WORSHIP SERVICES

Advent 3: Joy
On the road to restoration – embrace shalom

ORDER OF SERVICE

Centering chimes  

Lighting of the solidarity lamp
–Symbolic of our Sister Church relationship with El Divino Redentor

Prelude – Joysong by Mark Hayes

Call to worship (adapted from Psalm 126:2-6)

Leader: The Lord has done great things for us, and so we rejoice!

People: Our mouths are filled with laughter, and our tongues with shouts of joy.

Leader: Those who sow in tears will reap shouts of joy.

People: Those who go out weeping will come home with shouts of joy.

All: The Lord has done great things for us—we rejoice!

Black songbook #15 – Upon this path

Lighting the Advent Candles – Shungu family

Welcome & prayer

Virtual Passing the Peace (break-out groups)

Hymn from new hymnal sampler – Come, thou long expected Jesus

Advent Poetry & Art (links to words and visual included)
– Poem: The Means of Production, by Nikki Grimes; read by Courtney Malcolm
– Art: The Windsock Visitation by Br. Michael McGrath

Children’s story
– Song “Let the children come to me”
– The Children’s Fall/Winter offering benefits Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) as it celebrates its centennial year in 2020. All households are invited to set out a basket and gather an offering weekly. Donations may be sent to the FMC office at any time or can be made online (select children’s offering in “To” box)

Scripture – Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 & Luke 1:46b-55 & Psalm 126

Sermon

Purple songbook #13 – Sing we a song of high revolt

Congregational sharing & prayer

Meditative music – Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming arr. by Charles Lindberg
– In the absence of a weekly offering collection, reflect on how you are practicing and receiving generosity. Consider giving to First Mennonite Church by mailing a check, giving through your bank, or giving online.

Work of the church

Sending hymn – O little town of Bethlehem (Hymnal #191)

Worship Leader – Pastor Deb
Sermon & sharing – Pastor Michael
Prelude & Meditation – Jan Kellogg
Hymns – Andrea Welty Peachey
Call to worship – Rea Koehn
Advent Candle Lighting – Shungu family
Advent Poetry & Art Movie – Shawn Rodriguez
Children’s Storyteller – Melissa Shungu
Scripture – Scott Bidner

Advent 2: Love
On the road to repentance – expect grace

ORDER OF SERVICE

Centering chimes  

Lighting of the solidarity lamp
–Symbolic of our Sister Church relationship with El Divino Redentor

Prelude – Hark! the herald angels sing

Call to worship (adapted from Isaiah 40:3-5)

Leader: Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem

People:  “Be comforted”, says your God.

Leader: Make it very clear that she has served her sentence,

People: Be comforted, oh my people

Leader: Her sin is taken care of—forgiven!

All: “Comfort, oh comfort my people”, says our God!

Black songbook #15 – Upon this path

Lighting the Advent Candles – Pena-Martin family

Welcome & prayer

Virtual Passing the Peace (break-out groups)

Hymnal #176 – Comfort, comfort, O my people

Advent Poetry & Art (links to words and visual included)
– Poem: Let Evening Come by Jane Kenyon, read by Shawn Rodriguez
– Art: Peaceable Kingdom by John August Swanson

Children’s story
– Song “Let the children come to me”
– The Children’s Fall/Winter offering benefits Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) as it celebrates its centennial year in 2020. All households are invited to set out a basket and gather an offering weekly. Donations may be sent to the FMC office at any time or can be made online (select children’s offering in “To” box)

Scripture – Isaiah 40:1-11 & Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Hymn from new sampler – Poor of the earth

Baptism of Lincoln Morris

Communion
– Gather bread/cracker and juice at home for the virtual celebration

Congregational sharing & prayer

Meditative music – Cancion de Adviento (Advent Song) 
– In the absence of a weekly offering collection, reflect on how you are practicing and receiving generosity. Consider giving to First Mennonite Church by mailing a check, giving through your bank, or giving online.

Work of the church

Sending hymn – Love came down at Christmas (Hymnal #208)

Worship Leader – Pastor Deb
Sermon & sharing – Pastor Michael
Prelude – Andrea Welty Peachey
Meditation music – Ivette Herryman-Rodriguez
Hymns – Rafael Luquis
Call to worship – Ally Welty Peachey
Advent Candle Lighting – Pam Pena-Martin family
Advent Poetry & Art – Shawn Rodriguez
Children’s Storyteller – Courtney Malcolm
Scripture – Amber Anderson

Advent 1: Hope
On the road to readiness – admit need

ORDER OF SERVICE

Centering chimes  

Lighting of the solidarity lamp
–Symbolic of our Sister Church relationship with El Divino Redentor

Prelude – Isaiah 64 by Lincoln Morris

Call to worship (adapted from Isaiah 64:1,6,9; Psalm 80:3)

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence.

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Do not remember our iniquity forever.

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Black songbook #15 – Upon this path

Lighting the Advent Candles – Anderson family

Welcome & prayer

Virtual Passing the Peace (break-out groups)

Purple Songbook #15 – Hope is a candle

Advent Poetry & Art
– Untitled by Nikki Grimes (read by Natalya Rodriguez)
– Art: Fervent Prayer by Gbenga Offo

Children’s story
– Song “Let the children come to me”
– The Children’s Fall/Winter offering benefits Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) as it celebrates its centennial year in 2020. All households are invited to set out a basket and gather an offering weekly. Donations may be sent to the FMC office at any time or can be made online (select children’s offering in “To” box)

Scripture – Isaiah 64:1-9 & Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

Purple Songbook #4 – Rejoice, rejoice, the Savior comes

Congregational sharing & prayer

Meditative music – Untitled
– In the absence of a weekly offering collection, reflect on how you are practicing and receiving generosity. Consider giving to First Mennonite Church by mailing a check, giving through your bank, or giving online.

Work of the church

Sending hymn – To us a child of hope is born (Hymnal #189)

Worship Leader – Pastor Deb
Sermon & sharing – Pastor Michael
Prelude – Lincoln Morris & Allyson Polman
Meditation music – Lesley Deem (cedar flute)
Hymns – Matt Yoder
Call to worship – Caden Green & Jong Min Patel
Advent Candle Lighting – Ryan & Amber Anderson family
Advent Poetry & Art – Natalya Rodriguez
Children’s Storyteller – Sam Cox
Scripture – Bev Hertle