Welcome & Announcements
Liturgy for the Third Advent Candle
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…
Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples;
But the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
—Isaiah 9:2, Revelation 21:1, Isaiah 40:9, Isaiah 60:2
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold him come
Offspring of a virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Hail the heav’n born Prince of Peace
Hail the Son of Righteousness
Light and life to all he brings
Ris’n with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Charles Wesley, altered, Tune Mendelssohn. Felix Mendelssohn; arr. William H. Cummings
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
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, goodwill to men
From heaven’s all gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing
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
O ye beneath life’s crushing load
Whose forms are bending low
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing
O, rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing
For lo, the days are hastening on
By prophets seen of old
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing
Edmund H. Sears, Tune CAROL, Richard S. Willis, CCLI 241710
Prayer for the People, the City, and the Nations
Baptisms
9 a.m. – Lauren Emily Fulmer will be baptized this morning upon her profession of faith. Lauren is the daughter of Kevin and Amy Fulmer and sister of Peyton Fulmer.
10:30 a.m. – Andrew Mark Garman will be baptized this morning upon his profession of faith. Andrew is the son of Mark and Jen Garman and brother of Julia Garman and Katie Garman.
Receiving of New Members
Gifts — What a Glorious Night
The shepherds came to see the baby
Stood by his mother’s side
Here lay the Savior inside a manger
Oh, what a glorious night
Oh, what a glorious night
I hear the angels singing
“Hallelujah, let the earth receive her King!”
I know that love has come, sing it out
Jesus Christ is born
Jesus Christ is born
The shepherds’ wonder, they couldn’t hide it
Told everyone in sight
All were amazed when they heard that God came
Down on a glorious night
God came down on this glorious night
I hear the angels singing
“Hallelujah, let the earth receive her King!”
I know that love has come, sing it out
Jesus Christ is born
Jesus Christ is born
Glorious, glorious
What a glorious night
Glorious, glorious
What a glorious night
I hear the angels singing
“Hallelujah, let the earth receive her King!”
I know that love has come, sing it out
Jesus Christ is born
I hear the angels singing
“Hallelujah, let the earth receive her King!”
I know that love has come, sing it out
Jesus Christ is born
Jesus Christ is born
All is calm now, all is quiet
A star shining in the sky
Below in Bethlehem, the King is sleeping
Oh, what a glorious night
Oh, what a glorious night
Casey Brown, Jonathan Lindley Smith, Ben McDonald, David Frey © 2010 Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. CCLI 241710
A Confession of Jesus
God remembered his promise to reconcile the world to himself;
he has come among us in Jesus Christ, the eternal Word made flesh.
He is the long-awaited Savior, fully human and fully divine,
conceived by the Spirit of God and born of the virgin Mary.
Being both God and man, Jesus is the only Mediator
between God and his people.
He alone paid the debt of our sin; there is no other Savior!
In him the Father chose those whom he would save.
His electing love sustains our hope:
God’s grace is free to save sinners who offer nothing but their need for mercy.
—Our World Belongs to God, st. 24, 28
What Child Is This
What child is this, who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding
Good Christian, fear, for sinners here
The silent word is pleading
Nails, spear shall pierce him through
The cross be borne for me, for you
Hail, hail the Word made flesh
The Babe the Son of Mary
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh
Come peasant, king to own him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone him
Raise, raise the song on high
The virgin sings her lullaby
Joy, joy for Christ is born
The Babe, the Son of Mary
William C. Dix, Tune GREENSLEEVES, Traditional English melody, 16th century, CCLI 241710
Children Dismissed for Children’s Church
Sermon
“From God to a City”
Luke 1:26-38
Prayer of Confession
Holy God and Reconciling King, ‘as a father has compassion on his children,
so you have compassion on those who fear you;
for you know how we are formed, and remember that we are dust.’
Forgive our sins. They are many.
Where we have not loved our neighbors,
where we have been silent and indifferent
to violence, injustice, racism and human suffering,
and where we have failed to see Jesus in those in need,
be merciful and forgive.
Where we have not loved the stranger, the prisoner,
the lost or the marginalized, be merciful and forgive.
Melt our hearts for our broken world,
and turn our indifference into compassion,
until you make heaven and earth one.
Through Jesus. Amen.
The Lord’s Supper
Nothing But The Blood
What can wash away my sin
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
O, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
For my pardon, this I see
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
For my cleansing, this my plea
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
O, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Nothing can for sin atone
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Naught of good that I have done
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
O, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
O, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
William Doane, Robert Lowry Biglow & Main, 1876 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 