Welcome Guests!Thank you for joining us in worship today.

We are glad you’re here!We invite you to come to the front of the Sanctuary after worship to meet some of our staff.

VISITING WITH INFANTS? The Nursery is located on the 1st Floor with excellent, loving care for infants to Kindergarten. The Baby Soothing Room is located just inside the Main Street entrance to the Sanctuary. Room 101 in the First Floor nursery is available for nursing moms.

Kids Church is held for children in 1st - 4th Grade in the 2nd Floor gathering area and for 5th - 6th Grade in Room 214 during the 11:00 am worship service. Kids Church does not meet on the first Sunday of the month so that families can receive Communion together.

To learn more about our Small Group Ministry please contact Ken Coneby, kconeby@fmhouston.com or 281.773.3195.

To get connected with our Young Adult Ministry please contact Rev. Kaitlyn Bowie Hankins, kbowie@fmhouston.com or 281.838.2133, or Ken Coneby, kconeby@fmhouston.com or 281.773.3195.

If you are going through a hard time, you never have to go through it alone. Call the Stephen Ministry line at 713.458.4709, leave a message, and a Stephen leader will call you back.

SUNDAYS• Worship: 8:45, 11:00 & 11:11 am• Sunday Bible Studies for all ages: 9:50 am• ESL (Room LL-9): 9:00 am• Communion & Healing (Bintliff Chapel): 12:05 pm

WATCH US ON TVWe are on live television Sundays at 11:00 am on KUBE-TV, channel 53 (Comcast) and channel 653 (Comcast HD). Dish and DirectTV subscribers will find us on channel 57. Channel 13 (KTRK) broadcasts our service at 5:00 am, delayed by one week. Our radio program, First Methodist Today, is broadcast on KHCB (105.7 FM) at 8:00 pm every Sunday. The service is also available through live streaming at www.fmhouston.com/live-streaming.

CONNECT TO OUR WI-FI: FUMC-Guest, Password: FUMC1st!

Love all to Christ • Grow all in the Word • Serve all for God

Scan this code to visitour website.

facebook.com/FMHDowntown

Contact us: 1.800.652.2999 | www.fmhouston.com

These are they who love Jesus the Christ Child. And how do they triumph o’er the gates of hell?

Through the grace of Him, Jesus the Savior. He is born to redeem mankind from sin and strife,

To bring peace, joy, love and brotherhood. O where shall I find Him? Where shall I seek?

He is here and now, Jesus your Savior.

COMMUNION MUSIC Meditation on DIVINE MYSTERIUM James Pethel Jay Whatley, Organist

*THE LORD’S PRAYER, Matthew 6:9-13 arr. Albert Hay Malotte Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

INVITATION Rev. Andy Nixon

*HYMN A Celtic Silent Night Franz Gruber Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright ‘Round yon virgin mother and child; holy infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight, Glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing alleluia; Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior is born!

Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light, Radiant beams from Thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.

Choir Only Sleep in heavenly peace.

*SENDING FORTH Bradley Acree

POSTLUDE D. E. Wagner What Shall I Give to the Child in the Manger? Sharon Goldsberry, Pianist; Jay Whatley, Organist

* Please stand, as you are able.

CELTIC ENSEMBLE Violin

Rodica Gonzalez Flute

Matthew Roitstein Guitar

Marc Rosenberg Cello

Jeffrey Butler Percussion

Lovie Smith-Wright ACOLYTES

Amanda Corbett and Robert Douglas

HOSPITAL LIST If you know of a church member or anyone else who is hospitalized and would like a

visit from one of our clergy members, please call 832.668.1800.

CLERGY ON CALL If you need to speak with a pastor, please call 832.668.1800

and select option 7. Your call will be returned promptly.

SERVICE OF HEALING Join us in Bintliff Chapel at 12:15 p.m. for this intimate prayer service.

• Assisted Listening Devices are available from the sound console.• iPads, tablets and cell phones are welcome! Take notes and text points from

the message to your friends. Just put your device on “silent.”

MORNING WORSHIP December 4, 2016

8:45 and 11:00 a.m.

PRELUDE Welcome the Child of Light Mark Hayes Celtic Ensemble

Sharon Goldsberry, Pianist; Jay Whatley, Organist

INTROIT What Star Is This? arr, David Lantz, III Sanctuary Choir

Dr. Terry Morris, Director of Music

THE GATHERING Courtney Hutchins Downtown Children’s Director

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES Candle of Love 8:45: The Wallace Family

11:00: The Handoko Family

*GREETING

*HYMN Rejoice with Joy to the World arr. Pepper Choplin Choir Only

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King.

