Welcome to Severna Park Evangelical Presbyterian Church Worship is both discovery and sharing. As we share the Word of God, prayer, and the sacraments in an atmosphere of praise, Christ Jesus reveals the Living God in ever greater fullness.

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Our Purpose:To Glorify God

Our Mission:Discovering in Christ the greatness of God, and sharing those discoveries with others.

Our Vision: A church where Jesus mends broken lives with the goodness of God, and equips us to join him in his work.

Our Values:Firm in biblical standards, flexible in ministry style. Confident that Jesus is at work. Humbly transparent, with respect and compassion for others. Delighted in God. Passionate for spiritual growth and ministry skill. Committed to be part of what Christ is doing in the church and in the world.

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Severna Park Evangelical Presbyterian Church

December 25, 2016

Preparation for Worship:

- Isaiah 11:10 NIV

This morning’s sermon:

“A Sign for You”Luke 2:1-20

Pastor Glenn Parkinson

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the

peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest

will be glorious.

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Order of Worship Entering God’s Presence

Call to Worship Revelation 5:12

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Gathering Carol It Came upon the Midnight Clear Page 9

Gathering Carol God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Page 10

Prayer of Invocation

Mutual Greeting

Lighting of the Advent Candle

Candle Response Joy to the World! Page 11

Responsive Reading, Mark Good Titus 3:1-7

Leader: Be submissive to rulers and authorities, be obedient, be ready for every good work,

People: speak evil of no one, avoid quarreling, be gentle, and show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Leader: For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures,

People: passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

Leader: But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us,

People: not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy,

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Leader: by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

People: so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord

People: Thanks Be To God

Pastoral Prayer

Song of Response O Come, All Ye Faithful Page 12

Offering Ourselves to God

Tithes and Offerings

Offertory Away in a Manger Page 7

Advent Doxology Page 8

Enjoying God’s Fellowship

Sermon “A Sign for You” Pew Bible Pastor Glenn Parkinson Page 857 Sermon text: Luke 2:1-20

Sending Carol Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Page 13

Benediction 2 Timothy 1:9-10

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OffertoryAway in a Manger

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 on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes,I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stayClose by me forever, and love me, I pray.Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.

Text: source unknown, stanzas 1,2; John Thomas McFarland, stanza 3; Music: William J. Kirkpatrick

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Glo ry- to God, the Child is born! Sing with joy, sing with joy!

Glo ry- to God,the Child is born! Singwith joy, sing with joy!

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All cre a- tion- join the praise, grate ful- songs our voi ces- raise:

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Glo ry- to God,the Child is born! Singwith joy, sing with joy!

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Al le- lu- ia,- al le- lu- ia!-

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Al le- lu- ia,- al le- lu- ia!-

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Al le- lu- ia,- al le- lu- ia!-

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Glo ry- to God,the Child is born! Singwith joy, sing with joy!

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from Antiphonal Praise

Advent Doxology

words and music by Patrick Liebergen

arr. Daniel Delaney

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Gathering CarolIt Came upon the Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old,From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold:“Peace on the earth, good will to men, From heav’n’s all gracious King!”The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come, With peaceful wings unfurled,And still their heav’nly music floats O’er all the weary world:Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hov’ring wing,And ever o’er its Babel sounds The blessed angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, Whose forms are bending low,Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow:Look now! For glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing;O rest beside the weary road And hear the angels sing.

For lo, the days are hast’ning on, By prophets seen of old,When with the ever-circling years Shall come the time foretold,When the new heav’n and earth shall ownThe Prince of Peace their King,And the whole world send back the songWhich now the angels sing.

Text: Edmund H. Sears; Music: Richard S. Willis CCLI no. 56194

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Gathering CarolGod Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God rest you merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay.Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day.To save us all from Satan’s pow’r when we were gone astray;O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy!O tidings of comfort and joy!

From God our heav’nly Father, a blessed angel came;And unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same:How that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name.O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy!O tidings of comfort and joy!

“Fear not, then,” said the angel, “Let nothing you affright;This day is born a Savior of a pure virgin bright,To free all those who trust in him from Satan’s pow’r and might.”O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy!O tidings of comfort and joy!

Now to the Lord sing praises, all you within this place,And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace;This holy tide of Christmas doth bring redeeming grace.O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy!O tidings of comfort and joy!

Public Domain | CCLI no. 56194

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Joy to the World!

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. Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns; Let men their songs employ;While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plainsRepeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy,Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sin 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 proveThe glories of His righteousness,And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love,And wonders, wonders of His love.

Text: Isaac Watts; Music George Frederick Handel, arr. By Lowell Mason; choral ending arr. By Tom Fettke

Candle Response

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Song of ResponseO Come, All Ye Faithful

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!O come, let us adore Him,Christ the Lord!

Sing choirs of angels, Sing in exultation,O sing, all ye bright hosts of heav’n above!Glory to God, all glory in the highest!O come, let us adore Him,Christ the Lord!

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!O come, let us adore Him,Christ the Lord!

TEXT: Latin Hymn; ascribed to John Francis Wade; translated by Frederick Oakeley MUSIC: John F. Wade, ADESTE FIDELES CCLI no. 56194

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Sending CarolHark! the Herald Angels Sing

Hark! The herald angels sing,“Glory to the newborn King;Peace on earth, and mercy mild,God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations, rise,Join the triumph of the skies;With th’angelic host proclaim,“Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Hark! The herald angels sing,“Glory to the newborn King.”

Christ, by highest heav’n adored;Christ, the everlasting Lord!Late in time behold Him come,Offspring of the Virgin’s womb:

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;Hail th’incarnate Deity!Pleased as man with men to dwell,Jesus, our Emmanuel.Hark! The herald angels sing,“Glory to the newborn King.”

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!Hail the Sun of Righteousness!Light and life to all He brings,Ris’n with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by,Born that man no more may die,Born to raise the sons of earth,Born to give them second birth.Hark! The herald angels sing,“Glory to the newborn King.”

C. Wesley, F. Mendelssohn, arr. W. H. Cummings

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Reflection & Preparation

Reflection:

Luke 2:1-20 Quote – In the fullness of time, God does a startling thing—in mercy he sends a baby to redeem his people from their sins, both believing Jews and Gentiles. Incredibly, an angel from heaven appears with God’s glory shining at night and announces to lowly shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Robert A, Peterson, Salvation Accomplished by the Son, pg. 39)

This Week: Isaiah 9:2-7 Unto us a child is born

Matthew 1:18-25 He will save his people

Galatians 4:4-7 When the fullness of time had come

Prayer: Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen. (From The Book of Common Prayer)

In Preparation for Sunday:

Luke 2:21

The Pray for Me Campaign:This week we are praying for Favor for our youth; what God does in,

through, and for us. That they would recognize God’s provision, protection, presence, and purposes.