Welcome to
POLK CITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
“Reaching Out, Growing and Serving in Christ”
Church 984-6274
Mark Haverland, Pastor 964-4000
Becky Beck, RN Parish Nurse 685-3195
Web Page:
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/polkcityumc
We extend a special welcome to all visitors, who are
requested not to put money in the collection plate. Those who attend this church regularly have
committed their time and resources so that you can be our guests. Immediately following the service, everyone
is invited to share in fellowship and refreshments. A nursery is available during worship for
very young children.
Sunday, December 22, 2002
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Invitation to Prepare — Church Bell
Welcome and Announcements— (Please sign the attendance pads)
Advent Wreath
Opening Song Christmas Medley
Call to Worship:
L: Here is good news! Waiting is ended!
C: The Messiah is born upon earth!
L: Hope is fulfilled, and joy overflows!
C: The Messiah is born upon earth!
L: Alleluia! Christ is come!
C: Alleluia! God is with us!
*Opening Song #236 While Shepherds Watched (4 verses)
*Invocation:
Incarnating God, our praise arises in the
morning, for you have brought the dawning of light into our darkness. A new
world is breaking forth upon the horizon, and a new life is swelling within us.
For you come to us in Jesus the Messiah, born a baby
in Bethlehem for our salvation. Birthed in a lowly place to people of lowly
hearts, you come in the vulnerability of a child to share our humanity and
reveal our divinity, to be light to the nations and peace to all people. May we
be open to receive you, open to be born anew.
*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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil. For thine
is the kingdom and the power and the glory for
ever. Amen
*Assurance of Pardon:
The love of God came to us in a child born to
be vulnerable in love to the end. On the cross, love prayed for our forgiveness
and died; love defeated sin and death, and arose. By the grace of love
incarnate in the Christ child we are saved. Thanks be
to God!
*Act
of Praise #2077
You Alone Are Holy
Children’s Story
Choir
Celebration and Concerns
#2086 Open Our Eyes
Call to Prayer:
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Let us pray.
Personal Prayers in Silence
Pastoral Prayer
Lord, our king, our savior, your people
gather today, summoned by the light of your love shining into our darkness.
Today our joy is full, having received the fulfillment of our hopes, the object
of our desires, your near presence among us.
In the babe at Bethlehem the hopes and
fears of all the years are met by your incarnate love. In the infant Jesus, you
have reached down to us, touched us, assumed our
flesh. In reaching down to us, you lift all humanity up to you. You honor all
humanity with your presence among us.
Enable us, O Lord, to lay aside our doubts, our cynical misgivings, and come even unto Bethlehem to see this wonder which has taken place, to bask in the light of the manger, to worship the Christ child, to offer ourselves to him, to invite him to be born in us this day, this joyful day of days, Amen.
Responsive Reading of Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
I will proclaim your love forever,
with my mouth I will speak your truth;
of this I am sure:
you are faithful and timeless;
the covenant you have made remains.
"We
rejoice in your love, O God."
You made such a covenant with David,
choosing and anointing him,
strengthening and empowering him;
his enemies did not succeed against him,
but were crushed;
for you loved him and were loyal to him,
making him always victorious.
"We
rejoice in your love, O God."
You also promised
to love him, be loyal to him,
and to make him victorious.
You foretold that David would say,
"You are my God,
my protector and my Savior."
"We
rejoice in your love, O God."
*Hymn #2092 Like a Child
Scripture Reading: Luke 1: 26-38
Sermon: Be Born in Us Today
Mark Haverland
Offering
*The Offertory (to #566— Blest Be the Dear Uniting Love”)
Use us as channels for
you, Lord,
Use this our
offering
To serve your people in the world,
New life and hope to
bring.
Prayer of Dedication
Caring God, we slowly learn how defenseless we are, how dependent we are
upon your provision and your grace. In sending your beloved Son Jesus to earth
as a helpless infant, you showed us we are to come to you with just such
vulnerability. And so, with the trust and confidence of little children, we
offer ourselves and our resources to you, and lay our gifts at Jesus' manger.
May our giving be a blessing to others also depending upon your love and mercy
this day. Amen
#Hymn #2098 The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy
*Commissioning:
Go with the joy of little children to spread the good news that God is with us. In the infant Christ, love is born and hope is fulfilled. New life has come to earth!
*Benediction:
The blessing of the God who comes, the Christ who shares our human frame, and
the incarnating Spirit who births new life in us and creation, is upon us. Amen.
*Postlude……………………………….*Indicates congregation stands
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Junior High Youth Group meets Wednesdays at the church from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Contact Mary Jones at 999-2678.