Good Christians, now rejoice with heart and soul and voice! Give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today! Ox and ass before Him bow, and He is in the manger now; Christ is born today, Christ is born today!

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Good Christians, now rejoice with heart and soul and voice! Now ye hear of endless bliss; Jesus Christ was born for this. He hath opened heaven’s door, and we are blest forevermore. Christ was born for this, Christ was born for this!

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Good Christians, now rejoice with heart and soul and voice! Now ye need not fear the grave; Jesus Christ was born to save! Calls you one and calls you all to gain His everlasting hall. Christ was born to save, Christ was born to save!

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world! Good Christians now rejoice!

*CHRIST’S INVITATION Rev. Ann Spears Leader: Christ our Lord invites to His table all who love Him, who earnestly repent of their sins and seek to live in peace with one another. Therefore, let us confess our sins before God and one another.

People: Merciful God, we confess that we have not always loved You with our whole hearts. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done Your will; we have broken Your law; we have rebelled against Your love; we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Leader: Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

People: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Glory to God. Amen.

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE Lamb of God #2113 Your only Son, no sin to hide, The Faith We Sing Hymnal But You have sent Him from Your side, To walk upon this guilty sod, And to become the Lamb of God. O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God, I love the holy Lamb of God! O wash me in His precious blood – My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Mandy Jones

*HYMN Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus arr. Anna Page Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in Thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art; Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, Born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone; By Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.

*FAITHFUL GIVING Rev. Bill Allen

THE WORD IN SONG Shepherd’s Joy John Parker and Mark Hayes Sanctuary Choir

One quiet night when all was still, I saw a wondrous sight While tending sheep upon a hill one peaceful winter’s night:

For in the sky there shone a light so glorious and bright, Behold, an angel did appear upon that special night.

Glory to God! Glory to God on high! Messiah has come! Love has transformed this night!

The angel said, “Now, have no fear, I bring good news to all. A Savior now is born to you; your God has heard your call;

In Bethlehem, in lowly manger lying in a stall. Go worship Him, the newborn King; before Him humbly fall.”

Glory to God! Glory to God on high! Messiah has come! Love has transformed this night!

Then angels quickly filled the sky with glory all around, Praising God with joyful voice; I listened to their sound.

Then all the shepherds went to where the Baby could be found, Then bowed in homage to the King, their faces on the ground.

Glory to God! Glory to God on high! Messiah has come! Love has transformed this night!

*DOXOLOGY #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.

*THE WORD IN SCRIPTURELuke 1: 46-50 Page 53, N.T. Pew Bible This is the Word of the Lord! Thanks be to God!

MESSAGE Rev. Andy Nixon His Name Is: Mighty

GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord! Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God! It is right to give our thanks and praise! It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. You created light out of darkness and brought forth life on the earth. You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast. You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through your prophets. In the fullness of time you gave your only Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior, and at his birth the angels sang glory to you in the highest and peace to your people on earth. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn: 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. Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. As Mary and Joseph went from Galilee to Bethlehem and there found no room, so Jesus went from Galilee to Jerusalem and was despised and rejected. As in the poverty of a stable Jesus was born, so by the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. As your Word became flesh, born of woman, on that night long ago, so, on the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

SHARING OF COMMUNION At 8:45, you are invited to come forward to take communion. For those who may have difficulty coming to the altar to take communion, or if you prefer a gluten free communion wafer, please notify one of our ushers. At 11:00, communion will be brought to you so that all may partake of the Sacrament in unison and unity. If you would like a gluten free communion wafer, please notify an usher.

COMMUNION MUSIC What Strangers are These? arr. Dan Forrest What strangers are these that wander through the town?

Hush, ‘tis Joseph and weary Mary. And what does he seek so hopeless and in vain?

He is seeking shelter for Mary. For she is the blest and chosen of the Lord,

Who will bear to us a goodly King. And who is this King whom ye proudly sing?

Know ye not the Christ, Jesus the Savior? What wee child is this that in a manger lies?

Hush, ‘tis Jesus Christ, Son of Mary. Say what fair maid is this whose joy is mixed with awe?

O ‘tis Mary, mother of Jesus. O these are the shepherds and these the magi kings

Who have brought Him their gifts of gold and myrrh. But why kneel in homage here before a babe?

They adore their King, Jesus the Savior. Who are these that march from death unto life?