Westminster United Church
“We are journeying together in God’s love . . .
to discover, nurture and share our gifts.”
Advent IV—Christmas Pageant
December 21, 2008
If you would like to stay seated for any or all of the “standing” parts of the service, please feel free to do so.
We Gather To Worship God
Prelude
Sharing Announcements
A Time of Greeting
A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle
Call to Worship (Responsive)
One: First-born of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth, born lowly, yet born to be a great teacher.
All: May all nations see his face, the face that loves us into justice and sharing.
One: May we who are disciples see Jesus’ face, the face that loves us into community.
All: May each of us see Jesus’ face, the face that loves us into
compassion.
Opening Prayer (Unison)
Our hearts are filled with praise. Our lives are filled with blessing. Our dreams are filled with hope, and our world with promise. May we know these things as seeds of what may be and turn our lives into nurturing such promise. As those who know a common joy, we pray. Amen. ~ Gretta Vosper
Advent III: Candle of Love (Responsive)
One: Last Sunday we lit the candle of peace, the third Advent
candle. We light it again, along with the candles of hope and
joy, which will always be brought to birth in, through, and
among all creation.
All: The fourth Advent candle is the candle of love. In the
stillness of our worship here we light it, watching it burn
and glow.
One: And we affirm that we are a people of faith always seeking
to break down the walls that divide and separate us, as a
community and in the lives of people near and far.
All: Let us remember that without hope, joy, peace and love,
people struggle to find their way.
Advent Song
A candle is burning, a flame warm and bright,
a candle of hope in December's dark night.
While angels sing blessings from heaven's starry sky,
our hearts we prepare now for Jesus is nigh.
A candle is burning, a candle of joy,
a candle to welcome brave Mary's new boy.
Our hearts fill with wonder, and eyes light and glow
as joy brightens winter like sunshine on snow.
A candle is burning, a candle of peace,
a candle to signal that conflict must cease:
for Jesus is coming to show us the way;
a message of peace humbly laid in the hay.
A candle is burning, a candle of love,
a candle to point us to heaven above.
A baby for Christmas, a wonderful birth,
for Jesus is bringing God's love to our earth.
Conversation Time
Prayer for Transformation & Words of Assurance
Advent should admonish us to discover in each brother or sister that we greet, in each friend whose hand we shake, in each beggar who asks for bread, in each worker who wants to exercise the right to join a union, in each peasant who looks for work in the coffee groves, the face of Christ. Then it will not be possible to rob them, to cheat them, to deny them their rights. They are Christ. And whatever is done to them Christ will take as done to him. That is what Advent is: Christ living among us…(time for silent reflection)
Words of Assurance (One)
We Listen For God’s Word
The Christmas Pageant
Junior Choir Sings: “The Friendly Beasts”
Hymn # 9 “People, Look East”
Mission Moment
We Respond In Giving And Gratitude
Our Church Tithes and Offerings
Offertory
Dedication #55 “In the Bleak Midwinter” vs 4
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give – give my heart.
Prayer of Dedication (One)
Prayer of Thanksgiving, Intercession & Lord’s Prayer
Hymn # 44 “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”
Commissioning (Responsive)
One: Go with joy!
All: We are ready to welcome Jesus.
One: Go with peace!
All: We are prepared to welcome the Prince of Peace.
One: Go with hope!
All: We understand that from darkness, light will shine forth.
One: Above all, go with love!
All: We realize that God’s love in Christ, is for us, and for all
humankind.
Choral Amen
#884 “You Shall Go Out With Joy” (x2)
You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace;
the mountains and the hills will break forth before you;
there'll be shouts of joy, and all the trees of the field
will clap, will clap their hands!
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands, (clap, clap)
the trees of the field will clap their hands, (clap, clap)
the trees of the field will clap their hands (clap, clap)
while you go out with joy.
