Sunday Morning Worship Service
December 2, 2007
TO OUR GUESTS, we extend a warm welcome. We invite you to participate in signing our Friendship Folder, adding your address and phone number if you'd like to receive our church newsletter or a pastoral call. When we pray the Lord's Prayer at Bethel, we say "sins...sin against us" rather than "debts..." or "trespasses..."; during "a time for sharing" we welcome prayer requests from the congregation. On first Sundays each month, all who put their trust in Christ and who have received baptism in any Christian church are invited to share his sacred meal. We are glad you are with us. Please come again.
Bethel Presbyterian Church
First Sunday in Advent
December 2, 2007
Gathering and Greeting of God’s People
Prelude
Call to Worship
As we gather to worship, this first Sunday in Advent we expect great things to happen.
We are filled with expectation about our coming celebration of God’s entrance into the world as Jesus the Christ.
Let us now focus our anticipation and expectation on the adoration of God who we know through Jesus Christ. Let us light the first Advent candle as we are called to worship God!
Lighting of the Advent Candle Henry & Carolyn Tulley
*Hymn of Praise # 2 Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus Hyfrydol
*Call to Confession
The proof of God’s amazing love is this: While we were sinners Christ died for us. Because we have faith in him, we dare to approach God with confidence. In faith and penitence, let us confess our sin before God and one another.
*Prayer of Confession
Almighty God, often we focus our experiences only on our own desires, only on our own wishes, only on our own needs. Our greed, our pettiness, our anger, our jealousy, and our selfishness lead us into darkness and drive us away from you and from those whom we love. Too often, we expect great things without giving ourselves. Too often we ignore the pleas of those who hunger and thirst. Too often, we put our own wishes ahead of yours. We stumble through our days with halting steps because we turn deliberately from your love and your commandments. Even though you have revealed yourself to us in our Lord Jesus Christ, we fail to remember this miracle. Even though you have given us a model for our lives in the person of Jesus, we march to our own drums. We are imperfect children of a perfect Father. Rescue us of God, from our foolishness. Forgive us our waywardness and teach us to welcome your love and abide by your will for our lives. We pray in the name of Jesus our Lord and Savior that you will lift our expectations to new heights. Amen
Lord have mercy upon us
Christ have mercy upon us,
Lord have mercy upon us.
*Assurance of Pardon
God has given us new hope, new expectations, new anticipation that we can be people of faith and builders of his kingdom.
We are comforted that Jesus did not come to judge us for our shortcomings. Instead, we are assured that he came as a revelation of God’s love and as a model of our potential for meaningful life. There is a new way, a new hope, a new eternal joy as we dedicate our lives to Christ’s service. Amen
*Passing of the Peace
Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another. The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you.
Minute for Mission Building & Finance Update Frank Harris
A Moment with the Children
Anthem Watchman, Tell Us of the Night Chancel Choir
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 2: 1-5
New Testament Reading: Matthew 24: 36-44
Sermon Great Expectations Rev. Patricia N. Harvey
Affirmation of Faith – The Apostles Creed (Traditional) Hymnal Pg. #14
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
Offering
*Doxology
*Prayer of Dedication
*Hymn of Preparation # 5 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Picardy
Invitation to the Table
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving and the Lord’s Prayer
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Let us pray.
Words of Institution
Communion of the People
Prayer After Communion
*Hymn of Dedication # 509 For the Bread Which You Have Broken Cross of Jesus
*Charge
*Benediction
*Congregational Response
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!
*Postlude
*All who are able, please stand.
Bethel offers Sunday school for children and four educational opportunities for adults at 9:45 A.M.
Childcare for babies and preschool age children is offered at 11:00 A.M.
Restrooms are located in our Educational Building on the first floor and the lower level.
Ushers can provide activity sheets for children and large print hymnals if needed.
The Liturgist today is Rev. Marc Sherrod
The organ is being played by Marilyn Gaffin
The Ushers today are Bill and Bobbie Martin
The Flowers are given by Jill McMaster, in memory of her organ donor and donor family
ANNOUNCEMENTS
At Home
Doris Barber, Dot and Al Davis, Gene Pierce, Anne Robertson,
John Will, Marci Smith, Pat Hale, Tom and Helen Roostee,
Bill Shadden
Jamestown: 851 Lawnville Road, Kingston 37763
Louise Pickel Room 209;
Mac Robbins Room 305;
Anne Smith Room 312
Wellington Place: 1098 Bradford Way, Kingston 37763
Joan Pemberton Room 306 B;
Jan Parker Room 207
Baptist Healthcare: 700 Williams Ferry Rd #45, Lenoir City 37771
Evelyn Waldrup Room 42
Rockwood Healthcare: 5580 Roane State Highway, Harriman 37748
Roberta Cash Room 132 B;
Margaret True Room 212 B
Marnie Shields Room 358
Harriman Healthcare: 240 Hannah Road, Harriman 37748
Ruby Hunter Room 305 A
NHC Oakridge: 300 Laboratory Road, Oak Ridge 37830
Wanda Carter Room 212
Summit View of Farragut: 12873 Kingston Pike, Knoxville 37934
Bettie Shenk Room 313
In the Hospital
Shirley Lumpkin (Dianne Griffith’s Mother) – Baptist West Hospital
Maude Hyder (Dan Hyder’s Mother) – Johnson City Medical Center
The Session has called a meeting of the congregation on Sunday, December 9, 2007, after worship to hear a report from the nominating committee.
