November 30, 2025

Nov 28

Written By Heath Nettles

First Sunday of Advent

December 8, 2024 Livestream Worship Online Bulletin

Bringing in the Light of Christ
Chiming of the Trinity

Prelude

Oh, Come, Little Children arr. James Koerts

Welcome

Call to Worship

A new season begins—
a time of watching, waiting, and waking up.
We come with longing hearts, yearning for light.
The night is far gone; the dawn is near.
We open our eyes, our hearts, our lives to the Light of Christ.
Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Amen.

Hymn

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus UMH#196

Responsive Reading for the Hanging of the Greens

How shall we prepare this house of the coming of the King?
With branches of cedar, the tree of royalty.
How shall we prepare this house for the coming of the eternal Christ?
With garlands of pine and fir, whose leaves are ever living, ever green.
How shall we prepare this house for the coming of our Savior?
With wreaths of holly and ivy, telling of his passion, death, and resurrection.
How shall we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Son of God?
By hearing again the words of the prophets, Who foretold the saving work of God.
For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
Glory to God in the highest!

Blessing of the Advent Wreath

The Lighting of the Advent Wreath Candles - Hope that holds when the world trembles

Michael, Cori and Robert Davis

We light this candle as a sign of our hope. May it remind us that Christ is coming, and that the light of God’s love cannot be extinguished.

A Reading from the Old Testament

Isaiah 2:1–5

Responsive Psalm

Responsive Psalm Psalm 122 UMH p.845
Please sing response 1

Solo

O Come, O Come Emmanuel arr. Thomas Helmore
Carol Kinsey

A Reading from the Gospels

Matthew 24:36–44

Sermon

Awake to the Dawn | Rev. Kelly Dotson

Concerns and Prayers with the Lord’s Prayer for Advent

Holy One,

Maker of the dawn and Keeper of every waiting heart,
your presence draws near in ways gentle and surprising.
Your kin-dom comes among us like light that grows,
like hope that refuses to be extinguished.

Let your dreams for the world take root in us—
dreams of justice, mercy, and shared bread;
dreams where every child is cherished,
and every elder is honored; where the hungry are filled,
and the weary can finally rest.

Give us what we need for this day—
enough courage to show up with honesty,
enough compassion to love our neighbor,
enough strength to take the next faithful step.

Forgive us when fear closes our fists or hardens our hearts;
heal the harm we’ve done,
and soften us to offer grace to those who wound us,
as freely as you have offered grace to us.

Guide our feet away from the paths
that lead to despair, violence, or indifference.
Make straight the highways of our hearts
that Christ may enter in.
Deliver us from all that steals our joy
and all that dims your light within us.

For your kin-dom is breaking in—
a kin-dom of hope, peace, joy, and love—
now and forever.
Amen.

Blessing of the Tithes and Offerings

What can I give him poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

Hymn

O Come and Dwell in Me UMH#388

Blessing and Sharing of Christ’s Light

Postlude

I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light UMH#206