December 11, 2005

Call to Worship
Left: We come into the presence of the God of light and glory, with laughter and great joy.
Right: We come into the presence of the God of light and glory; our time of mourning and despair is over.
Left: The year of the Lord's favor and kindness has come.
Right: The Lord has done great things for us and we are blest.
ALL: Therefore, let us be glad and worship God.
Prayer of Invocation

Hymns
Scripture reading Psalms 126
Prayer of Confession
You love justice, O Lord, but our fears and apathy keep us from confronting the injustices within and without. You want us to be plants of righteousness, but too often our relationships with you, with creation, and with each other are neither right nor good. You promise to restore our lives, but in our foolishness we hold back, believing the world's promises and resisting your great gifts and blessings. In your mercy, O Lord, forgive us. In your kindness, help us turn to you with all of our being, so that we may praise you before all people. Amen.

Words of Assurance
As the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, so also will God forgive and restore you. Live rightly and joyfully in the kind mercy of the Lord, and be blessed. Amen.

Scripture reading John 1:6-8, 19-28
Children's Story
Hymn

Hearing

Scripture Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Sermon Among you stands one whom you do not know
Hymn

Responding

Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
Offering/Hymn Praise God from Whom HWB 119
Announcements
Hymn
Benediction
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Today

Sermon: Roy Hange
Worship Leader: Maren Tyedmers Hange
Music: Jeff Myers, Ben Nissley
Nursery: Nissley Family

Announcements

Looking for a way to help at church? Volunteers to assist with cleaning the church are needed. If you are willing to help with this effort, please contact Andy Orban or Becky Scott.

Please consider serving as a greeter before the church service. Greeters are asked to be in the foyer from around 10:10 AM until people are no longer arriving. We want to welcome all who come, hand out bulletins and point out activity bags for visitors with small children. A sign up sheet has been posted on the foyer bulletin board. You may also respond to the church email request by reply to Jan Parks. An updated form with names added will be posted and sent by email.

Due to fire safety regulations and allergy concerns within the church family, we will not be using wax candles during Advent.
The annual Messiah Sing-in will be held Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 8:00 p.m. in Cabell Hall Auditorium at University of Virginia. Tickets are $5.00 and can be purchased the night of the sing-in at Cabell Hall box office from 6:00 until the start of the singing. They can also be purchased in advance at the Newcomb Hall box office. For more information, call the McIntire Dept of Music at 924-3052.

Please remember to have all bulletin information to Jeannine by noon on Thursdays. Thanks!

You are invited to Sing the Journey - an evening of singing and introducing the new Hymnal Supplement, led by Ken Nafziger, Professor of Music at Eastern Mennonite University, and composer Jim Clemens, will take place Sunday, January 15, 2006, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at Eastern Mennonite School Auditorium. Childcare provided for ages 0-7.

Is Mennonite Church USA on your Christmas gift list? If not, consider making a year-end contribution to either your congregation or the churchwide ministries of Mennonite Church USA. Churchwide gifts can be sent to Mennonite Church USA, P.O. Box 347, Newton, KS 67114.

As churches prepare to celebrate Christ's birth, Goshen College again offers an online spiritual resource to help believers make time and space in their hearts and minds to welcome Advent. Beginning Nov. 21 and culminating on Dec. 23, Goshen College students, faculty and staff will provide weekday reflections based on lectionary Scripture passages and the theme "God's Unstoppable Purpose," available online or by daily e-mail.

Responses to an urgent call from Eastern Mennonite Missions for men and money to help alleviate the suffering of the earthquake victims in Pakistan had immediate results. Two groups of twenty men will depart for Pakistan on December 6 (led by Jon Unger Brandt, EMM's director of Communications) and December 11 (led by Darrel Hostetter, EMM's co-director of Human Resources). Once in Pakistan, the groups will divide into teams of two to four. A four-man team from Lithuania, led by EMM Lithuania missionary Barry Freed, will also join the second group. Pray that God will unite the hearts of Americans, Canadians, and Lithuanians as they serve the Pakistani people. Sending funds for construction of Quonset-hut-type shelters ($300 for one family) is another way you may assist those affected by the earthquake. Send checks (marked "Pakistan emergency") to EMM at P.O. Box 458, Salunga, Pa. 17538-0458. You may also donate through MCC.

Prayers and Praises

VMBM: The Gospel Lighthouse congregation in Sangre Grande, Trinidad, has invited the Mennonite Church of Trinidad and Tobago to give leadership to their congregation; it was formerly independent. Richard and Margaret Keeler go each weekend for prayer services and Sunday morning worship. Pray for God's abundant strength and insight for the Keelers in this role.

Mennonite Mission Network: Pray for Vacation Bible School programs held in Mennonite churches around Santa Cruz, Bolivia, during their summer vacation in December and January. Pray for Mennonite Mission Network worker Margrit Kipfer Barrón who has a major role in this outreach.

Pray for the local services for people in need: Love Inc., Shelter for Help in Emergency, Food Bank, Salvation Army, CAISC--a justice ministry and PACEM-- the initiative for the homeless.

Gathering in Christ's name

Hearing

Responding

Today

Announcements

Prayers and Praises