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FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
ORDER OF WORSHIP

Pastor: Rev. Kendra Balliet
Organist: Jim Ross

PRELUDE- Canticle of Joy-J. S. Bach
 I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day- McChesney (Bell Choir)

WELCOME

*CALL TO WORSHIP - God Loved the World (St. Crispin LM)
Leader: God loved the world so that he gave, His only Son the lost to save,
People: That all who would in him believe, should everlasting life receive.
Leader: Christ is the solid rock of faith, who was made flesh and suffered death.
People: All who confide in him alone are built on this chief cornerstone.

*OPENING HYMN “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” #211 vs1-4

*LIGHTING OF THE FOURTH ADVENT CANDLE
Leader: Today we light the fourth candle on the Advent wreath, the candle that represents love. God had promised that his steadfast love would not depart from his people. He would remember his covenant promise. Now the time had come for his promise to be fulfilled.
People: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son …” (John 3:16)
Leader: In his grace, God chose Mary, a virgin in Nazareth of Galilee, to be the mother of our Lord. The virgin-born son would be the Son of God. He was to be named Jesus, which means “God saves.”
People: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son …”
Leader: The apostle John writes, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9).
People: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
(One pink and three purple candles are lit on the Advent wreath.)

*CONFESSIONAL PRAYER
Pastor: Let us confess our sins to God, asking him to remember his covenant love and forgive us for Jesus’ sake.
People: Almighty God, your steadfast love endures forever. Our love so often fails. We do not always trust you as we should. We know that you love us, but we do not always love others as we should. We do not walk in love as Jesus our Savior did. We follow our own selfish desires instead of looking to the needs of others. Have mercy on us and forgive our sins.
Pastor: God remembered his covenant promise and in his steadfast love he sent his Son to be our Savior. I announce to you that your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
People: Almighty God, your steadfast love will not depart from us!

RESPONSE “Light the Advent Candle” #2090 vs 4

CHILDREN'S CHAT

MUSIC MINISTRY/OFFERTORY - Joy to The World- McChesney (Bell Choir)

DOXOLOGY/PRAYER OF GRATITUDE

SCRIPTURE Luke 1:67-79 

SERMON- “Love: Mary” (Series: The Light of Grace)

HYMN “Amazing Grace” #378 vs. 4

JOYS/CONCERNS

PASTORAL PRAYER/LORD'S PRAYER

CLOSING HYMN "Hail to the Lord’s Anointed" #203

ACTION STEPS

BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE - Angels, From the Realms of Glory- L. Dean Bye 

Thank you for sharing in this worship service. Please continue to stay in touch through our website (stoneumc.org) and/or by following us on Facebook (Stone UMC). If you have joys or concerns that you would like lifted up in prayer, please fill out the Prayer Card in the pew, on the website, share them by contacting us at 814-724-6736 or churchoffice@stoneumc.org

The poinsettias on the altar today are given to the glory of God in honor of Jessica & Cruz Dragosavac, Pat Lafferty, the Shields family, Garald & Phyllis Stockton and in loving memory of Michael Allan Dallas, Genevieve Dallas, Finney family members, Jonathan A. Pears, Byron Ray, Ron & Marlene Burchfield, Donald Shea, Alice & Clarence Cornell, Deanna Stright, Helen & Stanley Shea and Lois Snow.