the December 16th Order of Worship. Anything received after this deadline will be printed at a later date.

50+ Christmas Luncheon December - The Merry Methodists, several Sunday School Classes and all 50+ members are invited to a Christmas Luncheon on Wednesday, December 12 in Chitwood Hall at noon. There will be a short mu-sical program by Sipsey Valley students under the direction of Jerrod Newell, great food and fellowship. Please sign up with Ethelyn (345-7261 or ekstuhr@fumct.org) by noon December 10.

Turkey Greece Info Meeting - On Sunday, December 9 at noon in the Fire-side Room, we will hold a short meeting to discuss the April 25-May 8 biblical studies trip with Ken Dunivant

MEMORIALS/HONORARIUMS NOVEMBER 25, 2012 Memorials

In Memory of Carolyn Hubbard, Dayton Hale, Sara Hall Stipe, Linda Malcolm Lycett & Betty Robertson

given by Mr. & Mrs. John Slaughter In Remembrance of Marie Wynne’s Birthday

given by Mrs. Cecil Sands

SANCTUARY FLOWERS The flowers are given to the glory of God and in memory of

Joe J. Richardson, William P. Richardson, Mrs. Jane Richardson and Mrs. Willie Belle Richardson by Lynne Richardson

MUSICIANS James Seay, Director of Music Ministries

Susan Goode, Organist Adult Chancel Choir

ABOUT OUR CONGREGATION November 25 Attendance: Traditions: 398; Bridge: 433; Adult SS: 235; N/P (SS): 30; K-5 (SS): 58; WOW: 23 November 25 Giving: Budget: $27,908.82 Building: $5,602.84 Designated: $693.00 In the Hospital: DCH: James H. Wesley; William Tyler Carter; Dr. John Shamblin; Northport: Janet Holemon Welcome New Members: Charles and Deberah Miller; Drew and Lindsey Holland with twin sons Graham and Liam; Austin Wright; Lexi Kearley; and Abbie Alexander Deaths: Sympathy to Bill (Nola) Stakem and their son BJ (Tina) Stakem in the death of Bill’s sister, Barbara Stakem McCartney of Tuscaloosa; Sympathy to Terrie Scott & adult children Whit, Courtney & Shelby in the death of her mother, Thelma Juanita Tyner Kutch of Tuscaloosa.

PRAYER REQUESTS Those Who Serve Our Country: 2nd Lieutenant Christopher Harwell; Staff Sgt. Brittany Millsaps; Ronald Barton Laycock US Navy, Bahrain, UAE. Other Prayer Concerns: William Dunivant (Ken’s father); Carter Culver (Stephanie Charboneau’s nephew); Pam Loper, Jane Walker; Carole Stegall; Julianne Sneckenberger; Michael Black; Tina Bearden Cox; Sandra Reed; Lynne Kimbrough & son Will; Marthalene Brown; Martha Sue Brown; John Powell; Bomar Ingram; Heather Whetston; Joy Phil-lips; Rosa McKinney; Dorothy Benson (Liz Whipple’s grandmother); John Major Davis; Fuller Goldsmith; Jan Leopard Wright; Estelle Swann; Phillip Mann; Brian McSorley; Cayce & Jan Rumsey; May Prickett; Betty Harless; Letitia Roberts. This is a partial list of prayer requests. A team of people pray for the confidential prayer re-quests of the church. If you would like to become a member of the prayer team con-tact Mary at mary@fumct.org. Send your requests to Syntha at syntha@fumct.org

ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTIVITIES

ADVENT DEVOTIONAL GUIDES AVAILABLE AT WELCOME CENTER Your pastors and staff have selected three classic Advent devotional guides to accom-pany “The Artistry of Christmas.” They are $10 each and include:

Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas by various authors God is in The Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas by Dietrich Bonhoeffer The Uncluttered Heart: Making Room for God during Advent and Christmas by Beth

Richardson We encourage everyone to select a devotional guide to help center your thoughts on the true meaning of Christmas.

