4th Sunday of Advent
A Service of Lessons and Carols
Today’s service may be viewed on Facebook Live Stream at this link in the comfort of your own home or in person in the sanctuary. Join us!
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Gathering Music Polly Dunford
Welcome and Announcements Lin Hagen
Advent Song “When God is a Child” (verses 1-4) Handout
Words by Brian Wren; Music by Joan Collier Fogg
1989. Hope Publishing Co. All rights reserved.
Hope is a star that shines in the night, leading us on till the morning is bright.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song. The last shall be first and
the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid.
,
Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth, giving a promise of safety and worth.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song. The last shall be first and
the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid.
Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn, telling the world that Jesus is born.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song. The last shall be first and
the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid.
Love is a flame that burns in our heart, Jesus has come and will never depart.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song. The last shall be first and
the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid.
Fourth Sunday of Advent —Lighting the Fourth Advent Candle of Love Lin Hagen
Katie Hagen
(Begin with the first three candles relit)
Voice 1: “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)
Voice 2: What does love feel like in the new world?
Voice 1: Love feels like knowing I am a sacred piece of a magnificent whole.
Many Voices: Love feels like acceptance and gratitude. Love feels like being cherished.
Voice 2: Advent is the beginning of this new world, a better world, where you, and me, and all of God’s creation are treasured and beloved.
Voice 1: May it be so.
Voice 2: (Fourth Advent candle is lit.) Amen.
Many Voices: Amen
Opening Hymn “O Come All Ye Faithful” Hymnal #133
1) O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant;
O come ye; O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold him, born the King of angels!
Refrain: O come, let us adore him; O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!
2) True God from true God, Light from light eternal,
born of a virgin, a mortal he comes;
very God, begotten, not created! Refrain
3) Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation;
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest! Refrain
4) Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! Refrain
Lessons and Carols
First Lesson: Genesis 1:26-38; 5:1b-2 [God blesses humankind]
Joy to the World, Hymnal #134, Verses 1-4
1) Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king;
let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and heaven and nature sing.
2) Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3) No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.
4) He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.
Second Lesson: Genesis 9:8-17 [God establishes the covenant with Noah.]
O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright, Hymnal #827, Verse 1
1) O Morning Star, how fair and bright!
You shine with God’s own truth and light, aglow with grace and mercy!
Of Jacob’s line, King David’s son, our Lord and Savior,
you have won our hearts to serve you only! Lowly, holy!
Great and glorious, all victorious, rich in blessing!
Rule and might o’er all possessing!
Third Lesson: Isaiah 9:2; 6–7 [Christ’s birth foretold.]
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, Hymnal #83, Verses 1-4
1) Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in thee.
2) Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
3) Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a king,
born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.
4) By thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit raise us to thy glorious throne.
Fourth Lesson: Isaiah 11:1–3a; 4a; 6–9 [The peace Christ will bring is foretold.]
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Hymnal #123, Verses 1 and 5
1) 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 all, from heaven’s all gracious King”:
the world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing.
5) For lo, the days are hastening on, by prophets 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 give back the song which now the angels sing.
Fifth Lesson: Luke:1:26–35; 38 [The Annunciation]
My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout, Hymnal #100, Verses 1-4
1) My soul cries out with a joyful shout that the God of my heart is great,
and my spirit sings of the wondrous things that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight, and my weakness you did not spurn,
so from east to west shall my name be blest. Could the world be about to turn?
Refrain My heart shall sing of the day you bring. Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near, and the world is about to turn.
2) Though I am small, my God, my all, you work great things in me,
and your mercy will last from the depths of the past to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame, and to those who would for you yearn,
you will show your might, put the strong to flight, for the world is about to turn. Refrain
3) From the halls of power to the fortress tower, not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears every tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more, for the food they can never earn;
there are tables spread; every mouth be fed, for the world is about to turn. Refrain
4) Though the nations rage from age to age, we remember who holds us fast:
God’s mercy must deliver us from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard is the promise which holds us bound,
till the spear and rod can be crushed by God, who is turning the world around. Refrain
Sixth Lesson: Luke 2:1; 3–7 [Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.]
