December 13, 2015 | Third Sunday of Advent

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Band Prelude: A Big Band Christmas . . . . . . Arr. Carl Strommen

Opening Welcome Pastor DeWayne

Lighting of the Advent Candle/Call To Worship Stephanie Meredith

Song We Lift The Light of Hope

We lift the light of hope, O God, Your presence burning bright. In praise we sing the gift You bring: our hope complete in Christ. In praise we sing the gift You bring: our hope complete in Christ.

We lift the light of love, O God, Your candle in our night. You come to give and help us live the mighty love of Christ. You come to give and help us live the mighty love of Christ.

We lift the light of joy, O God, Your praise is our delight! Your blessings flow that all may know unbounded joy in Christ. Your blessings flow that all may know unbounded joy in Christ.

Passing the Peace Pastor DeWayne

Opening Praise Set O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Scripture Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20 Stephanie Meredith

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, and 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; the Promised One will rejoice over you with gladness, renew you in love; 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.

One: May God bless the reading of the Word.

Many: Praise be to God.

Song Joy To The World

Morning Message An Advent Awakening: Awaken to Joy Pastor DeWayne

Song O Little Town of Bethlehem

Blessing of the Quilts

Offering/DUO Recipient AGC Benevolence Fund Pastor DeWayne

Offertory Shout for Joy . . . . . Lincoln Brewster

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Offering Prayer Pastor DeWayne

One: Let us pray together

All: Blessed are you, God of all creation; through your goodness we have these gifts to share. Accept and use our offerings for your glory

and for the service of your reign. Blessed be God forever. Amen.

Communion Liturgy Rose Ahmann

The Invitation and Sursum Corda

One: God be with you.

All: And also with you.

One: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to our God.

One: Let us give thanks to God.

All: It is right to give thanks and praise to our God.

One: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere, to give thanks… ...those around the world who cry out for liberation, we declare in praise…

The Sanctus

All: Holy, Holy, Holy, God of boundless mercy and unending love, How majestic is your name in all the earth! Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God;

Hosanna in the highest.

Words of Institution

One: Glory to God, in whose image we are made, in whom we live and breathe and have our being, and who is present with and among us, forever and always,

All: Thanks be to God as we gather together to meet you, to share your meal, to celebrate your

love, and to become strengthened to serve you and our neighbor. Hallelujah!

Communio n Songs (1) Emmanuel (2) Your Name (3) Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (4) Advent Alleluia

Prayer of Thanksgiving Paul Herzberg

Announcements Pastor DeWayne

Benediction Pastor DeWayne

Closing Song Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

Postlude

Notes:

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Join All God’s Children for

An Advent Awakening

Our collective experience of awaiting the greatest gift of all By awakening to Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace

During the Season of Advent

Sunday, November 29-Sunday, December 20

Designate AGCMCC and Amazon will

donate for you! - Amazon Smile will

donate .5% of all of your purchases to All God’s Children during this busy holiday season. And good news: it doesn't stop at the holidays! These donations will continue year round. This is a great and easy way to support AGC ministries such as The Sandwich Project, Thursday’s Table and all of the community services we provide day in and day out. Please consider making All God’s Children the beneficiary of this amazing gift and keep the good news coming!

To designate AGC visit

agcmcc.org TODAY!

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Year To Date - November 2015

Actual Budget Variance

$173,610.42 $180,168.90 -$6,558.48

$12,846.03 N/A N/A

$1,671.00 $3,199.00 -$1,528.00

$75,625.15 $62,822.00 $12,803.15

$263,752.60 $246,189.90 $17,562.70

$256,975.36 $241,799.73 $15,175.63

$6,777.24 $4,390.17 $2,387.07

Monthly Income

November Actual November Budget

General Fund $15,498.30 $16,379.00

DUO Fund $1,220.59 N/A

Access. Fund $200.00 $291.00

Other Income $11,916.68 $3,818.00

Total Income $28,835.57 $20,488.00

Paid Expense $19,067.86 $21,027.44

Net $9,767.71 -$539.44

Sunday, December 13

// 8am - Chancel Choir (Chapel)

// 9am - Music Team Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

// 10am - Worship Celebration (Sanctuary)

// 11am - Social Hour (Ackerman Hall and Chapel)

