Second Baptist Church
Third Sunday of Advent December 14, 2014
Welcome Guests If you are a first-time guest, please complete a guest card from a pew pocket or Friendship Register and drop it in the offering plate so that we may acknowledge your visit and get acquainted with you. We are glad you have joined us for worship today. ________________________
Meditations Life Is an Advent Season CONNECTIONS, 11-28-93 “Life is a constant Advent season: we are continually waiting to become, to discover, to complete, to fulfill. Hope, struggle, fear, expectation and fulfillment are all part of our Advent experience. “The world is not as just, not as loving, not as whole as we know it can and should be. But the coming of Christ and his presence among us—as one of us—give us reason to live in hope: that light will shatter the darkness, that we can be liberated from our fears and prejudices, that we are never alone or abandoned. “May this Advent season be a time for bringing hope, transformation and fulfillment into the Advent of our lives.”
_________________________________ Note: + Indicates stand if you are able. | Please see an usher for a listening aid. Childcare available on Level 2. | Children’s worship bags available at the entrances. Give your tithe online now at 2bcliberty.org/giving. Online givers may participate in the worship offering by using the card in the pew rack.
The Worship of God The Third Sunday of Advent
December 14, 2014
8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Gathering
Orchestra
Trinity Chime Prelude
“I Wonder as I Wander” arr. Peggy Bettcher Sanctuary Bells, Lisa Long, director
Invitation to Worship
Jeff Langford
Choral Call to Worship “Let the World Sing Gloria” The Student Choir
arr. Sorenson
+Processional Hymn of Advent 84 BEREDEN VAG FOR HERRAN “The People Who in Darkness Walked” (Children are invited to join the worship leaders in the processional)
Lighting the Advent Candle of Joy Litany Leader: People: Leader: People:
Jason Edwards and Children Abigail Hilke, Candlelighter
Prepare the way of the Lord. We light this candle in joy, the joy that we have in Jesus, our Savior. Prepare, then, the way of the Lord.
Congregational Response “O Splendid Dayspring, Come”
Words © 2014 Allan Aunspaugh
FESTAL SONG
The Gospel Lesson
Luke 1:76–79
Elliott Yoakum (8:30) Julie Williams (11:00)
(Pew Bible, Page 44, New Testament)
Leader: The Good News of Our Lord. People: Praise be to our Lord, Jesus Christ. Practicing the Presence of God +Hymn 104 “Once in Royal David’s City” Prayers of the People Worship in Music (8:30) “What Child is This?” Choral Worship
IRBY
Angie Fuller
Julie and Dustin Williams arr. Renfrow
“Westminster Carol” The Student Choir
The Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 58:1–11
arr. Carl Nygard Rolland Yoakum (8:30) Dustin Williams (11:00)
(Pew Bible, Page 533, Old Testament)
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God! Sermon
“O Come, Our Dayspring”
+Hymn of Response 112 “Child in a Manger”
Jason Edwards BUNESSAN
The worship of the living God invites our response. Those who wish to profess faith in Christ and/or to unite with the church are invited to come forward and share your decision with the pastor.
+Offertory Prayer Offertory
Gwen Phillips
“Go, Tell it On the Mountain” arr. Dobrinski Sanctuary handbells, Don Brown, director Heather Lewis, clarinet; Don Long, trombone
+Presentation of Offerings “Lift Up Your Heads”
TRURO
Redeemer, come, we open wide our hearts to You; here, Lord, abide: Your inner presence let us feel; Your grace and love in us reveal. +A Time of Greeting
Jason Edwards
+Congregational Blessing
Jason Edwards
+The Sending Forth 95 BEREDEN VAG FOR HERRAN “Prepare the Royal Highway” Stanza 3 Come fling the gates wide open to greet your promised King! All lands will bow before Him, their voices join to sing of hope and peace abounding, of joy to heaven resounding. Hosanna to the Lord, for He fulfills God’s word! English trans. © 2005 The First Baptist Church, Henderson, North Carolina, UBP
+Postlude
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”
Craig Phillips
_________________ All Songs UBP CCLI #1091036
All Video UBP #502497070
Organ: Ann Posey Piano: Helen Brown (8:30) Leslie Bunch (11:00) Sanctuary Sound: Dave Heston, Gary Pennington Media: John Hilton, Mitchell Yoakum
FLOWERS IN WORSHIP The flowers on the altar this morning are given to the Glory of God and for the third Sunday of Advent: In Honor of: Riley and Pat Lassiter by Debbie and Mike Lassiter In Memory of: Harvey Thomas by David Fulk Frankie Baker by Barbara, Rolland, Elliott and Mitchell Bunny Fulk by The Fulk Family Lynda Whitaker Buckner by The Fulk Family John Henning by Ann Henning Thelma Meador by Ralph Meador All Our Family Saints by Carroll and Tom Makemson Mary and Frank Tabor by Debbie and Mike Lassiter Gene Hull by Lila Hull Lisa Hughes Dillon by Shae, Kimmy, Loretta and Charlie Hughes The Window Arrangements are given to the Glory of God and will be in the windows each Advent Sunday. In Memory of: Hugo Holland by Rae Moore and Family
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OUR CARE MINISTRY CARDS There is a Care Ministry card located in the pew racks that describes our ministry and provides an option to request prayer or care on the opposite side. We would like to encourage you to use the card to express a need. Simply fill out the information and place it in the offering plate during worship, or give the card to one of the pastoral staff members.
