Second Sunday of Advent: Inner Peace
Organ Prelude Fantasia for Advent (C. Adams)
Advent Welcome
Choral Introit “Wonder of Wonders, Here Revealed” (Huber)
Call to Worship
*Gathering Hymn #10 On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry
*Prayer of Invocation and Hope
One Voice: The Second letter of Peter includes this claim: “God is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” John the Baptist uses this same word often: repent, which means to turn, to look anew, to come to a new mind. Let us pray to the God of new life together:
All: Come now O God of love and peace, and unite us in worship together. We pray that you send your Spirit of new life near, as we proclaim that Christ is coming near. Help our community and our faith to bring peace to many lives: to our own, to those who encounter danger, and all who work to honor the promises of old, and prepare the way of the Lord anew. Amen.
*Assurance of New Life
*The Response in Praise (tune Veni Emmanuel — O Come, O Come, Emmanuel)
O Come Desire of Nations, bind All peoples in one heart and mind;
Make envy, strife, and quarrels cease; fill the whole world with Heaven’s peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel!
*Sharing of Peace Response: And also with You.
The Hebrew Bible Isaiah 40: 1-11
The Sacrament of Baptism **
Hymn of Grace #498 (seated) Child of Blessing (vs. 1 &4)
Recalling the Light of Peace: Isaiah 9: 6-7
Light the Advent candle, two: Think of humble shepherds, who
Filled with wonder at the sight Of the child on Christmas night.
Candle, Candle, burning bright– shining in the cold winter night,
Candle, Candle, burning bright: fill our hearts with Christmas light.
*Hymn of Thanksgiving #13 Prepare the Way O Zion
(Children depart to Church School as we sing)
Our Quest for Peace Anna McMahan
The Gospel Reading Mark 13: 24-37
The Advent Meditation The Rev. Kenneth Baily
The Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer (Our father and mother… trespasses)
Call to OfferingChoral Offering “Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day” (arr. Willcocks)
*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Christ the word in flesh born low,
Praise Holy Spirit evermore,
One God, Triune, whom we adore. Amen.
*Prayer of Dedication
*Hymn of Advent (insert) We Hail You God’s Anointed
*Blessing and Benediction
*Choral Benediction “Savior of the Nations, Come” (St. Ambrose)
Postlude Fugue for Advent (C. Adams)
* Those who are able please stand
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**Being baptized this morning are four siblings: Maddie Rose Ingram, Charlie William Ingram, Jane Darlington Ingram & Lucy Mae Ingram.
Come Sing Together: Next Sunday December 17 our Senior Choir invites everyone who would like to sing an Advent song to join for one week. Music, training videos/recordings, and rehearsals are all provided so that all who have a song in their heart can be ready to share it here.
See Jan Zimmerman (our Music Director) with questions.
Our youth will present a Christmas pageant during the worship service Next Sunday, December 17th. All children of every age are invited to participate. If you can be part of the pageant and have not yet been in contact with our CE team, please email [email protected] ASAP.
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.
Thanks to worship leaders Ken Baily, Jan Zimmerman, Yevgenia Semeina,
Steve Harris, Worship and Spiritual Life, and Misha Hill.