Mt. Olive Ev. Lutheran Church

an “old church” with a “New Vision”

 

1460 Almond Avenue

St. Paul, Minnesota  55108

 

651.645.2575

 

www.mtolive-wels.net

 

Carl R. Henkel, pastor

651.631.8625

carl.henkel@juno.com

 

 

 

The Third Sunday in Advent

December 17, 2006    9:00am

 

God's Blessings To All Who Worship With Us Today!  Lord, help us to make Your house a home where those who are here will want to remain, where those who visit will want to return, and where those who have left will want to come back.  May God's Spirit fill your hearts with joy and peace through the knowledge of His love for you in Jesus.  Visitors, we want you to feel at home in our midst.  Please know that you are welcome! 

 

Large Print Hymnals and Personal Sound Devices are available at the usher's station to help make worship more meaningful for those who may appreciate such assistance.  Just ask one of the ushers before the service.

 

Please Join Us In The Fireside Room before worship this morning as we pray for our church’s ministry, our members, and other requests.  Bring your prayer requests or simply join us!  "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests," Ephesians 6:18.

 

 

 

Assisting Us In Worship This Morning

 

Jerry, Kathy, and Erin Boggs, greeters

Jerry Holen, head usher

Margaret Meier, organist

Angela Young, Sunday School accompanist

Marcia Schuyler, choir director

Linda Henkel, Sunday School director

Jennifer Arps, flute      Alex Wiedmann, violin

Jerry Holen, Kevin Marschel, April Ganske Pearson, and Angela Young, trumpets

 

 

 

We Gather To Worship The Lord

 

Words of Welcome and Lighting of the Advent Wreath

 

(As we light the Advent Candles, we sing:)

 

We light the Advent candles against the winter night,

To welcome our Lord Jesus who is the world's True Light,

To welcome our Lord Jesus who is the world's True Light.

 

Three candles now are gleaming and show us the true way,

Rejoice, the Baptist cries out, your Lord has come today,

Rejoice the Baptist cries out, your Lord has come today!

 

 

Invocation

 

Processional                                         “O Come, Little Children” (sung by the congregation)

 

O come, little children, O come one and all,
To Bethlehem haste, to the manger so small,
God's Son for a gift has been sent you this night
To be your Redeemer, your Joy and Delight.

 

He's born in a stable for you and for me,
Draw near by the bright gleaming starlight to see,
In swaddling clothes lying so meek and so mild,
And purer than angels the heavenly Child.

 

See Mary and Joseph, with love beaming eyes,
Are gazing upon the rude bed where He lies,
The shepherds are kneeling, with hearts full of love
While angels sing loud hallelujahs above.

 

Kneel down and adore Him with shepherds today,
Lift up little hands now and praise Him as they
Rejoice that a Savior from sin you can boast,
And join in the song of the heavenly host.

 

Pastor:        God speaks: Be still, and know that I am God,

People:      I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

 

Pastor:        Sing to the Lord a new song,

People:      For He has done marvelous things;

 

Pastor:        His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him,

People:      The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations.

 

Pastor:        (prayer)

 

Message by the Pastor                                                                     “HOME for CHRISTMAS”

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Children and Narrator (Greg Schuyler

 

Anthem                                         “Still, Still, Still” (sung by the choir and the congregation)

 

Stanza 1: Choir

 

Stanza 2: Congregation

 

Dream, dream, dream, He sleeps the Savior King.

The night is peaceful all around You,

Close Your eyes let sleep surround You.

Dream, dream, dream, He sleeps the Savior King.

 

Stanza 3: Congregation and Choir

 

Sleep, sleep, sleep, He lies in slumber deep.

While angel hosts from heav'n come winging,

Sweetest songs of joy are singing,

Sleep, sleep, sleep, He lies in slumber deep.

 

Stanza 4: Congregation

 

Still, still, still, He sleeps this night so chill!

The virgin's tender arms enfolding,

Warm and safe the Child are holding,

Still, still, still, He sleeps this night so chill!

 

 

 

PART ONE:  “Be Still, and Hear a Father Welcoming”

 

Children and Joseph (Ryan Jacobs)

 

Anthem                                                                  “His Name Is Jesus” (sung by the children)

 

(Congregation joins in singing the fourth stanza:)

 

Now people, sing with gladsome mirth

A song to share with all the earth.

Now people, sing with gladsome mirth

A song to share with all the earth.

Tell, tell them who is that baby boy?

Tell, tell them of your wonderful joy.

His name is Jesus! Gift of God’s love.

The Son who frees us, hope from above.

His name is Jesus! Born one so small.

Light that still sees us; the Savior of all.

