PRELUDE
“Of the Father’s Love Begotten” 17th century tune; arr. John Carter
“Pastorale” Keith Chapman
GREETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Rev. Gregg Neel
This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
AN ACT OF PRAISE
INTROIT
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” trad. plainsong
*WESTMINSTER CHIMES
*LIGHTING THE FIRST CANDLE AND INVITATION TO WORSHIP Michael Moore, Naree E., Lilla, and Emrie Reiss
The story begins with hope.
Hope that the days are surely coming,
Hope that God will fulfill the divine promise,
Hope that the Son of God will return,
Hope that our redemption is indeed drawing near.
On the first Sunday of Advent, we light this candle as a sign of hope.
(the first candle is lit)
Let us worship God.
*HYMN #104
“O Lord, How Shall I Meet You” VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN
O Lord, how shall I meet you, how welcome you aright?
Your people long to greet you, my hope, my heart’s delight!
O kindle, Lord most holy, a lamp within my breast,
To do in spirit lowly all that may please you best.
Love caused you incarnation; love brought you down to me;
Your thirst for my salvation procured my liberty.
O love beyond all telling, that led you to embrace
In love, all loves excelling, our lost and fallen race.
You come, O Lord, with gladness, in mercy and goodwill,
To bring an end to sadness and bid our fears be still.
In patient expectation we live for that great day
When your renewed creation your glory shall display.
*INVITATION TO CONFESSION Rev. Eileen Parfrey
Far too many of our private feelings and our public conversations encourage pursuing our own selfish desires over others. We move further away from becoming the hope of the world you have called us to be, choosing the slow moan death of “not yet” and the never-ending “middle-way.” We come to God in confession and discover who we are, seeing our own and the world’s brokenness, with full faith in holistic redemption. Let us do so together, first in silent prayer.
(Adapted from The Nature and Necessity of Bone-Deep Love by Emilie Townes.)
*SILENT PRAYER
*UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God, you call us to live our lives out of the possibilities found in wholeness, self-reflection, communal justice and peace, a restored heaven and earth, and in our hope found in you. We enter into Advent, knowing that we fall short, failing to be the hope you model for us, grateful that you make us whole over and over again.
*ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
Friends, always be reminded of the good news: the hope of the kin-dom is real. With great gratitude to Mary and Jesus, we find that this hope is within us and is for the world.
Through Jesus, we can be the hope.
*THE PASSING OF THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
AN ACT OF PROCLAMATION
THE SCRIPTURE READING Junha Kim
Luke 21:25-36
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
MOMENTS WITH CHILDREN Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
SERMON Junha Kim
“Hope Leaves”
A MOMENT FOR SILENT REFLECTION
AN ACT OF RESPONSE
*HYMN #110
“Love Has Come” BRING A TORCH
Love has come: a light in the darkness!
Love shines forth in the Bethlehem skies.
See, all heaven has come to proclaim it;
Hear how their song of joy arises:
Love! Love! Born unto you, a Savior!
Love! Love! Glory to God on high.
Love is born! Come, share in the wonder.
Love is God now asleep in the hay.
See the glow in the eyes of his mother;
What is the name her heart is saying?
Love! Love! Love is the name she whispers.
Love! Love! Jesus, Emmanuel.
Love has come and never will leave us!
Love is the life everlasting and free.
Love is Jesus within and among us.
Love is the peace our hearts are seeking.
Love! Love! Love is the gift of Christmas.
Love! Love! Praise to you, God on high!
SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS Rev. Eileen Parfrey
(At the conclusion of spoken joys, let us pray together, “Thanks be to you, O God.”
For concerns, let us make them our own by praying, “Lord, hear our prayer.”)
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
(Text 73256 the word WESTPRESPDX to give using your mobile device. This number will never send unsolicited texts to you. To cancel further messages, text STOP. If you need assistance with text giving, text HELP. Standard text message and data rates may apply. If you’re new to Westminster, please let us know by filling out a pink visitor card and dropping it in the offering plate. Thank you.)
OFFERTORY ANTHEM Angel Choir; Jennifer Holman, director
“Hope Is a Star” Words by Brian Wren; Music by Joan Collier Fogg
“The Angels Say” Suzanne Butler, Stephen Fischbacher, and Margaret McLarty
“O Come All Ye Faithful” John Francis Wade
*DOXOLOGY – Hymn #606
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
-OR-
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heavenly host;
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
THE INVITATION TO THE TABLE Junha Kim
GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
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.
We give thanks, O Lord, that your day is both here and surely coming when your earth is as it is in heaven, fulfilling our covenant made with you. You modeled for us a radical justice, peace, and harmony sustaining our faith and trust in the hope of your world restored. And so, we enter into this season with our hearts, eyes, and ears open to seek the hope of your life embodied.
Jesus died that we might live and is risen to raise all of your people to new life. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us, and upon these gifts of bread and cup. We praise you, joining our voices to the great cloud of witnesses, where our friend Phyllis Hanson now makes her home. We say the words of the eternal song:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Gracious God, in your child, in Christ, in the tree of life, we have seen the leaves and fruits of your holy kin-dom and presence. Transcending time, we know that your reign will and has persisted throughout generations of peoples, cultures, and societies. But also, throughout empires, horrific regimes, and historical abuses of power. We trust that your word of love and justice is what stands supreme, giving us the courage and strength to follow in your hope.
And hear us as we are bold to say together the prayer that Jesus taught…
THE 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.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
On the night before the Lord Jesus died, he took bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way he took the cup, saying: This cup is the new covenant sealed with my life, given for you for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.
RECEIVING THE BREAD AND THE CUP
(Today, the congregation is invited to come forward to receive communion. You will be handed a piece of bread, which you may eat. You will then be handed a cup of juice, which you may drink. As you return to your pew, you may put your cup in the basket. For those unable to come forward, a pastor will bring you the elements.)
COMMUNION MUSIC
“Of the Father’s Love Begotten” arr. Wohlgemuth
Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see, evermore and evermore!
Oh that birth forever blessed, when the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving, bore the Savior of our race;
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face, evermore and evermore!
O ye heights of heaven, adore him; Angel hosts his praises sing:
Powers, dominions bow before him, And extol our God and King;
Let no tongue on earth be silent, Every voice in concert ring, Evermore and evermore.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Rev. Gregg Neel
You invite and welcome us to your table, nourishing our spirits and bodies with the gifts of your feast. We thank you for who and how you have called us to be. May we be sustained to live in the world as ambassadors of your love and peace. Amen.
*HYMN #357
“The Days Are Surely Coming” LLANGLOFFAN
The days are surely coming, says God to all the earth,
When you will see my promise: salvation come to birth.
My righteousness and justice will spread throughout the land
And you will be delivered by my almighty hand.
The days are surely coming, says Christ, the promised one,
When you will read my warning in moon and stars and sun.
Though earth and heaven tremble, stand up and do not fear,
For I am your redeemer, and I am drawing near.
The days are surely coming when we will know at last
The fullness of God’s presence, God’s promise, come to pass.
Then righteousness and justice will spread throughout the land
And we will be delivered by God’s almighty hand.
*BENEDICTION Junha Kim
*POSTLUDE
“Toccata on Huron Carol” (‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime) Brenda Portman