Order of Worship Sunday December 10, 2023 10:00AM

Greater Framingham Community Church
An Extended Christian Family
A Service for the Candle of

December 10th, 2023♦ 10:00 AM
Franklin and Park Streets, PO Box 629
Framingham, MA 01704
Rev. Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd, Pastor
janthonylloyd@gmail.com

Church Office (508) 626-2118 ♦ Internet: www.gfccnet.org
Please Note: All services are videotaped\livestreamed, which means
the camera spans the congregation at times, and you may be on the
screen.

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WORSHIP AND CELEBRATION
LIVESTREAMED: www.gfccnet.org/live

Presiding .........................................Minister Almarie Dawkins
Processional........... I’m Still Here......... Young Adult Praise Team
We Worship Through Praise
✝ Praise Choruses...................................................Young Adult Praise
Team

Soon and Very Soon
Intentional
Welcome Into this Place

Advent Candle-LOVE...........................Rev. Beverly Thompson
We Worship Through the Word
Scripture........................Luke 1:67-80 ................Minister Pat Ramsay
We Worship Through the Preached Word
Praise Selection............Falling in Love With Jesus............Young
Adult Praise Team
Sermon......................................................... Rev. Belinda Mpagazehe
We Worship Through Prayer
Invitation/Altar prayer......................Minister Marshalee Kehlhem
Invitation to Christian Discipleship ..........................................
Praise Selection...............Give Me A Clear Heart.............Young
Adult Praise Team

We Worship in Response to Hearing the Word
Tithes & Offerings: (Please make your donations when entering or
exiting the church service. An "Offering Container" is provided in the
Narthex.)
Visitor Welcome...............................................................
Praise Selection...................More Than Anything.................Young
Adult Praise Team

✝Benediction

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STANDING PLEASE
PRAISE SELECTION

I’M STILL HERE
Verse 1:
[Lead]
Heartaches, I've had my
shares of heartaches
But I'm still here
Trouble, I've seen my share
of troubles
But I'm still here
Bruises, I've taken my lumps
and bruises
But I'm still here, yes I am
Loneliness, I've had my share
of loneliness
But I'm still here
Chorus:
[All] Through it all I've made
it through
Another day's journey
God kept me here
I’ve made it through (I've
made it through)
Another day's journey
God kept me here
Verse 2:
[Lead]
Lied on, many times I've been
lied on

But I'm still here, thank you
Lord
Burdens, I had to bare so
many burdens
But I'm still here, yes
Dark days, I've had my share
of dark days
But I'm still here, yes, I am
now
Disappointments, I've had so
many disappointments
But I'm still here, yeah
Chorus:
[All] Through it all I've made
it through
Another day's journey
God kept me here
...I’ve made it through (I've
made it through)
Another day's journey
God kept me here
Repeat x2
SOON AND VERY SOON
Soon and very soon we are
going to see the King
Soon and very soon we are
going to see the King
Soon and very soon we are
going to see the King

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Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’r
e going to see the King
No more crying there . . .
No more dying there
Intentional - Travis Greene
[VERSE 1]
All things are working for my
good
He’s intentional
Never failing
(x2)
All things are working for my
good
He’s intentional
Never failing
(x2)
All things are working for my
good (x4)
Chorus
He’s Intentional
He’s intentional
Never failing
(x2)
[VERSE 1 REPEATED]
All things are working for my
good
He’s intentional
Never failing
(x2)
All things are working for my
good (x4)
[BRIDGE]
I don’t have to worry

Because it’s working for me
It’s working for me
It’s working for me
(x2)
I don’t have to worry
Because it’s working for me
It’s working for me
It’s working for me
(x2)
[CHORUS]
He’s intentional (X7)
Never failing!
WELCOME INTO THIS
PLACE
Welcome into this place
Welcome into this broken
vessel
You desire to abide in the
praises
of your people
So we lift our hands, and lift
our
Hearts
As we offer up this praise
unto
your name
FALLING IN LOVE WITH
JESUS
[Chorus]

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(Lead) Falling in love with
Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Was the best thing I've ever
done
[Chorus]
(All) Falling in love with
Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Was the best thing I've ever
done
[Verse 1]
In His arms I feel protected
In His arms, never
disconnected
In His arms I feel protected
There's no place I'd rather be
[Chorus]
Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Falling in love with Jesus
Was the best thing I've ever
done

GIVE ME A CLEAN
HEART
Give me a clean heart so I
may

serve Thee
Lord, fix my heart, so that I
may be used by Thee
For I'm not worthy...of all
these
blessings
Give me a clean heart and I'll
follow You
MORE THAN ANYTHING
[Intro]
I lift my hands in total
adoration
unto You.
You reign on the throne for
You
are God and God alone.
Because of You my cloudy
days
are gone.
I can sing to You this song.
I just want to say that I love
You
more than anything.
[Refrain]
Love me in Your arms.
You are my shelter from the
storm

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When all my friends were
gone
You were right there all along
I’ve never known a love like
this
before.
I just want to say that I love
You

more than anything.
[Chorus]
I love You Jesus. I worship
and
adore You.
Just want to tell You, Lord I
love
You more than anything

The Advent Season
An Introduction

Get ready for the world’s best news!

