 |
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December
2, 2007 · First Sunday of Advent |
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Sunday
Worship at 11:00 a.m. |
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WE
GATHER IN HOPE |
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PRELUDE |
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BRINGING IN THE
LIGHT OF CHRIST by
the Acolytes |
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WELCOME AND PARISH
NOTES |
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CLIP BOARD
MINISTRY FOR CHRISTMAS EVE & JANUARY |
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*GATHERING WORDS |
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One: Jesus, the brightest star of the morning, |
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gives us
his promise: “Look! I am coming quickly.” |
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All: The Spirit and the church say “Come!” |
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One: Let every one who hears answer, “Come!” |
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All: Amen!
Maranatha!
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! |
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*HYMN OF PRAISE #196 |
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“Come,
Thou Long Expected Jesus” |
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*SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST |
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WE
PRAY IN HOPE |
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Lighting of the
Advent Wreath The Candle of
Hope |
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Angie Ferris, Roy, Jesse, Jacob
Farmer and Stella VanDorn |
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Candlelighting Response Tune: Away in
a Manger |
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A Candle is
burning, a flame warm and bright, |
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a candle of hope in
December's dark night. |
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While angels sing
blessing from heaven's starry sky, |
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our hearts we
prepare now for Jesus is nigh. |
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If you have a prayer joy or
concern to be shared during the Prayer |
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of the People,
please hand it to an usher during the Prayer Hymn. |
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PRAYER HYMN #2065 |
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“More
Precious Than Silver” Sing Twice |
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UNISON PRAYER OF
CONFESSION |
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God of Hope, you have
saved us through the coming of Christ and you urge us to stay awake, “for
night is flying.” Even so, we are
quick to nod off and then tumble into works of darkness. We would rather over-eat than serve you by
feeding the hungry. We allow
commercialism to “mall” us, instead of putting on the armor of light. We trade in our swords for guns and
missiles, unwilling to risk peace. For
the sake of the arrived and approaching Savior, forgive us our sins. Enlighten our way, so we walk in your
paths. Amen. |
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WORDS OF PROMISE |
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PRAYER OF THE
PEOPLE |
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WE LISTEN IN HOPE |
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CHORAL ANTHEM Chancel
Choir |
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“Advent
Hymn” Arr. Don Besig |
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CHILDREN’S TIME |
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SCRIPTURE |
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Romans
13:11-14 · Matthew 24:36-44 |
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MESSAGE Pastor
Tom Ball |
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“The
Necessity For Watchfulness” |
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WE
RESPOND IN HOPE |
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OFFERTORY
INVITATION |
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PRESENTING OUR
GIFTS TO GOD |
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OFFERTORY |
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*DOXOLOGY Tune:
Old 100th |
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Hope in the God who reigns above,
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who holds us all in steadfast
love; |
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whose Spirit blows across the
earth |
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preparing us for second birth. |
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*PRAYER OF DEDICATION (In Unison) |
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Accept O God these gifts - the portion
you have asked us to give as a sign of our trust in you and our hope in your
promises - and receive these offerings - our free gift of gratitude for all
that you have done. Bless them in your
work - a work in which life triumphs over death - and light over
darkness. We ask it in Jesus'
name. Amen. |
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IN
HOPE WE GATHER AT THE TABLE |
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SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION |
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Invitation to the Table |
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The Great Thanksgiving |
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The Lord’s Prayer #895 |
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Breaking the Bread |
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Giving the Bread and the Cup |
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Holy Communion will be served by intinction. |
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Please come by the center aisle
and return by the side aisle. |
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PRAYER OF THANKS FOR CHRIST’S
PRESENCE |
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WE
SCATTER TO SPREAD HOPE |
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*CLOSING HYMN #157 |
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“Jesus
Shall Reign” |
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*COMMISSION AND BLESSING |
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All: Let us live as children of light, clothed in the love of
Christ. |
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One: Let us go forth, shining with hope for
all the world to see! |
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*POSTLUDE |
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Lighting of the Advent Wreath |
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The Candle of Hope |
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Hear the word of the Lord from the prophet Isaiah |
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For out of |
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The time when we prepare once again for the coming
of Jesus has arrived. Today is the
first Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Hope.
We will light a candle each of the four weeks of Advent to remind us
that Jesus brings light into the dark places of the world. The prophet Isaiah describes a future
shaped by peace for all nations as they walk in the light of the Lord. We
wait in hope for this prophecy to be fulfilled. |
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Our hope is in God, and in God’s Son Jesus Christ.
