Mifflin Avenue United Methodist Church

Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 22, 2013

*Those that are able are invited to stand

Gathering

Welcome and Announcements

Entering into worship

How Do You Celebrate Christmas

*Call to Worship

One: Make ready a pathway for our God.

All: Clean out the debris in our hearts and our closets.

One: Clear out a space in our calendars.

All: Put aside any sense of unworthiness.

One: And focus on the One who comes to love us.

All: Prepare a place in our homes and hearts.

One: Set the table and light the candles,

All: For Christ is coming.

*Hymn “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates” #213

in The United Methodist Hymnal

*Opening Prayer

*Hymn “Emmanuel, Emmanuel” #204

in The United Methodist Hymnal

Presentation by Pastor-Parish Committee

Anthem “Somebody’s Comin’ Tonight’” Choir

Candle Lighting Love The Agnew Family

Love Candle

*Hymn “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” #184

in The United Methodist Hymnal Tune #127

Moving into God’s word

Scripture Matthew 1:18-25

Children’s Sermon

Scripture Isaiah 7:10-16

Message

A time of prayer

(You are invited to share your prayer concerns with the congregation by writing them on the

Prayer Request cards in the pews and placing them in the offering plate.)

Silent Prayer / Pastoral Prayer / 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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass

against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power

and the glory forever. Amen.

Sharing our blessings

Offering our Gifts and Tithes

Offering Prayer

God of Grace, in the midst of a season so focused on shopping and finding the right gift,

we give our gifts now to you. We remember that all our giving has its foundation in the

amazing gift you gave to us: putting on flesh and coming in the form of a child, Emmanuel,

God with us! May what we give today, and in the days to come, be bathed in the knowledge

that yours is the most perfect gift and the one we need the most. We pray in the holy

name of the Christ child, the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Offertory

To give electronically from your mobile device visit donate.mifflinave.org

Taking the Word to the World

Christmas In a Nutshell

*Hymn “Tell Out, My Soul” #200

in the United Methodist Hymnal

*Benediction

*Hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (refrain only) #211

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Postlude

PRAYER CONCERNS

Prayers for those who are needing strength to deal with sadness, pain, lose and grief this holiday season.

ONGOING PRAYER REQUESTS

George-battling stomach cancer; Pat Spencer-continued healing in rehab; Ed White- continued strength and healing;

Steve (friend of Gail)- continued healing in rehab;and his wife Cindy; Buck Cunningham-recovering in rehab;

Baby Gavin-brain tumor and mom Ashley-cysts; Sister and father of Jill Franke (Jen Alfieri); Aimee (Jen Alfieri’s cousin);

Ngozi Osuaguiv (Akudo’s mom) continued healing; Mary Ellen (Sharon’s sister) - recovering from thyroid surgery;

Lily -chemo; Anna Bell - recovering from stroke; Flo (cousin of Jean McQuade) - lung cancer; Steve (John McQuade co-worker) -prostate cancer;

Julie(friend of Ruth)-heart disorder; Mike(Tammy’s friend)-non Hodgkin’s lymphoma; Mary Ellen(Sharon’s sister)- cancer;

Sydney-diagnosed with Leukemia; Tina Whitehead and her work for human dignity; Our military and their families: People of the Philippines

Home Bound/Assisted Living

Alice Wetzel, Marge Schillinger, Betty Willey, Stephen Koesel, Vivian Behm, Richard James, Ken Thompson, Harriet Fuller,

Nancy Radovic, Norma Wood, Bea Crawford