Pastor: David Range
December 24, 2023
Miramar United Methodist Church
in the heart of Miramar, a place for gathering, healing, and sending out friends, helping to create a sense of family to find new life in Christ.
Part of the United Methodist family where we make disciples for the
Transformation of the world.
Order of Worship for Fourth Sunday in Advent - Love
December 24, 2023 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. services
Please see the end of the bulletin for some additional important information
CALL TO WORSHIP
*HYMN 213 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates+
1. Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates; behold the King of glory waits;
the King of kings is drawing near; the Savior of the world is here!
2. Fling wide the portals of your heart; make it a temple, set apart
from earthly use for heaven’s employ, adorned with prayer and love and joy.
3. Redeemer, come, with us abide; our hearts to thee we open wide;
let us thy inner presence feel; thy grace and love in us reveal.
4. Thy Holy Spirit lead us on until our glorious goal is won;
eternal praise, eternal fame be offered, Savior, to thy name!
WORDS: Georg Weissel, 1642; trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1855 MUSIC: Psalmodia Evangelica, 1789
Advent reading:
Advent Candle IV: LOVE
Out of love for the people of God, the Lord speaks through the prophet Isaiah, “The Lord himself will give you a sign.
Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him, Immanuel.” God’s love for us is beyond our wildest imaginings: God is here, with us.
We light these candles as signs of our hope, peace, joy and love. May we learn from Jesus how to shine with love for this world and all its people.
*PRAISE AND WORSHIP
He Came Down That We May Have Hope, Peace, Joy and Love
He came down that we may have hope:
He came down that we may have hope:
He came down that we may have hope:
Hallelujah forevermore.
He came down that we may have peace;
He came down that we may have peace;
He came down that we may have peace;
Hallelujah forevermore.
He came down that we may have joy;
He came down that we may have joy;
He came down that we may have joy;
Hallelujah forevermore.
He came down that we may have love;
He came down that we may have love;
He came down that we may have love;
Hallelujah forevermore.
Emmanuel
Emmanuel, Emmanuel,
His name is called Emmanuel,
God with us, revealed in us,
His name is called Emmanuel.
Arise, Shine
Arise, shine for your light is come,
Arise, shine for your light is come:
And the Glory of the Lord is risen,
The Glory of the Lord is come,
The Glory of the Lord is risen upon you
And the Glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
Arise, shine for your light is come,
Arise, shine for your light is come:
And the Glory of the Lord is risen,
The Glory of the Lord is come,
The Glory of the Lord is risen upon you
And the Glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
Glorify Your Name
Father we love You, we worship and adore You
Glorify your name in all the earth
Glorify your name, glorify your name
Glorify your name in all the earth
Jesus we love You, we worship and adore You
Glorify your name in all the earth
Glorify your name, glorify your name
Glorify your name in all the earth
Spirit we love You, we worship and adore You
Glorify your name in all the earth
Glorify your name, glorify your name
Glorify your name in all the earth.
Let the Redeemed
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
I’m redeemed…I’m redeemed
Praise the Lord
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Happy birthday to you, Jesus loves you it’s true,
May the Lord bless and keep you,
Happy birthday to you.
Happy Anniversary to you, happy Anniversary to you
Happy Anniversary dear friends, happy Anniversary to you
TONIGHT: Christmas Eve Lessons and Carol Service at 7:30
THURSDAY: Choir practice 7:00 p.m.
NEXT SUNDAY: Joint 10:00 a.m. service as it is the fifth Sunday of the month. The Youth Group will conduct the service. Watch Night service will be at 11:00 p.m. so that as we conclude at midnight we can rejoice together for the grace of God in what has been and expect something good for what will be.
SUNDAY, January 7, 2024 we will be celebrating our covenant with God for the New Year as we share in John Wesley’s service at the 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. services. If you are worshiping online, please prepare the communion elements.
SATURDAY January 27 BOLD Justice Tree Giveaway.
The Mission Wreath ready for you to pay for a bulb to thank God for something good, to remember someone who has died, or to honor someone. Please fill out a form and add it to your envelope or other payment.
We honor the hard work of our church administrative assistant, music director, custodian, lawn care workers and you are invited to place a gift in the “Staff Christmas Gift” envelope. Thank you.
For Sharing of the Spirit, please wave at the YouTube camera and say, “the peace of the Lord be with you,” and then wave at your neighbor in the sanctuary and say, “and also with you”.
Please stand for the reading of the Gospel of Luke 1:26-38
CHILDREN’S TIME
*HYMN 250 Once in Royal David’s City+
1 Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby in a manger for His bed.
Mary, loving mother mild; Jesus Christ, her little Child.
2 He came down to earth from Heaven who is God and Lord of all
And His shelter was a stable and His cradle was a stall.
With the poor, the scorned, the lowly lived on earth our Savior holy.
3 Jesus is our childhood’s pattern; day by day like us He grew;
He was little, weak and helpless, tears and smiles like us He knew;
And he feeleth for our sadness and He shareth in our gladness.
4 And our eyes at last shall see Him, through His own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle is our God in Heaven above;
And He leads His children on to the place where He is gone.
5 Not in that poor lowly stable with the oxen standing by
we shall see him, but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high.
There his children gather round, bright like stars, with glory crowned
WORDS: Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848 MUSIC: Henry J. Gauntlett, 1849
RECEPTION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Please place your offering in the baskets at the 3 doors leading into the sanctuary on your way in or out.
