*GLORIA PATRI Glory be to the Father and to the Son And to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be; World without end. Amen. Amen. Order of Worship December 28, 2014 First Sunday After Christmas We are glad you are here to worship this morning. An asterisk (*) indicates the congregation stands, if able. Please see an usher if a hearing device would be helpful. PRELUDE The Fifers Dandrieu CHIMING OF THE HOUR *PROCESSIONAL HYMN O Come, All Ye Faithful 234 PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Creative God, you make all things new in heaven and on earth. We come to you in a new year with new desires and old fears, new decisions and old weaknesses. Because you are a God of hope, we know that you create all the possibilities of the future. Because you are a God of love, we know that you accept all the mistakes of the past. Because you are a God of our faith, we enter your gates with thanksgiving and praise, we come into your presence with gladness and a joyful noise, and we serve and bless you. Amen. GREETINGS AND CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH 6 CHILDREN’S TIME Cari Treece (Following the Prayer and during the hymn, 3K-1st Grade age children may go to sanctuary entrance to be led to Children’s Church on the second floor of the Education Building. If escorted by a parent, children younger than three may be taken to the to the nursery on the first floor of the Education Building.) RESPONSIVE READING Isaiah 55: 6-11 Psalm 98 p. 818 PASTORAL PRAYER 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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. *HYMN OF PREPARATION Good Christian Friends Rejoice CONFESSION OF FAITH: NO. 181 The Apostles’ Creed 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 Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at 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 Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. OFFERTORY “Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it. 224 Galatians 4:3-7 Candlelight Carol Rutter *DOXOLOGY 95 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God, above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. *SCRIPTURE LESSON Leader: The Word of God for the people of God People: Thanks be to God Galatians 4: 3-7 Marc Murphy SERMON “Good, Old-Fashioned Discipline” *CLOSING HYMN I Am Thine, O Lord BENEDICTION May The Peace Of God Go With You POSTLUDE SCRIPTURES Isaiah 55:6-11 OFFERTORY PRAYER *PASSING OF THE PEACE *SCRIPTURE LESSON Leader: The Word of God for the people of God People: Thanks be to God 70 Fugue on the “Kyrie” 419 Hopson Couperin 3 So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir. Opportunities and Announcements Liturgist Children’s Church Assistant Crucifer Acolytes CHURCH CALENDAR Sunday, December 28 8:45 am Day by Day Service 10:00 am Sunday School 11:00 am Traditional Service 5:00 pm Sr. Boys (Bizell) Basketball 6:00 pm UMYF Ushers Altar Guild Pew Angels Sunday, January 4 5:00 pm Youth Council Mtg.-Fellowship Hall Help Others to EAT MORE CHICKEN! Join us in providing meals to GAIHN families. For every meal purchased for GAIHN, Laurens Road Chick-fil-A will also provide a meal! To participate just let any cashier know that you wish to purchase a GAIHN Meal! Sunday, January 11 5:30 pm Ski Trip Meeting-Fellowship Hall Greenville Area Interfaith Hospitality Network PRAYER CONCERNS Those In Need Of Prayer Bill Cox Parker Gaillard Art Eberly June Gaillard Gage Hood Margaret Huskey Eugenia Keck Eric & Teri Lockwood Alvin McCall Tom Pizzolato Ethel Sherrill Ellen Slatton Dick Young The Homebound Georgia Clarke Miles Day Serving Our County Evan Childers Chad Cunningham Tom Jordan Jeffrey Van Camp, Jr. Kris Welanetz Jay Meredith, Garrett Brown, Betty Davis, Mark Murphy, Chris Taylor Laura Bridgeman, Carrie Johnson, Lillian Darby, Jennie Carrington, Adelaide Johnson Gay Davis, Helen Graben of Laurens Road Upcoming Youth Events (Anna Cobb’s daughter-in-law Kyle Brady Ethan Treece Evans Easler John Cree & Ben Treece Serving This Month Monday, December 29 Tuesday, December 30 7:00 pm Men’s Marital Group 7:30 pm CMA Group Wednesday, December 31 CHURCH OFFICES CLOSED Thursday, January 1 CHURCH OFFICES CLOSED HAPPY NEW YEAR Friday, January 2 7:00 am Men’s Breakfast 6:30 pm NA meeting Saturday, January 3 8:30 am Youth Basketball Games 3:30 pm Early Service Setup Judy Cochran Ashley Cobb Serving This Sunday Doris Fisher Jim Gibbs Mary Walker Morris Lois Smith Mildred Thompson Out of Town Prayers Bradley Pugh (Olivia Pugh’s grandson) Ann Shock (Helen’s Mom) Bill Niver (brother of Elinor DeYoung) St. Matthew United Methodist Church 701 Cleveland Street Greenville, SC 29601 www.stmatthewumc.net Office: 864-242-1966 M-Th 8:30 - 5:00 F 8:30 - 12:30 Preschool: 864-242-2880 Ministers The Congregation Senior Pastor Rev. Steven Brown 864-242-1966 Director of Christian Education Cari Treece 864-242-1966 [email protected] Church Office Administrator Susan Woods 864-242-1966 [email protected] Director of Preschool Christina Via 864-242-1966 [email protected] Organist Sam Taylor Day by Day Service [email protected] Our Mission To continue Christ’s work in the world. Our Vision To be a congregation of disciples that values children, youth and families, and communicates the story of faith to them in creative ways. To build the Christian community by increasing our ministry to all ages through a variety of activities and worship approaches that reach out to others with the lifetransforming message of the gospel. Church Custodian Pam Worthy [email protected] Youth Director Clint Henderson 864-430-0861 [email protected] Children’s Choir Director Jody Webb 864-640-2832. [email protected] Facilities Manager Michael Craig God’s Hands & Feet Ministry 864-242-1966 Nursery Tekeisha Adams Sandra Niven Valerie Gray Jessie Zettler Beverly Hawkins Consider . . . In the twenty-fifth day of the month of December; In the year two-thousand and fifty-one from the birth of Abraham; In the year one-thousand five-hundred and ten from the going forth of the people of Egypt under Moses; In the year one-thousand and thirty-two from the anointing of David as king; In the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel; In the one-hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad; In the year seven-hundred and fifty-two from the foundation of the city of Rome; In the forty-second year of the reign of the Emperor Octavian Augustus; In the sixth age of the world, while the whole earth was at peace; Jesus Christ, eternal God and the Son of the eternal Father, willing to consecrate the world by His gracious coming, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit, and the nine months of His conception being now accomplished, was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary. This is the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the flesh. (From the Roman Martyrology www.catholicculture.org) It did, indeed, come to pass that the promised Messiah came to ransom captive Israel and captive humanity. Though we might quibble over the reckoning of some periods of time, God did what He said. He kept His promise made across the years. And so we wait again. We who celebrated Christmas this week now wait again. For Christ has promised He will come again — if not in 2015 then in some time beyond. The passing of time can go so slowly, especially when we have to wait. Yet the pile of calendars at our feet does not deter His coming nor void His promise. The One who waited from eternity past to be born in the manger did come at right time. And He will come again at the right time. We begin, again, to tell the story of Jesus Christ this year, reminding ourselves of seasons and times through the church calendar. It starts with Advent and will end with Christ the King Sunday as we live in the light of His promise to return as King. And so we who live in the interim wait and watch, preparing our lives in hope and grace, and rejoicing in Him “who was, and is, and is to come'" (Revelation 1:8). With Joy, Steve