12/4/22 Bulletin & Order of Service

8 & 11 am Order of Service

Second Sunday of Advent

Traditional Worship—8 & 11 AM

December 4, 2022

*Please stand as you are able. Congregational responses are in bold.

PRELUDE

"In Excelsis Deo" by Lee Ellis

Rick Nay, Organ and John Richardson, Piano

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS (Click here to check-in)

Rev. Rev. Bob Martin

LIGHTING THE CANDLE OF PEACE

*CALL TO WORSHIP

Pastor: This day is a day of preparation.

People: Open our hearts, O Lord, and make us ready to receive you.

Pastor: Repentance, changing our attitudes, our lives, is the beginning of our preparation.

People: Lord, give us courage and confidence.

Pastor: God will fill us with joy and peace as we become witnesses to God’s love.

People: Lord, help us to be faithful servants all of our days.

*HYMN OF PRAISE

"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" Number 218

*PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST

*CONGREGATIONAL SONG

“Blest Be the Tie That Binds” Number 557

Blest be the tie that binds

our hearts in Christian love;

the fellowship of kindred minds

is like to that above.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Pastor: Christ the Lord invites all to his table who love Him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another. Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

People: Lord of mercy and hope, open our hearts to receive your words of peace. We live far too much in darkness and fear. We have let the fears invade the very center of our lives and find ourselves changing, moving from your light to the darkness of despair. It seems that this world and its people are more pleased to fight and destroy than they are to have peace and harmony. We become part of that crowd when we wallow in anger, resentment, apathy, and greed. Forgive us, patient and merciful God. Help us be people who will look at the ways in which we have blocked your presence; ways in which we have truly failed to be your people. Give us courage and strength to change our lives, that your peace may become a reality in this world, right now, this day. For we offer this prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

Though the darkness seems so deep, do not fear. God is with us. Repent! Turn your lives to God. God’s love is being poured out for you, always. Amen.

(11:00) ANTHEM

"There is Room for the Stranger" by Lee Dengler

Chancel Choir

WORSHIP WITH OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS (Click here to GIVE)

"People Need the Lord" arr. Mark Hayes

(8:00) Ginny Cannon-Soloist

(11:00) Betty Schaefer-Soloist

*DOXOLOGY Number 95

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise Him, all creatures here below; praise Him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*HYMN OF PREPARATION

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” Number 230

SERMON

“Unrest turns to Peace” Rev. Margaret Rountree

Text: Isaiah 2:1-5 ESV

SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

*HYMN OF DEDICATION

"Away in a Manger" Number 217

*BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE

“Angels We Have Heard On High” by Henry Balcombe

Rick Nay, Organist

The flowers are given to the glory of God in loving honor of

the St. Pete First UMC Office Volunteers from the St. Pete First UMC Staff.

Thank you for joining us this morning!

9:30 am Order of Service

Pastor's Note

A NOTE FROM PASTOR MARGE

Life can be pretty chaotic sometimes and nothing makes that chaos/unrest worse than the Christmas season, can I get an Amen? There’s just so much to do this time of year. There’s Christmas shopping, parties to attend, events to go to, family gatherings, holiday cooking and shopping, decorating, and I could go on and on. Not to mention nothing highlights pain, especially good old family pain, like Christmas time. Maybe your dear family member just died and this is the first Christmas you are going to spend without that person. That’s unrest. Or maybe you experienced abuse by a certain family member in your childhood and now you have to be around them at Christmas. That’s unrest too. The prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 9:6 proclaimed that a child would be born, a son given to us and he would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. But as we look around at our world today, it’s not looking super peaceful. Where is our Prince of Peace in the midst of wars and fighting and violence and stress? Earlier in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah relays a message he has received from God and it’s a message of peace. Isaiah is relaying this message to the people of Judah and Jerusalem during a time of extreme unrest, as they faced repeated threats from their larger surrounding nations. The people of Judah had allowed idols to captivate their attention and although they were doing well economically, a spirit of dissatisfaction overwhelmed the land. God’s chosen people were no longer worshipping the one true God and were facing serious threats from their more powerful neighbors. Talk about unrest. So, although Isaiah proclaims a message where the world is free from war, pain, violence, persecution, false idols, and death, the question the people of Judah and Jerusalem and, certainly us today, becomes, how can we turn our current unrest into peace? The answer? It starts with the reason for this season. It starts with the Prince of Peace, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

— Pastor Marge

Bulletin/Announcements

Wednesday Night Dinner Menu for Dec. 7

$5 kids, $8 adults, $30 family of 5

To-Go available by reservation

Lasagna, Garlic Bread, Salad, Chocolate Mousse

Kids: Mini Corndogs, Tater Tots, Celery & Carrots, Fruit Cup, Ice Cream Sandwich

Last Week’s Attendance Numbers

Thank you for joining us for worship! These are our attendance numbers for worship from last Sunday. We hope to see you again next week!

