2022-12-24

Posted on Dec 24, 2022 in Bulletin |

God Can Be Trusted

5pm Service

  • Prelude
  • Call To Worship – BW 261 (modified)
    • Christ came to bring us salvation and has promised to come again. Let us pray that we may always be ready to welcome him.
    • Come, Lord Jesus.
    • That the keeping of Advent may open our hearts to God’s love, that the light of Christ may penetrate the darkness of sin and prepare us for the coming of Christ.
    • Loving God, we joyfully await the coming of our Savior, who enlightens out heart and dispels the darkness of sin.
  • Hymn – UMH 240 – Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
  • Opening Prayer
  • Advent Reading & Candle Lighting
  • Reading – [Genesis 3:12-15 ESV]
    • 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”
    • 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
    • 14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
    • 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
  • Hymn – UMH 242 – Love Came Down at Christmas
  • Reading – [Isaiah 11:1-5, 10 ESV]
    • 1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
    • 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
    • 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
    • 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
    • 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
    • …
    • 10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples–of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
  • Hymn – UMH 211 – O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
  • Reading – [Jeremiah 23:5-7 ESV]
    • 5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
    • 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’
    • 7 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’
  • Hymn – UMH 220 – Angels from the Realms of Glory
  • Reading – [Luke 2:8-20 ESV]
    • 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
    • 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
    • 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
    • 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
    • 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
    • 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
    • 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
    • 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
    • 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
    • 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
    • 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
    • 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
    • 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
  • Hymn – UMH 234 – O Come, All Ye Faithful
  • Reading – [Galatians 4:4-7 ESV]
    • 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
    • 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
    • 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
    • 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
  • Hymn – UMH 246 – Joy to the World
  • Children’s Time
  • Sermon – “God Can Be Trusted”
  • Communion
  • Benediction
  • Hymn – UMH – 239 – Silent Night, Holy Night

 

11pm Service

  • Prelude
  • Call To Worship – UMH 199 – Canticle of Mary (Magnificat)
    • The glory of the Lord shall be revealed; all flesh shall see it together.
    • My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
    • My spirit rejoices in God my Savior, who has looked with favor on me, a lowly servant.
    • From this day all generations shall call me blessed:
    • The Almighty has done great things for me and holy is the name of the Lord, whose mercy is on those who fear God from generation
      to generation.
    • The arm of the Lord is strong, and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
    • God has cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.
    • God has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich empty away.
    • God has come to the aid of Israel, the chosen servant, remembering the promise of mercy, the promise made to our forebears, to
      Abraham and his children forever.
    • The glory of the Lord shall be revealed; all flesh shall see it together.
    • Come, Lord Jesus.
    • That the keeping of Advent may open our hearts to God’s love, that the light of Christ may penetrate the darkness of sin and prepare us for the coming of Christ.
    • Loving God, we joyfully await the coming of our Savior, who enlightens out heart and dispels the darkness of sin.
  • Hymn – UMH 211 – O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
  • Opening Prayer
  • Advent Reading & Candle Lighting
  • Special Music
  • Reading – [Genesis 3:12-15 ESV]
    • 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”
    • 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
    • 14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
    • 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
  • Hymn – UMH 196 – Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
  • Reading – [Jeremiah 23:1-6 ESV]
    • 1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD.
    • 2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD.
    • 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
    • 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.
    • 5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
    • 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’
  • Hymn – UMH 219 – What Child Is This
  • Reading – [Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV]
    • 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
    • 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
  • Hymn – UMH 230 – O Little Town of Bethlehem
  • Reading – [Luke 1:26-38 ESV]
    • 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
    • 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.
    • 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”
    • 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.
    • 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
    • 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
    • 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
    • 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
    • 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
    • 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy–the Son of God.
    • 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
    • 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
    • 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
  • Hymn – UMH 218 – It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
  • Reading – [Matthew 1:18-25 ESV]
    • 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
    • 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
    • 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
    • 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
    • 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
    • 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
    • 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,
    • 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
  • Hymn – UMH 217 – Away in a Manger
  • Reading – [Luke 1:46-56 ESV]
    • 46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
    • 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
    • 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
    • 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
    • 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
    • 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
    • 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;
    • 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
    • 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
    • 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
    • 56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
  • Hymn – UMH 240 – Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
  • Reading – [Luke 2:1-20 ESV]
    • 1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
    • 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
    • 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
    • 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
    • 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
    • 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
    • 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
    • 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
    • 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
    • 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
    • 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
    • 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
    • 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
    • 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
    • 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
    • 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
    • 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
    • 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
    • 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
    • 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
  • Hymn – UMH 220 – Angels from the Realms of Glory
  • Reading – [Revelation 5:5 ESV]
    • 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
  • Hymn – UMH 234 – O Come, All Ye Faithful
  • Sermon – “God Can Be Trusted”
  • Communion
  • Benediction
  • Hymn – UMH – 239 – Silent Night, Holy Night