The next Fun Lunch will be December 11th, at the home of Nancy King at 12 noon. If you need a ride, please call Ruth Ann Ludwig at 376-5333 or Nancy King at 376-5991.
Thanks to those who have signed up to usher, but we still need more for the month of December.
Please sign up on the sheet at the back of the Sanctuary.
Roane Choral Society will present a “Festival of Lessons and Carols” on Friday, December 7th , 7:00 P.M. at South Harriman Baptist Church, 620 Ruritan Road, Harriman.
Admission is by donation.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study dates back to 1892, when the Women’s Executive Committee for Home Mission, Organization of Presbyterian Women, prepared a simple Calendar of Prayer to help women’s societies pray for missionaries on designated days. Three years later the first mission yearbook appeared, called the Year Book of Prayer for Foreign Missions. That publication was joined with the prayer calendar in a 1919 edition, the Year Book of Prayer for Missions, when both international and domestic personnel were included. In 1971 the name changed to what we know today as the Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study. Having been in continuous annual publication since 1892, it has the longest history of any denominational mission and prayer book in the United States. The Mission Yearbook is part of the ongoing history of faithfulness of Presbyterian Women and demonstrates their commitment to mission and to prayer.
To reserve your copy of the 2008 Mission Yearbook, please complete this form and place it in the offering plate. Stewardship & Finance is responsible for ordering the books and will deliver the 2008 Mission Yearbook to you when they arrive.
NAME: ________________________________________________
PHONE NUMBER: ________________________________________
The Angel Tree filled with angels for adoption has returned to the back of the sanctuary. Many thanks to the many people who have already adopted an angel.
Please return all wrapped gifts to the church before Tuesday, December 9 for distribution Saturday, December 15. If possible, please put all the gifts for each child together with the angel. Each angel will have a number and letter. The number represents the family and the letter represents the child in that family. Also on each angel will be a list of clothing items and sizes for each child as well as a suggestion for a toy/book/CD/DVD/etc. Please check each item purchased. There is no obligation to buy everything the child wants.
In addition to the food baskets and items for the children in the families, the Mission Outreach Committee plans to provide a smaller food basket for approximately 10 elderly families. These have already been adopted.
If you would like to help the elderly in our community, there is a basket under the Christmas Tree where these items can be collected. Also, the MO committee would like to include a small gift such as a flannel, knitted or crocheted afghan, booties or soft hat for people who are shut ins or in nursing homes who might not be too active and chill easily. Handmade items would be perfect and a great way to use that left over material and yarn.
In addition to monetary contributions for food, we need shampoo, bath soap, bubble bath, dishwashing soap, combs, toothpaste, toothbrush (adult and child) and other items not covered by food stamps. These will be divided among the families.
Volunteers are needed for set up Friday morning to early afternoon, December 14. Volunteers are also needed for distribution Saturday morning, December 15 from 9:00 – 12:00. Please let Jane Walsh know if you can help.
THIS WEEK'S EVENTS
| Sunday |
Dec 2 |
Sunday School (all ages)
Worship
Hanging of the Greens, Play Practice
Dinner
|
9:45 A.M.
11:00 A.M.
3:30 P.M.
6:00 P.M.
|
| Monday |
Dec 3 |
Seniorcize
Boy Scouts
|
9:00 A.M.
7:00 P.M.
|
| Tuesday |
Dec 4 |
Yoga
Session Meeting
|
5:30 P.M.
7:00 P.M.
|
| Wednesday |
Dec 5 |
Seniorcize
|
9:00 A.M.
|
| Thursday |
Dec 6 |
Play Practice
Mission Outreach
|
6:00 P.M.
6:00 P.M.
|
| Friday |
Dec 7 |
Seniorcize
|
9:00 A.M.
|
| Saturrday |
Dec 8 |
|
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| Sunday |
Dec 9 |
Fellowship Sunday |
|
| |
|
Sunday School (all ages)
Worship
Play Practice
|
9:45 A.M.
11:00 A.M.
4:30 P.M.
|
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| Attendance Last Sunday – 96 |
| Average Attendance in 2007 – 109 |
| Undesignated Offering |
$2,822.47 |
| Building Fund |
$5,160.00 |
| Grace School |
$350.00 |
| Christmas Baskets |
$230.00 |
| Building Fund Pledge Payments |
$13,700.00 |
| TOTAL |
$22,262.47 |
| Below is an excerpt from the journal of Grace School in Kenya, which is on-line at www.graceministries-limuru.org/journal.html. Bethel provides financial and other assistance to the school, and a week’s portion of the journal is reprinted in our bulletin monthly.
Contact the Mission Outreach Committee for more information about Grace School.
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Author: Lilian Nderitu
Friday, November 23, 2007 at 3:33 P.M. (Limuru time)
12th week ending 24th November 2007.
This was a good week! The weather has continued to be quite warm in the last few days.
We had a successful week, and the children were quite busy. They had their final examinations which mark the end of the year and a definite change of class. The examinations started on 21st and ended on Friday 23rd November.
The teachers are now busy compiling the results which will be given to the children as they break for Christmas on Wednesday 28th November 2007.
We are also busy preparing for the Christmas party which will be held on Tuesday 27th. The children are excited about it and they are looking forward to it. We will make merry by sharing meals, a coke, snacks and we will have a lot of dancing and singing. A report about the Christmas party will be sent next week as well as how the closing will go.
We are compiling a detailed newsletter containing the terms activities and financial position and it will be out towards the end of the year.
All other planned school related activities took place successfully. The week ended well with no other incidents.
God bless!
Lilian Nderitu, Administrator
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