The Nourishment of Worship
December 8th, 2013
Advent II
Be The Miracle
Our planet turns beneath December’s moon.
Constellations and galaxies trace their arc
across the hours of darkness.
Our clocks turn.
Are all cycles fixed?
Are we, like mice upon the wheel,
going nowhere, round and round,
through birth, growth, decay, and death?
Not so.
There was a moment, a minute, a midnight,
when a baby cried.
As life began that changed all lifea sharp point of eternity
thrust in upon the cycles of our times
that cracks the wheel of destiny and fate.
The movement of that life gathers us
and takes us up and out
and straight into light unending.
Rod Sykes
Wesley United Church
244 First Avenue North, Welland, ON L3C 1Y8
Phone: 905-735-5912
Fax: 905-735-5913
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: wesleyunitedchurch.org
Enabling Minister... Rev. Kim Wright
Choir Director……….Breanne Doekes
Pianist/Accompanist……..Ted Ellis/ Sybil Marsh
Youth Coordinator……..Bonnie Jones
Custodian………Bea Sager
Administrator…….Jane Sheraton
Office Hours: Monday thru Friday ~ 9 am to 1 pm *You’re invited to stand, if able.
Sharing Responsively: Words for the Leader
Words for the congregation.
Entrance Liturgy
Organ Prelude:
We Gather in Community
We Prepare for the Privilege of Worship
Call to Worship:
Come together,
cow and bear, lion and ox,
come together;
come together, every one and every thing,
give glory to God.
Come together,
nations and peoples, come together;
come together, leaders and followers,
give glory to God.
Let us prepare to be led by the
liberator of all the world.
Let us worship God.
Opening Hymn: #96 (VU) Will You Come and See The Light
Will you come and see the light from the stable door?
It is shining newly bright, though it shone before.
It will be your guiding star,
it will show you who you are;
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Will you step into the light that can free the slave?
It will stand for what is right, it will heal and save.
By the pyramids of greed
there's a longing to be freed;
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Hymn (cont Vs 3)
Will you tell about the light in the prison cell?
Though it's shackled out of sight, it is shining well.
When the truth is cut and bruised,
and the innocent abused,
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Will you join the hope, alight in the young girl's eyes,
of the mighty put to flight by a baby's cries?
When the lowest and the least
are the foremost at the feast,
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Will you travel by the light of the babe new born?
In the candle lit at night there's a gleam of dawn,
and the darkness all about
is too dim to put it out:
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
words: Brian Wren, 1989
music: Traditional Scottish Melody
OneLicense.net A-721786
Youthful Visioning:
Opening Prayer
Children’s Music: #6 (VU) A Candle is Burning
(vs.1)
A candle is burning, a flame warm and bright,
a candle of hope in December's dark night.
While angels sing blessings from heaven's starry sky,
our hearts we prepare now for Jesus is nigh.
words: Sandra Dean, 1986
music: Public Domain
LicenSing 621093
Minutes for Mission:
Recognizing Our Humanity
Words of Freedom: :#71 (MV) When the Wind of Winter Blows
(vs. 1+3)
When the wind of winter blows,
bringing times of solitude,
fill the silent icy night;
be our hearts’ compassion.
Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.
Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.
When the days of fallen snow,
change confounds or love burns low,
from the ashes may there rise
phoenix of our growing.
Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.
Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.
words: Ruth Duck, 1992
music: Lori True, 2000
OneLicense.net A-721786
Rite of Word
Ministry of Music: John Went Out to Preach God’s Word
tune: Mendelssohn, 1840
words: C. Gillette
Gospel Glory: Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist Came Preaching
Hymn of Meditation: #82 (VU) A Light is Gleaming
Refrain:
A light is gleaming, spreading its arms
throughout the night, living in the light.
Come share its gladness, God's radiant love
is burning bright, living in the light.
When light comes pouring into the darkest place,
it hurts our eyes to see the glow.
Sometimes a word of hope reminds us of our fears,
our memories and tears. R
Hymn (Cont Vs 2)
When night is round us and every shadow grows,
a star is there to light our way.
