II A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER II

A Sermon By

Philip A. C. Clarke

Park Avenue United Methodist Chuch 106 East 86th Street New York, New York 10028 December 27, 1992

"A. CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER"

INTRODUCTION Some lines b)" columnist, Dave Barry, help to lead us in to today' s post-Christmas sermon. He wri tea,

"My most vivid childhood memory of Christmas that does not involve opening presents, putting batteries into presents, playing with present and destroying presents before sundown, is the annual Nativity Pageant of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Armonk, New York •••• "

He remembers that a Mrs. Elson was the director and that she would tell the children what role they would play, based on their artistic abilities. For example, if you were short you would usually get a role as an angel, wbi.ch ill­valved being part of the Heavenly Host and gazing with adoration on the Chri•t Child. He goes on to recall even more •••

"Shepherd was M'1' favorite role because you always got to carr,y a stick, plus you spent most of the pageant waiting back in the closet with a rope that led up to the church bell and 750,000 bats. MaJV were the happy rehearsal hours we shepherds spent back there in the dark, whacking each other with sticks and clilllging up the ladder so as to cause bat emission products to rain down upon us ••••

A.fter a couple of years as shepherd, you u.sually did a stint as a Three King. '!'his was not nearly as good a role because you had to lug around the gold, the frank­incense and, of course, the myrrh, which God forbid you should drop because they were pla)"t!Jd by valuable antique containers belonging to Mrs. Elson.

Nevertheless, betng a Three King was better than being Joseph, since Joseph bad to hang around with Mary who was pla)"t!Jd by a girl. You had to wait backstage with this girl and walk in with this girl. Needless to say, yoo. felt like a total wonk, which was not helped by the fact that the shepherds and three kings were constantly sug­gesting that you really liked this girl. So, wring the pageant Joseph tended to maintain the max~ available distance !'rom Mary, as though she was carrying around some kind of fatal bacteria."

NO FUN TO PLAY JOSEPH Dave Barry's on to something. It's never been mach tun to play- Joseph. Joseph appears to be something

of an insignificant character in the drama or Christll8.8. Joseph emerges !'rom the shad.ov of Mary and the baby Jesus. A.ll the attention is on Mary while Joseph hangs around with the shepherds and anilllals ott to the side. He has not lines to speak. He just stands there, keeping a pretty low profile. Nowhere in the Gospel narrative does Joseph ever get to say a ward!

We don't know a lot about Joseph other than he was a carpenter .f'rom the small town of Nazareth. Someone has written this about Joseph,

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"At first view there was nothing striking about this man. His silllple, well-worn clothes revealed h:UR to be a man of small means. He was a person of few words, nch more apt to show his feelings by arriving at your door with his tool chest to fix that broken stool, that table, or that door latch. This man was a doer, not a talker; he was an unassuming person, who stood patiently 1n lines ••• waiting his turn."

What we do know about Joseph is that he was a good man, a solid citizen any commanity or town would be proud to call its own. And although we might not think of Joseph as a man of great faith - he really was!

Remember that. the custOlll of' that day was for families to arrange the marriages of their young people. Often this would involve negotiations with parents, while the children had very- little say in vb011 they would marry-. Joseph's family and Mar,y's family had arranged for the two of them to be married. Being a small town, they had no doubt known each other or seen each other. With the blessing of their families the marriage had been care!ullT arranged. They were formally engaged or "betrothed" to each other. There was a legal bond between them even th<ll1gh they did not live together. And i! for some reason either one wanted to break o!! the engagement, a legal divorce was required. Traditionally, the couple would be engaged for one year, and then they would be married. The whole town would celebrate the marriage of tvo of its own. And the wedding celebration and feast would last from a few days to a week ••. perhaps longer.

Mary and Joseph were excited about getting married. Joseph longed for the day when he could take Mary home as his wife. Richard Olson, writing in The Practical Dreamer, says this,

"We can illtagine Joseph inventing carpentry errands that took hill by Mary's house. We can picture Mary making a wide detour with her water jar on the way to the well and walking ever so slowly past the shop where Joseph would be working."

