Round Grove United Church of Christ Sunday, December 8th, 2013 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Gathering Carol - No. 154 O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Gathering Carol - No. 154 O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to fight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Gathering Carol - No. 154 O come, thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things, far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show, and cause us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Gathering Carol - No. 154 O come, Desire of nations, bind all peoples in one heart and mind; bid envy, strife and quarrels cease; fill the whole world with heaven’s peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! Call to Worship Romans 14:4-7 Leader: “Everything written in the Scriptures was written to teach us, in order that we might have hope through the patience and the encouragement which the Scriptures give us. People: And may God, the source of patience and encouragement, enable you to have the same point of view among yourselves by following the example of Christ Jesus, Call to Worship Romans 14:4-7 Leader: So that all of you together may praise with one voice the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. People: Accept one another, then, for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you.” Unison Confession God of King David, You sent Your Son in the fulfillment of Your Promise of a new branch from the stump of the royal line of David. Lead us in Jesus’ path of peace through the guidance of Your Holy Spirit. In the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, Amen. Assurance of Pardon Gloria Patri – No. 734 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen. “A Christmas Lullaby” Children’s Choir Anthem Passing of the Peace “Go, Tell It on the Mountain” Peace Response - No. 218 Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born. Advent Candle Ritual Chancel Voices Special Music “Let Every Heart Prepare a Throne” by Mark Patterson Copyright © 2013 Choristers Guild. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Chancel Voices Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne for soon the Child of Light will come, Let ev’ry voice prepare a song to welcome Christ the Promised One. Let ev’ry hand reach out with love to greet this gift of God above. Make ready now, the Savior comes, the Prince of Peace, the Promised One. Chancel Voices So let the flame of Advent glow, each candle shines that all may know the hope we need, so long foretold will soon be here for us to hold. Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne for soon the Child of Light will come. Let ev’ry voice prepare a song to welcome Christ the Promised One. Responsive Reading Leader: In days of old, John the Baptist called the people to repent of their sins and prepare the way for God's kingdom. People: In this season of Advent may we seek forgiveness from God and our neighbor and strive to make ready the pathway for God's peace to come to earth. Leader: We light this candle as a symbol of peace. May Christ's coming bring peace among peoples of all races and creeds. Please join the Chancel Voices on the sung response shown below. Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne for soon the Child of Light will come. Let ev’ry voice prepare a song to welcome Christ the Promised One. Copyright © 2013 Choristers Guild. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Please sign the red folders located in the pews and pass along to your neighbors so we can get to know you! Monthly Brunch - You are invited to join our members and friends after the Worship Celebration in the Fellowship Hall! If you are a 1st time guest, please be sure to grab a gift bag on your way out today! Everyone is invited to share in our activities. We recognize all Christians as being part of the Church - the Body of Christ. We expect everyone to continue to grow in their faith relationships with God based on their previous faith experiences. Thus, everyone can remain true to her or his beliefs, while being united in Worship, Education, and Service. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8TH 10:30 AM Second Sunday of Advent Worship 11:50 AM Monthly Brunch by Men’s Fellowship 12:20 PM Youth (7th-12th gr.) meet Stable/Manger Set-Up in Sanctuary MONDAY, DECEMBER 9TH 7:30 PM Board of Trustees meets WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH 7:30 PM Chancel Voices Rehearsal SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14TH 4:00 PM Medieval Chancel Voices’ Rehearsal 4:45 PM Children and Youth Rehearsal 5:30 PM All Church Christmas Party 7:00 PM Decorating for Medieval Christmas SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15TH 9:00 AM Medieval Chancel Voices’ Rehearsal Combined Sunday School in Fellowship Hall NO Adult Bible Study Class 9:40 AM Children and Youth Rehearsal 10:30 AM Third Sunday of Advent Worship with Medieval Christmas Program 11:50 AM Reception in Fellowship Hall 1:30 PM Confirmation Class meets Faith - Promise Through Nov. 24th, we have received 43 commitments for a total of $105,516! If you have not made your Faith-Promise Commitment and would like to do so, cards are in the pews and on the Narthex table. CCA Christmas Baskets We are collecting bags of flour and sugar for the CCA Christmas Food Baskets. You may place your food donation in the box in the Narthex. COST: $7.50 per plant During the Advent and Christmas Season, we decorate the church with Poinsettia Plants. The church will be obtaining these