It tells a story of Jesus who came near to say:
'God's light will ever stay.' R
And Jesus showed us a brighter path to walk.
He showed us things we hadn't seen.
Now we, like Jesus, can help creation shine,
and this will be a sign: R
So let us live in the brightness God has giv'n,
and let us rise to see the dawn.
We trust that God is here asparkle and ablaze,
warming all our days. R
words and music: Linnea Good, 1992
Licensing 621093
Meditation: THE GARMENTS WE WEAR
Closing Liturgy
Offering:
*Doxology: #68 (VU) All Poor Ones and Humble (vs. #1)
All poor ones and humble and all those who stumble,
come hastening, and feel not afraid;
for Jesus, our treasure, with love past all measure,
in lowly poor manger was laid.
Though wise men who found him
laid rich gifts around him,
yet oxen they gave him their hay,
and Jesus in beauty accepted their duty;
contented in manger he lay.
Then haste we to show him the praises we owe him;
our service he ne'er can despise;
whose love still is able to show us that stable,
where softly in manger he lies.
words: Oxford University Press
music: Public Domain
LicenSing 621093
Prayers of the People
The Prayer of Jesus
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil
for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen
music: David Haas, 1986
OneLicense.net A-721786
*Hymn of Dedication: #36 (VU) Angels, from the Realms of Glory
Angels, from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o'er all the earth;
ye who sang creation's story,
now proclaim Messiah's birth:
Refrain:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn King.
Shepherds in the field abiding,
watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing,
yonder shines the infant Light: R
Sages, leave your contemplations;
brighter visions beam afar;
seek the great desire of nations;
ye have seen his natal star: R
Saints before the altar bending,
watching long in hope and fear,
suddenly the Lord, descending,
in his temple shall appear: R
words: James Montgomery
music: German Melody
Public Domain
*Benediction:
*Choral Amen
*Choral Benediction: #158 (MV) Dream a Dream
(vs. 1+4)
Dream a dream, a hopeful dream,
as children do on Christmas Eve,
imaginings, surprising things
to hold and to believe. (to believe.)
Dream a gift, the Christmas gift
that changes everything we see:
the shimmering of angel wing,
the Child, the Mystery. (Mys-ter-y.)
words: Shirley Erena Murray, 1996
Music: Ron Klusmeier, 2005
Licensing Online 621093
Organ Postlude
A Reminder About Prayer Chain Requests Please contact the Prayer Chain Coordinator by her confidential phone number (905) 732‐7449 or by email: [email protected] You may also place the name and phone number of the person, in a sealed envelope addressed to Prayer Chain Request and place it in the prayer Box, located at the back of the sanctuary or on the offering plate. Bonnie Barrett, Prayer Chain Coordinator THANK YOU
To our ushers & greeters; Jane Jackson, Bernice Bowes, Shelly Coombes and Catharine Simpson, to our announcer Bonnie Barrett, to Catharine Simpson our presenter of Minutes for Mission; to our dedicated sound room tech‐
nicians, and everyone who has made today’s worship service possible. A heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers who prepare the refreshments after worship; to all the volunteers who take care of the set‐up for our fellowship; to our counters and to everyone else who ensures that today is warm and welcoming and special thanks to our “Night Watchman”, Horst Werneburg. Volunteers Needed
We would like to welcome volunteers to participate
on any Wesley United committee.
Committees especially in need of support are:
Christian Development
Finance and Stewardship
Membership and Outreach
Property and Maintenance
Library Committee
Please apply to any of the committees and bring your personal
and professional skills to enable
Wesley United to continue to grow.
For more information, please contact any
member of our
nominating committee
Chair, Kathy Young : 905-735-7680
Carolyn Brown : 905-734-9992
Jane Koruna : 289-820-7170
Gloria Mannell : 905-894-0293
LET US REMEMBER THOSE LESS FORTUNATE
AS WE SHOP THIS CHRISTMAS.