UMW Meetings: Celebration Circle Christmas Social Meeting-Tuesday, December 4 at 6:00 p.m. at the home of Glenda Kilgore, 4307 Hillsboro Drive (Hillsdale Subdi-vision); UMW Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, December 5 at 10:30 a.m. in the Chapel to honor UMW members lost in 2012. Lunch ($8) will follow im-mediately in Chitwood Hall. Please RSVP by November 30; Charlotte Shamblin Circle will not meet on December 10. Instead, members of the circle are encour-aged to attend the UMW Memorial Service on December 5. Prayer Vigil for the na-tion led by Cecile Horton every Monday at 9:30 a.m. Christmas Serving Opportunities - We will be collecting coats (MEN'S, WOMEN'S, & CHILDREN'S) and blankets to pass out to the area homeless on Christmas Day. Please bring items to the church and place in receptacles labeled for these items.

Foster Children’s Christmas Dinner Thursday, December 6 (5-7 PM). We need volunteers to help with this annual event. Set-up and decorating Chitwood Hall; serving of plates to the foster families; making homemade desserts for our guests to enjoy; or cleaning up after the event. We also need donations of brownies and cookies! Please show the love of Christ by helping those less fortunate than us. To volunteer, contact Jill McDonald at 205.394.1098 or jsgmcdonald@comcast.net.

Missionaries Mike & Pam Chupp will join us on Sunday, December 9. Mike is the head surgeon at Tenwick Hospital in Kenya. Mike and Pam will be joining us in all four worship services, as well as a combined Sunday School class in the Chapel on the second floor during the 10:00 a.m. hour. Please help us in welcoming the Chupps! Poinsettia Sunday - If you wish to give a Memorial or Honorarium for Christmas, please make your check payable to FUMCT. Submit the necessary information to Charles Tuten in the church office by Friday, December 7th and it will be printed in

First United Methodist Church Tuscaloosa 800 Greensboro Avenue

Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Phone 205-345-7261

Facsimile 205-345-7263 After Hour Emergency Number: 205-886-7177

Website: www.fumct.org

December 2, 2012 9:00 a.m.

St John the Baptist by el Greco

Spanish painter El Greco (1541-1614) was a

prolific and influential artist of his day. He

was known for the elegance of elongated fig-

ures, the importance of grace in art, and the

use of light to accentuate what he called the

“inner light.” He painted many scenes from

the life of Christ. The piece called “St. John

the Baptist” now hangs in the Fine Arts Mu-

seums of San Francisco. This is one of the

various representations in which this figure of

St. John the Baptist appears. The attenuated

figure, the agitated movement of the sky and

the light on the landscape is characteristic of

El Greco's work around 1600. A distinctive

quality of this piece is the placement of the

lamb on the rock, which is interpreted as a

reference to Christ's sacrifice.

CHILDREN’S MINUTES A Classic Christmas Story Rev. Dan Kilgore Following the Children’s Minutes, children ages K - 3rd grade should worship with their family.

PASTORAL PRAYER Rev. Jim Wilson The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. Amen. PRAYER RESPONSE Be Near Me Lord Jesus arr. Lester Seigel *OFFERTORY HYMN NO. 196 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus HYFRYDOL

All stanzas Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart. Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring. By thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone; by thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne. OFFERTORY PRAYER Laura Wood OFFERING OUR GIFTS TO GOD Please give the Friendship Pad slips to the usher as the offering is received. OFFERTORY People, Look East arr. Malcom Archer

People look East. The time is near of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, trim the hearth, and set the table. People look East, and sing today: Love the Guest is on the way. Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare, one more seed is planted there: Give up your strength the seed to nourish, that in course flower may flourish. People look East, and sing today: Love the Rose is on the way. Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim, one more light the bowl shall brim, shining beyond the frosty weather, bright as sun and moon together. People look East, and sing today: Love the Star is on the way. Angels announce to man and beast Him who cometh from the East. Set every peek and valley humming with the word, the Lord is coming. People look East, and sing today: Love the Lord is on the way.

