South Roanoke United Methodist Church

South Roanoke United Methodist Church

2330 South Jefferson Street
Roanoke, Virginia 24014

Phone: (540) 344-4437
Fax: (540) 345-8041

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT                                                       DECEMBER 14, 2003

As Christ cares, we care… We care about all people.
We care about worship... We care about learning.
We care about service... We care about You.
We are a community of Faith growing in God’s Grace.

 

ORDER OF SERVICE-11:00 A.M. 

+ Indicates the people standing
                                                               ENTRANCE

Gathering Music                                           Carol Prelude                                             Hopson
          
As the prelude plays, please use this time for quiet reflection in preparation for worship.
Chiming of the Hour
Words of Welcome, Registration of Attendance and Announcements                       Bill Davidson 
     (We encourage all of our worshipers to please sign the registration pad as it is passed along the
      pew; visitors are requested to also list their address. After it has been passed, please return it
      to the center aisle. If you  wish to join this church by letter of transfer or profession of faith,
      please check “wish to join” on the Registration pad.)
Call to Worship
+Processional Carol 240                  
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing                       Mendelssohn
Lighting the Advent Candle                                                                       The Shirley Witt Family

     
Reading of Isaiah 35:10
      Leader:  We light this candle as a symbol of Christ our Joy.
                    May the joyful promise of your presence, O God, make us rejoice
                    in our hope of salvation.
     
All: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Concerns and Prayers
     -Courtney Lou (Coco) Tierney (Polly Roberts’ sister)         -Greta Evans 
     -Jim Odum (Steve Wilkinson’s brother)
Offering of our Tithes and Gifts to God’s Work
Offertory Prayer
  Offertory
+Doxology                                                                                                          Hymnal, No. 95
     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. Amen.
 

 

A Festival of Lessons and Carols
By Hal Hopson

 

Carol                                               0 Come, All Ye Faithful
        1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye, to
            Bethlehem. Come and behold him, born the King of angels.
        Refrain:  O come, let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come, let us adore
            him, Christ the Lord.

        2. True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal, lo, he shuns not the Virgin’s
            womb; Son of the Father, begotten, not created;
       Refrain
       3.
(choir only)
       4. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning. Jesus,
          
to thee be all glory giv’n. Word of the Father, now in flesh
          
appearing:
       Refrain
 

First Lesson               
Genesis 3:8-15
       Carol
                           God Walked in Eden’s Garden Fair (choir only)
Second Lesson          
Genesis 22:15-18
       Carol 
                          The God of Ab‘ram Praise (choir only)
Third Lesson              
Isaiah 9:2, 6, 7
       Carol
                           Comfort, Comfort, O My People
Fourth Lesson            
Isaiah 11:1-4a, 6-9
       Carol
                           Low, How a Rose E ‘er Blooming (choir only)
Fifth Lesson                
Luke 1:26-35, 38 
       Carol
                          There is No Rose (choir only)
Sixth Lesson               
Matthew 1:18-23
       Carol
                           Good Christian Friends, Rejoice (choir only) 
Seventh Lesson           
Luke 2:8-16
       Carol
                          Angels We Have Heard On High
       1.  Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o’er the plains, and the mountains
             in reply echoing their joyous strains.

       Refrain:  Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
       2.
(choir only)
       3.
(choir only)
       4.  See Him in a manger laid, whom the choirs of angels praise; Mary, Joseph, lend
            your aid, while our hearts in love we raise.
       Refrain

Eighth Lesson               
Matthew 2:1-11
       Carol
                           From a Distant Home (choir only)
Ninth Lesson               
John 1:1-14
       Carol                          
Joy to the World
        1.
        Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; let ev’ry heart prepare
              him room, and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and
              heav’n and nature sing.
         2.
        Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ; while fields and
              floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
              repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
    
(Choral Interlude – choir)
         3.   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, wonders of his love
.
Benediction                                                                                                               Bill Davidson

