Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship

December 13, 2009

Pastors:  Anita Kehr and Dan Schrock

Phone:  (574) 534-2398           e-mail: 

Web-Site:  www.berkeyavenue.org

Third Sunday of Advent

Gathering

      Prelude

      Lighting the God Candle      Molly Heusinkveld, Lana Smucker

      Song:   O come, O come, Immanuel  (verse 3 below)

            O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer

            our spirits by thine advent here. 

            Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

            and death’s dark shadow put to flight.

            Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

      Call to Worship:   

Leader:   We live in troubled times, waiting for God’s light to burst into our dark world.

               Rejoice!  God is coming in mercy to turn us around.

            People:   God takes away all judgments against us;

                           we no longer fear disaster.

                           God takes down oppressors

                           and lifts up the oppressed.

                           God restores our hearts and minds

                           and brings us home.

                           We await Christ’s coming with all our heart,

                           all our soul, and all our mind.

            All:         May we turn to God with prayer and thanksgiving.  May we be ready to proclaim to all the good news of God’s grace.  May we turn to others in generosity and sharing.

      Prayer

      Music

            Praise, my soul, the King of heaven! (HWB 65)

            Fling wide the door, unbar the gate! (HWB 186)

            Rejoice, rejoice the Savior comes (inside back of bulletin)

Hearing

      Song:  Maranatha, come (refrain only, hymnal pocket)

      Candle Lighting                                                        Born Family

      Song:   Maranatha, come (refrain only, hymnal pocket)

      Children’s Time                                                           Beth Berry

      Scripture Reading

            Keynote Text – Luke 3:7-18                               Seth Krabill

            Text of Hope – Isaiah 12:1-6                            Morgan Short

      Advent Choir

            Shout aloud and sing for joy                            Greg Smucker

      Sermon:  “Confessional Joy”                                       Anita Kehr

      Silence

Responding

      Song:   On Jordan’s banks the Baptist’s cry (HWB 183)

      Litany of response (based on Zephaniah 3:14-20)

            Leader:   Lord, in this time of Advent, we celebrate your presence with us and long for your coming.

                           We rejoice that you do not forget us, but break into the confusion of our lives.  You keep coming in mercy to turn us around.

            People:   Lord, help us in our turning around. 

                           Help us repent and turn toward you.                      

            Left:       We confess that we have tried many paths and that our wandering has made us weary.

            People:   Guide us with your grace.                                       

            Right:     Lord, in your loving kindness,

                           help us to fear no more.

            People:   Rejoice! Sing aloud! God forgives!

            Left:        We rejoice because God is in our midst,

                           turning us around and taking away our fear. 

                           God rejoices over us with gladness;

                           God renews us with love.

            Right:     God saves the lame, gathers up the outcasts, and changes their shame into praise.

             All:        We rejoice in your plan of salvation. 

                           You restore your people. 

                           Lord, come to save us!  Amen.       

Offering

      Special Music by our Children’s Choir

      Sharing                                                                                          

Pastoral Prayer                                                   Dan Schrock

Introduction of Visitors 

            (Please pass the friendship registers.)

Announcements

Sending

      Song:  Joy to the world (HWB 318)         

Benediction

Worship Participants:

Worship Leader:  Lois Mast             

Song Leader:  Paul Leichty

Accompanist:  Patsy Sherer

Prelude:  Smucker Family

Sound/Projection:  Ben Buckwalter

Ushers:  Dan and Matthew Williams

Bulletin Cover:  Tavi Mounsithiraj

Quilt (as banner):  Created by Roxanna Sommers; on loan from Malinda Berry

Visuals:  Anne, Beth, and Malinda Berry

Pre-Service Slides:  Phil Bauman

Advent Planning Committee:  Beth Berry, Terri Plank Brenneman, Lori Good, Aaron Krabill, Paul Leichty (chair), John Rempel

Childcare is available for infants and toddlers in the nursery during worship.

Nurture Hour begins ten minutes after the end of worship.  Re-gather in the meetingroom for these opportunities:

Please attend the intergenerational adult class of your choice:

*   The Sermon Discussion Class led by David Heusinkveld and Kirk Stiffney meets in the northeast corner of the meetingroom.

*   A women’s class studying the book, The Life You Always Wanted:  Spiritual Disciplines of Ordinary People, meets in the Jubilee Hall after the children have finished singing.

*   A long-term discussion-based group meets in the southeast corner of the meetingroom.

*   The College-Age Class, led by Joe Liechty, John Roth, and Jan and Peter Shetler, meets in the library.

*   Conversation about Mennonite World Conference and global 

church relationships meets in the northwest corner of the meetingroom.

Children from preschool through fifth grade gather after worship for singing in the Jubilee Hall (the large room north of the fellowship hall).  Younger children may go directly to their classroom (see the room assignments below).

*    Infants and 2-year-olds meet in the Nursery.

*    The preschool class meets in “Joyful.”

*    The primary class meets in “Peace.”

*    The middler class meets in “Forgiveness.”

Youth:

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

Newsletters are available on the literature rack in the fellowship hall.