November 27: In Person 293 // Online 278

Year to Date Financials as of October 31

YTD Revenue $2,092,629

YTD Expenses $2,429,277

Finance Team (12/20) and Church Council (12/27) will not be meeting this month due to the holidays.

Dec. 7: Christmas Organ Concert

Listen and sing along to Christmas favorites as organist Rick Nay (with guests) beautifully showcases our magnificent organ amid our beautiful stained glass and Christmas decorations. If you can, join us at 1 pm to help welcome and assist our guests from nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Refreshments will be served after the concert. Please bring a baked (non-refrigerated) treat to share.

Dec 4-25: Born to Serve/Showered and Empowered Winter Donations

Our 4th Wednesday Homeless Outreach ministry partner has asked for the following donations (by 12/25) to be distributed on 12/28:

New or gently used: winter hats, throw blankets, gloves, and book bags.

New only: socks, underwear, toiletries, toothpaste, razors, and deodorant.

Dec. 4 & 11: St. Pete First T-shirts have arrived!

If you ordered St. Pete First T-shirts, they will be available in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, December 4th or 11th, from 9 to 11 am. Cash or check accepted as payment. No cards, please.

Dec. 5 through Christmas: Christmas Diaper Drive

Be a part of Local Missions’ Christmas Diaper Drive, serving young mothers and newborns through the New Life Solutions (previously called Pinellas County Pregnancy Center) to bring hope and help to hundreds of young Moms and their babies who are in exceptional need. On December 5th and through Christmas a playpen will be in the Fellowship Hall to collect newborn disposable diapers. The diapers collected will be picked up the following week. This is just another way to make a difference in our community during this joyous Christmas season. Questions? Call Gus Schaefer at (727) 823-7435.

Dec. 6, 7 or 8: Hearts for Eternity

Come hear about the good work being done by one of our ministry partners, Rev. Dr. Bryce Norton, of Hearts for Eternity. Click here for more information.

Dec. 7: Family Night

Join us on Wednesday, Dec. 7th for FAMILY NIGHT during Wednesday Night Live! We will play some games, create a craft, have hot chocolate and cookies and watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Come for dinner at 5:30; activities start at 6pm on the 4th floor! All ages welcome (nursery will be open).

Dec. 9: Kids' Night Out

Children's Ministry will host Kids’ Night Out on Friday, December 9th from 6-10pm! The night is open to ALL AGES, nursery through 5th grade. Reservations must be made through the church website/children's page. Deadline to register is Wednesday, December 7th! We will enjoy pizza and snacks, ice cream sundaes, play games, watch a movie, sing songs, and have an interactive devotion while parents finish last-minute Christmas shopping! Youth are welcome to come as HELPERS! $20 first child, $15 second, $40 for a family of 3 or more.

Dec. 11: Christmas Cantata

Our annual Christmas Cantata will be on Sunday, December 11 during the 11 am service. No 8 am service on the day of the cantata! Please join us at 11 am, instead.

Dec. 11: Christmas Poinsettia orders are due

Christmas poinsettias will be added to the decorations in the Sanctuary from December 18-25. Your poinsettias may be picked up after the 8 pm Christmas Eve service or after the 10 am Christmas Day service.

Dec. 12: UWF Christmas Luncheon

Please join us as we celebrate the season with a Christmas Luncheon in the Fellowship Hall. $10 per person. Bring a Christmas ornament to exchange ($5 limit). RSVP to Nancy Fallis 727-504-5186 or Cindy Ripley 727-823-5671 by Dec. 8th.

Dec. 14: Christmas Sing-Along

The St Pete First Kids Praise Team is excited to present our second annual Christmas Sing-Along! Join us for Wednesday Night Dinner beforehand, then support the children and have some fun as we sing our favorite Christmas carols.

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12/4/22 Bulletin & Order of Service

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St. Petersburg First United Methodist Church
212 3rd Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727.894.4661

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