                     The Chancel Choir of South Roanoke United Methodist Church
                                               Joseph H. Kennedy, Director
                                                Dr. Donald Moe,
organist
                                                  Salina Davidson,
flute
                       Dawn Long, Colleen Marston, and Janie Wallace,
handbells 

Indicates the people standing 

THOSE SERVING TODAY:
 
Greeters: Andrew and Christy Sherman
  Cross Bearer: Austin Mundy
  Acolytes:  Matthew Gregory and Bo Frith
 
December Altar Guild Chairmen: Natalie Rude and Tallulah Gregory
  Ushers:   Captain-William Brenton, Jr., Prentice E. Moran, Joseph L. Austin,
  William Richardson, Jay Williams, Ross Jeffries, William P. Wallace, Jr.                      

*CHILDREN (AGES 3 through 1st GRADE), may meet the acolyte to recess to Children’s Church. Please ask your child to line up behind the acolyte who will lead all children out together. After the worship service, parents must pick up their child in the Children’s Department; children will not be allowed to leave the room until their parents arrive. 

WELCOME! We're glad to have all who have joined us for this time of worship. Especially to our guests and visitors, we welcome you to South Roanoke and to our fellowship. We invite those who have no church home to make South Roanoke your church and add your witness to ours. 

NEXT WEEK’S SERMON, He Who Comes, Comes Through You, will be based on Luke 1:46b-55 and Luke 1:39-45. Please read and study these texts this week. 

YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO WORSHIP will be Wednesday, December 17, at 7:00 p.m. at the Contemporary Worship Service. Brett Marston will deliver the message. 

THE WEEKDAY PRESCHOOL is collecting non-perishable items for the Ronald McDonald House. If you would like to make a donation please bring your items to the preschool office during office hours Monday-Friday. They will be collecting these items until December 15. 

WE NEED ALTAR FLOWERS: The new flower calendar for 2004 is on the bulletin board by the church parlor. If you would like to sign up to put flowers on the altar in memory or honor of a loved one please sign your name on the calendar. January is completely vacant. Please think about signing up for flowers in January so we will be assured of having altar flowers each Sunday morning. 

PLEASE SEND ARTICLES for the January issue of the Tower Times by December 15 to Joe Kennedy, or email to joesrumc@aol.com. 

THE ADULT FELLOWSHIP GROUP will meet for a catered lunch in the Fellowship Hall on Thursday, December 18 at 12:00 p.m. when Joe Kennedy will present a short program of favorite carols played at the organ. All adults of the church (of every age) are welcomed. Sign up on the list on the board by the church office if you would like to attend. 

AS ALWAYS at Christmas time the Christmas wreaths are given in Memory of Mr. John E. Easter, who for many years served on the Administrative Board of South Roanoke United Methodist Church. This is the last year  that this estate gift will be available for decorations at Christmas and Easter. This gift was given  by the Fannie Easter Estate.

SPECIAL ADVENT OFFERING FOR OUR CHURCH STAFF-GOAL $7,660.91
RECEIVED TO DATE $3,705.00
As most of you are aware by now, your church staff will not receive any raises again next year due to our current budget restraints. We are concerned that our staff received no increase in 2002, received only about a 1% increase in 2003, and will again receive no increase in 2004. We are also concerned that “continuing education” has been denied our full-time staff since funding for those opportunities was removed from the church budget two years ago. In that light, your Staff-Parish Relations Committee has been granted permission to receive a special Advent offering that will support our staff members. This offering will help us grant as a “bonus” this year the 2004 salary increases we originally recommended for them based upon their performance evaluations. It will also allow us to make funds available for their “continuing education” next year. Place your gift in the offering plate (marked “Staff Christmas”) or mail it so that it will be received at the church office by Friday, December 19.                                 -Staff-Parish Relations Committee 

THERE WILL BE NO Contemporary Worship Service on Wednesday, December 24 and December 31. We will celebrate the birth of Christ with a Holy Communion and candlelight service at 5:00 p.m. in the church sanctuary on Christmas Eve. 