I picture Joseph as the happiest man in Nazareth; Mary would soon become his wife.

ONE DAY EVERY'miNG CHANGED But one day everything changed. Mary had to speak to Joseph. She told him a bOll t an angel

visiting her who told her that she would have a child who will,

"Be greatl And will be called the Son of the Most High."

Matthew tells us that Joseph was a righteous man, but he was having a hard time believing Mary's story. I'm sure· that this bit of news that Mary vas "with child" hit Joseph like a ton of bricks. Again, quoting Richard Olson, in The Practical Dreamer •••

"Quiet Joseph grew dark with hurt and anger, turned f'rOIIl her, clenched his fists, and skinned his knuckles as he pounded his bench. Mary dissolved into tears, running trOll his shop. As she left, she blurted out that she had hoped that at least he would understand. And she was gone."

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Joseph was lett a.ll alone to agonize over how he should handle this problem. As he saw it, he had two choices: he could either set the date o! the wedding sooner and hope that his family and friends had lost track of the months, or he could divorce her. Mary was in grave danger.

It anyone found out that she was pregnant she would be stoned to death. Joseph really loved Mary and didn 't want to see any harm c o:me to her, 'at t he didn't think it was right to marry her either. All day long in his carpenter shop he wrestled with his dilemma ••• planing boards down to nothing. His nights were sleepless ••• tossing and turning ••• pondering Mary's strange news, thinking how best to solve his problem.

Finally, he came to a decision. He would quietl.T divorce her in the presence or two witnesses so no harm wonld come to her. W'e don't know whether or not Joseph had told Mary o! his decision. But he apparent~ felt that this was the sensible thing to do because he had such a hard time believing Mary's story.

GOD SPEAKS THRaJGH DREAMS Resting today as we do 1n the afterglow of Christmas and the birth of the baby, Jesus,

we can and we do acknowledge the possibility that God somettmes speaks to us through our dreams.

God communicates with us in many ways. It was while Joseph was sleeping that an angel from. God spoke to him,

"Joseph, son or David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit" • The ange 1 told Joseph that he had re­sponsibility for naming the child Jesus - "For He will save His people from their sins."

An angel of God spoke to Joseph through a dream (Matthew 1: 20, and 21). Scientists, I understand, who have studied brain patterns of people sleeping report an an "internal storm" of activity when a person is having a dream. There are quite a few books available today that offer interpretations of our dreams. Dr. John Priest in a book ~ntitled, Myth and Dream in Hebrew Scripture, help us understand the difference between maqr or the dreams interpreted today and the drea'IIIS recorded in the Bible. He writes,

"The present preoccupation with drea.JIIB is i1wardl7 oriented; what does the dream reveal about my exis­tence? The Biblival view of the dream is quite other­wise."

Instead or focusing on our awn needs and our awn aspirations and concerns, dreams in the Bible revealed God's will or God's plan fo.r that individual. In studying over 80,000 dreams Carl Jung has discovered that many dreams do re­flect a "process or spiritual growth". God speaks to us in maey ways. One wa,­is through our dreams.

GOD SPEAKS THROUGH ANGEIS God also speaks to us through angels. Perhaps what was most unbelievable about Mar,-'s stor,­

was the visit of an angel. In all his years, Joseph had never even heard of anyone speaking with an angel, let alone seeing one face to face.

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Angels don't make a habit out of visiting humans, or ••• do they. Hugh Htldesly, Rector or Heavenly Rest Church over here at Firth and 90th Street, tells a lovely story about one of his parishioners who is an angel. And his name is Phil, and he is a street person, according to Hugh Hildes~. Phil re­,fuses to stay in a shelter. He sleeps in door,rays and maintains a careful routi,ne covering this neighborhood in daytime or when the weather is cold, he usuall.,r ends up sitting in a church around here. Dressed in rags, dirty ••• never washea ••• smells ••• he talks to himself, muttering as he plods along.

