Professional Documents
Culture Documents
HYMN
UMH 202
CALL TO WORSHIP
Come to worship
where we might be troubled by angels
Come to prayer
where we might be unsettled by the events of the world..
Come to the candle light
which lights up the darkness of this winter solstice
Come to the unpredictable pregnancy of the Spirit.
Come to flesh-talk and poverty-talk
and labor-pains- talk and peace-talk.
Come to expect new birth.
HYMN
UMH 206
OPENING TO GOD
O Sapientia
Malcolm Guile
I cannot think unless I have been thought,
Nor can I speak unless I have been spoken.
I cannot teach except as I am taught,
Or break the bread except as I am broken.
O Mind behind the mind through which I seek,
O Light within the light by which I see,
O Word beneath the words with which I speak,
GOSPEL LESSON
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in
Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name
was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgins name was Mary. And
he came to her and said, Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with
you.
But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort
of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, Do not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will
conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and
the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He
will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there
will be no end.
Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I am a virgin? The
angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to
be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your
relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is
the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will
be impossible with God.
Then Mary said, Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with
me according to your word. Then the angel departed from her.
EPISTLE
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to everyone.
The Lord is near.
Do not worry about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
GOSPEL
Mary said:
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
Luke 1:46-55
REFLECTION
HYMN
UMH 196
UMH 94
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BENEDICTION
RESPONSE
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel Shall Come to Thee, O Israel
UMH 211
z
Birthdays & Anniversaries
December 4 - Ken Noyes
Announcements
Our parking lot can be a very busy place. Please consider parking
across the street so that those with young children or walking
difficulties can park close to the building.
New Church Directories for 2016 are available in the narthex.
The Second Annual Very Merry Madrigal Feast will be held at St.
James Episcopal Church on Saturday, December 12 at 6 p.m.
Fri, 25 Dec:
Below are people, places, & concerns that folk have lifted up.
Please keep them in your prayers at home.
Please call or email the church office to add to the prayer list.
Calendar
Nominations Team 7 pm