ORDER OF WORSHIP -NOVEMBER 30TH, 2025

Union Church
2 days ago
3 min read

10:30 AM

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT – HOPE

**Kindly stand if you are able

PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR PHONE before Worship Service unless NECESSARY for medical reasons.

PRELUDE John Coates

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE – Vivian Thain

CALL TO WORSHIP (Adapted from Psalm 122)

LEADER: I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”

PEOPLE: Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.

LEADER: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.

PEOPLE: Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.”

LEADER: For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”

PEOPLE: For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

INVOCATION

We do not know when Christ will return, but we know that the Holy Spirit is with us here

and every day to come.

**OPENING HYMN “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” Red #133

CALL TO CONFESSION

As we begin to celebrate the gift of eternal salvation, we also come to you, Lord, as

sinners asking for your grace and understanding.

PRAYER FOR UNDERSTANDING

Lord, we bow before you and ask for your forgiveness and understanding. We

too often turn away from your light to walk in the shadows. We lose connection

with you and your teachings. Instead of trusting in your grace, we demand the

certain knowledge of our future and turn away from faith. Please help us to

accept your embrace and grace.

(A moment for silent personal confession)

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

We are sinners, but we are also saved. Be assured that God sees and loves each one

of you.

**GLORIA PATRI Avery & Marsh (Back of the Red hymnal)

**PASSING OF THE PEACE

**AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from 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.

**HYMN OF PRAISE “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” Red # 135

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

The words of the scripture are a balm for the wounded and a comfort for the afflicted.

Let us listen and understand.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

OLD TESTAMENT Isaiah 2:1-5 Libby Szymanowicz

NEW TESTAMENT Romans 13:11-14

GOSPEL Matthew 24:36-44

SERMON MESSAGE “What Do We Know?” James Phillips

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE, THE CHURCH AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

And Lord we pray for those in our own hearts whose names you already know, for their own healing and comfort, in your name and that of our redeemer Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray, saying:

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.

OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS

Let us return to God the offerings of our life and the gifts of the earth. May our gifts be a blessing to those who receive them. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

OFFERTORY “I Surrender All” Red #579

PRAYER OF THANKS

We thank you, our Lord for those gifts to us that we send to you for your work and ours

in congregation, community, and culture. Guide us in good use as we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen

**DOXOLOGY Avery & Marsh (Back of the Red hymnal)

HYMN OF PARTING “May the Grace of Christ Our Savior” Red #841

BENEDICTION

The Spirit of the Lord God is Upon Me.

-from Isaiah 61

POSTLUDE “I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus” Red #524

Blessings!

James Phillips