The Federated Church of Orleans
United Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalist Association
162 Main Street P.O. Box 761 East Orleans, MA 02643
November 29, 2015
10:00 A.M.
THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Enter in silence. Wait in prayer. Worship with reverence. Go forth to
serve.
As we enter the sanctuary to praise God and the prelude begins, please
observe a respectful silence for the sake of those who use this time for
prayer and meditation.
ORGAN PRELUDE
People, Look East
French Folk Tune, arr. D. Wood
OPENING WORDS OF WELCOME
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES
*HYMN 119
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
The Rev. Sally E. Norris
The Ehnstrom Family
The Candle of Hope
tune: Veni Emmanuel
UNISON PRAYER OF INVOCATION
Wondrous God, the whole earth rejoices at the coming
of your presence among us. For surely the Holy Spirit dwells
within this place and your love rests upon those whom you
have gathered. Receive O Lord, the songs we sing, the
music we play and the prayers that we pray. Be with us this
hour, O, Lord, as we gather together on the threshold of
your coming among us and renew within us the Hope that
opens hearts, lifts spirits, and embraces charity. For the rest
we find in your presence and the shelter of your hand upon
us, we praise you and thank you, Amen.
CHORAL RESPONSE
COLLECT
God of hope, with expectant hearts we gladly listen to the
testimony of the prophets. May these words and your presence
with us, illumine our darkness with the shining light of hope.
With expectant hearts we await the coming of the One who is our
hope. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING
SERMON
Jeremiah 33: 14-16
“Hope is Just a Word”
*HYMN 132
The Rev. Robert Richardson
When God is a Child
tune: Moon Beams
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (and the Lord’s Prayer)
PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERING
Call to Offering
Offertory
A Virgin Knelt in Prayer
A Basque Carol
The Chancel Choir
*Doxology
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow No. 46
*Prayer of Dedication
Receive, O Lord, these gifts from the bounty of our
blessings and by your wisdom may they find the way to each
hungry heart, to each homeless dream, to all who suffer the want
of common love that the Light of Hope may warm their souls.
Amen.
*SENDING FORTH HYMN 125
BENEDICTION
CHORAL RESPONSE
Come, O Long-expected Jesus
tune: Hyfrodol
ORGAN POSTLUDE
Carillon on “Sleepers, Wake!”
arr. David Paxton
*Congregation invited to stand
words in bold print indicate
unison readings
*********************************************************
The Federated Church of Orleans Covenant
Acknowledging our long history as a covenantal church, we promise
to be a faithful people committed to justice and mercy in our individual
and community life, whatever it may cost us.
We trust in God revealed in scripture and mirrored in the life of
Jesus. We respond to the love and the power of the spirit of God alive
among us. We covenant to support The Federated Church of Orleans as
we seek to serve the world we touch:
to gather in worship, to listen to each other, to share in the joy
of discipleship, to stand with the hurt, the hungry and the excluded, to
relieve suffering and alienation where we find it, and to work toward a
time of peace for all people, trusting in an unknown future.
**************************************
Ministers: People
Pastor: The Rev. Sally E. Norris
Pastoral Assistant: The Rev. Robert Richardson
Moderator: Jimmy Dishner
Vice Moderator: Nina Kaars
Treasurers: Ernie Rogers & Christine King
Treas. Assistants: Russ Stockwell & Financial Sec’y. Amy Redihan
Clerk: William Stoeckert
Chair, Board of Deacons: Deborah MacLachlan
Chair, Board of Living Mission in Action: Jane Wick
Chair, Board of Trustees: Carl Ericson
Chair, Board of Christian Education: Eric Ehnstrom
Sunday School Director: Tina Williamson
Director of Music/Chancel Choir: Elizabeth Kelly
Handbell Choir Director: Bonnie Brenner
Organist: Joanne
Sexton: Ross Witt-Long
Administrator/Financial Assistant: Marti Johnson
Office Assistant: Donna Sutton
Church Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. -Closed Friday
162 Main Street P.O. Box 761 East Orleans, MA 02643
Phone: 508 255-3060 Fax: 508 255-3423
E-mail: administrator@fedchurchorleans.org
Church website: www.fedchurchorleans.org
www.facebook.com/FederatedChurchOrleans
Barnstable Association UCC: www.capecoducc.org
Mass. Conference UCC: www.macucc.org
National UCC: www.ucc.org
UUA: www.uua.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 29, 2015
POSTPONING CHRISTMAS DINNER (TO 2016)! We are hugely
grateful to our Federated Church members who work so diligently and
faithfully to create our community breakfasts and Easter and Christmas
dinners. What an awesome ministry! But this year, it’s time for a welldeserved “sabbath” break from our community Christmas dinner. But we
look forward to the Christmas (and Easter) dinners resuming in 2016!
