Pastor: David Range
December 29, 2024
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
December 29, 2024 One Joint 10:00 a.m. service
For the 5th Sunday of the month
Please see the end of the bulletin for some additional important information
CALL TO WORSHIP
HYMN 224 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice+
1 Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
give ye heed to what we say: News, news!
Jesus Christ was born today!
Ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today, Christ is born today!
2 Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
now ye hear of endless bliss:
News, news! Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath opened heaven's door, and ye are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this, Christ was born for this!
3 Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
now ye need not fear the grave: News, news!
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!
WORDS: 14th cent. Latin; trans. By John Mason Neale, 1855 MUSIC: German melody; harm. By Gary Alan Smith, 1988
PRAYER
*PRAISE AND WORSHIP
Down from His Glory
1 Down from His glory, ever living story,
My God and Savior came, and Jesus was His Name.
Born in a manger, to His own a stranger,
A Man of sorrows, tears and agony.
O how I love Him! How I adore Him! My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
The great Creator became my Savior,
and all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him!
What condescension, bringing us redemption;
That in the dead of night, not one faint hope in sight,
God, gracious, tender, laid aside His splendor,
Stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul.
O how I love Him! How I adore Him! My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
The great Creator became my Savior,
and all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him!
3 Without reluctance, flesh and blood His substance,
He took the form of man, revealed the hidden plan,
O glorious mystery Sacrifice of Calvary!
And now I know Thou art the great “I Am”!
O how I love Him! How I adore Him! My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
The great Creator became my Savior,
and all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him!
Amen
Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen (congregation continues “amens”)
O see the little baby (amen)
Lying in a manger (amen)
On Christmas morning. (amen, amen, amen)
See Jesus in the temple (amen)
Talking to the elders; (amen)
They marveled. (amen, amen, amen)
See Jesus at the seashore (amen)
preaching to the people (amen)
healing all the sick ones. (amen, amen, amen)
See Jesus on the cross (amen)
Bearing all my sins (amen)
In bitter agony (amen, amen, amen)
Yes, Jesus died to save us (amen)
And rose at Easter morning(amen)
And lives forever (amen, amen, amen)
We’re singing hallelujah! (amen)
Jesus is my Savior (amen)
Who lives forever (amen)
Amen, Amen, Amen.
WORDS: Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848 MUSIC: Henry J. Gauntlett, 1849
WELCOME: Visitors, you are invited to stand and introduce yourself or be introduced by a friend. Please receive the information card that the usher offers and when you have filled it in please return it to the usher. Birthdays and Anniversaries
TONIGHT: Church Prayer meeting at 7:30 p.m.
MONDAY: Farm Share truck needs unloading at 8:15 a.m.
TUESDAY: Watch Night service at 11:00 p.m. when we ring in the New Year with prayer, proclamation, and song.
NEXT SUNDAY: Worship services at 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. The Wesley Covenant Service with Holy Communion
The Mission Offering today is for Residing Hope
Next Sunday our Mission Offering goes to Good Samaritan Fund
TODAY the Mission Wreath is up and 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 Gospel of Luke 2:41-52
CHILDREN’S TIME
HYMN 229 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly+
1 Infant holy, infant lowly,
for His bed a cattle stall;
oxen lowing, little knowing
Christ, the babe, is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing,
noels ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the babe is Lord of all!
2 Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping
vigil till the morning new
saw the glory, heard the story,
tidings of the gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the babe was born for you.
Polish carol; trans. by Edith M. G. Reed, 1925 MUSIC: Polish carol; trans. by Edith M. G. Reed, 1926; harm. by Austin C. Lovelace, 1964
RECEPTION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Please pass the offering bags along each row at the direction of the ushers. Instructions for giving online, by check or text are in the section after the Order of Service.
The Mission Offering today is for Residing Hope
Next Sunday our Mission Offering goes to Good Samaritan Fund
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
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
Sunday School children go out to their classes
HYMN 191 Jesus Loves Me This I Know+
1 Jesus loves me! this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
2 Jesus loves me, this I know, as he loved so long ago,
taking children on his knee, saying, "Let them come to me.“
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
3 Jesus loves me still today, walking with me on my way,
wanting as a friend to give, light and love to all who live.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
WORDS: Edmund H. Sears, 1849 MUSIC: Richard Storrs Willis, 1850
TIME OF SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS
(please email miramarpastor@gmail.com)
PRAYER HYMN 221 In the Bleak Midwinter+
1 In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.
2 Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
3 Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.
4 What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
WORDS: Christina G. Rossetti, 1872 MUSIC: Gustav Holst, 1906
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 Who does He think He is? Pastor David Range
HYMN 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. Wearing your mask is optional as the Covid virus, although still present, is no longer a healthcare emergency. Please continue to get your booster shots as they become available. We are always happy (and look forward) to have you join us in the sanctuary, but for those who would like to continue to participate from home, we will continue to live stream the services on X.com (formerly Twitter) and youtube.com.
To join us on youtube.com simply type Miramar UMC in the search bar 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 X.com (formerly known as 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 x.com 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 Error! Filename not specified. 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 for the link.
WAYS to give:
1. Online giving is available through our website
www.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