103 NEEDY CHILDREN BLESSED BY “ADVENT ANGELS” THIS YEAR! South Roanoke Church has provided Christmas love and gifts for 103 children this year (86 through the Henry Fork Service Center and 17 of the Clearbrook Community in Roanoke County.) 60 angels were on the tree designated to received one gift only. 43 were on our most needy list-families who would be unable to provide any gifts for their children. An average of $150-$200 was spent on each of these 43 angels. Additionally, more than $2,000 was given by church members to support this effort. A special thanks to Terry Wilkinson and Dawn Long who coordinated this generous effort again this year. It is quite possible that our church generously shared up to or more than $10,000.00 in Christmas love this year! 

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY to Harriet Minichan on December 18th. It was so good to see you in church last week lighting the Advent candle. 

WE ARE IN NEED OF ALTAR GUILD CHAIRMEN. If you would like to serve one month of the year in this position please call Natalie Rude, 345-1634, or Tallulah Gregory, 982-2535.  As Altar Guild Chairman you would be in charge of calling the florist each week to order flowers, take flowers to sick or shut-ins after the service as needed, and see that the altar is in order for the Sunday morning worship service. Natalie or Tallulah will train you if needed. If you have any questions please give one of them a call. 

ED TAYLOR, former minister of South Roanoke UMC has had a stroke. Anyone who would like to send cards may do so at the following address: 2300 Pimmit Drive Apt. 214, Falls Church, VA 22043-2833. 

MEMORIAL GIFTS: Given in Memory of Jeanne Hogan by: Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Fowler; Given in Memory of Katherine Jacocks by: Henry M. Jacocks, Jr., Henry & Patricia Jacocks, Lucy H. Rice and Doris L. Bachman. 

PIZZA! PIZZA! PIZZA! The Wesley Class will begin selling pizzas today through January 17. Pickup date will be January 31, 2004, just in time for the Superbowl. If you can’t eat pizza and would like to participate in this project pizzas may be donated to The Ronald McDonald House or the Rescue Mission. Proceeds benefit local missions. 

THE WESLEY CLASS invites you to join them for Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. The Reverend Bob Garner will lead the class beginning Sunday, January 4. Everyone is welcome!

NEW MEMBERS will be received on Sunday, December 28 at the 11:00 a.m. worship service. If you would like to unite with our church at this time, please speak to Bob Garner, Minister of Evangelism, or our minister, Bill Davidson.  A new member orientation class will be held at 2:00 p.m. at Sunday, December 21. 

THE KNIGHT THYME CIRCLE will gather for a Christmas meal on Tuesday, December 16 at D J’s Restaurant at 6:00 p.m. Please let Anne Ferguson know if you would like to join us, 721-2981. 

                                                  CHURCH CALENDAR
SUNDAY
                                   3:45 p.m.    Praise Team
                                                   5:00 p.m.    6-9 Grades UMY
                                                   6:00 p.m.    UMY Dinner/Youth Council
                                                   6:30 p.m.    10-12 Grades UMY
                                                   6:00 p.m.    Hosanna Choir
                                                   6:00 p.m.    Cherub Choir
MONDAY 
                               7:00 a.m.    Prayer Breakfast
                                                 12:00 p.m.    Preschool staff luncheon
                                                   3:30 p.m.    Girl Scouts
TUESDAY 
                               7:00 p.m.    Boy Scouts
WEDNESDAY 
                        3:30 p.m.    Girl Scouts
                                                   7:00 p.m.    Contemporary Worship Service
THURSDAY 
                           12:00 p.m.    Adult Fellowship Lunch
                                                     3:30 p.m.    Peanut M & M’s
                                                     7:00 p.m.    Praise Team vocalists
                                                     7:30 p.m.    Chancel Choir
FRIDAY
                                     12:00 p.m.    Office Closes

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