Order of Worship, Grafton Community Church, 12-14-25
Bill Watson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Grafton Community Church Worship
Time: Meeting – 9:45 a.m. December 14, 2025
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**In the sanctuary, masks and a safe social distance are suggested, especially when singing or responding in prayer!!!
Order of Worship, Grafton Community Church, 12-14-25 –third Sunday of Advent
Prelude (Ken Olsson, Music Minister)
(After entering Zoom or the Sanctuary, please use mute or observe silence to allow all to prepare for worship. Thank you & Blessings)
The First Noel (John Carter)
Joy to the World (Lloyd Larson)
Mary, Did You Know? (Dan Coates)
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Gilbert M. Martin)
Awake! Awake and Greet the New Morn (Mark Hayes)
Welcome and Announcements (Linda Robertson, Council Chair)
No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!
*Please observe a moment of silence; so we may each offer our prayers and praise to Creator, Christ & Holy Spirit.
*Hymn #138 “Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn” ©
1 Awake! Awake and greet the new morn, for angels herald its dawning.
sing out your joy, for soon he is is born, behold! the Child of our longing.
Come as a baby weak and poor, to bring all hearts together,
He opens wide the heavenly door, and lives now inside us forever.
2 In deepest night His coming shall be, when all the world is despairing,
as morning light so quiet and free, so warm and gentle and caring.
Then shall the silent join in song, the tired shall leap in wonder,
the weak be raised above the strong and weapons be broken asunder.
3 Rejoice, rejoice, take heart in the night, though dark the winter and cheerless,
the rising sun shall crown you with light, be strong and loving and fearless;
Love be our song and love our prayer, and love, our endless story,
may God fill every day we share, and bring us at last into glory.
All lyrics © 1995 Chalice Press
Used by Permission. CCLI License #21383697
* Advent Call to Worship
One: God of Joy, we seek You.
Many: During this holy season of Advent, help us to see You in all whom we encounter.
One: God of Joy, we seek you.
Many: We seek You in the crude manger, a child born to save the world. May Your Joy be a
comfort to all who long for it.
One: God of Joy, we seek you.
Many: May Your Joy fill our hearts and grace our lips so we might reflect your Joy for
all the world.
* Unison Prayer (by Joanna Harader/Spacious Faith)
Holy God of Joy, we rejoice in the reality of who You are. We live within the joy of Your love for us. Our contentment comes and goes. Our happiness ebbs and flows. Our feelings depend upon our circumstances. But our joy is deeply rooted in our identity as Your beloved children. For this, we give You thanks. Amen.
* Response Hymn #142 “People Look East” (verse 3)
(Candle lighters come forward during this hymn)
Stars keep the watch. When night is dim, One more light the bowl shall brim.
Shining beyond the frosty weather, Bright as the sun and moon together.
People look east and sing today: Love the star is on the way
Reader:
This is the traditional Gaudete (Gow-day’-te) Sunday of Advent. In Latin Gaudete means rejoice.
That’s why this Sunday we will light the pink candle to symbolize the renewal of our joy.
This Sunday we turn away from the darkness – the wilderness – of our past and rejoice at the prospect of a new life – not just for us but the world.
God of Joy, you enter the wilderness of our world and proclaim that there is a way to reach home again. You break through clouds of despair and sorrow to bring good news to your people . . .
You send hope into the world in the form of a tiny baby.
Many: We, God’s people, sing songs of joy with the prophet, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God” (Isaiah 61:10).
(The pink candle is lighted)
Reader:
On this third Sunday of Advent, we light three candles, knowing that joy is our true home. Amen.
*Response: Hymn 128 “One Candle Is Lit” (verse 3)
(Candle lighters return to their seats during this hymn)
Come festively sing while awaiting the birth, join the angels in dancing from heaven to earth.
Wave Banners of good news, lift high thankful praise. One Candle is lit for the joy of these days.
Scripture:
Psalm 146: 5-10
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God,
who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD!
