KINDERHOOK REFORMED CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICES DECEMBER 14, 2014

 “To Know Christ and to Make Him Known”

Rev. Rudy Visser, Pastor

A warm welcome to visitors.  We would like to get to know you better  

and invite you to sign our Guest Book in the entranceway and fill out a pew card and place it in the offering plate

8:30 A.M.  CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP

  Announcements and the Lord’s Greeting

  Morning Prayer

*Morning Praise #161                                                              Once in Royal David’s City

  Scripture                                                                                          Luke 2:1-14 (p. 724-5)

  Message                                                                              “Once in Royal David’s City”

  Prayer of Blessing

  Intercessory Prayer

*Closing Hymn #262                                                                      Rejoice the Lord is King

*Benediction

10 A.M. CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP

All are invited to enjoy refreshments and fellowship downstairs in the Fellowship Room following today’s Worship service.

Ushers:  Ted Call, Jerry Flansburg, Glenn Warren, Chip Wood

Greeter(s):  Andrew and Melissa Welcome        Preschool Nursery available downstairs.

  Prelude         

  Announcements and God’s Greeting

  Around the Advent Wreath – 3^rd Sunday in Advent  (Responsive)

LEADER:  Today we relight the first two candles of the Advent wreath. The candle of HOPE and the candle of PEACE.         (1st & 2^nd purple candles are lit.)

Now we light the third candle of Advent.               (3^rd purple candle is lit.)

This is the candle of JOY.  As the coming of Jesus, our Savior, draws nearer, our joy builds with our anticipation of his birth. From Isaiah 65:18 we read together the words of our Lord :

ALL:  “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.”

LEADER:  From Galatians 5:22-25, we read together the words of Paul to the people of the Church at Galatia:

ALL:  “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”

LEADER:  Let’s all join together in a responsive prayer:

ALL:  We joyfully praise you, O Lord, for the fulfillment of your promise of a Savior and what that means in our lives.

LEADER:  Thank you for the gift of salvation through the birth of your son, Jesus.

ALL:  Create us anew as we wait, and help us to see your glory as you fill our lives with your living Spirit.  Amen.

*Hymn #161                                                                               Once in Royal David’s City

  Sunday School Christmas Pageant (insert)

         Mary and Joseph were travelling to Bethlehem.  Mary was tired because she was going to have a baby very soon.  She was hoping they would find a nice place to stay in Bethlehem.  But when they arrived, there were no rooms at all!  Mary and Joseph had to spend the night in a smelly stable with the animals.

       That night something wonderful happened!  Mary’s baby was born – a little boy.  Mary and Joseph named him Jesus.  They didn’t have a cradle or a crib to lay him in.  So they laid him in a manger, a feedbox for animals.

AWAY IN A MANGER   1^st verse (X 2)

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head

The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,

 The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

       Nearby in the fields, shepherds were watching their sheep.  All of a sudden the dark sky turned bright.  An angel of the Lord stood before the shepherds.  They were terrified!

        But the angel said, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.  Today a baby was born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  Here is how you can tell that you have found the right baby; you will find him wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger in a stable.”

       Suddenly, many other angels appeared, and they started praising God.  The shepherds watched and listened.  They were amazed!  When the angels left them and went back into heaven, the fields were dark again.  But the shepherds were excited and happy. 

       “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this baby!” they said to each other.

SILENT NIGHT  1^st verse only                                       

Silent night, Holy night,                                                                 

All is calm, all is bright;

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child;

Holy infant so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace; Sleep in heavenly peace

       So the Shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in a manger, just the way the angels said he would be. 

       After the shepherds saw Jesus, they couldn’t keep the good news to themselves.  They told everyone they met about the angel choir and the very special baby born in Bethlehem.

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN   3 verses

**Go, tell in on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere,   

    Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

While Shepherds kept their watching

over silent flocks by night,                                                                                                    

Behold throughout the heavens

There shone a holy light   

**Chorus

The shepherds feared and trembled

 when lo above the earth

Rang out the angel chorus

That hailed our Savior’s birth.

** Chorus

Down in a lowly stable

The humble Christ was born,

And God sent us salvation

 That blessed Christmas morn

 ** Chorus.

       Some Magi saw a bright star in the sky.  They followed the star from the east to Bethlehem, where it stopped over where Jesus was living.  When they saw Jesus with his mother, Mary, they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

       Gold was a present for kings, Frankincense was used to worship God and Myrrh was a burial spice.  These three gifts point to Jesus, the Son of God, who died for our salvation and rose again as our King.