But let me tell you mare about Phil and what happened a couple or years ago at Christmas over at Heavenly Rest. One evening or Christmas week, the people of the church were 1n the back with cookies and coffee when out or the church there rose a magnificent voice, singing "0 Holy Night". It was a trained professional voice, radically beau tirul and everyone stopped talking and listened ••• awestruck ••• then rushed into the church sanctuary to see who was there. Hugh Hildesly in sharing this story said "It was Phil and God".

The Bible says somewhere that sometimes we entertain "angels unawares•. Maybe Phil was one or those angels. At this time of year we are reminded to treat every human being with dignity and with love. Yes, it's so hard ••• but who knows ••• who might be an angel in disguise. To me, that's what is so beautiful about Christmas. All things "become possible".

BUT THE MOOT BEAUTIFUL POSSIBILITY: THE CHANGE THAT TAKES PLACE But the most

beautifUl possibility is the change that takes place in the "Josephs or our world". We read in Matthew's Gospel,

"When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife."

Picture Joseph now waking up .from his dream and rushing over to Mary's parents' home. He ran through the streets of Nazareth and when he reached her house he was out of breath. He pounded on the door ••• his own heart pounding. Mary's father answered the door,

"J ose;h ••• what's the matter? Why are you here so early, banging on our door?" "I have to see Mary!" he says •••

Mary stood behind her father looking at Joseph. Something in his eyes revealed that everything was going to be all right. Joseph now believes her story and was ready - willing and able to take Mary as his wife.

They would live in the back of the little carpenter's shop. He wou.ld uae some or his spare time to make a cradle for the baby. Joseph would not neglect his wife. He loved her and she became a part or his tamt~. And when the census was ordered, he would take Mary with him ••• all the way to Bethlehem even though she co ld have stayed at home with her family. But he wanted her with him. And when the time cam.e for Mary to give birth, Joseph was there with her. He named the baby - Jesus, as the angel had told him to.

The first chapter or Matthew's Gospel focuses on Joseph. Those early verses establish that Joseph was from "the royal line of David - the son or Abraham." The scholars tells us that,

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"Jesus can legitillatel.7 be designated the Son of David, because Joeeph, son of David, obeys the instruction he receives from the angel of the Lord and gives Jesus His name."

I like to think of Joseph then as an ordinary man of extraordinary faith. And such people do continue to be the hope of our world - men and women. Who knows? Perhaps there is a Joseph here in our congregation this morning - a doer, not a talker. An unassuming person, who waits patiently in line and then when it's his turn- he or she makes a difference~ Such people lift the level of life for us all.

And this is the kind of response that you and I need to make this morning to this wonderful story of Mary and Joseph •••• as have so many people down through the centuries as they have heard the story. It is the response of love - of believing in the possibility of redemption of all people ••• for who knows when it just might be an angel in disguise. It is listening to the voice of God and believing that "all good things are possible".

And so dear friend - whoever you might be ••• as you prepare to leave Bethlehem's manger this year, may you depart a.s did the Wise Men ••• depart by another way - and may it be for you every day of a new year - the way of love •••• the way of faith.

PRAYER When the song of the angels is still and when the star in the sk;y is gone, and when the kings and princes are hoJIII!I, when the sh.epklerds

are back with their flock - THEN it is

'l;he work of Christmas reall.,y begins. To find the lost and to heal the broken.

To feed the hungry and to release the prisoner. To rebuild the nations. And to bring peace among the brothers and sisters, and to make music in the heart.

Amen

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Sunday, December 27 1 1992

GREETING / VISITORS We greet the visitors in the congregation this morning •••• delighted to have you with us and we

look forward to greeting you in a more personal way •••• either at the door, or - time permitting -downstairs in the Russell Roam •••

Be free in the sharing o! your name. Fill out ••• or sign one of the guest books. Come -worship with us ••• come, work with us •••

You worship in a church whose roots are deep •••• a church that has been a beacon of God's light and love to many people •••• since 1837. We minister in the na.Jfte of Christ and it is in His strong name 1 leving spirit, that we greet you ••••

A special word of welcome to friends from former days ••• as well as words of warm greeting to parents and grandparents of our members 1 here in the city far a family reunion.

