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Hingham Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
Hingham, Massachusetts
An Open and Affirming Congregation
December 6, 2020
10 a.m.
Welcoming Covenant
In the name of God and Jesus Christ, the Hingham Congregational Church welcomes all who seek to know and worship God, and invites everyone to join in our mission through participation and leadership of the congregation.
As a community of faith, we take seriously the biblical call to love God and our neighbors as ourselves, and recognize that, although we are many members, we are one.
❖ We celebrate the uniqueness of everyone.
❖ We rejoice in our diversity of views and understandings of our shared faith.
❖ We affirm relationships based on love, commitment, and mutual respect.
❖ As is stated in our by-laws, we strive for righteousness, justice and peace.
It is with this spirit and the love of God that we openly welcome all persons, inclusive of every race, ethnicity, class, age, gender, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, and inclusive of any others, to journey with us as we move forward with the work of this church in the world.
Sunday Morning Bulletin
Hingham Congregational Church, United Church of Christ
Second Sunday in Advent - Peace— Sacrament of Communion
December 6, 2020
10 a.m.
Prelude Freu Dich Sehr "Rejoice Greatly" Traditional Renaissance Carol
Welcome
Introit Adagio - Benedetto Marcello - Jane Kungie, Oboe
Lighting the Candle of Peace The Rowan Family
Opening Prayer and Lord’s Prayer Daryl Denelle
Prince of Peace, how holy is Your name. In this season of weary and difficult preparation, we practice so much patience. But, Holy Child, we are tired and lonely - the heaviness of this life brings us only worry, not Peace or calm. This Advent, make the true Peace that comes from Christ our touchstone, our Peace, and Salvation. We call out to You, Sweet God, give us some peace! Let us have Peace of mind, Peace of heart, and allow us the Peace that comes with the knowledge of Your presence. We humbly beseech You for Peace on this earth. Amen.
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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.
*HCC recognizes the power of language, while also respecting traditional practices. We acknowledge a God that transcends all human ideas of genders, identities, and abilities. Please pray in whatever way is most comfortable to you.
Hymn Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn
Awake! awake, and greet the new morn, for
angels herald its dawning sing out your joy, for
Jesus is born, behold! the Child of our longing.
Comes as a baby weak and poor, to bring all hearts to-
gether, to open wide the heavenly door, and
lives now inside us forever.
To us, to all in sorrow and fear, Em-
manuel comes a singing, whose humble song is
quiet and near, yet fills the earth with its ringing.
Music to heal the broken soul and hymns of loving
kindness, the thunder of the anthems roll to
shatter all hate and injustice.
In deepest night Christ’s coming shall be, when
all the world is despairing, as morning light so
quiet and free, so warm and gentle and caring.
One with-out voice breaks forth in song, a lame one leaps in
wonder, the weak are raised above the strong, and
weapons are broken asunder.
Rejoice, rejoice, take heart in the night, though
Cold the winter and cheerless, the rising sun shall
crown you with light, be strong and loving and fearless;
Love be our song and love our prayer, and love, our endless
story, may God fill every day we share, and
bring us at last into glory.
Prayer
Special Music Every Valley John Ness Beck
Scripture: Mark 1:1-8 Tricia Smock
The Proclamation of John the Baptist
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight” ’,
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’
Sermon The Wild Confessor Rev. Dr. Peter Allen
Sacrament of Communion
Prayer of Thanksgiving (unison)
Thank you, God, for life in the Spirit of Jesus; for love that cannot
die; for peace the world cannot give; for joy in the company of
friends; for the glory of creation; for the mission of justice you have
made our own. Give us the gifts of this Holy meal: oneness of heart,
love for neighbors, forgiveness of enemies, the will to serve every
day, and life that never ends. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
Benediction
Postlude Von Himmel Hoch (From Heaven Above) Garth Edmundson
Janet Cappers, Organ
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