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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 Executive Board Meeting, Wednesday, December 9, at 6:30 pm Christmas Eve Service - Thursday, December 24, 5:00 P.M. (Zoom only) 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 November 29, 2020, were $1220. The costs for each week are $1,118 (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 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 _________________________________________________________________________ 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” during Advent, starting Thursday, December 3rd at 7 pm by Zoom for three weeks. E-mail Diane Holme at [email protected] if you would like to join in or try it out. _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ December 6, 2020 10:00 A.M. Service of Worship Second Sunday of Advent – PEACE 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. SHARING OUR JOYS AND CONCERNS A Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11 The Lighting of the Advent Candles O Holy One, we light this second candle, A candle offering peaceful comfort to weary spirits after a year of pain and loss. Let its glow remind us of your tender care and warm our lives in the Light of Peace. Let it guide us to your presence in our midst, Leading us to your Justice and Joy in the service of Love. God be with us in this Light of Peace. Call to Worship * Let us hear what God will speak, Tender words for a burdened people: Comfort, comfort, my people! The days of sorrow are ending! Let us hear what God will speak, Encouraging words for an anxious people: Prepare a way for the Holy One, Through deserts of despair build a highway for our God! Let us hear what God will speak, words of vision for a weary people: Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss! Come, let us worship! Hymn 200 * Tell Out, My Soul Invocation O Holy One, you are tender shepherd, architect of the Way, beguiling hope of all who go looking for you deep in their lives. Surprise us here with sweetness, challenge, vision. Surprise us with whatever we may need in this moment to recognize you and follow you into the future. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Beloved. AMEN. THE PSALTER READING PSALM 85 Hymnal page 806 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. PRAYER OF CONFESSION The year past has been riddled with crisis and losses: Covid-19, natural disasters of fire and hurricane, exposure of societal injustices rooted in racist and sexist structures, and painful political reckonings. In this moment we are called to examine our hearts for our role in the last year: to name what traditionally have been called Sins of Commission-- that is, what we may have done to contribute to the pain and chaos of these days; Sins of Omission-- that is, what we may have left undone which contributed to the pain, or failed to help alleviate suffering. Silence ASSURANCE OF GRACE Comfort, comfort, my people, says the God of Justice and Compassion. You are forgiven your sin, And showered with grace to change your life, And to work toward the kingdom of the One who is to Come: New heavens and new earth, where righteousness is at home. Amen. THE GOSPEL READING Mark 1:1-8 A MEDITATION HYMN 204 Emmanuel, Emmanuel 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 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. AN ORDER FOR COMMUNION THE INVITATION – HYMNAL 618 THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER AND THE LORD’S PRAYER THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION SHARING THE BREAD AND WINE THE PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION CLOSING HYMN 218* It Came Upon the Midnight Clear BENEDICTION AND BLESSING* Go forth into the world energized to seek signs of God’s future everywhere: especially in the unruly, unkempt, and persistent voices of Prophets in our midst: calling us to prepare the way in our lives and our world For the Holy One who is coming! Amen. 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 6 Service 200 Tell Out, My Soul Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord! Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice; tender to me the promise of God's word; in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of God's name! Make known God's might, who wondrous deeds has done; God's mercy sure, from age to age the same; God's holy name, the Lord, the mighty One. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of God's might! Powers and dominions lay their glory by; proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight, the hungry fed, the humble lifted high. Tell out, my soul, the glories of God's word! Firm is the promise and God's mercy sure. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord to children’s children and forevermore! 204 Emmanuel, Emmanuel Emmanuel, Emmanuel, His name is called Emmanuel God with us, revealed in us His name is called Emmanuel 218 It Came upon the Midnight Clear It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold: "Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heaven's all-gracious King." The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing. Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurled, and still their heavenly music floats o'er all the weary world; above its sad and lowly plains, they bend on hovering wing, and ever o'er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing And ye, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow, look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing. O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing! For lo! the days are hastening on, by prophet seen of old, when with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, and the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing. _________________________________________________________________________  _________________________________________________________________________
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