MANY: but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE (Cindy and Greg Freudenthal)

1st PERSON: Introduction of the Advent Day 

2nd PERSON: Lighting of the Candle

[Light the Candle] 

PRAYER OF THE DAY 

HYMN[TGT#362]      Rejoice! Rejoice, Believers!

1 Rejoice! Rejoice, believers, and let your lights appear; the evening is advancing

and darker night is near. The Bridegroom is arising and soon he will draw nigh.

Up, watch with expectation; at midnight comes the cry.

2 See that your lamps are burning; replenish them with oil; look now for your salvation, the end of sin and toil. The marriage feast is waiting;

the gates wide open stand; arise, O heirs of glory;

the Bridegroom is at hand!

3 Our hope and expectation, O Jesus, now appear; arise, thou Sun so longed for,

above this shadowed sphere! With hearts and hands uplifted,

we plead, O Lord, to see the day of earth’s redemption, and ever be with thee!

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God with us, you are coming into the world to bring all people together in peace. We confess that we have not expected your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. We live casual lives, ignoring your promised judgment. We accept lies as truth, exploit and abuse both neighbor and nature, and refuse your justice and peace. In your mercy, forgive us. Grant us wisdom to welcome your way, and to seek things that will endure when Christ comes to judge the world. 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON   

*GLORIA PATRI #579 

Glory 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, 

THE WORD WRITTEN AND PROCLAIMED

1st SCRIPTURE                                                        Zephaniah 3:14-20

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.

2nd SCRIPTURE                                                         Luke 3:7-18

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

ONE: Heaven and earth will pass away but the Word of the Lord stands forever.

MANY: Thanks be to God

 THE WORD MADE FLESH   

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH       Apostles’ Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,  and in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY                 The First Noel  arr. H. Geraldine Du Mars

DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

THE GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

ONE: The Lord be with you.

MANY: And also with you.

ONE: Lift up your hearts.

MANY: We lift them to the Lord.

ONE: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

MANY: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

ONE: …Therefore with all creation we sing your praise:

MANY: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

ONE: … Great is the mystery of faith:

MANY: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again…

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

ONE: … The gifts of God for the people of God.

MANY: Thanks be to God.

HYMN [GTG# 137]  He Came Down

1 He came down that we may have love; he came down that we may have love;

he came down that we may have love; hallelujah forevermore.

2 He came down that we may have light; He came down that we may have light; He came down that we may have light; hallelujah forevermore.

3 He came down that we may have peace; He came down that we may have peace; He came down that we may have peace; hallelujah forevermore.

4 He came down that we may have joy; He came down that we may have joy;

PARTING PRAYER

Almighty God,

You have made us and all things to serve you. Now prepare the world for your rule. Come quickly to save us, so that wars and violence shall end, and your children may live in peace, honoring one another with justice and love; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [GTG#654] In the Lord I’ll Be Ever Thankful

In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful; in the Lord I will rejoice!

Look to God; do not be afraid.

Lift up your voices, the Lord is near.

Lift up your voices; the Lord is near.

POSTLUDE                          Jingle Bells            

*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.