Covenant Community Church come as you are. Covenant Community Church. Come as you are join our community. worship invite grow serve care play

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1 Covenant Community Church Covenant Community Church come as you are Come as you are... worship invite grow serve care play...join our community. 1 Whitcomb Meadows Lane pastor@jerichocovenantchurch.org Essex, VT admin@jerichocovenantchurch.org (802)

2 Prelude Fourth Sunday of Advent December 21, 2014 For with God nothing will be impossible. Luke 1:37 We Gather Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Leader: Our Advent God is coming! People: We are preparing ourselves! Leader: The Lord will give you a sign. People: Look! The young woman is with child! Leader: She will bear a son and shall name him Emmanuel! People: God is with us! ALL: Let us walk in the Light of the Lord! *Hymn #128 *Invocation We Hear the Word Prepare the Way, O Zion! Old Testament Lesson 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Lightning the Advent Wreath Loving God, we open ourselves to you this Christmas season. As these candles are lit, light our lives with your imagination. Show us the creative power of hope. Teach us the peace that comes from justice. Fill us with the king of joy that cannot be contained, but must be shared. Magnify your love within us. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, That we may walk in the light of Christ. Amen Special Music Come to Us, Emmanuel *Gospel Lesson Luke 1:26-38 *Hymn #135 Sermon Prayer Offering Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus We Respond *Response #151, vs. 4 What can I give him, poor that I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb. If I were a wise man, I would do my part; yet what I can I give him: give my heart. *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn #142 We Are Sent into the World Song of Zechariah *Benediction #141 Come, Lord Jesus; Come Lord Jesus; Come, Lord Jesus; come and be born in our hearts. Postlude Come, O prince of peace... Come, Emmanuel... Leader Go in peace. Wait for the coming Lord! People: Thanks be to God! *Denotes all who are able, please stand Ministers to the World Minister to the Congregation Music Leaders Special Music Scripture Reader Greeters Church Cleaners Helping us to Worship All the Congregation Reverend Peter Norland Peter and Isaak Olson Choir Maggie Norland Bob and Kay Young Cindy Lindquist and Hannah Robertson

3 Dear Friends and Family, A Letter from Scott Nitchie I have been sponsoring a girl from Ethiopia for the past five and a half years now through Compassion International. Her name is Yemiserach Gizaw and she is now 11 (she was 6 when I started sponsoring her). The last few years I have seen a possible visit tour to Ethiopia. I never really got close to going because it was a huge commitment both for time and money. This year when I saw they were doing the trip again I strongly considered it but the cost was the only thing that held me back. One day at chapel at my school I just decided that I would go and that the experience would totally be worth the price. This trip will be life changing for both me and my sponsor child. It's getting to be that time of year again where both Christmas and my birthday are coming up soon. This year I have decided that for both these holidays I would prefer money for my trip instead of regular gifts. Everything I receive will go directly towards funding for my trip. I have started a Gofundme page online for the trip. Gofundme takes a certain amount of money out of your funds so. If you would like you could donate through the page online ( or you could write a check and that would ensure the entirety of your donation goes to me. On top of all that most importantly I would really appreciate it if you could keep me and my sponsor child in your prayers. Not only are there a lot of risks but this will be a life changing experience for both of us. Thank you so much for your time and generosity, Scott Nitchie Welcome A warm welcome to you if you are a visitor! We are glad to have you here. Please sign our guest book at the entrance to the sanctuary, and join us for coffee or tea after the worship service. We would like to get to know you. Child care (infant through pre-k) is provided during the worship service. We ask that you please pick up your child promptly after church. This Week at Covenant Community Church Sunday, December 21 st Monday, December22 nd Bible Study at Carlson's, 8:30 a.m. CVAA Sr. Meals, 11:30-1:00 One A-Chord Practice, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 24 th Candlelight Christmas Eve Service, 7:00 p.m. Thursday, December 25 th Early, Casual Christmas Morning Service, 6:30 a.m. Church Weekly Giving Last Week's Giving $3, Monthly Budgeted Amount $9, Sunday Worship December 28, 2014 Greeters Open Church Cleaners The Olson Family (12/22-1/4/15) If you have announcements, prayer requests or other special needs, call Pastor Peter Norland (church ) or Diane Border (church ). To activate the prayer chain, contact Bob Bates,

4 Upcoming Events Sunday, December 28 th Monday, December29 th Bible Study at Carlson's, 8:30 a.m. CVAA Sr. Meals, 11:30-1:00 One A-Chord Practice, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, January 4 th Thought for this Week In this season of waiting, with all its tensions and stress, it is wonderful to remember that holiness comes to the world through a physical body. As the Christ child was conceived in the body of Mary, life and love come to our bodies too. We long to feel the breath of Spirit in our bodies. The Hebrew word for Spirit also means breath. The Bible tells us God breathed into the first human's nostrils and the creature became a living being. (Genesis 2:7) When we breathe in strength and courage, and breathe out fear and pain, God breathes new life into us. Since all our life systems are interlinked in subtle ways, changing our breathing affects our whole self. Deep, slow breathing is the body's natural way of moving into relaxation, which in turn helps us attend to our experience. Combining breathing and prayer can help us focus and center on the presence of the Spirit, and deepen our awareness of that Spirit in our physical being. Louise Mangan & Nancy Wyse Announcements Pastor Norland's Office Hours: This week of Christmas office hours will be Tuesday 9am-12pm. Please call ahead if you need to make an appointment to meet with Pastor Peter during this time. Candlelight Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols, Wednesday, December p.m. Casual and Early Christmas Morning Service, Thursday, December 25 6:30 a.m. Tai Chi Classes offered at CCC: Our church is hosting Tai Chi classes offered through CVAA. Classes are offered at no charge to adults 50+ and are led by certified instructors. Classes begin Tuesday, January 13, 2015, and will be held each Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00am to 11:00am through March 5, Class size is limited, so register soon. So why join Tai Chi classes? Because you ll have fun. But there s another reason: staying independent. Tai chi can be done seated or standing and is recommended by the CDC in the highest tier of evidence-based falls prevention programs. As we age, we lose muscle mass which can lead to weakness and compromise our ability to remain independent. But with a little support from peers and effort on our part, we can delay the process and maintain a rich quality of life, well into advanced age. CVAA s Tai Chi for Arthritis/Falls Prevention program is a joint safe activity proven to reduce pain while you increase both lower and upper body strength and improve balance and agility. Research tells us Tai Chi can reduce symptoms for people with Parkinson s, fibromyalgia, diabetes, hypertension, lower back pain, and reduce depression. Take a step toward maintaining your safety, health and independence. Call Rachael at CVAA ext or rachael@cvaa.org to register.

5 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Revised Standard Version (RSV) Now when the king dwelt in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent. 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you. 4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar? 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David, Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever. Luke 1:26-38 (RSV) 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you! 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end. 34 And Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I have no husband? 35 And the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.