WELCOME TO
Princeton United Methodist Church We are a diverse faith community, engaged in enlivening spiritually thirsty people to joyfully respond to God’s love and grow as disciples of Christ, so that together we may experience the fullness of life.
SCAN TO CONNECT WITH US OR TEXT 'PUMC' TO 609-542-2192
DECEMBER 17, 2023 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
SCAN TO GIVE OR TEXT YOUR GIFT AMOUNT TO 609-554-1128
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR STAFF ONGOING We hope you will consider giving generously to Christmas gifts for staff this year. Your gift of a check, cash, or electronic payment is most appreciated. Please mark your gift “Staff Gift.” If you have any questions, please contact Iona Harding at ifkharding@gmail.com. DIAPER DRIVE ONGOING Help us meet our goal of collecting 3,000 diapers to provide for some of our youngest neighbors. Please bring any size, but larger sizes (5, 6, 7, and trainers) are especially needed. Diapers can be placed under the Christmas Tree. You can also participate by sending a check to the church office and noting the diaper drive, or using this QR code to go to their amazon wishlist. LONGEST NIGHT SERVICE DEC 19 This special evening worship service takes place on the longest night of the year, a symbolic time to gather as a faith community to lament, cry, grieve, and process the many heavy feelings that can weigh on us during the holiday season.
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What Wonder Turns Into | Lisle Gwynn Garrity Acrylic painting on canvas with digital drawing
THE CHURCH GATHERS
Pre-Service Music
Christmas Pastourelle
Call to Worship
Ferrari, Gustave A Sanctified Art
Our God can part the sea. God can bring water from a rock, and provide bread in the desert. Our God can walk on water. He can heal the sick, and turn water into wine. Our God sets the stars In the sky. God hears our voice when we cry, and is closer than our own breath. There is nothing our God cannot do Let us stand in awe. Let us worship God with wonder.
Hymn God Almighty, We are Waiting see insert Abu Ibrahim, Michele Tuck-Ponder, Lighting of the Advent Wreath Lindsey Donaldson, Renai Ellison How does a weary world practice joy? By dancing, and throwing birthday parties. By hanging Christmas lights, and holding sleepy babies. By singing loudly , and looking for good news. By telling the story of Jesus, and showing up for our community. There are a million ways to practice joy. So today we light the candle of joy as a reminder and a charge. With God’s help, may we bring peace into a weary world. God Almighty, We are Waiting v3
Prayer of Confession
A Sanctified Art
Join me in the prayer of confession: Holy God, somewhere in our childhood we face pressure to outgrow awe. We turn into adults who obsess over data and facts. We praise those who have answers, and assume that wonder is an answerless game. Forgive us for closing that door to you. Remind us that the kingdom of God belongs to children. Teach us the ways of awe and wonder, so that like Zechariah, when we find ourselves speechless, our first words will be words of praise. With hearts open wide, we pray, . . .
Words of Assurance
silence for prayer
Family of faith, just as we marvel at mountains and newborns, at sunrises and sunsets, God marvels at us. There is nothing you could do or leave undone that could prevent God from loving you. So hear and believe the good news of the gospel: In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Alleluia! Amen.
SHARING IN WORSHIP TODAY
Acolytes -Ethan Hamilton, Sequoah Hadley Liturgists - Ian Griffiths, Mickey Hamilton Reader - Isabella Dougan Musicians - Julia Hanna, Chancel Choir Ushers - Douglas Fullman, Rich Hadley, Steve Wong, James Frisbee, Ulanda Frisbee
TODAY'S FLOWERS ARE GIVEN
TO HEAR THE WORD AND REFLECT Music Ministry
Christmastide
Children's Time
Where Children Belong
Scripture Readings
Luke 1:57-66; Psalm 126
Tom Shelton
TFWS #2233
This is the Word of Life. Thanks be to God.
