Prelude “Christians All, Your Lord is Coming” Leavitt
Welcome and Announcements Rev. Dan Schumacher
Lighting the Candle of Peace The Neubauer Family
Musical Offering “The First Noel” Trad. Dina Hollingsworth, flute
Call to Worship “There Is Something” by Ted Loder Richard Dockum Holy One, there is something I wanted to tell you, but there have been errands to run, bills to pay, arrangements to make, meetings to attend, friends to entertain, washing to do... and I forget what it is I wanted to say to you, and mostly I forget what I'm about or why. O God, don't forget me, please, for the sake of Jesus Christ…
O Father in Heaven, perhaps you've already heard what I wanted to tell you. What I wanted to ask is, forgive me, heal me, increase my courage, please. Renew in me a little of love and faith, and a sense of confidence, and a vision of what it might mean to live as though you were real, and I mattered, and everyone was sister and brother.
What I wanted to ask is for peace enough to want and work for more, for joy enough to share and for awareness that is keen enough to sense your presence here, now, there, then, always. Amen.
Congregational Hymn #256 “We Are People of God’s Peace” TEMPUS ADEST FLORIDUM
Invocation and Lord’s Prayer Rev. Dan Schumacher 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.
Musical Offering “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” Bach
Scripture Reading Isaiah 11:1-10 (NRSV) Rev. Dan Schumacher A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Sermon “Sowing Peace” Rev. Dan Schumacher
Moment of Reflection “If In Your Heart” Hernandez
Invitation to The Table, The Bread, and The Cup Rev. Dan Schumacher & Rev. M. Barbara Graham
Benediction Hymn #267 “Blessed Be the Tie” Dennis “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.”
Postlude “My Soul Proclaims with Wonder” Moyer
WORSHIP NOTES: ADVENT The four weeks before Christmas are a preparation time for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus. The color purple symbolizes Jesus’ royalty. This is a season of anticipation as we wait for the Christ child to be born. We also use this time to remember that Christ will come again. The first Sunday of Advent marks the first day of the Christian calendar. This season is most known for the lighting of the candles on the Advent wreath. Each candle is named for the theme of that Sunday, and are Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. The Christ Candle is not lit until Christmas Eve, but stays lit each Sunday for the rest of the year (with the exception of Good Friday when it is extinguished to signify Jesus’ crucifixion).