PRELUDE: Chorale Prelude: Come, Savior of the Gentiles (BWV 659) by J.S. Bach
[Savior of the nations, come! Virgin’s Son, make here your home. Marvel now, both heaven and earth, that the Lord chose such a birth.] – Martin Luther
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah [Tif In Veldele ]
PRAYER
HYMN: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” [Veni Emmanuel]
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 Kingdom 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! [based on Isaiah 2:3-4]
PRAYER
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Isaiah 64:1-9
HYMN: Comfort, Comfort Now My People [Genevan]
SERMON: “Waiting to Welcome the Arrival of Grace, Part One”
ANTHEM: In the Bleak Midwinter Tree of Life by Bruce Becker and Cranham by Gustav Holst, arr. by Kyle Pederson; Myles Mineer, bass solo
Into the pall of winter’s day when dark descends and daylight fades; into the cold of wintery night when breath will hang as heavy ice; into the bleak December land where earth is fixed and frozen stands; into a world of dark and gloom a child will come in manger soon. In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan. Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone. Snow had fallen, snow on snow. In the bleak midwinter, long, long ago. Into the bleak of my own soul You gently lay a seed to grow, and soon the seed becomes a tree that offers shade through Christ in me. What right should I share in this gift of perfect love, who was, who is? No right at all, but simply grace: Your seed turned tree now holy space. Come quickly, Spirit come, O Spirit breath, and all creation may you bless. Our mangers wait just wood and dust, Oh Spirit breathe enliven us. Even the heavens cannot contain the hope and joy which has a name. Into our manger hearts we gaze where God in flesh has now been laid. In the bleak midwinter, Christ, Emmanuel. [Kyle Pederson and Christina Rossetti]
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
INVITATION AND WORDS OF INSTITUTION
PRAYER
RECEPTION
PRAYER
HYMN: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear [Carol]
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION RESPONSE: Come, Lord Jesus by Anna Laura Page
Come, Lord Jesus. Come and save us. Bring Your light into our world of darkness. Amen.
POSTLUDE: Jerusalem (“O Day of Peace”) arr. by Mark Sedio
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