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A Service For The Worship Of God 4th Sunday of Advent, December 21, 2014 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary Gathering Around the Word PRELUDE Greensleeves R. Vaughan Williams WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE Hymn No. 92 While We Are Waiting, Come (verse 1 sing twice) Scripture Reading: Luke 1:46-55 Meditation: Our scripture this morning, often referred to as The Magnificat, describes Mary’s understanding of what God is up to in the world. The child growing in her womb is the promised Messiah, the one who will sit on the Davidic throne, the one who has come to set the people free. Mary praises God who comes with power to bring about justice, who lifts up the lowly, who offers mercy without end, who satisfies the hungry, and who fulfills God’s covenant promises. Mary describes God as one who will upset the world’s systems in favor of those who have been oppressed and beaten down. We also are invited to shout and sing, declaring the majesty, the glory, and the wonder of this God. Not only this, but we are invited on a journey of discovery and service as we, along with Mary, bear witness to the One who gives us new life and calls us to this transformative work in the world. Prayer: Mighty One, we praise you and give you thanks for the ways that you are at work in the world. Help us to be mindful of those around us who need encouragement and hope. Help us to proclaim with our words and our lives, your goodness, justice, and grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. *HYMN No. 143 Angels, from the Realms of Glory REGENT SQUARE *PRAYER OF CONFESSION Saving God, we pray for your mercy. Though we hear Mary’s song, we still seek security in pride and power and possessions. Though we know your Son Jesus as Savior and Lord, we resist the costs of following you. Forgive us for the times that we pass by those who are considered lowly and turn away from hungry people waiting to be filled. Transform our apathy into acts of love, we pray. Silent Prayers of Confession *ASSURANCE OF PARDON *RESPONSE OF PRAISE No. 132 (verse 3) Good Christian Friends, Rejoice Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice; now ye need not fear the grave: Jesus Christ was born to save! Calls you one and calls you all to gain the everlasting hall. Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save! *PASSING OF THE PEACE Hearing the Word (11:00) WORD FOR CHILDREN Come and See Marilyn Houser Hamm (Children are invited to come forward.) “Come and see, come and see, I am the way and the truth,” said he. “Follow me, follow me, come as a child, O come and see.” PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION SCRIPTURE LESSON Matthew 25: 1-13 PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD Cantata: Sleepers Wake, A Voice is Sounding J.S. Bach No. 1 Chorus Sleepers wake, hark, loud resounding, the call from on high, hear it sounding: awake, Jerusalem awake! Midnight strikes, hear it sounding, loud cries the watch with call resounding: Where are ye, O wise virgins, where? Good cheer! The bridegroom comes! Arise, and take your lamps! Alleluja! ye maids, beware! The feast prepare, so go ye forth to meet Him there. No. 2 Recitative Al Sudduth, tenor He comes, the Bridegroom comes, O daughters of Zion come out, and see he comes down from the heavens into your mother’s house. The Bridegroom comes, who like a deer and like a young stag that leaps up on the hills. To you he brings the marriage feasts. Rise up and take your lamps! The Bridegroom to embrace: look! Hasten, see, he comes this way. No. 3 Duet Amy Weir, soprano; Dan Boye, baritone; Leah Peroutka, violin piccolo Come quickly, now come! (Yea, quickly I come.) We wait thee with lamps all alighted; come quickly, now come, (I come). The doors open wide, come, claim thou thy bride, come quickly! (I come for my bride) No. 4 Chorale Zion hears the watchmen calling; the faithful hark with joy enthralling, they rise and haste to greet their Lord. See, He comes, the Lord victorious, almighty, noble, true, and glorious, in Heav’n supreme, on earth adored. Come now, Thou Holy One, the Lord Jehovah’s Son! Alleluja! We follow all the joyful call to join Him in the Banquet Hall. No. 5 Recitative Dan Boye, baritone So come thou unto me, my fair and chosen bride, thou whom I long to see forever at my side! Within my heart of hearts art thou secure by ties that naught can sever, where I may cherish thee forever. Forget, beloved, every care. Away with pain and grief and sadness. For better or for worse to share our lives in love and joy and gladness. No. 6 Duet Amy Weir, soprano; Dan Boye, baritone; Alicia Chapman, oboe Thy love is mine! (and I am thine!) True lovers ne’er are parted. Now I with thee, (and thou with me) in flow’ry fields will wander, in rapture united forever to be! No. 7 Chorale “Gloria” sing all our voices, with angels all mankind rejoices, with harp and strings in sweetest tone. Twelve bright pearls adorn thy portals, where thou hast gathered thine immortals as angels round thy glorious throne. No eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard