How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Save

Service of Worship

Elevation I
Don Paul Benoit
© Public Domain

Call To Worship
Our God reigns!
Robed with majesty and armed with strength,
God holds our world and our lives securely.
This is the God to whom we have given our lives—
the God who deserves our worship and our praise!

Opening Hymn 211 — O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (v. 1-3)

1. O come O come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

Refrain
Rejoice rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee
O Israel

2. O come Thou Wisdom from on high
And order all things far and nigh
To us the path of knowledge show
And cause us in her ways to go

Refrain

3. O come O come great Lord of might
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe

Refrain

O Come O Come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel)
Henry Sloane Coffin | Laurence Hull Stookey | Thomas Helmore
© Words: 1940, 1943, 1981, 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House
© Music: Public Domain
CCLI License # 656051

Children’s Time with Ms Becky

Joys and Concerns — Pastoral Prayer

Pastoral Prayer
Today, Jesus, we are faced with a wonderful truth to proclaim,
but also, an awesome and uncomfortable responsibility.
We praise you and celebrate you as Ascended Lord;
we recognize that you have authority over all things,
but we live in a world where greed and power and violence
seem to be in control.
And so, as you call us, we pray:
Come as Lord, Jesus, and set the world to rights.

We praise you and celebrate you as the Way, Truth & Life;
we recognize that in you our life is made whole and full;
but we live in a world where death, brokenness and need
appear to be everywhere.
And so, as you call us, we pray:
Come as Lord, Jesus, and set the world to rights.

We praise you and celebrate you as God among us;
we receive your invitation to live God’s dream;
but we live in a world where dreams and hearts
are broken daily, and hope seems all but lost.
And so, as you call us, we pray:
Come as Lord, Jesus, and set the world to rights.
And we pray as you taught us:

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,
for ever. Amen.

Offering Our Gifts to the Lord
For those who are called and able, gifts and tithes can still be made through online giving, by mailing them in, and by dropping them off to the office through the secure mail slot to the left of the double door entry to the church hallway.

Offertory – Heidi

America The Beautiful (Materna)
Katharine Lee Bates | Samuel Augustus Ward
© Public Domain

Doxology

Offertory Prayer

Majestic Lord, you unselfishly provide us with the sanctuary of your love. You wisely calm our imagined fears while nurturing our dream-filled hopes. Grant us the ability to serve you faithfully. Joyfully, we honor you with these tithes and offerings. Blessed be your name! Amen.

Scripture Reading – Acts 1:9-11 (NRSV)

9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Sermon – Pastor Stacy Dickson
How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Special Music – Antone

Benediction

Go out into the world.
and in your words and in your lives
bear witness to the Christ who has ascended
to be everywhere present.
And as you come to know him,
may God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation,
may Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you,
and may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
…In the name of Christ. Amen.

Postlude – Hani