// 11:45am - Praise Singers Rehearsal

// 6pm - AGC Christmas Cabaret Dinner (Ackerman Hall)

// 7pm - AGC Christmas Cabaret Show (Sanctuary)

Monday, December 14

// 6pm - Transcend Ministries (Gathering Space)

Tuesday, December 15

// 7pm - AA Support Group (Ackerman Hall)

Wednesday, December 16

// 6:00pm - Praise Band Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

Thursday, December 17

// 11am - Thursday’s Table (Ackerman Hall)

// 7:30pm - AA Support Group (Ackerman Hall)

Friday, December 18

Saturday, December 19

Sunday, December 20

// 8am - Chancel Choir (Chapel)

// 9am - Music Team Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

// 10am - Worship Celebration (Sanctuary)

// 11am - Social Hour (Ackerman Hall and Chapel)

// 11am - Community Meal (Ackerman Hall and Chapel)

// 11:45am - Praise Singers Rehearsal

AGC Benevolence Fund -

The Benevolence Fund is one of the chief ways that we help those in our community who are in need. Proceeds from

this fund are used for a range of needs, including bus passes, food for hungry families, or money to pay utility bills. We are called to serve those in need around the state, and God equips us with the means to make this happen. What we share from our abundance can make a difference.

DUO Fund

Financials

Join us on your YOUNG ADULT spiritual journey! For

more information, pick up a brochure, talk to Will Murray, or email revolution@agcmcc.org.

Revolution Calendar: // December 13 - 3pm Chapel // December 20 - Not Meeting // December 27 - Not Meeting

** Gelato following REVOLUTION Gatherings @

Wilde Roast Café - 65 SE Main St, Minneapolis, MN

Youth Group Calendar

Birthdays

13-Dec Donna Higgins

14-Dec Dan Pierre

14-Dec Reginald Merrill

15-Dec Lisa Mendel

15-Dec Amanda Haiven

16-Dec Taylor Keate

16-Dec Donna Olsen

17-Dec Scotti La Bash II

17-Dec Charles J. Brown

18-Dec Michael Bak

19-Dec Ion Brunner

19-Dec Fanda Yang

20-Dec Peter Kim

20-Dec Todd Bradshaw

20-Dec Daryl Sager

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December 17: Dom Bede Griffiths (1906-1994)—Monk and Sannyasi. Raised in a middle-class English family and student of C. S. Lewis at Oxford, Griffiths’ spiritual journey led him first to the Catholic faith and the life of a Benedictine monk. While sent to establish a monastery in India, he came to believe that the secularized West had much to learn from the East. He helped found a Christian ashram that was faithful to Christian traditions, but adopted the disciplines of the East, including yoga and meditation. He dressed in the saffron robes and lived as a sannyasi, or Hindu holy man. His liturgies combined Christian and Hindu prayers and readings. He believed he could find the truth of Christ present within all the religions of the world.

“Something I constantly notice is that unembarrassed joy has become rarer. Joy today is increasingly saddled with moral and ideological burdens, so to speak. When someone rejoices, he is afraid of offending against solidarity with the many people who suffer. I don't have any right to rejoice, people think, in a world where there is so much misery, so much injustice . . . The loss of joy does not make the world better - and, conversely, refusing joy for the sake of suffering does not help those who suffer. The contrary is true. The world needs people who discover the good, who rejoice in it and thereby derive the impetus and courage to do good. Joy, then, does not break with solidarity. When it is the right kind of joy, when it is not egotistic, when it comes from the perception of the good, then it wants to communicate itself, and it gets passed on” —Pope Benedict XVI

Sun, Dec 13 | John 5:30-47 • Mon, Dec 14 | Zechariah 1:7-17

Tue, Dec 15 | Zechariah 2:1-13 • Wed, Dec 16 | Zechariah 3:1-10

Thu, Dec 17 | Zechariah 4:1-14 • Fri, Dec 18 | Zechariah 7:8-8:8 • Sat, Dec 19 | Zechariah 8:9-17

Let’s Be Good Stewards...CREATION CARE - We did it! Your commitment to Creation Care,

coupled with your generosity, topped the LED bulbs and occupancy sensors funding goal! We received nearly $3,000 in sponsorships in just two weeks! Winners of the two prizes will be announced during service today: 1st prize is dinner with DeWayne; 2nd prize is getting to pick a song about light or creation that DeWayne will sing at a future date.