the joy we know. Our praises flow, i-o, i-o, to God in dulci jubilo! Responding to the Word PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER THE OFFERING Angels We Have Heard on High Diane Bish (Please pass the fellowship register to the end of the pew and back at this time.) *DOXOLOGY No. 606 *PRAYER OF DEDICATION Bearing and Following the Word into the World *HYMN No. 113 Angels We Have Heard on High GLORIA *BENEDICTION AND RESPONSE No. 109 (verse 3) Blest Be the God of Israel On those who sit in darkness the sun begins to rise, the dawning of forgiveness upon the sinner’s eyes. God guides the feet of pilgrims along the paths of peace. O bless our God and Savior with songs that never cease! POSTLUDE Toccata on “Mendelssohn” Andrew Gant *Those who are able, please stand. WE WELCOME YOU to Davidson College Presbyterian Church and trust that you will find God’s presence here. When you cannot be here, join our live broadcast at 11 a.m. on WDAV 89.9 or www.wdav.org. For more information: www.dcpc.org or 704-892-5641. PRAYER CARDS are available in the pew racks or online (www.dcpc.org). Requests are made known to those gathered for silent intercessory prayer on Wednesday mornings at 11:30 a.m. in Lingle Chapel. All are welcome and encouraged to join in prayer at that hour in the chapel or wherever you are. LOVING NURSERY CARE is provided for children from birth to Kindergarten during our worship services. We invite our youngest children to come to the 11:00 a.m. service with parents through the Word for Children. TODAYS MUSIC Bach’s cantata “Sleepers Wake, a Voice Is Sounding” was composed to illuminate the scripture lesson in Matthew 25: 1-13, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. The chorale tune, found at no. 349 in Glory to God, provides the skeleton for Bach to construct a seven-movement work with the chorale verses at the beginning, middle and end. In the opening chorus, the tune is sung in long notes by the sopranos, where the watchmen are calling Jerusalem to awake, while the lower voices weave commentary beneath. The orchestra opens with a dialogue between the violins and the oboes, suggesting the two groups of wise and foolish virgins. As the first violins and first oboe alternate with wandering scales, they seem to be searching for the wayward bridegroom. The tenor recitative which follows summons the Daughters of Zion to rise and greet the Bridegroom. Movement 3, a duet for soprano and bass, depicts a dialogue between Christ as the Bridegroom and the Soul as the bride. Its yearning character is heightened by the expressive solo violin; originally Bach composed this for the violino piccolo, a smaller instrument tuned a third higher which was often associated with nighttime serenade music. The fourth movement contains one of Bach’s most famous melodies, which he later adapted as an organ solo. The violins and violas play it in unison while the tenors (and in our case young people) sing the unadorned chorale melody, portraying Zion hearing the call of the watchmen. The bass recitative of Movement 5 makes reference to the Song of Solomon, as Christ calls his bride to himself, leading to a second soprano/bass duet, this time with oboe obbligato. The jubilant, dance-like nature of the music highlights the joy of union between Christ and the Soul. The final heavenly banquet, with mortals and angels around the throne of God, is joyfully evoked in the closing chorale. YOUTH who have signed up to go ice skating today, please meet at the Congregation House at 5:30 p.m. Bring money for a fast food dinner and a bulletin from one of today’s worship services. We’ll skate at the "Holiday on Ice" rink at the NASCAR Hall of Fame from 7-8:00 and will return by 9:00 p.m. CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING It is Christmas Joy Offering season. One of four special offerings of the PC(U.S.A.), proceeds are split between the racial-ethnic schools related to the denomination and the Board of Pensions, to help retired church workers. Envelopes are in the pews, or you may mark your check ‘Joy Offering.’ Thank you! YEAR END DONATIONS In order for your contributions to count in 2014, they must be received by Trish Jones or Jean Johnston in the church business office on the second floor no later than noon on Wednesday, December 31. Contributions postmarked by December 31 will also be counted toward 2014. The church will be closed on Thursday, December 25 and Friday, December 26 and will reopen on Monday, December 29. To pay your pledge by credit card, you can go to Access ACS by going to the website dcpc.org and clicking on the link on the left hand side for “secure online giving, program registration and a church directory” and follow the steps or you can stop by the business office to use our swipe machine. If you are expecting a stock, donor advised fund, or IRA donation to count toward your 2014 contribution record and you have not spoken to Trish Jones, please contact her at [email protected] or 704-892-5641 x 30. Computers using Internet Explorer 8 and below, or other outdated browsers, will not be able to access online giving after December 29, 2014.
