Collingswood Presbyterian Church

December 2, 2018

1st Sunday of Advent

30 Fern Avenue, Collingswood, New Jersey 08108

Telephone: 856-854-4523

Website: www.collingswoodpres.com

E-mail: collspres@verizon.net

William Powell, Director of Music

Gretchen Kolecki, Director of Christian Education

Janis Danielewicz, Secretary

Paul Ciarrochi, Church Caretaker

COLLINGSWOOD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

December 2, 2018 1st Sunday of Advent

ASSEMBLE IN GOD’S NAME

Morning Reflection

“One of the joys of being a Christian or being a person of faith is that you believe deep down that death isn't the worst thing, you know. Not living your life: that's the worst thing.

And death is not, it's not all it's cracked up to be. It's not, it's not the end of the world.”

—Episcopal Bishop Rev. Gene Robinson

Advent Gathering Songs “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” GTG #108 “We Have a Savior” by Hill Song “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” GTG #88 Welcome and Announcements We welcome you in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ! Please sign the guest book in the narthex so we can send you a welcome packet or fill out a yellow welcome card located in the pews. The card can be placed in the offer-ing place. Gathering of Prayer Concerns and Joys Please raise your hand to share your joys or concerns to be included in the prayers of the people this day. You may also write your concern on the pink sheets and hand to the Pastor. Please mail a prayer card from the narthex to your loved one. (Please stand for items marked with an asterisk. GTG is the purple “Glory to God” hymnal. STF is the “Sing the Faith” smaller blue hymnal)

Lighting of Advent Candle (Hope) Tara & Amanda Kelmash (The first candle is lit)

Leader: People of hope, God desires people to remember the ancient promises and hold fast to the vision of heaven and earth made new. People: Make us those hopeful people! Leader: God longs for people who will not let discouragement be the last word; but who wait for God’s Word. People: Make us those hopeful people! Leader: God yearns for people who push back against the dark lie of hopelessness. God’s call to hope transforms the world. People: Make us those hopeful people! Leader: Let’s pray together... People: God of yesterday, today and tomorrow, in this season of Advent, we hold fast to your promises and live in hope. Give us courage to resist the world’s anxiety. Bring light to our path as we await the bright dawn of your presence. Amen.

Hymn - “People Look East” GTG #105 tune - Besancon

People, look east. The time is near of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able; trim the heart and set the table. People, look east: Love, the Guest, is on the way.

Call to Worship Leader: Because of You, Righteous God, we begin our journey to Bethlehem, People: trusting that You will lead us down the paths of faithfulness. Leader: For You, Child Jesus, we wait, People: on this day of anticipation and hope, in the days of doubt and worry. Leader: With You, Spirit of Advent, we serve, People: those for whom this season is not one of joy; those whose lives are empty of family and friends Leader: With prayer and praise, in scripture and in song, together let us worship the Living God! Prayer of Confession (unison) The chances we have to be more compassionate; the moments to offer hope to a lonely friend; the good fortune we could give to those who have so little. The signs are all around us, Good and Upright God, of how we fail to live as your people. Do not meditate on our bungling ways, God of steadfast love, but remember the mercy of Your heart. That mercy which forgives us; that mercy which makes us whole; and especially, that living mercy who came down one night so long ago, Jesus the Advent of our redemption. *Words of Assurance Leader: Raise your heads, children of God! In the bleak mid- winter of our lives, our redemption draws near. In the springtime of our doubts, the kingdom of God approaches. People: Even when we feel most alone, the One who comes to us is the salvation promised so long ago. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

*Congregational Response - “O Lord, How Shall I Meet You” GTG #104 O Lord, How shall I meet you, how welcome you aright? Your people long to greet you, my hope, my heart’s delight! O kindle, Lord most holy, a lamp within my breast, to do in spirit lowly all that may please you best. *Sharing of the Peace Leader: The peace of Christ be with you. People: And also with you.

PROCLAIM GOD’S WORD

Children’s Call - “Come All Ye Children” All children are invited to come play drums during the song Children’s Sermon Musical Meditation - “Comfort Ye” from Handel’s Messiah Prayer of Dedication Old Testament Reading - Jeremiah 33:14-16 (page 724) Hymn - “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” GTG #82 tune - Hyfrydol Gospel Reading - Luke 21:25-36 (page 960) Sermon - “The Glory of the Struggle” Rev. Bob Higgs

RESPONSE TO THE WORD *Affirmation of Faith - The Nicene Creed We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. Offering The Lord’s Supper Invitation to the Table The Great Thanksgiving:

Leader: The Lord be with you People: And also with you Leader: Lift up your hearts People: We lift them up to the Lord (continued on next page)

Please join us in the lounge for

coffee and fellowship time.

Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord People: It is right to give our thanks and praise. Leader: It is truly right and our greatest joy…

And join their unending hymn singing, People: Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee. Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three persons, blessed Trinity! Leader: Like your glory, may your holiness be eternal, God of

wind and flames. The Words of Institution The Distribution of the Elements

Communion Hymn - “While We are Waiting Come” GTG #92 tune - Waiting (Canson) Prayer after Communion

GO IN GOD’S NAME

*Hymn - “Here on Jesus Christ I Will Stand” GTG #832 tune - Kwake Yesu Nasimara *Choral Benediction - “While We Are Waiting Come” *Postlude

Go Forward and Serve! Be a part of God’s work through CPC

Thank you for your service!

Worship Leader: Candace Lowden Greeters/Ushers: Dennis, Gretchen, Tyler, Andrew & Jackson Kolecki Flowers: The flowers are given today by Martha Jane In loving memory of my parents, my brother and my step-father.”

Sunday, December 2, 2018

We would like to welcome our visitors. We are glad to have you here and hope you will feel as if you are among family. Children are welcome to remain in the service. There are activity bags and children’s bulletins available in the Narthex.

Large print bulletins and hymnals are available for your convenience. If you have difficulty hearing, personal amplifiers are available in the narthex.

PLEASE BRING THE HEARING AIDS BACK TO THE DEACON OF THE DAY.

We also provide a nursery for children– infants through age three (3). Our nursery worker is Jenny Calderone.

Our Children’s Church program for children ages Pre-K through 5th grade begins following the Children’s Sermon. They will return during communion.

The banner at the front of the sanctuary this morning was made by Rich Herzog. It is also on the cover of our bulletin this morning. Each week our bulletin cover will be a banner from the Advent series Rich made for our Church.

Rev. Bob Higgs

Following Coffee Hour In the Lounge

Lead by Dan Graves

Ministry Opportunity

Please consider becoming a part of a Prayer Chain within our congrega-tion, What do you need to do? Answer the phone, listen carefully to learn about the prayer concern. Lift the concern up in prayer and then call the next person on the list. If you are interested in hearing more about this ministry, please contact Urmila Malvadkar or the church

Caroling of the Bells!

Hear ye, hear ye! The Memorial Hand Bell choir is looking for people to join our community caroling event on Dec 15th! We will be singing and ringing on Haddon Ave. We are looking for people interested in doing either playing one bell or singing along. Sure to be a great family event. Meet in the CPC Lounge at 5:30pm, ringing on the Ave by 6pm. Contact Marjorie Miller or Will Powell if interested. Practices for interested bell ringers will be after services on Dec 2 and Dec 9.

Noisy Collection Make a Joyful Noise unto the Lord!!

The children take this extra collection asking people

to put their change into the collection cans, the last Sunday of the month.

Each month the donation is given to a different cause. Last week we collected $45.00 for the Food Bank of South Jersey.

Tea & Talk Please come join us and have fun with us as we snack, talk, do crafts and play BINGO. Please join us on December 19th at 1:00 pm for our Tea & Talk Holi-day Party.

December 3rd Worship Committee 7:00 pm December 10th Session Meeting 7:30 pm December 15th Church Community Caroling 5:30 pm-CPC Lounge December 16th Blue Christmas Service 3:00 pm First Presbyterian Church of Haddon Heights December 17th Mission Committee 7:00 pm December 19th Tea & Talk Holiday Party 1:00 pm December 18th Healing & Wholeness 7:00 pm December 24th Christmas Service 5:30 pm December 25th Merry Christmas - Office Closed December 26th Office Closed December 29th Choral Arts of Southern NJ Music Concert 7 pm

We will be going out for Pageant Practice this Sunday. We need the time to practice for the Pageant. We will have pageant practice : December 2, 2018

December 9, 2018 December 16, 2018 and the Pageant will be December 23, 2018. Also, if you have a child in Sunday School, please join our Facebook page: Collingswood Presbyterian Church Sunday School.

***Please pick up your Triennium Applications and FILL THEM OUT. Session must approve all candidates… Deadline is December 1 for applications to be to Kathy Repici

Also, SAVE THE DATE for January 13, 2019 6:30pm. We will be watching “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” the Fred Rogers documentary. (Yummy snacks included). This event is open to EVERYONE.

If you have not done so already, please join our Youth Group Face-book Page: Collingswood Presbyterian Youth Group. It is a good way to keep in touch and up to date on youth group info and activi-ties. YOUTH THIS MEANS YOU TOO!

Thank you to everyone who helped prepare our church for the beginning of Advent by "Hanging of the Greens" Saturday morning. After worship this morning we will complete our decorating. Please stay to help with the finishing touches!

CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON Sunday, December 23

Following Worship and the Pageant

Mark your calendars for a special time to celebrate Christmas together. The Christmas Pageant will be presented during worship

on December 23rd.

After church we’ll fellowship together over lunch.

