Hello Union Church Presbyterians,
Worship this Sunday, December 4 will be in-person and streamed on YouTube to view at home. We will share prayers, songs, and reflections. We will be celebrating Communion this Sunday.
YouTube broadcast will begin at 10:25 AM, https://www.youtube.com/user/NewburghPresby
ORDER OF WORSHIP
December 4, 2022 10:30 AM
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
FLOWERS today are given by Marylin Mazza to the glory of God and in loving memory of her daughter, Donna, and her sister, Johanna.
USHERS today are Susan Sloat and Janice Anderson.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING SUN, DEC 18 after worship to ELECT new Elders and Deacons.
ADVENT: If your family would like to light Advent candles, please contact Pastor John.
SUN, DEC 11: HOLIDAY LUNCHEON after worship, sponsored by the Deacons. Afterwards join us for a special musical program by Jonathan Hall of Goshen Presbyterian church, concluding with a Carol Sing.
POINSETTIAS available for purchase, $15 each. Envelopes available in the pews; please write neatly and leave in offering pate. Envelopes due SUN, DEC 11.
OUTREACH meeting TODAY after church in the Parlor. PHOTO DIRECTORY: Outreach will begin taking pictures of individuals and families, during Fellowship Hour after services, for the new photo directory.
CHRISTIAN ED: Holiday Ornament Workshops FRI, DEC 9 from 4:30-6:30 PM.
Includes 4 ceramic ornaments and the choice of 8 unique ornament. Learn how to decorate your clay creation using a variety of textures, tools, and bright underglaze colors. Pieces will be professionally bisque fired and clear glazed; and ready for pick up in 2 weeks. ALL are welcome! $25 per person. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054BAAAF29AB9-1day
Contact Yvette Pickard with any questions or concerns.
FOOD PANTRY has been selected again to receive $1 from every $2.50 reusable Fight Hunger Bag sold during the month of January 2023 at Hannaford at 2636 Rt. 32 in New Windsor. Vince Diamante, one of our non-member volunteers, and his neighbors sent over more than 10 bags of food for our pantry containing special items such as coffee, cake, and brownie mixes. Our clients can peruse the tables and take what they wish. OPEN MON, DEC 5 and WED, DEC 7 from 9:30-11:30 AM. Serving LOTS of people! If you would like to help, contact Kathy or Debby.
ORDER OF WORSHIP
If you have individual prayer requests, please write them on prayer cards in the pews and bring them up or give them to an usher during the prelude.
**Kindly stand if you are able
PRELUDE “Communion” Louis Vierne
WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS
LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE – Hope and Peace Sheila O’Donnell and Alan Rizzuto
Leader: All Creation is waiting!
PEOPLE: What are we waiting for?
Leader: There’s thunder in the desert! PEOPLE: Prepare for God’s arrival!
Leader: We wait for a miracle.
PEOPLE: Who is this miracle?
Leader: It is our Messiah, Jesus Christ, the One who saves us!
PEOPLE: Come, let us worship and give thanks!
INVOCATION (unison)
During this Advent, Lord, grant us peace. Teach us peace and guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Prepare us now Lord for your peace. Amen.
**OPENING HYMN “Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night” Blue #20
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Gracious God, source of all life, Lord of mercy and grace, We come before you in need of healing: The healing of our bodies and souls, The healing of our relationships, The healing of our pride and fear and apathy. We know that with you, nothing is impossible, not even our healing, Not even the restoration of the whole world. We pray that you will heal us, that you will heal our world, So that we will be freed to service and love and dream and be, As Christ calls us. Amen.
(a moment for silent personal confession)
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
With the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promises, but is patient with you and me, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. In Jesus Christ we are forgiven! Hallelujah, Amen!
**GLORIA PATRI
**PASSING OF THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you!
And also with you!
Let us share the peace of Christ with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
**APOSTLES CREED (Traditional)
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.
**HYMN OF PRAISE “People, Look East” Blue #12
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Gracious God, keep us open to your word and what it says to us today. Keep our minds free to your will and our spirits ready to do and to live as you would have us live. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
OLD TESTAMENT Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 Theresa Cotanche
GOSPEL Matthew 3:1-12
SERMON Thunder in the Desert! Lynn Costa
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
COMMUNION
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
PEOPLE: We lift them to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
PEOPLE: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Leader: It is right to praise you, Father, Lord of all creation; in your love you made us for yourself. When we turned away you did not reject us but came to meet us in your Son.
PEOPLE: You embraced us as your children and welcomed us to sit and eat with you.
Leader: In Christ you shared our life that we might live in him and he in us. He opened his arms of love upon the cross and made for all the perfect sacrifice for sin. On the night he was betrayed, at supper with his friends he took bread, and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to them, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.
PEOPLE: Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his body is the bread of life.
Leader: At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine, he gave you thanks, and said:
Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins; do this in remembrance of me.
PEOPLE: Father, we do this in remembrance of him: his blood is shed for all.
Leader: As we proclaim his death and celebrate his rising in glory, send your Holy Spirit that this bread and this wine may be to us the body and blood of your dear Son. As we eat and drink these holy gifts. With your whole Church throughout the world we offer you this sacrifice of praise and lift our voice to join the eternal song of heaven:
PEOPLE: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Leader: Prayer for the People
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 and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
PRAYER AFTER THANKSGIVING
Generous and faithful God, you have fed us at your table. May the nourishment we have received enable us to enrich the lives of others wherever we may go from here. Whether the future be dark or bright, the road be smooth or rough, whether our cares be light or heavy, our song be strong or weak, keep our hearts warm and our hands open, our lives ever embracing and ever embraced by your love. Amen.
OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS
We can hoard the gifts with which you bless us, God of generosity, or we can share them with others. May what we offer in these moments be the very blessing, the very hope, the very peace others need. This we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
OFFERTORY “Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming” arr. by Michael Burkhardt
**DOXOLOGY Traditional
PRAYER OF THANKS (unison)
Lord God, we thank you for these gifts. During this season of Advent may we find ways to honor you by giving of our treasure, our time and our talents to glorify you and your son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
**HYMN OF PARTING “Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates” Blue #8
BENEDICTION
Go in peace, loving the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, your mind and strength and loving your neighbor as yourself.
POSTLUDE “Come, Savior of the Nations” Johann Sebastian Bach
Blessings!
Lynn Costa
Union Church
44 Balmville Rd, Newburgh NY 12550
Phone: (845) 562-0954 Fax: (845) 562-0955