no matter where you are on life’s journey,
TRANSCRIPT
“No matter who you are, No matter where you are on life’s journey, You are welcome here.”
2 OT = Old Testament NT = New Testament Please stand if able
Welcome to Worship
at St. Paul UCC
We are glad you are here!
————————————————————————— 9 am Worship ~ online
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Information for our friends ~
•Our 9am Virtual Worship Service is inspired with hymns, scripture and a uplifting,
theological based sermon and can be seen on Facebook live, on stpauluccorg
(our website - and watched at your convenience), and heard on KSTL-690 AM radio
& streamed on Jubilee690.com at 9am Sundays and repeated at 9pm.
• Please send prayer requests by email to [email protected] or call
the church office at 618-233-3303.
• We want to know that you are listening / watching online!
Please call, email or message us!
• If you would like a call or know someone who might need a call, please let us know.
• To continue your offering during this difficult time, go to stpaulucc.org
for online giving or contact the church office to set up automatic withdrawal.
• When you or a loved one is admitted to a hospital, please ask the hospital to notify
the church office. If you have a new addition to your family, if your address or
phone changes, please contact the church office so we can keep our records
current.
WORSHIP LEADERS
Senior Pastor………………………………………..………………….……...…..Rev. Michelle Torigian
Director of Faith Formation & Care……………………………………………...…..Craig Bielke
Music Director ……………..…………….….....…………….………………………………Dr. Bill Wade
Director of Non-Traditional Music…………………………………………………..….John Posth
Like us on -- St Paul United Church of Christ, Belleville, Illinois
Watch videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ stpauluccbelleville
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St. Paul United Church of Christ
Third Sunday of Advent
December 13, 2020 9:00 am ____________________________________________________________
WELCOME PRELUDE A Virgin Most Pure Traditional English Carol, arranged by W. T. Best (1826-1897)
ENTRY INTO WORSHIP (Inspired by Philippians 4:4) As the days of winter fall upon us- Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. As stories of disappointment fill the airwaves- Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. As our bodies tire and our minds become distracted- Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. For the God of joy fills our lives with new possibilities, directing us to a future with hope. INVOCATION Holy God, Divine Confetti- Through this season of preparation, may we find the moments of joy. As the days grow shorter, may we celebrate new possibilities by candlelight. As the temperatures drop, may we find warmth in the small moments of victory. Create sparks of gladness in our hearts that will move us to the starlight of Christ’s birth. Amen.
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OPENING HYMN My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout (Canticle of the Turning)
Tune: STAR OF COUNTY DOWN Text by Rory Cooney, 1990
continued on next page
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REFLECTION ON JOY Instead of a typical Prayer of Reconciliation, today let us try something that may be equally challenging in light of the difficult year we have spent: Let’s give witness instead to signs of Joy in our midst, Signs that our God is doing something new, and calling us to faithfulness in our contexts.
What are signs of hope, of encouragement, of change, of comfort, that point to the Holy One at work? Are there signs which call us to join in, or amplify these signs in our community?
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Information about today’s service: All St. Paul United Church of Christ services may be recorded. Hymns used with permission through OneLicense.net License #A-715913 Reflection on Joy, Assurance of Grace, Reflection on Giving, and Benediction from Service Prayers for Advent 3 Year B 2020 are written by the Rev. Susan A. Blain, Minister for Worship and Gospel Arts, Faith INFO Ministry Team, UCC Entry into Worship and Invocation written by the Rev. Michelle L. Torigian Advent Candle Lighting written by Rev. Maren Tirabassi and found at https://giftsinopenhands.wordpress.com/2020/10/30/13204/
ASSURANCE OF GRACE Holy one, we give you thanks that you meet us in our struggles, and call us into a future of hope and joy. You have promised to be faithful, and we open our hearts to you in trust, in the name of the one you send, Jesus. Amen.
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE In our homes we gather around wreaths to pray our lost hopes, broken peace, limited joys, and love so hard to find and share in this season like no other. We affirm that our candles mean we claim the power to call this season Advent, when God’s light comes into the world and nothing can overcome it.
We light the candles of hope and peace. We now light the candle of joy in spite of missing so many things we thought were essential to a merry Christmas: shopping, parties, photos with Santa, Christmas visits, school sports, and warm embraces.
