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The Presbyterian Church of LlanerchCelebrating The Second Sunday of Advent
Sunday, December 6, 2015 11:00 a.m.
Questions for reflection, before, during, and after this morning’s service:
The prophet Malachi says that God is “like a refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap” (Mal. 3:2). Reflect on events of the past year. How has God been working to refine and purify your
life or your community of faith?
Gathering
As you come to worship, take a few moments to bring yourself before God—your present state of mind and preoccupations, as well as your desire to meet God during this time.
[Our service begins when the voluntary begins, and we turn our attention toward God, in worship.]
The * indicates the congregation is invited to stand.
VOLUNTARY “Meditation on Conditor Alme Siderum” --Raymond H. Haan
OPENING SENTENCES AND WELCOME* CALL TO WORSHIP (Read responsively as indicated.) --
One: I am sending a messenger, says the Lord, Many: to prepare the way before me. One: Even now, a voice is crying out: Many: Prepare the way of the Lord!
* PRAYER OF THE DAY* OPENING HYMN 82 Hyfrydol
“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
CALL TO CONFESSION UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Prayer is read in unison)
Refining God, you have sent us prophets and we have not listened. We have not always determined what is best or made way for your reign in our lives, our church, and our society. Forgive us, we pray, and renew your covenant within us, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
SUNG RESPONSE 103 “Come Now, O Prince of Peace” (verse 2) --O-So-So
♫ “Come now, O God of love; make us one body. Come, O Lord Jesus; reconcile all people.” ♫
THE LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
One: What has come into being, in Christ Jesus was life, and the life was the light of all people.
Many: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it.
* PASSING OF THE PEACEOne: The peace of Christ comes, and resides with you! Many: And also with you!
Word THE FIRST READING: THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET MALACHI 3: 1-4 [Page 889] THE SECOND READING: A DRAMATIC READING OF LUKE 1: 5-25, 57-80 [Page 56]
One: This is the promise of God to our ancestors and to us. Many: Thanks be to God.
A TIME OF WORSHIP FOR OUR CHILDREN Our Response
PRESENTATION FROM OUR NEW BEGINNINGS SMALL GROUP LEADERS
* HYMN 109 Merle’s Tune
“Blest Be the God of Israel”
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND OUR LORD’S PRAYEROne: The Lord be with you. Many: And also with you. One: Lift up your hearts. Many: We lift them to the
Lord.
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One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Many: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
One: [The Minister continues, following the petitions, time will be offered for congregational prayers to be offered aloud or in silence, and our prayers will conclude with the praying together our Lord’s Prayer as indicated:] …And, as Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:
All: 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.
INVITATION TO PRESENT GOD’S TITHES, OUR GIFTS, AND OFFERINGS OFFERTORY “Advent Hymn” --Martin Jean
O come, Lord Jesus, quickly come and loose the chains of guilt and fear. Our souls are bound by sin so great and yearn your drawing near. We look for hope. We pray for peace of mind and troubled heart. Salvation comes from you alone and we deserving not. Through ancient prophets God revealed the promise of salvation near. From heaven’s throne our Lord bent down, his love our gift so dear. Our hope is here. The peace it brings will draw us to that place where we shall sing in perfect praise and dwell in endless day.
SUNG RESPONSE 84 (Verse 4) Conditor Alme Siderum
“Creator of the Stars of Night”♫ “To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, Three in One, praise, honor, might, and glory be from age to age eternally. AMEN.” ♫
PRAYER OF DEDICATIONSending
* HYMN 97 Tune St. George’s Windsor
“Watchman, Tell Us of the Night”
* ANNOUNCEMENTS* BLESSING & CHARGE * VOLUNTARY “The World's Desire” --Flor Peeters
While our worship service ends, our Christian service is just beginning…
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The flowers for this morning's service are generously shared with us by the Hiebert Family in honor of their parents.Leading This Morning’s Worship Service Are: Georgia Marshall Schrom, Minister of Music; Rev. David Stipp-Bethune, Pastor; Sarah Taylor, Bob Taylor, and Pyper Heins, Worship Leaders; with Dramatic Readers. Service Notes for This Morning’s Worship Service:
1. Our Prayer of the Day, Call to Confession and Unison Prayer of Confession, Prayer for Illumination, and Prayers of the People, were crafted, in whole or in part from the suggestions appearing in the Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year B, Volume 2. Kimberly Bracken Long, editor. © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press. Used by permission.
2. Our Declaration of God’s Forgiveness was crafted using information and materials collected by Carolyn Brown at www.worshippingwithchildren.blogspot.com.
YOU can respond to the violence and loss of life in San Bernadino, California and other places where gun violence and other violence has erupted. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is first on the scene and your support AHEAD of the next tragedy makes that possible!
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Happening @ Llanerch:
December 6, 2015
We receive our Care Closet Offerings. Bring you care closet can with you to worship to have your
offerings collected by our children!
Our Christian Education Team is providing a simple pre-Sunday School experience for our younger children—our 3, 4, and 5 year olds who aren’t yet reading. These learning and story-telling opportunities happen on the FIRST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH. The next one is Sunday, December 6th!
Sunday December 6th our New Beginnings Small Group Leaders are presenting a report of our New Beginnings Small Groups Process during morning worship. Come to hear what our New Beginnings Groups discussed, learned, explored, and are suggesting we think about regarding the future ministry of our congregation!
Our Annual Christmas Luncheon and Carol Sing is happening on Sunday, December 13th. We’ll share a potluck luncheon in the fellowship room, following morning worship. Our Fellowship Team is coordinating set-up and clean-up—stay tuned for details! We’ll eat and then enjoy a festive musical program, including congregational and choral singing and hand bells!
Our special Fourth Sunday of Advent worship service, with special music, is Sunday, December 20th!
