December 4th, 2016

Let us worship God! Today we

celebrate the 2nd Sunday of Advent.

Advent means ‘coming’. There are

two advents described in Scripture.

The first was when Jesus Christ

came to earth through the virgin

birth. We look back in remembrance

of this advent. The second advent

will come when Jesus Christ returns

in glory, as he promised he would.

We continue in our extraordinary story with Genesis 2. Today is also joyful as we

celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

Scripture

Psalm 118 (page 436)

Genesis 2 (page 2)

Luke 1: 26-38 (page 723)

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Songs for Today

Opening Hymns #414 “O Word of God Incarnate”

#90 “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”

Hymn of Response Insert “The Angel Gabriel From

Heaven Came”

Sending Hymn #249 “O Come All Ye Faithful”

Prayer of Confession (taken from Revised Common Lectionary

Prayers, 2002)

Loving God, With axe and winnowing fork you clear a holy space where hurt and destruction have no place, and a little child holds sway. Clear our lives of hatred and despair, sow seeds of joy and peace, that shoots of hope may spring forth and we may live in harmony with one another. Amen.

Upcoming Events

December 4, 4:30 pm, Hymn Sing followed at

5:30 pm with a pot luck dinner

December 11, 5 to 6 pm, Come O Lord, Prayers for Advent

December 13, Noon, Womens Christmas Pot Luck Luncheon at the home of Debbie Niederer

December 18, 6 pm, Caroling and hot chocolate

Christmas Eve Worship, 6pm

Christmas Day Worship, 10 am. Noon to 4 pm,

Dinner and fellowship at the West Trenton

Community Center.

Order of Liturgy

Prelude

Choral Introit

Call to Worship

Opening Hymns/ Prayer

Confession

—call, prayer, assurance, Gloria patri

Scripture

Message

Hymn of Response

Apostles Creed

Announcements

Prayers of the People

Offering

Offertory

Doxology

Communion (see back for Communion Liturgy)

Sending Hymn

Benedictions

Session:

Class of 2016 Kristin Schmidt, Clerk

Class of 2017

Barbara Matlack Randy Niederer

Class of 2018

Patti Manz Tim Shaub

Deacons:

Class of 2016 Tom Kennedy, Moderator

Chris Manz, Vice-Moderator

Class of 2017 Judy Niederer, Secretary

Class of 2018 Gail Butterfoss Lettie Ritner

Titusville Presbyterian Mission Statement

The multifaceted mission of the First Presbyterian Church, Titusville,

NJ is:

(1) as worshippers, to grow in our love for, and express our love

to, our Trine God, in worship, prayer, devotion, music stewardship,

and Sabbath-keeping (observance of the LORD’s Day);

(2) as servants with Christ, to show God’s love to our neighbors

through intentional works of love and deliberate acts of kindness;

(3) as heralds of the gospel, to proclaim the good news concerning

forgiveness, reconciliation, salvation, and eternal life in Christ to

those in need of hope and the new spiritual birth;

(4) as living stones, to build up the church of Jesus Christ by

building honest, caring, and encouraging relationships with one

another as members of his united body, which we treat with

tenderness and compassion;

(5) as disciples, to preserve and pass on the revelation of the

divine truth of God in Christ as revealed by the Holy Spirit through the

holy scriptures to people of all ages and from generation to

generation , and to build one another up in this truth that we may be

identified by perseverance and by our discovering our competence in

the LORD;

- all this we aim to do with hope in the spirit of truth and love, so

as to show the world what life under the lordship of Christ looks like,

and, in so doing, to glorify the one true God: Father, Son, and Holy

Spirit.

Pastor: Rev. Kenneth Good

Worship Assistant: Barbara Matlack

Ministers: All members of Titusville Church

The Rev. Dr. R. William Shaub, Pastor Emeritus

Barbara Matlack, Office Administrator

Jon and Helen Eastburn, Music Directors

Call to Worship

We gather around the Advent

Wreath to light the second candle,

the Candle of love. The first

candle, of hope, greets us with its

light as we gather together as a

church family.

it is a wonderful blessing to be

able to anticipate as a Church -

instead of just on our own - the

coming of our King. --anonymous

Communion Liturgy

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

The Invitation to the Table

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you. Lift up your hearts

We lift them up to the Lord. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.

Let us give thanks unto the Lord our God. …who forever sing to the glory of your

name.

CHOIR: (Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.)

Great is the mystery of our faith:

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

The Words of Institution

The Sharing of the Bread

The Sharing of the Cup

(You are invited forward to receive the

elements.)

Prayer

Editorial: Created for Community

“For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves

alone.” Romans 14:7

Last week, we encountered the God who spoke magnificence into being. God

creates that which is good, yes, very good. Genesis 2 is a creation narrative that

emphasizes God’s intent for humanity.

