Welcome & Announcements
The Lighting of the Fourth Advent Candle
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
Then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
And he shall be their peace.
—Micah 5:2-5a
Advent Prayer
Come, Lord Jesus.
Be born to us.
Give us faith see you,
and to live in anticipation
of the day you will return,
to establish your Kingdom in justice and peace.
Deepen our love for you, for one another,
and for this world that you created to be good,
until you come and make it new. Amen.
Angels We Have Heard On High
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echo back their joyous strains
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Shepherds, why this jubilee
Why your joyous strains prolong
Say what may the tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
See him in a manger laid
Whom the choirs of angels praise
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
While our hearts in love we raise
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Traditional French carol, Tune GLORIA. Traditional French melody
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
From God our heavenly Father
A blessèd angel came
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
“Fear not, then,” said the angel
“Let nothing you afright
This day is born a Savior
Of a pure virgin bright
To free all those who trust in him
From Satan’s power and might”
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Now to the Lord sing praises
All you within this place
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace
This holy tide of Christmas
All others doth deface
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
English carol, 18th century
Prayer for the People, the City, and the Nations
Gifts — Prepare Him Room
Oh behold, the myst’ry now unfolds
See the star shine on the virgin foretold
Angels sing and light up the sky
Hope rings out in a newborn’s cry
Swing wide you ancient gates for Christ is born today
Prepare him room
Prepare him room
Let the King of Glory enter in
God with us, the promise has come to be
This the one the prophets were longing to see
In the darkness a blazing light
To the hungry the words of life
His kingdom now is near for those with ears to hear
Prepare him room
Prepare him room
Let the King of Glory enter in
Prepare him room
Prepare him room
Let the King of Glory enter in
Oh our hearts, as busy as Bethlehem
Hear him knock, don’t say there’s no room in the inn
Through the cradle, cross and grave
See the love of God displayed
Now he’s risen and he reigns.
Praise the name above all names
Prepare him room
Prepare him room
Let the King of Glory enter in
Prepare him room
Prepare him room
Let the King of Glory enter in
Let the King of Glory enter in
Rebecca Elliott & Dave Fournier ©2014 Sovereign Grace Praise, Sovereign Grace Music CCLI 241710
Baptism {10:30 a.m.}
The child being presented for infant baptism this morning is
Madeline Grace Peters, covenant daughter of John and Jackie-Lane Peters and granddaughter of John and Linda Peters.
The First Noel
The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds
In fields as they lay
In fields where they
Lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night
That was so deep
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel
This star drew nigh to the northwest
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made heaven and earth of naught
And with his blood mankind hath bought
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel
Traditional English carol, THE FIRST NOEL, W. Sandy’s “Christmas Carols, 1833; arr. John Stainer
Children Dismissed for Children’s Church
Sermon
“The Small Town Governor”
Zechariah 4
Prayer of Confession
God of salvation, in Christ you have done great things—
and our hearts are filled with joy.
By your power you lifted us out of the wasteland of sin
and brought us with joy and laughter into your kingdom.
We confess that often we try to replace your gift with our own efforts.
We try to complete what is already perfect;
we try to add to what is already full;
we try to earn what we already have.
Forgive our foolishness.
Help us to live grateful lives in return.
For Jesus’ sake alone, Amen.
—based on Psalm 126
The Lord’s Supper
Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision
O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me
Save that thou art
Thou my best thought
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping
Thy presence my light
Be thou my wisdom
And thou my true word
I ever with thee
And thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father
I thy true son
Thou in me dwelling
And I with thee one
Riches I heed not
Nor man’s empty praise
Thou mine inheritance
Now and always
Thou and thou only
First in my heart
High King of heaven
My treasure thou art
High King of heaven
My victory won
May I reach heaven’s joys
O bright heav’ns Son
Heart of my own heart
Whatever befall
Still be my vision
O ruler of all
Ancient Irish poem, ca. 8th cent. tr. M. E. Byrne 1905;verse. E. H. Hull, 1912. Tune, SLANE, traditional Irish melody CCLI 241710
O Come Let Us Adore Him
O come, let us adore him
O come, let us adore him
O come, let us adore him
Christ, the Lord
C. Frederick Oakeley | John Francis Wade © Public Domain CCLI 241710
Benediction
chapelgate worship 