Order of Worship

12-14-25

Third Sunday of Advent

We can choose a better way

Prelude ~

Shared by Tanner Bayles

Welcome and Announcements

Shared by Pastor Ken

Opening Words

Shared by Pastor Ken

One: Who are we and what are we called to do?

All: We are the sensitive and responsive ones called to create a world where every person is radically affirmed and barriers between people become

bridges of inclusion, justice, and spirituality.



Singing Our Faith ~ Joy to the World

by G.F. Handel and Issac Watts

1. Joy to the world! The Lord is come!

Let earth its praises bring;

Let every heart prepare Christ room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and heaven and nature sing.

2. 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.

3. Christ rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove,

The glories of God’s righteousness

And wonders of God’s love,

And wonders of God’s love,

And wonders, and wonders of God’s love.

Call to Worship and Lighting the Third Advent Candle

Sue Stuart and the Botticelli Family

Sue: Over a hundred people, from the ages of two to eighty

years old, were asked the question, “What brings you joy?” From the voices of different generations, hear their answers:

Joe: A clean kitchen.

Nick: Sand between my toes.

One: Being outside.

Nick: Sleeping in my own bed after a night away.

Sue: Having a camera in my hands.

Joe: My partner’s laugh.

One: Mountain air.

Nick: When my parents pick me up.

Joe: The end of my to-do list.

Sue: Hugs from my niece and nephew.

Nick: Baby giggles.

One: My cat.

Sue: Putting my hands in the garden.

Joe: A chord resolved.

Nick: Stargazing.

One: Bedtime books.

Sue: A warm cup of coffee with friends.

Nick: Lingering at the table after dinner.

One: Time with family.

Sue: Today we light the candle of joy. May its light remind us of all the good news this season brings. May its light remind us of the many sources of joy in our lives, and may that joy not only draw us closer to one another, but closer to God.

(Another worship leader or reader lights the candle.)

Joe: Family of faith, what brings you joy? Amen.

Opening Prayer ~ In This Quiet Place

In this quiet place

In this quiet place

Help me be still and know

How can I give, and how to forgive

In this quiet place

In this quiet place

Help me be still and know

You

Like Jesus in the garden

Let me be in this quiet place

Let me see your path for me

Let me trust in your grace

In this quiet place

In this quiet place

Help me be still and know

How to be true in all I do

In this quiet place

In this quiet place

Help me be still and know

You



Celebrations For the Deep Goodness of Life

Led by Pastor Ken

This is our time to share the celebrations of our lives: birthdays, anniversaries, words of kindness and works of peace and justice.

~ Cool Cash shared by Cindy Gattorna

Claiming Sunday: Recognition and Introduction of New Members and Friends

From time to time we recall how new people arrived, decided to stay and enrich our life as a congregation. We also recognize that we are a very mobile and transient society, so we have people who claim us for a season and then their journey takes them away, and sometimes back again. A traditional understanding of membership does not fit the way we live our lives, so we celebrate the coming and going of people in a new way. When we are blessed by their presence, their contributions and their faithfulness, we celebrate that people have arrived and decided to

call Shadow Rock United Church of Christ their new spiritual

home. We become milestones in each other’s spiritual journeys.

Today, we welcome them into this growing and changing

fellowship.

Sharing Our Covenant

We covenant one with another to be that sensitive and

responsive part of human society which perceives and

responds to God’s newest thrust in the midst of history. The uniqueness and greatness of every life is radically affirmed. Our task together demands a comprehensive view of life, always pointed intentionally to the future. Our life together

will involve us individually and corporately in study and worship, always maintaining a proper balance between proclamation of the Word about life with the deeds which make life good. Those activities which eliminate age barriers, cut across religious dogma, reduce cultural parochialisms and engage secular people with life’s ultimate possibilities will be worthy of our best efforts.