Christ is the one appointed by God to be judge of all things. He is the one through whom God has promised
to save and redeem his people. |
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As we light this candle we are reminded that
Christ is our hope and the hope of the world. We thank God for the promises
that have been made to us and for the light he has brought into the world. |
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Let
us pray: God of all nations - you spoke to Isaiah and you empowered
him to speak welcome words of peace and hope to the people of his time. We need to hear your word anew to us today
as the darkness of despair is still experienced wherever peace and hope are
absent. Strengthen us with the power of the Holy Spirit so that we may be
your prophets in this day and age - teaching your ways and lifting people's
darkness through words and work of love and peace and justice. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. |
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Let’s sing together |
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A Candle is burning, a flame warm and bright, |
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a candle of hope in December's dark night. |
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While angels sing blessing from heaven's |
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starry sky, our hearts we prepare now |
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for Jesus is nigh. |
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There will be NO Mission Committee meeting for the
month of December. The committee will
meet again on January 8, 2008. Linens urgently needed: Many recent requests for linens have
drastically reduced the supply at First Christian’s linen pantry. If you have good useable linens you no
longer need and would like to give them to a needy family, they can be
dropped off at First Christian Church of Cadillac, located just north of
Meijer on Bus. 131. Or, you may contact Kathy at 775-6487. Thanks so much! Sunday
Volunteer Ministry, December 9 Acolyte:
8:30 a.m. - Amanda Anderson 11:00 a.m. - Caleb Mitchell and
Ethan Myers Nursery: Greg and Kathy Green Sermontime: Diana VanAntwerp Coffee
Hour: Greeters
and Ushers 8:30 - Pending Greeters
11:00 - Pending Ushers 11:00 –
Pending Opportunities for Ministry This Week . . . Sunday, December 2
- First Sunday in Advent Holy Communion Served
At Both Services Coffee Hour follows
each worship service 8:30 a.m. - Sunday Worship 9:30 a.m. - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Sunday
Worship 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Advent Event - a
great time for all ages 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - JD’s meet to help
with the Advent Event 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Sr
High Youth will be delivering Advent Bags to our shut ins & special
friends. Monday,
December 3 9:00
a.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Christmas Tea 9:30
a.m. - UMW Board meets 7:00
p.m. - Boy Scouts Tuesday, December 4 7:15
a.m. - Prayer Group 1:00
p.m. - Staff Meeting 6:30
p.m. - Membership Committee meets Wednesday, December 5 11:00
a.m.- Friendship Chain 7:30
p.m. - Chancel Choir Practice Thursday, December 6 7:00
a.m.- Promise Keepers 11:30 a.m. - Prayer Group 5:30
p.m. - Decorate Sanctuary 6:00
p.m. - Wesley Fellowship Christmas Party Friday, December 7 7:00
p.m. - Wedding Rehearsal Saturday, December 8 9:00
a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Project Christmas at the Wex Sunday, December 9 - Second Sunday of Advent Coffee Hour follows each worship service 8:30
a.m. - Sunday Worship 9:30
a.m. - Sunday School 9:30
a.m. - 9:30
a.m. - Blood Pressure Clinic 11:00 a.m. - Sunday Worship 4:00
p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Caroling Party and Soup Supper 5:00
p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Senior High Youth Wesley Fellowship meets Thursday,
December 6, at 6:00 p.m. for their annual Christmas Party and A Potluck
Supper; bring a dish to pass and your own table service. The famous $1 gift exchange (bring a
wrapped, dollar gift for the gift exchange) and carol singing follows. Hosts
for the party are the Golden Girls. It
is a wonderful time of celebrating the season. All are welcome to attend. We are still receiving Estimate of Giving cards
for 2008. Please place it in the
offering plate or leave at the church office as soon as possible. Estimate of Giving cards are available on
the table in the church narthex or in the sanctuary pews. Your faithful commitment to giving to the
church is greatly appreciated! Thank you to the church
community for all the Christmas cards donated for use in the prison.
Cards of every kind are always welcome through the year. Chaplin David Bassett The Parish Nurses would like to thank the
congregation for the 57 pairs of eyeglasses that we were able to
donate to the Lions Club. Your donations will enable many to see
clearly and also to know of the kindness of others. Thank you for your overwhelming response to
help provide cookies for the December American Red Cross Blood
Drive. Please bring your cookies to
the church TODAY. We will take them to
Temple Hill early on Monday morning for the If you have enjoyed the wonderful piano music
of Dave Stump, Walt’s brother in the past, you will want to get the CD which
Dave recorded a while ago. “God Be
With You “Til We Meet Again,” is offered as a
single gift of Dave Stump’s Christian dedication and charity. The CD presents 27 hauntingly and beautiful
piano renditions of some of the most cherished Gospel Hymns of the past. A
limited number of CD’s have been made available for A Freewill Offering
that will go to the Dave Stump Memorial Scholarship Fund. Order blanks are available this morning in the
Fellowship Hall. Pick up a couple for
holiday gifts. Today’s Worship Ministry . . . Liturgist:
Judy Coffey Pianist:
Darlene Ressler Acolyte:
8:30 a.m. - Amanda Anderson 11:00 a.m. - Rebekka
Green and Kelli Cummings Nursery: Lisa, Jennifer and Jessica Weaver Sermontime: Katy Huckle Coffee
Hour: Education Power
Point: Create & 11:00 - Bob
Campbell 8:30 - Jack Boyd The flowers on the Lord’s Table are
given by Walt and Jean Stump in honor of their 60th wedding
anniversary which is on December 7. The Annual Advent Event is TODAY,
December 2 from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
This family friendly gathering is a great way to ring in the Advent
Season. We will celebrate by singing
carols and learning about the Season of Advent with Pastor Tom. Each child will fill his/her own Christmas
Treasure box with ornaments they make as we discover how these
symbols relate to the Christmas Story.
Invite a friend; come and share in the fun! The Equal Exchange Coffee (decaf and regular)
& Tea Sale will be held TODAY following both worship services. Project Christmas is fast
approaching. You are invited to
sign-up to help gift wrap at Project Christmas which will be held on
Saturday, December 8 from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the WEX. Help provide winter boots for children: Many requests for children’s boots have
come into the Love INC clearinghouse.
If you would like to help with this ministry, please send your
donation to the Love INC office at |