Virtual Worship – December 13, 2020

The Service For The Lord’s Day THE 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

DECEMBER 13, 2020 WHENEVER “We can create happiness, but we are seized by joy.

We can be pleased by happiness, but we are transformed by joy.” … David Brooks

Gathering Together for “Virtual” Worship

PRELUDE VIDEO “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (Richard McVeigh) PRELUDE (Brandon Cook)

CALL TO WORSHIP First there was the flame of hope, a single candle shining in the darkness to point us towards the manger.

We yearn for the Lord’s coming with hope in our hearts. Then the message of the Baptist reminded us again of our need to prepare to greet the one who is coming.

The candle of preparation reminds us to make straight the path to Christmas. And today we remember how we long for peace and how we yearn for lasting joy. The candle of joy calls us to sing the songs of Advent hope and preparation and be set free from all worry and fear.

Let us pause from our busyness and find our rest in God Let the Prince of Peace we await set us free and make us new. Amen.

CHIMES OF THE HOLY TRINITY

* HYMN # 8 “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison prayer) Lord God, we are still waiting. We’ve been waiting longer than three weeks; we’ve waited for a long, long time for your love that breaks down walls, and your light that brightens our darkened minds. We been waiting for the peace that always seems at hand, yet never quite arrives; and waiting for abstract qualities like truth and justice to become concrete. We’ve been waiting for the Word made flesh, dwelling among us. Sometimes we’ve been patient and others we’ve let our distractions turn us away. As you forgive our flighty lack of attention, Lord, hear us thank you for Advent, for this time of preparation that makes the waiting all worthwhile. Help us know the joy that is coming. Amen.

CHORAL RESPONSE # 572 “Kyrie” Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

* RESPONSE “Gloria Patri”

* SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST May the Peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.

(If you are worshiping with family this morning, share the peace of Christ with them; If this reminds you of someone you might need to reach out to, make a note to send them an email or text and share Christ’s peace that way.)

Proclaiming the Word PRAYER OF THE DAY FIRST READING: Psalm 126 VIDEO ANTHEM “Christmas According to Kids” (Southland Christian Church) SECOND READING: Luke 2: 8 - 16

SERMON “From Fear to Joy: What the Shepherds Can Teach us” (Rev. Sellers)

Responding to the Word

* HYMN # 38 “In the Bleak Midwinter” (verses 1, 3 & 4)

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from A Brief Statement of Faith) We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel. Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal. Amen.

CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS; ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PLANS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND 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 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.

OFFERING OUR GIFTS AND OURSELVES TO GOD As you listen to the offertory, please take a moment or two to be intentional in your support of our churches. However you do it, remember that this is more than supporting staff or paying bills; this is accepting the opportunity of being a part of what God is doing in our world.

OFFERTORY (Brandon Cook)

* RESPONSE # 592 “Doxology” Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise

him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

* PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Carrying the Word Into the World

* HYMN # 13 “Prepare the Way” * CHARGE AND BENEDICTION * POSTLUDE * VIDEO POSTLUDE “O Come All Ye Faithful” (The Five Strings)

(Italic words are spoken by the leader; Bold words are spoken by everyone.)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Most Bible stories of angel appearances have the angel’s first words be, “Fear not” or a similar proclamation. Ever wonder why? Aside from the obvious that being visited by a divine messenger would be up there on terrifying scale, why are these words consistently flowing from the mouths of angels? I jokingly (sort of) say that if an angel shows up in my life and says, “Fear not,” my response will be TOO FREAKING LATE! That’s because I’ve already hyperventilated and passed out cold. This would be an appropriate response to angels. They tell the person not to be afraid and then deliver news of divine proportions. Think about it. We all live with various fears and varying degrees of fearfulness. We are afraid of not having enough or being enough. We are afraid of being too much like everyone else and of being too different from everyone else. We are afraid our country is falling apart and we are afraid to reach from something different. We are afraid that there is no God and we are afraid that there is. We are afraid that the planet is dying and we afraid to make the changes necessary to save it. We are afraid of the things that hurt us in the past and we afraid of what the future will bring. We are afraid of dying, and afraid of being fully alive. If we pay too much attention to these fears, we will be overwhelmed in short order without an angel showing up with (good) news. It’s really not a surprise that a messenger from God would start a conversation with any human saying, “Fear not.” “Fear not,” said the angel to the shepherds, to Mary, Joseph, to countless others and to you and me. Do not be afraid to bring love into the world because that’s the only way to save the world. Do not be afraid of new and life-changing things because God is in those very things. Imagine how your life would change if you heard those angelic words addressed to you. Imagine how the world would change right now if everyone heard those divine words addressed to them. Imagine how everything were different if everyone was unafraid to love.

… Rachael Keefe

Psalm 126 A Song of Ascents: 1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was

said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” 3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. 4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb. 5 May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of

joy, carrying their sheaves.

Luke 2: 8 – 16: 8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.