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Fill out and place this form in the offering plate by December 16th Family name ___________________________________________________ Total number attending __________________ We will bring: pasta dish ___________ meatballs_______________ dessert_______________ soda____________________ We will provide tossed salad, rolls and coffee

Christmas Poinsettias

Poinsettias will decorate our sanctuary from December 16th

through December 26th. If you would like to order a plant in memory or in honor of a loved one, please fill in the slip below and

place it – along with your check – in the offering plate or mail it to be received in the church office by December 14th. Make your

check payable to “Collingswood Presbyterian Church – Flowers.”

If you like, you may pick up your plant after our Christmas Eve service on December 24th. The Deacons will distribute any plants

remaining to shut-ins.

The cost is $15 each (7 inch pot – 6+ blooms). Poinsettias are avail-able in your choice of color with red, pink, or white blooms.

*************************************************************************** Poinsettia orders due by December 18th:

I would like to order the following poinsettias at $15 each:

How many? ________ Red

________ Pink

________ White

Total # of plants ________ Total enclosed $____________

The bulletin insert should read:

Given by

In memory of

In honor of ______________________________________________

In memory of

In honor of ______________________________________________

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT CPC THIS WEEK

Sun 12/2 8:45 am - Choir Practice 10:00 am - Worship Mon 12/3 7:00 pm - Worship Committee Wed 12/5 5:30 - 6:15 Advanced Youth Bell Choir Practice 6:30 - 7:15 Intermediate Choir Practice 7:15 pm Adult Bell Choir Practice Sun 12/9 8:45 am - Choir Practice 10:00 am - Worship WEEKLY COMMUNITY USE

Collingswood Insight Mediation 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Monday

Al-Anon 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Wednesday

LEADING US IN WORSHIP

December 9th - Rev. Bob Higgs December 16th - Rev. Bob Higgs December 23rd - Rev. Bob Higgs December 24th - Rev. Bob Higgs

December 30th - Will Powell - Carols and Hymns

KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS Birthdays: Paxton Truong (7) Those who serve in government, our military personnel, those who work in other countries, and our country, our president, and our leaders.

Those at home or in care facilities Robert Johnson

Eleanor Kelley

Prayer Requests Ray Burns Bob Burns Bob Marks David Kolecki Ruth Hanson Sal Ferraro Julia Kline Marion Mills Kathy Moran Stacy Lagakos Dorothy Woods Please pick up a prayer card in the narthex

and mail it to these loved ones for whom we pray.

Rev. Debby Brincivalli & Staff of West Jersey Presbytery

The Presbyterian Church at Absecon, Absecon, NJ Our PCUSA mission in Zimbawe

Juan G. Hall Presbyterian Church, Cardenas, Cuba Njikob Presbyterian Church, Cameroon

If you are going into the hospital or would like a pastoral visit, please call

or have a family member call the church office or one of the deacons or elders. If you don’t call, we are going to assume you don’t want a visit!

Please remember to fill out a new pink form. with each update for the prayer list.

CHURCH STAFF AND OFFICERS - 2018 Rev. Katie Mulligan, Pastor

William Powell, Director of Music Gretchen Kolecki, Director of Christian Education

Janis Danielewicz, Church Secretary Paul Ciarrochi, Church Caretaker

Maryann Kelly, Bookkeeper

THE SESSION

(Meets second Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m.) William Ostrem, Clerk of Session

Candace Lowden, President, Board of Trustees Barbara Bockmann, Financial Secretary & Treasurer

BOARD OF DEACONS

(Meets fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.) Moderator Vice-Moderator

Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Class of 2020

Mike Amato Jennifer Giordano Shawn Ellis

William Ostrem Lorrie Heuser Daniel Graves

Marta Jane Caldwell-Bates Carol Longmire

Committees of Session Chair

Christian Education Carol Longmire

Finance and Stewardship

Mission and Outreach Martha Jane Caldwell-Bates

Personnel Dan Graves

Property Mike Amato

Worship and Arts Lorrie Heuser

Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Class of 2020

Dennis Kolecki Lilianna Stevens Susan Wilson

Karen Mazak Tom Wolfe

Joshua Wolfe Megan Standring

Peter Herzog

Our Vision Statement (What we want to be)

We seek to become:

A church that witnesses to the community

and the world by sharing and demonstrating our relationship

with Christ.

A church that encourages all people to know God’s great love

revealed in Jesus Christ.

A church that faithfully listens for God’s will for our lives and

our community

A community of God that is an open, inviting, caring family of

faith where all are embraced, accepted and loved.

Our Mission Statement

(How we will accomplish this vision)

The Collingswood Presbyterian Church Congregation, as part of the

Christian Church, Presbyterian Church USA, is called to Worship and

Serve the Lord by:

Constantly seeking renewal through God’s Grace and Wisdom.

Welcoming and reaching out to all of God’s community.

Providing for education in Christian and Presbyterian principles

Ministering to everyone through community and worldwide

mission.

Sharing the Christian message as expressed in the Gospel.