First First First Presbyterian Presbyterian Presbyterian Church Church Church December 22, 2013 December 22, 2013 December 22, 2013 10:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Savior of the Nations, Come Savior of the Nations, Come Savior of the Nations, Come A Service of Lessons and Carols A Service of Lessons and Carols A Service of Lessons and Carols Michael Burkhardt Michael Burkhardt Michael Burkhardt Readings adapted from the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer Readings adapted from the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer Readings adapted from the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Transcript
First First First PresbyterianPresbyterianPresbyterian ChurchChurchChurch
December 22, 2013December 22, 2013December 22, 2013
10:00 a.m.10:00 a.m.10:00 a.m.
Savior of the Nations, ComeSavior of the Nations, ComeSavior of the Nations, Come
A Service of Lessons and CarolsA Service of Lessons and CarolsA Service of Lessons and Carols
Michael BurkhardtMichael BurkhardtMichael Burkhardt
Readings adapted from the writings of Dietrich BonhoefferReadings adapted from the writings of Dietrich BonhoefferReadings adapted from the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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Savior of the Nations, Come The composer of Savior of the Nations, Come, Michael Burkhardt (b. 1957), is known for his creative hymn improvisations and his work with children. He is in frequent de-mand as a choral and organ clinician and leader of hymn festivals. He has served par-ishes in southern California and Minneapolis as Organist-Director of Music, and has served Christ College in Irvine, California as college organist and lecturer in church music and music education. His organ, choral, and handbell compositions are pub-lished by MorningStar Music Publishers. Dr. Burkhardt is currently on the faculty at Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin. The life and work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) is both intriguing and inspiring to people of all denominational backgrounds. Even though he lived only 39 years, his writings, sermons, and life of faith in witness to Jesus Christ has had a monumental impact on the Church at large. Bonhoeffer spent the last two years of his life in prison. Two books of letters, written to a friend and to his fiance, have been published as Letters and Papers from Prison and Love Letters from Cell 92. One of the letters written to his parents during his first Christmas as a prisoner described how much more meaningful this season had be-come for him, the surroundings of the very first Christmas being very similar to his own. His letter related that when a prisoner of sin believes and knows that Christ came to suffer and die for him, he has been made part of the community of faith that breaks down all barriers, and prison walls become meaningless. In the spring of 1945, Bonhoeffer was removed from prison and was taken to Flossen-burg, an extermination camp. With only three weeks remaining before American forces were to liberate Flossenburg, Bonhoeffer was executed. The tree from which he was hanged still stands and bears a plaque that reads: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a witness to Jesus Christ among his brethren.
Special thanks to Ron Battle, trombone, Don Spong, and Michael Hulsey, trumpet, and Barabara Reeve, French horn, for their contribution to our music in worship today. And, as always, many thanks to Jim Allen, organ.
Call to Worship and Lighting of the Advent Candles
O Lord Jesus, you are Hope: Savior of the nations, come.
O Lord Jesus, you are Peace: Savior of the nations, come.
O Lord Jesus, you are Joy: Savior of the nations, come.
O Lord Jesus, you are Love: Savior of the nations, come.
O Lord Jesus, you are Emmanuel: Savior of the nations, come. Amen. Hymn: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Choir: O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!
Trebles: O come, our Wisdom from on high, Who ordered all things mightily; To us the path of knowledge show, And teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!
Men: O come, O come, our Lord of might, Who to your tribes on Sinai's height In ancient times gave holy law, In cloud and majesty and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!
Choir: O come, O Rod of Jesse's stem, From ev’ry foe deliver them That trust your mighty power to save; Bring them in victory through the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!
All: O come, O Key of David, come, And open wide our heav’nly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!
Organ: O come, our Dayspring from on high, And cheer us by your drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death's dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!
All: O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of humankind; O bid our sad divisions cease, And be yourself our King of Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!
Time with the Children Sharon Youngs
Children, second grade and younger, are invited to remain for the rest
of the service or go to Activity Time (education building). Reading: A Woman’s Passionate Song Hymn: My Soul Gives Glory to My God
Reading: One Single Name Hymn: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
All: Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!" Joyful, all ye nations rise; Join the triumph of the skies; With th' angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!" Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"
Choir: Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord! Late in time behold him come, Offspring of the virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th' incarnate Deity, Pleased in flesh with us to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"
All: Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, Born that we no more may die, Born to raise us from the earth, Born to give us second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!" Reading: The Turning Around of All Things Hymn: “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”
Choir: Lo, how a rose e'er blooming From tender stem hath sprung! Of Jesse's lineage coming, By faithful prophets sung. It came a flow'ret bright, Amid the cold of winter, When half-spent was the night.
All: Isaiah 'twas foretold it, The Rose I have in mind, With Mary we behold it, The Virgin Mother kind. To show God's love aright, She bore for us a Savior, When half-spent was the night.
All: This flow'r, whose fragrance tender With sweetness fills the air, Dispels with glorious splendor The darkness eve'rywhere. Enfleshed, yet very God, From sin and death he saves us, And lightens ev'ry load.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be 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. Reading: Everything Past and Everything Future Hymn: He Comes to Us as One Unknown Reading: God is a God of Bearing Offering of God’s Tithes and Our Gifts
(including the receiving of the Christmas Joy offering)
Offertory: Rejoice! Rejoice! The Savior Comes arr. Michael Burkhardt
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Prayer of Dedication Reading: Prince of Peace Hymn: Comfort, Comfort Now My People
All: “Comfort, comfort now my people; Tell of peace! So says our God. Comfort those who sit in darkness Mourning under sorrow’s load. To God’s people now proclaim That God’s pardon waits for them! Tell them that their war is over; God will reign in peace forever!
All: For the herald’s voice is crying In the desert far and near, Calling us to true repentance Since the Kingdom now is here. Oh, that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God away! Let the valleys rise to meet him, And the hills bow down to greet him.
All: Straight shall be what long was crooked, And the rougher places plain! Let your hearts be true and humble, As befits God’s holy reign! For the glory of the Lord Now on earth is shed abroad, And all flesh shall see the token That God’s word is never broken. Reading: Those Who Go to the Manger Charge and Benediction Congregational Response: Joy to the World
All: Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive its King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing.
All: Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ While fields and floods, rocks hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy.
All: No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make his blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found.
All: He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of his righteousness, And wonders of his love, And wonders of his love, And wonders of his love.
Postlude
Today’s flowers are given to the glory of God and in memory of John Reeve
by his wife Ruth and daughter Barbara and her husband Paul Akers.
P.O. Box 6106 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (865) 483-1318 fpcor.org Located at the corner of Lafayette and Oak Ridge Turnpike Church Office Hours: 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.—12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
