Sunday November 30, 2025 Worship Service
Livestream at 11:10 a.m.

Gathering in God’s Name

Prelude — Fantasia on “Veni Emmanuel” — Alec Rowley
As the prelude begins, you are invited to begin your personal preparation for worship.

Silent Meditation
Advent, the four-week period that leads up to Christmas, is a series of events designed not to delay the celebration of Christmas, but to enhance it. It’s a kind of delayed gratification that culminates in a … satisfaction that is all the richer for the waiting. |
Joan Chittister, Listen with the Heart — The first Sunday of Advent

Lighting of the Advent Candle of Hope — The Garry Family (Josh, Jordan, Dmitri, Nikolai, Nadia)

Congregational Response — Light the Candle — Carl Schalk

Advent Call to Worship
A voice cries, “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;
       Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
We are preparing our hearts for the God of hope to come into the world.
       God’s love flows into our lives through the gift of the Christ child.

Praise and Adoration

*Opening Hymn #88 — O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (vv.1-4) — VENI EMMANUEL|
(*Please stand, if you are able.)

Confession and Pardon

Call to Confession

Prayer of Confession
Loving and Gracious God, we come to you this Advent Season with many expectations. We confess that we are more worried about our expectations than your plans for us. We are more worried about getting what we want than being open to what you know we need. Forgive us, God. Help us to set aside our expectations. Help us to open our hearts and let Your Hope abide within us. Amen.

Silent Prayers of Confession and Petition

Kyrie Eleison (#578) — O Lord, Have Mercy — ORÉ PORIAJÚ VEREKÓ

Assurance of Pardon

*Alleluia (#587) — Alleluia! — CELTIC ALLELUIA

*Welcome

Announcements

*Advent Hymn #97 — Watchman, Tell Us of the Night — ABERSTYSTWYTH

Fellowship of Prayer

Joys and Concerns

Prayers of the People
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Anthem — O Come, Emmanuel — Elaine Hagenberg

Proclamation of God’s Word

Scripture Lesson — Matthew 24: 36-44 — page 806 of the pew Bible

Sermon — “Always Right On Time” — Dr. Zieman

Our Response to God’s Word

*Affirmation of Faith  — from Romans 8, in the Book of Common Worship
We believe there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus; for we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to God’s purpose.  We are convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*Sanctus — Holy, Holy, God Almighty — DIVINUM MYSTERIUM

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings

Offertory — Mark Burrows  Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus —  Lee Bristol, Jr.

*Doxology (#609) — Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow — LASST UNS ERFREUEN
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Praise God, all creatures high and low. Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise God, in Jesus fully known: Creator, Word, and Spirit one. Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

*Prayer of Dedication
Christ calls us to live generous and grateful lives. Take these gifts we offer today, O God, and use them to the fulfillment of Christ’s ministry. May these gifts help to free the captives, heal the sick, comfort the lonely, feed the hungry, heal the wounded. As Christ’s hands and feet, use us too, in service to building your beloved community. Amen.

*Hymn of Dedication #87 — Comfort, Comfort Now My People — GENEVAN 42

*Charge and Benediction

*Postlude                                                 Watchman, Tell Us of the Night   Healey Willan