LAST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR Today is the last Sunday of the year. As Christians, we come to this day secure in

the faith that "the past r~sts in the forgiving hands of God" and we move in to a new year with trust and confidence that His love and light will be sufficient for every step of the way.

To each of you ••• even though it sounds a bit premature ••• a joyous and Happy New Year ••• and JU.y the caning year provide you with many blessings to count - good health, much happiness - peace, joy and lovet

NEXT SUNDAY Next Sunday, the first Sunday of 1993, we shall celebrate Holy Communion. We shall welcome Rev. Kenneth Halcott to

the pulpit. A quiet Sunday-••• but an important Sunday - the first Sunday of a New Year.

CONCERNS Several concerns to share. We shall be working on the January issue of our monthly news sbeet ••• this week ••• so aqy contribu­

tions will be most welcome.

Two weeks frca today we shall celebrate CCME SUNDAY n - a celebra­tion of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. A flyer in the bulletin describes some of the program to you. Be sure to sign up down­stairs !or the contribution far the bu!fett ••• Michael Schaffield and Fran Ellison are already at work on the "food", and Eric de Freitas and Howard Da Costa are at work on the program. Our friends from the UCC in South Hempstead will be joining us. Anticipate a good turn-out •••

Our thanks to all of y-ou who have responded so generously to the Christmas appeal. Girts are still being received and we are deeply grateful for your generous response. Thank you. Thank you.

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PLEDGE CARDS STILL BEING RECEIVED Pledge cards are still being re-ceived. We 1d like to be "up" to

200 pledges by today ••• if possible. We're now in the "countdown" period ••• the potential is there for us to meet both goals - the $160,000 and the elusive "250" pledge goal •••

Incidently, Jim Perkins, chair of our canvass is getting married on Tuesday to Bridget in California ••• and the best present we can give Jim is to give him the "good news" on his return that we've made the goal! January loth. January 17th.

OFFERING

Last Sunday's list of "givers" to our Christmas flower fund omitted several names. Let me mention them:

Robin and Sandra Channce;r: loving grandmother 1 aunt, and cousins.

The Kris family: in memory of Robert Lourhran and Frances Krzrsiak.

Rachei Marston: family and loved ones.

Karn Oldham: Father, Charles Oldham

Edith Piper: loved ones.

Charlotte Juchter: Mother and sister, never forgotten.

Betty Stagemyer: Charles StageJTI18r, and Dennis Dibble.

Friends: In memory of Bueky and Lucy Dinnes

Family: Jody Raeburn.

Jesus said,

"It is more blessed to giYe than to receive". In this spirit, let USooeo

. . PASTORAL PRAYER·. Decembe,.. 27 1992 - ,

LORD, ·the spirtt of this Hol7 Senson is all too short~

We have our high moments of celebration, and then it's all over.

The gifts are unwrapped. The family menls are over. The friends depart. The tree is ta~en down ••• decorations packed away. The students prepare to head back to school. And sudGenly - Christmas is over for another ;ear!

We ~ the secular customs up with our spirit.ual celebrations.

When the customs and traditions of the Christmas Season are over ••• the spirit see~~ to flicker and then dies out.. Soon the feelings of Christmas are forgotten.

LORD, we need to find ways to keep the spirit of Christmas ali ''e all year.

Help·us to continue expressing our good wishes to others. Froiu the custom of wishi."'lg others a "merry Christmasrr,

help us now to continue wishing others peace, hope, joy and love.

Fr~ the custom of sending beautiful cards ~ith a ~ssage of happiness and good health, help us to continue sending greetings af good will.

Help us to continue giving gifts -

For it is in giving that -~ are blessed, It is in giving that we show concern for others.

LORD, this morning we would remember how the shepherds went away from the manger glorif.ying and praising You for all they had heard and seen, and how the wise Men returned home by another way. Help us to do · the same •••

We have reason to praise You every day of the year, because You were born to live forever.

