GATHERED

PreludeZechariah’s Lullaby

Wilbur Held

The Church’s One Foundation Anne Krentz Organ

Dr. Mark Baumann, CAGO, piano

Welcome

Call to Worship

If life was a home, then we would pray—

may love be the foundation.May God be the cornerstone.

May the Spirit be the windows—ushering light in.

And may hope be the walls— holding us together.

In this hour of worship, let us work toward building that home together.We may not know the path ahead,

but God is here, even now.Let us give thanks

for a foundation of love.Let us worship Holy God.

Call to Worship SongMake of My Heart a Stable

(see slides/insert)stanza 1, Song Leader

stanzas 2-3, congregationText and Music: Amanda Udis-Kessler

Used by permission

Song Leader

Make of my heart a stable, a house for the Holy,

a warm and sturdy place for hope to live and grow.

Congregation

Make of my life a stable, a house for the Holy,

a warm and sturdy place for hope to live and grow.

Make of our church a stable, a house for the Holy,

a warm and sturdy place for hope to live and grow.

Second Sunday of AdventDecember 5, 2021 | 9:00 am Worship

Informational graphics at the end of worship guide.

+ Please Stand

Worship AttendantsRev. Dr. Sherrie Ilg, Lead Pastor

Rev. Jonathan Heifner, Associate Pastor of DiscipleshipRev. Daniel Niyonzima, Associate Pastor, African Nationals

Dr. Mark Baumann, CAGO, Coordinator of Music MinistriesMichael Sauer, Director of Sanctuary Choir

Kelly Truax, AccompanistLana Lodge, Song Leader

Kyle Langston and Elle Crilley, LiturgistsLaura Azelborn, Slide Presenter

Wes Nygren, VideographerMike Morse, Audio

Advent Candle Lighting

Opening Prayer

Holy God,When John was born,

Zechariah leaned down and whispered words of love into his

ear. We know that you do the same for us, day in and day out,

yet we fail to hear it.We forget that in the

beginning we were made good.We doubt that we

could possibly be enough.We hustle for our self-worth

and wear ourselves out aiming for perfection.

We deflect words of praise.We hide behind shiny

first impressions.Forgive us. Trusting our worth is the hardest job.

Open our ears as you open our hearts,

so that we might rest on the foundation of goodness

you have laid for us.Gratefully we pray, amen.

Words of Forgiveness

Family of faith,No matter how old we get,God continues to say to us:

“You are loved; you are forgiven.”That is the foundation of our lives.

That is the truth upon which we build our home.So breathe deeply.

There is grace and peace here.Join me in proclaiming

this good news:We are loved. We are forgiven.

We are claimed. This is our foundation. Thanks be to God.

Amen.

Opening HymnThe Church’s One Foundation

UMH 545

The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; she is

his new creation by water and the Word. From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride;

with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.

Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth;

her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth; one holy

name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she

presses, with every grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonder we see her sore oppressed, by schisms rent asunder,

by heresies distressed, yet saints their watch are keeping;

their cry goes up, “How long?” And soon the night of weeping

shall be the morn of song.

Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war,

she waits the consummation of peace forevermore; till, with the vision glorious,

her longing eyes are blest, and the great church victorious

shall be the church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One,

and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won.

O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we like them,

the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with thee.

The Peace

FORMED

Act of Praise An Instrument of Your Peace

Ralph ManuelSanctuary Choir

Michael Sauer, director

+ Gospel Lesson Luke 1:57-80

When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a boy. Her neighbors and relatives celebrated with her because they

had heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy. On the eighth day, it came time to circumcise the child. They wanted to name him Zechariah because that was his father’s name.

But his mother replied, “No, his name will be John.” They said to her, “None of your relatives

have that name.” Then they began gesturing to his father to see what

he wanted to call him. After asking for a tablet, he surprised everyone by writing, “His name is John.” At that moment, Zechariah was able to speak again, and he began praising God. All their neighbors were filled with awe, and everyone throughout the Judean highlands talked about what had happened. All who heard about this considered it carefully.

