Songs:
“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” words by Charles Wesley and music by Felix Mendelssohn
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690
“Sing We the Song of Emmanuel” by Matt Papa, Aaron Keyes, Luke Brown, Keith Getty & Kristyn Getty
© 2015 Getty Music, Messenger Hymns, Love Your Enemies Publishing & Townend Songs
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690
“Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus” by Charles Wesley and Josh Wicker
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690
“Come Adore the Humble King” by Matt Papa & Matt Boswell
© 2018 Getty Music, Messenger Hymns, Love Your Enemies Publishing
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690
“Praise to the Lord the Almighty” by Joachim Neander & Catherine Winkworth
Public Domain
Used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690
“Doxology” by Thomas Ken, Louis Bourgeois
Public Domain CCLI# 2003690
Call To Worship: Advent Week Two – Joy
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory: glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He has come to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found! Rejoice in the Lord! Again I say, rejoice! This is the day that the Lord has made. My soul magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
Classic Prayer: Kim Thomas
Heavenly Father, The carols and readings have called our hearts to rejoice – for the promised one has come. Our long desired joy, found in the incarnate one, the Word made Flesh.
We are grateful for your blessings in the corners of most genuine delight – relationships, goodness, fittingness, rightness, in the bread and drink, in dance and play, in fulfilling work, and most loudly in choruses of celebration. But in all things and all ways, our joy is made most full because of your saving love and righteousness.
Even though this side of heaven we will still encounter buckets of shared sorrow and suffering, struggle, and failure that leaves us sleepless, and on our knees in fits of shouts then whispers, intervals of restlessness and sudden ceasing supplications, where our delight is hidden by fog and weariness – our joy continues humming through the dirge.
Good father, sustain us with a willing spirit, interludes of jigs and reels, those carols of reminders, and readings of promise for the echo of your life within us. Holy Spirit lead and guide us like the shepherds and wisemen to the star over Bethlehem, that leads all of us to Christ, that we might draw near. In your heavenly name, amen.