       The Magi went home glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, and they told everyone they met the wonderful news about the new King, Jesus!

       “We’ve seen Jesus, the King of the world,” they said! And they were filled with Joy!                                                 

JOY TO THE WORLD  all verses – (Kids will sing 2 verses with congregation and then sit with their families.)

 Joy to the world! The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

 Joy to the world! The Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sound joy

 No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as the curse is found

 He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders and wonders of His love

 ~ THE END ~

THANK YOU & MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.  PLEASE JOIN US FOR REFRESHMENTS DOWNSTAIRS

FOLLOWING THE SERVICE!

  Prayer for Illumination

  Scripture                                                                                          Luke 2:1-14 (p. 724-5)

  Message                                                                              “Once in Royal David’s City”

  Prayer of Thanks

  Offering/Offertory

*Doxology and Offertory Prayer (Unison)

You have blessed us with every good gift, generous God. Our hearts overflow with joy and love for the privilege of walking with you and being called your own. Receive these gifts, we pray, as our faithful and grateful response to your gifts of grace and mercy in our lives. Amen.

  Prayer Requests and Pastoral Prayer

*Hymn of Thanks #262                                                                 Rejoice the Lord is King

*Benediction, Blessing, and Response Hymn    My Friends May You Grow in Grace

  My friends, may you grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.   

My friends, may you grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

To God be the glory, now and forever, now and forever, amen. (2x)

  Postlude

ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, CONSISTORY WILL BE PRESENTING THE FOLLOWING SLATE OF NOMINEES FOR ELECTION TO POSITIONS ON THE 2015-16 CONSISTORY, and these nominees have agreed to serve if elected:  As Deacons: Liz Carroll and Derick LaTorre.  As Elders: Patrice Lyons, Merrill Johnson, and Dawn Van Buren.  Please keep these individuals in your prayers as they anticipate serving the Lord in their respective ministries.

If you are not currently using the envelope system to present offerings to the church, but would like to do so in 2015, please pick up one of the small, green envelope request forms from the back table, fill it out, and drop it into the offering plate.  The envelope system facilitates the efficient processing of contributions.     

~ANGEL TREE GIFT PROGRAM~

Angel Tree gifts are due today.  Please remember to place yours around the Christmas tree in the main entranceway, 

     Volunteers are stll needed to participate in the delivery of the gifts to local Angel Tree families. Please see Sara Hartman, or call 828-6368 or 917-538-6576, if you are willing to participate in the gift-delivery ministry.

~ CHRISTMAS CANTATA THIS AFTERNOON AT 4 P.M.

At 4 p.m. Sunday, December 14, The Southern Columbia Community Choir will present a Christmas cantata, The Name . . . JESUS!, at the Reformed Church, 20 Church Avenue, Germantown, NY.  A free will offering will be taken to benefit a local charity, and refreshments will be offered afterward.  Everyone is invited.

~LESSONS AND CAROLS 4 P.M. NEXT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21~

      Directed by David Smith, Lessons and Carols is a worship service celebrating the birth of Jesus, and will be presented at 4 p.m. Sunday, December 21, at KRC. A Christmas gift to our community from the KRC family, Lessons and Carols is open to all.

     The story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus are told in nine short Bible readings from Genesis, the prophetic books, and the Gospels, along with the singing of Christmas carols, hymns, and choir music. The first Lessons and Carols was held on Christmas Eve, 1918, at King's College, Cambridge, England, and has been broadcast from there by the BBC to millions of listeners around the world each Christmas Eve since 1931. The order of worship was adapted from an order prepared 38 years earlier by Edward White Benson, Bishop of Truro. Tradition says that the bishop organized a 10 pm service in Cornwall on Christmas Eve, 1880, in a temporary wooden shed serving as his cathedral.

HAPPY DECEMBER BIRTHDAY!

Birgitta Sherman (2^nd), Elizabeth Carroll (4^th), Beth Ennis (8^th),

 Merrill Johnson (15^th), Marion Arnold (22^nd), Nikki Barmen(22^nd),

 Mackensie Clinton (22^nd), Cricket Warren (26^th,), Patrick Carroll (27^th)

CLASSIS ASSESSMENT 2014

KRC’s share of support this year is $5,728.14 for services and resources to be provided for us by the Reformed Church in America at the local, regional, and national levels. EACH MEMBER’S SHARE OF THIS YEAR’S CLASSIS ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN SET AT $86.79.  All who are able to do so are encouraged to offer, over and above regular giving, their share of this support.  Many thanks to all those who have already made donations to help offset the cost of this responsibility. 