Luke 1: 46-55
[Having heard the Angel Gabriel’s message that she would conceive a Holy Child of God and that her elderly cousin Elizabeth had also conceived a son, Mary travelled to Judea to be with Elizabeth.
When Mary entered the house, Elizabeth asked, why has the mother of my Lord come to me?
And Mary answered:]
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name;
indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
*Hymn #124 “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”
1 Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly-minded, for with blessing in his hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.
2 Truly God, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood,
word of God, in human vesture, in the body and the blood,
Christ will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.
3 Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.
4 At his feet the six-winged seraph; cherubim with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the Presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry,
"Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, God most high!"
Reflection: “ Joy from Age to Age ” Pastor Bill Watson
Synopsis: As we seek rejoicing and joy on this, the Third Sunday of Advent, we might be puzzled by the lack of joy in the world around us and wonder how we can rejoice. Over and over again, however, our scriptures show that real joy is to be found in our faith in God and within each of us, not in the symbols of security from this world.
*Hymn #143 “Joy to the World
1 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.
2 Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3 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.
Offerings of the People
You can present your offering for the work of Grafton Community Church, using the “Donate Now” button on our Facebook page at The Grafton Church, or on our web site www.graftoncommunitychurch.org (The button may actually say “Shop Now,” but it has the same function.
Offertory: (Music Minster Ken Olsson)
Quiet Thoughts (R. Kevin Boesiger)
Response: Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God all creatures here below – Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God above the source of gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts.
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit – Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Offertory Prayer of Dedication
The Benediction & 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.
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.
Postlude: (Music Minister Ken Olsson)
Joy to the World (Marianne Kim)
Please greet your neighbors on Zoom or at a “Safe Social Distance” in the sanctuary, as the postlude ends. On Zoom unmute your mikes, share greetings and the peace of this virtual space.
Masks are optional but suggested in the sanctuary!
Grafton Prayer List:
Our Planet Earth * Immigrants experiencing or facing detention or deportation in their loneliness and fear *Those enduring times of stress *Those with PTSD & their families *Beloved pets of Grafton *Mary Karam, & the Humes family *Arlene & Ron Carey *Gaelle McLoud *The Rowley family *Carol Bason *Arthur Park *Norm Robertson *Nancy Merrill *Dick Warren *Cecile Fisher Smith *Dennis Scharback *Todd Baker (Pastor Watson’s friend) *Linda Preziosi *Christine Tattersall *Gayle Arbuckle *Jim Webb (Angela Moulton’s Father) *Karen Hunt *David Lambert *Sophie Field *Irene Rice *Max Brown *Dick Desrochers *Ben Williams (Pastor King’s husband) *Patricia Donatelli *Lorrie Young *Sherry Brown & Family *Ed Gruelich
Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones
*Irene Rice & family *Family & friends of Liam Parker (Michele Chickering’s son) *Family & friends of Jerry Goldlust (Christine Tattersall’s close friend) *Family & friends of Bob Wright *Family & friends of Barbara Andrews (Meg Gonzalez’ mom) *Family & friends of Bob Haseltine *Family & friends of Donald F.M. Bolton *Family & friends of Denize Schemm *Family & friends of Helen Lanoie (mother of Andre Lanoie) * Family & friends of Bernard “Pete” Haley *Family & friends of Donna Rice *Family & friends of Galen Pinkham *Family & friends of Susan Lathrop *Family & friends of David James Smith (Cecile Smith’s brother in law) *Family & friends of David Fischmann (partner of Katherine Brown) *Family & friends of Estelle Pieth *Family & friends of Dave Robinson *Family & friends of Debbie Wright *Family & friends of Stephan Fitzsimmons (Caidin Domeracki’s grandfather)
Extended Care:
*Dottie Royal, Bromley Manor, 2595 Depot St., Manchester, VT 05255
*Rev. Catherine Cadieux, Sterling House, 33 Atkinson Street, Bellows Falls VT 05101
Grafton Community Church, 55 Main Street, PO Box 158, Grafton, VT, 05146, United States
(802) 843-2346 Graftonchurch@gmail.com
Our Website: www.graftoncommunitychurch.org
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