A Warm Welcome Awaits You!
+ORDER OF SERVICE+
December 8th, 2024
Second Sunday of Advent
Prelude:
Partita on "Saviour of the Nations, Come" - Kenneth Kosche
Welcome and Announcements (10:25 am)
Entry of the Word (please rise)
Greeting and Call to Worship:
Rejoice together, people of God!
We gather to praise our Creator.
We feel Jesus’ presence amongst us.
Emmanuel has come to make all things new.
This is a time to delight in the Holy Spirit.
We are ready to learn what the Spirit teaches.
Hymn # 122: Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel (vv. 1-4)
Prayer of Adoration and Confession
Assurance of Pardon
Lighting the Advent Candle of Peace
Hymn # 119: Hope is a star (v.2)
Children’s Message
Prayer of Illumination:
Almighty God,
purify our hearts and minds
that, when your Son Jesus Christ
comes again as both Judge and Saviour,
we may be ready to receive him,
who is our Lord and our God,
and in whose name we pray.
Amen.
Old Testament Isaiah 2:1-5
Responsive Psalm Psalm 122 (Refrain 1)
Epistle Romans 13:11-14
Gospel Matthew 24:36-44
Sermon “Living Between Two Times”
Hymn # 795: Christ is coming
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Offering:
“Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying” - Johann Gottfired Walther
Doxology # 661: We give thee but thine own (v.1)
Hymn # 122: Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel (vv. 5-7)
Benediction and Parting Hymn: “Go Now In Peace”
Go now in peace, never be afraid;
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong, and true;
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe;
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there, watching from above;
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
(Words by Don Besig and Nancy Price. Copyright 1988 Harold Flammer Music. Used by permission)
Postlude:
“People, Look East” - Jerry Westenkuehler
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHRISTMAS SERVICES:
Sunday, December 22nd at 10:30 am
Christmas Cantata: "Let Us Adore Him!" (R. Lau)
Tuesday, December 24th at 4 pm:
Children's Interactive Nativity Service (Refreshments following)
Candlelit Christmas Eve Service at 7:30 pm- Holy Communion
CARETAKER POSITION
The Board of Managers is looking to fill the vacant Caretaker's position at St. Andrew's. If you are interested, please request a job description from the Office. If you feel well-suited for the position, you may submit a resume to the Office for consideration. The deadline for resume submissions is December 15th, 2024.
CHRISTMAS CAROL SING
On Sunday, Dec. 15th at 2 pm, come on out and enjoy an afternoon of Christmas carols and music. Sing in the Christmas season with some familiar and much-loved songs, listen to piano and organ music, and hear some special guest performers. Refreshments to follow. Entirely free. Mark it on your calendar now!
SUNDAY MORNING FELLOWSHIP
Join us downstairs in McCullough Hall around 9:45 am as well as immediately following the service. All are warmly invited! If you are a regular attendee either before or after service, please consider helping by providing a simple treat or helping in the kitchen. A sign-up sheet is available on the kitchen counter.
FREE SUNDAY BUS SERVICE
There is a free bus service to Sunday worship at St. Andrew's for those in the Stratford area. If you wish to use the bus, please call the St. Andrew’s Office at (519) 271-5668 to book a ride. The deadline for booking or cancelling (if you have a weekly scheduled pick up) is 12 noon on the Friday prior to the Sunday you wish to attend.
CHARITABLE CHURCH DONATIONS FOR 2024
During this Christmas Season, please consider supporting the ongoing Life and Mission Work of St. Andrew’s with your tax-deductible charitable donation. Donations may be made electronically, online, or in person. Please see below for details. Please note that charitable tax receipts will be issued for the 2024 taxation year for all donations received no later than December 31st, 2024.
To contribute financially to the ongoing Life and Mission Work of St. Andrew's, there are 4 simple options:
E-TRANSFER:
If you bank online, a no fee E-Transfer may be sent to: [email protected]
ONLINE:
Please go to our Church Website (standrewsstratford.ca) and in the upper-right hand corner you will see a button that says, “Donate”. Click on that button and it will take you to a charitable website called Canada Helps. Fill in the required information, click on the “Complete Donation Now” button, and a charitable tax-receipt will be automatically sent to your email address. Both our website and the Canada Helps website are secure.
PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittance):
Please go to the Presbyterian Church in Canada’s website (presbyterian.ca) and perform a search for “PAR”. This will connect you to an information page with enrolment information. This information can be completed and dropped off/mailed to the church (with a voided cheque) at the address below.
ENVELOPE:
If you wish to donate by envelope, please drop off/mail your offering to:
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
25 St. Andrew Street
Stratford, ON
N5A 1A2
THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your prayerful and generous support over the past year. May God bless you and your family richly in 2025!
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