PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Bob Guenzler Let us pray: Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen. SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 1:46-55 Pew Bible, NT pg. 57 Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God. People: Thanks be to God. SERMON Pastor Cindy Marino

THE CALL TO INTERCESSORY PRAYERS Pastor Don Niswonger The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. Please join us in a time of silent prayer. Please refer to the back of the flower insert for the Prayer List. For addi-tional prayer concerns you may fill out a blue prayer card located in the pews. Please provide a contact name and phone number. Prayer requests are carefully considered and prayed for by the Grace Prayer Group which meets in the chapel every Monday at 3:00pm. Anyone wishing to share in this important ministry is invited to attend. THE LORD'S PRAYER please use ‘sins’, instead of ‘debts’ UMH 896 PRAYER RESPONSE (Jul, jul, stålande jul) Gustaf Norqvist, arr. Dan Davison

CALL TO OFFERING Thank you for worshiping with us today! Please record your presence on the Friendship Pad placed at the end of each row. If you are a newcomer, please print your address and phone number. THE RECEIVING OF THE OFFERING

Wonderful Peace

THE OFFERTORY 16th c. Carol/ arr. Michael Engelhardt +THE DOXOLOGY Tune: God rest ye merry gentlemen [DHW] +BENEDICTION POSTLUDE Marianne Kim, Organ

WELCOME GUEST MUSICIANS! Jaina Krueger, Harp Marianne Kim, Organ, Piano, Digital Keyboard Collin Boltz, Alison Chang, Nils Higdon, Percussion

***************************************** The flowers are given by Ann Moore in honor of her daughter, Elaine Ridgway’s birth date. Our worship has ended, but our service begins... Please visit the Activity Center between worship services to enjoy refreshments and sign up for future activities. If you are a first time visitor, or desire to know more about our church, please come to the Welcome Table in the church lobby. SERVING YOU Greeters Jeff and Joan Meador Ushers Rex Dailey, Head Usher; Jill Sally & Neva Nelson, Co-Captains Sound Technician Harold Workman

Peace, peace, wonderful peace, Peace to the world is given. Hushed are the angels, so still is the night. Then in the East shone a heavenly light. Join in the chorus, His praises sing! Glory to God, to the newly born King! Peace, peace, wonderful peace, Peace to the world is given!

Gaudete

Grace United Methodist Church 300 E. Gartner Road, Naperville, IL 60540

(630) 355-1748; www.peopleofgrace.org

11:00 broadcast on WONC, 89.1 FM

“Making Room For Love” Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Jesus Christ, God’s Son And praise the Holy Spirit, the blessed Three-in-One, Praise God all people here on earth, for whom the Savior comes, You angels who sang Christ’s birth sing God’s worth, All saints and angels sing God’s worth!

“Making Room For Love”

December 17, 2017

9:30 am worship service

Angels sing in a clear clean voice,

a sweet, silver carol for the Savior born.

Radiant wings as the skies rejoice,

Arise and illuminate the morn.

Softly falls the morning snow,

Whispers to the sleeping world below:

“Glow like the softly falling snow.”

(Edward Esch/alt. D. Wagner)

(sung in Latin) Rejoice, Rejoice! Christ is born of the virgin Mary, Rejoice! It is now the time of grace that we have desired; Let us devoutly render songs of rejoicing. God was made man, and nature marvels; The world was renewed by Christ who is King. Therefore let our assembly now sing, Sing the Psalms to purify us; Let it praise the Lord: Greetings to our King.

+THE PASSING OF THE PEACE AN ADVENT CELEBRATION Conrad Susa

The Service of Worship Fourth Sunday of Advent December 17, 2017 9:30 am

PREPARING FOR WORSHIP Pastor Cindy Marino Let us prepare our hearts and minds as we transition from getting to church to being in worship. PRELUDE Marianne Kim, Piano Jaina Krueger, Harp WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ADVENT WREATH LIGHTING Schnute Family Reader: An audible gasp. The tingle of every nerve and the sudden rise of goose bumps. A noticeable blood pressure spike. Wouldn’t these be part of Mary’s experience in learning that she was to be the Godbearer–the one to deliver and nurture the Christ?

