Count me in
4th Sunday of Advent
God keeps the promise made to David to give him an everlasting throne. The angel tells Mary that God will give David’s throne to her son Jesus. She is perplexed by Gabriel’s greeting and by the news of her coming pregnancy, but she is able still to say, “Count me in.” We who know that Jesus is called king only as he is executed still find it a mystery hard to fathom, but with Mary today we hear the news of what God is up to and say, “Count us in.”
Worship Liturgy
WORSHIP VIDEO
Learning Resources
Watch the worship service for this week or go to YouTube channel Here
Worship Liturgy
GATHERING
Prelude Sounds of Grace
Welcome Hayden
Bell Ringing
Prayer and Lighting of the Advent Wreath (Reader) for lighting two candles
Use this blessing when lighting all four candles.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe. In your Son, Emmanuel, you have shown us your light and saved us from the power of sin. Bless us as we light the candles on this wreath. Increase our longing for your presence, that at the celebration of your Son’s birth his Spirit might dwell anew in our midst, for he is our light and our salvation. Blessed be God forever.
Amen
Opening Song
Invocation
P: Blessed be God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, whose forgiveness is sure and whose steadfast love endures forever. C: Amen
P: Together let us prepare for the advent of our God. By honestly and humbly confessing that we have not lived as God desires.
Silence is kept for reflection.
P: Loving and forgiving God,
C: we confess that we are held captive by sin. In spite of our best efforts, we have gone astray. We have not welcomed the stranger; we have not loved our neighbor; we have not been Christ to one another. Restore us, O God. Wake us up and turn us from our sin. Renew us each day in the light of Christ. Amen
P: People of God, hear this glad news: by God’s endless grace your sins are forgiven, and you are free— free from all that holds you back and free to live in the peaceable realm of God. May you be strengthened in God’s love, ☩ comforted by Christ’s peace, and accompanied with the power of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen
Prayer of the Day Pr D+
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that would obstruct your mercy, that willingly we may bear your redeeming love to all the world, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen
Peace
WORD
Reading – Old Testament
Gospel
Children’s Time
Message
Message Hymn
Prayers of the Faithful
Offering
SENDING
Final Blessing
Dismissal
Postlude
Readings & Psalm
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
The Lord’s promise to David
Luke 1:46b-55
You, Lord, have lifted up the lowly. (Lk. 1:52)
Romans 16:25-27
The mystery of God revealed in Jesus Christ
Luke 1:26-38
The angel appears to Mary
Celebrate Holy Communion together “virtually”.
Please join with other worshipers and the pastors for this Sunday’s Communion service at 11:00 on ZOOM via computer, tablet or smart phone.
You simply need to have ready your own wine, grape juice, or apple juice as you choose, in a separate glass for each person. And have a piece of bread of your choice, or wafer, or cracker as you choose.
If you didn’t receive an email to join us this Sunday, you may find the ZOOM login information to login by entering your name and email in the green form.
Learning Resources
Learn more with the additional resources in this post. Click through this post to find the materials.
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Offerings of Thanksgiving
While we are keeping physical social distance, there are still options for you to continue bringing your offerings to God and support the ministries of Grace.
Giving Options:
- Mail a check to church address below
- Online bill pay through your bank
- Online giving – Orange button
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
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Acknowledgments:
We thank the following for today’s flowers: