“Love, Hope, and Light in the Community”

Greeters for December:
Ruth & Howard Duncan

Nursery this week:
Kathy/Leah

Next week:
Sonya/Florence

9:30 SUNDAY SCHOOL

Third Sunday of Advent
Happy are those . . .
whose help is in the Lord
 

Lesson Title

“The Reason for God, part 2” led by Danny Weaver

10:30 WORSHIP Service

Inviting the mystery

Prelude
Opening Prayer/Announcements
Call to Worship
Congregational Singing

Call to Worship

Leader: Be patient, beloved, until the coming of the Lord.
People: Let us awake to love!
Leader: Strengthen your hearts, for the Lord is near.
People: We will not grumble against one another.
Leader: Come, rejoice in God our Savior:
All: O, the mystery of God’s dwelling in transformation!

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: In the coming of Jesus, we see God’s majesty:
life springs out of death, desperation yields to hope.
Let us pause to consider
the redemptive power of God.
(pause)
Let us confess the desert places in our lives,
the ways we have gone astray,
and all that is broken in our world.
(pause)
(as the third Advent candle is lit)
The third Advent candle is the candle of love.
People: In this light, we celebrate forgiveness,
knowing that God dwells
in the midst of transformation.

Celebrating the mystery

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

Benediction

Leader: Go and tell what you hear and see!
People: God’s redeeming power
transforms all that is broken.
All: In the mystery of God’s transformation, there is love!

Today's Leaders

*Worship leader: Garlan Yoder
*Song leader: Susan Huyard
*Children’s Time: Kathy Zendt
*Message: Kevin Gasser

Announcements

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. A freewill offering will be taken to benefit local charities.

The Women’s Care Group will meet this Wednesday at Kathy’s home beginning at 7:00 pm.

Everyone is invited to join in an evening of Christmas caroling, a light meal, and a children’s program on December 22. Feel free to come and go as needed. Carolers should meet at the church at 4:00 and we will return around 5:00 for the meal. Each family should bring a dozen Christmas cookies to share.

Each family is welcome to take one poinsettia home with them on the last Sunday before Christmas that they will be at church.

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.