FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 695 E. Calvin Street, Fayetteville, AR 72703 • (479) 442-4411 • www.fupcfay.org

*Please stand as you are able. December 30, 2018, 11:00 a.m.

GATHERING

(We invite you to take this time to prepare your hearts for worship.)

PRELUDE Away in a Manger arr. Mary Leaf; Treese Muller, piano

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS (Please sign the Friendship Pad and pass it to others.) Kristi Button

RINGING OF THE BELL AND LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES Harley Frazier

INTROIT He Shall Feed His Flock G.F. Handel

CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 148) Bill Mitchell Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host! Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and women alike, old and young together! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord!

*RESPONSE Love Has Come Love has come: a light in the darkness! Love shines forth in the Bethlehem skies. See all heaven has come to proclaim it; hear how their song of joy arises: Love! Love! Born unto you, a Savior! Love! Love! Glory to God on high.

Love has come and never will leave us! Love is life everlasting and free. Love is Jesus within and among us. Love is the peace our hearts are seeking. Love! Love! Love is a gift of Christmas. Love! Love! Praise to you, God on high!

*A CHRISTMAS PRAYER (by Mary Oliver) Loving God, For you animals prepared a bed. For you the heavens shone brightly and the stars clapped their hands. For you angels sang to help calm your crying. For you shepherds stood watch and marveled at how small you were. For you wise ones came running from the east, and when they saw you, they fell down on their knees because you were Almighty God and yet you were so vulnerable. You were God and yet you had a soft spot on your head. God with Mary’s milk on your breath, wrapped up in swaddling clothes, God, creator of everything, now born of flesh and blood to be with us. Emmanuel, God with us

Hope is ours. Peace is on the way. Sorrow has lost its grip. Love has flooded every heart. Emmanuel, God with us Light has come back into the world. And the darkness of despair, and war, and hurt, and hate shall not overcome it. You are with us and we will never be the same. We will be more tender. We will protect the vulnerable. We will stand watch. We will come running to soothe the pain, to befriend the lonely, to lift up the lowly. To live as your people, to walk with you in love. We pray all of this in the name of Emmanuel, God with us In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

*HYMN 140 Once in Royal David’s City Glory to God

*PASSING OF THE PEACE The peace of Christ be with you! And also with you.

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

CHILDREN’S SONG Oh Come, Little Children

TIME WITH CHILDREN Jacob Christiansen

ANTHEM Who Would Think That What Was Needed Rob Button, guitar Who would think that what was needed to transform and save the earth might not be a plan or army, proud in purpose, proved in worth? Who would think, despite derision that a child should lead the way

God surprises earth with heaven, coming here on Christmas Day

Shepherds watch and wise men wonder; monarchs scorn and angels sing; such a place as none would reckon host a holy helpless thing. Stable beast and bypassed strangers watch a baby laid in hay

God surprises earth with heaven, coming here on Christmas Day

Centuries of skill and science span the past from which we move, yet experience questions whether, with such progress, we improve. While the human lot we ponder, lest our hopes and humor fray,

God surprises earth with heaven, coming here on Christmas Day

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

SCRIPTURE READING Kristi Button, Larry Stubbs, Barbara Gust Luke 2:22-40

22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” 33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” 36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

SERMON Christmas Through the Eyes of Anna and Simeon Kristi Button

RESPONSE TO THE WORD

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (Confession of 1967)

In Jesus Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself. Jesus Christ is God with man. He is the eternal Son of the Father who became man and lived among us to fulfill the work of reconciliation. He is present in the church by the power of the Holy Spirit to continue and complete his mission. This work of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the foundation of all confessional statements about God, man, and the world. Therefore, the church calls men to be reconciled to God and to one another.

PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS (Generosity Cards are available in the pews for offering our thanks, time, talents, and treasures.)

OFFERTORY The First Noël arr. Kevin Olson

*RESPONSE Advent Doxology

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER God, in your grace … You hear our prayers.

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

SENDING

*HYMN 148 Mary and Joseph Came to the Temple Glory to God

*BENEDICTION

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE 137 He Came Down Glory to God He came down that we may have love; he came down that we may have love; he came down that we may have love; hallelujah forever more.

He came down that we may have peace; he came down that we may have peace; he came down that we may have peace; hallelujah forever more.

He came down that we may have joy; he came down that we may have joy; he came down that we may have joy; hallelujah forever more.

He came down that we may have light; he came down that we may have light; he came down that we may have light; hallelujah forever more.

CARRYING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO THE WORLD (We are reminded as we leave that we are called to be God’s light in the world.)

POSTLUDE Joy To The World Isaac Watts/arr. John Innes