Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship

December 24 , 2006

Pastors: Anita Kehr and Dan Schrock

Phone: (574) 534-2398               e-mail: officeberkeyavenue.org

Web-Site:  www.berkeyavenue.org  

Hosting the Holy:  The Shepherds

Advent 4

Gathering

     Opening Song:  Joy to the world (WB 318)

     Call to Worship and Introduction to the Day

     Introducing and Welcoming Guests

          Please pass the friendship registers.

     Congregational Singing

          Angels we have heard on high (WB 197) 

          The first Noel, the angel did say (WB 199)

          While shepherds watched their flocks by night (bulletin)

          Infant holy, infant lowly (WB 206)

Proclaiming

     Children’s Time                                                        Beth Berry

    Presentation of Scripture: Luke 2:8–20

          Leader 1:  In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping night–watch by turns over their flock. The angel of God appeared to them, and God’s glory shone brilliantly around them. They were terrified!

          Leader 2:  The angel said to them, “You have nothing to fear! I come to proclaim good news to you—news of a great joy to be shared by all the people: today in David’s city, a savior—the Messiah—has been born to you.  Let this be a sign to you: you will an infant wrapped in a simple cloth, lying in a manger.”

Congregation: Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on Earth, peace to those on whom God’s favor rests!”

         Children:  Go tell it on the mountain

Congregation: When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that God has made known to us.”

          Leader 1:  They hurried and found Mary and Joseph tending the baby as he lay in the manger. When they saw this, they reported what the angel had told them about this child.  All who heard it were amazed by what the shepherds told them.

         Children:  Away in a manger

          Leader 2:  Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart as the shepherds returned to their flock, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was all just as they had been told.

         Children:  Still, still, still

    Sermon: “Watching for Glory”                          Dan Schrock

Responding

    Guided Corporate Response

    Song of Response: Is that you, Lord?

    Offering and Offertory

    Sharing Reflections, Joys, and Concerns          Anita Kehr

    Announcements

Sending

    “Keep your lamps trimmed and burning”: A Weaving of Words and Music from Advent

After the service, please replace the hymnals in the pockets on the back of the chairs and the Sing the Journey books on the chairs.

Worship Participants:

Worship Leader:  Malinda Berry            Song Leader: Jenny Hooley

Prelude and Offertory:  Emily Grimes     Accompanist: Anita Kehr

Sound and Projection:  Phil Miller

Ushers:  John, Jay, and Ben Mast

Advent Planning Committee:  Malinda Berry, Evie Nafziger, Joan Troyer  

Childcare during worship is available for infants and toddlers (generally ages three and under) in the nursery on the right side of the hallway going back to Jubilee Hall.

Nurture Hour classes will resume on January 7.

Cover poetry by Jan Richardson and reprinted by permission of United Church Press from Night Visions:  Searching the Shadows of Advent and Christmas.  Copyright 1998 by Jan L. Richardson.

Nurture Hour begins ten minutes after the end of worship.  All of you are invited to stay, enjoy coffee and conversation in the fellowship hall, and then gather in one of the classes available to people of every age.  See the list of classes on the back of the bulletin.

Nurture Hour at Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship

Adult nurture classes at BAMF are intergenerational, and visitors are encouraged to attend the class of their choosing.

       The college-age class meets in the northwest corner of the meetingroom and is led by Ruth and John Roth, Jan and Peter Shetler.  For the winter quarter the adult classes are studying John Roth’s book Beliefs.   Classes 1 and 8 meet in the library, classes 2 and 6 meet in the southwest corner of the meetingroom, classes 3 and 7 meet in the northeast corner and classes 4 and 5 meet in the southeast corner.  Visitors are welcome to attend any group.  If you don’t remember your class number, you can check the list on the bulletin board.        

Children from kindergarten through fifth grade gather after worship for singing in “Jubilee Hall” (the large room north of the fellowship hall).  Younger children may go directly to their classrooms.

¨      Infants and Twos meet in “Cherub Corner.”

¨      Preschool and Kindergarten meet in “Gentleness.”

¨      First and Second Grades meet in “Peace.”

¨      Third and Fourth Grades meet in “Joyful.”

¨      Fourth and Fifth Grades meet in “Forgiveness.”

Youth:  

The JYF (grades 6-8) and the MYF (grades 9-12) meet in their classrooms off of Jubilee Hall.