Friday, December 20, 2024

Worship Service - December 22, 2024

                                       Elkton United Methodist Church
                                              Fourth Sunday of Advent
                                            Sunday, December 22, 2024
                                                               10:00 a.m.

GREETING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE...................................................... “INFANT HOLY,.................... ARR. BY MARY MCDONALD
                                                                        INFANT LOWLY”1

INTROIT........................................... “PREPARE THE WAY, O ZION”1........................... CHANCEL CHOIR

OPENING

TIME OF CENTERING PRAYER

RESPONSE #3049 (W&S)......................................................................................... “WAIT FOR THE LORD”

Wait for the Lord, whose day is near.  Wait for the Lord:  keep watch, take heart.


**CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:       Children of God, the arrival of the Promised One is almost here!

People:       We wait as people of God’s promise.

Leader:       The message of the prophets and the expectation residing in Mary’s womb

                   call to us today.

People:       We listen as people of God’s promise.

Leader:       Mary’s “yes” and Elizabeth’s faithfulness guide our path, showing us that

we too have a role to play in bearing God’s good news into the world.

People:       We follow as people of God’s promise.

Leader:       This is the promise Mary, Elizabeth, and the prophets bore that we

continue to carry even today - God is with us!

All:             God is with us!  We are not alone.  Thanks be to God!  AMEN.

**HYMN #196 (UMH)..................................................................... “COME, THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS”

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH

CALL TO CONFESSION

Every notion we have about power, success, wealth and achievement, God takes and tosses 

out the window.  More importantly, God comes to us, to upset our idea that we must save

ourselves.  In Jesus Christ, God comes to us, removing our sin, our failures, our mistakes, 

so we might have life.  Please join me as we pray together, saying…


PRAYER OF CONFESSION (IN UNISON)

Holy God, you promised to do great things for us, yet we do not always trust you.  You

extend your mercy to us, yet we do not always trust you.  You lift up the humble, you 

fill the hungry with good things, and yet we still do not always trust you.  Forgive us 

and help us to trust in the promises you have given us.  In the name of Jesus Christ, 

we pray.  AMEN.

SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

WORDS OF PARDON AND ASSURANCE

Leader:      God passes the heirloom of mercy down from generation to generation,

                  always loving, always forgiving, always calling us to new life.

People:     As we open our hearts to God, we are filled with the joy that was sung

                  at Jesus’s birth, with the Hope that walked among us, with the Grace

                  which is always with us.  Thanks be to God, we are forgiven!  AMEN.


NEW TESTAMENT LESSON, HEBREWS 10:5-10 (PAGE 224)
Leader:   This is the Word of God for the people of God!
People:  Thanks be to God!

MUSICAL OFFERING............................... “PEOPLE LOOK EAST”1............................ HANDBELL CHOIR

**GOSPEL LESSON, LUKE 1:39-55 (PAGE 57)
Leader:   This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!
People:  Thanks be to God!

**RESPONSE #204 (UMH)................................................................................... “EMMANUEL, EMMANUEL”

Emmanuel, Emmanuel, his name is called Emmanuel.  God with us, revealed in us, 

his name is called Emmanuel.

SERMON..................................................... “LIVE LOWLY”........................................ REV. ERIC WARNER

**RESPONSE #221 (UMH)................................................................................ “IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER”

PRAYER CONCERNS/PASTORAL PRAYER

THE LORD'S PRAYER (IN UNISON)

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.


RESPONSE #2215 (TFWS)................................................................................................. “CARES CHORUS”

I cast all my cares upon you, I lay all of my burdens down at your feet, and anytime 

that I don't know what to do, I will cast all my cares upon you.

CALL TO OFFERING

OFFERTORY..................................... “LIGHT IN THE HEART OF WINTER”1............... CHANCEL CHOIR

**DOXOLOGY #95 (UMH)..................................... “PRAISE GOD, FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW”

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

**OFFERTORY PRAYER

**HYMN #249 (UMH)...................................................................................... “THERE’S A SONG IN THE AIR”

**CHORAL BENEDICTION.......................... “GRACE TO YOU”1..................................... CHANCEL CHOIR

**CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE

Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken.

Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, bind us together in love. 

POSTLUDE................................... “RISE UP SHEPHERD AND FOLLOW”1........ ARR. BY MARK HAYES

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                              Flowers on the altar are dedicated to our son, Jack Edler, who is celebrating

                                     his 16th birthday today.  We love you and are so very proud of you.

                                                                            Love, Mom & Dad

    

                                    Flowers on the organ are given in honor of Mary Schmid’s birthday

                                                                      by Susan & Susanna Schmid


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**Indicates the congregation should stand if able

UMH: United Methodist Hymnal (red cover)
TFWS: The Faith We Sing (black cover)
W&S:  Worship & Song (green cover)

1Public Music performance provided for and reported to CCLI Licensing
Copyright License:  #1824650/Recording License:  CSPL148932

  

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