Advent Season, the four weeks before Christmas, is a time to get ready.
During Advent, we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas, we receive
the risen Christ who comes to us in Word and Spirit, and we await with hope
Christ’s coming in final victory.
Advent is from the Latin adventus, which means “coming.” Prophets
announced the coming of the Savior: For a child has been born for us, a son
given to us...(Isaiah 9:6), Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, said of
John: You, child, will be called the prophet of the most high: for you will go
before the Lord to prepare his ways...By the tender mercy of our God, the
dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in
darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
(Luke 1:76-79)
During Advent we become one with those who waited in darkness for the
revealing of God’s light and who dared to hope that God’s salvation could
come in the birth of a child. As we re-live the story each year, we gain new

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and deeper understanding of the meaning of Advent, Christmas, and
Epiphany. We celebrate God’s gift of Jesus Christ and give thanks.

The Challenge of Advent

In our world, Christmas has become a commercial event. During Advent we
are challenged to reclaim the customs that help us celebrate God’s gift of love
in Jesus and to avoid or curtail those things that stand in the way. Gifts, cards,
and parties need to express love, not obligation, and they need to extend
beyond our immediate circle of family and friends to those who most need
love and care.
Advent: Advent is the beginning of the Christian Year. Advent is our season
of waiting and expectation. This is the time when God calls us to begin, afresh
and anew the preparation of our hearts to become the clean and ready
managers for The Christ Child’s arrival. Advent means that Mary is pregnant!
The Biblical lections and the songs of Advent set the stage to allow our
congregation to walk with us through this section of The God Story and
another, “In The Beginning.” We are awaiting the fresh arrival of The One
who will bring change into our lives. We are anticipating the coming of a
new day, a fresh start and a different reality. We are living in expectation.

The Advent Wreath

An Advent Wreath can be a center of worship for both church and home. The
wreath is a circle of evergreen branches, a sign of everlasting life. Four Red
or Purple Candles, one for each week in Advent, are set in the circle. A White
Candle for Christmas Day is placed in the center. The base is an Advent
Wreath.

The Colors of the Season

Purple is the traditional color used by many churches during Advent and
Lent because it represents both penitence and royalty. Blue, sometimes used
during Advent, represents hope. White is the color of joy and festivities, a
suitable color for the Christ Candle in the Advent Wreath and for Christmas
Services.

Lighting the Advent Wreath

One candle is lit on the first Sunday of Advent with an additional candle
lighted each week. On Christmas Eve the White Christ Candle is lighted.

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Family Advent Worship

Families may have daily or weekly Advent Worship. In the Northern
Hemisphere, Advent and Christmas come when the days are shortest. In
Ancient times, especially, lighting candles symbolized hope both for the
return of sunlight and for the joy of Jesus’ coming to bring God’s light to the
world.

NOTICE

Daily bread and special Advent daily
bread available on table in narthex.

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Dear GFCC Church Family,
As we come to the close of 2023 and walk into the
Advent season, I want to request that you consider a
special Christmas offering for your church. Giving is
behind this year and the expenses are ongoing.
Please do your best to catch up in your giving if you
are behind or even stretch to give a little extra to
ensure the church is able to meet its ministry
obligations and finish the year in a strong financial
position. If you are not sure of your giving history
please reach out to the Church treasure [ Ms. Carol
Harrison] [ treasurer@gfccnet.org] and she will
provide you with a copy of your giving history for the
year.]
Thank you for your faithful support of the ministry
and may this Advent season be one centered around
our Theme: Christ the Savior is Born!
Rev. Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd

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Dear GFCC Family,
Advent is here, and it leads toward our celebration of Christ
coming into the world. Out theme this Christmas is: Behold
a savior Is Born! Christmas is the Fulfillment of hundreds of
years of prophetic predictions about the coming of the
Messiah who would change the world. God 's people waited
for a Savior who would come to rescue and restore a
broken creation.
They held onto hope that God would stay true to his
promise. With joy, they anticipated Christ's arrival. As a
humble servant Jesus' loved all he encountered from the
cradle to the cross. The world would know the peace of
God, who had come near. Behold a Savior is born, the
world will never be the same.
In these turbulent times we live in I remind you that peace is
not the absence of war, turmoil, racism, food insecurity,
hate, war, and evil, but it is the Presence of God. This is my
prayer as your pastor for you this Christmas. That Jesus
might be the Center of your Joy and the Foundation of your
Faith.
I invite you to join me and the entire church family to read
the
Gospel of Luke this Advent season, reading a chapter each
day as we make our way to the manger where Our Savior
was born. May the Joy of his first coming lead you to await
his second coming!
Merry Christmas! Behold A savior is Born!
Rev. Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd
Pastor
Greater Framingham Community Church