All: A swoon? A faint? Who would blame her if she passed out cold?

Reader: What thoughts must have rushed through her mind? Pregnant? Me? Now? How?

All: Improbable! Impossible? Ridiculous!

Reader: And yet the honor of being chosen-the honor of being handpicked by God to fulfill a most brilliant plan–caused Mary to blurt out a surprising response.

All: I am blessed! I am privileged! I will celebrate!

Reader: We pray:

All: We light a candle reminding ourselves that there is always a reason to rejoice because You are always good! Give us hearts as pliable as Mary’s to find the blessings in every circumstance. Amen. +HYMN arr. John Rutter

Grace United Methodist Church

Grace embraces diversity in our congregation. We dedicate ourselves to a ministry of Christ-like hospitality and compassion for all. We believe all

persons are of sacred worth. You are welcome here. Large print bulletins are available from an usher

+ The congregation will please stand as able

Daniel Pinkham

Eric Whitacre

1. O Come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. 2. O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan's tyrrany; From depths of hell thy people save, and give them vict'ry o'er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 3. (Choir only) O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to to flight. Rejoice...

A Christmas Garland

Noel, noel, noel! From God our Heavenly Father A blessed angel came; And unto certain shepherds Brought tidings of the same: How that in Bethlehem was born The Son of God by Name. O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy! Now to the Lord sing praises, All you within this place, And with true love and brotherhood Each other now embrace; This holy tide of Christmas Is drawing on apace. O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy! (all sing) God rest ye merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, For Jesus Christ, our Saviour Was born on Christmas Day; To save us all from Satan’s pow’r When we were gone astray. O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy; O tidings of comfort and joy! Noel, noel, noel! I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day, on Christmas day; I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas day in the morning. And what was in those ships all three? And what was in those ships all three? We three kings of Orient are; Bearing gifts we traverse afar, Field and fountain, moor and mountain, Following yonder star. O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light. Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain Gold I bring to crown Him again, King forever, ceasing never, Over us all to reign. Frankincense to offer have I; Incense owns a Deity nigh; Prayer and praising, all men raising, Worship Him God most high. Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume Breathes a life of gathering gloom; Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, Sealed in a stone cold tomb. Glorious now behold Him arise; King and God and sacrifice; Alleluia, Alleluia, Earth to the Heav’ns replies: O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light. Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child, By, by, lully, lullay! This poor youngling, For whom we do sing, Lullay, lully, lullay. O come, let us adore Him...... 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,

Glow

continued on next panel

Softly falls the winter snow,

whispers to the sleeping world below:

“Christmastide awakes,”

morning breaks and sets the earth aglow.

In gentle tones of warmest white,

proclaim the glory of this holy light.

How fine the sweetness from the bough, Evergreen, ever living,

Like the prayer offered now For a whole world’s forgiving;

While the Christ Child is sleeping, Worlds of woe in his keeping,

Worlds of joy in his dream. Lord, redeem us!

That when thou art waking,

The hearts we uplift Shall be thy Christmas gift

And be well worth thy taking.

How bright the radiance of the tree, Evergreen, everlasting,

Like the feast day to be After long years of fasting.

Bright in hope Christmas morning To the Christ Child returning,

Once again we believe. Lord receive us!

When we come before thee, The heart’s joy we bring Noel! Noel!

Shall sing And forever adore thee..

O Come, O Come Emmanuel Congregation, Choir, Ensemble

Evergreen

4. O come, O come, thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai's height, In ancient times didst give the law in cloud and majesty, and awe.Rejoice... 5. O come, thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heav'nly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.Rejoice...

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, Sing all ye citizens of heav’n above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, .... Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heav’n and nature sing, And Heav’n and nature sing, And Heav’n, and Heav’n, and nature sing. 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. Noel, noel! Noel, noel! Noel, noel!