We Gather Together to Worship Our God
Prelude: Sheep May Safely Graze/ J.S. Bach
Gathering Hymn: Hymnal #208 O Come All Ye Faithful
Today:
- There will be no Sunday School on December 25th or January 1st
- 10:30 Worship in the sanctuary.
This Week:
- There are no Wednesday evening activities this week. Normal schedule resumes January 4th.
- There is no Men’s Prayer-time and Bible Study this week.
- 6-10 pm, Saturday, Celebrate New Year’s Eve with your church family in the fellowship hall. Bring snacks to share, games, crafts, and your own drink. Contact Kristen or Tracy with questions.
General:
- January 8th, Hymn Sing and Fellowship to welcome our new members.
- Following worship on January 15th, we will have a congregational meeting to ratify the 2023 budget.
- 5:30 pm, January 15th, Small Groups meet at the church. Fellowship meal, hymn sing, and then will break off into three groups for prayer and study.
- 5:30 pm, January 15th, Young Adult Bible Study at Jay and Kayla’s. (Address in bulletin) Meal provided.
- January 22nd, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Following worship, there will be a potluck.
- We will no longer be subscribing to RightNow Media. The last day of access will be January 7th.
- Pastor Jeff will be on vacation from December 25-Jan 5th. If you have a pastoral need, please contact one of the elders.
- There will be no Toddlers’ or Children’s Church today or next Sunday. Clipboards are available in the foyer to take sermon notes.
Responsive Call to Worship: Matthew 1:21-23; Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:16
Leader: Mary will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
All: Therefore God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Leader: On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Hymn of Praise: Hymnal #203 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Prayer of Adoration
Hymn of Praise: Hymnal #214 Angels We Have Heard on High
We Confess Our Faith
Responsive Reading: John 1: 1 – 5, 10 – 14
Leader: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
All: He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Leader: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
All: He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Leader: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
We Confess Our Sin
Corporate Prayer of Confession:
Lord God, We praise you for sending your light and love Jesus the Messiah into this world. We confess that we often live like the light did not defeat the darkness. We confess that we often live as though Jesus is not returning in glorious light. We sometimes confine Christ to parts of our lives and our faith becomes small. We do not joyfully serve and expectantly worship. Forgive us for ignoring Jesus’ light. Prepare us for His return. Help us rejoice in the light, so your grace illumines the dark places of our hearts, our city and our world. Amen.
Silent Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon
Hymn of Assurance: Hymnal #195 Joy to the World
We Welcome New Members to Our Foothills Family
The Apostles’ Creed
Jessica L; Mike and Becky H. and their children, and Ella H.
We Give Thanks To The Lord
Tithes and Offerings
Offertory: Hallelujah Chorus/ The Messiah—G.F. Handel ( 1685-1759)
On August 22, 1741, he shut the door of his London home and started composing music for the words. Twenty-four days later, the world had Messiah. “Whether I was in the body or out of the body when I wrote it, I know not,” Handel later said, trying to describe the experience. It opened in London to enormous crowds with Handel leading on the harpsichord. King George II, surprised everyone by leaping to his feet during the Hallelujah Chorus, setting the tradition of standing during the chorus.
Doxology
We Hear God Speak
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.
He Comes to Make His Blessings Flow Far as the Curse Is Found Luke 2: 14; Isaiah 52: 7
A copy of the sermon notes is available: 12-25-22 sermon notes
Audio Only:
Hymn of Response: Because He Lives
We Are Dismissed with God’s Blessing
Benediction
Joyful, Joyful We Adore You
Postlude: Joy To The World: G. F. Handel