Service for the Lord’s Day: November 27, 2005

1st Sunday of Advent: 10:30 a.m.

 

GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

 

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

  

PRELUDE                                 Sleepers Wake! A Voice Is Calling                          J. S. Bach                                                 

 

CHORAL INTROIT                       Christmas Hymn (vs. 1)                               arr. H. Jungst  

LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE & ADVENT WREATH

 

*CALL TO WORSHIP                                                                 from Psalm 80: 1-2 (NRSV)

 

You who are enthroned on the cherubim, shine forth!

       Stir up your might, and come to save us!

Restore us, O Lord of hosts;

                   Let your face shine, that we might be saved!

 

*PROCESSIONAL HYMN # 13                                                                    Prepare the Way

 

*CONFESSION OF WHO WE ARE                                                  in a season of preparation/wrl

 

Lord, sometimes I feel I’m always preparing to live but never living.

Other times I feel poorly prepared, so don’t live as well as I could.

I do some readying:

   for a weekend out of town,

     a conference at work,

        a family celebration,

          even my death—making a will!

But the one thing I don’t prepare for is you;

so you catch, so life catches me, unready to love or give, to pray or befriend.

 

Forgive. And teach me during this season of readying.

 (time for silent, personal confession)  Amen.

 

*ASSURANCE OF WHOSE WE ARE                                                              from Romans 8

           

Who is in a position to condemn?

Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us,

Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us.

 

Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

*THE PEACE

The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

           Peace be with you.

(Worshipers greet one another with words and gestures of God’s peace)

 

PROCLAIM GOD’S WORD

  

ANTHEM                                 How Majestic Is Your Name                              M. Patterson                                     

 

WORD WITH CHILDREN

 

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM                                                        

                  

Promises of Parents

Promises of the Congregation

Prayer of Thanksgiving over the Water

Welcome, and Prayers for Parents and Families

 

LESSON FROM THE GOSPEL                                                       Mark 13: 24-37 (NRSV)

 

SERMON                                                                                                   “Door on the days”

 

RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

 

AN OFFERING OF OURSELVES TO GOD

            Call to respond

            Offertory                                    Advent Carol                                                D. Wood                   

        

 SEAL THE WORD IN SACRAMENT

 

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

 

GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING                                                      Hymnal P. 13

            RESPONSE # 581                                                                    Holy, Holy, Holy Lord

 

 

            *RESPONSE # 592                                  Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow

            *THE LORD’S PRAYER

 

BREAKING BREAD AND SHARING THE CUP

Passing the bread, worshipers may say, “The bread of life for you.”

Pass the cup, worshipers may say, “The cup of blessing in Christ for you.”

 

DEPART IN GOD’S NAME

 

*HYMN # 9                                                                                 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

 

*CHARGE                                                                                                                Mark 13:35-37

Jesus says, “Keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: ‘Keep awake.’”

 

*BLESSING

 

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE # 14 (vs. 1)                      Savior of the Nations, Come

 

POSTLUDE                               Carillon on “Sleepers, Wake!”                                D. Paxton

*Congregation stands as able

Next Week’s Scriptures:  Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2; 2 Peter 3:8-15; Mark 1: 1-8

 

WE ARE A STEPHEN MINISTRY CONGREGATION

 

 

WORSHIP LEADERS

Liturgists 

 Rev. Jonathan C. Siehl

Sermon

Rev. William R. Leety

Word with Children

Rev. Jonathan C. Siehl

Musical Leadership

Chancel Choir & Carol Choir

Sarah Shaffer, Director

Nancy Deeth, Organist