Order of Worship
December 18th 2022 ~ 4th Sunday of Advent

Prelude

 

Welcome, Announcements, and Peace

 

Lighting of the Advent Candle 

The Striegler Family

Jesus, May the light of your love always shine in our hearts. As Christmas draws closer we marvel at your great love for us. Let your love transform every aspect of our lives and touch everyone we encounter. Our hearts are open to you Jesus. Amen.

 
Call to Worship

Sing praises to God on high, for glorious are God’s works.
Sing praises to the ends of the earth.
Shout and sing for joy, O people of God,
for great is the Holy One in our midst,
blessed is the One who comes to dwell among us. Amen.

 

Hymn of Praise

How Great Our Joy

RH #269

Verse 1
While by the sheep we watched at night
Glad tidings brought an angel bright

Chorus
How great our joy (great our joy)
Joy joy joy (joy joy joy)
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high
(Praise we the Lord in heaven on high)

Verse 2
There shall be born so he did say
In Bethlehem a Child today

Chorus
How great our joy (great our joy)
Joy joy joy (joy joy joy)
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high
(Praise we the Lord in heaven on high)

Verse 3
There shall the Child lie in a stall
This Child who shall redeem us all

Chorus
How great our joy (great our joy)
Joy joy joy (joy joy joy)
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high
(Praise we the Lord in heaven on high)

Verse 4
This gift of God we’ll cherish well
That ever joy our hearts shall fill

Chorus
How great our joy (great our joy)
Joy joy joy (joy joy joy)
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high
(Praise we the Lord in heaven on high)

CCLI Song # 124071
Theodore Baker
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

 

Opening Prayer

God of birth, God of light, in this time of song and prayer and silence, reawaken in us the awe of Christmas. As we hear again the story of a young woman and a surprising visitor,
remind us that we are called to respond to you in unexpected ways. And when we leave this place, may we be willing to sing praises for a young woman who said YES and the birth that we prepare to celebrate. 
Amen.
 

 

Scripture Reading

Shafer Aanonson, reader

Luke 2:1-7
The Message

1-5 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

6-7 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

 

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

 

Children’s Christmas Pageant

O Holy Night

Verse 1
O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Chorus 1
Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night O holy night
O night divine

CCLI Song # 32015
Adolphe Charles Adam | John Sullivan Dwight | Placide Cappeau
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

Away In A Manger (Cradle Song)

Verse 1
Away in a manger no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay

Verse 2
The cattle are lowing the Baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes
I love Thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle ’til morning is nigh

Verse 3
Be near me Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me I pray
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there

CCLI Song # 322031
John Thomas McFarland | Martin Luther | William James Kirkpatrick
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

The First Noel

Verse 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

Chorus
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel

Verse 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

Chorus
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel

CCLI Song # 31047
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

Angels We Have Heard On High (Gloria)

Verse 1
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains

Chorus
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Gloria
In excelsis Deo

Verse 3
Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord the newborn King

Chorus
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Gloria
In excelsis Deo

CCLI Song # 27721
Edward Shippen Barnes | James Chadwick
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

We Three Kings (Kings Of Orient)

Verse 1
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain moor and mountain
Following yonder star

Chorus
O star of wonder star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light

Verse 5
Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and sacrifice
Alleluia alleluia
Peals through the earth and skies

Chorus
O star of wonder star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light

CCLI Song # 38002
John Henry Hopkins Jr.
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

Verse 1
Silent night holy night
All is calm all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Verse 2
Silent night holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heav’nly hosts sing alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born

Verse 3
Silent night holy night
Son of God love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus Lord at Thy birth
Jesus Lord at Thy birth

CCLI Song # 27862
Franz Xaver Gruber | John Freeman Young | Joseph Mohr
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

Go Tell It On The Mountain

Chorus
Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and ev’rywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Verse 1
While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light

Chorus
Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and ev’rywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Verse 2
The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed the Savior’s birth

Chorus
Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and ev’rywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Verse 3
Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn

Chorus
Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and ev’rywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

CCLI Song # 29080
John W. Work Jr.
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

Reflection

Senior Pastor, The Rev. Dr. Robert de Wetter &
Associate Pastor, Rev. Charla Belinski

Offertory & Presentation of the Gifts

Immanuel
Michael Card

 

 

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heav’nly host
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost
Amen

 

CCLI Song # 6115489
Thomas Ken
Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect®. Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

Blessing of the Bread & Wine

 

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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Communion

 

Closing Hymn

In The Bleak Midwinter

WS #136

Verse 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

Verse 2
Our God heav’n cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain
Heav’n and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign
In the bleak midwinter
A stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty
Jesus Christ

Verse 3
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air
But His mother only
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss

Verse 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 can I give Him
Give my heart

CCLI Song # 294736
Christina Georgina Rossetti | Gustav Theodore Holst
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366

 

Closing Prayer

When does an ordinary life become extraordinary, a mundane day become revolutionary, a moment in time change history?
When God enters in, forgives sin, allows us to begin again;
When we repeat those words of Mary, ‘May it be to me as You say.’
Lord God, You choose the very least and raise us up to greatness.
You take the weak, the poor and blind and raise us out of darkness.
Teach us obedience, Lord, in every part of our lives:
Ears to hear Your word, hands to do Your work, feet to walk Your path,
a heart for all Your people, a mouth to shout Your praise,
a childlike faith, humility, and confidence that says to the possible and to the impossible:
‘for great is the Holy One in our midst, blessed is the One who comes to dwell among us.’ Amen. 

 

 Blessing

 

Postlude

Our love in action now begins…

This Sunday’s Special Music is brought to you by
Children of the Snowmass Chapel;
Michael Schoepe & Paul Dankers.

Thank you to all of this Sunday’s volunteers!

Greeters: Deb or John Johnston, Cecy Rios, Randy Woods, Jeannie Woods
Scripture Reader: Shafer Aanonson & Marie Kelly
Altar: Judi Loubier & Sharon Hall

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