A NOTE ON NEXT YEAR’S (2015) CLASSIS ASSESSMENT

In response to some who have had questions regarding the distribution of our Classis Assessment contributions, they are divided three ways among the General Synod (national), Albany Synod (regional), and Columbia-Greene Classis (local).  Next year, 2015, the assessment will be $88.02, and will be distributed as follows:  

General Synod:       $51.73   (Up $2.44 from 2014)

Albany  Synod:        $29.00   (Unchanged from 2014)

C.  G.   Classis:          $  7.29   (Down $1.21 from 2014)

                              2015 TOTAL             $88.02   (Up $1.23 from 2014)

Please see RCA’s Stewardship Report (when it becomes available) for information on  General Synod’s use of  its share of  assessed funds. Albany Synod’s portion is used to cover administrative and Camp Fowler expenses, as well as services to our congregation, including leadership development, library/video resources, and crisis management.  Classis’s share is used to cover administrative costs and retreats.

REMEMBER TO THANK & PRAISE GOD FOR

• Pastor Rudy Visser, our Spirit-filled minister and leader of vision.
• those men and women who have served or are now serving our country, and those who have sacrificed their well-being and lives for the peace & liberties we enjoy.
• all His provisions for our basic life needs, and the wonderful ways God shows His love to us, especially during difficult times.
• the many dedicated and hard-working friends and members of the Kinderhook Reformed Church Family who serve on Consistory, church ministries, and committees; teach Sunday School; lead Youth Group, Bible studies, and prayer group; organize and carry out special church events; prepare food, serve, and clean up for coffee hours, receptions, and dinners; and who are always ready to offer whatever help and support they can to those in need.

REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR

• those who do not know Christ or who are struggling in their faith, especially Diane, that she will come to know the Lord.
• KRC programs & projects and those planning & administering them: adult and children’s Sunday School; KRC’s youth; small group ministries; adult Bible studies; Community Prayer Group; outreach programs. 
• KRC’s Consistory members and administrative ministries, chairpersons, and supporting members.
• our military men & women, their families, and friends, that they may know God’s presence, protection, and peace.
• survivors of warfare, terrorism, violence, and natural and other disasters worldwide, especially those in Syria, Iraq, other areas of the Middle East, and in our own country, that they may be blessed with God’s reassurance that he is in control.
• our state and national leaders, that God will grant them the leadership skills, wisdom, and the personal protection needed to govern effectively and safely.
• those, especially children, suffering poverty and hunger; abuse; exploitation; neglect; family hostility.
• containment of the ebola virus, and for the thousands who are suffering from or have lost family members and friends to this disease.
• family and friends grieving the death of loved ones.
• continued healing for Karen, sister-in-law of Cricket Warren.
• renewed stamina and health for Amy Deweerd.
• Jim Hatch, recovering from a serious puncture wound to his lower leg sustained in an accident with his tractor.
• Linda Moran, recovering from surgery last Friday to alleviate buildup of fluid around her lungs and heart. 
• those battling or recovering from cancer: Zoe Covey; Andy; Lucy B. and Rodrigo; Jean; Edward Giordano; Glen Simmons; Karen; 2-year-old Logan; Sandy; Bridget; Charlie Ropollo; Donna Scalera.
• those awaiting test results or surgery; recovering from surgery, injury, or illness; chronically ill; or in hospice care: Danielle Lyle; Dick Van Alstyne; Linda Moran; Carl, Susan Lamont’s cousin; Randall; Karen Warren; Kara Ennis; Paul Varga; Jackie and her sister Barbara; Brother Arnold, Shaker friend of Suzy Nieman; Alan Dick; Maureen Mooney; Jane Smith; Blanche Rogers; Baby Ellie LaTorre; Liz Carroll; Ruth Edge; Laurie (Dunham) Maul; Florence Rivera.
• those facing challenges, stressful circumstances, and difficult decisions: Jim, in need of job opportunities; Bill and Abby, in need of many special prayers; Craig Johnson; Holly and Marc Morales; those facing the challenges of their college education - pray that God will bless them with wisdom in all of the many choices, and decisions that they are facing; Christians everywhere who are suffering persecution; Libby Little.

• those who are traveling,  especially Stacey Baker and her friend as they travel home from Colorado for the holidays, and Elize, Annake, and Liezl Visser, visiting family and friends in South Africa.
• reassurance and peace for our loved ones who are nearing the close of this life; those caring for the elderly, displaced, disabled, or ill.
• Residence-bound members Gordie Van Buren, Murray Leonardson, Joan Van Alstyne, and Doris Schmeider