Jesus\' Wishlist - Scandalous Love

*indicates an invitation to stand, Bold indicates congregational participation

Greeting                    Rev. David Petty

Prelude    
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day    
John Baptiste Calkin & Arr. Cynthia Dobrinski    
Jubilee Bells
 
Lighting of the Advent Wreath         Bill & Ruth Morr

Reader 1: Today is the fourth Sunday in the advent season. As we draw closer to Christmas, we wait just a little longer.

Reader 2: The candle lit today represents Peace.  This is not to say that there is peace in all places or all hearts.

Reader 1: we light this candle to symbolize our commitment to be instigators of Peace in a world filled with chaos.

Reader 2: This candle is a constant reminder to seek peace.

Congregation: This is the day that the Lord has made. We shall rejoice and be glad in it!
 
*Gathering Song    
Angels We Have Heard on High    
vs. 1, 2 UMH #238
WORDS: Trad. French carol; trans. Crown of Jesus, 1862, alt. (Lk 2:6-20)

1. Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o’er the plains, and the mountains in reply
echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain
Glo - - - - - ri – a, in excelsis Deo! Glo - - - - - ri – a, in excelsis Deo!

2. Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heavenly song?

Refrain
Glo - - - - - ri – a, in excelsis Deo! Glo - - - - - ri – a, in excelsis Deo!
 

Scripture Reading            Hosea 3:1         CLM Twinkle Gordon

The LORD said to me again, “Go, love a woman who has a lover and is an adulteress, just as the LORD loves the people of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”
 
Mystery Box        
   
Invitation to Prayer            Rev. David Petty
Anyone wishing to come forward to the Communion Railing to pray or light a prayer candle may do so.
 
Prayer Song    
Savior of the Nations, Come    
vs. 1, 2 UMH #214
WORDS: Sts. 1, 2 Martin Luther, 1523, trans. by William Reynolds, 1851; st. 3-5 Martin L. Seltz, 1969

1. Savior of the nations, come; Virgin’s Son, here make thy home! Marvel now, O heaven and earth, that the Lord chose such a birth.

2. Not by human flesh and blood; by the Spirit of our God was the Word of God made flesh, woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.

Pastoral Prayer, Silent Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer        Pastor Donnie Sturgill

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 trespasses, as we forgive those to trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory forever.
 
Prayer Response    
Savior of the Nations, Come    
vs. 3, 4 UMH #214
WORDS: Sts. 1, 2 Martin Luther, 1523, trans. by William Reynolds, 1851; st. 3-5 Martin L. Seltz, 1969

3. Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child of the Virgin undefiled! Human and divine in one, eager now his race to run!

4. God the Father is his source, back to God he runs his course; down to death and hell descends, God’s high throne he reascends.

Invitation to Offering        CLM Twinkle Gordon
 
Offertory                Meagan Horst & Jylyn Clark ~ Dancing
       
Prayer of Thanks & Dedication        
Rev. David Petty
 
*Doxology    
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow    
UMH #94

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia!  Praise God, the source of all our gifts! Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts! Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
 
Scripture Reading            Matthew 25:40            CLM Twinkle Gordon

And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’
 
Anthem    
Creation Will Dance and Rejoice!
By David Angerman    
Sanctuary Choir

Prayer for Illumination
 
Leader: May the words of my mouth,
People: and the meditations of all of our hearts
All: be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our rock and our redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

Message    
The Real Gifts of Christmas ~ Jesus’ Wishlist - Scandalous Love    
Rev. David Petty
 
*Affirmation of Faith        
Pastor Donnie Sturgill

We believe in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking a humble form, being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death –
even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess to the glory of God:

We believe in the triune God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. We believe that WE are the people of God. We are St. Paul's United Methodist Church.  We celebrate the unconditional love of God, We follow the way and teachings of Christ, through the power and guidance of God's Holy Spirit. We believe we are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to Love our neighbor as ourselves.
 
*Sending Hymn    
Go Tell it on the Mountain    
UMH #251
WORDS: John W. Works, Jr., 1907 (Lk. 2:8-20)

Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born.

1. While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night, behold throughout the heavens
there shown a holy light.

Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born.

2. The shepherds feared and trembled, when lo! above the earth, rang out the angel chorus that hailed
the Savior’s birth.

Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain,
that Jesus Christ is born.

3. Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born, and God sent us salvation that blessed
Christmas morn.

Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born.
 
Announcements    
 
Benediction            Rev. David Petty
 
Postlude            Stephanie Shorden

Vocal Fusion Concert
 
Dec. 18th at 3:00 pm

5:00pm - Family and Children's Service:
Come All Ye Families of all shapes and sizes. Join us for a fun, family-friendly Christmas Eve service. Every element of this service has been designed with families and kids in mind (whether you’re 1 or 99). We will sing familiar Christmas songs, watch a video or two explaining the Christmas story. Crying babies and kids running up and down the aisles are welcome. The more the merrier.

7:00pm - A Service of Lessons and Carols:

Come all for the service where we pull out all the stops! We will have the organ, piano, choir, bells, and more! This traditional Christmas Eve service consists of scripture, music, and a message of hope. We will end the service by lighting candles and lifting them high as we celebrate that the light of Christ has come into the world at Christmas. If you are looking for the "Classic" Christmas Eve Service, this is for you. For those with small children, childcare will be provided.

Livestream – If you can’t make it in person, we invite you to join us live using the following links for the services:

Topic: 5:00 pm December 24th Family Eve Service

Time: Dec 24, 2021 05:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
ID: 719 634 7046 Passcode: 80909

Topic: 7:00pm A Service of Lessons and Carols
Time: Dec 24, 2021 07:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 719 634 7046 Passcode: 80909
Join us Christmas morning at 9:30 am for a different kind of worship service. There will be a Christmas hymn sing and more!

January 1st, 9:30 am ~ Pastor Donnie Sturgill will be preaching for the last of the sermon series “The Real Gifts of Christmas ~ By a Different Road”. We will have communion. All are welcome to the communion table, member or not, adult or child. St. Paul’s uses grape juice for the cup and we have gluten-free options available.

January 8th, 9:30 am ~ Rev. David Petty will be preaching about the Baptism of Jesus!

Jan. 15th -Feb. 19th, 9:30 am We begin a new sermon series about being “Drawn into a Creative Life with God”. Crafting and creativity will be all around.

January 26th at 5:00 pm ~ Join us for our Winter Community Event
We will have a free for the community, dinner, crafts, and more.

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