December 8, 2013
Second Sunday in Advent
GATHERING & WELCOME
*PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
L: The Peace of Christ be with you.
P: And also with you
L: Please pass the Peace of Christ to your neighbor.
MOMENTS OF INFORMALITY
THE MISSION AND MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH
THE WORK OF THE CHURCH
BRINGING IN THE LIGHT
MUSIC OF PREPARATION“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent”
*CALL TO WORSHIP
L: For the day of celebration ...
P: We wait for you.
L: For the glory of your coming ...
P: We wait for you.
L: For the gift of our Savior come to earth as a baby ...
P: We wait for you.
All: In this beautiful Advent season, we wait for you.
*OPENING PRAYER
Gracious and Loving God, how do we see for the first time a story we've read so many times? Give us new perspective. Help us not to assume we know all there is to know, but to open our hearts and minds to your Spirit and the new truth you may be teaching us today. Perhaps the truth will not be new, but a lesson we've heard and simply need to be reminded of again. Wherever it is you are leading, let us be willing to follow. Whatever it is you want to teach, let us be open to listening and obeying. Amen.
ADVENT READING
Wreath Lighters:
ADVENT SONG
Until Jesus comes, until Jesus comes,
I’ll be watching and waiting until Jesus comes.
(repeat)
SCRIPTURE READING Isaiah 11:1-10
*HYMN OF PRAISE No. 220“Angels from the Realms of Glory”
Children come forward during the last verse.
CHILDREN’S MOMENTS
ANTHEM 10:45 “Come Emmanuel Medley”
PRESENTATION OF GOD’S TITHES AND OUR OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY
8:15 “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
10:45 “Joy to the World/O Come, All Ye Faithful” – Cathedral Bells
*DOXOLOGY “Christmas Doxology”
“Glory be to God the Father, glory be to Christ the Son.
Glory to the Holy Spirit, glory to the Three-in-One.
Here we offer to you gladly, all the gifts that you impart,
As we glory in your presence, giving from a grateful heart.”
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION AND THANKS
Holy God, through your prophets you have promised us a world where justice and mercy would reign, where knowledge and understanding would prevail, and where the poor and the weak would be the recipients of compassion and not scorn. You sent Christ to give us the vision of this kind of Kingdom, then gave us the Holy Spirit within us that we might work to make a way for it in our world. As we give our gifts this morning, may you dedicate them and us to help bring about a world where your love, mercy, and grace reign supreme. We pray this in the name that is above all others, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
JOYS AND CONCERNS
PRAYER HYMN No. 219 “What Child Is This” - Altar is open during the hymn.
PASTORAL PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 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. AMEN
SERMON SCRIPTURE Matthew 3:1-12
SERMON
*HYMN OF PARTING No. 560“Help Us Accept Each Other”
BENEDICTION
*MUSIC OF PARTING“Pat-a-Pan”
*Those who are able, please stand.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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CHILDREN’S COLLECTIONS: This week our children’s collection will be given to the PDF (Pastor’s Discretionary Fund). Pastor David uses the funds in this account to help those in our church and community with emergency needs.
PDF – 12/1/13 - $196.40
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ANGEL TREE: The Outreach committee is sponsoring our Angel tree and food bags. Please take an Angel from the tree and sign up on our food list to bring in something to help these families for Christmas dinner. The Angels have suggestions for items to buy with a limit of $25.00 for toys.These angels need to be returned no later than Dec. 15th wrapped with the Angel taped to the outside. The food items need to be returned by Dec. 15th and refrigerated items put in Coffee Room fridge. Thank you for your continued support and May God Bless all!
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THIS WEEK AT OUR CHURCH
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CHRISTMAS COOKIE SALE...The Finance Committee would like to thank everyone that ordered cookies. The cookies will be delivered today, December 8th.They will come frozen, so please see Laurie Saporito in the narthex following the 8:15 and 10:45 service to pick up your order. There will be $125 given to Mission Share 2013 from this sale. Thank you for your support!
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ACOLYTES: Young people (grades 3 and up) are needed to serve as acolytes for both services, especially during the Advent season. You would not be serving every week. This is a chance to serve your church and assist in worship.
