"Emmanuel"


The Complete Bulletin is available below.
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    to contribute (ACTIVE link: a monetary offering) to first presbyterian church of homewood or you may also contribute by mail to:

    First Presbyterian Church of Homewood
    P.O. BOX 1519
    Homewood IL 60430 

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    WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

    FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOMEWOOD
    MISSION STATEMENT

    Through the grace of God, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we prayerfully seek to discern God’s will for this congregation and to reach beyond ourselves to feed the hungry, body and soul. Adopted by Session 7/31/17

    PRAYER FOR PEACE ||| Peace Prayer of Saint Francis
    Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

    PRELUDE ||| Seasonal Favorites ||| Various Composers

    LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE
    Isaiah spoke to a people called chosen, to a tribe called Israel, with a light of hope. Gabriel came to a town called Nazareth, to a girl called Mary, with a light of joy. Mary went to a place called Bethlehem, to a stable called a nursery, with a light of love. As we light our fourth Advent candle,
    we rejoice with Mary, for Love has flesh.
    Come now, O Child of Mary.
    Come now, O Prince of Love.

    *CALL TO CONTINUING WORSHIP
    We stand on the cusp:
    the promise is almost fulfilled.
    We wait with bated breath:
    the child is almost here.
    We trust the well-loved story:
    God is truly with us.

    *HYMN 129 ||| Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming ||| Es Ist Ein’ Ros’

    CALL TO CONFESSION
    God comes to us just as we are, with all our triumphs, our worries, our gratitude, and our failures. We deepen our relationship with God now by drawing close and confessing our sins.

    *PRAYER OF CONFESSION
    Shepherd of our souls, we anticipate your coming but do not feel ready. We have done too much, and not done enough. We have focused too much on ourselves, and not enough on others. Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we might be saved.
    (silent prayer)
    Amen.

    *DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
    Emmanuel did not come into this world to condemn, but to save. God does not come to imprison us, but to set us free. Through this abundant love, we are forgiven.
    Thanks be to God.

    *THE GLORIA 581

    MOMENT WITH OUR CHILDREN ||| Rev. Matt Lang

    WELCOME AND CHURCH COMMUNICATIONS

    WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

    PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

    FIRST SCRIPTURE READING ||| Isaiah 7:10-16
    10Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, 11Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. 12But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. 13Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. 15He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

    SPECIAL MUSIC

    SECOND SCRIPTURE READING ||| Matthew 1:18-25
    18Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” 24When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
    The Word of the Lord
    Thanks be to God!

    SERMON ||| "Emmanuel" ||| Rev. Matt Lang

    WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

    *HYMN 100 ||| My Soul Cries Out With a Joyful Shout ||| (The Canticle of the Turning)

    *AFFIRMATION OF FAITH ||| The Brief Statement of Faith 1983
    In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.

    PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
    …Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

    OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS

    INVITATION TO OFFERING
    Rejoicing in the Lord always, we give thanks for the Word made flesh. With grateful hearts let us offer our whole selves to God.

    OFFERTORY

    *DOXOLOGY 606 ||| Old Hundredth
    Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
    Praise Him, all creatures here below;
    Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
    Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

    *PRAYER OF DEDICATION
    For the blessings of this and all our days, we thank you, gracious God. Accept, we pray, not just this money but also our lives freely offered in gratitude for all you have done for us. Use them both, in this place and wherever you might take us. Amen.


    WE GO IN GOD’S NAME

    *HYMN 143 ||| Angels, from the Realms of Glory ||| Regent Square

    BLESSING & CHARGE
    By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Go now, sharing the light of Christ with others as you walk on the path of peace.

    POSTLUDE ||| Recessional on "Ding Dong Merrily On High"

    Rev. Matt Lang, Pastor
    Mrs. Mary Ann Wenzelman, Interim Organist/Pianist

    Worship Liturgist: Jay Ruklic
    Usher: Laura Dillman

    Web Technicians: Shirley Armistead, Nancy Beaudoin, Phil Dillman, Kathie Hazlett

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