Postlude
The Life And Work Of The Congregation
This Week at Westminster (December 21 – December 27)
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Sun. |
Worship – Advent IV |
10:30 a.m. |
Sanctuary |
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Christmas Pageant Jr. Choir Sings |
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Wed. |
Christmas Eve Family Candlelight Service |
6:00 p.m. |
Sanctuary |
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Communion Candle Service |
8:00 p.m. |
Sanctuary |
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Thurs. |
Christmas Day Office Closed |
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No Senior Choir Practise |
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Fri. |
Office Closed |
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Next Week at Westminster (December 28 – January 3)
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Sun. |
Worship/Music Carol Service |
10:30 a.m. |
Sanctuary |
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No Junior Choir Practise |
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Wed. |
Fiscal Year Closes |
12 Noon |
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Thurs. |
New Year’s Day Office Closed |
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No Senior Choir Practise |
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Friendship Rosters: Please sign the Friendship Roster this morning. It is a helpful record of your worship presence and a way to share special concerns (ie. Prayer requests, name tag requests, etc.)
After today’s service, there will be Christmas crafts and cookie decorating in Memorial Hall!
Christmas Outreach This is the last Sunday we are collecting items for the Homeless Shelter. This is also the last day to collect money to buy Christmas Outreach This is the last Sunday we are collecting items for the Homeless Shelter. This is also the last day to collect money to buy mosquito netting for children in developing countries to protect them from malaria. Thank you for your generosity.
Do you need ideas for buying a gift for someone who has everything? If you would like to buy a gift and don't know what that would be, you could help by purchasing something for those in developing countries that would help them survive. These are some web sites you can go to, to see if there is something that you would like to buy. www.shopunicef.ca the link is gifts of magic. www.oxfamunwrapped.ca and catalogue.worldvision.ca. You can let the person for whom you are buying a gift know that you have bought a goat or pig or chicken in their name.
Other Christmas events for downtown Medicine Hat Church’s: see bulletin board by Memorial Hall.
Kiwanis Christmas Dinner For Anyone Alone at Christmas Residents of Medicine Hat, Redcliff and District are invited to attend the Christmas Dinner December 25th at 1:00 p.m. Application forms may be obtained at the Veiner Centre, Strathcona Centre, Churches, Senior Citizen’s Homes, or Nursing Homes. For more information call Veiner Centre 403-529-8383 or Strathcona Centre 403-529-8307.
Your 2009 Offering Envelopes are available in the Narthex. The cost of the Observer is $14.00. When you pick up your envelopes, please confirm the 2009 number is the same as number you had in 2008. People on PAR were not issued envelopes and their number has been changed. Please do not use these envelopes, including the Observer envelope until the year 2009. Destroy your old unused envelopes in the New Year. Thanks for your cooperation. ~ Murray Bell.
Year 2008 Contributions: The deadline to contribute funds in the 2008 tax year is noon, December 31, 2008. The office will be closed at this time; however, there is a mail slot to the left of the burgundy doors (office entrance) where you may deposit your contributions. This slot will be emptied at noon on December 30th. Contributions received in person or by mail or left in the church mailbox after this time will be credited to the 2009 tax year.
The ministry of Westminster United Church was extended into the community this past week as Jane conducted the funeral services for Dennis Bangs and Thelma Dooley, and James conducted the funeral service for Thomas Zelzinik.
Celebrations This Week
Birthdays: Jordyn Allan, Florence Leech, Jim Hayward, Nancy Adams, Noel Schnell, Bette Frisch, Jeannette Zollner, Bob Porter, Dave Gerhardt, Barb Grozell, Sydney Blatz, Norma Gaffney, Gordon Oster.
Flowers are placed in the Sanctuary this morning in loving memory of, Lyle & Marg Smith from Vern & Adair Prouty.
In loving memory of my husband, Emil Bauer by Marian & Family.
South Alberta Presbytery
Your prayers are requested for Bethlehem—Palestinians and Israelis.
Our Order of Ministry This Morning
Sunday School Co-ordinators........................................................... Jackie Schlenker, Kim Hanson
Greeters & Ushers............................................................................ Joyce Carlson, Mina Carlson
........................................................................................................ Julia Taylor, May Cooper
Acting Nursery Convenor................................................................. Jackie Carlson
Coffee Hosts.................................................................................... Larry & Vera Henderson
........................................................................................................ Dub & Gwen Henderson
Elder-in-Charge................................................................................ Lesley Berg
Stewardship Thought For Today
God gives us glorious, perplexing, unbelievably wonderful gifts! Stewards recognize them for what they are—
and give God the best they have to offer in return.
By Kathie Murphy
Christmas Eve Services
6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Family Candlelight Service
with Carols
8:00 p.m. Communion Service with Candlelight
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