Welcoming and Claiming New Members

Led by Rev. Ken Heintzelman

One: We welcome you into the fellowship of Shadow Rock

United Church of Christ. Thank you for claiming us and

giving us the joy of claiming you. We have welcomed,

loved and served each other and today we complete a full

expression of claiming and being claimed.

All: The full expression comes only when we have insured that every life is radically affirmed and every person has a place at the table of Creation. This is our work of peace and justice. Thank you for what each of you brings: experiences, insights, enthusiasm, questions, faith, doubts, and gifts for ministry. Together we are the people of God in this place.

One: Together we represent a unique and unrepeatable

presence of the Spirit of Life and Love to the world.

Welcome Song For Everyone Born

For everyone born, a place at the table

For everyone born, clean water and bread,

A shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,

For everyone born, a star overhead.

Chorus:

And God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, compassion and peace:

Yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice,

justice and joy.

For woman and man, a place at the table,

Revising the roles, deciding the share,

With wisdom and grace, dividing the power,

For woman and man, a system that’s fair.

Chorus

For everyone born, a place at the table,

To live without fear, and simply to be,

To work, to speak out, to witness and worship,

For everyone born, the right to be free.

Chorus

Music for Thinking of You Cards ~

Shared by Tanner Bayles

In the pew racks are cards with the title “Thinking Of You”. Please use these cards to write a note to someone so they know they are remembered and cared for. Put the card in the offering plate when it comes by, and the church office will forward the cards to the person addressed on the card. This was one of the elements of our time together that you lifted up as important for all of us.

Thank you!

QR Code for Giving Page

Special Music ~ Thank You, Jesus

Shared by Miseal Perez

Spiritual Play Skit

Santa’s Super Swoop

Singing Our Faith ~ Deck the Halls

1. 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.

Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la, la la la, la la la;

Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, Fa la la la la la la la la.

2. See the blazing Yule before us, Fa la la la la, la la la la;

Strike the harp and join the chorus, Fa la la la la, la la la la;

Follow me in merry measure, Fa la la, la la la, la la la;

While I tell of Yuletide treasure, Fa la la la la la la la la.

3. Fast away the old year passes, Fa la la la la, la la la la;

Hail the new ye lads and lasses, Fa la la la la, la la la la;

Sing we joyous all together, Fa la la, la la la, la la la;

Heedless of the wind and weather, Fa la la la la la la la la.

Decorating Our House

Words For Mission

Led by Sue Stuart

Please stand in mind, body, or spirit

One: As you leave this place, may you go knowing that from

generation to generation, we have been claimed and loved.

From generation to generation, God has been by our side.

From generation to generation, we are not alone.

The God of yesterday and the God of tomorrow knows you

by name, loves you, and calls you forth, saying,

“Go be the person you are called to be, love wildly, do justice, and come back soon.”

Embrace us as partners in the divine acts of creating.

These are the times!

All: We are the people!

One: All of Creation is blessed!

All: May we love all and serve all!

One: May God be with you.

All: And also with you.

One: Amen.

All: Amen.

Sending Forth Songs ~ Good Christian Friends, Rejoice

1. Good Christian friends,

rejoice with heart and soul and voice;

Give ye heed to what we say,

Jesus Christ is born today.

Ox and ass before him bow,

and he is in the manger now,

Christ is born today! Christ is born today!

2. Good Christian friends,

rejoice with heart, and soul, and voice;

Now ye hear of endless bliss,

Jesus Christ was born for this!

He hath opened heaven’s door,

and we are blest forevermore.

Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!

3. Good Christian friends,

rejoice with heart, and soul, and voice;

Now ye need not fear the grave,

Jesus Christ was born to save!

Calls you one and calls you all

to gain the everlasting hall.

Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!

Sermon Reboot is ON for today.

This is a time to talk about the message and explore together using the ORID Art Form Conversation methodology. What is ORID? It stands for Observation, Reflection, Interpretation, and Decision. You will get the hang of it.