More Please

Today’s guest speaker is Nellie Baker.
 
All of the information normally found in our bulletin is below the video. Simply click on "Read More" to load the rest of the bulletin. You can use this to follow the service, as well as to pray our unison prayers. All joys and concerns that we know, as well as our continuing prayer list is within the Joys and Concerns. Announcements can be found at the bottom of this service.

Gathering  Around  the  Word
Prelude                                                                                                         
Introit                              **How Will We Know Him**                                     Choir  

ANNOUNCEMENTS
   
Lighting of the Advent Candle      
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CALL TO WORSHIP    
Leader:     When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, 
        then we were like those who dream.
People:     Then our mouths were filled with laughter, 
        and our tongues with shouts of joy; 
Leader:     Then it was said among the nations, 
        "The Lord has done great things for them."
People:     The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoice!

INVOCATION
How good it is to gather where garments of sorrow and affliction are removed.  Here, we are wrapped in the beauty of God’s glory and welcomed to life at its fullest.  Surely you restore us to our best, mighty God, and equip us for productive living.  Make a difference within and among us today so we can work for a better tomorrow.  Amen
                                                                
HYMN                             Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus                              168

Call to Confession
We don’t confess our sins in the hope of forgiveness; 
We confess our sins with the certainty of forgiveness.

PRAYER OF  CONFESSION                                                                       (UNISON)
Loving Creator, who hears and listens to all we say and think and feel: hear our confession. We could say that we are too busy, that we have forgotten the "reason for the season," and that our priorities are really out of whack. Perhaps those are true. Even more troubling, when we are honest with ourselves, is that we wonder how and even if you can help us. So hear our prayer and confession, even if we doubt and wonder. And remind us, once again, that our good is what you have in mind - even as our good and the good of this creation is what the promises and hopes of this season hinge on. Come to us, O God, with forgiveness, with renewal, and with the assurance you do not give up on us. In Jesus Christ. Amen.    

Assurance of Pardon
 Friends, this is Good News! In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Alleluia! Amen.
 *Time of silent prayer.
*Passing the Peace
L: The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 
P: And also, with you. 
    
*Response – Gloria Patri  
Children’s Moment

Anthem                                                        **Hallelujah**
Frank Baker & Ruby Hathaway                                                                                                        
   
                    The Word of God

Prayer for Illumination
Scripture reading                                                                            2 KINGS  2:1-14

Elijah Taken Up to Heaven
2 When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.

7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.
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13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

L: The Word of the Lord
 P: Thanks be to God ! 

Sermon                       “MORE PLEASE”   
       
                Responding to the Word

HYMN                                       Be Thou My Vision                                             468
*Apostles Creed (found inside the back cover of the hymnal) 

Presentation of our tithes and offering
    
Offertory                                      **Time For Joy**                                           Choir        
Doxology (Hymnal page 382)
Prayer of dedication

Concerns and Celebrations         ​

BIRTHDAYS        Marty Leppert, Janet Schively, Bonnie Reese, Dan Hathaway

ANNIVERSARIES      None

JOYS AND CONCERNS -  

SYMPATHY        To the Family of Abby Rhoades
            To the Family of William (Billie) Tamulinas

Continued prayers for Susan Schively, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Chuck Dicks,  June and Keith McGill, Glenn Miles,  Roger Riggs, Tim Knabenshue, Frank Huffman, Nellie and Frank Baker, Michael Durila Sr., Justin Hagon, Tom Westfall, Mary Ann Durila, Elaine Belcascro, Lisa Marshall, Sandy Stone, Diane Bednarski, Matt Petrola, Ray Dyson, Diana Donaldson, Michael Garber, Eileen Miller, Rob Logsdon, Laura Davis, Susan West, Nancy Hepinger, Betsy Martin, Carol and Ed Horne.   

Prayers of the People                                                             
The Lord’s Prayer

HYMN                                 Great Is Thy Faithfulness                                      98                                             

Benediction 

Postlude                              **His Name Is Wonderful**                                 Choir

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We welcome all who have come to join us in the worship of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Please come again.  If you are visiting with us today, please let us know that we might welcome you into our church family. 

REMEMBER OUR FOOD COLLECTION:  And Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.”  Mark 6:37. Please remember our food pantry is available to anyone in need.  Replenish with your hands and listen for the need with your ears.    
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: 
The choir will be practicing at 7:00 PM on Thursday evening if you would like to join them please come - sing praises to our Lord!   

Christmas Cards and envelopes are on the table in the back; they are free or if you would like to make a donation it will go to our Women’s Missionary Group.

Envelopes for 2022 are in the vestibule.  There are names with new numbers.  We are using boxes from this past year, so we don’t need to buy new ones.  The DATES will be WRONG.  If you have any questions, please ask Garnet. 
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We are planning to do shopping for shut-ins again this year.  Please give donations to Garnet or online.  Thank you.