KINDERHOOK REFORMED CHURCH SUNDAY WORSHIP

 DECEMBER 18, 2016 – FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

“To Know Christ and to Make Him Known”

REV. RUDY VISSER, PASTOR

Welcome visitors!  Please fill out a pew card and place it in the offering plate.

8:30 A.M.  CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP

  Announcements, The Lord’s Greeting, and Morning Prayer

*Morning Praise

  Scripture Reading                                                                          Matthew 1:18-25 (p. 681)

  Message                                                                                                    “Do Not Be Afraid.” 

  Prayer of Thanks

  Offering and Prayer of Blessing

  Intercessory Prayer

*Closing Hymn and Benediction

10 A.M.  CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP

    Following worship today, all are invited to enjoy fellowship and refreshments

downstairs in the Fellowship Hall.

Thanks to today’s ushers, Jim Dunham, Greg Clause Jr, Keith Garwood, Gary Leggett.

Thanks to today’s greeters, Jerry & Donna Flansburg.        

Guest Organist, David Smith

  Prelude                    Now comes the Savior of the world, BWV 659                      J.S. Bach                      

  Welcome, Announcements, God’s Greeting

Drawing Near to God

  Around the Advent Wreath   (Responsive)                                        The Welcome Family

LEADER: Today, as we celebrate the fourth Sunday in Advent, the Gospel of Matthew reminds us that the angel of the Lord declared, “God is with us — this is the greatest gift of love.”

PEOPLE:  Yet, even at Christmas, we often measure love in the size of a wrapped gift or an extravagant amount of food and drink.

LEADER:  But You, God, came to us through people to reveal Your perfect love: a king named David; a prophet named Isaiah, whom You inspired to write: “He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart”; and Mary and Joseph, who received the message of Your coming from an angel.

PEOPLE:   You came as a helpless baby to bring Your love to us. On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we give You thanks as we light the candle of love, a light for each of us and for our world.

(The candle of Love is lit.)

LEADER:  Let’s pray together:

ALL:  Living God, may we see ourselves and others as You do, and be prepared to follow Jesus’s example of perfect love. Come, Lord Jesus.

  Solo  Deborah Spaulding, soprano       “He Shall Feed His Flock” from Messiah       Handle

  Morning Prayer

Children’s Christmas Pageant

  Invitation and Introduction

*Hymn #155 (vs. 1 & 2)                                                                O Little Town of Bethlehem

  Narration on Joseph and Mary

  Hymn #147 (Vs. 1 & 2 - Please remain seated.)                                     Away in a Manger

  Narration on the animals at the stable

  Love Came Down at Christmas  (Responsive)

LEADER:  Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, love divine;

       PEOPLE:  love was born at Christmas – star and angels gave the sign.

LEADER:  Worship we the Godhead, love incarnate, love divine;

       PEOPLE:  worship we our Jesus – what shall be our sacred sign?

LEADER:  Love shall be our token, love be yours and love be mine;

       PEOPLE:  love to God and neighbor, love for prayer and gift and sign.

                                                                                                               Christina Rossetti, 1883

*Hymn #171  (Video)                                                                 Hark, the Herald Angels Sing 

  Narration on Angels and Shepherds

  Hymn #173  (Video -  Remain seated.)                                            O Come, All Ye Faithful

  Narration on Wise men

  Congregation  (Unison)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life,

Come to God for healing from strife.

Come unto me, all you who labor,

And I’ll give you rest forever to savor.”

  Narration on First Christmas

  Congregation  (Unison)

So now at Christmas we all take delight.

In the gift that God gave us that first Christmas night.

In the gifts we receive and the ones that we give,

Let us never forget, it’s in Christ that we live.

  Christmas in Context  (Video)

Coming before God’s Open Word

  Prayer for Illumination and Scripture Reading                        Matthew 1:18-25 (p. 681)

  Message                                                                                                    “Do Not Be Afraid.” 