Good morning and welcome to The Federated Church of Orleans. Today
is the first Sunday of Advent, when churches and Christian families
prepare our hearts for the birth of Christ. Our Head Deacon this morning
is Carol Sylver assisted by Debbie MacLachlan. Deacons Bill MacLachlan
and Bob Wright are assisting with the Sacrament of Communion. All are
invited to share fellowship following worship, sponsored by our Men’s
Fellowship and hosted today by_________
OUR CHURCH
REPORT FROM THE STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE: As of Sunday,
November 22, 2015, we have received 95 pledges for a total of
$191,974.00 toward our 2016 budget. Thank you for your pledges, and
we look forward to receiving many more in the next few days. Your
support of our church is greatly appreciated. Happy Thanksgiving to you
all!
The next Prayer Shawl knitting get-together is on Friday, Dec.11th at
11AM at the home of Judy Boucher, 47 Great Oak Road, E. Orleans.
Please bring a sandwich and your knitting. All are welcome!
TO BOARD AND COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Please deliver your
2015 Annual Report to the church office by December 14. The church
office staff asks that you complete your report by this date to give them
sufficient time to prepare the full report for the congregation. We thank
you.
Christmas Wreath Pickup - Today after church! Many thanks to all
who supported this fundraiser for the Nauset 8th grade trip to
Washington, DC - and we hope that you will enjoy the wreaths!
Reminder – We’ll be delivering the presents in the Christmas
“Gifts for Giving” box on December 10th. If you’d like to drop
something off, please do so before that date. A list of gift
suggestions is with the box in the Parlor.
POSSIBLE LADIES PRE-CHRISTMAS EXCURSION (men welcome
also!) Yesterday I ran into Moo Smith at Consigning Women in Brewster.
We agreed that it would be fun to get a group together to go shopping
followed by lunch. So, would you like to join us for a shopping morning
at Consigning Women (Brewster) and The Spectrum (Brewster)
followed by lunch at The Marshside in Dennis? We can carpool from the
church. Please let me know by phone 508 255-3060, ext. 11, or by email pastor@fedchurchorleans.org, if you would like to join us and can
make either of these suggested dates: Tuesday, December 8 OR
Wednesday, December 16. Sally
“Christmas comes but once a year but when it comes it brings good
cheer!” Please help bring “good cheer” to our shut-ins. We have ordered
Christmas cactus plants and will have them ready for distribution at your
convenience the week of December 14th. You can volunteer by using the
order form or by signing up in the Vestry. Thank You!
Be part of a thought provoking Play!!! We are looking for 3 men and
2 women to be part of an exciting play to be performed here at The
Federated Church during Lent. It is an amazing script and we are hoping
to find individuals with some theater experience to be part of the play.
Rehearsals will start in January and we perform in March. If you are
interested or just want more information, Fran Lautenberger will be in the
Vestry after church on November 22 and 29 to answer questions about
the play and the time commitment. Please consider being a part of what
we hope will be the discussion point of Lent and beyond!
WIDER CHURCH
The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle asks us to pray
this week for Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.
LoCal lunch and dinner, located at and facilitated by Saint Joan of Arc
Church in Orleans, provides a noon meal every Tuesday and an evening
meal every Thursday. For the dinner on the first Thursday of each
month, and the lunch on the third Tuesday, our church provides two
volunteers to assist – both days either cooking or serving and clean-up.
We need some regular helpers as well as substitute volunteers. If you
would like to help, please call Carol Richardson at 508 247-9755 or e-mail
her (carolgracerichardson@comcast.net) with your interest/questions,
dates, days, and times.
