Sunday Schedule

8:30 AM: Live Stream Lessons and Carols (watch directly from our website

9:45 AM: Zoom Sunday School Classes (scroll down and click each graphic for zoom here)

Children’s Sunday School 9:45 AM
Children will be asked to “show and tell” their favorite character in a creche or Christmas book. Pastor Anne will be the guest reader of Unwrapping the Christmas Creche.
A Service of Lessons & Carols
 The story of our humanity, the promised Messiah, and the birth of Jesus

Sunday, December 13, 2020 – The Third Sunday in Advent

We Prepare to Hear God’s Word

Welcome

PreludeAngels We Have Heard on High, H. Gehrke

Call to Worship
                          
Opening Hymn: Angels We Have Heard on High

Bidding Prayer/Lord’s Prayer

We Hear God’s Word - Lessons & Carols

The First Lesson: Genesis 12:1-4, The promise to Abraham
Carol: In Night’s Deep Silence, Christopher Uehlein
“In night’s deep silence, clear a voice rings through...” Michael P. Snoddy, piano

The Second Lesson: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7, Jesus’ birth foretold
Carol: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, Natalie Sleeth
“O come and show us the light divine…” Camille Winton, solo

The Third Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-9, The peace of Christ
Carol: Silent Night, John Johns
“Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace…” John Johns, guitar

The Fourth Lesson: Luke 1:26-35; 38, The angel appears to Mary
Carol: The Angel Gabriel, Mark Albrecht
“Your son shall be Emmanuel…” Angela Dyer, flute

The Fifth Lesson: Matthew 1:18-23, The birth of Jesus
Carol: Coventry Carol, Loreena McKennitt
“This poor youngling, for whom we do sing…” Andra Prewitt, violin

The Sixth Lesson: Luke 2:8-20, The shepherds go to the manger
Carol: The Snow Lay on the Ground, Robert Powell
“And thus the manger poor became a throne…” Tony Inglis, trombone
     
The Seventh Lesson: John 1:1-14, The mystery of the Incarnation
Carol: I Wonder as I Wander, John Jacob Niles
“For poor orn'ry people like you and like I…” Anna Marie Love, solo and John Johns, guitar

We Respond to God’s Word

Offertory Invitation                                                                             

Closing HymnHark! The Herald Angels Sing

Benediction                                

Postlude: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Hugo Gherke                                   


Readers for the Lessons
Linzi Anderson, Brooks Godwin, Anne Keener, Chris Joiner,
Kim Joiner, Mary Sellers Shaw, and Michael Snoddy


A Word About Lessons & Carols
The tradition of interspersing short “lessons” with carols began in the town of Truro, England in the late nineteenth century. Drawing on the ancient monastic office of Matins (a form of sung prayer), an order of nine lessons, interspersed with familiar carols, was created.

Eric Milner-White, Dean of King’s College, Cambridge felt that the Church of England could benefit from a new form of worship and adapted the earlier 19th century lessons service for the traditional Christmas Eve service at King’s College Chapel in 1918. Thus, the present-day service of Lessons & Carols was born. 
Prayer Requests
For the full list, click here.

New:
Caroline Freiburg
Korab Family
Don Savage
Sara Chang's friend, John Coates
Mike Freiburg’s father, Jim Freiburg
Cathy McCall’s brother, Carlos Casteel
Dale Roos’ nephew’s wife, Mary Grace Roos
Leah Stein’s father, Robert Rosswog
Michael Snoddy’s friend, Bruce Williams
Zander family friends, Pearson family
Zander family friend, Nat Hubert

Births:
Phoebe Marie Halleen, daughter of Sam and Hunter Halleen, granddaughter of Doug and Laura Halleen, born November 24, 2020

Deaths:
Dorothy Risen, November 29, 2020

In Memory of:
Ellen McGehee, December 14, 2004
Dick Settle, December 15, 1999
Joe Willoughby, December 15, 2018
Birney Alphin, December 16, 2013
Shirley Bolich, December 18, 2015
Mary Chester, December 19, 2004