TRINITY CHIMES

†WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRINGING IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST

PRELUDE
Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow
African American Spiritual, arr. Anna Laura Page

INTROIT
Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying
Annie Roncolato (8:45), Benson Memorial Chancel Choir (11:00)

*LIGHTING THE ADVENT WREATH
Elaine and Fred Turner (8:45), Cristen Vaughn and Jack Hoyt (11:00)

Reader 1: Prepare us, O God; let your face shine, so we may be saved!
Reader 2: The season of Advent begins with hope that God’s bold love is coming close in a birth in Bethlehem.
Reader 1: Prepare us, O God; let your face shine, so we may be saved!
Reader 2: We gather with love binding us together because the Lord is good and generous and worthy of our praise.
Reader 1: Prepare us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Reader 2: We light the first candle, the candle of hope. (Light the first candle) May its light shine upon us through the darkness so we may feel the hope of Christ coming into the world. Prepare us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!

*OPENING HYMN
Send Your Word, UMH 195

Send your Word, O Lord, like the rain,
falling down upon the earth.
Send your Word.
We seek your endless grace,
with souls that hunger and thirst,
sorrow and agonize.
We would all be lost in the dark
without your guiding light.
 
Send your Word, O Lord, like the wind,
blowing down upon the earth.
Send your Word.
We seek your wondrous power,
pureness that rejects all sins,
though they persist and cling.
Bring us to complete victory;
set us free indeed.
 
Send your Word, O Lord, like the dew,
coming gently upon the hills.
Send your Word.
We seek your endless love.
For life that suffers in strife
with adversaries and hurts,
send your healing power of love;
we long for your new world.

*OPENING PRAYER
Merciful God, you sent your messengers, the prophets, to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation. Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.  (from the The Book of Common Prayer)

FIRST READING
Isaiah 2:1–5

*HYMN (8:45)
Savior of the Nations, Come, UMH 214

Savior of the nations, come; Virgin's Son,
here make thy home!
Marvel now, O heaven and earth,
that the Lord chose such a birth.

Not by human flesh and blood;
by the Spirit of our God
was the Word of God made flesh,
woman's offspring, pure and fresh.

Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child
of the Virgin undefiled!
Human and divine in one,
eager now his race to run!

God the Father is his source,
back to God he runs his course;
down to death and hell descends,
God's high throne he reascends.

Now thy manger's halo bright
hallows night with newborn light;
let no night this light subdue,
let our faith shine ever new.

ANTHEM (11:00)
People, Look East, arr. Hal Hopson
Benson Memorial Chimes Choir and Chancel Choir

SECOND READING
Matthew 24:36–44

SERMON
The Reverend Alan Felton

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Apostles’ Creed, UMH 881

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

*GLORIA PATRI
UMH 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.

*THE PEACE

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

OFFERING

OFFERTORY
Romance, Edward MacDowell

*DOXOLOGY
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
(for Advent; sung to the tune of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel)

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God all creatures here below.
Praise God above, ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

*CLOSING HYMN
We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations, UMH 569

We've a story to tell to the nations,
that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy, a story of peace and light,
a story of peace and light.

Refrain:
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright;
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.

We've a song to be sung to the nations,
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil and shatter the spear and sword,
and shatter the spear and sword.
(Refrain)

We've a message to give to the nations,
that the Lord who reigneth above
hath sent us his Son to save us, and show us that God is love,
and show us that God is love.
(Refrain)

We've a Savior to show to the nations,
who the path of sorrow hath trod,
that all of the world's great peoples might come to the truth of God,
might come to the truth of God.
(Refrain)

*DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING

*TRINITY CHIMES

*POSTLUDE
We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations, H. Ernest Nichol, arr. Glenda Austin