St. Paul’s United Church of Christ A welcoming Christ-centered community...

Third Sunday of Advent December 16th, 2018 9:30 am Worship

We’re Glad You’re Here!

Welcome: “No matter where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!” More than words,

this statement is a reflection of the truth that we are all here because of God’s love, grace, and

mercy. This is a community held together by the honesty of our shared brokenness and the

healing we receive through Christ.

Get Connected: Signup online for the weekly E-news or monthly Cornerstone Newsletter, like

us on Facebook, give us a call, or send an email. It is our joy to journey with you!

Restrooms: These are located on the basement level of the church. Either go through the double

doors in the front of the sanctuary and turn right to go downstairs, or use the stairwell in the back

of the sanctuary and then walk through the fellowship hall.

Children: Children of all ages are welcome within the worship service, so that may grow in

God’s love. (We readily expect to hear their presence and recognize their occasional need for a

“break” from the worship space.) Children’s activity bags, for use during worship, are available

by both entrances to the sanctuary. A nursery, located beyond the double doors in the front of the

sanctuary, is also available for children up to 5 years old. Please see an usher for assistance.

Hearing amplification devices: These personal devices are available for your use. Directly

connected into our sound system, they make it possible to hear those leading worship without

amplifying background noises. Please see our sound person for assistance.

Remember: As we enter into worship, turn off or silence your cell phone, pager, or watch chime.

Your presence is a blessing to God and to us! Please feel free to share with us any ways in which

we might be a blessing to you in this journey of faith and life.

Today’s Scripture Readings Isaiah 9:1b-7 + Zephaniah 3:14-17 + Philippians 4:4-9 + Luke 1:26-38

Worship Leaders Minister – All Members

Pastor – Rev. Joseph Motz

Worship Steward – Janeen Adil

Organist – Grace Griffith

Advent Liturgist – Gage Fecera

Acolyte – Olivia Motz

Ushers – Sandi Swavely & Gage Fecera

Nursery – Jamie McGee & TBD

300 West First Street, Birdsboro PA 19508

610-582-8461 + office@stpaulsbirdsboro.org + www.stpaulsbirdsboro.org

Pastor’s e-mail: pastormotz@stpaulsbirdsboro.org

Order of Worship

Prelude

(Prayer: To you, O God, I come, praying you will meet me here. In honesty, I come with a

divided heart – pulled in far too many ways. Yet in faith I come to you, praying that in you I may

be found whole, and in that wholeness hear again the joyful beat of your heart. Come Lord Jesus,

claiming and restoring even one as me.)

Welcome & Announcements

(Please rise in body or in spirit)

Processional Hymn: “We Hail You God’s Anointed” (Back of the bulletin)

Call to Worship Leader: Here, gathered in God’s worship with one another,

we continue the Advent journey to the heart of God,

awakening our spirits to the truth that God has come,

and God will come again.

People: As the world swirls in anxiety of what is to be done for Christmas,

we stop our hectic pace to see what God has, and will do, because of Christ.

Leader: Through scripture and song, we call ourselves to be alive

to the present reality of God’s eternal gift of hope, peace, joy, and love.

The gift made incarnate through Mary, that all the world may celebrate.

People: All the glory belongs to the Lord our God, whose Joy,

made flesh in Jesus, is the light of our salvation,

and the salvation of all that has life.

Leader: As we light this third candle of Advent – the Candle of Joy –

we give witness to the Joy that burns in the heart of God,

praying that the Joy of Christ may fully be birthed within this world.

People: We pray for the fulfillment of Christ’s Joy for all the world -

dispelling the powers of darkness and oppression,

establishing God’s justice and truth throughout all of creation,

releasing every person held captive by sin or overcome by evil,

so that all may share in the celebration of God’s Joy.

Leader: Come Lord Jesus, you whose light has come and will come again,

lighting the path of Joy for all your people.

People: Through Christ we pray. Amen.

(The candle of Joy is lit)

Hymn: “All Earth Is Waiting” All earth is waiting to see the Promised One,

and open furrows, the sowing of our God.

All the world, bound and struggling, seeks true liberty;

it cries out for justice and searches for the truth.

Thus says the prophet to those of Israel,

“A virgin mother will bear Emmanuel”:

One whose name is “God with us,” our Savior shall be,

through whom hope will blossom once more within our hearts.

Mountains and valleys will have to be made plain;

Open new highways, new highways for our God,

Who is now coming closer, so come all and see,

and open the doorways as wide as wide can be. Words and Music © 1972, The Pastoral Musician. English translation © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House. All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-714498

Call to Confession

(Please be seated)

Corporate Confession All: Holy God, though we long for your joy,

we struggle to live in your way.

We want the blessings you have to offer,

without sacrificing anything of ourselves.

We want the riches you promise,

without needing to participate in the ministry of your reign.

We want everything to be as you have promised,

without changing anything significant within our lives.

Merciful God, break down the barriers we place before you,

which continually separate us from your call upon our life.

Lead us from the sin of our self-destructive ways,

to a life that is transformed through the loving gift of your Son.

By your Spirit, let the joy of your heart, become the foundation of ours.

Through Jesus Christ, we pray.

Silent Confession (A time of personal prayer for God’s healing and redeeming peace.)

Leader: Lord have mercy upon us.

People: Lord have mercy upon us. (sung)

Leader: Christ have mercy upon us.

People: Christ have mercy upon us. (sung)

Leader: Lord have mercy upon us.

People: Lord have mercy upon us. (sung)

Assurance of Grace

Leader: The good news is that God has come to save and redeem all people.

