December 3, 2006

Pre-service Music
Hymn Come Thou Long Expected Jesus HWB 178
Prayer of Invocation
Call to Worship
Leader: From the darkness we seek repentance.
From the darkness we seek love.
ALL: From the darkness we seek God.
Leader: When will we come out of the dark?
When will we find repentance and love?
ALL: When will we find God?
Leader: God is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
But who can endure the day of God's coming?
God is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
But who can stand when God appears?
ALL: God is coming, says the Lord or host-
like a refiner's fire, like fullers' soap.
Leader: Now look for the repentance.
Now look for the love.
ALL: Now look for God.
Hymns Lo a gleam from yonder heaven HWB 591
Lo how a rose e'er blooming HWB 211
Scripture Luke 1:68-79
Children's Story
Hymn On jordan's banks the baptist's cry HWB 183

Hearing

Scripture Luke 3:1-6
Sermon Prepare the way of the Lord
Dramatic Reading
All: We wait in shame,
longing for a love that saves and purifies.
Women: We wait for the birth of the one who invites us to rebirth;
Men: who calls us to repent;
Women: who remakes us into people of holiness and righteousness
All: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for God has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
Men: God has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his
servant David, as God spoke through the mouth of holy
prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
Women: Thus God has shown the mercy promised to our
ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant,
Men: the oath that God swore to our ancestors Abraham and Sarah,
to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
All: might serve the Lord without fear;
in holiness and righteousness all our days.
Women: And you, child, will be called the prophet
of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare God's ways, to give knowledge of salvation to God's people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
All: Love calls us to repentance.
Men: Love saves us from destruction.
Women: By the tender mercy of our God,
by the dawn from on high will break upon us,
Men: to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
All: to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Hymn Blest are they SJ 94

Responding

Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
Offering/Hymn Praise God from Whom HWB 119
Announcements
Hymn Go my children HWB 433
Benediction

Today

Today
Sermon: Maren Tyedmers Hange
Worship Leader: Roy Hange
Music: Lee Bidgood, Alderfer
Nursery: Mouberry

Announcements

Please have all bulletin announcements to Jeannine Denlinger by Thursday noon.

Our Christmas play "The Christmas Journey" is being presented on Saturday at 5 pm. Bring a friend and some finger foods for this time of celebration. Sunday, Dec 10, we will sing our favorite Christmas hymns during the service.

Hopefully you have gotten word that MMA will be sponsoring Stewardship University at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church March 10, 2007. Speakers include: David Augsburger - Professor at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena CA & author of a new release - Dissident Discipleship, Lynn Miller - MMA Corporate Theologian author of The Power of Enough, Steve Ganger - Author of Priority Parenting & MMA Stewardship Education Resources Manager, Goshen IN, Wally Kroeker - Ed.of Marketplace Magazine author of God's Week Has Seven Days

PACEM Foot Care Project: "…then he poured water into a basin and began to wash their feet and dry them with a towel." - John 13:5. One of our PACEM guests' health needs is foot care. Beyond providing new socks and shoes, we would also like to extend an invitation to participating congregations to offer foot care to our guests this year. Volunteers with and without medical training will be needed for the project. There will be an orientation for all those interested in participating in the foot care program with podiatrist Dr. Samuel Schustek on Monday, December 4 at 7 pm in the Incarnation Parish Hall, 1465 Incarnation Drive (behind Toys R Us) Please RSVP to Rhonda Miska (Incarnation social justice minister) at 973-4381if you plan on attending the orientation.

December 12 and 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the EMHS Auditorium, the Eastern Mennonite High School music department will present their annual Christmas concert. This year, they will be performing Sing the Songs of Bethlehem, a service of lessons and carols. The public is welcome to attend, and there is no admission fee.

LAST CHANCE! You have one more opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts and cards from Nazareth Village: 9:00-4:00 Wednesday, December 5, on "Main Street" in Park Gables at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Center. Your purchases support the ministry and staff of Nazareth Village in Israel.

Treat yourself and your family this Christmas season to a presentation of the Christmas play, DoveTale, by Ted & Lee & Ingrid. Show dates are Dec. 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Eastern Mennonite High School Auditorium, Harrisonburg. General seating tickets available at the door or reserve by calling 540-564-0210. Ticket prices are $10/adult, $8/students and seniors. Special youth group rate available by calling 540-833-6710.

Prayers and Praises

VMBM: VMBM worker, Nancy Marshall, teaches a class of energetic deaf students each day in Orange Walk Town, Belize. Because her teaching methods are successful in helping students learn, other teachers are seeking her counsel form improving their teaching styles. Thank God for opening doors for communication in this setting.

Mennonite Mission Network: The Mission Network U.S. Ministries staff will meet tomorrow and Tuesday to assess its work during 2006 and set priorities for 2007. Ask God to help staff discern effective strategies that will engage congregations to further seek God's agenda for them.

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

Gathering in Christ's name

Hearing

Responding

Today

Announcements

Prayers and Praises