Sunday Service 12/22/2024

Prelude

Opening Chimes

Greeting & Announcements

Opening Meditation

Scripture Reading:  Galatians 4:1-7

What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual force of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”  So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Lighting the 4th Candle of Advent

*Hymn #175 Wonderful Story of Love

*Lord’s Prayer 

  Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed by 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

*Hymn  Glory Be to the Father 

Invocation

Offering

  Offertory Prayer-Dedicating our Offerings & Lives

  Offertory Music

  *Doxology  #554

(Ministry of the Word)

Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:7-21

God’s Love and Ours

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Choral Anthem

Message: God’s Love

*Hymn  #125 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

*Invitation to Communion

*Affirmation of Faith

Celebration of Communion

  Sharing the Elements

  Deacon‘s Fund Offering--collecting cups

(Prayer)

Pastoral Prayer--Opening

Quiet Meditation

Pastoral Prayer--Conclusion

*Hymn  #127 Go Tell It on the Mountain

*Benediction