*DOXOLOGY VENI EMMANUEL

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Praise God, all creatures here below. Praise God above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. SCRIPTURE Luke 3:1-6 Laura Wood (Pew Bible, NT p. 60)

WELCOME TO WORSHIP First Sunday of Advent

December 2, 2012 - 9:00 a.m. PRELUDE Huron Carol Denis Bédard O Come, O Come, Emmanuel John Leavitt WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Stephanie Charboneau Co-Director of Children’s Ministry CHIMING OF THE HOUR The sounding of the three chimes symbolizes the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. CALL TO WORSHIP Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord by Stephen Schwartz from Godspell *HYMN OF PRAISE NO. 213 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates TRURO

Stanzas 1, 3, 4 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates; behold, the King of glory waits; the King of kings is drawing near; the Savior of the world is here! Redeemer, come, with us abide; our hearts to thee we open wide; let us thy inner presence feel; thy grace and love in us reveal. Thy Holy Spirit lead us on until our glorious goal is won; eternal praise, eternal fame be offered, Savior, to thy name!

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH A Modern Affirmation Rev. Jim Wilson

PASTOR: Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the one true church, apostolic and universal, whose holy faith let us now declare:

ALL: We believe in God the Father, infinite in wisdom, power, and love, whose mercy is over all his works, and whose will is ever directed to his children's good. We believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of man, the gift of the Father's unfailing grace, the ground of our hope, and the promise of our deliverance from sin and death. We believe in the Holy Spirit as the divine presence in our lives, whereby we are kept in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ, and find strength and help in time of need. We believe that this faith should manifest itself in the service of love as set forth in the example of our blessed Lord, to the end that the kingdom of God may come upon the earth. Amen. *GLORIA PATRI

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. *PASSING OF THE PEACE Rev. Jim Wilson LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE John and Jaime Conger

SERMON “Preparing the Way” Dr. Ken Dunivant *HYMN OF DEDICATION NO. 211 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel VENI EMMANUEL

Stanzas 1, 2, 3 O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show and cause us in her ways to go. Refrain O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times once gave the law in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain *BENEDICTION Dr. Ken Dunivant *BENEDICTION RESPONSE What Sweeter Music arr. Rutter POSTLUDE God Rest You Merry Gentlemen Wilbur Held

(Hymn texts printed through permission of CCLI: 1108424)

Please silence all cell phones and pagers. Thank you.

If you are new to FUMCT or would like more information on FUMCT, please plan to attend Next Step or Believe and Belong TODAY at 10 AM. Next Step is a group tour lead by Josh Davis, our Director of Missions and Hospitality. He will take you on a “walking and talking” tour of our church where you can see our ministries in action and learn more about the church. Believe and Belong is a group discussion and an opportunity to meet our pastors at FUMCT. It is an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what we believe as a United Method-ist Church and what FUMCT is all about. We hope you will join us at the Welcome Center, TODAY 10 AM for NEXT STEP or BELIEVE AND BELONG.

Through this season of Advent and Christmas, we remember the Christmas story. It is this story of the Nativity that has breathed life into centuries of the fine and performing arts. Through theater, visual art, music, dance — and the written and spoken word — the story of the birth of Christ has inspired countless famous pieces of art. For this season of Advent, we will explore the Nativity story through dif-ferent mediums of art. Today, we use the medium of musical theatre to remember the story of John the Baptist, the Preparer of the Way. In Stephen Schwartz’s Godspell, John the Baptist blows the shofar three times to alert the commu-nity, summoning the people together so they may prepare the way for The Lord. On our first Sunday of Advent and our series, The Artistry of Christmas, John the Baptist calls us to pre-pare our hearts for The Lord as we anticipate the birth of the Christ child.

Preparing the Way