(Image: Stushie Art)
©Order of Worship December 18, 2022
Fourth Sunday of Advent
For the Avent Ferry UMC Worship Video Click Here (Link opens in a new window)
The worship video will be available live at 11:00 am.
Text for hymns are found below each hymn. Click on the hymn highlighted text for music.
Prelude: “O Come, All Ye Faithful”, Words: Latin hymn, Music by John Francis Wade……………………………....Kelly G., Greg D.
Coming of the Light:……………………………………….
Greetings………………………..………………Pastor Steven
Opening Prayer: …………………………..…………Ian D.
Merciful God,
always with us, always coming:
We confess that we do not know
how to prepare for your Advent.
We have forgotten how to hope in miracles.
We have ignored the promise of your kingdom.
We get distracted by all the busyness of this season.
Forgive us, God.
Grant us the simple wonder of the shepherds,
the intelligent courage of the Magi,
and the patient faith of Mary and Joseph,
that we may journey with them to Bethlehem
and find the good news of a child born for us.
Now, in the quiet of our hearts,
we ask you to make us ready for his coming. Amen
Lighting of the Advent Candles:………………………Edwina W.
Opening Hymn:…..“In the Bleak Midwinter” #221 UMH
Words: Christina G. Rossetti Music: Gustav Holst, 1906
1.In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.
2.Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place suffice the
Lord and God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
3.Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.
4.What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
Gospel Lesson …………Matthew 1:8-25…………………Ian D.
1:18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
Announcements:…………………………………………..Lorri B.
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Offertory: “Mary’s Little Boy Child”, Words and Music by Jester Hairston, © 1956 by Schumann Music Company……………………………………….Lusi R.
Offertory Response: “The Doxology” #94 UMH
Words: Thomas Ken, 1674 Music: Geistliche Kirchengesänge, 1623;
Adapt. © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise God,
all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise God the
source of all our gifts! Praise Jesus Christ, whose power up-lifts! Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Prayer After Receiving:………………………Pastor Steven
Prayers of the People: ………………………Pastor Steven
Interactive, “No-Rehearsal” Christmas Pageant…KIDS ROC
Christmas carols are sung after each scene, as announced by the narrator
Hymn:“O Come, All Ye Faithful” #234 UMH
Words & music by John F. Wade circa 1743
1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him, born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
2. True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
lo, he shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
4. See how the shepherds, summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.”
5. Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
we would embrace thee with love and awe.
Who would not love thee, loving us so dearly?
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.”
6. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be all glory given.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.”
Pink Scene One: “What’s up with that?”
Hymn: “O Little Town of Bethlehem” #230 UMH
Words by Phillips Brooks, circa 1868
Music by Lewis H. Redner, 1868
1. O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie;
above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.
2. For Christ is born of Mary,
and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together,
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King,
and peace to all on earth!
3. How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is given;
so God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.
4. O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!
Yellow Scene Two: “You try it!”
Hymn:“The First Noel” #245 UMH
Traditional English carol; harmony from Christmas Carols
New and Old, 1871
1. The first Noel the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.
2. They looked up and saw a star
shining in the east, beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.
3. And by the light of that same star
three Wise Men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.
4. This star drew nigh to the northwest,
o’er Bethlehem it took its rest;
and there it did both stop and stay,
right over the place where Jesus lay.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.
5. Then entered in those Wise Men three,
full reverently upon the knee,
and offered there, in his presence,
gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.
Scene Three: “What’s that noise?”
Hymn: “Go Tell It on the Mountain” #251 UMH
Words: John W. Work, Jr., 1907
Music: Afro-American spiritual; arr. by Wiiiliam Farley
Smith, 1986, © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing
House
Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and
everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain, that
Jesus Christ is born.
1.While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent
flocks by night, behold throughout the heavens
there shown a holy light.
Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and
everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain, that
Jesus Christ is born.
2.The shepherds feared and trembled, when lo!
above the earth, rang out the angel chorus
that hailed the Savior’s birth.
Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and
everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain, that
Jesus Christ is born.
3.Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ
was born, and God sent us salvation that
blessed Christmas morn.
Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and
everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain, that
Jesus Christ is born.
Scene Four: “Talking with angels”
Hymn: “Angels We Have Heard on High” #238 UMH
Words & Music: Traditional French carol
Harmony by Austin C. Lovelace © 1964 Abingdon Press
1. Angels we have heard on high
sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply
echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
3. Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
4. See him in a manger laid,
whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
while our hearts in love we raise.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!”
Scene Five: “Hearts full of love”
Hymn: “Joy to the World” #246 UMH
Words by Isac Watts, 1719 (Psalms 98:4-9)
Music arranged from G.F. Handel, 1741, by Lowell Mason, 1848
1. Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
2. Joy to the world, 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. No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.
4. He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.
Closing Hymn:“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hand”
Words: Traditional Music: Whole World, Afro-American
Spiritual arr. by Hezekiah Brinson, Jr., © 1990
1.He’s got the whole world in His hand,
He’s got the whole world in His hand,
He’s got the whole world in His hand,
He’s got the whole world in His hand.
2.He’s got the sun and the moon in His hand,
He’s got the sun and the moon in His hand,
He’s got the sun and the moon in His hand,
He’s got the whole world in His hand.
3.He’s got the wind and the rain in His hand,
He’s got the wind and the rain in His hand,
He’s got the wind and the rain in His hand,
He’s got the whole world in His hand.
4.He’s got the little bitty baby in His hand,
He’s got the little bitty baby in His hand,
He’s got the little bitty baby in His hand,
He’s got the whole world in His hand.
5.He’s got you and me, brother, in His hand,
He’s got you and me, sister, in His hand,
He’s got everybody here in His hand,
He’s got the whole world in His hand.
Dismissal with Blessing:………………………………Pastor Steven
Postlude: “One Small Child”, Words and Music by David Meece, © 1971, Word Music, LLC……………………………..Greg D.
Worship Ends – Witness and Service Begin
KIDS ROC Players:
Eli A. Noelle C. Grant J.
Jean Marie A. Evan G.
Michael C. Robbie G
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