Stratham Community Church, UCC

Stratham Community Church, UCC An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ

Wherever you are on life’s journey, Know you are welcome here!

6 Emery Lane – P.O. Box 143 - Stratham, New Hampshire 03885 (603) 772-3389 - www.strathamchurch.org Ministers - The Congregation Pastor – Rev. Jonathan C. Roach, Ph.D. - [email protected] Sunday, December 11, 2016 - 10:00 am

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT GATHER Welcome! Prelude and Lighting of Worship Candles “O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion” (from “The Messiah” by Handel)

CALL TO WORSHIP

CALL TO WORSHIP, One: Leave your exile behind; God is calling us home.

All: We'll follow the Way through the desert.

One: Enter the desert without fear; God's water will quench our thirst.

All: We'll walk the Highway of God's people.

One: Travel the Highway with joy; God is leading to life in abundance.

All: We'll strengthen weak hands, and support feeble knees; We'll encourage the fearful and calm the anxious: Rejoice! Be strong! God is with us!

One: Come, let us worship!

* Hymn “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” Pilgrim Hymnal(red)#131 LIGHTING OF THE THIRD ADVENT CANDLE: THE SPILLER FAMILY

As the candle of Joy is lit, please join in singing:

Shine a candle in the darkness, breathe new joy into our lives. Wind your blessed joy around us till the day when Christ arrives. Shine a candle in the darkness. Wind your blessed joy around us. Shine a candle in the darkness, breathe new joy into our lives. Wind your blessed joy around us till the day when Christ arrives.

* The Lord's Prayer (using 'debts') (in unison) * Passing the Peace of Christ Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you. People: And also with you. (Please offer one another the peace of Christ.)

* Gloria Patri Pilgrim Hymnal (red) #513 All: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

PRAISING Thankful Dollars Announcements

Anthem “Mary Did You Know” (by Lowry)

HEARING THE WORD Children’s Sermon: Lily Nutt

(All Children are invited to leave for the Children’s program.)

Reading of Scripture Isaiah 35:1-10 Sermon “The Heart of Justice, A Conversation with the Prophet Isaiah”

Rev. Jonathan Roach

* Hymn “Awake! Awake and Greet the New Morn” New Century Hymnal (black) #107

GIVING THANKS Prayer Concerns Time for Silent Prayer Pastoral Prayer

Offering * Offertory “He Shall Free His Flock/Come Unto Me” (“The Messiah” by Handel)

* Doxology * Offering Prayer

DEPARTING AS DISCIPLES * Hymn What Child is This, Who, Laid to Rest” Pilgrim Hymnal (red)#140 * Benediction * Postlude Please remain in your pew until the Light of Christ is carried out of the sanctuary. Thank you.

* - All those who are able are invited to stand.

PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S SERVICE: Deacons: Kristen Dusseault and Roger Stephenson

Thank you Allan Lurvey for playing the part of Isaiah today.

Thank you to Ruth George, our guest vocalist this morning.

Immediately following Worship, please join us for coffee & fellowship in the Henry Rust Room directly below the Sanctuary which will be hosted Kristen Dusseault, Cyndi McCleary and Laura Batchelder.

We keep in our prayers: Italy due to the devastating earthquakes New Zealand, also hit by earthquakes Veronica Gauvin, as she faces health issues Tennessee as they battle horrific fires Indonesia as they recover from a major earthquake this week Jonathan's Office Hours: Tues. & Thurs. - 8am to 1pm (afternoons for visitation) Weds. & Fri. - 8am to 4pm Jonathan's Cell Phone Number: 603-303-9209 Jonathan's Email Address: [email protected]

A Look Ahead: Meeting/Events/Activities in our Church Building This Week:

Monday, December 12th - Journey Song - 7:00 pm – Sanctuary Tuesday, December 13th - Church Counsil – 7:00 pm-Conference Rm Tuesday, December 13th - AA Meeting - 6:30 pm – Henry Rust Rm Wednesday, December 14th– Mission & Justice – 6:00 pm – The Tavern Wednesday, December 14th - AA Meeting - 6:30 pm – Henry Rust Rm Wednesday, December 14th - Clothes Attic – 9:00 am – 3:00 pm *No evening hours until Spring Saturday, December 17th - Clothes Attic – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Saturday, December 17th - Soup Kitchen – 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm Sunday, December 18th - 10:00 am – Advent - Love - Sanctuary Sunday, December 18th - 10:00 am – Children’s Pageant - Sanctuary

New Star: A Christmas Pageant

For this year’s production, the birth of Jesus is told from the star’s perspective. Please join Stratham Community Church on Sunday, th December 18 at 10 am for a celebratory service led by our children.

The last pageant rehearsal is immediately following Sunday School today, December 11th and will last approximately one hour.

