“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

Fourth Sunday of Advent
 

Lesson Title

“The Reason for God” led by Marvin Showalter

10:30 WORSHIP Service

Inviting the mystery

Prelude
Opening Prayer/Announcements
Call to Worship
Congregational Singing

Call to Worship

Leader: Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son!
People: Let us awake to joy!
Leader: He shall be called “God is with us,”
People: and will refuse evil and choose good.
Leader: God gives us a sign:
All: O, the mystery of God’s dwelling
in the child that is born!

Engaging the mystery

Dramatic Reading
Lighting of Advent Candle
Offering
Children’s Time
Scripture Reading: Mathew 1:18-25

Confession and Lighting the Advent Wreath

Leader: The power of God is held
in the weakness of human flesh.
Let us pause to consider incarnation:
a child born and a Son given.
(pause)
Let us confess our skepticism and doubt,
the weakness of our mortality.
(pause)
(as the fourth Advent candle is lit)
The fourth Advent candle is the candle of joy.
People: In this light, we celebrate forgiveness,
knowing that God dwells in the child that is born.

Celebrating the mystery

Sermon: God is With Us
Response action
Congregational Sharing/Prayer Time
Closing Theme Song Overhead
Benediction

Benediction

Leader: Receive the child
who comes to establish God’s dwelling!
People: God is with us!
All: In the mystery of God’s dwelling in the child,
there is joy!

Today's Leaders

*Worship leader: Susan Huyard
*Song leader: Lowell Wenger
*Children’s Time: Kathy Zendt
*Message: Kevin Gasser
*Accompanist: Sandy Carter

Announcements

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 today.

We have received an invitation to join Springdale Mennonite Church (170 Hall School Road, Waynesboro) on Christmas Eve for a worship service beginning at 7 p.m. Together, we will remember and celebrate the birth of the Christ child, our Savior. The evening will consist of scripture and readings, songs by the choir and the children, singing familiar carols, and candle lighting.

There will not be a prayer meeting this Wednesday.

Please Prayer For:

Matthew 1:23, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God with us.’”

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.