SERVICE NOTES: Today’s Video Prelude, is a version of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” that might not be very familiar to most of us. The lyrics are very different than those we sing each year during Advent. This version is by Richard McVeigh, the assistant organist at Winchester Cathedral in Winchester, Hampshire, England. Playing on the cathedral’s massive organ, McVeigh played this as a part of a 12-hour-long organ marathon back in October. The lyrics used in this version are more common in Europe and come from an alternate translation from the Latin “Veni, Veni, Emanuel” by Hugh Blair and Lister R. Peace for a London Hymnal published in 1917

Today’s Video Anthem, “Christmas According to Kids,” is a delightful if somewhat inaccurate rendering of the Christmas story, done by the kids and staff of Southland Christian Church in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Kids were asked to tell the story of Jesus in their words and the adults faithfully acted out the hilarious results. By the way? The “Angel” with the horrible voice in the video is Jon Weece, lead pastor of Southland Church.

Today’s Video Postlude, “O Come, All Ye Faithful (Flash Mob),” is a live recording of a very special type of Christmas caroling by “The Five Strings,” a family band of five siblings from St. George, Utah. They have been playing together for eight years, tour primarily in the western U.S. and are currently working on their 4th album. The Five Strings are Talisa, Tavia, Tiana, Trevin and Tiarra. (And yes, the first initial in all their names is not an accident!)

Announcements and Notes

CHRISTMAS EVE: Outdoors at Mulberry on Thursday, December 24th at 6 PM.

WORSHIP DURING CHRISTMAS WEEK AND NEW YEARS: There will be no outdoor worship service on Sunday, Dec. 27th, nor will we be taping a virtual worship on New Year’s Eve. We will have a collection of video, hymns and carols online to celebrate during Christmas Week (online by Sunday, Dec. 27th) and a “rerun” of the “Best Hits” of the past 10 months that will be online by New Year’s Eve. We will get back into the “normal” schedule with outdoor worship on Sunday, Jan. 3rd at Christ, where we will celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion for the 1st time in 2021.

Current Worship Schedule at Christ (CPC) & Mulberry (MPC): Thursday, Dec. 17th: Virtual worship taping at MPC (6:30 PM) Sunday, Dec. 20th: Outdoor worship at CPC Thursday, Dec. 24th: Christmas Eve Service at Mulberry (6:00 PM) Sunday, Dec. 27th: NO OUTDOOR WORSHIP (Online Christmas Video) Thursday, Dec. 31st: NO WORSHIP TAPING at MPC (Online “Best Hits” video) Sunday, Jan., 3rd: Outdoor worship at CPC

LISTEN TO WORSHIP ON THE RADIO: If it’s chilly at our outdoor worship, plan to remain in your car and listen to the service on FM 107.3 radio. Feel free to pull your vehicle as close as you safely can to see all of worship. (IF THE WEATHER CAUSES A COMPLETE CANCELATION OF WORSHIP, EMAIL AND TEXT NOTIFICATIONS WILL BE SENT AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. Call or text before you leave home if you are unsure.)

ADVENT DEVOTIONALS ONLINE: If you have not gotten a printed copy of this year’s Advent Devotional, they are available on both websites. Click the link on the sidebar to go to the page at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Happy Birthdays to: Linda Carpenter, Dec. 13th Kevin Cox, Dec. 18th Phil Egel, Dec. 18th Rodger Sellers, Dec. 20th

Christ and Mulberry Prayer Concerns – December 13, 2020 (Updated as of Saturday, Dec.12th, 2020)

Pray for: Kyle and Alina Brashear, Wake Forest, NC: Covid-19, both at home with symptoms. Ruth Long (At Novant Hosp. Mint Hill this past week) Shirley West –Recovering from Pneumonia (update not known) Ruth Martin (Carol Wood’s Aunt): Surgery this past week. Linda Carpenter: Continue praying for her vision problems. Shane Layel (Jane Gregg’s son-in-law): Keith Bigham (Deborah Ray’s husband): Recovering at home. Steve Racz (Phil Egel’s cousin): Reoccurence of his esophageal cancer. Jonah Sutton (Jim Brown’s grandson): Awaiting eye surgery. Christina Buchannan (Jim Brown’s daughter): Continuing to recover from Pneumonia. Cookie Glines (Joyce Glines’ daughter-in law): Ongoing cancer treatment. Jack Guy: Still having dizzy spells. Lupe Vidal: Upcoming consultation at Sanger Heart Clinic on Tuesday. Continue praying for students, teachers, and staff in all our schools, especially as so many

schools are moving back to fully remote learning due to surging covid numbers. Pray for the distribution of the Pfizer covid vaccine, as well as the ongoing testing of the

other two vaccines that may soon be available. Pray for everyone affected by the exploding rise in covid cases in every state here in the

U.S. and all over the world. Pray especially health care workers who are daily exposed as they treat the surging covid

cases in hospitals. Those out of work and struggling to make ends meet financially, especially for those who

have not been able to pay rent and will lose the protection from eviction in a few days. Pray for our leaders in Congress to get off the dime and actually lead in passing some kind

of Covid-19 relief. Pray for our senators and representatives to quit acting like children squabbling over who gets milk at recess and actually do the jobs we elected them to do.

Our friends and family who are homebound or in assisted living or nursing homes who can’t have visitors, like Maggie Thrower, Lillian Williamson, Louise Carter, Lorenzo Conyers, Ruth Long, Melva Robinson, Sylvester Barbee, Fern Kisner, Lewis and Shirley West.