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LONGEST NIGHT/ BLUE CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SERVICE
DECEMBER 21, 2013
Our church will have a new service this year. A Longest Night/Blue Christmas Worship Service will be held in our sanctuary on Saturday, December 21 at 6:30 PM. This is the longest night of the year. Following this date, daylight seems to be returning for more and more of each day. In the long, dark winter nights,memories of past experiences and the pain of present experiences and situations can become overwhelming On this night, we remember those for whom the holidays are not joyful; they are lonely, in mourning, feeling alienated and cast apart from family celebrations; they are experiencing depression and sadness and yet are often compelled to "put on a happy face" for others, denying their true feelings. People who are not having a very merry Christmas and friends who support them are invited to come and sit with one another in a liturgy that speaks of the love of God for the grieving.
In this service, we invite you to listen. We invite youto pray. We invite you to sing. We invite youto meditate upon the pain and anguish you may bring – and we invite you to offer your pain to the Christ child. And we trust that you will find hope and comfort in knowing that you are not alone.
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A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT for a loved one is a "Camp Gift Certificate." (Personally, I think allGrandmas should attend the 3 day Grandma & Me Camp! I'm going back this year with my two granddaughters! What a great experience it was!)
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THE OUTREACH COMMITTEE would like to thank the Congregation for their support of the Thanksgiving Baskets. We handed out to baskets to 30 families in need.
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STAFF CHRISTMAS GIFT: Each year, the Staff Parish Relations Committee collects contributions from our congregation toward Christmas bonuses for our dedicated Church Staff. Please join the SPRC in showing our appreciation for their work by contributing.Envelopes marked "Staff Christmas" are in the bulletin. Additional envelopes are on the table in the Narthex. Thank you in advance for your thoughtfulness and generosity.
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BAZAAR GIFT BASKETS: There are still a few gift baskets for sale. They are in the Assemble Room.Please follow the directions on the signs to pay for your purchases. Proceeds from this final sale will support the Rick Simms Mission Work Trip to Philippi, WV.
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IRWIN MALE CHORUS will be performing at our church on Sunday, December 8th at 7:00 PM. Cookies will be needed for the reception. They may be brought to the church Sunday morning or just prior to the concert. Please plan to attend the concert with all your friends.
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Our December Fellowship Nightat Irwin First will be 'sweet'! We're building Gingerbread Houses, so get your Christmas spirit on!
Join us on December 11th at 6:00 pm in the gym for a quick dinner of Hot Dogs, Sloppy Joes, Chips, and Wassailbefore 'building' great memories and sharing Christmas funwith family& friends!Thanks tosomewonderful bakers in our church, if you sign up,thegingerbread and icing will be provided for you. (If you'd like to make your own gingerbread, we have patterns and recipes available.)
Please bring your own 'construction materials' -thecandies & things you wantto decorateyour house with (bring some sweets for your dessert after dinner too), along with a bag of candy to share. Some ideas are: M&M's, Gumdrops, Pretzels, Licorice, Tootsie Rolls, sprinkles, colored sugar, powdered sugar& a sifter for snow, Skittles, Fruit Roll Ups, Mints, Candy Canes- whatever you'd liketo put on your house. Be creative! Each family can take their house home that night to enjoy throughout the Christmas season.
The Christmas songbooks will be available, and we'll be singing Christmas songs during the times we're waiting forthe 'mortar' to set the walls on the houses.
The event promises to be fun for everyone! If you don't want to build a house, sign up for just dinner, and come enjoy the fellowship.
Make sure you sign up on the clipboard, or call the office, so that wehave enough gingerbread walls, roofs, and icing!
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RINGING OF THE BELLS...Our church is ringing bells for the Salvation Army on Tuesday, December 10th from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. in front of the North Huntingdon Giant Eagle. Our kettle will be on the Kohl's side of the building. As of now, there are morning and afternoon time slots available for individuals or any group of two or more that want to participate. A group is fun...and shoppers seem to donate more when you "sing and ring!" The time slots are for one hour.
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WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY GROUP: Our next class will meet on Wednesday, December 11th at 10:00 AM. We are continuing our study of the women who lived during the time of the Divided Kingdon, and whose stories are written in the Bible in the books of 1st and 2nd Kings.
Any woman wanting to know more about the Bible is welcome to attend our informal monthly class on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from September through May, at 10:00 AM.
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