The Mission Offering today is for to Apportionments
Next Sunday our Mission Offering goes FLUMC Children’s Home
Prayer of Dedication
One minute musical interlude while worshipers prepare their offering. Instructions for giving online, by check or text are in the section after the Order of Service.
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
praise him all creatures here below,
praise him above, ye heavenly hosts,
praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
TIME OF SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS
(please email miramarpastor@gmail.com)
PRAYER HYMN 190 Who Is He in Yonder Stall+
1. Who is he in yonder stall at whose feet the shepherds fall?
’Tis the Lord, O wondrous story! ’Tis the Lord, the King of glory;
at his feet we humbly fall, crown him, crown him Lord of all!
2. Lo, at midnight who is he prays in dark Gethsemane?
’Tis the Lord, O wondrous story! ’Tis the Lord, the King of glory;
at his feet we humbly fall, crown him, crown him Lord of all!
3. Who is he in Calvary’s throes asks for blessings on his foes?
’Tis the Lord, O wondrous story! ’Tis the Lord, the King of glory;
at his feet we humbly fall, crown him, crown him Lord of all!
4. Who is he that from the grave comes to heal and help and save?
’Tis the Lord, O wondrous story! ’Tis the Lord, the King of glory;
at his feet we humbly fall, crown him, crown him Lord of all!
5. Who is he that from yon throne rules the world of light alone?
’Tis the Lord, O wondrous story! ’Tis the Lord, the King of glory;
at his feet we humbly fall, crown him, crown him Lord of all!
WORDS: Benjamin R. Hanby, 1866 MUSIC: Benjamin R. Hanby, 1866
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who 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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.
SERMON Mary, what did you know? Pastor David Range
HYMN OF SENDING FORTH 251 Go, Tell It on the Mountain+
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born.
1 While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,
behold throughout the heavens there shown a holy light.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born.
2. The shepherds feared and trembled, when lo! above the earth,
rang out the angel chorus that hailed the Savior’s birth.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born.
3. Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born.
WORDS: Afro-American spiritual; adapt. by John W. Work, Jr., 1907 MUSIC: Afro-American spiritual; adapt. by William Farley Smith, 1986
BENEDICTION
All music under ccli #24249
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We give God thanks for this opportunity to worship together in-person in our sanctuary as well as online. Please wear your mask and greet each with a wave, an elbow or fist bump. Please maintain social distance and sit at either end or the middle of the pew. In the pews we ask you to sit, in every other pew, spaced out as best you can. Seats are also available in the foyer and the fellowship hall if needed. Both have been set up with screens for the PowerPoint presentation and live video stream from the pulpit. We will continue to live stream the services on Twitter and YouTube for those who would like to continue to participate from home.
The offering will be received in the baskets at the three entry points of the sanctuary. No bulletins will be handed out, everything you need will be on the screens. No need to call or email ahead for a place to worship, you are invited to the sanctuary any time for in-person worship. Come as you are!
Remember there are two ways you can watch our services. One is on YouTube.com by typing in the search bar: Miramar UMC and then you should see the service live streamed. If you subscribe to our service through YouTube.com you can set up reminders for the day before or 15 minutes before, whatever you like.
The other way to “gather” in virtual worship is through the Twitter service available by going to our miramarumc.org website. Pass around the information so that others may join in worship by clicking on the Twitter bird icon on the home page. We will continue our 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. services (except when we have a fifth Sunday of the month 10:00 a.m. service.) If you lose the service for a few seconds do not worry it will probably come back, but if it is longer than a few seconds you might try clicking the refresh button in your browser window.
Please email your prayer requests for uplifting on Sundays by sending them to miramarpastor@gmail.com. It is best if you send them by Saturday NOON if possible.
Our church prayer meeting is online on Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and you may contact Marvia Aitken or Vinessa Edwards mamaness@bellsouth.net for the link.
This week, Wednesday and Thursday there will be someone in the church office from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. each day, and you may make an appointment to see the pastor at these or other times. Please remember to enter from the south entrance near the Pastor’s office. No other doors will be open for church business. The preschool is open but you should still come in by the south entrance because the north entrance from the parking lot must be dedicated for the little children of the preschool. Please let friends with preschool aged children know that they can enroll the children in our preschool.
WAYS to give:
1. Online giving is available through our website miramarumc.org. On the home page the ‘Donate’ icon (a hand with a dollar sign above it) is located at the top left corner and on the right under “Contact Us” you will see the same icon along with “Donate Online.” Click on either location for instructions. If you need help call the church office at 954-989-4711. Thanks to all who have signed up for this. The regular tithes and offerings of the church are a great source of blessing.
2. You can also mail a check to Miramar United Methodist Church. If you have your offering envelopes you will see that the address of the church is printed for mailing purposes and your offering can be mailed in this envelope when you apply a stamp. You may also use a regular envelope and address it to: MUMC, 2507 Utopia Drive, Miramar FL 33023. Just put your check inside, mark which funds you would like to support, put a stamp on and let the United States Postal Service do the rest! Or bring it by after the Sunday services, someone will be in the church for one hour after the worship finishes as well as Mon-Thurs 1-5 pm. We trust God will keep us strong.
3. Also, we have the option of giving by text! Use 833-931-1791 to GivePlusText and when you text any amount, by putting that number in the message, you will be prompted to register, then fill out the details of your name, address and means of payment, and the contribution will go in! If you enter an email address you will get an immediate receipt. It is easy! If you have an Apple phone you may also get Vanco’s GivePlusMobile by downloading the app from the App Store. You may also look up YouTube videos to show how all this is done.
Thank you for your prayers! Grace and peace, Pastor David