God hears our cries. In the midst of our troubles, our brokenness, our sin,

God comes. Glory be to the Lord who rescues us each to life!

People: Alleluia! Let all creation proclaim God’s praise!

(Please rise in body or in spirit as the Gloria is sung two times.

First by the Pastor, then by all)

1978, Les Presses de Taizé, All rights reserved. OneLicense.net License #A-714498

Passing of the Peace Leader: The peace of Christ be with you.

People: And also with you.

(After sharing Christ’s Peace with others, please be seated.)

(At this time, children nursery/pre-K to 9

th grade are dismissed to participate in age specific

Christian Education classes for the rest of worship. Parents/guardians of first time students are

invited to follow children to their classroom in order to complete registration information before

returning to worship. Following worship please pick-up children, 3rd

grade and younger.)

First Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 9:1b-7 (p. #1072) It is proclaimed that God will do a new thing. Not merely bringing hope and restoration to the

Israelites, God’s redemptive light will shine upon all people bringing joy to all the earth.

Second Old Testament Lesson: Zephaniah 3:14-17 (p. #1466) The words of Zephaniah proclaim hope even after the destruction of Juda is foretold.

God promises life out of death - transforming renewal that restores God’s people.

Epistle Lesson: Philippians 4:4-9 (p. #1830) We are to confidently live in the way of Jesus, rejoicing in the truth that the Lord is near.

(Please rise in body or in spirit)

Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” #120 (verse 3)

Gospel Lesson: Luke 1:26-38 (p. #1588) In faith and hope, Mary responds to God’s call that she bear and birth God’s joy for the

sake of her people.

Leader: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God!

Sermon “Living In God’s Joy”

(Please rise in body or in spirit)

Hymn: “O How I Shall Receive You”

Statement of Faith – Colossians 1:15-20

All: Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

for in him all things were created,

in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities –

all things were created through Christ and for Christ.

Christ is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Christ is the head of the body, the church;

he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

that in everything he might have supremacy.

For in Christ all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and through him all things are reconciled to God,

whether on earth or in heaven,

by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Amen.

(Please be seated)

Receiving of Tithes and Offerings

(We give as an act of worship, tangibly offering ourselves to God’s service.)

Offertory

(Please rise in body or in spirit)

Offering Hymn: “From All That Dwell Below the Skies” From all that dwell below the skies, let the Creator’s praise arise;

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let the Redeemer’s name be sung, through every land, by every tongue.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Harmonization Copyright © Oxford University Press. From the ENGLISH HYMNAL, 1906. All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-714498

Prayers of the People (Believing in God’s truth, we open ourselves as God’s servants through prayer.)

The Lord’s Prayer All: 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, for ever. Amen.

Commissioning

Benediction

Sending Hymn: “How Great Our Joy!” #157

Postlude

(As the acolyte carries the Light of Christ out into the world, so too are we to carry Christ’s light from this sanctuary into the world, our communities, and our homes. May the presence

of the Spirit go with you until we gather again in the shared joy of God’s worship.)

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Announcements Welcome to Val Hastings – We joyfully celebrate our Congregational Coach, Val Hastings,

joining us in worship today. Dr. J. Val Hastings, MCC, is a United Methodist Pastor and the

Founder and President of Coaching4Today’sLeaders, Coaching4Clergy, Coaching4Groups, and

Coaching4BusinessLeaders. Val will be available after worship today for all who are interested in

meeting him. There will be no formal presentation, just a chance to meet Val and informally

discuss any thoughts you may have. Please note we are still welcoming individuals onto the

coaching team. If you are considering this opportunity, please contact Sherry Hunter or Pat Babel.

2019 Offering Envelopes--Available for Pick up in the CE wing of the church. We ask all

members to pick up their envelopes by the end of December and help assist in connecting

envelopes with family members, friends, and neighbors as we no longer mail offering envelopes

to individuals. Begin using the new envelopes on January 6th, 2019.

Our Daily Bread Devotions Now Available – The Dec/Jan/Feb devotional books are now

available for pickup at the church entrances. These devotionals are free for your use due to the

generous support of Helping Hands. Please feel free to take extra to share with others.

Creative Contemplative - The next gathering for Creative Contemplatives will be “Inspirational Stories” Stories that touch your soul. Ours, yours, theirs, presented by Pat Babel.

This class will be held on December 17 from 6:30PM to 8PM. Creative Contemplative classes

are offered FREE to the public on the third Monday of each month and they are held at the Daniel

Boone High School, Room 135, Birdsboro, PA. Please see our website or Facebook page for

further details and a complete listing of classes.

January Newsletter – Announcements and articles for the January newsletter are due

TODAY. No late submissions can be included due to the Christmas holiday. If you have any

questions, please contact the church office.

Altar Flower Openings 30th

- If you are interested in sponsoring the altar flowers for

December the 30th, please see Judy Reeser.

Christmas Eve Worship Services – December 24th

6:30pm – Family Candlelight Service - Specifically designed for youth and young families.

With familiar carols, a children’s message, blessings offered during communion, and a

candlelight service, we joyously share the Christmas story.

11:00pm – Midnight Watch

Focusing on our hope filled anticipation of Christ’s advent into this world, we experientially

move from darkness to light. Through word and song, Communion and blessings, we watch

and wait for the Light of the world to shine within and through us.

Weather Cancellation Policy for Worship - Notice of cancellation, whenever possible, will

be posted by Sunday morning at 7:30am on the website, Facebook page, church answering

service message, 69news, and WFMZ.

Processional Hymn: “We Hail You God’s Anointed”

Word Alterations © 1993, The Pilgrim Press. All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-714498