Service for the Lord's Day

ORDER OF WORSHIP



Gathering and Centering Ourselves for Worship

Welcome & Announcements



Prelude

The Wexford Carol - arr. Mark Hayes

Lighting of the Advent Candle

Peace

Suzy Browning, Ben Tatschl, Larry Williams, and Sarah Wright

Hymn

Now the Heavens Start to Whisper

JEFFERSON

The Prayer of Confession

in unison

Patient God, you know just how often we make decisions from a place of fear rather than love. You know just how often we allow fear to take the place of logic, fanning unhealthy fires in our lives. You know just how often we tuck your words, “Do not be afraid” on dusty shelves and in the back of closets, stubbornly holding onto our own point of view. Forgive us for giving fear the microphone. Silence the voices of scarcity, shame, and rejection, which spark and feed so much of our fear, to recenter us in love. With hope we pray, Amen.

The Assurance of Forgiveness



One:

Friends, believe the Good News of the Gospel.

Many:

In Christ we are all forgiven.

Confession Response

Canticle of the Turning

STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN

Affirmation of Community | Passing of the Peace

Proclaiming the Word

Prayer for Illumination

A Reading from the Epistles

Romans 15:4-13

The Word of the Lord - Thanks be to God.

Anthem

Creation Shall Be at Peace - Anna Laura Page

In the holy mountain of the Lord all war and strife will cease; in the holy mountain of the Lord creation will be at peace. The wolf will lie down with the lamb, the cow and bear will feed, their young will play together; a little child will lead. The leopard and goat will graze, the lion will feed on straw. They will war no more; a child will lead them all.

A Time for All God's Children

A Reading from the Old Testament

Isaiah 11:1-10

The Word of the Lord - Thanks be to God.

Sermon

A Tangible Hope

Rev. Karen A. Wright

Hymn

O Lamb of God

from The Saint James Christmas Service - Mark Schweizer

Our Response to the Word

Affirmation of Faith

in unison

We believe in a God who knows our fears. We believe in a God who says, “Be not afraid.” We believe in a God who kicks off her shoes and wades into the muck of our lives with us. We believe in a God who stitches herself to our heels, and invites us to dance. We believe in a God who hemmed stars into the night sky so that we can find our way home, and who sends us friends with open doors, so we can find our way to love. We believe in a God who finds us in our fear and does not leave us alone. Thanks be to God for a love like that. Amen.

The Invitation to Discipleship and Life in the Church

The Church at Prayer

The Lord be with you. And also with you.



The Sharing of Joys and Concerns

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

(in unison)



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. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

The Presentation & Dedication of Our Gifts

Offertory

God's Son Is Coming - J. S. Bach

Offertory Response

As with Gladness Men of Old

DIX

Invitation to the Lord's Table

The Lord's Supper

As a sign of our unity in Christ, let us hold the cup

until all have been served and partake together.

The Invitation

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

The Words of Institution

The Communion

Going Forth into the World to Live the Gospel

Hymn

Rejoice! Rejoice Believers

LLANGLOFFAN

Benediction & Response

Prepare the Way

PREPARE THE WAY

Postlude

Postlude on "Jefferson" - Charles Callahan

The flowers for today’s worship service are given by Muriel Mellott to the Glory of God in loving memory of her husband, Bob Mellott.

Suzy Browning, liturgist

Chark Lyon & Wayne Wilson, audio/visual

SOUTHMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH STAFF



Rev. Karen Wright, Associate Pastor

Joshua G. Hearn, Director of Music Ministry

Denise Dillon-Gruber, Office Manager

Portions of today's service are by Rev. Sarah Are Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org

Prepare the Way of the Lord | Text & Tune: Taizé Community/Jacques Berthier, © 1984 GIA Publications. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-726989. All rights reserved.

The Canticle of the Turning | Text: Rory Cooney, © 1990 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-726989. All rights reserved.

Now the Heavens Start to Whisper | Text: Mary Louise Bringle, © 2006 GIA Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-726989. All rights reserved.