SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
2nd Sunday of Advent
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)
December 6, 2020 Ten Thirty in the morning
Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart
Liturgist: Suzanne Wooderson
Please silence all cell phones..
Bold face indicates congregational participation.
GATHERING
WORDS OF WELCOME
PRELUDE Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent – Henry Colemen
ADORATION
CALL TO WORSHIP (responsive)
One: In a torn world, we wonder how to act with compassion.
Many: In our own lives, we wonder where to find harmony.
One: Even when we don’t agree on the details, we want the same thing.
Many: We all want peace.
One: Like people in exile, we feel displaced.
Many: We try to find our way in a world where we cannot find our familiar landmarks, forgetting to look to God first.
One: Without God, there is no peace.
Many: Even now, we can return to God.
(Light the first and second candles.)
One: “Return to the Lord your God, for God is merciful and compassionate, very patient, full of faithful love, and ready to forgive.” (Joel 2:13b, CEB))
Many: Our forgiving God brings peace.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Loving Lord, When we have strayed, you have called us to come home to you. “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing.” With all our hearts we return to you, and gratefully accept your gentle love, for the sake of the one whose spirit lives in us, Jesus Christ, our loving savior. Amen
CONFESSION
CALL TO CONFESSION
SILENT CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Merciful God, in your gracious presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
GLORIA PATRI 579
PROCLAMATION
FIRST LESSON Luke 11:9-13 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN
Anthem “The Yearning” Craig Courtney
There is a yearning in hearts weighed down by ancient grief
and centuries of sorrow.
There is a yearning in hearts that in the darkness hide
and in the shades of death abide,
a yearning for tomorrow.
There is a yearning a yearning for the promised One, the First-born of creation.
There is a yearning for the Lord who visited His own,
and by His death for sin atoned,
to bring to us salvation.
Emmanuel, Emmanuel, within our hearts, the yearning.
There is a yearning that fills the hearts
of those who wait the day of His appearing.
There is a yearning when all our sorrows are erased and we shall see the One
who placed within our hearts the yearning.
SECOND LESSON Joel 2:12-16, 28-29
Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord, your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
assemble the aged;
gather the children,
even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her canopy.
Then afterward
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days, I will pour out my spirit.
L: The Word of the Lord.
P: Thanks be to God.
SERMON “Return To the Lord” The Rev. Aaron Ochart
RESPONSE
RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBERS
LOUISE AND ASHER OCHART
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
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
…Therefore with all creation we sing your praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest…
According to Christ’s commandment:
We remember his death, we proclaim his resurrection, we await his coming glory.
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 and the power and the glory, forever. Amen
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all that is within me, bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and forget not all God’s benefits.
Hymn 11 “O Lord, How Shall I Meet You?” Valet Will Ich Dir Geben
PARTING PRAYER Prayer of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32)
Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. Amen.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Lord Christ, the Only Son of God BWV 601 – J.S. BachParticipating in today’s service are Rev. Aaron Ochart, Pastor, Julie Hebert, CE Leader, Sandy Cranfill, Music Director, and Sam Garnett, Organist.
Appreciation to David Garland and Dennis Lauland for the video production of today’s service.
Thank You to Dave and Emily Garland for the Beautiful flowers in the Sanctuary to Honor the Glory of God.