Sermon
We Allow Ourselves to be Amazed
Rev. Jenny Smith Walz
TO RESPOND IN FAITH Affirmation of Faith* see insert
A Sanctified Art
Hymn
UMH #233
Cold Decembr Flies Away
Prayers of the People The Lord's Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kin-dom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for yours is the kindom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Offertory
Weinachtsglocken
Kuhlstrom
Doxology
Praise God From Who All Blessings Flow
UMH #95
Prayers of Thanksgiving
AND SCATTERS TO BE IN THE WORLD Hymn
A Star Shone Bright
In memory of Brenda Engel
see insert
Benediction Postlude
Carillon from Film en Miniature
Martinů
PRAYER CONCERNS
Prayers for the people of Israel and Palestine and also from Ukraine and Russia as they deal with the unbelievable horrors of war, and for leaders to find ways to peaceful resolution. Prayers for the lonely and depressed and for those giving them aid. Prayers of comfort and healing for all who are sick or undergoing surgery and prayers of thanks and praise for all who have experienced healing. Prayers for our talented musicians as they honor Christ’s birth in music tonight at the Christmas Concert.
HAVE PRAYER CONCERNS?
FROM RICK ENGEL AND FAMILY
verses 1, 2, 3
For our Prayer Chain, call Yvonne Macdonald at 609-577-8369 or email her at yvonnee.mac@verizon.net. Email Pastor Tayler Necoechea at tayler@princetonumc.org when you or a family member is in the hospital or in need of a pastoral call.
“WHAT WONDER TURNS INTO” by Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity ARTIST STATEMENT READ Luke 1:57-66 When was the last time you were truly amazed? I don’t mean surprised; there is much about this world that should shock us. I mean amazed–wrapped up in wonder, absorbed in an unexpected delight. I love witnessing the moments when my oneyear-old daughter allows amazement to wash over her like a gentle rain: her jaw drops open, her eyes widen and stay fixed, and for a rare What Wonder Turns Into | Lisle Gwynn Garrity moment, she gets very still. This recently Acrylic painting on canvas with digital drawing happened when she discovered the kids across the street playing basketball for the first time. Her senses have not yet grown dull to the magic surrounding her. In this image, I wanted to capture the moment Zecahriah’s voice returns to him. I decided to depict only half of Zechariah’s face; this miracle is not really about him, but about what happens through him. When he confirms John’s name, he sheds his distrust of the angel’s impossible news. His skepticism and weariness subside as he awakens to the joy in his midst. He allows himself to be amazed. Zechariah’s voice pours out of him, parting the surrounding crowd like the Red Sea, stirring each person into confusion and bewilderment. The blessing of his song spills over to his son, who is held tenderly by his mother. Elizabeth is the only person in this scene who is not presently swept up in wonder. I believe Elizabeth has spent months allowing herself to be amazed. She was in isolation for the first five months of her pregnancy (Luke 1:24). Perhaps she needed that time to go inward–to heal from the trauma of her infertility, to trust the promise of life in her womb, to attune herself to her child. She was capsized with awe the day Mary showed up at her doorstep. And so, when Zechariah’s voice returns, Elizabeth’s senses have not grown dull. Instead, her amazement has metabolized into something new: attunement for her child. It has transformed into love and deep trust. It has turned into joy. When we allow ourselves to be amazed, we might be surprised what that wonder can turn into. PRAY Breathe deeply as you gaze upon the image. Imagine placing yourself in this scene. What do you see? How do you feel? Get quiet and still, offering a silent or spoken prayer to God.
Affirmation of Faith
A Sanctified Art
We believe in a God who knows our names, who counts the hairs on our heads, and carries the dreams in our hearts. We believe that God’s fingerprints are all over creation, and that God is forever speaking to us in a million different ways. We believe that awe and wonder, goosebumps and laughter, telling stories and paying attention, are all ways that we can say thank you to our creating, sustaining, and loving God. Therefore we comment ourselves to moving throug this world with eyes wide open, with porous hearts, and grateful spirits. We commit ourselves to living lives of awe, wonder, and gratitude, trusting that these things will forever draw us deeper into God’s loving arms. We believe. We stand in awe. Thanks be to God!