PROVIDENCE CHURCH

December 6, 2020

 

Welcome

 

Passing of the Peace: Though we are separated by distance our hearts are one in Christ. The peace of Christ be with you!  And also with you!

 

Lighting of the Advent Candle

 

Call to worship:   Micah 5:2-5

Pastor: But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.
People: Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.

Pastor: He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
People: And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.
ALL:  And he will be our peace

 

Songs of Praise:

Once in Royal David’s City (Cecil Francis Alexander, 1848; tune Henry Gauntlett, 1849)

Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed,

Where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed:

Mary was that mother mild,

Jesus Christ her little child.

 

He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all,

And his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall:

With the poor, and mean, and lowly,

lived on earth our Savior holy.

 

And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love;

For that child so dear and gentle is our Lord In heav’n above,

And he leads his children on

to the place where he is gone.

 

 

Gentle Mary Laid Her Child (Joseph Cook, 1919; tune Piae Cantiones, 1582))

Gentle Mary laid her child lowly in a manger;

There he lay, the Undefiled, to the world a stranger.

Such a babe in such a place, can he be the Savior?

Ask the saved of all the race who have found his favor.

 

Angels sang about his birth, wise men sought and found him;

Heaven’s star shone brightly forth, glory all around him.

Shepherds saw the wondrous sight, heard the angels singing;

All the plains were lit that night, all the hills were ringing.

 

Gentle Mary laid her child lowly in a manger;

He is still the Undefiled, but no more a stranger.

Son of God of humble birth, beautiful the story;

Praise his name in all the earth, hail the King of glory!

 

What Child is This (Traditional English carol)
What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping>

This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.

 

Why lies he in such mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christian, fear, for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear, shall pierce him through; the cross be borne for me, for you:

Hail, hail the Word made flesh, the babe, the son of Mary.

 

So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh: come, peasant, king, to own him;

The King of kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone him.

Raise, raise the song on high, the virgin sings her lullaby:

Joy, joy for Christ is born, the babe, the son of Mary.

 

 

Confession/Assurance   

 

Musical Offering:  I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Henry Longfellow; tune, Jean Calkin)

I heard the bells on Christmas day their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

 

I thought how, as the day had come, the belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along th’unbroken song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

 

And in despair I bowed my heard: “There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

 

Then ringing, singing on its way, the world revolved from night to day—

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime of peace on earth, goodwill to men!

 

Apostle’s 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 Spirit,

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 is seated at the right hand

of God the Father Almighty.

From there he will come to judge the living and dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.   Amen

 

 

 

Scripture Reading:    Revelation  3: 8-13

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

 

This is the Word of the Lord.   Thanks be to God!

Sermon:  “David’s Key”  

 

Communion Hymn:

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Liturgy of St. James, 5th cent.; French melody, 17th cent, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906)

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand;

Ponder nothing earthly-minded, for with blessing in his hand,

Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.

 

King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood,

Lord of lords, in human vesture, in the body and the blood,

He will give to all the faithful his own self for heav’nly food.

 

Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way,

As the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day,

That the pow’rs of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.

 

At his feet the six-winged seraph, cherubim, with sleepless eye,

Veil their faces to the Presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry,

“Alleluia, al-leluia, alleluia, Lord Most High!”

 

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.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil:

for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory.  Amen

 

Hymn of Thanksgiving:   

 

O Little Town of Bethlehem (Phillips Brooks, 1868; tune Lewis Redner, 1868)

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie;

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by:

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

 

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.

O morning stars, together, proclaim the holy birth!

And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth.

 

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven.

No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.

 

O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.

 

Benediction

 

KNOW

Tithes and Gifts:

If you are joining us via Zoom, your tithes and gifts can be mailed to P.O. Box 65, Clyde.  We thank you for your prayerful financial support for our church.

GROW

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Open Door Soup Kitchen: This is an ongoing commitment of Providence Church to the least, the last, the lost and the lonely of our community.  While Open Door is no longer able to serve meals, we are still volunteering to cook the meals on the first Friday of each month, If you can serve in this way, please let Phil and Pat know at 828- 476-5130. Thanks for your faithfulness.

 

Prayer Requests: Wally Cook – healing; Eleonor – healing; Sarah Altman – surgery on Dec 10th, Barb– surgery Dec. 10th, Bob’s parents (hospitalized with COVID); Robbie Hargrove; Chuck & Carole Torpy; Glenn & Laura Glad; Thom Morgan’s mother; Caroline (Bev’s Mom); Sarah’s brother in law Dan – cancer; Lisa Rhodarmer’s brother Michael – cancer.