Second Sunday of Advent
December 8, 2024 | 10:00am
Rev. Jeremy Campbell, Temporary Pastor | Larry J. Carey, Director of Music
Thought for Worship: What is the foundation of your faith? Who has helped lay the foundation for you?
How are you helping to lay the foundation for others?
GATHERING
Welcome
Prelude O Little Town of Bethlehem | English Folk Melody
Call to Worship
Votum
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Amen
Opening Sentences
If life was a home, then we would pray—
may love be the foundation.
May God be the cornerstone.
May the Spirit be the windows—ushering light in.
And may hope be the walls—holding us together.
In this hour of worship, let us work toward building that home together.
We may not know the path ahead, but God is here, even now.
Let us give thanks for a foundation of love.
Let us worship Holy God.
Salutation
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
Amen.
Candle Lighting Liturgy
A: As we reflect on the foundation of our faith in our lives we gather together around the candle of peace.
B: The home we long for is a home that knows peace—
A: peace that rests between us and our grief,
B: peace around our anxiety,
A: peace between us and our self-criticism,
B: peace amidst our relationships,
A: peace at the core of our being,
B: peace hovering through and in our world.
A: The home we long for is a home that knows peace.
B: So today we light the candle of peace—as a reminder and as a prayer.
A: Let it be so. Amen.
*Hymn of Praise Zechariah’s Lullaby
Call to Confession
In our scripture passage for today, Zechariah, a new father, speaks to his newborn son,
John the Baptist, for the very first time. I want you to imagine yourself in his shoes . . .
What would you say to a newborn sleeping in your arms? What would you want them
to know on their very first day? What would feel important?
I imagine that all of you would speak words of love.
It’s impossible not to speak words of love when you’re holding a baby, and yet as we
grow up, that skill tends to become harder for us to practice. So let us return to our
foundation—to words of love.
Prayer of Confession
When John was Born, Zechariah leaned down and whispered words of love into his ear. We know that you do the same for us, day in and day out, yet we fail to hear it.
We forget that in the beginning we were made good.
We doubt that we could possibly be enough.
Words of Forgiveness
Holy God,
When John was Born, Zechariah leaned down and whispered words of love into his ear. We know that you do the same for us, day in and day out, yet we fail to hear it.
We forget that in the beginning we were made good.
We doubt that we could possibly be enough.
We hustle for our self-worth and wear ourselves out aiming for perfection.
We deflect words of praise.
We hide behind shiny first impressions.
Forgive us. Trusting our worth is the hardest job.
Open our ears as you open our hearts,
so that we might rest on the foundation of goodness you have laid for us.
Gratefully we pray. Amen.
The Law of God:
*Gloria Patri | #579
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.
*Commitment to Peace Keeping and Peace Seeking
One: May the peace of Christ be with you!
All: And also with you!
Share a sign of peace with one another. After sharing the peace, let us all sing together:
Together, by grace, we witness and work, remembering Jesus, in whom we grow strong. Together we serve in Spirit and truth, remembering love is the strength of our song.
THE WORD OF GOD
Anthem The World Awaits Your Coming | Choplin
Prayer for Illumination
God, who speaks a good news language -we admit, listening has never been our greatest gift. We are easily distracted, our minds run a million miles a minute. we doubt your faith in us, and take the easy way out when it comes to hope. So today we bow our heads and ask for help. Settle our hearts. Quiet our minds. Steady our breathing. Help us to rest in you. Help us to listen for your good news. Gratefully we pray, Amen.
First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
*Hymn: Comfort Comfort You My People
Second Reading: Luke 3:1-18
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Sermon: “Laying the Foundation (Peace)” | Rev. Campbell
Silent Reflection
THE RESPONSE TO GOD
*Affirmation of Faith (Apostles’ Creed)
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I 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 descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to 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. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Offering There is a Promise, God has Said | Huffman
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him all creatures here below;
Praise him above ye heavenly hosts;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen!
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession (ending with the Lord’s Prayer)
God of days gone by, and God of the here and now—
we understand the story of Zechariah.
We know what it’s like to be speechless.
We know what it’s like to be awestruck.
We know what it’s like to change plans and leave everyone whispering.
What we don’t always know is what the next right step is. We crave your voice in
Our ear—guiding our steps, revealing the way.
So today, God, we pause to give you thanks for the things that leave us speechless—
for love at first sight,
for the moments when the doctor says the scan is clear,
for the family that runs to meet us at the airport and welcomes us home,
for every small miracle and concentrated beauty in our life—
we are awestruck.
We are speechless.
We are so deeply grateful.
But in between whispers of deep gratitude, are people who are speechless
for other reasons.
We are speechless because of the suffering and despair, grief and loss, violence and
injustice in our world.
With every young person killed in the street, we lose our breath.
With every threat of violence, we lose our words.
With every updated report on climate change, we lose our peace.
And the cycle goes on and on and on.
Creator God, who breathed life into us, move between us and our despair.
Give us a voice
to speak gratitude in the face of beauty, and justice in the face of destruction.
Give us
words to heal where there is hurt and to invite where there is isolation.
There are so many things that leave us speechless, O God, but we never
lose your words
of love and hope. So today we pray the prayer your son taught us to pray, saying…
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, the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen.
SENDING
*Hymn O Come O Come Emmanuel
Benediction
Congregational Response
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates, Behold, the King of glory waits;
The King of kings is drawing near; The Savior of the world is here!
Redeemer, come! I open wide My heart to Thee;
here, Lord, abide. Let me Thy inner presence feel; Thy grace and love in me reveal.
Postlude Once in Royal David’s City | arr. Jordan
DEAR FRIENDS
Welcome to worship here at Peapack Reformed Church! If you are visiting with us, welcome! If you are a member, welcome back! Our mission is to be a congregation called by God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and committed to being the very presence of Jesus Christ in the world. This mission is the catalyst for all that we do, and is our aim for who we want to be.
If you are visiting with us via Facebook Live and would like more information about our church, send us a message on Facebook or email office@peapackreformed.org and we will be in touch with you. Even under these odd and anxious circumstances, we would love to be your church home. Our virtual doors are always open wide and our hearts are always ready to welcome new faces into our fellowship.
FOOD PANTRY NEWS
Many thanks for all those who have shared their abundance with neighbors in need.
Our church refrigerators have plenty of space to hold even more!
Please consider making a weekly donation of eggs or milk to the P-G Food Pantry.
Peapack Reformed Church is a congregation called by God, empowered by the Holy Spirit and committed to being the very presence of Jesus Christ in the world.
CALLED • EMPOWERED • COMMITTED