Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Leader: In a world craving connection, we gather to celebrate love.
Congregation: For love comes from God, and God is love.
Leader: Love one another, my friends.
Congregation: For God is love in us.
Leader: There is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear.
Congregation: We are called to love everyone, for God is love in us.
Leader: Let us worship the God who is love and live as a people of love,
All: We worship and thank the One who loved us first.
Opening Hymn
In the Bleak Midwinter UMH 221
Prayer of Confession
Gracious and loving God, as we prepare to celebrate your birth, forgive us when our preparations and celebrations overshadow your presence in our lives. Help us to see your light shining in the darkness, to hear your voice above the noise, and to welcome you into our hearts with hope and humility. Renew us, O God, that we may truly prepare the way for you, living as your faithful disciples. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Leader: Hear the good news! The holy spirit will break through all that clouds our vision of the new born king. He has heard your prayers and has forgiven your sins.
Congregation: Glory be to God!
Passing of the Peace
First Reading:
1 John 4:7-19
Second Reading:
Luke 1:26-45 [46-56]
Sermon:
Fear for Love
Hymn of Response
Love Came Down At Christmas UMH 242
Tithes and Offerings
Offertory Response
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow UMH 95
Offertory Prayer
Loving God, you give generously of your love and Spirit. Receive these gifts of our hearts and bless them to share your love with our community, we pray. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer and Lord's Prayer
Announcements
Closing Hymn
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee UMH 89
Benediction
Said Each Week as A Communal Prayer:
Send to us all the people who feel unwanted and unloved in other places, and if they can't come to us, send us to them.
Postlude
Special Insert
Reader: What goes on around the globe and close to home can make us feel afraid, angry, and distressed. The message of Advent reminds us that, even so, we each can bring light and love into our part of the world. Just as a tiny baby born 2,000 years ago illuminated the love God has for us, so also God’s love can shine through us and through the people we meet.
Light the hope, peace, joy and love candles
Reader: We light this candle of love as a sign of our commitment to live as people of God’s promise, a promise of salvation and flourishing for all people that springs forth from God’s love for all creation.
Congregation: God invites us to receive the promise of God’s salvation and the sustenance of God’s mercy and grace, enabling us to live the promise as God-bearers to the world. As Christ was born in Bethlehem, so too we answer God’s invitation to have Christ born among us today and every day.
Let us now sing our first hymn together.
This Week's Reading Plan
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Reading: |
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Monday
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Hannah Dedicates Samuel: 1 Samuel 1:9-18
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Tuesday
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Hannah’s Prayer: 1 Samuel 2:1-10
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Wednesday
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Jesus Is Born!: Luke 2:1-20
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Thursday
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A Sign of Immanuel: Isaiah 7:13-17
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Friday
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Prophecy of the Messiah: Isaiah 11:1-9
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Saturday
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The Word Became Flesh: John 1:1-13
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Sunday
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Baby Jesus in the Temple: Luke 2:21-38
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