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Fairlawn Christian Reformed Church The Fourth Sunday of Advent December 24, 2006 10:15 A.M. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preparation And Praise Upon entering the sanctuary please maintain silence for the sake of the congregation’s preparation for worship. Prelude: “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice!” Lübeck “Fanfare on ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’” Lasky Welcome and Announcements Silent Prayer and Preparation * Call to Worship: Isaiah 49 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” He who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, says, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” * Hymn: PH 345 “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” Mendelssohn * 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 God, who makes us glad with the yearly festival of the birth of Jesus Christ, grant that as we joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, so may we behold him without fear when he shall come to be our Judge, even Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Lighting of the Advent Candle: The Shepherds’ Candle Response: PH 328 “O Come, O Come, Immanuel” Veni Immanuel O come, O Key of David, come and open wide our heavenly home. Make safe for us the heavenward road and bar the way to death’s abode. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel. Confession And Prayer Prayer of Confession: Eternal God our Father, we acknowledge that our hearts are restless until they rest in you. You alone can fill our deepest longings and quiet our restless spirits. In all of our preparations for this holy season, we have often neglected your Word and have sought our peace and security in the things which perish, rather than in you, the everlasting God. We have not loved what we ought to have loved, and we have coveted what is not ours. We have not always trusted you for the provisions of our lives and have complained in our hearts about our families, our circumstances, our health, our trials, and about your church. Forgive us, we pray, and renew within us the image of your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ, through whom we pray. Silent Prayer and Confession Minister: Amen. Assurance of Pardon: Isaiah 25 Anthem: “For Unto Us a Child Is Born” arr. Fettke Congregational Prayer The Service Of The Word * Hymn: PH 342 “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” Divinum Mysterium [Children age 3 - grade Pre-K may leave during the hymn.] Reading from the Old Testament: Isaiah 50:4-10 Sermon: The Obedience of the Servant Prayer * Hymn: PH 337 “Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come” Antioch The Offering of Tribute * Offertory Prayer Offerings: Fairlawn General Fund Faith Promise for Missions Offertory: “Angels We Have Heard on High” arr. Wilson 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
Postlude: “Joy to the World” arr. Wolz *Indicates congregation stands ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |