Bulletin for December 30, 2012. Click below to read more.

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WORSHIP DECEMBER 30, 2012
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

THE GATHERING
Leader: The Lord be with you. James Klotz
People: And also with you.

THE PRELUDE Walter Huff, organist

* THE CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
People: Young men and women alike, old and young together!
Leader: Let them praise the name of the Lord because only God’s name is high over all.
Only God’s Majesty is over earth and heaven.
People: God has raised the strength of his people, the praise of all his faithful,
the people of Israel who are close to him.
Leader: Praise the Lord! -Psalm 148: 1, 12-14

* THE HYMN 28 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice

THE CALL TO CONFESSION

THE PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of glory, your splendor shines from a manger in Bethlehem, where the
Light of the world is humbly born into the darkness of human night. We confess
that we often forget the very real presence of your light in our lives. We are often
ignorant, or worse, unconcerned with the needs of your children around us. We
join our voices with the parents of Jesus and with your entire broken creation
saying, “We have been searching for you in great anxiety.” Open our eyes to
Christ's presence in the shadows of our world, so that we, like him, may become
beacons of your justice, and defenders of all for whom there is no room. Amen.

A MOMENT OF SILENCE (for examination of conscience and personal prayers of confession)

THE ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: Friends, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - in this
all humanity is the same.
People: But all are treated as righteous freely by his grace through the
redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Leader: Believe the promise of the Gospel!
People: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven! Hallelujah! Amen!
-Romans 3: 22b-24

* THE CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE (Hymn 22)
All creation, join in praising God the Father, Spirit, Son, evermore your voices
raising to the eternal Three in One. Come and worship, come and worship, worship
Christ, the newborn King!

* THE PEACE OF CHRIST
(Children ages 3-10 are invited to leave after the Peace of Christ for special classes. Threes, fours & fives
are in Room 011; K-1st grade in Room 003; 2nd-3rd grade in Room 001; 4th-5th grade in Room 005.)

THE CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH
(Visitors and members are invited to sign the blue friendship register pad and pass it down the pew.)

THE FIRST LESSON 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 (page 235 in the pew Bible, OT)

THE ANTHEM I Saw Three Ships Traditional English, arr. Larson
Quartet: Megan Mashburn, Tami Giusto, Gabe Couret, Brandon Odom

THE SECOND LESSON Luke 2: 41-52 (page 55 in the pew Bible, NT)

THE SERMON “Beyond the Manger” Drew Stockstill

* THE HYMN 37 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

* THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus
Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the
Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he
descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into
heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he
shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy
catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection
of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 OFFERTORY O Little Town of Bethlehem arr. Garson

* THE DOXOLOGY AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Hymn 592)

* THE HYMN 275 God of Our Life

* THE CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

* THE CHORAL RESPONSE Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon) American folk melody