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THE LORD'S DAY

December 16, 2001 - 10:30 A.M.

Worship Theme: Salvation and Freedom


	PRELUDE	Jenny Terry & Julie Burck


	ACTIVITIES & CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH


	PREPARING IN STILLNESS


	INSTRUMENTAL INTROIT	Town North Brass & Percussion


	WELCOMING THE ASSEMBLY
	PASTOR: The Lord be with you! PEOPLE: And also with you!


•	DRAWING NEAR TO WORSHIP	Hymn 214
	Angels We Have Heard on High


•	CONFESSING OUR SINS
	ALL: Almighty God, you love us but we have not loved you. You call, but we have not listened. We walk away from neighbors in need, wrapped in our own concerns. We condone evil, prejudice, warfare, and greed. God of grace, help us to admit our sin, so that as you come in mercy, we may repent, turn to you, and receive forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.


•	ASSURANCE OF PARDON	Psalm 103:8-12
	PASTOR: Hear the promises of God to those who truly repent of their sins and trust in Christ: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Now, lift up your hearts! PEOPLE: We lift them up to the Lord!


•	CALL TO WORSHIP	from Psalm 95
	PASTOR: Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. PEOPLE: For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. ALL: Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.


•	RESPONDING IN SONG	Hymn 208
	O Come, All Ye Faithful


•	CONFESSING OUR FAITH	Heidelberg Catechism, 24-25
	PASTOR: People of God, what do we believe? We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he remained under the power of death. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy apostolic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. PASTOR: How are the articles of our catholic and undoubted Christian faith divided? PEOPLE: *Into three parts: the first is about God the Father and our creation; the second about God the Son and our redemption; the third about God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification.* PASTOR: Since there is only one God, why do you speak of three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? PEOPLE: *Because God has so revealed Himself in His Word that these three distinct persons are the one, true, eternal God.*


•	THANKING GOD FOR HIS PRESENCE
	PASTOR: We give thanks to you, Lord, for you are good. ALL: Your love endures forever. Amen.


	PRAYING TOGETHER FOR GOD'S PEOPLE	Pastor Dave Clelland
	PASTOR: Lord, in your mercy: ALL: Hear our prayer.


	CHORAL ANTHEM		*In the First Light* (Kauflin/Clydesdale)		Choir


	In the first light of a new day, no one knew he had arrived. Things continued as they had been while a newborn softly cried. But the heavens, wrapped in wonder, knew the meaning of his birth. In the weakness of a baby, they knew God had come to earth. As his mother held him closely, it was hard to understand, That her baby, not yet speaking, was the Word of God to man. He would tell them of his kingdom, but their hearts would not believe. They would hate him, and in anger, they would nail him to a tree. But the sadness would be broken as the Song of Life arose, And the firstborn of creation would ascend and take his throne. He had left it to redeem us but before his life began, He knew he’d come back, not as a baby, but as the Lord of every man. Hear the angels as they’re singing on the morning of his birth. But how much greater will our song be when he comes again to earth. Hear the angels as they’re singing on the morning of his birth. But how much greater will our song be when he comes to rule the earth! Bob Kauflin 1988 Bridge Building Music, Inc. Organon Key Music. Used by permission. CCLI #89178


	WORSHIPPING BY GIVING	(Sign, pass & return Friendship Pad)
	• Westminster Shorter Catechism, 49-52	Hymnal, page 873
	• Prayer - The pastor and another church elder will be available in the front to pray personally with anyone during the offertory. • Offertory - Sue and Randa Senzig


•	PRAISING OUR GOD	Doxology (Hymn 733)
	Praise God from whom all blessings flow Praise him, all creatures here below, Alleluia, Alleluia Praise him above, ye heav’nly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.


•	DEDICATING OUR LIVES & GIFTS
	PASTOR: Yours, O Lord, are grandeur and power, majesty, splendor, and glory. ALL: All in the heavens and on the earth is yours, and of your own we give you. Amen.


•	HEARING SCRIPTURE - Hosea 11:1-11	Deacon Craig Boyd
	READER: This is the Word of the Lord. CONGREGATION: Thanks be to God!


•	GREETING ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE
	• Children ages 4-5 dismissed to Children's Church in Rooms M1 & M3.

•

PREPARING TO HEAR GOD'S WORD

Ensemble & Congregation

Your Love Is Better Than Life

O Lord, You are my Lord, Your ways are higher than mine.
I’ve seen the broken restored; Your love is better than life.

We thirst in a dry weary land, we hunger for Thee.
Lord, rain down as we lift up our hands, your love is better than life.

O God, I stand amazed, how high, how deep, how wide.
My lips offer You praise, “Your love is better than life.”

I stand in the shade of Your wing, my soul clings to Thee.
In the joy of the Lord, will I sing, “Your love is better than life.
Lord, Your love is better than life.”

O Lord, You are my Lord, Your ways are higher than mine.
I’ve seen the broken restored; Your love is better than life,
Your love is better than life. Lord, Your love is better than life.

Matt Huesmann, David Hampton, and Grant Cunningham * 1999 Matt Huesmann Music/Imagine This Music/River Oaks Music and Miss Bug Music (admin. By CMI). Used by Permission. CCLI #89178

Glory Be to God, the Father

Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
Glory be to God the Spirit: Great Jehovah, Three in One,
Great Jehovah, Three in One.

Glory, glory, glory, glory, while eternal ages run.
Glory, glory, glory, glory, Great Jehovah, Three in One,
Great Jehovah, Three in One.

Glory be to Him who loved us, washed us from each spot and stain;
Glory be to Him who bought us, made us kings with Him to reign,
Made us kings with Him to reign!
Glory, glory, glory, glory, to the Lamb that once was slain.
Glory, glory, glory, glory, made us kings with Him to reign,
Made us kings with him to reign.

Glory, blessing, praise eternal! Thus the choir of angels sings,
“Honor, riches, pow’r, dominion!” Thus its praise creation brings,
Thus its praise creation brings.

Glory, glory, glory, glory, glory to the King of kings.
Glory, glory, glory, glory, thus its praise creation brings,
Thus its praise creation brings. (Repeat last chorus)

Words: Horatius Bonar; Music: Matt Huesmann © 1999 Matt Huesmann Music. Used by permission. CCLI #89178


	APPLYING GOD'S WORD	Pastor Mark Balthrop
	*The Freedom of Commandment-Keeping* - Matthew 2:13-18 (Text and Outline will be included on Sunday)


•	RESPONDING IN SONG	Hymn 196
	Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

•

RECEIVING GOD'S BLESSING

Romans 11:33-36

PASTOR: Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory.

ALL: The Lord is King forever! Hallelujah! Amen.


	POSTLUDE	Mrs. Jami Calatozzo