ORDER OF WORSHIPDECEMBER 14TH, 2025
- Union Church
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
ORDER OF WORSHIP
DECEMBER 14TH, 2025 10:30 AM
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT – JOY
**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 – Brittany Brooks Hannon and Family
CALL TO WORSHIP (Adapted from Psalm 146)
LEADER: Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the
LORD their God,
PEOPLE: Who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.
LEADER: The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
PEOPLE: The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the
righteous.
LEADER: The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the
widow,
PEOPLE: The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD!
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 “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” Red #171
CALL TO CONFESSION
We come to God to ask for forgiveness for all we have done. We ask God for grace and understanding.
PRAYER FOR UNDERSTANDING
Dear Lord, even in this season of joy, we come to you as sinners and ask for
your grace. We know the gift of Christmas is salvation, but we burden ourselves with worries and complaints about celebrations. We worry about the quality of gifts given while also resisting giving all we can. We ask in this time of hope for you to give us wisdom and understanding.
(A moment for silent personal confession)
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
The real gift of Christmas is the promise of salvation. We are all sinners and yet God has promised us all a place in his kingdom.
**GLORIA PATRI Red #805
**PASSING OF THE PEACE
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from the Book of Confessions)
We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed, calling all to repent and believe the gospel. Unjustly condemned, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving His life for the sins of the world. God raised Jesus from the dead, vindicating His sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal.
HYMN OF PRAISE “O Little Town of Bethlehem” Red #155
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
We come to find inspiration and joy in the inspired word of God. Let us hear the word.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
NEW TESTAMENT James 5:7-10 Vivian Thain
GOSPEL Matthew 11:2-11
SERMON MESSAGE What Is and What Can Be 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 “All Things Are Yours” Red #657
**DOXOLOGY Avery & Marsh (Back of the Red hymnal)
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
HYMN OF PARTING “Away in a Manger” Red #147
BENEDICTION
I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
-Charles Dickens
POSTLUDE “Praise the Name of Jesus” Red #128
Blessings!
James Phillips
Union Church
44 Balmville Rd, Newburgh NY 12550
(845) 562-0954