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CHURCH SERVICES at the UNITED CHURCH of LUDLOW Service are shared ELECTRONICALLY (contact [email protected] for more information) _________________________________________________________________________ If you are comfortable attending in person, please join us. The doors open at 9:45 am, and worship begins at 10:00 am. We follow procedures to minimize the risk of exposure. Please read and follow these procedures for the safety of all. If you are not able to attend in person, a simultaneous Zoom stream is available. Send an email to [email protected] to get Zoom access. _________________________________________________________________________ ANNOUNCEMENTS Our worship this week, and throughout the Advent Season is led by Christine Boardman, who we thank for this gift. A Warm Welcome to All Visitors. If any member of the congregation may be of service to you, please contact the church office at 802-228-4211 or [email protected]. Regarding Individuals in the Hospital or Sick at Home It would be greatly appreciated if you know of individuals or family members in the hospital or sick at home, to kindly inform the church office at 802-228-4211 or [email protected]. Upcoming Meetings/Events Christmas Eve Service - Thursday, December 24, 4:00 P.M. (Zoom only) Executive Board Meeting, Wednesday, January 27, at 7:00 pm Christmas Flowers If you would like to make a donation for Christmas flowers in memory of or in honor of a loved one, please contact Linda Alexander. If possible, please contact Linda by December 13. Weekly Offerings Offerings and other cash receipts for the week ending Offerings and other cash receipts for the week ending December 6, 2020, were $500. The costs for each week are $1,320 (derived by dividing the annual budget by 52 weeks). Altar Guild Linda Alexander will do the Altar Guild duties for the month of December. Prayer Concerns We ask that you keep Terry DeYoung's father, Arthur Marin, as he recovers from Covid-19. We continue to keep the following in our prayers: James Almond, Terry DeYoung, Kathy Doyle, Pam Dundy, Judy Edwards, Jean Eggleston, Carolyn Gauthier, Sheila Kafer, Susan Kneebone, Ginny Kottkamp, Anne Oakes, Evelyn Tucker, Herb Van Guilder, and Evelyn Verro. If you are aware of someone in need of prayer, please leave a message at the church office by phone, 802-228-4211, or email, [email protected]. Pastor Harpster’s Address Reverend Dr. Donald E. Harpster 1716 Horne Creek Drive Durham, North Carolina 27703-7845 Phone: 919-302-6011 [email protected] _________________________________________________________________________ A New Way for Churches Bob Kottkamp and George Thomson have participated in a weekly Zoom partnership called ECCO (Experiment in Covenantal Community Outreach). It is an idea born of a need for pastoral leadership along the southern end of the Connecticut River Valley in both Vermont and New Hampshire. It consists of four small churches (Acworth, NH, Bellows Falls, Ludlow and Springfield) all facing problems and trying to stay alive and vibrant to serve their congregations. All the churches are dealing with the fact that they are looking for part time pastors with few if any candidates. It is challenging if not impossible to even find interim pastors. We are working on establishing a collaborative covenantal cluster of possibly one ordained minister, and a combination of licensed lay ministers, semi-retired pastors, and student pastors to support one another and our individual congregations. We have been working with the Conference in developing this model of church leadership. The goal would be to have a person in our houses of worship every Sunday to lead our worship services and then provide opportunities for all the churches to gather together for a wide variety of activities. Now these other activities would be provided virtually through Zoom. _________________________________________________________________________  ECCO EXPERIMENT IN COVENANTAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH Advent Bible Study “A Walk with Mary” continues during Advent, with the final session on Thursday, December 17th at 7 pm by Zoom. E-mail Diane Holme at [email protected] if you would like to join in or try it out. _________________________________________________________________________ December 13, 2020 10:00 A.M. Service of Worship THIRD Sunday of Advent – JOY PRELUDE (All are encouraged to use the prelude as a quiet time of meditation in preparation for the worship service which follows.) ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GREETING The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13: 13) And also with you. A READING 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 THE LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES O Holy One, we light this third candle, and delight in the sparkle of its outrageous reminder to “rejoice”! Let its flame cast light into shadowy places and show where work is to be done. Let a community of builders be formed in the Light of Joy. Let Joy find home in our hearts, and make space for your presence there, As we work for justice and peace in the service of Love. God be with us in this Light of Joy. CALL TO WORSHIP* Rejoice! The spirit of God is sending us: to bring good news to the oppressed, to comfort the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to proclaim the year of favor among God’s people. Rejoice! The work of the Spirit is calling us: to rebuild ancient relationships ruined by injustice, to repair the cities as places of hope, to restore land devastated across generations. to proclaim the year of favor among God’s people. Rejoice! The Glory of the Spirit is leading us: to cast off any faint spirit and put on the mantle of praise, to take root as the plantings of the HOLY ONE, to display God’s glory. Come, let us worship in Joy! HYMN 198 * My Soul Gives Glory to my God INVOCATION Holy One, builder who delights in making spaces of safety and beauty, Matchmaker who rejoices in presenting new spouses with a future of hope, fill us today with the gifts we need to join you in your life-sustaining, hope-giving work in the world; let us share your joyful vision of beauty and justice in this world you have created and loved. In the name of the One who is coming, Amen. THE PSALTER READING Psalm 126 Hymnal page 847 GLORIA 70 * Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. WITNESS TO JOY Instead of a typical Confession of Sin, today let us try something that may be equally challenging in light of the difficult year we have spent: Let’s give witness instead to signs of Joy in our midst, signs that our God is doing something new, and calling us to faithfulness in our contexts. What are signs of hope, of encouragement, of change, of comfort, that point to the Holy One at work? Are there signs which call us to join in, or amplify these signs in our community? Encourage people to answer out loud. Assurance of Grace Holy one, we give you thanks that you meet us in our struggles, and call us into a future of hope and joy. You have promised to be faithful, and we open our hearts to you in trust, in the name of the one you send, Jesus. THE GOSPEL LESSON John 1:6-8, 19-28 SERMON “An inside job” HYMN 211 * O Come, O Come, Emmanuel SHARING OUR JOYS AND CONCERNS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. THE LORD'S PRAYER (trespasses) PRAYER RESPONSE Hymnal, No. 473 Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness; Make thy way plain before my face. For it is thou, Lord, thou, Lord only, That makest me dwell in safety. CALL TO OUR OFFERING In struggle and in joy, God is faithful to us. We bring forth our offerings – our tithes, our treasures, our least coins – to demonstrate our faithfulness to God. OFFERTORY AND DOXOLOGY* At the Presentation, Hymn 95* Old 100th Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. PRAYER OF DEDICATION O Faithful One, accept these gifts of our hearts and hands. May they be multiplied and magnified as the living presence of Christ in the world. Amen. CLOSING HYMN 216* Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming BENEDICTION AND BLESSING * BENEDICTION RESPONSE DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE _________________________________________________________________________ Lyrics to the Hymns and Responsive Reading for the December 13 Service HYMN 198 My Soul Gives Glory to my God My soul gives glory to my God, My heart pours out its praise. God lifted up my lowliness in many marvelous ways. My God has done great things for me: Yes, holy is this Name. All people will declare me blessed, And blessings they shall claim. From age to age to all who fear, Such mercy love imparts, Dispensing justice far and near, Dismissing selfish hearts. Love casts the mighty from their thrones, Promotes the insecure, Leaves hungry spirits satisfied; The rich seem suddenly poor. Praise God, whose loving covenant supports those in distress, Remembering past promises With present faithfulness. HYMN 211 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel O come, O come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel. O come, O Wisdom from on high, who ordered all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to your tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times did give the law in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem, unto your own and rescue them! From depths of hell your people save, and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain\ O come, O Key of David, come and open wide our heavenly home. Make safe for us the heavenward road and bar the way to death's abode. Refrain O come, O Bright and Morning Star, and bring us comfort from afar! Dispel the shadows of the night and turn our darkness into light. Refrain O come, O King of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind. Bid all our sad divisions cease and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain HYMN 216 Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming From tender stem hath sprung! Of Jesse's lineage coming As men of old have sung. It came, a flower bright, Amid the cold of winter When half-gone was the night. Isaiah 'twas foretold it, The Rose I have in mind: With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind. To show God's love aright She bore to men a Savior When half-gone was the night. This Flower, whose fragrance tender With sweetness fills the air, Dispels with glorious splendor The darkness everywhere. True man, yet very God, From sin and death He saves us And lightens every load  Comments are closed.
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