With heating bills adding to stretched budgets, the winter months are
especially difficult for our neighbors in need. The numbers of struggling
households just in Orleans alone is hard to consider. Because food
stamps cannot be used to purchase essential items, for the months of
December and January the Orleans Food Pantry is in need of:
toothpaste, paper towels, bar soap and shampoo. Please consider
making a donation in the container next to the office. Each item will help.
COMMUNITY
Holiday Open House & Living Gift Market The Heifer Farm in
Rutland, MA will hold this special event on December 5 & 6 and 12 & 13
from 10 am to 4 pm. The Living Gift Markets “sell” food-and incomeproducing animals like bees, chicks, goats, and heifers, enabling shoppers
to honor a friend or loved one with animal gifts that help others. Take
your photo with a goat! Delight in hot soup and rolls, decorate cookies,
roast chestnuts, hay rides and holiday shopping. Enjoy free admission
with a canned good donation.
THE OUTER CAPE CHORALE PRESENTS – CLASSICAL JAZZ! The
concert will feature some traditional American jazz standards, as well as
some classical jazz compositions by British composers Will Todd and Bob
Chilcott. Concerts are at Provincetown Town Hall on December 11 & 12
at 7:00 pm, and at Orleans’ Middle School on December 13 at 3:00 pm.
All concerts are free. A goodwill collection will be taken. The concerts
will mark the final performances conducted by the group’s founder, Jon
Arterton, who will be moving to Florida where he and his husband, James
Mack, hope to start a new community chorus! The new Chorale director
is Allison Beavan, longtime director of choruses at Nauset High School.
CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 29, 2015
Today – The First Sunday of Advent
9:00 A.M. Choir rehearsal, Sanctuary
10:00 A.M. Worship led by The Rev. Sally Norris with The Rev. Bob
Richardson, Children exit for Sunday School
1:00 P.M. Memorial Service for Mary Livingstone Hoogeboom
7:30 P.M. N. A., Vestry
10:00 A.M.
10:45 A.M.
7:00 P.M.
Monday, November 30
NoteAbles, Fellowship Room
Nominating Committee
Emmaus House Committee, Vestry
Fellowship Room in use, B. Kelly
A. A., Vestry
Tuesday, December 1
Flower Committee – Christmas Decorating
Strong for Life, Fellowship Room
Where 2 or 3 Gather in His Name Prayer Group, Parlor
Concert rehearsal, Fellowship Room
9 – 1 P.M.
9 – 6 P.M.
12:00 P.M.
7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, December 2
C. E. Office Hours
Fellowship Room in use
Staff Meeting, Vestry
Chancel Choir rehearsal, Fellowship Room
1:15
4:00
4:00
4:00
7:30
P.M.
P.M.
P.M.
P.M.
P.M.
Thursday, December 3
12:00 P.M. Handbell Choir rehearsal, Fellowship Room
Friday, December 4
8:15 A.M. Bible Study, Fellowship Room
9 – 1 P.M. C. E. Office Hours
10:00 A.M. Strong for Life, Vestry
Saturday, December 5
10:00 A.M. National Alliance on Mental Illness, Parlor
Next Sunday, December 6
9:00 A.M. Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary
10:00 A.M. Worship led by The Rev. Sally E. Norris; Communion will be
shared
11:30-1:30 Advent Family Fair
7:30 P.M. N. A., Vestry
We welcome all our guests this morning and ask you to sign our guest
book in the lower narthex. If you would like to give us more information
about yourself or if you would like further information about our church,
we invite you to fill out the card in the pew rack and place it in the
offering plate. The pastor and liturgist will greet you in the vestry after
the service.
The flowers in the Sanctuary this morning are given in cherished memory
of David Schoeffel from his family – Pat, Carol & Bob, Sarah & Paul, Tom
& Lora, and Cameron & Elizabeth.
The Advent Candle Lighting liturgy is adapted from resources from
Presbyterian Church USA and liturgies written by Martha Spong . The
hymn is by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, copyright © 2015.
No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are
welcome here.
United Church of Christ
The Federated Church is an Open and Affirming Congregation of the
United Church of Christ