 

 

 

PART TWO:  “Be Still, and Hear a Mother Praying”

 

Children and Mary (Jennifer Arps)

 

Anthem                                           “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (sung by the congregation)

 

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

 

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to all the earth!

 

 

 

PART THREE:  “Be Still, and Hear a Baby Crying”

 

Children

 

Anthem                                                   “Away in a Manger” (sung by the younger children)

 

Anthem                                            “On a Starlit  Night” (sung by the children and the choir)

 

 

 

PART FOUR:  “Be Still, and Hear the Angel’s Praising”

 

Anthem                                   “Angels from the Realms of Glory” (sung by the congregation)

 

Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

 

Refrain

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

 

Shepherds, in the field abiding, watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing; yonder shines the infant light:

Refrain

 

Saints, before the altar bending, watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending, in His temple shall appear.

Refrain

 

All creation, join in praising God, the Father, Spirit, Son,
Evermore your voices raising to th’eternal Three in One.

Refrain

 

Children and Gabriel (Ben Schuyler)

              and other angels (Erik Marschel, Kathy Boggs, and Sydney Marshall)

 

Anthem                                                                                    “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

 

Stanza 1: Choir

 

Stanza 2: Congregation

 

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings, ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

 

Stanza 3: Congregation and Choir

 

Come, Desire of nations, come, fix in us Thy humble home;
Oh, to all Thyself impart, formed in each believing heart!

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

 

 

 

PART FIVE:  “Be Still, and Hear the Shepherds Telling”

 

Children

 

Anthem                                                       While By My Sheep” (sung by the congregation)

 

While by my sheep I watched at night, glad tidings brought an angel bright:

 

Refrain:

 

How great my joy, great my joy,
Joy, joy joy, joy, joy joy,
Praise we the Lord in heav'n on high.
Praise we the Lord in heav'n on high.

 

There shall be born, so He did say, in Bethlehem a Child today:
Refrain

 

There shall He lie in manger mean, who shall redeem the world from sin:
Refrain

Lord, evermore to me be nigh, then shall my heart be filled with joy!
Refrain

 

Gathering of the Offerings

 

Prayers and Lord’s Prayer

 

 

 

PART SIX:  “Be Still, and Hear God’s People Rejoicing”

 

Narrator (Greg Schuyler)

 

Anthem                         “I Just Heard Some Good News” (sung by the children and the choir)

 

Benediction

 

Announcements

 

Recessional                                                     “Joy to the World” (sung by the congregation)

 

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 earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

 

No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found, far as, far as, the curse is found.

 

He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders, of His love.

 

 

 

 

This Week At Mt. Olive

 

Today:                 10:00am        Birthday Party for Jesus

                             10:30am        Sunday School and Bible Class

                               3:00pm        Christmas Concert at Martin Luther College/New Ulm

Monday:           11:30am        Mt. Olive Worship Service on Cable Channel 14

                               9:30am        Pastors’ Circuit Meeting/St. John’s, St. Paul

                               2:00pm        Worship Service at Lyngblomsten Healthcare Center

                               4:00pm        “Cross Eyed Warriors” Bible Study

                               6:30pm        Mt. Olive Worship Service on Cable Channel 14

                               7:00pm        “Beautiful Feet” Bible Study

Tuesday:               6:00pm        Congregational Christmas Caroling

Wednesday:          5:30pm        Confirmation Class

                               7:00pm        Christmas Concert at St. Croix Lutheran High School

                               7:00pm        “God For Us” Bible Study

Thursday:            10:00am        “Explorers of the Word” Bible Study

Next Sunday:       9:00am        Family Worship Service with Holy Communion

                       10:30am        Education Hour

                         7:00pm        Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Next Monday:      9:00am        Christmas Day Worship Service

 

 

Today is our Children’s Christmas Service here at Mt. Olive.  Welcome!  Our choir ensemble will also participate in this special service. The Lord’s Supper will not be offered this Sunday, but will be celebrated next Sunday, December 24th, at 9:00am. 

 

Please Pick Up your 2007 offering envelopes this morning.  They are available in the Fireside Room.

 

Next Sunday Morning we’ll observe the Fourth Sunday of Advent (9:00am) followed by our Education Hour, and in the evening we’ll have our traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (7:00pm).  The following Sunday (December 31st, 9:00am) will focus on the New Year.  We will NOT have an evening service on New Year’s Eve.

 

When Searching The Net, rather than using Google or another search engine, go to our church website (www.mtolive-wels.net) and click on the “Search The Web” button or the “Good Search” icon on our homepage.  Each search gives us a penny – and pennies count up!

 

If You Could Use some insulation for a winter project, we have several rolls of 3½” and 6½” with facing left over here at church.  Please talk to Bob Bentson this morning if you’re interested.