They said, “What then will this child be?” Indeed, the Lord’s power was with him. John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, “Bless the Lord God of Israel because he has come to help

and has delivered his people.He has raised up a mighty savior for

us in his servant David’s house,just as he said through the mouths

of his holy prophets long ago.He has brought salvation from our

enemies and from the power of all those who hate us.

He has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,

and remembered his holy covenant, the solemn pledge he made to our ancestor Abraham. He has granted that we would be rescued from the power of our enemies so that we

could serve him without fear,in holiness and righteousness

in God’s eyes, for as long as we live.You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go

before the Lord to prepare his way.You will tell his people how to be saved through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of our God’s deep compassion, the dawn from

heaven will break upon us, to give light to those who are sitting in

darkness and in the shadow of death,to guide us on the path of peace.”

The child grew up, becoming strong in character. He was in the

wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

+ Hymn of PreparationZechariah’s Lullaby

(see slides/insert)Text: Anna Strickland

Tune: CRADLE SONG

When old Zechariah held his baby son

He blessed him and dreamed of what he would become

As baby John rocked in the temple that morn

This song Zechariah sang for his newborn

“And you child will be called a prophet of ChristTo bring hope to hearts and to shadows the lightFor God has sent visions

of what you will doA dream to proclaim

and a world to renew”

We lay a foundation for what is to be

Not knowing yet praying for what we can’t see

We trust in God’s imagination to buildFrom blueprints and

hope for a dream yet fulfilled

SermonClose to Home:

Laying the Foundation (Peace)

Response to the Word Prepare the Way of the Lord

Hal H. HopsonMessiah Singers and Ringers

Prepare the Way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert

a highway for our God.

Prayers of the People

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.And also with you.Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.Let us give thanks to

the Lord our God.It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to

give thanks to you, Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.

You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life.

When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.

You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through your prophets, who looked for that daywhen justice shall roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, when nation

shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they

learn war anymore.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and

earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest!

Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!

Blest is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ,

whom you sent in the fullness of time to be a light to the nations.

You scatter the proud in the imaginations of their hearts

and have mercy on those who fear you from generation to generation.

You put down the mighty from their thrones and exalt those of

low degree. You fill the hungry with good things, and the rich you send empty away. Your own Son came

among us as a servant, to be Emmanuel, your presence with us. He humbled himself in obedience

to your will and freely accepted death on a cross.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,

you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and

death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread,

gave thanks to you, broke the bread,gave it to his disciples, and said:

“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me,”

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave

it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my

blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the

forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,we offer ourselves in praise and

thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim

the mystery of faith.

Christ has died, Christ is risen;

Christ will come again.Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be

for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world

the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one

in ministry to all the world,until Christ comes in final victory,

and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your Holy

Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever.

Amen. Amen. Amen.Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!

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 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.Amen.

Giving the Bread & Cup How Firm a Foundation

UMH 529Tithes and offerings may be brought forward at this time.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent word! What more

can he say than to you he hath said, to you who for refuge to Je-

sus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, for I am thy God and will still give thee aid; I’ll strengthen and help thee,

and cause thee to stand upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go, the rivers

of woe shall not thee overflow; for I will be with thee, thy troubles

to bless, and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

“When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie, my grace,

all-sufficient, shall be thy supply; the flame shall not hurt thee;

I only design thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

“The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose, I will not, I will not desert to its foes;

that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake.”

Prayer after Communion

SENT

+ Dismissal with Blessing

Going Forth

Postlude How Firm a Foundation

Janet Linker

Publishing Credits: Liturgy by Rev. Sarah Speed. Graphic Design by Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman | Original photography by Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org. The liturgy is reprinted with permission from The United Methodist Book of Worship, © 1992 The United Methodist Publishing House. Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-714641; CCLI 435430 and CRL030829.

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