PRELUDE                      “Lo, A Rose”                                Wilbur Held                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLES 

*HYMN 105                  People, Look East

PRAYER OF CONFESSION 

God of our salvation, straighten the winding ways of our hearts and smooth the paths made rough by sin. Turn our hearts to holy things, and bring to perfection the good you have begun in us. We ask this through him whose coming is certain, whose day draws near; your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ…

Silent Prayers of Confession

CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE (sung in unison, Hymn 121, vs. 4)

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; 

cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. 

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; 

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS 

Through God’s love, we are restored and saved, for God entered our world in Jesus Christ, “not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” “Those who believe in him are not condemned.” (John 3,17, 18)

Thanks be to God!

*GLORIA

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION 

SCRIPTURE LESSONS: Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:39-56

SERMON                  “Mother Mary”             Rev. Barrett Ingram

*HYMN 146               Gentle Mary Laid Her Child

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                          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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on 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 Ghost; the holy catholic* Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.  

*“catholic” (little c) is translated as “universal” and is not a reference to the Roman Catholic Church.

PASTORAL PRAYER AND THE LORD’S PRAYER         

OFFERTORY ANTHEM    “Gabriel’s Message”      arr. Gail Lund

RECEIVING OF GOD’S TITHES AND OFFERINGS

*DOXOLOGY       

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

*HYMN 143               Angels, from the Realms of Glory 

BENEDICTION  

POSTLUDE                        “Wachet Auf”                           Paul Manz      

*Those who are able are invited to stand.