We Gather Together to Worship Our God
Prelude: Tres Villancicos (Three Spanish Carols)
Gathering Hymn: Hymnal #218 Angels From the Realms of Glory (verses 1, 5)
Announcements:
Today:
- 9:00 Sunday School for all ages. Pre-k – 7th meet downstairs; the High School and Adult Class meets in the Sanctuary.
- 10:30 Worship in the sanctuary.
- Today we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
- 6:00 pm, Tonight, Kids’ Quest Christmas Program. A time of refreshments and fellowship will follow.
This Week:
- 6:00 pm, December 20th, Christmas Caroling. We will meet in the church Foyer, go carol, and return to the church kitchen around 7:30 pm for hot chocolate, cider, and cookies. People of all ages are welcome! For more information, see Denzel N.
General:
- 6:00 pm, December 24th, Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.
- There will be no Music Practice, Puppet Practice, Kids’ Quest, High School Youth Group, or Eschatology class on December 20th, December 27th, or January 3rd.
- There will be no Men’s Prayer-time and Bible Study on December 21st, 23rd, 28th, or 30th.
- There will be no Sunday School on December 24th or December 31st.
- 8:00 pm-midnight, December 31st, New Year’s Party. Bring your favorite games and party foods to share.
- 6:30 pm, January 4th, Mercy Ministry Team Meeting.
- 8:45 am, January 5th, MOPS meets at the church.
- 6:00 pm, January 8th, Session Meeting.
- 5:30 pm, January 14th, Young Adult Bible Study at Jay and Kayla’s. (Address in bulletin) Meal provided.
- 5:30 pm, January 14th, “Who Is the Holy Spirit?” community groups at the church. We will enjoy a fellowship potluck together and sing as a large group. Then we will break into smaller groups for study and prayer.
- 6:00 pm, January 14th, Piedmont Area “Who Is the Holy Spirit?” community group (address in bulletin).
- Please take a Mercy Bag from the basket in the Foyer and bless a person who is in need. This bag includes toiletries, a McDonald’s gift card, and a Christian tract.
- Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University class will start Thursday, January 11, 2024, 6:30p here at the church. Join us to learn how you can pay off debt, save more money, and build wealth. Contact Tanse & Tonya H. if you have any questions. (Cost will be $45/family, payable to the church, but scholarships are available).
- Our ministry focus this month is the Adopt-A-Senior Tree. Please bring all items back to the church by December 18th.
A Moment for Ministry: Financial Peace University
Responsive Call to Worship: Isaiah 12: 2 – 6
Leader: Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
All: With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Leader: Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.
Prayer of Adoration
Hymn of Praise: Hymnal #214 Angels We Have Heard on High
We Confess Our Faith
Responsive Reading: New City Catechism Questions 20 – 25
Leader: Who is the Redeemer?
All: The only Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, in whom God became man and bore the penalty for sin himself.
Leader: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
All: One who is truly human and also truly God.
Leader: Why must the Redeemer be truly human?
All: That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses.
Leader: Why must the Redeemer be truly God?
All: That because of his divine nature his obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective; and also that he would be able to bear the righteous anger of God against sin and yet overcome death.
Leader: Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die?
All: Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God. By his substitutionary atoning death, he alone redeems us from hell and gains for us forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and everlasting life.
Leader: Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven?
All: Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God graciously imputes Christ’s righteousness to us as if it were our own and will remember our sins no more.
Hymn of Response: Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne (verses 1,2,4,5) music is on the front page of the goldenrod insert
We Confess Our Sin
Call to Confession: from Romans 3: 23
Leader: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; yet we are justified by the gift of God’s grace through the redemption that is ours in Christ Jesus. Trusting in God’s mercy, let us confess our sin.
Silent Confession of Sin
Corporate Prayer of Confession: Adapted from Daniel 5: 5 – 7; Psalm 51: 9 – 13
All: O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your word and done what is right. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, because of the rebellion that we committed against you. Hide your face from our sins, and blot out all our iniquities. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. For the sake of your Son, cast us not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation, and uphold us with a willing spirit. Then, singing your praises, we will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Hymn of Assurance: Hymnal #204 Away In A Manger (Verses 1 and 3)
We Give Thanks To The Lord
Tithes and Offerings
Offertory: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (in the Setting of Chopin’s Nocturne, Op. 9, no. 2.)
Chopin composed this well-known nocturne in 1830, at age 20, and was considered among the finest short solo works for the piano. This carol is unusual in that there is no mention of Christ, the newborn Babe, or of the Savior’s Mission, only focusing on the angelic request for peace on earth.
Doxology
We Hear God Speak
Advent Reading: Joy
Hymn of Response: Hymnal #196 (verse 1) Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus
(Following this time, a nursery is available, Toddlers’ Church for ages 2-4, and Children’s Church for ages 5-8.)
Prayer of God’s People
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 debts, As we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
The Shepherds: ‘Twas Grace That Taught Their Hearts to Fear and Grace Their Fears Relieved Luke 2: 8-14
A copy of the sermon notes is available: 12-17-23 sermon notes
Audio Only:
Hymn of Response: Hymnal #460 Amazing Grace
The Lord’s Supper
A Word About Communion: Foothills Community Church welcomes all baptized Christians who are willing to forsake their sin and who are trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation to receive Communion with us. If you are not able to take Communion, we invite you to use this time to pray before God.
The Bread (is gluten-free)
The Cup (outer ring contains wine; inner rings contains grape juice)
Hymn of Response: We Will Feast In The House of Zion
We Are Dismissed with God’s Blessing
Benediction
Hymn: Oh How He Loves You and Me
Postlude: The Little Drummer Boy/Katherine Davis, Henry Onorati & Harry Simeone