Church Directories – The latest church directories are available on the table by the door to the sanctuary. Let Joan Hart know of any corrections.
United Methodist Women -- Contact Linda Pennington or Mary Jones with any questions.
Sunday School—No Sunday School next week. Classes will resume on January 5.
Christmas Eve Service — We will have the usual service of lessons and carols on Christmas Eve at 7:00 pm.
Confirmation Class — The next class will be on January 8 when we will serve the meal at the Community Kitchen in Des Moines.
Charge Conference — David Stout, our District Superintendent, has given us permission to hold our own Charge Conference this year and for me to chair it. At this point, we are planning a church meeting day on January 12 at 4:00 pm.
Pastor Parish Committee — Will met Sunday, January 5, 11:00 am in the Conference Room.
Nominating Committee — Can we meet next Sunday afternoon at 4:00 pm (Mike Miller, Mary Jones, Mai Golbuff, Becky Beck, Denise Frank)
Cristmas Tree — The Christmas tree in the narthex awaits mittens and hats.These will be given to our elementary schools for those children who come to school without them.Also, if you would like to bring socks and children's underwear, these will be given to Bidwell Riverside.May you be blessed in your giving.
Thanks — Many thanks to those that helped decorate
the church for the Christmas season, also to Lois Burt for a tree and garland,
Ginger Larsen for lights, the Golbuffs for flowers
and the UMW for wreaths, garlands, bows and flowers.
Health and Wellness Ministries: Contact Becky Beck,
RN, parish nurse 685-3195
Counseling: Contact Pastor Haverland at 984-6274 for counseling or referrals to various counseling services and support groups.
Food Pantry: Donations welcome any Sunday. Food is distributed at eight sites in the metro-area to those in need. Contact Linda Pennington at 984-6693.
Family Fund: All quarters in the collection plate go for financial and pastoral assistance for families and travelers in need in our community.
Luke’s Clinic: Physicals, vaccines, flu shots, and other medical care. Open Wednesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Alcoholics Anonymous:
Meets every Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
CHRISTIAN GROWTH AND FELLOWSHIP
Senior High Youth Group: Contact Linda Erickson 984-6138
Junior High Youth Group:
Contact Mary Jones at 999-2678.
Food Pantry
Drivers
(Fill in blanks and place in offering or contact Linda Pennington 984-6693)
December—Teresa and Matt Miller
The food pantry Warehouse is located at 3816 36th St, Des
Moines. See Linda Pennington for
instructions. We have contributed
$2,519.89 to the Food Pantry this year.
Keep up the good work.
Reception Hosts
(Fill in blanks and place in offering)
December 22 — Blakely’s
December 29 — Bring leftover Christmas goodies
January 5 — Bev Zimmer
January 12 — The George’s
January 19 — Jim, Nancy, Madeline Miller
January 26 — Matt & Theresa Miller
Ushers
(Fill in blanks and place in offering)
December — Tim, Olga, Christopher Kline
January—Bob & Charotte Loter
February — Becky Beck
March — Mai & Dan Golbuff
Worship Leaders
(Fill in the blanks and place in offering)
December — Deanna Deason
January — Linda Garvin
February — Greg Lamka
March — JoAnn Hart
Meal Site
(Fill out and place in offering)
Four people are needed to serve the meal prepared by others for Our Community Kitchen from 5:30 –7:00 pm on the second Wednesday of each month. Sign up and place this form in the offering. Call Shari Miller for more information (984-6517).
January 8 — The Confirmation
Class
Luke 1:26-38 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was
sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name
was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said,
"Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." 29 But she was much perplexed by his words
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, "Do not be
afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 3 And now, you will conceive in your womb
and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and
the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob
forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 Mary said to the angel, "How can
this be, since I am a virgin?" 35
The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power
of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be
holy; he will be called Son of God. 36
And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and
this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with
God." 38 Then Mary said,
"Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your
word." Then the angel departed from her.
Prayers for the Week
Nursery (during worship
December 22 — Mai Golbuff
December 29 — Kristin and Katie
Word Search Puzzle
E K U
L F B E A R
H T I W A E V A H
I O D O V Y I G L
M N I N O S E O E
A A A U R U C D G
T L R O F S N B N
H L F Y A E O M A
E I A I M J C O M
R W D N U O F W E
Word List
CONCEIVE AFRAID JESUS FOUND FAVOR ANGEL YOUR WOMB WITH WILL SAID NAME MARY LUKE HAVE BEAR THE SON NOW NOT HIM HER GOD FOR AND IN
(Luke 1:30-31) The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (31) And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.