Round Hill Community Church

ORDER OF SERVICE November 29, 2015

First Sunday in Advent

PRELUDE Forest Green Held Of the Father’s Love Begotten Held

WORDS OF WELCOME

INTROIT

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: Now is the time of watching and waiting. All: The time of pregnant expectation of new life. Leader: Now is the season of hope unfolding. All: The dark winter season when hope is waiting to be born. Leader: Let us come before God with receptive and willing spirits. All: May our souls magnify God’s name and may our spirits

rejoice in God our Savior! Rejoice! God comes to bring the birthday of life and hope.

*HYMN No. 129 Lift Up Your Heads

*The congregation is invited to stand

*OPENING PRAYER God our deliverer, whose approaching birth still shakes the foundations of our world, may we so wait for your coming with eagerness and hope that we embrace without terror the labor pangs of the new age, through Jesus Christ, Amen.

*GLORIA PATRIGlory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning,is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

LIGHTING THE CANDLE OF HOPE Leader: In the season of Advent we learn the disciplines of patience and

wonder, and embrace every opportunity to explore the power of faith, hope and love.

All: On this first Sunday of Advent we gather as a people of hope, who seek to use all the resources at our disposal for the increase of hopefulness across the world.

Leader: We celebrate the life of God in our midst, as the Holy Spirit moves persistently and mysteriously through daily events and decisions to bring the blessings of peace and good will for all people.

All: Our hope is awakened and strengthened by the presence of God and the beauty of this sacred season.

Leader: As we light the first Advent candle, let it stand for hope based on deep conviction rather than wishful thinking. Let the light of

this candle affirm our dedication to be part of what God is doing in the world.

All: We gather expectantly, joyfully, and with deep commitment, for we believe that God is among us with the power to make all things new.

HYMN* O Come, O Come Emmanuel (verse 1)

O come, O come, EmmanuelAnd ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile hereUntil the Son of God appearRejoice! Rejoice! EmmanuelShall come to thee, O Israel.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Linda SeaverChildren may now leave for Church School.

SCRIPTURE LESSONS Luke 1: 1-25Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.

Romans 8: 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now…

2 Timothy 4: 7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

SERMON We Are Stronger Than That The Rev. Dr. Ed Horstmann

*HYMN No. 125 Come, O Long Expected Jesus

OFFERINGInvitationAnthem Zion Hears the Watchmans’ Voices J. S. Bach

*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.

*Hymn O Beautiful for Spacious Skies O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber

waves of grain, for purple mountainmajesties above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed full graceon thee, and crown thy good with servanthood

from sea to shining sea.

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation to the Table

The Great Prayer of ThanksgivingLeader: God be with you.All: And also with you.Leader: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to God.Leader: Let us give thanks to God Most High.All: It is right to give God our thanks and praise.

Leader: O God of majesty and mercy, we bless you for the beauty andbounty of the earth and for the vision of the day when sharing by all willmean scarcity for none. You have set us in the world to love and serve you, and to live in peace with your whole creation.

We remember your covenant with our ancestors in the faith, the prophets you sent to call us back to your way, and how, in the fullness of time, out of your great love for the world, you sent your beloved son to be one of us, to redeem us, to heal us, and to form us anew to be your people in the world.

Therefore, we praise you, joining our voices with choirs of angels, with prophets, apostles, and with all the faithful of every time and place, who forever sing to the glory of your name:

Sanctus sung by all to the tune NicaeaHoly! Holy! Holy! One God Almighty!

All your works shall praise your name in earth and sky and sea!Holy! Holy! Holy! Hosanna in the highest!Blessed is Christ who comes to set us free!

Words of Remembrance Leader: Blessed is our brother Jesus, bone of our bone and flesh of our

flesh; who on the night when he was delivered over to death, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said: “This is my body, which is for you. Do this to remember me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying: ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, to remember me.’ For, as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we are proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes.

All: Remembering all your mighty and merciful acts, we break this bread and share this cup, giving thanks for your saving love in Jesus Christ. As you raised Jesus from death and call us with him from death to life, may we bear witness to your resurrection power, alive and at large in our world.

Prayer of Consecration Leader: Gracious God, may the bread we break and the cup we bless

become for us the communion of the body and blood of Christ. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, that we may be united with all your people in every time and place. As Christ our Savior has taught us, let us pray together, saying:

All: 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 and ever. Amen.

Sharing of the Bread and the Cup

These are the gifts of God for the people of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died and was raised for you.

All are invited to come forward, as directed by our Ushers,to receive the bread and cup standing in a semi-circle in front of the communion table, dipping the bread into the cup and remaining until the words of blessing.

Communion Music Lo, How a Rose e’re Blooming Praetorius Lo, How a Rose e’re Blooming Distler

Prayer of Thanksgiving

All: Bountiful God, we give you thanks that you have refreshed us at your table by granting us the presence of Christ. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and send us forth into the world in courage and peace, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

HYMN* Now Bless the God of Israel

CHURCH PRAYEROur Heavenly Father, shed forth thy blessed spirit upon all our lives. Make each one of us an instrument in thy hands for good. Purify our hearts, strengthen our minds and bodies, fill us with Christian love. Let no pride, no self-conceit, no rivalry, no ill-will ever spring up among us. Make us earnest and true, wise and prudent, giving no just cause for offense and may thy holy peace rest upon us this day and every day throughout the coming week, sweetening our trials, cheering us in our work, and keeping us faithful to the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

BENEDICTION AND CHORAL RESPONSE

POSTLUDE From Heaven High Held

ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH MISSION STATEMENTWe, the members of the Round Hill Community Church, a self-governing, non-denominational body, seek to foster a community of faith where people of all ages and backgrounds pursue spiritual growth; where God is worshipped in Word and praised in music; where friends are made and hurts are healed. We seek to be a community where individuals commit their time and resources to education, fellowship, and to helping those in need among our Church family and in the broader world. We are a church where faith, hope, justice and love are valued, and above all, Jesus is Lord.

ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH CREEDI believe in God, the one universal Father of all mankind, revealed supremely in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and present with us to guide, comfort and inspire in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Kingdom of God; and in the mission of the Christian Church to proclaim the Gospel to all the world, exalting the worship of the Lord our God, and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of righteousness, the reign of peace, and the realization of human brotherhood. United in Christian love, we pray and labor for the coming of the Kingdom, the triumph of righteousness and the life everlasting. Amen.

CHURCH NEWS

Thank you to Bill and Grada Herrick for ushering during today’s service.

Thank you to Gloria FitzSimons and Laura Stuart for hosting today’s Coffee Hour. Please join them in the parlor following the service.

The Advent Workshop is this afternoon at 4:00 pm in the Community House! We’ll be decorating gingerbread houses, creating Advent wreaths and enjoying a light supper followed by the singing of carols.

Next Sunday, December 6th at 4pm is our next First Sundays at Round Hill service. Britt and Robert Newman will be leading the music on this day and our worship will focus on the theme of “Living in the Light”. Please join us for this family-friendly, contemporary expression of prayer, followed by a light supper in the Parlor.

Give the gift of warmth…please donate to our Mitten Tree! Beginning next Sunday, December 6th, we will have a bare Christmas tree located in the Narthex that we hope to adorn with a large and beautiful array of new gloves, hats and mittens to keep little hands and heads warm this winter! All donations should be hung on the Mitten Tree and will then be distributed to our friends at Neighbor-to-Neighbor.

Christmas on Round Hill is just around the corner! Have you reserved your tickets for the Gala Preview Party on December 11th? Visit our website to conveniently purchase tickets online! Looking for elves to help with our Christmas on Round Hill event. The more the merrier and the

lighter the work! Sign-up sheets are in the Parlor for various tasks and food contributions.

Don’t forget to pick up extra invitations for friends! Invite them to the fun “Shop ‘til You Drop” Preview Party on Friday, December 11. Many thanks!!

Open casting call! “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” will take place during our service on Sunday, December 20. If you know the perfect shepherd and/or angel, 4 years old and above, bring them to the Pageant Rehearsal in the Sanctuary at 10:00 a.m. on Dec. 19. The rehearsal will run until noon, and all participants will be provided with costumes. All pageant characters must be at Church at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 20. There will be a special Coffee Hour following the Pageant, in the Church Parlor. All are welcome. Contact the Church Office at 203/869-1091 or visit roundhillcommunitychurch.org for more information.

This year it is the mission of our Church School to collect pop tops for Sister Rosemary and the Young Women and Girls of Saint Monica’s Girls Tailoring Center in Uganda. The pop tops will be made into beautiful purses to be sold to support the wonderful work of the Center!  During December our Church School children will pass around their own collection plates for pop tops (a.k.a. soda can pull tabs). Please bring all you have and then plan to continue collecting pop tops throughout the Church year. We hope to have a gigantic water bottle (or two!) filled with them by June!

Reflection is in order this coming holiday season as the world struggles with terror especially after the tragic attacks that shook Paris recently. With that in mind, Les Beaux Arts Gallery is hosting “A Time of Reflection,” an exhibition of paintings by Marcia R. Reich which opens today and runs through January 7, 2016. The exhibit highlights the artist's approach to the spiritual and mystical realm of angels. Please spend a few moments viewing the exhibit during coffee hour today.  

REFLECTION

How do we wait for God? We wait with patience. But patience does not mean passivity. Waiting patiently is not like waiting for the bus to come, the rain to stop, or the sun to rise. It is an active waiting in which we live the present moment to the full in order to find there the signs of the One we are waiting for.

The word patience comes from the Latin verb patior, which means ‘to suffer.’ Waiting patiently is suffering through the present moment, tasting it to the full, and letting the seeds that are sown in the ground on which we stand grow into strong plants. Waiting patiently always means paying attention to what is happening right before our eyes and seeing there the first rays of God’s glorious coming.

Henri Nouwen

I love Jesus, who said to us:Heaven and earth will pass away.When heaven and earth have passed away,my word will remain.What was your word, Jesus?Love? Forgiveness? Affection?All your words were one word:Wakeup.

Antonio Machado, I Never Wanted Fame

Welcome to a Whole New World!

For over sixteen centuries, the four weeks leading up to the cel-ebration of Christmas have had special meaning for people of Christian faith. This season of Advent (a word that is derived from a Latin root meaning ‘coming’ or ‘arrival’) is the beginning of the Christian year, and gives us an opportunity to reflect on core virtues of faithful living: hope, peace, joy and love. In contrast to a harassed and hurried culture, Advent invites us to ponder the places in our lives and world where new life is needed, and to wait for that birth: Waiting that requires patience and hopefulness and that are themselves gifts from God. So this season is not primarily about preparing for Christmas. It is about preparing for Christ, and the good news of his healing and love working through our lives.

May this season of Advent be a time of fruitful waiting for all of us, so that the love, faith and hope of Jesus Christ may find a home in our lives. And having found a home within us, may we bear witness in all that we say and do to the God of peace and justice.

Senior Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Edward G. HorstmannAssociate Pastor: The Rev. Dan Haugh

Minister Emeritus: The Rev. Dr. Ralph AhlbergMinister of Music: Christopher Kabala

Church School Coordinator: Connie Blunden

Round Hill Community Church395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT 06831

203.869.1091 roundhillcommunitychurch.org