Chalmers The United Church of Canada NOEL The Fourth Sunday of Advent 10:30am December 21, 2014 Welcoming us are Bruce Gunion, Jim Reynolds Infant Nursery and Child Care for children up to 3 years is provided upstairs in the Children’s Ministry area with Margaret Moncrieff. Hearing Devices, Large Print Bulletins and More Voices Hymn Books are available from the Greeters. Hymn Books Voices United – VU and More Voices – MV Kindly Turn Off Ringers on all electronic devices. The Prayers of the People. List Thanksgiving and Intercession requests for persons ill (with permission) and for global, national and local concerns on the Prayer sheet provided on the Prayer Desk (prie Dieu) at the south back wall of the sanctuary. Requests are brought to the Communion Table with the Offering and included in the Prayers of the People. GATHER CAROL SING MUSIC FOR REFLECTION Chorale prelude, ’Twas in the Moon of Wintertime ‐ Paul Manz WELCOME INTROIT Glory to God ‐ Michael Bedford Junior Choir CALL TO WORSHIP THE ADVENT PROCESSION CAROL VU 8 Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming The congregation is seated. The Choir processes through the sanctuary. stand CAROL VU 17 O Ancient Love CAROL VU 6 verse 4 A Candle Is Burning ADVENT LOVE ? THE CANDLE OF TRANSFORMATION THE VOICE OF THE CHILDREN Margaret Moncrieff CAROL VU 65 Beat the drum for love, for the babe born ‘neath the star. Beat the drum through the country and the town. Beat the drum for love. Come and play where’er you are. Beat the drum. Beat it merry up and down! Words: M. Collihole © 1972 Stainer & Bell Used by permission of Hope Publishing Co. OneLicense #610942 WORD Through sacred text we meet the Living God. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path. Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s 2 responsive I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. As a lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens. God brought me to the banqueting house, and God’s intention towards me was love. My beloved is like a gazelle and says to me, “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. For now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth. The time of singing has come. The voice of the turtle‐dove is heard in our land. Let me see your face and hear your voice. Your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. My beloved is mine and I am God’s. Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved. Be like a gazelle on the mountains. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. 2 stand CAROL VU 42 Down to Earth as a Dove Luke 1: 39 ‐ 56 SERMON Solstice: First Light, Longest Night Rev. Drew Strickland ANTHEM Ah! Dearest Jesu (from Christmas Oratorio) ‐ J. S. Bach THANKSGIVING THE PRESENTATION OF GIFTS OFFERTORY ANTHEM With All Thy Hosts (from Christmas Oratorio) ‐ J. S. Bach stand DEDICATION CHORUS VU 38 Refrain Gloria in excelsis Deo! PRAYERS FOR THE LONGEST NIGHT Sung Response VU 19 Kindle a Flame to Lighten the Dark and Take All Fear Away Can a woman forget her nursing child, or Isaiah 49:15, 16 show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even they may forget, but I will not forget you. R A broken spirit, a broken heart is an offering God will not turn away. Psalm 51:17 R There is a Word that was before all words John 1:1, 2 – before scripture, before creation ‐ that is with us. Emmanuel, God with us. R Let faith be your home and your journey. 1 Corinthians 16:13 R Healing Spirit, older than all our needs, older still than all our pain. We pray peace for the past, strength for today, courage for tomorrow. Your eternity hold the sorrows of our darkest days. Bring us into the dawning light of the new day of love and life. Amen stand RECESSIONAL CAROL VU 76 See Amid the Winter’s Snow COMMISSIONING ? ANNOUNCEMENTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINISTRY stand BENEDICTION ‐ a Blessing in the Celtic tradition God bless us in our coming. Be with us in our going. Christ bless us in our travels. Bless the road as it unravels. Spirit bless us on our way. Guide and keep us from the fray. Holy three of Christmas soul, love us now and as years roll. POSTLUDE Noël: Une vierge pucelle ‐ Nicolas Le Bègue 3 Sound Tech Coffee Hosts Counters PARTICIPANTS Ivan Brandsma, Simon Kerr (in training) Al and Barb Fletcher David and Joyce Holden FINANCE Thank you for your generous support towards Chalmers General Fund. We are still short of our Givings Target for 2014. Any consideration you may provide will alleviate the deficit. st Givings dated before Dec. 31 will be attributed to your 2014 Tax Receipt. PASTORAL CARE ‐‐a living, healing, sustaining reminder of Chalmers community of faith and Jesus Christ‐‐ The Funeral Service for David Rutenberg will be held at Chalmers 1pm Monday nd December 22 with a Reception to follow in MacCallum Hall. Visitation will be held 7 – 9 pm tonight at the Robert Reid Funeral Home (309 Johnson St. at Barrie St.), and Noon – 12:45pm tomorrow at Chalmers prior to the Service. th Emergency Pastoral Care from Christmas Day to Monday, January 4 The Chalmers Church Office will be closed. Contact: The Rev. Drew Strickland 613‐546‐3263 ext. 226 cell: 613‐876‐0118 [email protected] The Rev. Nancy Clarke 613‐384‐4698 [email protected] ♦ Food for the Food Bank This is the final Sunday for donations to the Food Box at the back of the sanctuary. Thank you for your generosity. Merry Christmas! ♦ Stamp Program Please remember to save your cancelled stamps (the corner of the envelope only is required) from your home or business mail. Place them in the box at the back of the sanctuary or at the Church Office (use mail slot if the office is closed). This will save Chalmers hundreds of dollars in postage. ♦ Tues. Jan. 13, 2015 at 11:30am The Joint Men’s Group will meet at Mino’s Village Restaurant, 1762 Princess Street. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Jackie Duffin, the Hannah Chair, History of Medicine, Queen’s University. Her subject will be: “Generic Drug Shortage: Recent History of a Mystery”. All men of Sydenham Street and Chalmers United Churches are welcome. If you are coming for the first time or have any questions, please contact Meikle Turner, 613‐542‐7744 [email protected] that accommodation can be arranged. 4