Sunday, December 17, 2023, 3rd Sunday of Advent
CCLI Copyright License 1030652 Size A Streaming License 20686773 Size A (Disclosure: First Presbyterian Church, and its members, do not own any rights to the music played during this service, nor do they receive any royalties for using these pieces. Our license allows us to use the songs we list that are in the “Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal”) We thank you for viewing our Sunday morning worship service of December 17, 2023, the 3rd Sunday of Advent. We pray that you feel God’s love around you as you join us. Our liturgist for this Sunday service was Jeff Shaw. Our Advent Candle reader was Susie Kleinbeck, with Val DeFever lighting the third pink candle for the Advent Season. Our congregation sang the following hymns from our hymnal, “Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal” (used with permission): 701 “Sanctuary” (our gathering song) 104 “O Lord, How Shall I Meet You” 92 “While We Are Waiting, Come” 93 “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates” Our first hymn was a piece written by our interim pastor, Rev. Charles Freeman, November 2023, entitled “Now in the Lord rejoice!,” music: Tune IN DULCI JUBILO (“Good Christian friends, rejoice”), German folk melody, 14th Cent. (see Glory to God, #132) Our Choir sang “How Far is it to Bethlehem?” by Gerald Custer. Our scripture readings were as follows: Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 64:1-4, 8-11 New Testament Reading: 1 Thessalonian 5:16-24 Gospel Reading: Luke 1:39-56 Pastor Charles’ sermon was entitled “Joy!” Our Affirmation of Faith was from the Scots Confession, from the Book of Confessions 3.06. Our pianist/organist, Michael Clabough, played the following songs: Prelude: "Pastorale on "In Dulci Jubilo" ["Good Christians, All Rejoice"] Johann Michael Bach (1648-1694) Tune: German, Leipzig Codex, ca. 1400" Offertory: Free improvisation, M. Clabough, 17 December 2023 Postlude: "In Dulci Jubilo", Chorale Prelude, BWV 729, J.S. Bach ABOUT THE MUSIC: The tune "In Dulci Jubilo", hymn 132 in our hymnal, has been one of the most enduringly popular of Christmas carols, inspiring Pastor Freeman to set his own text to the tune with additional inspiration from Philippians 4:4. Heard to-day are a pastoral setting from J. S. Bach's second cousin Johann Michael, and the triumphant chorale prelude from Bach's youthful period. We thank you for joining us today, and we pray you are blessed by this service. If you would like to attend our services, we meet at 10:00 a.m. June through August, and 10:45 a.m. September through May (CST). Any and all are welcomed to join us in worship. First Presbyterian Church 201 S. 5th Street P.O. Box 612 Independence, KS 67301 (620) 331-0241 Our Pastor is Interim Pastor Rev. Charles S. Freeman Visit our website at: http://fpc-indy-ks.org/ Visit us on Facebook at: First Presbyterian Church, Independence, Kansas / indyfirstpresbyterian . Our office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and closed on Fridays. OUR MISSION STATEMENT: Because of God’s grace, love, and gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, we worship, witness, teach and serve. THE LORD'S PRAYER: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they 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." We celebrate communion the first Sunday of each month. All in attendance are invited to participate in communion as we practice open communion. For communion, our custom is to partake of the bread as it is passed and hold the cup of grape juice until all have been served. We offer gluten free bread at the center of the communion tray. You need not be a member of FPC, or any Presbyterian Church, to commune during the service as we practice open communion.
