Grace United Methodist - Dayton, Ohio - December 3, 2023 10:30 a.m. worship

Grace United Methodist Church 1001 Harvard Boulevard, Dayton, Ohio 45406 Welcome & Announcements Linda Bales-Todd Prelude Joe Severyn Call to Worship L: We gather again at the end of the year to wait for the Christ child anew. P: We wait in the shocking hope of the coming of the Messiah. L: We wait, and we remember the astounding things God has done to save God’s people. P: We wait in the shocking hope of the coming of the Messiah. L: We wait, and we pay attention for signs of God’s justice and mercy turning the world upside down. P: We wait in the shocking hope of the coming of the Messiah. L: We wait, and in our waiting, we learn to live as people of God’s promise. P: Let us worship in the shocking hope of Jesus Christ, the coming Messiah. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries Lighting of the Advent Candle Reader 1: In the days of exile and uncertainty, the prophet Isaiah cried out: O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence. As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. (Isaiah 64:1-3) Reader 2: In the midst of our own encounters with uncertainty and upheaval and our longing for deliverance, Jesus calls to us, “Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come” (Mark 13:35). Congregation: We wait as people surprised again and again by God, who shakes us out of our complacency and wakes us up to the work of the ministry all around us. Reader 1: We light this candle as a sign of hope. May we stay awake to God’s activity in the world as we wait in expectation that even now God is with us, working to restore us to the fullness of life with God and one another. Amen. Light the first candle Children's Moment Linda Bales-Todd Reflections on "O Come, O Come Immanuel" by Pastor Steve Opening Hymn #211 O Come, O Come Emmanuel World AIDS Day Prayer by Linda Bales Todd Offering Offertory Music Lois Ramey, violin "Two Fench Carols" arr. Brent Adams Doxology Pastoral Prayer Lord's Prayer Proclamation of the Scriptures Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 told by David Larson Special Music Lois Ramey, violin "Love Came Down at Christmas" arr. Jason W. Krug Message "Hope" Rev. Steve Putka Closing Hymn UMH #221 "In the Bleak Midwinter" Benediction Postlude Joe Severyn Grace United Methodist Church - Dayton, Ohio - Sunday, December 3, 2023