The installation party and celebration will be scheduled for early January. Watch for notices! Everyone’s invited!

Also, with the initial goal met, the anonymous donor incentive will cover bulbs and sensors for additional hallways and offices, further reducing our energy use and costs.

Help us win in yet another way! If you’ve been motivated to swap out some bulbs at home for LEDs, let us know by placing your name on the display in Ackerman Hall. We’ll be showcasing not only what we’re doing in the AGC building, but also how our congregants are making a difference at home. Whether you’re just getting started with one bulb or many, let us know! The success of our combined efforts could win us cash prizes for ministry!

Start somewhere and do what you can!

Spiritual S/Heroes

Reading For Reflection

Daily Scripture Readings

Environmental Stewardship

7 7 Source: Sunshine Cathedral MCC Readings adapted from The Book of Common Prayer

Prayers of Health & Healing Rudy Gatti • Paula Schoenwether • Rev. Delores Berry • Jeff Ingvall •

Dan Pierre • Larry D. Grell • Paul & Judy Zimmerman • Colin • Jan Gaslin • Mark Olson • Hariette

Young • Rick Baak Prayers of Support Alek Xayarath's Partner Manuel • Alberto Villarreal •

Jeremiah Rivers • Christopher Allen & Mikenzie Sammie Hoff • Jackson, Sophia, Kannyn, and Ella Frye • North Minneapolis • Catherine Davis, family, school • Gregory W. Earth & Allan Jaworski • Rudy Gatti • Martha and Kelly • Son of Camille & Tina Price • Deb Schmidt Whitman

Ever loving God, source of all true joy, thank you for the Word made flesh, revealing yourself in the grace and glory of Jesus Christ. Thank you for fulfilling the promise to us of the in-breaking of the light that shines in the darkness. You bring the possibilities of joy in the midst of our despair. Kindle within us the flame of joy that we may have ears to hear your call and respond to the promptings of your Spirit to love and serve. Awaken us to joy that our hearts may be filled with praise. Enliven us with an unspeakable joy for the mission and ministry of the Promised One who will redeem all of us of every age and place. We pray in your many names. Amen.

Prayer Requests

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Get Married Here!

All God’s Children is available for wedding and reception rental. Once you’ve selected your date, call or email the

church office admin@agcmcc.org to reserve the date and time, and for additional information and a Wedding

and Rental packet.

Advertise in our bulletin! For information, rates and deadlines 612-824-2673 admin@agcmcc.org

All God’s Children

Metropolitan Community Church

3100 Park Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55407

care line: 612-LOVE-371 • phone: 612-824-2673 fax: 612-824-4609 • email: admin@agcmcc.org web: agcmcc.org social: facebook.com/allgodschildrenmcc twitter: @agcmetrochurch

“My assault charges were dismissed, thanks to Jeff. The consequences of these charges would have been severe. Jeff Dean won my case and my life is back to normal.”

“Jeff got my DWI charges dismissed. Call Jeff if you get a DWI!” - B.L.

Photo by Lavender

What do Jeff’s Former Clients Say?

Call Jeff Dean - 612-305-4360

Facing

Criminal or

DWI Charges?

Jeff Dean Defense Attorney 612-305-4360

allgodschildrenmcc

@agcmetrochurch

Donavon Keeney

Realtor

Donavon Keeney@EdinaRealty.com www.donavonkeeney.edinarealty.com City Lakes Office 4100 Minnetonka Blvd Cell: 612.232.5527 - St. Louis Park, MN 55416

Feed the Hungry - Help AGC reach out into the

community around us and feed all who are hungry. AGC will feed those in need with soup and sandwiches every Thursday from 11am to 1pm. How you can help: Soup and sandwich fixings are needed. Funds for items needed to support the outreach. Volunteers! - Any Thursday 10am - 2pm For more information see Nona Savino (hospitality@agcmcc.org)

Thursdays Table It is Going to Snow…Eventually! - If you’d like to help with touch-up snow shoveling to help keep the church’s walks and stairs safe, make a note in the black book or email Facility@agcmcc.org. Ken Johnson is organizing volunteers to supplement the ‘in-between’ times before our contract snow maintenance service arrives.