Sunday December 3rd Worship Service in Person and Online

(Image: Solar Eclipse from Mount Santa Lucia, /Watkins, Carleton E. 1829-1916, Los Angeles, CA)

©Order of Worship for Sunday December 03, 2023

First Sunday of Advent

Holy Communion

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

Prelude/Call to Worship:………………………..Greg/Choir
“The Hope of Advent”..by Greg D. / “Until Jesus Comes”
Words and Music: Dean McIntyre © 2005 The General Board of Discipleship
of The United Methodist Church
 
Coming of the Light:……………………………………..
 
Greetings:…………………………………………….Pastor Steven
 
Opening Prayer:……………..…………..……………Eli A.
 
Lighting of the Advent Candles:…………..Grimes Family
 
Reader 1: In the days of exile and uncertainty, the prophet Isaiah cried out:
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence. As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. (Isaiah 64:1-3)
Reader 2: In the midst of our own encounters with uncertainty and upheaval and our longing for deliverance, Jesus calls to us, “Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come” (Mark 13:35).

Congregation: We wait as people surprised again and again by God who shakes us out of our complacency and wakes us up to the work of the kin-dom all around us.
Reader 1: We light this candle as a sign of our shocking hope. May we stay awake to God’s activity in the world as we wait in expectation that even now God is with us, working to restore us to the fullness of life with God and one another. Amen.
Light the first candle of the Advent wreath.

Opening Hymns:.“View the Present Through the Promise” #3048 W&S
Words: Thomas H. Troeger © 1994 Oxford University Press Inc
Music: Traditional Welsh melody, harmony by Luther Orlando Emerson
 
1. View the present through the promise, Christ will come again.
Trust despite the deepening darkness, Christ will come again.
Lift the world above its grieving through your watching and believing in the hope past hope’s conceiving:
Christ will come again.
 
2. Probe the present with the promise, Christ will come again.
Let your daily actions witness, Christ will come again.
Let your loving and your giving and your justice and forgiving
be a sign to all the living: Christ will come again.
 
3. Match the present to the promise, Christ will come again.
Make this hope your guiding premise, Christ will come again.
Pattern all your calculating and the world you are creating
to the advent you are waiting: Christ will come again.”
 
“Holy Darkness”  #3141 W&S
Words: Inspired by St. John of the Cross
Music: Dan Schutte © 1988, 1993 Daniel L. Schutte,
admin. by OCP
 
Refrain
Holy darkness, blessed night, heaven’s answer
hidden from our sight.  As we await you, O God
of silence, we embrace your holy night.
 
1. I have tried you in fires of affliction, I have taught
your soul to grieve.  In the barren soil of your loneliness,
there I will plant my seed.
Refrain
Holy darkness, blessed night, heaven’s answer
hidden from our sight.  As we await you, O God
of silence, we embrace your holy night.
 
2. I have taught you the price of compassion; you
have stood before the grave.  Though my love can
seem like a raging storm, this is the love that saves.
Refrain
Holy darkness, blessed night, heaven’s answer
hidden from our sight.  As we await you, O God
of silence, we embrace your holy night.
 
3. Were you there when I raised up the mountains? Can
you guide the morning star? Does the hawk take flight
when you give command?  Why do you doubt my power?
Refrain
Holy darkness, blessed night, heaven’s answer
hidden from our sight.  As we await you, O God
of silence, we embrace your holy night.
 
4. In you deepest hour of darkness I will give you
wealth untold. When the silence stills your spirit
will my riches fill your soul?
Refrain
Holy darkness, blessed night, heaven’s answer
hidden from our sight.  As we await you, O God
of silence, we embrace your holy night.
 
5. As the watchman waits for morning, and the
bride awaits her groom, so we wait to hear your
footsteps as we rest beneath your moon.
Refrain
Holy darkness, blessed night, heaven’s answer
hidden from our sight.  As we await you, O God
of silence, we embrace your holy night.
 