O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hymnal #121, Verses 1, 3, 4
1) O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
3) How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.
4) O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us; abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!
Seventh Lesson: Luke 2:8–16 [The shepherds go to the manger.]
The First Nowell, Hymnal #147, Verses 1, 2, 4
1) The first Nowell the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay,
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Refrain: Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, born is the King of Israel.
2) They looked up and saw a star
shining in the east beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night. Refrain
4) This star drew nigh to the northwest;
o’er Bethlehem it took its rest,
and there it did both stop and stay,
right over the place where Jesus lay. Refrain
Eighth Lesson: Matthew 2:1–12 [The wise men are led by the star.]
We Three Kings of Orient Are, Hymnal #151, Verse 1
1) We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we travers afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of night, star of royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light!
Ninth Lesson: John 1:1–14 [The mystery of incarnation.]
Prayers of the People
Closing Hymn and Offertory “People, Look East” Hymnal #105
1) People, look east. The time is near of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able; trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today: Love, the Guest, is on the way.
2) Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare, one more seed is planted there.
Give up your strength the seed to nourish, that in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today: Love, the Rose, is on the way.
3) Birds, though you long have ceased to build, guard the nest that must be filled.
Even the hour when wings are frozen God for fledging time has chosen.
People, look east and sing today: Love, the Bird, is on the way.
4) Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim one more light the bowl shall brim,
shining beyond the frosty weather, bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today: Love, the Star, is on the way.
5) Angels, announce with shouts of mirth Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming with the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today: Love, the Lord, is on the way.
Closing Prayer
Benediction
Shalom (“May you be well and whole and in communion with all creation.”)
Shalom, my friends, Shalom, my friends, Shalom, Shalom.
Till we meet again, Till we meet again, Shalom, Shalom.
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Reprinted with permission under One License #A-625711. All rights reserved.
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Calendar of Service -
December 24 -Dr. Keith Ray - Candlelight Service at 7 pm
December 31 - Rev. Dr. Steve Morgan
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PAWS is currently in need of blankets. Please bring them to church if you have donations.
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Two choir practices on December 24 - one at 9:25 AM and the second at 6:15 PM. Please be seated and ready to rehearse at the starting time. Questions? Contact Polly (864) 940-0640.
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The Bible Study Group (BSG) meets Mondays at 6:30 pm via Zoom. Dave Johnson is guiding us through the book of Exodus. If you’d like to be added to the Zoom invite list then contact Cynthia at cynthiakwarner@mac.com. We’d love to have newcomers!
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Joanne reminds us all to keep up the food donations for AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries)! Bring your non-perishable items to the church. This is an on-going need that should become part of everyone’s shopping routine.
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Are you interested in becoming a member of NACCP? Would you like to make this community your spiritual home? Please contact Keith at keithdray@gmail.com or at 864-508-1530.
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Remember in prayer: Katie Hagen; Ann Blackwood; Linda McFall; Bonnie Marsden and son Michael; Jackie Moore; Glennie Burns; Mary Alice Mundy; Jason Harding; Madison Bishop (Whitney’s niece); Latha and Cheryl Semones; Immigrant families; Victims of all violence, oppression, and injustice; People of Ukraine; People of Israel and Palestine.
NACCP is an inclusive Faith Community that values questions
and the journey to the answers.
Ministry Leader: Dr. Keith Ray
keithdray@gmail.com
Pianist and Choir Director: Polly Dunford
Mailing address: P.O. Box 4346, Anderson, SC 29622
Phone: 864-225-3575
Website: naccpchurch.org
Church News: naccpnews@yahoo.com
Instagram: northandersonccp
Facebook: NorthAndersonCommunityChurchPresbyterian