Order of Worship Sunday December 17, 2023 10:00AM
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Greater Framingham Community Church
An Extended Christian Family
A Service for the Candle of
December 17th, 2023♦ 10:00 AM
Franklin and Park Streets, PO Box 629
Framingham, MA 01704
Rev. Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd, Pastor
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.
Worship and celebration
LIVESTREAMED: www.gfccnet.org/live
Presiding …………………………..…….......Rev. Beverly Thompson
Processional…….…. Oh Little Town of Bethlehem………....Women’s
Praise Team
We Worship Through Praise
✝ Praise Choruses...............................................Women’s Praise Team
Lord You are Awesome
Who Do You Call That Wonderful Counselor
Thank You Lord
Advent Candle-PEACE………...……..…..Minister Patricia Ramsay
We Worship Through the Word
Scripture……...............Matthew 1:18-25 ............Minister Karen Blake
We Worship Through the Preached Word
Praise Selection…………I Almost Let Go..…….Women’s Praise Team
Sermon..............................................................Rev. Courtney Lackard
We Worship Through Prayer
Invitation/Altar prayer………………….…Rev. Elizabeth Clinkscales
Invitation to Christian Discipleship …………………………………...
Praise Selection….…Withholding Nothing ….,,Women’s 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........ Joy To The World ……..Women’s Praise Team
✝Benediction
Standing Please
Praise Selection
LORD YOU ARE AWESOME
Lord You are awesome (4x)
If it wasn’t for Your love
If it wasn’t for Your grace
I don’t know where I’d be without You.
(2x)
You are awesome.
WHO DO YOU CALL THAT WONDERFUL COUNSELOR?
Oh, who do you call the wonderful counselor?
Oh, glory hallelujah!
Oh, glory hallelujah!
Glory hallelujah to the new-born King!
Oh, I call Jesus the wonderful counselor.
Oh, glory hallelujah!
Oh, glory hallelujah!
Glory hallelujah to the new-born King!
THANK YOU LORD
Thank you Lord
Thank you Lord
Thank you Lord
I just want to thank you Lord
Been so good . . .
Saved my soul . . .
OH LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond’ring love.
O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing—let “Glory!” ring with peace to all on earth!
How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of the heav’ns.
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him still the dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray,
cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today!
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell. O come to
us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.
I ALMOST LET GO
I almost let go
I felt like I just couldn't take life anymore
My problems had me bound, depression weighed me down
But God held me close so I wouldn't let go
God's mercy kept me so I wouldn't let go
I almost gave up
I was right at the edge of a breakthrough but couldn't see it
The devil really had me, but Jesus came and grabbed me
And He held me close, so I wouldn't let go
God's mercy kept me so I wouldn't let go
So I'm here today because God kept me
I'm alive today only because of His grace
Oh, He kept me, God kept me, He kept me
So I wouldn't let go
I almost let go
I felt like I just couldn't take life anymore
My problems had me bound, depression weighed me down
But God held me close so I wouldn't let go
God's mercy kept me so I wouldn't let go
So I'm here today because God kept me
I'm alive today only because of His grace
Oh, He kept me, God kept me
WITHHOLDING NOTHING
I surrender all to you
Everything I give to you
Withholding nothing
Withholding nothing
JOY TO THE WORLD
Joy to the world, the Lord is come,
Let earth receive her king.
Let every heart prepare him room,
Let Heaven and nature sing,
Let Heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the world the savior reigns,
Let men their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glory of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders of his love.
He is the King (King of Kings) that reigns forever,
He's the beginning and the end,
Which was and is, and soon to come,
Come...
Joy to the world, the Lord is come,
Let earth receive her king.
Let every heart prepare him room,
Let Heaven and nature sing,
Let Heaven and nature sing.
Vamp
Joy to the world, the Lord is come,
(Heaven and nature sing)
(Now we sing)
Now you sing
Joy to the world!
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 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.
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.
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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