Berwyn Presbyterian Church

2nd Sunday of Advent

Sunday, December 6, 2020                                10:30 am

  

THE GATHERING

Let all enter worship in a spirit of prayer.

Please remember to turn off your cell phones for worship.

Prelude“Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord”           James Moore

Ringing of the Hour 

Prelude“Come, Jesus Holy Son of God’    George F. Handel

Welcome         Rev. Laura Hollister

                       Call to Worship                        Gwen Mufor       Leader:   A voice cries out in the wilderness,    

      People:    “Prepare the way of the Lord!”        

      Leader:   Let us line the road with beauty

      People:   And pave it with acts of justice.

Leader:For the Holy One is coming our way! People:The Giver of life, and the Source of living water.

Advent Candle Lighting    Brice Tikum & Lydia Nog

Hymn GG 134“Joy to the World”

Call to Confession                 

Prayer of Confession                         

“Prepare the way of the Lord,” your prophet says to us. Forgive us when we have failed to prepare your way. Forgive us when we have stood in your way; when we let the challenging words of your prophets roll off of lives, rather than letthem spark change; when we walk around a neighbor in need, rather than encounter a chance for compassion. Forgive us, O Lord, and grant us assurance that the glory of your coming does not depend upon the righteousness of your followers. Forgive us, O Lord, and free us to try again. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Declaration of Forgiveness

           

The Peace               

      Leader:  May the peace of the risen Christ be with you always. 

      People:  And also with you.

(Please share the peace with a few neighbors.)

Welcome Song    “You’re Welcome in the Name of the Lord”  Trad’l Cameroonian

You’re welcome in the name of the Lord, you’re welcome in the name of the Lord,

For we see in you the glory of the Lord, you’re welcome in the name of the Lord.

We love you in the name of the Lord (repeat)

THE WORD

Prayer for Illumination       

                                                                           

Isaiah 40:1-11Comfort, O comfort my people,says your God.Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,and cry to herthat she has served her term,that her penalty is paid,that she has received from the Lord’s handdouble for all her sins.

A voice cries out:“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.Every valley shall be lifted up,and every mountain and hill be made low;the uneven ground shall become level,and the rough places a plain.

Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,and all people shall see it together,for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”A voice says, “Cry out!”And I said, “What shall I cry?”All people are grass,their constancy is like the flower of the field.The grass withers, the flower fades,when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;surely the people are grass.The grass withers, the flower fades;but the word of our God will stand forever.Get you up to a high mountain,O Zion, herald of good tidings;lift up your voice with strength,O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,lift it up, do not fear;say to the cities of Judah,“Here is your God!”See, the Lord God comes with might,and his arm rules for him;his reward is with him,and his recompense before him.He will feed his flock like a shepherd;he will gather the lambs in his arms,and carry them in his bosom,and gently lead the mother sheep.

Hear what the Lord is saying to the Church!Amen

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13Lord, you were favorable to your land;you restored the fortunes of Jacob.You forgave the iniquity of your people;you pardoned all their sin.

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,for he will speak peace to his people,to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.[a]Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;righteousness and peace will kiss each other.Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,and righteousness will look down from the sky.The Lord will give what is good,and our land will yield its increase.Righteousness will go before him,and will make a path for his steps.

Hear what the Lord is saying to the Church!Amen

Children’s Message                Rev. Laura Hollister

Mark 1:1-8The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of GodAs it is written in the prophet Isaiah,“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,who will prepare your way;the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:‘Prepare the way of the Lord,make his paths straight,’”

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” This is the word of the Lord! Thanks be to God!

SermonTo Be Baptized with the Holy Spirit

Sharing of Prayer Concerns/Morning Prayer      

The Lord’s Prayer (traditional)

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into     

       temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

       and the glory, forever. Amen.     

Announcements                                     Rev. Laura Hollister

Hymn GG 145“What Child Is This”

THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

 Lift up your hearts.

 Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

And also with you.

We lift them to the Lord.

It is right to give thanks and praise.

Breaking of the Bread

  Communion of the People

Communion Prayer

THE THANKSGIVING

Call for the Offering Gwen Mufor

Prayer of Dedication            

THE SENDING

 

Hymn GG 113“Angels, We Have Heard on High”

Benediction                                             

Congregational Response“Soon and Very Soon”        Andraé Crouch

Soon and very soon we are going to see the King (x3)

Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see the King.

Postlude“Comfort, Comfort Now My People”      Genevan Psalter

Thank you for joining us online today. We are delighted for the opportunity to worship God with you.  Please feel at home and join us again. Visitors are encouraged to drop us a line at our church website: https://berwynpresbyterianchurch.net, or to write to the church email address: berwyn.office@gmail.org. We would love to be in touch. 

Leading Worship Today:

Rev. Laura Hollister, Pastor

Dr. Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal, Music Director 

Gwen Mufor, Worship AssociateBrice Tikum and Lydia Nog, Advent Candle Lighting

Supporting Worship Today:

Peggy Sisson, Zandra Brown, camera

Lynne Brady, Facebook interface

Brice Tikum, soundboard

Hymns and lyrics reprinted in this bulletin are the property of the respective copyright holder(s).

Hymns and lyrics are reprinted with permission under CCLI license #A-2918022. All rights reserved.

Permission to stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI with license #A-20900318. All rights reserved.

All scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible.

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BERWYN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH6301 Greenbelt Road, Berwyn Heights, MD 20740 ▪ Website: ww.berwynpresbyterian.netEmail: berwyn.office@gmail.com ▪ Music: http://berwynmusic.com