My Journal

Special 3 morning services with lessons and carols. (8:30am, 10am & 11:30am)

They were all great. Bisgrove sermon was unusually to the point and christocentric. Perhaps was the short time slot. Although, his use of "Jesus became a fool for us" reminded me of his love for semantic incorrectness. I think he was referring to 1 Corinthians 4:10. Either way, bad choice of word is still a bad choice, regardless of your intention. The more you are insistent of being "unique" in that, the worse you become (pride, rebellious).

Strings (with one trumpet) and solos sang from Messiah to famous Christmas songs. The congregations followed with some similar hymns.

Martin Bashir was one of the reader.

Observation: Asians appear to dominate the orchestra. Particularly violins.

*** Program

The Third Sunday of Advent - A service of Lessons and Carols

Reflection from C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
There is something which unites magic and applied science [technology] while separating them [both] from the wisdom of earlier ages. For the wise men of old, the cardinal problem of human life was how to conform the soul to objective reality, and the solution was wisdom, self-discipline, and virtue. For the modern, the cardinal problem is how to conform reality to the wishes of man, and the solution is a technique.

Preparation by Rev. Abraham Cho.
Prelude - Sinfonie from Messiah - G. F. Handel

Congregational Carol: O Come, All Ye Faithful - Latin, attr. John Francis Wade, 1743

Prayer

Lesson I - Issiah 60:2-3; Psalm 24:7-8; Isaiah 40:4-5
The Coming of the Messiah is Foretold
Reader: Stephanie Rawnsley

Anthem - Every Valley Shall be Exalted (Isaiah 40:1-4) from Messiah  - G. F. Handel
Bray Wilkins, tenor

Lesson II - Luke 1:26-35; 2:1-7
Luke Tells of the Birth of Jesus
Readers: Eric and Barbara Boe

Anthem - Domine Deus from Mass in C minor - W. A. Mozart
Joanie Brittingham and Michelle Jennings, sopranos

Lesson III - Luke 2:8-20
The Shepherds Go to the Manger
Reader: Whitney Edge

Congregational Carol
O little Town of bethlehem by Philips Brooks, 1868

Lesson IV - John 1:1-4; Colossians 1:17-20; Matthew 16:15
The Mystery of the IncarnationReader: Martin Bashir

Anthem - O Holy Night - Adolphe Adam
Laura Pfortmiller, soprano

Congregational Carol
Joy to the World by Isaac Watts, 1719

Announcements

Scripture Reading - Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon - The Magi and Jesus - Rev. David Bisgrove
Third sermon in series: The Messiah According to Matthew (Advent Series)

Offertory - The Shining Star (A Magi's Tale) - Tom Jennings
Kyle Pfortmiller, soloist

Congregational Carol: Angels We Have Heard on High - French carol

Benediction

Dismissal

Second Sunday of Advent

Reflection (If it's prepared by Bisgrove, it's definitely a step up from the Buddhism quote before) from Michael Green's The Message of Matthew
This [Matthew 1:21-22] does not fit with the modern idea that we are all getting through to God in our own way. No, says Matthew. God has got through to us in this way. And Jesus is no great teacher, no guru, no peer of Mohammed or Gandhi. He is God with us. That is the essential claim on which Christianity is built. It is a claim which cannot be abandoned without abandoning the faith in its entirety.

Prelude - Concerto for Trumpet in E-flat Major - Johann Neruda
I. Allegro

Preparation - Rev. David Bisgrove

Choral Introit - Gloria in Excelsis Deo from Gloria - Antonio Vivaldi

Hymn: Angels From the Realms of Glory
Words by James Montgomery, 1816, 1825Music by Henry Smart, 1867

Call to Worship - Isaiah 9

Prayer of Adoration (Concluded by the Lord's Prayer)

Doxology

Silent Praise and Thanksgiving

Prayer of Confession

Private Confession

Confessional Response - Thou Who Was Rich - F. Houghton/T. Jennings

Words of Encouragement - Galatians 4:4-5

Hymn: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear by Edmund Sears, 1850

Announcements

Offering - And the Glory of the Lord (Isaiah 40:5) from Messiah - G. F. Handel

Scripture Reading - Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon - The Fathers of Jesus - Dr. Timothy Keller
Second sermon in series: The Messiah According to Matthew (Advent Series)

Note: Keller mentioned Dorothy Sayers who wrote herself into her detective novel as Harriet Vane who felt pity on Lord Peter Wimsey and married him. Then Keller compared such fiction to cosmic reality when God sent His Son to the world. This reminded me of my answer to the heavy boulder paradox. Sometime yesterday, I also heard someone Janet Mefferd interviewed using God "writing" himself into the world (I believe it was the podcast of 12/12/2014 Hour 2, with Apologist Alex McFarland on what are the 21 toughest questions your kids will ask about Christianity).

Celebration of the Lord's Supper
The Apostles' Creed

Prayer of Approach

Words of Institution

Prayers for Those Not Taking the Lord's Supper

Distribution of the Bread - In the Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti, 1872 - Harold Darke

Distribution of the Cup - What Child Is This adapted William Dix, 1865

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Benediction

Dismissal

Postlude - Concerto for Trumpet in E-Flat Major - Johann Neruda
III. Vivace