Second Sunday of Advent: Peace
Gathering & Prelude
Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship Malachi 3: 1-4
Hymn: Prepare the Way, O Zion
Prepare the way, O Zion; your Christ is drawing near! Let ev’ry hill and valley a level way appear. Greet One who comes in glory, fore-told in sacred story. Oh, blest is Christ that came, in God’s most holy name.
Fling wide your gates, O Zion; your Savior’s rule embrace. His tidings of salvation proclaim in ev’ry place. All lands will bow before him, their voices will adore him. Oh, blest is Christ that came in God’s most holy name.
Opening Prayer
Choral Anthem People Look East
The Prophecy Isaiah 9: 6-7
Hymn: O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Come, O Come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel;
To us the path of knowledge show, and help us in that way to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel.
O come thou day-spring come and cheer, our spirits by thine Advent here. Disperse the gloomy clouds of night; And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel.
The Gospel Reading Luke 1: 68-79
Carol: Deck the Halls
Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la. Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la, la la la la. Don we now our gay apparel, (fa la la…) Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol, (fa la la…) See the blazing Yule before us, (fa la…) Strike the harp and join the chorus. (fa la…) Follow me in merry measure, (fa la…) While I tell of Yule tide treasure. (fa la…)
Gospel of John the Baptist Luke 3: 1-6
Carol: On Jordan’s Bank
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Come, then, and hearken, for he brings Glad tidings from the King of kings!
We hail you as our savior Lord, Our refuge and our great reward;
O let your face upon us shine And fill the world with love divine.
The Advent Candle of Peace
Carol: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold; “Peace on the earth, good will to all, From Heaven’s all gracious King.” The world in solemn stillness lay, To hear the angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on, By prophet-bards foretold, When with the ever circling years Comes round the age of gold; When peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendors fling, And the whole world send back the song Which now the angels sing.
The Powers of Birth
Carol: The First Nowell
The first Nowell the angel did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; in fields as they lay, keeping their sheep, on a cold winter’s night that was so deep. Refrain: Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star, shining in the east beyond them far, and to the earth it gave great light, and so it continued both day and night. Refrain
This star drew nigh to the northwest, o’er Bethlehem it took its rest, and there it did both stop and stay Right over the place where Jesus lay. Refrain
Prayer of Peace and Lord’s Prayer (“Our father and mother … trespasses…”)
Celebration Carols: Angels From the Realms
Angels, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye, who sang creation’s story,
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Come and worship, Come and worship
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
Shepherds in the field abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing;
Yonder shines the infant Light: Refrain
Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar:
Seek the great Desire of nations;
Ye have seen his natal star: Refrain
Joy to the World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.
Benediction
Benediction Response
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Good tidings to you wherever you are
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next Sunday: (Sunday of Love)
We celebrate the Eucharist December 12. You are welcome to bring your own bread and cup, or partake with our small “Miracle Meals.” We light the pink candle of Love. Watch for updates on the web and mailings.
During this time of covid caution we welcome all
to safe, careful congregational assembly.
Here, outdoors — today — you may wear a mask or not.
Note that our leaders are vaccinated and boosted.
We have a simple offering basket today.
You may leave a gift in the basket,
deliver an envelope after worship, send a gift
via email or online, or any touch-free method you wish
Thanks to worship leaders Wendy Donnell, Ken Baily, Natacha Rist, piano, Lynd Matt, Music Director and deacons Melissa Dietrich, Jeff Small & Carol Jensen
NHCC is an Open and Affirming, Still Speaking congregation where all are welcome regardless of the divisions or separations that some in society would impose: whoever you are you are welcome in God’s house. “In Christ we are a new creation,” so we are blessed to be together in Christ’s name.
And plan ahead: if all continues well we worship
Christmas Eve at 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm in person
Newton Highlands Congregational Church, UCC
54 Lincoln Street, Newton, MA
www.nhcc.net 617 527 3898