plants. There will only be 30 plants available. You may provide one or more by completing this form and either placing it in the offering plate or giving it to Pastor Wells. You will be able to take your plant(s) home after the Worship Service on Sunday, December 22. CCA Giving Tree You are encouraged to take one or more tags from the CCA Giving Tree in the Narthex and then bring the unwrapped gifts forward to the Altar during the Medieval Christmas Worship Celebration on December 15th. All Church Christmas Party: Sat., Dec. 14th at 5:30 p.m. Bring a dish or two to share and enjoy the festive atmosphere of friends, food, and Christmas Carols in the Fellowship Hall. RSVP to Jennifer Clay by Sun. Dec. 8th. Pizza Inn Fellowship Lunch: After Worship on Sun., Dec. 22nd. Everyone will go through the line and pay for their own meal. RSVP to Jennifer Clay. Frisco Rough Riders Baseball: Fri., April 4th at 7:05 p.m. $20/person ages 3+. All-You-Can-Eat seats! Parking is $5 or park free at Stonebriar Mall. Paid reservations due to Jennifer Clay by Sun., Feb. 2nd. “The Birth of a King” Chancel Voice’s Anthem Children’s & Students’ Moment “It Came upon the Midnight Clear” The Special Carol – No. 191 It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold; “Peace on the earth, good-will to all, from heaven’s all gracious King”: the world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. “It Came upon the Midnight Clear” Special Carol – No. 191 Still through the cloven skies they come, with peaceful wings unfurled, and still their heavenly music floats o’er all the weary world; above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hovering wing, and ever o’er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing. “It Came upon the Midnight Clear” Special Carol – No. 191 For lo, the days are hastening on, by prophets seen of old, when, with the ever-circling years, shall come the time foretold, when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, and all the world give back the song which now the angels sing. Scripture Reading Isaiah 11:1-10 Old Testament Page 755 1 The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David's descendants. 2 The spirit of the LORD will give him wisdom and the knowledge and skill to rule his people. He will know the LORD's will and honor him, 3 and find pleasure in obeying him. He will not judge by appearance or hearsay; 4 he will judge the poor fairly and defend the rights of the helpless. At his command the people will be punished, and evil persons will die. Scripture Reading Isaiah 11:1-10 Old Testament Page 755 5 He will rule his people with justice and integrity. 6 Wolves and sheep will live together in peace, and leopards will lie down with young goats. Calves and lion cubs will feed together, and little children will take care of them. 7 Cows and bears will eat together, and their calves and cubs will lie down in peace. Lions will eat straw as cattle do. 8 Even a baby will not be harmed if it plays near a poisonous snake. 9 On Zion, God's sacred hill, there will be nothing harmful or evil. The land will be as full of knowledge of the LORD as the seas are full of water. 10 A day is coming when the new king from the royal line of David will be a symbol to the nations. They will gather in his royal city and give him honor. “Peace – From the New Branch!” Isaiah 11:1-10 The Scripture from Isaiah includes a powerful and beautiful expression of God’s Promise of the Messiah – the New King. “just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David’s descendants.” Deeper and More Profound Peace “The Prince of Peace” “The Peace Child” • • Jesus Christ came to give His life that we might have peace with God “Don Richardson goes on to tell that the chiefs of the two tribes came together and brought with them a child they called ‘the Peace Child’.” Peace “The spirit of the Lord will give him wisdom and the knowledge and skill to rule his people. … He will not judge by appearance or hearsay; he will judge the poor fairly and defend the rights of the helpless. … He will rule his people with justice and integrity.” The Peace promised in this prophecy is even more profound – for it transforms the very nature of Creation! Consider the following portions of Isaiah’s description of this broader and deeper Peace: “Wolves and sheep will live together in peace, leopards will lie down with young goats. Calves and lion cubs will feed together, and little children will take care of them. Cows and bears will eat together, and their calves and cubs will lie down in peace. Lions will eat straw as cattle do. Even a baby will not be harmed if it plays near a poisonous snake.” Promised Peace “‘Shalom,’ Walter Brueggemann says, ‘is creation time, when all God’s creation eases up on hostility and destruction and finds another way of relating.’” “Can we even imagine such a world, or believe that it’s ‘the wave of the future’? Clearly, the prophet can.” ‘every green plant for food’ ‘every beast of the earth.’ Consider the broader and more transforming meaning of the prophecy of God’s Promised New King bringing Peace. Birth of the Prince of Peace with the Peace of this New Creation “but that this is a story for all creatures and that Jesus came to embrace and renew the good, the bad, the ugly; the expected and the unexpected.” Radical Transformation of Creation “All of creation waits with eager longing for God to reveal His children. For creation was condemned to lose its purpose, not of its own will, but because God willed it to be so. Yet there was the hope that creation itself would one day be set free from its slavery to decay and would share the glorious freedom of the children of God. For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth. But it is not just creation alone which groans; we who have the Spirit as the first of God’s gifts also groan within ourselves as we wait for God to make us His children and set our whole being free.” So, here we are – in the Royal City – giving him honor! Peace That means, we seek justice for everyone, especially the weak, powerless, and the vulnerable Instead of only caring about our personal prosperity, we will suffer and sacrifice for the welfare of others and do strange things like – even love our enemies. Celebrate and live Peace from the New King! Mission Statement As a people gathered in response to God’s call, we seek to provide for the organization of a growing and renewed church so that it is open to all people and self-governing in its approach to the following of the ministry set before it by Jesus Christ. Called by God through the Gospel and our historical striving for Christian Unity, we seek to Worship God with praise and to respond to the positive Good News by the living out of a growing unity in Christ and the sharing of the message to the whole community. Mission Statement We seek to reach out to all persons of every age to invite them to share Christian Fellowship, Friendship and Support through service, fellowship gatherings and education. We strive to follow a positive approach leading to the growth of persons in their everyday living through the teachings of Jesus Christ. We seek to grow as faithful servants of the resources God has given us for the ministry of the local church and of the missions beyond ourselves. “Comfort, Comfort Now My People” Carol of Response – No. 155 • "Comfort, comfort now my people; • tell of peace!" so says our God. • Comfort those who sit in darkness mourning under sorrow's load. • To God's people now proclaim that God's pardon waits for them! • Tell them that their war is over; • God will reign in peace forever! “Comfort, Comfort Now My People” Carol of Response – No. 155 • For the herald's voice is crying • in the desert far and near, • calling us to true repentance • since the Kingdom now is here. • Oh, that warning cry obey! • Now prepare for God away! • Let the valleys rise to meet him, • and the hills bow down to greet him! “Comfort, Comfort Now My People” Carol of Response – No. 155 • Straight shall be what long was crooked, and the rougher places plain! • Let your hearts be true and humble, • as befits his holy reign! • For the glory of the Lord now • on earth is shed abroad, • and all flesh shall see the token that God's word is never broken. New Member Reception Name: Connie Griffin Family Members: Chad Snell City Lived: Lewisville, Texas Job/Work/Hobbies/Interests: Work at Blue Lynx Media / Accounting / Scrapbooking / Reading Where did you grow up: El Paso until age 15 then moved to Grand Prairie, but she has lived in Washington (state) from 1990 until she returned to Texas in mid-2007. How did you get to start attending Round Grove: “When we moved to Lewisville this summer, we started coming as I have been a member of the UCC in Everett, Washington for about 15 years, and the environment here is so warm, welcoming, and feels much like a church family. We have enjoyed the church, pastor, and members so much we want Round Grove to become our home church.” New Member Reception Name: Chad Snell Family Members: Son of Carl Snell and Sara Reigers, but PRECIOUS GRANDSON of Connie Griffin City Lived: From Seattle, WA but this summer moved to Lewisville, TX with his grandmother (MeeMaw Connie) Job/Work/Hobbies/Interests: Lewisville Elem /Bike Riding /Scooter / and loves his iPad Where did you grow up: Seattle, WA New Member Reception Congregational Welcome: “We welcome you with joy as partners in the common life of this church. We promise you our friendship and prayers as we share the hopes and labors of the Church of Jesus Christ. God grant that together we may continue to grow in His knowledge and love and be witnesses of our Risen Lord.” Prayer Offering Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures, here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Prayer of Thanksgiving/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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil for Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. “The King of Glory Comes” The Closing Carol – No. 159 The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices. Open the gates before him, lift up your voices. Who is the King of glory: what shall we call him? He is Emmanuel, the promised of ages. “The King of Glory Comes” The Closing Carol – No. 159 The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices. Open the gates before him, lift up your voices. In all of Galilee, in city or village, he goes among his people, curing their illness. “The King of Glory Comes” The Closing Carol – No. 159 The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices. Open the gates before him, lift up your voices. He gave his life for us, the pledge of salvation, he took upon himself the sins of the nation. “The King of Glory Comes” The Closing Carol – No. 159 The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices. Open the gates before him, lift up your voices. He conquered sin and death; he truly has risen, and he will share with us his heavenly vision. “The King of Glory Comes” The Closing Carol – No. 159 The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices. Open the gates before him, lift up your voices. Benediction