Passing of the Peace:…………………………….Pastor Steven
Let us show signs of reconciliation and love to one another
 
Gloria Patri:     “Glory Be to the Father” #71 UMH
Words: Lesser Doxology, 3rd-4th century
Music: Henry W. Greatorex, 1851
 
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.

Announcements:…………………………………………..Lorri B.
 
Giving of our tithes and offerings:…….
You can do this with no ok fee through your bank’s online bill pay option. It is easy to set up for automatic monthly giving. Or, you can use this link: Online Giving
 
Offertory:…………“A Classic Advent Flourish”……………Choir
Words: Charles Wesley Music: Based on: “Alleluia” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 
Offertory Response:  “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” (The Doxology) #94
The United Methodist Hymnal 
Adapted © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House
Words by Thomas Ken, 1674, adapted by Gilbert Vieira, 1978
Music: Geistliche Kirchengesänge, 1623; harmony by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906
 
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 uplifts!
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
 
Prayer After Receiving:………………………….Pastor Steven
 
Prayers of the People:……………………………Pastor Steven
 
Gospel Lesson:…………….Mark 13:24-37………Lusi R.
“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
 
Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory.Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
 
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
 
Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
 
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake–for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
 
Hymn of Preparation:“My Lord, What a Morning” #719 UMH
Afro-American spiritual adapt. and arr. William Farley Smith, 1987 © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House
 
My Lord, what a morning; my Lord, what a morning,
oh, my Lord, what a morning, when the stars begin to fall.
 
1. You’ll hear the trumpet sound, to wake the nations  underground,
looking to my God’s right hand, when the stars begin to fall.
 
My Lord, what a morning; my Lord, what a morning,
oh, my Lord, what a morning, when the stars begin to fall.
 
2. You’ll hear the sinner moan, to wake the nations underground,
looking to my God’s right hand, when the stars begin to fall.
 
My Lord, what a morning; my Lord, what a morning,
oh, my Lord, what a morning, when the stars begin to fall.
 
3. You’ll hear the Christian shout, to wake the nations underground,
looking to my God’s right hand, when the stars begin to fall.
 
Sermon:……Will You Stay Woke?…………...Pastor Steven
 
Holy Communion:………………………………………Pastor Steven
 
Communion Hymn:“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” #626 UMH
Words; Liturgy of St. James, 4th cent; Music: French carol melody;
Harm. from The English Hymnal, 1906
 
1. Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and
trembling stand; ponder nothing earthly minded,
for with blessing in his hand, Christ our God to
earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.
 
2. King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on
earth he stood, Lord of lords, in human vesture,
in the body and the blood; he will give to
all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.
 
3. Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads it vanguard
on the way, as the Light of light descendeth from the
realms of endless day, that the powers of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
 
4. At his feet the six-winged seraph, cherubim, with
sleepless eye, veil their faces to the presence, as with
ceaseless voice they cry: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Lord Most High!
 
Closing Hymn:“Soon and very Soon” #706 UMN
Words and Music: Andraé Crouch 1978, adapt. By William
Farley Smith, 1987 © 1978 by Communique Music, Inc.
 
1.Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King;
soon and very soon, we are going to see the King;
soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King.
 
2.No more dying there,
3.No more crying there,
 
Dismissal with Blessing: ……..……………………..Pastor Steven
 
Postlude:…….“Ye Who Claim the Faith of Jesus”……Greg D.
© David Hurd, 1983
 

CONFESSION & PARDON

Pastor Steven: Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All pray in silence.

Pastor Steven: Hear the good news:
Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

All: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

All:  Glory to God. Amen.

THE PEACE

Let us offer one another signs of reconciliation and love.
All, including the pastor, exchange signs and words of God’s peace by crossing hands, wave to one another due to social distancing guidelines.

Pastor Steven: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Pastor Steven: Lift up your hearts. The pastor may lift hands and keep them raised.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor Steven: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Pastor Steven: And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Pastor Steven: In union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
All: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Pastor Steven: All honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.

All: Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

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