Worship Guide
December 11, 2022
Third Sunday of Advent
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Lighting of the Advent Candle
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Greetings:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: “All Is Well” Meagan
Centering Words:
Even in our weakness, Christ arrives with strength and courage. Even in our sorrow, Christmas comes to bring hope and joy. May this promise take root in our souls, as we wait with patience for Christ and Christmas to arrive.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: Rejoice! God’s promises are ever near.
People: We wait for Christ’s birth with patience.
Leader: Rejoice! God’s strength is with us.
People: We rest in the power of God’s mighty love.
Leader: Rejoice! We gather in the joy of our salvation.
People: In this love, we gather to worship and pray.
Leader: Let us pray
ALL: Promised One, enter our hearts anew. Enter our worship with your promised presence, that we may know you better. Enter our lives and our world, that we may proclaim your presence and sing your praises. With joyous gratitude, we pray in your blessed name. Amen.
Hymn: “Jesus, the Light of the World”
See the bright and Morning Star,
Jesus, the Light of the World!
He has risen in our hearts,
Jesus, the Light of the World!
Walk in the light, beautiful light;
come where his love and his mercy are bright.
Shine all around us by day and by night,
Jesus, the Light of the World.
He's the lamp that lights our way,
Jesus, the Light of the World!
Step by step and day by day -
Jesus, the Light of the World!
Walk in the light, beautiful light;
come where his love and his mercy are bright.
Shine all around us by day and by night,
Jesus, the Light of the World.
No more darkness, no more night -
Jesus, the Light of the World!
He will shine forever bright,
Jesus, the Light of the World!
Walk in the light, beautiful light;
come where his love and his mercy are bright.
Shine all around us by day and by night,
Jesus, the Light of the World.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
In Christ’s mercy and grace, God’s ransomed ones return.
In Christ’s love and faithfulness, everlasting happiness and joy flow abundantly and forgiveness and mercy make us whole.
Amen
*Gospel Reading: Luke 1:46-55
46 And 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 for ever.”
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: “Box of Lies ”
Hymn: “Away in the Manger”
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: “The Lord’s Highway” Isaiah 35:1-10
1 The wilderness and the dry land shall
be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus
2 it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.
3 Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be
opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
7 the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
8 A highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,
but it shall be for God’s people;
no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.
9 No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall
return,
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “One Holy Night in Bethlehem”
One holy night in Bethlehem
the air was filled with song.
Angelic voices sang on high
and shepherds piped along:
Sing glory, glory, gloria!
God’s love is given birth!
Be not afraid, Sing gloria,
and peace to all the earth!
Their music echoed through the town
into the stable stall,
where Mary sang a lullaby
and rocked her baby small:
Sing glory, glory, gloria!
God’s love is given birth!
Be not afraid! Sing gloria,
and peace to all the earth!
As Joseph touched the lamb’s soft wool,
and fed the donkey hay,
he whistled his own happy tune
and thanked God for this day:
Sing glory, glory, gloria!
God’s love is given birth!
Be not afraid! Sing gloria,
and peace to all the earth!
Be still, and you will hear tonight
these melodies of old.
Then join your voice in harmony
until the tale is told:
Sing glory, glory, gloria!
God’s love is given birth!
Be not afraid! Sing gloria,
and peace to all the earth!
Psalter: Psalm 146
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have being.
3 Put not your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4 Their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
5 Happy are those whose help is in the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord, their God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith for ever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners,
and upholds the widow and the orphan;
but the Lord brings the way of the wicked to ruin.
10 The Lord will reign for ever,
your God, O Zion, from generation to generation.
Praise the Lord!
Gloria Patri
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,
world without end.
Amen. Amen.
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice”
Good Christian friends, rejoice
with heart and soul, and voice;
give ye heed to what we say:
News! news! Jesus Christ is born today!
Ox and ass before him bow;
and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today,
Christ is born today!
Good Christian friends, rejoice,
with heart and soul and voice;
now ye hear of endless bliss:
News! news! Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath opened the heaven's door,
and ye are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this,
Christ was born for this!
Good Christian friends, rejoice,
with heart and soul and voice;
now ye need not fear the grave:
News! news! Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all,
to gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save,
Christ was born to save!
Benediction