We give you thanks, LORD, that You are not only L~ the past, but also L~ the future. Help each of us to remember this as we pre­pare to walk into a Mew Year - to know that even there You are present to lead us and guide us.

All this w-e ask and offer in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master, and Saviour, too.

..

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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Sunday, December 271 1992

GREETING / VISITORS We greet the visitors in the congregation ~his morning •••• delighted to have you with us and we

look :forward to greeting you in a more personal way •••• either at the door, or - time permitting -downstairs in the Russell Room •••

Be free in the sharing of your name. Fill out ••• or sign one of the guest books. Come -worship with us ••• come, work with us ...

You worship in a church whose roots are deep •••• a church that has been a beacon of God's light and love to many people •••• since 1837. We minister in the ll8.1fte of Christ and it is in His strong name, loving spirit, that we greet you ••••

A special word of welcome to friends from :fonner days ••• as well as words of warm greeting to parents and grandparents of our members 1 here in the city for a fami~ reunion.

LAST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR Today is the last Sunday of the year. As Christians, we ccme to this day secure in

the faith that "the past rests in the :forgiving hands or God" and we move in to a new year with trust and confidence that His love and light will be sufficient for every step of the way.

To each of you ••• even though it sounds a bit premature ••• a joyous and Happy New Year ••• and JI&.Y the coming year provide you with IIB.ny blessings to count - good health, mnch happiness - peace, joy and level

NEXT SUNDAY Next Sunday, the first Sunday of 1993, we shall celebrate Holy Communion. We shall welcOJ!le Rev. Kenneth Halcott to

the pulpit. A quiet Sunda.)" ••• but an important Sunda)" - the first Sunday of a New Year.

CONCERNS Several concerns to share. We shall be working on the January issue of our month~ news sheet ••• this week ••• so aqy contribu­

tions will be most welcome.

Two weeks !'raft today we shall celebrate COO SUNDAY II - a celebra­tion of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. A fl,yer in the bulletin describes some or the program to you. Be sure to sign up down­stairs for the contribution for the buffett ••• Michael Schaffield and Fran Ellison are already at work on the "food" 1 and Eric de Freitas and Howard Da Costa are at work on tbe program. Our friends from the UCC in South Hempstead will be joining us. Anticipate a good turn-out •••

Our thanks to all of you who have responded so generously to the Christmas appeal. Girts are still being received and we are deeply grateful for your generous response. Thank you. Thank you.

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PLEDGE CARDS STILL BEING RECEIVED Pledge cards are still being re-ceived. We'd like to be "up" to

200 pledges by today ••• if possible. We're now in the "countdarn" period ••• the potential is there tor us to meet both goals - the $160,000 and the elusive "25011 pledge goal. ••

Incidently, Jim Perkins, chair of our canvass is getting married on Tuesday to Bridget in California ••• and the best present we can give Jim is to give him the "good news" on his return that we've :made the goall January loth. January 17th.

F:w.JERS

OFFERING

Last Sunday's list of "givers" to our Christmas flower fund omitted several names. Let me mention them:

Robin and Sandra Channeey: loving grandmother, aunt, and cousins.

The Kris family: in memory of Robert Louyhra.n and Frances Krzysiak.

Rachel Marston: family and loved ones.

Ka.rn Oldham: Father, Charles Oldh8JI!.

Edith Piper: loved ones.

Charlotte Juchter: Mother and sister, never forgotten.

Betty Stagemyer: Charles Stagemyer, and Dennis Dibble.

Friends: In :~~emory of Bu.eky and Lucy Dinnes

Family: Jody Raeburn.

Jesus said,

"It is more blessed to giYe than to receive~. In this spirit, let us ••••

COME guNDAY, II A CELEBRATIO~ Of THE UfE OF .~DR. N'AATIN Ll.rrnER KING, JR. .