  Prayer of Blessing

Celebrating God

  Offering/Offertory                        Free improvisation on “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”

*Doxology #809                                                   Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

 Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below.

Praise him above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

*Offertory Prayer (Unison)

Heavenly Father, you created us in love. When our love for you failed, your love for us remained strong, and you gave yourself to us as a baby, Jesus, to be our Savior.  In gratitude for this gift of measureless love, we offer ourselves and all that we have to you.  Amen.

*Hymn #146                                                                                                       Joy to the World

  Closing Prayer

*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                                            Noël Suisse                                      Louis-Claude Daquin                     

ENVELOPE SYSTEM AVAILABLE FOR PRESENTING 2017 WEEKLY CONTRIBUTIONS

For those currently participating in the envelope system to present offerings to the church, new envelope sets 
lable for pick-up at the small table in the back of the sanctuary and ready for use beginning Sunday, January 1. 
If you are not currently using the weekly envelope system to present your contributions to the church, but would 
like to do so in 2017, please pick up and complete one of the small green request forms and drop it into the 
offering plate.

~NOTE OF THANKS~

A heartfelt thank-you to all who worked so diligently to make KRC’s annual Candlelight Night Open House such a success. Praise God that so many of our immediate neighbors and nearby community members visited KRC to enjoy the beauty of our sanctuary, the special Christmas music, and the fellowship and refreshments in the Fellowship Room.  x

x

~7^th ANNUAL LESSONS & CAROLS WORSHIP, 4 P.M. THIS AFTERNOON~

Directed by David Smith, Lessons and Carols is a worship service celebrating the birth of Jesus, and will be PRESENTED AT 4 P.M. THIS AFTERNOON 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 choir music and the singing of Christmas carols and hymns. 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.

~BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE, 7 P.M. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22~

Join us at KRC for a Community Christmas Service of grieving, praying, and healing.

~7 P.M. CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT WORSHIP SERVICE~

As always, KRC’s Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship is a highlight of the season of giving and a special time to express our joy, praise, and gratitude for the Gift of Jesus, Light of the World, from God the Father.

There is mail for Amy Deweerd in the Church Family Mailbox,

~ CONCERTS IN THE VILLAGE 2016-2017 SEASON CONTINUES IN FEBRUARY ~        

       On February 12^th CITV returns to The School/Jack Shainman Gallery with 20^th Century Music for Strings and Women’s Voices, including works by Vaughan Williams, Britten, Saint-Saëns, Poulenc and Foote. The women of the Broad Street Chorale will perform, along with soprano Amanda Boyd, soloist in Britten’s Les Illuminations. On April 2^nd at Kinderhook Reformed Church Masterpieces from the Classical Age will feature Mozart’s magnificent Mass in c minor, as well as Haydn’s virtuosic Sinfonia Concertante for which the soloists will be principals of the Broad Street Orchestra: violinist Elizabeth Silver, cellist Erica Pickhardt, oboist Karen Hosmer, and bassoonist Cornelia McGiver.

REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR

• those who do not know Christ or who are struggling in their faith journey. Pray also that God will provide opportunities for us to witness for Jesus, and give us the courage and winsome words needed to make the most of these opportunities.
• Rev. Paige Convis, KRC’s associate pastor, as she fulfills her ministerial duties as full-time pastor to the Muitzeskill and Stuyvesant Reformed Churches.
• KRC ministries, programs & projects and those planning & administering them: KRC’s Consistory; KRC’s administrative ministries; Adult and Children’s Sunday School; KRC’s Youth Group; KRC’s small group ministries and Bible studies; Community Prayer Group; 1st Friday, and other outreach programs.
• our state, national, and world leaders, especially President-elect Donald Trump, that God will grant them the leadership skills, wisdom, and the personal protection needed to govern effectively and safely.
• our military men & women, their families, and friends, that they may know God’s presence, protection, and peace, especially Jason Lansing serving in South Korea.
• victims world-wide suffering natural and other hardships and tragedies: famine, earthquakes, and other climate-related disasters; economic instability; poverty, hunger, and poor health; political oppression, unrest, terrorism, war, displacement.
• those grieving the death of loved ones, especially: John Leonardson, family, and friends grieving the recent death of Murray Leonardson, long-time member of KRC; those grieving the recent death of Angie Gabriel. 
• those who, even after many years, still hurt from the void left by loved ones who have passed on from this world.
• reassurance, peace, and dignity for loved ones nearing the close of this life.     
• Merrill Johnson, recovering from surgery this past Wednesday to relieve severe pain due to spinal stenosis. Pray that the surgery will be completely successful and for speedy healing without complications for Merrill. 
• Ron Dick, Alan's brother, recovering from surgery this past Friday to remove suspicious lymph nodes from his neck.  Pray for reassurance and a good outcome for Ron and his wife, Judie.
• Kim Helm, 48, whose breast cancer has spread to her bones and liver. Please remember also Kim’s husband, who is dying of liver problems.  Pray especially for their 16-year-old son at this very difficult time.
• others battling or recovering from cancer or in hospice care: Carol Nel; Donna Scalera; Paul Osborn; Jeff Peter; Mark; Jay, co-worker of Deborah Spaulding; Ann; Jill; Steve; Dorothy Wheeler.
• those awaiting test results or surgery; recovering from surgery, injury, or illness; or chronically ill: Lynn; Rob, friend of Glenn and Cricket Warren; Alex Jennings; Karina Speer; Susan Lamont; Chris Nel; Dina; Mike Smith; Loren Speer; Vickie Metzger; Chrissy Blackwood; Alexandria Noxon; Eddie; Patti Varga’s Uncle Martin; Fred Borelli; Mark; Virginia Rothermel; Maggie; Art Gross; Angie Rivera; Stacey Baker; Harriet Stockhoff; Ruth Edge; Jean Skipper; Floyd Haber; Paul Varga.
• those facing challenges, stressful circumstances, and difficult decisions: Jaheim, Angel Tree child, in need of appropriate school placement; Cydney Rippel, Carly Rippel, Greg Clause Jr., and others as they face the challenges of a higher level of education or seek a career; Vince Beaudoin; the alarming epidemic of heroin addicts.
• those caring for the elderly, displaced, disabled, or ill: Nancy Stewart; Rick Scalera.
• those traveling.
• residence-bound KRC family, Joan Van Alstyne; George Clowe.

PLEASE KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS OUR MISSIONS AND MISSIONARIES

Dave and Char Alexander, RCA missionaries, Taiwan;

Alight Pregnancy Center, Hudson

Perry Jones and Capital City Rescue Mission, Albany

Compassion International, KRC-Sponsored Children:

Evelin Chuquinia, 15, Bolivia              Giulbert Muguna, 18, Kenya

Alex and Fran Knauss, Trans-World Radio

Maureen Menard, Youth with a Mission

Dick and Carolyn Otterness, RCA missionaries, Hungary

Brian and Bea Post, Wycliffe Bible Translators

Seth and Melissa Rogati, missionaries, Young Life Ministry, St. Thomas

Betty Ann Stedwell, Christar International Mission

REMEMBER TO THANK & PRAISE GOD FOR

• Pastor Rudy Visser, our Spirit-filled minister and leader of vision, and for the Christ-centered messages God gives to Pastor each and every Sunday for the spiritual nourishment and growth of our church family.
• the inspirational ministries of our guest preachers, Perry Jones, Tom McCrossan, John Bowen, and others who lead worship at KRC from time to time.
• 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.
• His provision for all of 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, ministries, and committees; teach Sunday School; lead Youth Group, Bible studies, and prayer group; organize special events; prepare food, serve, and clean up for coffee hours, receptions, and dinners; and who always offer whatever support they can to those in need.