December 31 - 9 AM Connect Service
December 31, 2023 – First Sunday of Christmas
9 a.m. Connect Worship Service
Rev. Ginny Ellis
Gathering and Welcome - Kevin Clark
1st Gathering Song: “Hallelujah (Your Love Is Amazing)” - FPC Praise Band
2nd Gathering Song: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” - FPC Praise Band
Call to Worship from “Sitting on the Hillsides” by Ann Weems - Bill Ferrari
Most of us who gathered in Bethlehem are not the star-seekers.
We’ve not traveled our dreams, month after month and year after year.
Most of us sit on our hillsides tending our sheep, business as usual.
Oh, we’ve heard rumors of stars, but we don’t really give ourselves to seeking.
After all, there’s more than enough to do in the daily tending.
We’re simply not on the lookout for stars, nor expecting any light in our darkness.
I suppose the important thing is, in the light of the glory of the Lord: to recognize the voice of an angel and to get up
and in spite of being busy with our sheep, to go to Bethlehem, to see this thing that has happened.
Lighting the Peace Candle and Passing the Peace - Ginny Ellis
…The peace of Christ be with you. / And also with you.
Response: “Doxology” - FPC Praise Band
Moment for All Ages - Ginny Ellis
Worship Song: “O Holy Night” - FPC Praise Band
Invitation to Offering - Bill Ferrari
…Please join me in a unison Prayer of Dedication:
With you, O God, each moment of life is full of wonder and surprise. Take our gifts, we humbly ask, and bring of them wonder and surprise, as well as meaning, for the work of our church and for the witness of our faith. We ask this in the name of Jesus who comes, this day and always. Amen.
Offertory Song: “Mary, Did You Know?” - FPC Praise Band
Prayer for Illumination - Diedra Flora
First Scripture: Isaiah 63:7-9 - Diedra Flora
Sermon Scripture: Matthew 2:13-23 - Ginny Ellis
Sermon: “Travelling by Night” - Ginny Ellis
Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer - Ginny Ellis
Announcements (for complete list, please see below) - Ginny Ellis
Final Song: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings” - FPC Praise Band
Charge - (responsive) from “Christmas Comes” by Ann Weems - Ginny Ellis
Christmas comes every time we see God in other persons.
The human and the holy meet in Bethlehem, or on Beach Drive in St. Petersburg,
for Christmas comes like a golden storm on its way to Jerusalem --
determinedly, inevitably….
Even now it comes in the face of hatred and warring. For someone on earth will see the star,
someone will hear the Angel voices, someone will run to Bethlehem,
someone will know peace and goodwill:
The Christ will come! Alleluia! Amen!
Benediction - Ginny Ellis
Praise Band tag
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Announcements:
Today, December 31
A Stephen Minister is available at the close of this service
Monday, January 1
Happy New Year! Church Office closed; no activities on campus
Wednesday, January 3
Praise Band rehearsal, 7 p.m., Youth Center
Friday, January 5
Men’s Bible Study, 8 a.m., Room N-123
Men's Lunch Bible Study, 12 p.m., via Zoom
Sunday, January 7
Childcare available 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Pickups, Room S-203
Faith Journey class meets at 9:45 a.m. in Room S-202
Power Hour class meets at 10 a.m. in the Youth Center
Young Adults/Parents class meets at 10 a.m. in Room S-206
Teens class meets at 10 a.m. in Room S-205 (every other week)
Concert by solo organist Bradley Welch, 4 p.m., Sanctuary
Upcoming Events:
Monday, January 8, 2:30 p.m., Faith & Fiction, Room N-123. This month’s book will be “Sisters of Night and Fog,” by Erica Robuck.
Monday, January 15, Church Office closed for MLK Day
Tuesday, January 16, 9 a.m., New Beth Moore Bible Study starts (“A Study of Philippians - The Surpassing Value of Knowing Christ”)
Wednesday, January 17, 6 p.m., Beach Drive Forum: “Trouble in Paradise: Our Allergies” by Dr. Harrison (Jamie) Brownlee