God’s joy ignites embers under loss and sorrow and brightens the path to love.
Emmanuel, God be with us, in the week to come, lighting hope, peace, and joy on the wick of our lives so that we may shine on our world with a simple smile, an unexpected laughter. Amen. CHILDREN’S CHAT with Craig Bielke
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ANTHEM Prepare The Way
Words and music by Michael Barrett Tune: NOEL NOUVELET
Sing we now the promise! Christ is coming Soon! Sing we out in gladness! Christ is coming Soon! Make a joyful noise. Lift high your heart and voice. Sing we now Hosanna! Christ is coming soon!
Prepare the way of the Lord. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Prepare the way of the Lord. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Prepare ye the way.
Let ev'ry valley be exalted. Let ev'ry mountain be brought low. The crooked be made straight. The rugged places plain. Let all the world prepare the way! Prepare the way!
Prepare the way of the Lord. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Prepare the way of the Lord. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Prepare ye the way.
Prepare ye the way. Prepare ye the way. Prepare ye the way. Prepare ye the way!
SCRIPTURE Luke 1:39-56
SERMON Emergency Confetti
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PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND LORD’S PRAYER 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. RELECTION OF GIVING In struggle and in joy, God is faithful to us. We bring forth our offerings – our tithes, our treasures, our least coins – to demonstrate our faithfulness to God.
And we pray together:
O Faithful One, accept these gifts of our hearts and hands. May they be multiplied and magnified as the living presence of Christ in the world. Amen.
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CLOSING HYMN Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (HYMN TO JOY)
Text by Henry van Dyke, 1907 Music by Ludwig van Beethoven, 1824
Descant by Charlse H. Webb
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BENEDICTION
Go forth confident that God is faithful: Those who have sowed in sorrow will return with shouts of joy Bearing the harvest of God’s work. Rejoice always—the Lord is near. Amen.
POSTLUDE Joy to the World (ANTIOCH) Setting by David Cherwien (b. 1957) Guest Organist: Paul Vasile
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Join us during
Advent
for our special
online services.
Third Sunday of Advent Sunday, December 13th
9am online & 4pm online ______________
Fourth Sunday of Advent Sunday, December 2oth
9am online & 4pm online
______________
Blue Christmas Service Monday, December 21st
7pm online
_____________
Christmas Eve Service Thursday, December 24th
4:30pm online
stpaulucc.org
St. Paul United Church of Christ
Comfort & Joy: Our Season of Advent
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We’re glad you’re here! —————
News & Notes
Welcom
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stpaulucc.org
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An excerpt from “St. Paul United Church of Christ - History of our First Church 1839 - 1860”
A second constitution was drafted on June 28, 1841. It was adopted on September 1, 1841 and signed by Adolph Hildebrandt, President and A. Hatel, scribe. The name is given as the German Protestant Congregation of Belleville.
History with Henke
Sundays 9am Worship-online
10:30am Zoom Social Hour
4pm Online Worship
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Here is how to stay in touch with St. Paul!!
1)Watch the services and check for event updates on FACEBOOK -
Like us at St. Paul United Church
of Christ Belleville, IL
2) Go to stpaulucc.org - and you will find: videos of services, sermons, archives, and much more!!
3) Listen to the radio! 690am
9am Live Sundays& repeat at 9pm
4) Sign up for the eNews (Newsletter)!
Call the church office or
email [email protected]
Praying for your health and well-being!
This Week
Weekly Attendance
9am /11am Nov 29, 2020 Nov 30, 2019 online / online 140/single
For Your Prayers
PRAYER REQUESTS Please send prayer requests to
[email protected] or call 618-233-3303 /580-4440
Thank you!
This updated picture of our Offerings received now reflects only Operating and Building Offerings.
The Family of Jean Eckert
Larry Altmansberger
Christopher Clark, Beverly Clark’s son
Mary Ann Gain, Tammy Flach’s mom
Lynn Koehler
Billy Ruth Pelc Shirley Martin
Rick Reeble, son of Sue & Larry Reeble
Tim Ritter Joan Sackmann
James, Kevin, & Chaz