Please contact Lily Nutt with any questions: [email protected] Job Opening:

Christmas Caroling:

The Stratham Community Church Choir is going caroling on December 18th. They will be leaving the church at 6:00 pm and will carol until 8:00 pm and then go to Reverends Jonathan and Esther’s house in Epping for cider and cookies. Please let Sherry Stromski know of any shut ins that would appreciate a visit from our carolers. Keys:

The Church office would like to keep an accurate record of who in our church community has keys to the building, interior and exterior. Would you please call the Church Office at 603-772-3389, or email your information to: [email protected] to let Katie know what keys you have? Thank you.

Thought for the Day:

Would you like to keep in touch with what’s happening in your church community? If you haven’t done so already, please call or email the Church Office with your email address to receive the bi-weekly Thought for the Day! It’s full of what is going on in and around our church and is a great tool to keep in touch with the community. 603-772-3389 and/or [email protected].

Advent Theme 2016: This year our Advent and Christmas focus engages seeing the Word of God. Our scripture readings for the entire month come from the Book of Isaiah. The opening verse of November 27’s passage, from Isaiah 2, reads “the word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.” Note that Isaiah son of Amoz didn’t hear the word; he saw it. It was vivid. It is powerful. It provokes. This season let us strive to see the Word of God as a living, strong, and powerful vision in the church and the world today. Each week as we explore this theme to see the Word made flesh in the birth of Christ. Bright Gift Sunday: Each year members of Stratham Community Church sponsor families from the Seacoast Family Promise program with gifts. In the Rust Room, there are sign-up sheets for each needed gift. Please bring your brightly wrapped gift with the recipient’s name filled-in and the giver’s name blank to church with you on Sunday, December 18th.

Carol Singing: Each Sunday during Advent everyone is invited to come at 9:45 am for 15 minutes of carol singing before our 10 am worship.

Advent and Christmas Worship Schedule:

 December 4 Seeing Isaiah’s Vision of Peace, Isaiah 11:1-10

 December 11 Seeing Isaiah’s Vision of Justice, Isaiah 35:1-10

 December 18 Children’s Christmas Pageant

 December 18 Caroling; everyone is invited to join the choir and Sherry spreading Christmas cheer with Christmas caroling. Meet at 6:00pm at the church to go out. An open house reception will follow at Reverends Jonathan and Esther’s home at 179 Nottingham Square Road, Epping.

 December 21 (Wednesday) Blue Christmas, Isaiah 7:10-16. This isn’t Blue Christmas like Elvis’ song. Rather this is a Blue Christmas because not everyone is feeling overjoyed and cheerful for the Christmas holidays. Many people are dealing with the death of a loved one, facing life after divorce or separation, coping with the loss of a job, living with cancer or some other disease that puts a question mark over the future, and any number of other human situations that make parties and joviality painful for many people. This service is a growing attentiveness to the needs of people who are blue at Christmas. This will be a time for creating sacred space for people living Through dark times with time for reflecting, accepting where we really are, and holding out healing and hope.

 December 24 (Saturday) 5 pm, A Christmas Family Service for the young and young at heart 8 pm, Seeing Isaiah’s Vision, Isaiah 9:2-7 11 pm, Seeing Isaiah’s Vision, Isaiah 9:2-7 with Holy Communion

 December 25 Stories and Carols as we celebrate Luke’s telling of the Nativity

 January 1 Watch Day Service as we celebrate the beginning of the New Year

 January 6 (Friday) Epiphany celebrates the arrival of the Wisemen. Around the world, it is upon this day that many Christians give gifts. During the day and evening on Friday, please sign-up to bring your children to the church for a time of hot chocolate, special treats, and to receive a gift from Rev. Jonathan. This will be the time, after the rest of the world stops celebrating, that we see Jesus in the Season. Nursery Attendant Stratham Community Church is looking for a responsible adult to work in the nursery during church services. You will be taking care of children under the age of 3 and need experience working with children. The hours are from before church begins at, 9:45 am, until families pick up their children after church at 11:15 am. The job pays $30.00 per Sunday. For inquiries, please contact our Family and Youth Director, Lily Nutt, at [email protected] or call at (603) 501-8905.

The Nursery is in Room 204 and is available anytime from 9:50 am through the end of Worship for young children. Due to a change in her work schedule, Jill Greene will no longer oversee the nursery. Volunteers from the church will fill this spot until a replacement is found. Children are invited for the Children's Program in Room 201 after the Announcements. Stratham Community Church, UCC 6 Emery Lane – P.O. Box 143 - Stratham, New Hampshire 03885 (603) 772-3389 - www.strathamchurch.org Ministers - The Congregation Pastor – Rev. Jonathan C. Roach, Ph.D. - [email protected] Minister of Pastoral Counseling - The Rev. Allan Lurvey, Th.D. - [email protected] Minister of Music - Cheryl Stromski - [email protected] Youth and Family Director of Christian Education – Lily Nutt [email protected] Church Office – Katie Brown - [email protected]