PRELUDE:  Christ is Our Salvation by Dietrich Buxtehude

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP

HYMN:  Brethren, We Have Met to Worship [Holy Manna]

PRAYER

INTROIT: The World Awaits Your Coming by Pepper Choplin

The world is yearning for Your peace; we pray for hate and war to cease.  Lord, come and teach Your peaceful way; for all the world is waiting for the day when every conflict and divide you’ll come to judge and will decide.   Then nations will lay down their swords and they will train for fighting no more.  We’ll train to fight no more.  The world awaits your coming, the world awaits the day.  We hear the prophet calling, “Come prepare the way!”  The world awaits Your coming; when heaven’s work is done.  So hear the people calling, “Now let Your Kingdome come!”  Let earth receive the glorious peace.  Blessed salvation He will bring.  His throne is fixed in Heaven above and He will reign with justice and with love.  He’ll reign with justice and love.  O come, O come, Emmanuel.  “Come prepare the way!”  Now let Your Kingdom come!

PRAYER

SCRIPTURE LESSON:  Luke 12:35-40

ANTHEM:  Something Wonderful by Richard A. Williamson

How have we waited in darkness so long, searching the shadows, hope almost gone?  How have we waited in darkness so long?  Something wonderful is coming!  Why do we carry on, seeking the light, peering so blindly into the night?  Why do we carry on, seeking the light?  Something wonderful is coming!  How can you trust what you can’t even see?  How can you know?  How can you believe?  And will believing enough make it real?  Will just hoping bring it to be?  Hope is a star on a dark, moonless night; the blacker the darkness, the fiercer its light.  Faintest of glimmers, yet vision most bright.  Something wonderful is coming!  Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel shall come to thee.  O Israel.

SERMON:  “Stay Prepared for a Surprise”

HYMN:  Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning [Keep Your Lamps]

CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION

INVITATION AND WORDS OF INSTITUTION

PRAYER

RECEPTION

PRAYER

HYMN:  For the Bread Which You Have Broken [Kingdom]

BENEDICTION

BENEDICTION RESPONSE:  Arise, Shine Forth, O People by Johann Steurlein/arr. by Joy Patterson

Arise, shine forth, O people, rise clothed in floods of light!  God’s glory shines upon you, puts earth’s deep shades to flight.  Though nations dwell in darkness and gloom the earth may veil, the brightness of God’s glory upon you shall prevail. [Isaiah 60:1, 2 Paraphrase by Joy Patterson]

POSTLUDE:  Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing by Alfred Fedak

Presbyterian Disaster Relief (PDR):  God’s people are called on to stand in the “GAP” — Give. Act. Pray.  The PDR’s response to the situation in Ukraine will include both financial and technical assistance as the network of faith communities providing humanitarian assistance grows in the months ahead.  Gifts can be made online, by calling (800) 872-3283, by texting PDAUKR to 41444, or by check made payable to Presbyterian Church U.S.A. with “DR000156-Ukraine” on the memo line & mailed to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA, 15264-3700.

Would you like to sponsor flowers for one week for worship?  You can place your order for any Sunday throughout 2022 by using this link that takes you to Covenant’s Flowers for Worship form —  https://forms.gle/9C98VA1d17SPmTBV8

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