Dec20WorshipService

 A worship bulletin for December 20, 2020

The worship service at Lakeview UMC can be viewed live online at 10am
     at www.facebook.com/lumcwv
and at Humphreys Memorial UMC at 11:30am
     at www.facebook.com/humphreysmemorialunitedmethodistchurch

 

LV  Lakeview United Methodist Church 10:00am, Dec 20, 2020

HM Humphreys Memorial UMC             11:30am, Dec 20, 2020

Words of Welcome

Fourth Sunday of Advent                             candle of hope peace joy LOVE Christ

Greetings to all in the name of Christ our Savior! Welcome, guests and visitors!
               If you are without a church home, we would love to be yours.
                       See the end of this bulletin for contact information.

 

Luke 1:26-38 (NRSV)                                12/20/20

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴ Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵ The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born^[c] will be holy; he will be called Son of God. ³⁶ And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. ò

Mary’s Response:
Canticle of Mary                                     UMH 199

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
who has looked with favor on me, a lowly servant.

From this day all generations shall call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is the name of the Lord,
whose mercy is on those who fear God
from generation to generation.

The arm of the Lord is strong,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
God has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly.

God has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich empty away.
God has come to the aid of Israel, the chosen servant,
remembering the promise of mercy,
the promise made to our forebears,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

 

Advent Candle Lighting

We lit Advent candles of Hope and of Peace and of Joy
Today we light the fourth candle of Advent, the candle of Love.

“For God so loved the world, he gave us his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting love.” – John 3:16

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Love.

Hymn                            Love Came Down at Christmas          UMH 242
words: Christina G. Rossetti, 1885                                                         music: Trad. Irish

1.     Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love divine;
Love was born at Christmas; star and angels gave the sign.

2.     Worship we the God-head, Love incarnate, Love divine;
worship we our Jesus, but where-with for sacred sign?

3.     Love shall be our token; love be yours and love be mine;
love to God and neighbor, love for plea and gift and sign.

Opening Prayer                                     Advent                                UMH201

Merciful God, you sent your messengers the prophets
   to preach repentance  and prepare the way for our salvation. 
Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins,
   that we may celebrate aright  the commemoration of the nativity, 
and may await with joy  the coming in glory of Jesus Christ  our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen. ò

 

Hymn                                   In the Bleak Midwinter                 UMH 221
words: Christina G. Rossetti, 1872                                            music: Gustav Holst, 1906

1.     In the bleak mid-winter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak mid-winter, long ago.

2.     Heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak mid-winter a stable place sufficed
the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

3.     Angels and arch-angels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

4.     What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

Special Music                                Mary, Did You Know?     Rufus & Alan

 

2 Samuel 7:1-13, 16 (NRSV)                                                       12/20/20

God’s Covenant with David

7 Now when King David was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, ² the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” ³ Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.”

⁴ But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: ⁵ Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? ⁶ I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. ⁷ Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ⁸ Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; ⁹ and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. ¹⁰ And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, ¹¹ from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. ¹² When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 

¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever. ò

Sermon

 

Response to the Word:        

Hymn                                      Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming   UMH 216
words: 15^th cent. German                                                music: Alte Catholische Geistlight Kirchengesang, 1599

1.     Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as those of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
when half-spent was the night.

2.     Isaiah ’twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;
with Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind.
To show God’s love a-right, she bore to us a Savior,
when half-spent was the night.

3.     O Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
dispel in glorious splendor the darkness everywhere.
True man yet very God, from sin and death now save us,
and share our every load.

Affirmation of Faith                                                                   UMH 889

There is one God, and there is one mediator, Christ Jesus,
who came as a ransom for all, to whom we testify.

This saying is sure, and worthy of full acceptance:
That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners,
   and was manifested in the flesh,
   vindicated in the Spirit,
   seen by angels,
   proclaimed among the nations,
   believed in throughout the world,
   taken up in glory.
Great indeed is the mystery of the gospel. Amen.

