“Love, Hope, and Light in the Community”

Greeters for December:
Ruth & Howard Duncan

Nursery this week:
Sylvia/Frances

Next week:
Kathy/Leah

9:30 SUNDAY SCHOOL

SECOND Sunday of Advent
 

Lesson Title

“The Reason for God, part 2” led by Glenn Zendt

10:30 WORSHIP Service

Inviting the mystery

Prelude
Opening Prayer/Announcements
Call to Worship
Congregational Singing

Call to Worship

Leader: Come and welcome one another in the name of Christ!
People: Let us awake to peace!
Leader: Live in harmony and join your voices in song.
People: Yes—let us with one voice glorify God.
Leader: In Christ, we see the confirmation of God’s promise:
All: O, the mystery of God’s dwelling in our relationships!

Engaging the mystery

Dramatic Reading
Lighting of Advent Candle
Offering
Children’s Time
Scripture Reading: Romans 15:4-13

Confession and Lighting the Advent Wreath

Leader: The coming of Christ brings peace.
Let us pause to remember the God
who brings harmony from dissonance
and speaks life into our dead places.
(pause)
Let us confess the violence
of our fractured relationships.
(pause)
(as the second Advent candle is lit)
The second Advent candle is the candle of peace.
People: In this light, we receive forgiveness,
knowing that God dwells in our relationships.

Celebrating the mystery

Sermon: “Hospitality from a dead stump”
Response action
Congregational Sharing/Prayer Time
Closing Theme Song Overhead
Benediction

Benediction

Leader: Seek harmony that you may abide in God’s dwelling!
People: We will abound in hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
All: In the mystery of God’s dwelling in relationships,
there is peace!

Today's Leaders

*Accompanist: Sandy Carter
*Song leader: Garlan Yoder
*Worship leader: Garlan Yoder
*Children’s Time: Kathy Zendt
*Message: Kevin Gasser

Announcements

There will not be a Church Council meeting this month. Please enjoy the extra time with your family and celebrate the Christmas season.

The Stonewall Brigade Band will present their annual Christmas Concert on Monday evening, December 16 in the sanctuary of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 2000 Shutterlee Mill Road. The Stonewall Flutes of the Shenandoah will play at 6:30 pm, followed by the full band concert at 7:30. Admission is free. An offering will be taken to benefit local charities.

Everyone is invited to join in an evening of Christmas caroling, a light meal, and children’s program on December 22. Feel free to come for and go as needed. There will be a special surprise for the children! More details to come.

Please Prayer For:

Isaiah 11:1, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”

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.