Wellesley Village Church United Church of Christ

First Worship, 9am, Village Hall December 6, 2015

“Making Room for Peace”

The Second Sunday of Advent

Welcome to First Worship! We extend a welcome as broad as the outstretched arms of

God, who calls us together to pray, sing, and rejoice in God’s glorious presence.

If you are an old friend, or here for the very first time, we welcome you. Feel free to

bring coffee, snacks, and juice to your seat. Make sure you take a moment before or

after worship to meet those whom you are worshipping with today.

We especially welcome children to worship. We welcome their voices, their hands,

and their feet to be a part of how we all worship God together. Children are also

welcome to use the activity bags to connect with God in this sacred time.

This is a special place for us to be with God, and all these people whom God loves.

Welcome!

All music and words in this bulletin are reprinted by

permission under OneLicense.net, License #A-714276

and by CCLI, License #2910233.

ORDER OF WORSHIP

PRELUDE

RINGING THE HOUR

GATHERING SONG “If in your heart” Music by Ana Hernandez

Words by Angelus Silesius

CALL TO WORSHIP Josh Fitterling

CONFESSION

SUNG RESPONSE “O Come O Come Emmanuel”

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

ADVENT LITANY The Candle of Peace

One: Today, we light the candle for the second Sunday in Advent. This is the

candle of PEACE. As we prepare for the coming of Jesus, we remember

that Jesus is our hope and our peace.

One: Listen to these words from the prophet Isaiah: “For a child has been born

for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is

named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of

Peace.”

One: And from the Gospel of John: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give

to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts

be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

One: Let us pray:

All: Wonderful counselor and mighty God, we are easily distracted by the

things of this world. May our hearts not be troubled and may we not be

afraid. May we seek your peace this week, as we prepare for the

coming of the child born for us. Amen.

SUNG RESPONSE “Light a Candle Bright and Tall”

Light a candle bright and tall

For the Peace we wish to know.

Peace on Earth for great and small

God’s Good News to us bestows.

Shine within our hearts today

Come, O Christ, to us, we pray.

SERVICE OF BAPTISM

Invitation Pam Emslie

The Covenant of Promises

Of the Candidate

Of the Parents

Of the Godparents

Of the Congregation

Deacon: Will you who witness and celebrate this sacrament promise your

love, support and care to those who are about to be baptized?

Congregation: We will, with the help of God. Through this act we welcome

these beloved ones into the fellowship of Christ’s church and invite

them to share with us the cost and joy of discipleship. We promise to

receive them as fellow pilgrims on the Christian way, to guide them

by our precepts and example, that all of us may grow in the

knowledge and love of God, according to the measure of the fullness

of Christ. Amen.

Pouring of the Water

Prayer of Blessing

The Act of Baptism

Congregational Response

Deacon: Anjali, with this shawl we wrap our love around you.

Congregation: We thank you, God, for Anjali Katherine, bless her and

keep her now and forever.

Deacon: Natalie, with this shawl we wrap our love around you.

Congregation: We thank you, God, for Natalie Kumari, bless her and

keep her now and forever.

Deacon: Let us pray

Congregation: God of our fathers and mothers, and our God, we thank

you for these beloved ones, and for the grace acknowledged here

today in water and spirit. Grant us grace to receive, nurture and

befriend these new members of the body of Christ. Give to the newly

baptized strength for life’s journey, courage in time of suffering, the

joy of faith, the freedom to love, and the hope of new life, through

Jesus Christ, who makes us one. Amen.

*PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST

*SUNG RESPONSE “Prepare Us Lord”

SCRIPTURE Isaiah 11:1-9 Sarah Sarchet Butter

Mark 14: 17-24

SERMON

OFFERING

WORDS & MUSIC: Ken Bible PREPARE US

Copyright © 2003 by LNWhymns.com (ASCAP). All rights reserved.

Administered by The Copyright Company, 1025 16th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37212.

CCLI Song #4079778

SERMON RESPONSE “Walls Mark Our Bound’ries” Words by Ruth Duck

*COMMUNION

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.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

SUNG RESPONSE “Rejoice, Rejoice”

*BENEDICTION

Receiving the Sacrament of Baptism at First Worship

Anjali Katherine Jain and Natalie Kumari Jain, born on September 18, 2002, daughters of

Jacqueline Samson Jain and Rakesh Kumar Jain. The godparents are Lucy Samson Heidkamp

and Rachel St. Pierre.

Baptismal Blanket We thank the Prayer Shawl knitters for the gift of the baptismal blanket

that is given to the newly baptized today.