This Year the Mitten Tree will be set up in the Narthex from Sunday Dec 8th –15th Feel free to add new mittens, gloves, scarves, hats and socks. Donations will be given to Women’s Place and The Hope Centre in time for Christmas. Food Drive and White Gift Sundays
December 8th & 15th, 2013
Gifts of non-perishable food items for the
Hope Centre as well as small toys for the Christmas Toy Drive will be
accepted Sunday December 8th and 15th. Gifts may be wrapped or
unwrapped. Big or small, for young children, babies or teens.
Help “STAMP” out Leprosy
It’s easy to help! Please tear off the stamps from your holiday mail, leaving one quarter of an inch around the stamp and put them in the plastic bin in the Narthex. The Membership and Outreach (M&O) committee will collect them and send them to the Leprosy Mission of Canada. All money collected from the sale of the stamps goes towards a cure. WOW Dinner
Women of Wesley
invite all ladies to join them
celebrate Christmas
with dinner & conversation.
WOW, will also have a
collection basket at the dinner
for anyone wishing to make a
financial donation to buy
community toys.
For tickets or more
information, please contact
Cathy Simpson at
905-732-1018
2013 Multi-Church Choir Carol Service
All Peoples, Wesley, Fonthill, Fenwick and Central United Choirs
With an invitation to the congregation to sing along.
Sunday December 8th at 7pm. Fonthill United, 42 Church Hill, Pelham
A Benefit Concert for Pelham Cares will be held at Fonthill United,
42 Church Hill on Sunday, December 15 at 4:00 pm. It is means to
provide outreach to our community and enjoy light classical music by
the Peninsula Orchestra. Entry fee is your donation to Pelham Cares.
After the concert, the church’s outreach group will host a
Turkey Dinner for $10.00 and all proceeds from the dinner go to
Pelham Cares. For more information call : 905-892-6433
.
Wesley Family Fundraising
Pot Luck Luncheon,
Sunday December 15th at 11:30am
Carol Singing, Puppets, Youth Performance,
Wesley Family Fellowship & more.
Bring something to share, (hot or cold),
to our kitchen before the Service.
Tea, coffee and juice will be provided.
Everyone is welcome to join our Christmas Celebrations
*Goodwill offerings* in support of
Wesley’s Fundraising Committee will be appreciated
The poinsettias in the sanctuary today have been placed in memory of Jeanne Nakagawa and Richard and Kimiye Tanouye Always in our hearts, love your families & In beloved memory of Jennie Malcomsom from her daughter Irene Downey The Week Ahead at Wesley
Monday, 9th
World Religions ....................................1 pm .................... LIB
Weight Watchers .............................5:30 pm.............. RH
Cubs..........................................................6:30 pm.............. LH
AA……….Open 7 pm - Meet 8 pm ........................... OP
Venturers & Rovers ..............................8 pm .................... LH
Tuesday, 10th
Weight Watchers.......................... 9 am ................. RH
Scouts ............................................... 7 pm ................. LH
Wednesday, 11th
Quilters ............................................ 9 am ................. OP
Beavers ........................................... 6:30 pm ........... LH
Camera Club Xmas Party ........ 6:30pm.......... RH
Thursday, 12th
Weight Watchers ........................ 9am & 5:30pm
Irish Dance ..............................................5:30 pm..............
Finance Meeting............................ 6:30 pm ...........
Chime Choir............................................6:30pm ..............
Choir .........................................................7:30pm ...............
Friday, 13th
Beavers....................................................6:30 pm.............. LiB
Puppet Practice.............................. 7:30 pm ........... RH
Saturday, 14th
Family Xmas Party ............... ............................ RH/Kit
Sunday, 15th
Choir .........................................................9 15 am ............. SA
Worship Service ........................... 10 am .............. SA
Fellowship/POT LUCK ................. 11/11:30 am . RH
RH
LH
LiB
SA
SA
Youth Announcements
We invite all
Wesley Youth
to help decorate our
Christmas tree, during
Fellowship today