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Prelude
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Arranged by Jay Rouse
Tune: MENDELSSOHN
by Felix Mendelssohn, 1840
Chris Warner, Organist
Welcome
Pastor Angie
*Call to Worship
Noelle Russell
Leader: “Teacher,” the crowd asked, “What should we do?”
All: If you have two shirts, give one away.
Hold onto hope.
Live like we belong to one another.
Speak the truth.
Look for God.
Do the good that is yours to do.
Leader: It’s all that easy, and it’s all that hard.
All: Let us worship our present and active God.
*Opening Hymn
I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
Kathleen Thomerson
© 1970, 1975 Celebration | CCLI Song # 89848
1 I want to walk as a child of the light.
I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world.
The star of my life is Jesus.
Refrain:
In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
2 I want to see the brightness of God.
I want to look at Jesus.
Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path,
and show me the way to the Father.
[Refrain]
3 I'm looking for the coming of Christ.
I want to be with Jesus.
When we have run with patience the race,
we shall know the joy of Jesus.
[Refrain]
Lighting the Candles of Advent
One: In a weary and worn world,
how do we begin again?
Where do we start?
All: Let us start small.
Let us begin with what is right in front of us.
Let us do the good that is ours to do,
and let us do it with joy!
One: Yes, let us begin with joy.
Today we light the candles of hope, peace, and joy.
All: May these lights remind us of what
could be.
May these lights inspire action.
May the warmth of these lights fill us with joy.
One: May it be so! Amen.
The First Scripture Reading
Isaiah 58:9b-12
Children's Moments
Jen Brizendine
Jesus Loves the Little Children
George Frederick Root and Clare Herbert Woolston
© Public Domain | CCLI Song # 58415
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Morning, evening, day and night,
They are precious in His sight -
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Prayer Requests / Prayers of the People
Feel free to text any prayer requests to Pastor Angie at (614) 309-6645.
Prayer Response - The Serenity Prayer
God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.
Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time,
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
taking, as Jesus did,
this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it,
trusting that You will make all things right,
if I surrender to Your will,
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.
The Offering
To support our ministries, Livingston United Methodist Church depends on the financial support of our members and friends of the church like you. Visit our Donate page to give your gift today.
Offertory Music
Rejoice!
Arranged by Carl Seal
Words and Music by Kelly Willard
Prayer of Dedication
*Praise Time
Gather Us In
Marty Haugen
© 1982 GIA Publications, Inc. | CCLI Song # 3148428
1 Here in this place new light is streaming,
now is the darkness vanished away,
see in this space our fears and our dreamings,
brought here to you in the light of this day.
Gather us in—the lost and forsaken,
gather us in—the blind and the lame;
call to us now, and we shall awaken,
we shall arise at the sound of our name.
2 We are the young—our lives are a myst’ry,
we are the old—who yearn for your face,
we have been sung throughout all of hist’ry,
called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in—the rich and the haughty,
gather us in—the proud and the strong;
give us a heart so meek and so lowly,
give us the courage to enter the song.
3 Here we will take the wine and the water,
here we will take the bread of new birth,
here you shall call your sons and your daughters,
call us anew to be salt for the earth.
Give us to drink the wine of compassion
give us to eat the bread that is you;
nourish us well, and teach us to fashion
lives that are holy and hearts that are true.
4 Not in the dark of buildings confining,
not in some heaven, light years away,
but here in this place the new light is shining,
now is the Kingdom, now is the day.
Gather us in and hold us forever,
gather us in and make us your own;
gather us in—all peoples together,
fire of love in our flesh and our bone.
Make Me a Servant
Kelly Willard
© 1982 Maranatha! Music, CCCM Music, and Willing Heart Music | CCLI Song # 33131
Make me a servant, humble and meek.
Lord let me lift up those who are weak,
And may the prayer of my heart always be;
Make me a servant,
Make me a servant,
Make me a servant, today!
The Epistle Reading
2 Corinthians 8:7-15 (NRSVue)
Message
Draw the Circle Wider: Equal Love
Rev. Jim Donnan
*Closing Hymn
Draw the Circle Wide
Words: Gordon Light; Music: Mark A. Miller
© 2008 Abingdon Press | CCLI Song # 5897430
Chorus:
Draw the circle,
draw the circle wide.
Draw the circle,
draw the circle wide.
No one stands alone,
we'll stand side by side.
Draw the circle,
draw the circle wide. (x2)
Bridge:
Draw the circle wide,
draw it wider still.
Let this be our song:
no one stands alone.
Standing side by side,
draw the circle,
draw the circle wide. (x2)
Chorus x1
Bridge x1
Tag:
Draw the circle,
draw the circle wide.
*Benediction and Sending Forth
Upcoming events and other information can be found on our Announcements page.
Postlude
Intrada
David Lasky
We encourage parishioners to remain seated and enjoy the talents of our organist during the Postlude.
Invitation to Holy Communion
Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another. Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Words of Forgiveness
Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Glory to God. Amen.
The Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
…the prayer continues
…And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
…the prayer continues
…in union with Christ’s offering for us we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
…the prayer continues
Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever. Amen.
And now, with the confidence of being children of God, let us pray:
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Receiving the Bread and Cup
Unison Prayer after Communion
Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.