___________________________ PRAYER CONCERNS LIBERTY HOSPITAL Dean Boring OTHER PRAYER CONCERNS Donald Keeney, surgery recovery (These are the latest additions to our Second Baptist Church prayer list. To see a full prayer list please go to 2bcliberty.org/prayerlist)
From Pastor Jason Earlier this month our family celebrated the 6th birthday of my eldest son, Jackson. For him, this was all about the presents and the party. He’d longed for them for months, and then, on November 12th, he unwrapped birthday satisfaction. No surprise there. It was a different day for me, one filled with nostalgia and hope. My baby turned 6. So we cherished the past that we’d no doubt rushed living, we savored the present because we’ve learned we can’t slow it, and we prayed for his good future. It will come before we know it. Advent has a similar character. It transports us into the past so we might cherish the gift of Christ’s first coming so many years ago. It invites us to savor the present, keeping our eyes peeled for the Jesus that still lives within it. And it reminds us that God still has plans, that Bethlehem was only the beginning - a foretaste of even better things to come. T.S Eliot once said “the end is in the beginnings.” True of so many great stories. True of Advent. True of the gospel, especially as it’s lived. We glimpse this in Paul’s letters. They end just as they begin, with grace. We see this whether their middles are shaped by joy or sadness, celebration or suffering. Paul seems to want sinners and saints alike (and they are alike), to live with the unmistakable knowledge that they are loved, no matter what, from beginning to end. I hope you know that too. And if you don’t, I hope you’ll come to know it deeply in the days ahead. This Advent, may you come to know the holy one who was and will be as Emmanuel, the great and gracious God who still is with you. Grace and Peace, Jason Edwards
Second Baptist Church
December 14 | Third Sunday of Advent O Come, Our Dayspring Isaiah 58:1–11 Worship 8:30 p.m. & 11:00 a.m.
December 21 | Fourth Sunday of Advent O Come, Emmanuel Isaiah 7:1–17 “Gloria” by John Rutter, presented by the Sanctuary Choir Worship 11:00 a.m.
December 24 | Christmas Eve Decoding Advent Luke 2
Candlelight & Communion Service Worship 5:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.
Advent 2014
This Advent our attention will be focused specifically by one of the Songs crafted to help us remember the holy one who came into our lives so many years ago: “O Come, O Come Emanuel.” The words of this hymn are based on a piece of Advent liturgy known as the O Antiphons. These are seven sayings that offer us seven names for the Messiah. Learn more at 2bcliberty.org/advent _________________________________________
2BC Advent 2014 Congregational Devotional Booklet is available online at 2bcliberty.org/advent or pick up a printed copy in the Welcome Center or entrances to the worship centers.
Watch our Facebook page or sign up on our website home page to receive our weekly e-news, and each day’s Advent devotional will come right to your desk top.
NOTES
Our Ministry Team
Jason Edwards, Senior Pastor | Mike Lassiter, Associate Pastor Allan Aunspaugh, Minister of Music | Ann Posey, Organist Gwen Phillips, Children’s Pastor | Linda Jones, Church Administrator Connie McNeill, Interim Spiritual Formation Pastor Ashton Wells and Jordan Groves, Interim Co-Pastors for Student Ministry
Getting Connected Each Sunday in the Welcome Center (just inside the Kansas Street entrance on Level 1), our Connections Team is waiting to help you get “connected.” This may include finding a Bible study class, showing you where children and student ministries meet, or sharing the days’ activities and schedule. You may also choose simply to enjoy a cup of coffee at the Welcome Center’s coffee bar and get to know others at Second.
Learn more @ 2bcliberty.org
300 E. Kansas | Liberty, Missouri 64068 | 816.781.2824 | 2bcliberty.org