Man (the Hebrew word is Adam) is taken from the ground (adamah) and becomes

a living being when given God’s breath of life. Man is placed in the Garden of

Eden, to enjoy food and beauty. Genesis 2 provides clarification of God’s intent

for his creation

Man is to work the garden and take care of it

Man is free to eat from any tree

Man is warned not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for

he will die if he does

Man is not to be alone.

Man is free to study and name the animals

Man and woman are created, to help one another, to become one flesh

Man and woman felt no shame in their nakedness before one another

The LORD God had said that it was not good for man to be alone. Help, and a

helper, was needed.

As modern Americans, we have a long history which places the most importance

on the individual. For many, the ultimate American hero was the rugged cowboy,

alone verses the world. The message has more hold upon us that maybe we have

realized.

This is not how we were created. We were created to be in community. For God

himself has dwelt in community: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Biblical story

calls us to serve one another in love, to be present for one another, to teach our

children, to discuss and pursue truth, to sing and dance and cry together, to eat

together with joy, to love our neighbor as we would have ourselves loved.

Congregations exist in part to constantly teach us this important truth: we are

more than an individual. We are worshippers, brothers and sisters, children of

God, members of the household of faith, Jews and Gentiles, Christ’s body. You

are not part of this congregation to primarily take care of yourself. You are here

to love God and neighbor.

“For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves

alone.” Romans 14:7

Dear Tabby, Raising Life (issues) Acts 9:36

Dear Tabby,

I was at a family reunion when my great aunt,

who is a devoted Roman Catholic, told me that

believing in the Virgin birth was essential to

Christian faith. I always considered the virgin

birth unlikely, or at best, a symbol. But I can’t

get her words out of my head. Could she be

right?

Skeptical in Stockton

Dear Skeptical,

The short answer is ‘yes’. The long answer is

‘yes, because’. The history and teachings of

Scripture, the church and its creeds have

considered the Virgin Birth a core doctrine of

Christian faith.

Scripture speaks of its importance because of

the sinful nature of humanity. Mary is chosen

to give birth to the life that the Holy Spirit

places in her through miracle. This is the way

by which Jesus can be born sinless, and

therefore, able to save us from the power of

sin.

The early church, including the researcher

Luke, reviews the evidence of the Virgin Birth.

The earliest creed: the Nicene Creed, places

this teaching among the parts of the story that

must be spoken.

It is a relatively recent history where the Virgin

birth was questioned and doubted. The

Enlightenment called people to view all things,

including religion, through the lens of

rationalism. But time has judged the

Enlightenment as falling short. Faith can be,

but does not have to be, rational. Mystery is a

significant part of our faith.

In a practical sense, Jesus Christ is the only

one essential to the faith that bears his name.

But his mother, and her openness to God’s

message, led her to the most honored of roles

in God’s story.

The key question that emerges for me is why

you would feel it is unlikely. Is it because it

doesn’t make sense to you? That is a faulty

foundation to build upon. Another key

question: Did God have the power to do this?

Included in Mary’s call is the proclamation:

Nothing is impossible with God. Perhaps that

is the call from God that you cannot get out of

your head.

Prayers to the Lord and Author of Life (offered in 12/4 worship by the congregation)

Notes on Luke 1:26-38

This passage foretells the birth of Jesus Christ. Throughout his gospel, Luke will present his historical evi-

dence as to why Jesus is the Messiah. We are given a few clues in this passage, including the Messiah must be

a descendant of King David, and the Messiah will permanently occupy David’s throne. This good king and king-

dom will bless the people of Israel because it was a promise from God to them, and will be eternal in nature.

The passage also introduces the surprising way by which this Messiah will come into the world; through a hum-

ble and trusting servant, through the miraculous act of the Holy Spirit. Mary inspires us to see that ‘nothing is

impossible with God’. Jesus, (the name means Savior) will be called Son of the Most High, and Son of God.

Web Links

http://www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html

excellent explanation of Advent

http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2014/01/23/Luke-The-Physician-with-Medicine-for-the-Souls.aspx

background on Luke the gospel writer

https://www.crossway.org/blog/2015/12/why-the-virgin-birth-matters/

an excellent blog entry that is both theological, historical and readable

www.biblestudytools.com/luke/1-37-compare.html

compares different translations of Luke 1:37

www.covenanteyes.com/2013/02/01/guilt-vs-shame-why-definitions-matter/

simple and Scriptural look at the words guilt and shame

www.labri.org/england/resources/08042008/DK04_Shame-and-Guilt.pdf

This paper goes deeper into the shame and guilt dynamic

(note: between DK04 and Shame is an _ )

www.paradiselost.org

an overview of John Milton’s classic Epic poem

New City Catechism

A 52 question catechism developed by Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. For an introduction to this catechism,

visit: http://www.newcitycatechism.com/intro.php

Part 1: God, Creation and Fall, Law

Week 3 How many persons are there in God?

There are three persons in the one true and living God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

To learn more about Question 3, including Scripture background, prayer, commentary and video from scholars, visit

http://www.newcitycatechism.com/q-parent/q3.php