“Love, Hope, and Light in the Community”

Greeters for December:
Ruth & Howard Duncan

Nursery this week:
Frances/Amina

Next week:
Gary/Sylvia

9:30 SUNDAY SCHOOL

First Sunday After Christmas
 

Lesson Title

“The Reason for God” led by Dwight Huyard

10:30 WORSHIP Service

Inviting the mystery

Prelude
Opening Prayer/Announcements
Call to Worship
Congregational Singing

Call to Worship

Leader: Come before the One made perfect in suffering.
People: Let us awake to birth of our Savior,
Leader: the one who calls us brothers and sisters,
People: the one who helps in times of testing!
Leader: The pioneer of our salvation goes before us:
All: O, the mystery of God’s dwelling in our distress!

Engaging the mystery

Dramatic Reading
Lighting of Advent Candle
Offering
Children’s Time
Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:13-23

Confession and Lighting the Advent Wreath

Leader: In both the exuberance of Christ’s birth
and the human sorrow that accompanied it,
let us pause to consider God’s presence
in both joy and grief.
(pause)
Let us confess the violence
we have experienced and spread,
that God may overcome it with grace.
(pause)
In our distress,
the Advent wreath reminds us of God’s steadfast love.
People: In this light, we celebrate forgiveness.
In his love and pity, Jesus redeems us.

Celebrating the mystery

Sermon: “Theodicy
Response action
Congregational Sharing/Prayer Time
Closing Theme Song Overhead
Benediction

Benediction

Leader: Let us proclaim the mystery!
People: Christ is born
All: that the house of the Lord may be filled!

Today's Leaders

*Worship leader: Glenn Zendt
*Song leader: Joe Shenk
*Children’s Time: Kathy Zendt
*Message: Kevin Gasser
*Accompanist: Sandy Carter

Announcements

All are welcome to a New Year’s Eve party at Danny and Frances Weavers’ home on Tuesday, beginning at 7:30 pm. Bring your leftover Christmas snacks or other finger foods to share.

You are invited to the installation service for Aaron Kauffman as the next president of Virginia Mennonite Missions, January 12 at Zion Mennonite, beginning at 6:00 pm.

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.