 

Prayers, Lord’s Prayer, Blessing the Offering

If you have a celebration, petition or concern you’d like the pastor to hold in congregational prayer, please email kerry.w.bart@gmail.com and indicate whether or not you’d like the request to be made public.

 

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.

 

We say “yes” to God
   and we say “thank you” to God
      as we give to God our tithes and our offerings.

During this time of COVID19 precautions, we do not “pass the plate,”
but offering plates are available for your use before or after the worship service,
and offerings can be mailed to
Lakeview UMC – 2624 East Parkview Drive, St. Albans WV 25177
Humphreys Memorial UMC – PO Box 174, Tornado WV 25202

Sending forth
Leader: May God fill you with joy.
People: Come, Lord Jesus!

Leader: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
   and the love of God, 
   and the communion of the Holy Spirit
      be with you all.
People: Amen.

Closing Hymn                     When Christmas Morn is Dawning UMH 232
words: Elisabeth Ehrenborg-Posse, 1856                                       music: German Folk Tune

1.    When Christmas morn is dawning, I wish that I could be
there by the manger-cradle, God’s Son, newborn, to see.
There by the manger-cradle, God’s Son, newborn, to see.

2.    How kind of you, our Savior, for us to come to earth.
O may we not by sinning, despise your lowly birth.
O may we not by sinning, despise your lowly birth.

3.    We need you, O Lord Jesus, to be our dearest friend.
Your love will guard and guide us and keep us to life’s end.
Your love will guard and guide us and keep us to life’s end.

PK’s Scripture Reading Invitation

I found it energizing to know others were reading the same thing I was; the point being read Scripture. The invitation for you to join me in reading continues:

We are reading the chapter of Luke that matches the date!

 

Calendar Items

Daily prayer with Bishop Sandra: https://www.wvumc.org/daily-prayer-with-bishop-sandra/

Daily online Advent devotions: https://www.wvumc.org/2020-advent-laity-devotions  

Mon Dec 21, 6:30pm   Blue Christmas online service
                                     www.WordsFromPK.blogspot.com/2020/12/BlueChristmas.html

Wed Dec 23, 3pm    Zoom Bible Study. Topic: Advent 4
                                zoom meeting ID: 870 238 944 98
                                password: 7799
                                phone in: (929) 205 6099

Wed Dec 23, 7:00pm   Christmas Eve Eve online worship service
                                     www.WordsFromPK.blogspot.com/2020/12/XMEE.html

 

 

Lakeview United Methodist Church             Humphreys Memorial UMC
www.lakeviewunitedmethodistchurch.net                       www.humphreysumc.org
On Facebook @lumcwv                           On Facebook @humphreysmemorialunitedmethodistchurch
2624 East Parkview Drive, St. Albans WV 25177            7799 Coal River Road, Tornado WV 25202

 

Pastor Kerry William Bart   email: kerry.w.bart@gmail.com  cellphone: (610) 304-5437

 

Be sure to check out:

- Daily Advent devotions: https://www.wvumc.org/2020-advent-laity-devotions/

- Daily prayer by Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball: https://www.wvumc.org/daily-prayer-with-bishop-sandra/

 

 

AS OF DECEMBER 18, we have decided that we will be “online only” for the next while.

- Dec. 21, 6:30pm, “Blue Christmas” worship service (online): https://WordsFromPK.blogspot.com/2020/12/BlueChristmas.html

- Dec. 23, 6:30pm, Christmas Eve Eve worship service: (live at Humphreys, also online, https://WordsFromPK.blogspot.com/2020/12/XMEE.html)

- Jan. 3, 11:30am, Wesley Covenant Renewal worship service, with Holy Communion

 

 

Pastor Kerry shares in a worship service for December 20, 2020

The Fourth Sunday of Advent, the candle of Love

Bulletin can be downloaded from www.humphreysumc.org/sermons/20decworship