Fairlawn Christian Reformed Church

The Third Sunday of Advent

December 17, 2006      10:15 A.M.

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Preparation And Praise

Upon entering the sanctuary please maintain silence for the sake of the congregation’s preparation for worship.

   Prelude:                             “O Little Town of Bethlehem” arr. Davis

                 “The Messiah Medley”                         arr. Wyrtzen

   Welcome and Announcements

   Silent Prayer and Preparation

*  Call to Worship:                                                    Isaiah 52

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.  The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of tour God.

* Hymn:  PH 335    “Hark! The Glad Sound! The Savior Comes”

                                                                                                            Richmond

* God’s Greeting:

Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

Blessed be God,

And blessed is his kingdom, now and forever.  Amen.

*  Prayer of the Day: 

Almighty and everlasting God, who orders all things in heaven and on earth, we give you thanks and praise that you prepared your people through all ages for the coming of your Son, our Redeemer. Prepare us for the coming of him whom you sent, and grant that we may receive him in holiness of life, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  


 

Lighting of the Advent Candle:                         Mary’s Candle

   Response:   PH 328  “O Come, O Come, Immanuel” Veni Immanuel

O Come, O Bright and Morning Star,

and bring us comfort from afar!

Dispel the shadows of the night

and turn our darkness into light.

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.

Confession And Prayer

   Responsive Reading of the Law:  PH 1016

   Prayer of Confession:

Almighty and all holy Father, we confess that we are unworthy of this unspeakable gift we have received in Christ Jesus. We have not loved you as we ought, nor have we always loved one another and forgiven one another, even as you have loved and forgiven us. We have lived for ourselves and have not always used the gifts you have given us to relieve the burdens of others. Pardon and blot out our offenses, merciful Father. Prepare our hearts by your grace for deeper repentance and holiness of life. Give to us a longing to be free from the dominion of sin, through the deliverance secured by Jesus Christ our redeemer, in whose name we pray.

Silent Prayer and Confession      

Minister: Amen.

   Assurance of Pardon:                                              Isaiah 44

   Response:         “O Little Town of Bethlehem”               St. Louis

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv’n!

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav’n.

No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,

where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.

O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;

cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.

[Children age 3 - grade Pre-K may leave during the Response.]

   Congregational Prayer

The Service Of The Word

*  Hymn:  Insert         “All Praise to Thee, Eternal Lord”   Canonbury

    Reading from the Old Testament:                        Isaiah 49:1-7

   Anthem:  “Jesu Bambino”                                  Pietro A. Yon

   Sermon: The Ministry of the Servant of the Lord

   Prayer

*  Hymn:  PH 350              “Christians, Awake ”              Yorkshire

The Offering of Tribute

*  Offertory Prayer

   Offering:  Fairlawn General Fund

        Offertory:  “Veni, Veni”                                        arr. Davis

Blessing and Dismissal

*  Blessing:

May he who by his Incarnation gathered into one all things earthly and heavenly, fill you with the sweetness of inward peace and goodwill; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Hoy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you now and forever.  Amen.

*  Doxology: PH 327  “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”  Puer Nobis

All praise to you, eternal Son,

whose advent has our freedom won,

whom with the Father we adore,

and Holy Spirit, evermore.

   Postlude   

*Indicates congregation stands

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