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(Welcome to worship today. Bold responses are spoken by the congregation.
Note that an * indicates when all are invited to rise in body or in spirit.)
Prelude “Partita on Salzburg (Songs of Thankfulness and Praise)”
and “Canon in D” Johann Pachelbel
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 “Give Peace in our Time, O Lord” Foster
*Westminster Chimes
*Invitation to Worship Rev. Gregg Neel
God of Love, take hold of each of us as we worship,
and do not let us go until we have been blessed by a vision of love,
infinitely generous, gentle and forgiving;
simple, wholesome, mysterious, profound;
in which all are accepted and no one rejected;
love that never ends. Let us worship our God of Love.
*Hymn #363 “Rejoice, The Lord Is King!” DARWALL’S 148TH
Rejoice, the Lord is King:
Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Jesus, the Savior, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When He has purged our stains,
He took his seat above;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o’er earth and heav’n;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv’n:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Rejoice in glorious hope!
Our Lord and judge shall come
And take His servants up
To their eternal home:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
*Invitation to Confession Rev. Junha Kim
We know that we have not lived as God hopes. But however fragmented we become, God longs to hold us together in grace and peace. Let us come with our prayers of confession to the God who listens for our words, spoken and unspoken. First in silence.
*Silent Prayer
*Unison Prayer of Confession
In these moments, Loving God, we bring to you all the ways we have not lived as your people: we stand by watching while those in need struggle to survive; we offer silence rather than words of grace to those who are in need of care; we scoff at your words which call us to a different lifestyle.
Forgive us, God of Mercy. Speak to us through Jesus Christ, the one who reigns over all creation.
*Assurance of Forgiveness
Shout for joy, children of God! The God who was and is and is to come loves you, forgives you, and renews you.
Alleluia! Amen.
*The Passing of the Peace
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
An Act of Proclamation
The Scripture Reading Colossians 1:11-20 (p.200) Rev. Gregg Neel
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Moments with Children Rev. Junha Kim
Anthem “For the Beauty of the Earth” John Rutter
For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to thee we raise, this our joyful hymn of praise.
For the beauty of each hour of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light:
Lord of all, to thee we raise, this our joyful hymn of praise.
For the joy of human love, brother sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild,
Lord of all, to thee we raise, this our joyful hymn of praise.
For each perfect gift of thine to us all so freely given,
Graces human and divine flowers of earth and buds of heaven.
Lord of all, to thee we raise, this our joyful hymn of praise.
Sermon “The Enduring Work of Christ” Rev. Gregg Neel
*We Say What We Believe (From the Brief Statement of Faith)
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
and blessing the children,
healing the sick
and binding up the brokenhearted,
eating with outcasts,
forgiving sinners,
and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.
Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition,
Jesus was crucified,
suffering the depths of human pain
and giving his life for the sins of the world.
God raised this Jesus from the dead,
vindicating his sinless life,
breaking the power of sin and evil,
delivering us from death to life eternal.
An Act of Response
*Hymn “Sing a New Song” John W. Goff
Based on Psalms 95 and 96
The choir will sing the verses and the congregation will sing the chorus
(see insert, chorus only).
Chorus:
Sing a new song to the Lord, people, a song of salvation, of freedom, and love. Shout out that we are the Lord’s people, and let it resound to the heavens above;
God is our hope and our strength, people, so echo God’s praises again and again.
Sing a song to the Lord, and let the earth ring with a joyful amen.
Sharing Joys & Concerns Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
(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.”)
Pastoral Prayer and 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.
Community Moment 5 p.m. Christmas Eve Service Eliz Roser
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 “Christ is Made the Sure Foundation” 7th Century Latin hymn
arr. Dale Wood
Christ is made the sure foundation, Christ the head and cornerstone.
Chosen of the Lord, and precious, binding all the church in one;
Holy Zion’s help forever, and her confidence alone.
To this temple where we call thee, come O Lord of hosts, today;
With thy wonted lovingkindness, hear thy servants as they pray.
And thy fullest benediction shed within its walls always.
Laud and honor to the Father, laud and honor to the Son.
Laud and honor to the Spirit, ever three and ever one.
One in might, and one in glory, while unending ages run.
*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.
*Hymn #305 “Come Sing, O Church, in Joy!” DARWALL’S 148TH
Come sing, O church in joy! Come join, O church in song!
For Christ the Lord has lead us through the ages long!
In bold accord, come celebrate the journey now and praise the Lord!
Long years have come and gone, and still God reigns supreme,
empowering us to catch the vision, dream the dream!
In bold accord, come celebrate the journey now and praise the Lord!
Let courage be our friend; let wisdom be our guide,
as we in mission magnify the Crucified!
In bold accord, come celebrate the journey now and praise the Lord!
Come sing, O church, in joy! Come join, O church in song!
For Christ the Lord has triumphed o’er the ages long!
In bold accord, come celebrate the journey now and praise the Lord!
*Benediction Rev. Gregg Neel
*Postlude “Now Thank We All Our God” J. S. Bach, arr. Virgil Fox