7uNDAY) JANUARY \OTHJ \qq3 5:30-8:30 PM THE PARK A'JENUE UNITED MEfMODI?T CHUR(;H \06 fA7T Bb -rn 7TREET • NEW· YoRK Cn'( ·

ARTI7T7; THE CAAJ-.1CEL CHOIR oF f~E CoNGREGRAT\ONAL CHURCH cF ?c\JTH HEMP7TS\D CUCC)

WITH DR. JAME7 7HEPARO 0Rr;ANI7T- ,AND DtRECJOR

CEL\L BR\DGC:'v\/ATER ·TRUMPETER )OLO\?T How~RD CACo?T.A,· BA* 7oLOI7T .

y\JILLIAM CHU. LYRIC 8AR.\fONE- GAR'( \-\t.EtN. PIANIST

JAY Zlt-1\MER~MN· CON\PO~E.R·· BILL'< WtmtJR. -G-u\TAR\7T .~fHo..J .. Wr\l\E • 7oPRAN.O 7oLOI7f

PRE7ENTED _BY THe: OuTREA.c..rt .~ND THE Aoutr fELLOW5H\P COMN\ITTE.E7

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ANTHEM: "Lo, How A Rose E'r Blooming"

"Lo, how a Rose e'r blooming from ten­der stem hath sprung! Of Jesse's lineage coming as men of old have sung. It came, a flow'ret bright, amid the cold of winter, when half-spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it, the rose I have in mind, with Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind. To shew God's love aright, she bore to. men a Saviour, when half-spent was the night."

ANTHEM: "Rise Up Shepherd, and Follow"

"There's a star in the East on Christmas morn. It'll lead to the place where the Saviour' born. Leave yo' sheep and leave yo' lambs, Leave yo' ewes and leave yo' r~ms. Foller the star of Bethlehem, If you take good-heed to the angel's words, you'll forget yo' herd. Rise up, shepherd and foller!

ORGAN POSTLUDE

The organ postlude - a final offering of our praise to God - is played after the Benediction. Time permitting, we invite you to share in the beauty of it.

FOR THOSE WHO SING

New members are always welcome to audi­tion to sing in the Choir. Rehearsals are held Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the down­stairs Choir Room and then at 10 o'clock the rehearsals move to the sanctuary. If

NO MEETINGS THIS WEEK

Neither the "Hounds" nor the Aldersgate Class will meet this coming week. Both study grdups will resume their regular meeting scHedules the first week of the New Year.

NEXT SUNDAY

The Reverend Mr. Kenneth Halcott will bring the Communion Meditation next Sunday morning. Ken has recently returned from Santorini, Greece and it will be good to welcome this dear friend back to our pulpit.

1993 OFFERING ENVELOPES

Boxes of the weekly offering envelopes will be available for distribution next Sun­day. They will be on a table in the rear of of the sanctuary. Contact the church office if you did not pledge and wish to have a box of weekly envelopes for your 1993 gifts.

PLEDGE CARDS STILL BEING RECEIVED

The 1993 Financial Canvass continues with pledge cards still being received in the offering plate as well as in the church office during the week. To date, 187 pledges totalling $147,451 have been grate­fully received toward our goal of $160,000 and 250 pledges. Perhaps you can help.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Volunteers are needed for the Saturday afternoon Feeding Program on January 2nd.

PARK AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

106 East 86th Street

New York, N.Y. 10028

AT 9-6997

CHURCH DIRECTORY

Rev. Philip A. C. Clarke ... ....................... .................... .... Minister

Mr. Duane Thompson .. .... ......... ... .... ........ .......... Student Assistant

Dr. Lyndon Woodside .... ........... ....... ... .... Organist-Choir Director

Mr. Jack Schmidt.. ......... ........ .. ... ..... ... .............. Business Manager

Mrs. Judy Ferland ............ ... .. ...... .......... ............ .... .... .... .. Secretary

Mrs. Judith Keisman ........ .. ......... ... .. .. ..... .. .... Day School Director

Mr. Roberto Meri1es .................... .... ........ ....... ...... ......... Custoctian

