Worship Celebration
Worship Celebration
United Church of Hyde Park
December 9, 2018
Guiding Vision
“We are a diverse, Christ-centered people, learning together
and reaching out to serve the community in faith, hope, and love.”
We Open Ourselves to God and Each Other
Prelude “Wake, Awake for Night is Flying” J. S. Bach
Welcome
Choral Introit “People Look East”
*Call to Worship
One: The Reign of God is drawing near:
All: The prophet calls us to change our lives!
One: Prepare the way for the Lord:
All: A just and peaceful path!
One: Welcome one another, for Christ welcomes you:
All: For the glory of God!
*Opening Hymn “God Almighty, We Are Waiting” (insert) #397
Call to Confession
One: Oh God, you call us to turn our lives around, and work with patience and diligence to prepare the way for your Reign, but we get discouraged and give up too soon.
All: Lord, Have mercy.
One: Oh God, you call us to collaborate in community to prepare the way your Reign, but we neither trust nor honor the gifts of others.
All: Christ, have mercy.
One: Oh God, you call us to be full of joyful confidence to prepare the way for your Reign, but we burden ourselves with anxiety and fear.
All: Lord, have mercy.
(a moment of silent prayer)
One: Forgive us, O God, and lead us in the ways of patience, community and joy.
Assurance of Pardon
One: Hear the good news: Jesus, savior from sin, is present with us in the painstaking work of the Reign of God forgiving our weakness, rebuilding our relationships, restoring our joy. Let us celebrate this great grace by offering to one another a sign of Christ’s peace.
Advent Instructions Rev. Charlene Hill
Advent Lighting of the Candles
Leader One: Our homes and our world are under siege with information:
Television and telemarketing; blogs and texting:
So much information often bearing too little wisdom.
Angry voices compelling hate;
Quiet voices counseling complacency;
Mechanical voices offering “deals”–
Too much information! Too little wisdom!
People: Confusion surrounds us; Truth gets lost.
Leader Two: We call out in our confusion:
People: Where is your Wisdom, O God? Where is the word that leads to life?
Leader One: We remind ourselves of our ancient story: John, Zachariah’s son, out in the desert at the time, received a message from God. He went all through the country around the Jordan River preaching a baptism of
life-change leading to forgiveness of sins, as described in the words of Isaiah the
prophet: “…prepare God’s arrival! Make [God’s] road smooth and straight!”
Luke 3: 2-4: adapted from The Message © 2002 Eugene H. Peterson; reproduced with permission
Leader Two: Let us light this second candle of Advent, a candle of Peace. In its light, let us think, quietly and peacefully, about what voices of true life-change and forgiveness are speaking in our world right now. In a few words, let’s share those voices with each other.
People: Share briefly
Leader One: Let this candle of Advent Peace shine in our hearts all week And remind us to enter times of quiet and peace in order to listen, through the noise of our lives, for the call to prepare for the Holy. Hear the good news: Jesus, savior from sin, is present with us in the painstaking work of the Reign of God forgiving our weakness, rebuilding our relationships, restoring our joy. Let us celebrate this great grace by offering to one another a sign of Christ’s peace.
Advent Leaders:
Marilyn Daane, Patrick Fahey
*Advent Song
Sung to tune of “Away in a Manger”
A candle is burning, for Peace here on earth;
The angel told Joseph there would be a birth.
That Jesus is coming to show us the way;
A message of Peace humbly laid in the hay.
Prayer of Illumination
One: Speak to us, Lord.
Speak to us in the waiting, the watching,
the hoping, the longing,
the sorrow, the sighing, the rejoicing.
Speak to us by your Word in these Advent days,
and walk with us until the day of your coming. Amen.
1st Scripture Reading, Malachi 3: 1-4, pew Bible p. 778
One: Here ends the reading
All: Thanks be to God.
2nd Scripture Reading, Luke 3: 1-6, pew Bible p. 834
One: Here ends the reading
All: Thanks be to God.
Anthem “In the Bleak Midwinter”
Sermon “Preparing A Way” Rev. Charlene Hill
We Respond to God’s Call
*Hymn of Response “All Earth Is Hopeful” (Insert) # 392
Invitation to the Offering
You can now give to UCHP electronically 2 ways!
-Text 773-366-8247 the amount you would like to give and follow next steps.
-Visit the website http://uchpchicago.com and click on “Giving”
Offertory “Christmas Praise” Olivia Johnson-Smith & Taylor Trentham
*Doxology
“Emmanuel, Emmanuel” # 204
Emmanuel, Emmanuel
his name is called Emmanuel
God with us, revealed in us
his name is called Emmanuel
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Congregants are invited to share requests for prayer.
After each the pastor will offer:
Pastor: Come Holy Spirit—
And the people respond:
People: Hear our prayer!
Pastoral Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer (read together)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on Earth, as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever. Amen.
*Closing Hymn “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates” #213
*Benediction
Postlude
In Worship Today:
Pastor: Rev. Charlene Hill
Director of Music – Organist: Joe Wilkinson
Liturgist: Rev. Inagrace Dietterich
1st Scripture Reading, Malachi 3: 1-4 (pew Bible p. 778)
The Coming Messenger
3 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.[a] 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
2nd Scripture Reading, Luke 3: 1-6 (pew Bible p. 834)
The Proclamation of John the Baptist
3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler[a] of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler[b] of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler[c] of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”