Round Hill Community Church

ORDER OF SERVICE December 6, 2015

Second Sunday in Advent

PRELUDE Noel sur les Flutes Daquin Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Rutter

WORDS OF WELCOME

INTROIT

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: In this season of Advent we pause to consider the mystery of the

Word that is always becoming flesh.

All: We seek to create the space where fresh faith can inspireus to be a people of peace.

Leader: We will not treat Advent as a census, counting off days andthings to be done.

All: We open ourselves to the wonder of God who is with usand for us, at all times and in all places.

*HYMN No. 14 Womb of Life, and Source of Being

*The congregation is invited to stand

*OPENING PRAYER O God our disturber, whose speech is pregnant with powerand whose word will be fulfilled; may we know ourselvesunsatisfied with all that distorts your truth, and make ourhearts attentive to your liberating voice, in Jesus Christ,Amen.

*THE LORD’S PRAYER Our Father who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name.Thy kingdom come.Thy will be doneon 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,and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.For Thine is the kingdom,and the power, and the glory,forever and ever. Amen.

*GLORIA PATRIGlory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning,is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

LIGHTING THE CANDLE OF PEACELeader: The season of Advent continues. We join with people of faith

across the world in the lighting of the Advent candles, symbols

of our faith and signs of God’s love.

All: We are a people of hope. Last Sunday the frail light of asingle candle declared the possibility of hope in the life of the world.

Leader: Hope lives in us and will abide with us.

All: Today we will light the candle of peace.

Leader: This light, too, must brave great darkness.

All: In an age when peace seems so elusive in our personaland public lives, we long for peace that passes allunderstanding.

Leader: Peace that is not merely the absence of war and conflict, butthe Shalom of God: The presence of blessing for all creation.

All: Christ comes to bring peace to those who have beenseparated from God and one another. In the name ofthat Child born so long ago, we light the candle of peace.

HYMN* O Come, O Come Emmanuel (verse 2)

O come, O Wisdom from on high,who ordered all things mightily;to us the path of knowledge show

and teach us in its ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! EmmanuelShall come to thee, O Israel.

SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISMLina Elena Sozzi

Daughter of Jenny and Ray Sozziand

Goddaughter of Katy Anderson Gray and Clay Lander Floren

HYMN Child of Blessing, Child of Promise

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE The Rev. Dan Haugh Children may now leave for Church School.

ANTHEM There is No Rose of Such Virtue Joubert

SCRIPTURE LESSON Luke 1: 26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

SERMON A Little Shocked…but Undaunted The Rev. Dr. Ed Horstmann

*HYMN No. 245 Like the Murmur of the Dove’s Song

OFFERINGInvitationAnthem O magnum mysterium

et admirabile sacramentum,ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,

jacentem in praesepio.O beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt

portare Dominum Jesum Christum. Alleluia!

O great mysteryand wondrous sacrament,

that animals should see the Lord newbornlying in a manger.

O blessed Virgin, whose womb was worthyto bear the Lord Christ Jesus. Alleluia!

*Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*Hymn My Country, ‘Tis of Thee (verse 4)Our fathers’ God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing;

long may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light; protect us by thy might, Great God, our King.

PASTORAL PRAYER

*HYMN No.142 People, Look East

CHURCH PRAYEROur Heavenly Father, shed forth thy blessed spirit upon all our lives. Make each one of us an instrument in thy hands for good. Purify our hearts, strengthen our minds and bodies, fill us with Christian love. Let no pride, no self-conceit, no rivalry, no ill-will ever spring up among us. Make us earnest and true, wise and prudent, giving no just cause for offense and may thy holy peace rest upon us this day and every day throughout the coming week, sweetening our trials, cheering us in our work, and keeping us faithful to the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

BENEDICTION AND CHORAL RESPONSE

POSTLUDE In Dulci Jubilo Held

ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH MISSION STATEMENTWe, the members of the Round Hill Community Church, a self-governing, non-denominational body, seek to foster a community of faith where people of all ages and backgrounds pursue spiritual growth; where God is worshipped in Word and praised in music; where friends are made and hurts are healed. We seek to be a community where individuals commit their time and resources to education, fellowship, and to helping those in need among our Church family and in the broader world. We are a church where faith, hope, justice and love are valued, and above all, Jesus is Lord.

ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH CREEDI believe in God, the one universal Father of all mankind, revealed supremely in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and present with us to guide, comfort and inspire in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Kingdom of God; and in the mission of the Christian Church to proclaim the Gospel to all the world, exalting the worship of the Lord our God, and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of righteousness, the reign of peace, and the realization of human brotherhood. United in Christian love, we pray and labor for the coming of the Kingdom, the triumph of righteousness and the life everlasting. Amen.

