Community Presbyterian Church
December 22, 2024
Please join us for worship at 10:00am as we live stream the service on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/communitypresbyterianchurchedison
Locations & Times
Community Presbyterian Church of Edison
75 Glenville Rd, Edison, NJ 08817, USA
Sunday 9:45 AM
Gathering - Worship begins as the people gather – greeting one another, praying in silence, sharing announcements, and offering music to the glory of God. We ask that as the prelude begins that you make your way to your seat and enter into a worshipful mindset.
PRELUDE
PRELUDE
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs - Since the beginning of the church Christians have sung psalms as praise and prayer to God, and singing psalms remains an important part of the Reformed heritage. Through the ages we have added other music from hymns to praise songs. We sing all these things to the glory of God.
PRAISE TIME
PRAISE TIME
SHARED GREETING
Please stay in your pew and greet your surrounding neighbors with a hello. When done we will sing without holding hands,
“They’ll Know We are Christians”
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love
Please stay in your pew and greet your surrounding neighbors with a hello. When done we will sing without holding hands,
“They’ll Know We are Christians”
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love
Call to Worship - A Call to Worship, drawn from sentences of Scripture, expresses God’s invitation to gather as Christ’s body in this place.
CALL TO WORSHIP Hebrews 10:8-10
Leader: First Jesus said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law.
All: Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second.
Leader: And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
CALL TO WORSHIP Hebrews 10:8-10
Leader: First Jesus said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law.
All: Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second.
Leader: And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Prayer of Confession and Silent Prayer - Having praised the holiness of God, we must also face the sinful state of the world and our lives, confessing our unworthiness to enter into God’s presence. Nevertheless, we approach God with confidence, trusting in the mercy of Jesus Christ. We start this off with a communal confession and follow it up with silent and personal confession to God of our sins.
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you and our neighbors. In your laws and commandments, you continually remind us to die to ourselves and live for you. We admit that we have not done this, that we have acted selfishly and been slow to help those in need. Lord, help us to love our neighbors and care for your law above all else. Hear us now, as we confess these sins, and all others, to you.
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you and our neighbors. In your laws and commandments, you continually remind us to die to ourselves and live for you. We admit that we have not done this, that we have acted selfishly and been slow to help those in need. Lord, help us to love our neighbors and care for your law above all else. Hear us now, as we confess these sins, and all others, to you.
Assurance of Pardon - A declaration of forgiveness that proclaims the good news of God’s mercy and offers the assurance of pardon in Jesus’ name.
SILENT PRAYER AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON
SILENT PRAYER AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Catechism or Confession - As a Reformed church rooted in the history of Christianity, we recite creeds, confessions, and catechisms that explain biblical teaching and help us to remember the lessons of God’s Word.
HEIDELBERG CATECHISM
108 Q. What does the seventh commandment teach us?
A. That God condemns all unchastity, and that therefore we should thoroughly detest it and live decent and chaste lives, within or outside of the holy state of marriage.
109 Q. Does God, in this commandment, forbid only such scandalous sins as adultery?
A. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, body and soul, and God wants both to be kept clean and holy. That is why God forbids all unchaste actions, looks, talk, thoughts, or desires, and whatever may incite someone to them.
110 Q. What does God forbid in the eighth commandment?
A. God forbids not only outright theft and robbery, punishable by law. But in God’s sight theft also includes all scheming and swindling in order to get our neighbor’s goods for ourselves, whether by force or means that appear legitimate, such as inaccurate measurements of weight, size, or volume; fraudulent merchandising; counterfeit money; excessive interest; or any other means forbidden by God. In addition, God forbids all greed and pointless squandering of his gifts.
HEIDELBERG CATECHISM
108 Q. What does the seventh commandment teach us?
A. That God condemns all unchastity, and that therefore we should thoroughly detest it and live decent and chaste lives, within or outside of the holy state of marriage.
109 Q. Does God, in this commandment, forbid only such scandalous sins as adultery?
A. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, body and soul, and God wants both to be kept clean and holy. That is why God forbids all unchaste actions, looks, talk, thoughts, or desires, and whatever may incite someone to them.
110 Q. What does God forbid in the eighth commandment?
A. God forbids not only outright theft and robbery, punishable by law. But in God’s sight theft also includes all scheming and swindling in order to get our neighbor’s goods for ourselves, whether by force or means that appear legitimate, such as inaccurate measurements of weight, size, or volume; fraudulent merchandising; counterfeit money; excessive interest; or any other means forbidden by God. In addition, God forbids all greed and pointless squandering of his gifts.
Children’s Time - Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). To this end we invite all children forward to hear a message designed to help bring them closer to the majesty of God and his Son.
CHILDREN’S TIME
CHILDREN’S TIME
SCRIPTURE HYMN
Scriptures - The Scriptures bear witness to the Word of God, revealed most fully in Jesus Christ, the Word who “became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14). Where the Word is read and proclaimed, Jesus Christ the living Word is present by the power of the Holy Spirit. The role of the congregation is to listen prayerfully, actively, and attentively to the Word that is read and proclaimed.
SCRIPTURE READING Luke 1:46-56
SCRIPTURE READING Luke 1:46-56
SERMON “Luke: Justice in the Manger”
Pastor George Erlandson
Pastor George Erlandson
*HYMN 139 "Good King Wenceslas"
Prayer of Concerns and Thanksgivings - In response to the Word, we pray for the world God so loves – joining in Christ’s ministry of praying for others before the throne of God. These prayers are not the work of a single leader, but an act of the whole congregation as Christ’s royal priesthood.
PRAYER OF CONCERNS & THANKSGIVINGS
PRAYER OF CONCERNS & THANKSGIVINGS
Offering, Doxology, Prayer of Thanksgiving - Christian life is an offering of one’s self to God. Tithes and offerings are gathered as an act of thanksgiving to God for all of the blessings that he has given us and for the work of his church. In response we sing glory to God and lift up prayer thanking him for his blessings and to continue to bless the work of the church through our offerings.
OFFERING
By giving to our church, you help us assist others in our local community and in the world at large. https://cpcedison.org/ways-to-give/
OFFERING
By giving to our church, you help us assist others in our local community and in the world at large. https://cpcedison.org/ways-to-give/
DOXOLOGY
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.
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.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
*HYMN
Benediction - The Service is concluded with a charge and blessing to congregation. This calls us to go forth as agents of God’s mission in the world and reminds us that God walks with us and blesses us in order to be a blessing to others.
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
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Be sure to checkout our Website to view our online services at www.cpcedison.org
You can stay connected with us by subscribing to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/communitypresbyterianchurchedison