Mr. Adjariyanond Pairoj .... ........ .. ................. .... ..... .. .. .... Custoctian

GENERAL OFFICERS

Lay Members, Annual Conference .. ... ... ..... Mr. Edward J. Brown

Mr. Duane Thompson Lay Leader ............... ............ ....................... ..... Mr. Larry Morales

President, Board of Trustees ........ .... ... ... ........... Mr. Robert Lewis

Chairman, Administrative Council ........ ....... Mr. George Leopold

Chairman, Education Committee ... ..... ........... .. ... Mr. Carl Condra

Chairman, Finance Committee .................... Ms . Jacqueline Paige

Co-Chairmen, Membership Committee ......... . Ms. Dee Schaffie ld

Chairman, Outreach Committee ..... .. ...... .... .. Mr. Richmond Bates

Chairman, Worship Committee .. ... ..... .. .... Mr. Michael Schaffield

Chairman, Day School ................................... .. Mrs. Anette Lewis

Chairman, Ushers ... ....... ... ..... ... ............ .... .......... Ms. Effie French

Mr. Len Williams Superintendent, Sunday School .... ..... ...... Mrs. Brenda Thompson

PARK AVENUE

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

ORGAN CALL TO WORSHIP

SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS December 27, 1992

ORDER OF WORSHIP 11 A. M.

"In Dulci Jubilo"

HYMN NO. 220 "Angels from the Realms of Glory" PRAYER OF CONFESSION (seated)

God of our life, we confess in company with one another and before You, that we are wayward and less than faithful servants. We have loved things and used people; remembered slights and forgotten kindnesses; called on You in trouble and ignored You in deed; allowed the present age to mold us and left untapped the power of

Bac h

the age to come. Deal with us after Your mercy for we are sorry for our sins and earnestly seek Your pardon, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

SILENT MEDITATION - WORDS OF ASSURANCE - LORD'S PRAYER ***

PSALTER Psalm 97 AFFIRMATION OF FAITH GLORIA PATRI

*** ANTHEM SCRIPTURE PASTORAL PRAYER PARISH CONCERNS

"Lo How a Rose" Matthew 1: 18 - 25

ANTHEM "Rise Up Shepherd, and Follow" arr.

No. 816 No. 885

No. 71

Praeborius Page 835

by Parker PRESENTATION OF THE OFFERING .WITH THE DOXOLOGY HYMN NO. 221 "In the Bleak Midwinter" SERMON "A Christmas to Remember" Mr. Clarke HYMN NO. 218 "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" BENEDICTION ORGAN "Fugue in G" Bach

*** Interval for Ushering

LAY READER

We welcome Cheryl Kinchen to the lectern today. A native of Sri Lanka and reared in England, Cheryl holds a BA degree in Education from Cambridge University. Her husband, Richard, is in the British Diplomatic Service and has been associated with the United Nations these past five years. Cheryl and her three children - James, Eleanor and Rosie - have been an important part of the life of our church since 1987. They leave us soon for another assignment elsewhere in the world.

GREETERS AND USHERS

The greeters today are Sheryl LaBac and Eva Patton. The ushers are Michael Schaffield, Ken Borgeson, T. A. Mc­Kinney, Walter Spencer, Joyce Williams and Sam Wilson.

AN INVITATION

Coffee and tea will be served in the Russell Room following the service. Members and friends are invited to share in these moments of warmth made possible by Fran Ellison, Lynn Clarke, Sharon Johnson, Susan Langley, Teddy Morris, Dee Schaffield, Mavis and Michael Vann.

CHURCH SCHOOL AND NURSERY CARE

Sessions of Church School for children are offered Sunday mornings from ten-thirty to twelve. Nursery care for infants is available on the fourth floor.

ADULT BIBLE CLASS

The Adult Bible Class meets on a Sunday morning at 9:30 in Fellowship Hall. Duane Thompson, our student assistant, has been leading the class this Fall in a study of the Book of Revelation. Coffee is available. All are invited to share in these stimulating sessions. The class resumes meeting next Sunday.