CHURCH NEWS

Thank you to Pat and Ray Milo for ushering during today’s morning service, and to Miller Davol and Elena Debnar for ushering during this afternoon’s second service at 4 pm.

Thank you to Heidi Morrison and Bunny Prokop for hosting today’s Coffee Hour. Please join them in the parlor following the service.

Today at 4 pm is our First Sundays at Round Hill service. Britt and Robert Newman will be leading the music and our worship will focus on the theme of “Living in the Light.” Please join us for this family-friendly, contemporary expression of prayer, followed by a light supper in the Parlor. Guests are welcome!

Give the gift of warmth…please donate to our Mitten Tree! There is a Christmas tree located in the Parlor that we hope to adorn with a large and beautiful array of new gloves, hats and mittens to keep little hands and heads

warm this winter! All donations should be hung on the Mitten Tree and will then be distributed to our friends at Neighbor-to-Neighbor.

Christmas on Round Hill is just around the corner! Have you reserved your tickets for the not-to-be-missed Gala Preview Party on Friday, December 11th from 6-9 pm? Visit our website to conveniently purchase tickets online! On Saturday, December 12th from 10 am to 4 pm,

visit the Christmas on Round Hill Fair at the Community House – do all of your holiday shopping in a fun, festive atmosphere…there is something at the Fair for everyone!

We are also still looking for elves to help with our Christmas on Round Hill event. The more the merrier and the lighter the work! Sign-up sheets are in the Parlor for various tasks and food contributions.

Thank you to all the Angels who took Angels from the tree! Please wrap your gift and securely attach your Angel as the tag. In order to make it into Santa’s sleigh, all gifts must be returned no later than 10 am next Sunday, December 13th. Many thanks for participating in this very worthwhile Christmas tradition!

Open casting call! “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” will take place during our service on Sunday, December 20. If you know the perfect shepherd and/or angel, 4 years old and above, bring them to the Pageant Rehearsal in the Sanctuary at 10:00 am on Dec. 19. The rehearsal will run until noon, and all participants will be provided with costumes. All pageant characters must be at Church at 9:00 am on Sunday, Dec. 20. Contact the

Office at 203/869-1091 for more information or sign up on the sheet in the Parlor.

This year it is the mission of our Church School to collect pop tops for Sister Rosemary and the Young Women and Girls of Saint Monica’s Girls Tailoring Center in Uganda. The pop tops will be made into beautiful purses to be sold to support the wonderful work of the Center!  During December our Church School children will pass around their own collection plates for pop tops (a.k.a. soda can pull tabs). Please bring all you have and then plan to continue collecting pop tops throughout the Church year. We hope to have a gigantic water bottle (or two!) filled with them by June!

Reflection is in order this coming holiday season as the world struggles with terror especially after the tragic attacks that shook Paris recently. With that in mind, Les Beaux Arts Gallery is hosting “A Time of Reflection,” an exhibition of paintings by Marcia R. Reich, which opens today and runs through January 7, 2016. The exhibit highlights the artist's approach to the spiritual and mystical realm of angels. We welcome Marcia Reich today to Round Hill Community Church and invite you to spend a few moments viewing the exhibit and chatting with her during coffee hour today.

DECEMBER 2015 At-a-Glance

Dec. 11 Christmas on Round Hill Preview Party 6:00 p.m.

Dec. 12 Christmas on Round Hill - Community House 10 am-4 pm

Dec. 13 Bible Study Series: People of the Book – Angels 11:30 a.m.

Dec. 19 Pageant Rehearsal (Sanctuary) 10:00 a.m.

Dec. 20 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever 10:00 a.m.

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Service 4:00 p.m.

Dec. 24 Service of Lessons and Carols 9:30 p.m.

REFLECTIONS

Into this world, in which there is absolutely no room for him at all, Christ has come uninvited. But because he cannot be at home in it, because he is out of place in it, and yet he must be in it, his place is with those others who do not belong, who are rejected by power, because they are regarded as weak, those who are discredited, who are denied the status of persons, tortured, exterminated. With those for whom there is no room, Christ is present in this world.

Thomas Merton, Watch for the Light

God of us all, in whom our joy finds perfect peace, enter, we beseech thee, into the crowded inn of our life, quiet the tumult and the disorder, and let thy strength impel us to make an ample place for the advent of thy Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Move us by such joy as we have had in Jesus Christ and in thee to praise thy holy will and wisdom. Make us glad, after the way of thy spirit, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Samuel Miller

Cover Image: The Annunciation, Henry Ossawa Tanner , 1898

Senior Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Edward G. HorstmannAssociate Pastor: The Rev. Dan Haugh

Minister Emeritus: The Rev. Dr. Ralph AhlbergMinister of Music: Christopher Kabala

Church School Coordinator: Connie Blunden

Round Hill Community Church395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT 06831

203.869.1091 roundhillcommunitychurch.org