Crandall United Methodist Church - Worship - Worship Guide

Worship Guide

December 22, 2024

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World

ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE

Greetings:

Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

People: And also with you!

Lighting the Advent Candle: Love

When the people were looking for deliverance, the prophet Micah declared, “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient day.” But what if Micah is also talking to us, proclaiming, “but you, O Crandall Church, from you shall come forth for me” What? What might God be calling forth from us?

God invites us to receive the promise of God’s salvation and the sustenance of God’s mercy and grace, enabling us to live the promise as God-bearers to the world. As Christ was born in Bethlehem, so too we answer God’s invitation to have Christ born among us today and every day.

We light this candle of love as a sign of our commitment to live as people of God’s promise, a promise of salvation and flourishing for all people that springs forth from God’s love for all creation.

Special Music: “Breath of Heaven” Stefanie

Centering Words:

With fullness of heart, soul, and mind, we gather to glorify God and to rejoice in God, our Savior.

*Call to Worship:

Leader: Rejoice in the presence and love of Christ.

People: We rejoice in the one who lives in our hearts.

Leader: Rejoice, for Christ brings justice and peace to our world.

People: We rejoice in the one who calls us to justice and peace.

Leader: Rejoice with faith and hope.

People: We rejoice in the one who promises are true.

Leader: Let us pray.

ALL: God of ancient days and future visions, we come into your presence to celebrate the joy of your Holy Spirit and the blessing of your Son, Christ Jesus. Fill us with your Holy Spirit, as you filled Elizabeth long ago. Sing through our songs of joy, as you sang through Mary. Speak through our words and our thoughts, that we may grow closer to the justice and the peace of Christ Jesus, who calls us here today. In Christ’s holy and blessed name, we pray. Amen

Hymn: “To a Maid Engaged to Joseph”

To a maid engaged to Joseph,

the angel Gabriel came.

“Fear not," the angel told her,

“I come to bring good news,

good news I come to tell you,

good news, I say, good news.

“For you are highly favored

by the God the Lord of all,

who even now is with you.

You are on earth most blest,

you are most blest, most blessed,

God chose you, you are blest!"

But Mary was most troubled

to hear the angel’s word.

What was the angel saying?

It troubled her to hear,

to hear the angel’s message,

it troubled her to hear.

“Fear not, for God is with you,

and you shall bear a child.

His name shall be called Jesus,

God’s offspring from on high.

And he shall reign forever,

forever reign on high."

“How shall this be?" said Mary,

“I am not yet a wife."

The angel answered quickly,

“The power of the Most High

will come upon you shortly,

your child will be God’s child."

As Mary heard the angel,

she wondered at his words.

“Behold, I am your handmaid,"

she said unto her God.

“So be it; I am ready

according to your word."

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

Words of Assurance

Christ’s mercy is for you, my friends.

Christ’s mercy is for me.

Christ’s mercy and grace are sure and assuring.

May it be well with our souls. Amen

*Old Testament Reading: Micah 5:2-5

² But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,

who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to rule in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

from ancient days.

³ Therefore he shall give them up until the time

when she who is in labor has brought forth;

then the rest of his kindred shall return

to the people of Israel.

⁴ And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great

to the ends of the earth;

⁵ and he shall be the one of peace.

Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God

People: Thanks be to God.

WORD AND RESPONSE

Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”

Children’s Message: “Angel”

Hymn: “Away in a Manager”

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,

the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,

but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes;

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky

and stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay

close by me forever, and love me, I pray;

bless all the dear children in thy tender care,

and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

Sermon: “Promise” Luke 1:39-55

³⁹In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, ⁴⁰where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴²and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

⁴⁶And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

⁴⁸ for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

⁵⁰ His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

⁵² He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

⁵⁵ according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

RESPONSE TO THE WORD

Hymn: “What Child is This”

What child is this who, laid to rest,

on Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

while shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,

whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

the babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies he in such mean estate,

where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

the silent Word is pleading.

This, this is Christ the King,

whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

the babe, the son of Mary.

So bring him incense, gold and myrrh,

come peasant, king to own him;

The King of kings salvation brings,

let loving hearts enthrone Him.

This, this is Christ the King,

whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

the babe, the son of Mary.

Psalter: Psalm 80

¹ Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,

you who led Joseph like a flock!

You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth!

² In the presence of Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,

stir up your might, and come to save us!

³ Restore us, O God;

let your face shine, that we may be saved!

⁴ O Lord God of hosts,

how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?

⁵ You have fed them with the bread of tears,

and give them tears to drink in full measure.

⁶ You make us the scorn of our neighbors;

and our enemies laugh among themselves.

⁷ Restore us, O God of hosts;

let your face shine, that we may be saved!

⁸ You brought a vine out of Egypt;

you drove out the nations and planted it.

⁹ You cleared the ground for it;

it took deep root and filled the land.

¹⁰ The mountains were covered with its shade,

the mighty cedars with its branches;

¹¹ it sent out its branches to the sea,

and its shoots to the river.

¹² Why then have you broken down its walls,

so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?

¹³ The boar from the forest ravages it,

and all that move in the fields feed on it.

¹⁴ Turn again, O God of host!

Look down from heaven, and see:

have regard for this vine,

¹⁵ the stock which your right hand planted.

¹⁶ They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down;

may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance!

¹⁷ But let your hand be upon those of your right hand,

the ones who you have made strong for yourself!

¹⁸ Then we will never turn back from you;

give us life, and we will call on your name!

¹⁹ Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!

Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow

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

Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns

Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer

SENDING FORTH

Hymn: “Star-Child”

Star-Child, earth-Child go-between of God,

love Child, Christ Child, heaven's lightning rod,