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You may have heard we’re making some changes to our Christmas Eve Service. Here are some details:
CHRISTMAS EVE—Thursday, December 24th, 2015
Candlelight. Carols and Music. Scripture. Holy Communion.
And a new tradition—STARTNG AT 7:00PM!
WAYS YOU CAN HELP OUR MINISTRY... and take part in it:
PARTICIPATE IN WORSHIP WITH US:11 a.m. on Sunday Mornings
PARTICIPATE IN THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER:Our congregation believes and attests to the power of prayer. We pray “together” in church and we pray “together” as individuals. Here are some of the things we are praying:
For the victims of Gun violence—especially in California—and any kind of violence | For Kelly Diiorio (who is recovering from surgery) | For Eleanor Dower (Eleanor’s friend, Beryl, died a week ago yesterday) | For Matthew | For David Gibson | For Ben | Thanksgiving and safe-keeping for first responders, good neighbors, helping people, and
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disaster planning | For our congregation in our New Beginnings discernment small group meetings | For our congregation, our elders and deacons, our pastor | Our Church Staff: Kelly DiIorio, Georgia Schrom, David Pokorny, Eileen Miller, and Rev. David Stipp-Bethune | Our Preschool staff, students, and families | For the Families, Friends, Communities, and our nation in the wake of the circumstances that led to the loss of life--that justice may roll down like waters. | By adding these prayers to your personal prayers, we engage God together.
PARTICIPATE IN HELPING OTHERS:We receive gifts for CHESTER EASTSIDE MINISTRIES food and outreach ministries on the third Sunday of each month. Our next offering is December 20 th . Please bring your gifts to worship on December 20th for the special dedication during worship!
WE REALLY DO WANT TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK:Our hope and prayer is that our worship services, programs, and ministry opportunities are both meaningful and helpful to you, and we’d appreciate knowing how well or how not-so-well that we’re doing. Comments, feedback, and helpful criticisms are welcome—please make notes or suggestions, and sign them. You can drop them off, mail them to the church office, or e-mail them to the church office or pastor. Please be aware we can only consider signed responses. Thank you for your help.
2016 STEWARDSHIP PLEDGESWe continue to receive pledge forms to support the unified budget of the Church for the 2016 year. If you have lost track of your mailing or did not pledge last year, you can pick up another copy of the form in the Narthex. We look forward to reporting the pledged amount soon and to begin using this figure to plan next year's programs and activities. Even if you have arranged to make your offerings online, we request that you submit a form so that we can use your information to plan. Thank you for your generous and loving support.
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White GiftsWhite Gifts will be received in worship on December 13 for delivery during that week. A "White Gift" is a new toy, outfit, household item, or other welcome item that is dedicated as a Christmas gift to residents and participants at the Children's Village in Rosemont. Church members wrap their donations in plain white paper, and staff members at the Children's Village will deliver them to an appropriate recipient. Children in the Sunday School will make a presentation in worship on December 6 to explain this program. Meanwhile, the Children's Village staff suggests these especially appropriate gifts:
For Children and Teens:Alarm clock radios (with batteries if necessary)Art suppliesDolls (especially African American)Games (handheld, board games)Journals/blank books (no locks)Building toys (Lego, K'nex)Playing cardsPhoto albumsPuzzlesSports equipment (basketballs, footballs)Personal Care itemsWalletsWatches
Clothing (Large sizes especially needed): T-shirts, sweats, pajamas, slippers, socks. Winter gear for all sizes including coats, hats, gloves.
Gift cards are very appreciated, small denominations ($25) easiest to handle. This will help children and adults who are building new households together, or for a newly independent resident setting up a home for the first time. Food
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stores, department stores such as Target and Walmart, inexpensive restaurants, electronic outlets.
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The Presbyterian Church of Llanerchwww.llanerchpres.org | E-mail: [email protected] | Phone: 610.789-1639Street Address: 211 Lansdowne Road; Havertown, Pennsylvania 19083
Pastor Minister of MusicRev. David Stipp-Bethune Georgia Marshall SchromCommunications Coordinator Ministers
Kelly Diiorio Members of the Congregation
OUR MISSIONThe Presbyterian Church of Llanerch is an inclusive Christian community whose members have been: saved by God’s grace, united by God in Jesus Christ, and given by God as a light to the nations. Our mission is patterned after the example of Jesus Christ, who came "not to be served but to serve." To that end, we seek to think with the mind of Christ, to love with the heart of Christ, and to act as the Lord requires, doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God.
WELCOME!We are grateful that you are choosing to worship with us! Worship at “Llanerch” is our signature event each Sunday, and we hope and pray that you find today’s service meaningful and that you experience authentic fellowship with our faith community. Child care for younger children is provided in our nursery (ask one of our ushers if you need directions) and a time of fellowship with coffee and treats follows our worship service. Information about our ministry and activities is included in our bulletin and in the brochure in your pew. You may also connect with us online at www.llanerchpres.org or find us on Facebook (The Presbyterian Church of Llanerch). Our pastor is Rev. David Stipp-Bethune and can be contacted through the church office, or the Pastor’s Study at 610-789-1820, or via e-mail: [email protected].
KNOW YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US IN THIS WEEK’S ACTIVITIES:
Today 12/06 We celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent. Our New Beginnings Small Group Leaders will present a special report during morning worship! Our Bell Choir rehearses at 9:30am and our Senior Choir rehearses at 10:15am.
Monday 12/07 Nominating Committee Meeting at 7:00pm. Thursday 12/10 Our Senior Choir rehearses at 7:30pm.
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Sunday 12/13 We celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent. Our Annual Christmas Tea, Congregational Dinner and Carol Sing will follow morning worship!
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Church of Llanerch, then click on “Like.”
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