Communion Bread

Our communion bread was baked with love and care by the Village Bread Ministry.

Advent Coat Drive

The Service Ministry challenges Wellesley Village Church to donate 100 new

children’s coats by Sunday, December 13 for City Mission Society. Warm coats in sizes

5-20 are desperately needed. There will be a coat rack in Village Common to hang

your donations on.

YOUTH MINISTRY

6th and 7th Grade Youth Group M eets every other Sunday from 5-6:30pm.

8th Grade Youth Group M eets every other Tuesday from 6:30-8pm.

Confirmation (9th Grade youth) Meets most Wednesdays from 7:30-9pm

High School Youth Group (10-12 grade) Meets Sunday evenings 7-8:30pm.

Please check the Youth Program Calendar on the church website for dates.

For more information, contact Pam Emslie, Associate Pastor for Youth, at 781-235-1988, x15; or by

email at pam@wellesleyvillagechurch.org.

MUSIC MINISTRY

Cherub Choir for children in Kindergar ten, 1st and 2nd grades.

Come sing!

Rehearsals: December 6, 11:15 following Church School, Sanctuary

Spring rehearsals begin in February.

Singing in Church:

December 13 at Second Worship, gather at 9:20 in Burtt Chapel that morning.

For more information, please contact Linda Harding, Cherub Choir Director, by email at

hardinglr@gmail.com.

Junior Choir: Grades 3-6 Rehearsals after Second Worship, 11:15am-12:00pm

Youth Choir: Grades 7-12 Rehearsals W ednesday evenings 6:15-7:00pm

Instrumentalists

If you play an instrument and would like to share your gifts with our church, please contact Dr.

McDonald.

For more information on Junior or Youth Choir and being an Instrumentalist please contact Dr.

Kevin McDonald, Director of Youth Music, by email at mcdonaldkevin23@yahoo.com.

Senior Choir

The Senior Choir welcomes new singers and rehearses each Sunday at 8:30-9:30 am. There is no mid-

week rehearsal.

For more information on the Senior Choir, please see Director David Carrier in the choir loft or at

coffee hour after Second Worship.

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

Church School Today:

Kindergarten students and younger will be welcomed in their classrooms on the Upper Level

before worship begins:

• Toddlers, two and three year olds will meet in their classroom located on the upper level at the

top of the stairs just outside the Sanctuary; use the door to the left of the piano.

• Four year olds and Kindergarteners will meet in the 4/K Room located on the upper level

beyond the library.

• Grades 1 - 8 will begin in the sanctuary worshipping with their families until it is time for class as

noted in the bulletin. At that time, children will receive a blessing and then continue to church

school together.

• Grades 1 - 5 meet in Village Hall on the lower level.

• Grades 6 - 8 meet in the Art Studio on the lower level.

After Worship,

• Toddlers through 3rd grade should be picked up from class by a parent/guardian immediately

after worship.

• 4th Grade and older will be released from class at the end of worship.

Children of all ages are welcome in our sanctuary to worship and be part of our service. Worship bags are

available in baskets at each of the entrances. Children’s bulletins are available from an usher.

The Family Worship Room, located just outside the Sanctuary to the left of the piano, is for

families who wish to worship together in a child-centered space. The service is piped in on a live audio

feed. Please feel welcome to use this room anytime during worship.

For more information, please contact Michaela McDonald, Director of Children’s Ministries, by

email at Michaela@wellesleyvillagechurch.org ir by phone 781-235-1988, x16.

The Rev. Sarah Sarchet Butter ~ Senior Pastor

Associate Pastors Pastoral Residents

The Rev. Pam Emslie The Rev. Megan Snell

The Rev. Liz Garrigan-Byerly The Rev. Joshua Fitterling

Jodi Hitzhusen – Director of First Worship Music

Wellesley Village Church

An Open and Affirming Congregation of the

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

2 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02482

Office: 781-235-1988

Urgent Pastoral Care Cell : 781-591-7451

www.wellesleyvillagechurch.org

Our Church Covenant

We are banded together as a Christian Church

to maintain the worship of God,

to proclaim the gospel of Christ,

to develop in all people a consciousness of their relations and duties

to God and to each other, and

to inspire them with love for truth, passion for righteousness,

and enthusiasm for service.

To this end we pledge our loyalty to Christ and covenant with each

other

to express God’s spirit in our individual and corporate life;

to live together as Christians and to submit ourselves to the

government of this Church,

working, giving, praying for its increase, its purity, its peace,

and seeking in every way to make it a power

for the building up of the kingdom of God.