“Love, Hope, and Light in the Community”

Greeters for December:
Ruth & Howard Duncan

Nursery this week:
Marlene/Amina

Next week:
Sylvia/Frances

9:30 SUNDAY SCHOOL

First Sunday of Advent
 

Lesson Title

“The Reason for God, part 1” led by Garlan Yoder

10:30 WORSHIP Service

Inviting the mystery

Prelude
Opening Prayer/Announcements
Call to Worship
Congregational Singing

Call to Worship

Leader: Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord;
People: let us learn God’s ways.
Leader: God’s instruction goes out from Zion;
People: God’s word from Jerusalem.
Leader: Let us awake to hope:
People: the salvation of our God is near.
All: O, the mystery of God’s dwelling in our present!

Engaging the mystery

Dramatic Reading
Lighting of Advent Candle
Offering
Children’s Time
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5

Confession and Lighting the Advent Wreath

Leader: As we look with hope to the coming of Christ,
we pause to remember God,
who came into our darkness with marvelous light.
(pause)
Let us also expose the weapons of our sinful pride,
releasing them to God
to fashion into tools that sustain us.
(pause)
(as the first Advent candle is lit)
The first Advent candle is the candle of hope.
People: In this light, we receive forgiveness,
knowing that God dwells with us in the present.

Celebrating the mystery

Sermon: “Turning destruction into life”
Response action
Congregational Sharing/Prayer Time
Closing Theme Song Overhead
Benediction

Benediction

Leader: Waken now to the establishment of God’s dwelling!
People: For the sake of the house of the Lord,
we will seek the good.
All: In the mystery of God’s dwelling in the present,
there is hope!

Today's Leaders

*Song leader: Susan Huyard
*Worship leader: Sonya Gasser
*Children’s time: Kathy Zendt
*Message: Kevin Gasser

Announcements

Mennonite Central Committee has begun its response to Typhoon Haiyan, providing funding for immediate needs and supporting partners in an initial assessment team and determining needs for long-term recovery. To donate to this effort, please go to mcc.org/typhoon-response. Thank you for your prayers for people grieving and suffering in the storm's wake.

The Staunton Mennonite Women will be meeting on December 4th at 6:00 pm at the church for their annual Christmas Dinner. Cost is $15. Men, we can figure something out, right?

Mary Baldwin College cordially invites you to their Choir Concert on December 5th at First Presbyterian Church, beginning at 7:30 pm. The program will feature the Missa Brevis in D by Benjamin Britten, Mozart, Rutter, and many more. Admission is free.

Please Prayer For:

Isaiah 2:4b, “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

No one truly knows Christ unless they follow Him daily in life" - Hans Denck

Thank you for joining us in worship today.  If this is your first time at Staunton Mennonite, please fill out the “Welcome” card in the back of the pew and place it in the offering plate.