Today’s service will be held indoors in the sanctuary as an in-person service and also live streamed at this link.  Click on “live” for the live stream.  Join us!   

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Third Sunday of Advent

Gathering Music                                         Polly Dunford                                      

Welcome and Announcements                       Ann Miller  

Anthem                “A Little Child Will Come to Lead Us”

Words by Nancy Price and Don Besig; Music by Don Besig. 1992. Harold Flammer Music.                                       

Third Sunday in Advent:

Lighting the Third Advent Candle of Joy     Debbie Hudgins                                                                                                                      Ray Hudgins

Voice 1: “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and shouting.” (Isaiah 35:1‒2)

Voice 2: What does joy feel like in the new world?

All: Joy feels like everlasting love. Joy feels like the freedom to be who God created me to be. Joy feels like sharing love and kindness.

Joy feels like pride.

Voice 2: Advent is the beginning of this new world, a better world, where joy boldly bubbles up in unexpected places.

Voice 1: May it be so.

Voice 2: (Third Advent candle is lit.)  Amen.

All:  Amen. 

Advent Song “When God is a Child”   (verses 1-3)                   Handout

Words by Brian Wren; Music by Joan Collier Fogg

1989. Hope Publishing Co.  All rights reserved.

 

Hope is a star that shines in the night, leading us on till the morning is bright.

When God is a child there’s joy in our song. The last shall be first and

the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid.

 

Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth, leading us on till the morning is bright.          

When God is a child there’s joy in our song. The last shall be first and

the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid.

Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn, telling the world that Jesus is born.

When God is a child there’s joy in our song. The last shall be first and

the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid.

                  

Call to Worship

Leader:   When our hearts are full of questions, when faith feels thin and doubt feels heavy—Jesus still says, “Come to me.”

People:  We come, with our questions and our hopes, our weariness and our wonder.

Leader:  John cried out from a prison cell, “Are you the One, or should we look for another?”  And Jesus answered, “Go and tell what you see…”

People:  We come to see again: the blind receiving sight, the lame walking, the outcast welcomed, the poor hearing good news.

Leader:  In a world of bad news, the Divine is at work through quiet acts of mercy,

in stubborn courage, in everyday kindness, in communities that open their doors wide.

People:  We come to look for signs of the kingdom, to remember the stories of God’s faithfulness, and to dare to hope again.

Opening Hymn          “Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn”            Hymnal #107

1)  Awake! Awake, and greet the new morn, for angels herald its dawning.

Sing out your joy, for soon he is born, behold! the Child of our longing.

Come as a baby weak and poor, to bring all hearts together,

he opens wide the heavenly door and lives now inside us forever.

2)  To us, to all in sorrow and fear, Emmanuel comes a-singing;

his humble song is quiet and near, yet fills the earth with its ringing;

music to heal the broken soul and hymns of loving kindness.

The thunder of his anthems rolls to shatter all hatred and violence.

3)  In darkest night his coming shall be, when all the world is despairing,

as morning light so quiet and free, so warm and gentle and caring.

Then shall the mute break forth in song, the lame shall leap in wonder,

the weak be raised above the strong, and weapons be broken asunder.                             

Scripture Lesson             Matthew 11:2-11

Sermon “I Can’t Believe It (Yet)”                           Dr. Keith Ray

Thoughts to ponder:

In today’s Gospel, even John the Baptist—the fiery prophet who once proclaimed Jesus with confidence—finds himself asking, “Are you the One, or should we look for another?”  His question is not so different from our own on the hard days.

Yet Jesus answers not with arguments but with evidence: healing, restoration, and good news for the poor.  As we worship on this Third Sunday of Advent, we are invited to look again at the quiet ways the Divine is still at work in our world—through acts of compassion, courage, and unexpected grace—and to discover hope rising in the very places where doubt often lives.

Special Music  “Immanuel”                                               Kristin Cascio

by Point of Grace and arranged by David Johnson            David Johnson

Joys and Concerns

Prayers of the People 

Closing Hymn and Offertory    “My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout”  Hymnal #100    Words by Rory Cooney; Music - Irish melody

1)  My soul cries out with a joyful shout that the God of my heart is great,

and my spirit sings of the wondrous things that you bring to the ones who wait.

You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight, and my weakness you did not spurn,

so from east to west shall my name be blest. Could the world be about to turn?

Refrain:  My heart shall sing of the day you bring. 

    Let the fires of your justice burn.

    Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,

    and the world is about to turn.

2)  Though I am small, my God, my all, you work great things in me,

and your mercy will last from the depths of the past to the end of the age to be.

Your very name puts the proud to shame, and to those who would for you yearn,

you will show your might, put the strong to flight, for the world is about to turn.

Refrain

3)  From the halls of power to the fortress tower, not a stone will be left on stone.

Let the king beware for your justice tears every tyrant from his throne.

The hungry poor shall weep no more, for the food they can never earn;

there are tables spread; every mouth be fed, for the world is about to turn.

Refrain

4)  Though the nations rage from age to age, we remember who holds us fast:

God’s mercy must deliver us from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.

This saving word that our forebears heard is the promise which holds us bound,

till the spear and rod can be crushed by God, who is turning the world around.

Refrain

Benediction

Discussion 

Shalom  (meaning - “May you be well and whole and in communion with all creation.”)

Shalom, my friends, Shalom, my friends, Shalom, Shalom.

Till we meet again, Till we meet again, Shalom, Shalom.                        *************************************************************************************

Reprinted with permission under One License #A-625711.  All rights reserved.

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All those in the Pageant need to stay for rehearsal following worship. 

Calendar of Service -  

December 21 - 4th Sunday in Advent (Love); Christmas Pageant; Winter Solstice Walk

December 24 - Dr. Keith Ray; Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 7 pm

December 28 - Lessons and Carols

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The NACCP Search Committee recently sent a survey to everyone via email.  Please take a moment to fill this out as the committee really wants your input about our next minister and your thoughts for our church’s future. This is very important!  Paper copies available too.

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YOU ARE INVITED

WHAT:  Annual Keenagers Christmas Party

WHO:  Everyone...that means you too!

WHEN:  Wednesday, December 17, 11 am

WHERE:  Annette Buchanan's house

1790 Boxwood Manor

Pendleton

Meat and drink will be provided. Bring a side dish or dessert to share.

There will be a gift swap game so bring a wrapped gift $10 or less.

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Our Christmas Pageant will be on Sunday, December 21 and will incorporate the traditional story with a play set in a truck stop. The play is based on a story written by Harriett Richie.

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The next Meet and Eat will be on Wed., January 7, at 5:30 pm at Thai Lotus on Highway 81.

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A new group, Al-Anon, is now using the church building on Saturdays from 9:30-10:30.  Volunteers have been asked to open and close the building for them.

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Bible Study meets on Mondays at 6:30 pm through Zoom.  If you’d like to be added to the Zoom invite list, contact Cynthia at cynthiakwarner@mac.com.

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Please remember to donate non-perishable food items to AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries).  An extra item when you shop is a great help to others in our community.

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Are you interested in becoming a member of NACCP?  Would you like to make this community your spiritual home?  Please contact Keith at keithdray@gmail.com or at 864-508-1530.

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