YOUR Church for All Seasons. YOUR Church for All Reasons!
The Higganum United Methodist Church is located on Route 154 between Haddam Elementary School and Higgies Restaurant. Please join us for worship and Christian fellowship on Sunday from 9:00am to 10:00am with a coffee hour following the service. Sunday School 9:30- 10:00 (During the school year). 248 Saybrook Road PO Box 475 Higganum, CT 06441 (860)345-4622 humcsecretary@att.net
Directions for Joining Worship Service: November 29, 2020
Topic: Worship Service (Higganum UMC)
Time: Nov 29, 2020 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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WORSHIP SERVICE
Higganum United Methodist Church
Sunday, November 29, 2020 at 9:00 AM
(First Sunday of Advent)
GATHERING: Greeting & Announcement
Calling for Prayers at 7:14 am
Memory Verse: “See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1)
Prayer Meeting Thursday, December 3 at 8:00 pm
Greening of the Church Today
Annual Charge Conference
Cooperative Parish (Today at 2:30 pm)
Higganum UMC & Rocky Hill (Mon. 11/30 at 7:30 pm)
Faithful Giving Higganum UMC (℅ Betty Cernan), P.O. Box 475, 248 Saybrook Rd., Higganum, CT 06441.
Village Market Receipts: Save them and bring to church for the benefit of our church! See Mary Ellen!
Wreaths Across America: $15.00 (State Veteran Cemetery in Middletown, Send a check to Doolittle Funeral Home, 14 Church St. Middletown, CT 06457)
*Call to Worship
Leader: If only the heavens would tear open and God would come down!
People: The mountains would shake and tremble — all earth would stand in awe!
Leader: People have turned their backs on God, believing that they, under their own power, can right all wrongs.
People: We have failed miserably when we depend only on ourselves.
Leader: Be with us, O Lord. Tear open our hearts and pour your love into our lives.
People: Give us confidence in you, for you are always with us. AMEN.
Hymn (Sung by Kelly Burns)
Honoring Youth Hero 2020: Eduardo Karkutt-Kulak
Prayer of Confession
“Make it easy for us to figure out,” we cry as we seek signs of God’s presence. We want it simple. Just tell us and we can take the proper precautions. There are signs all around of God’s presence among us – both in that which has been created and in the newness of creation of everyday living. We’re looking for signs of gloom and doom – but we should be looking for signs of hope and triumph. Forgive us, merciful God, when we spend so much time looking for the scary things in life. Focus our attention on ways in which we can be of service with whatever time we have. Forgive us when we seek the darkness of anger and fear and turn our backs on the light of possibilities and peace. Open our hearts once again to your redeeming love and transforming peace, for we ask these things in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
Silent Moment
Words of Assurance
Lighting the Advent Candle
Leader: If ever there was a year we needed Advent, this is the year. We hardly know how to describe the year we have lived through. We hesitate to reflect on all the mess around us in 2020. All we know is that nothing seems right, nothing seems like it used to be, nothing. We need Advent! People: The prophet Isaiah cried out for us, “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down … To make your name known … so that nations might tremble at your presence.” So tear through the mess, O Lord, and come down to us again. We long to be your people, a people of hope.
Leader: We light this first candle as a sign of our hope. Hope that you can meet us, even in the mess of our world. Hope that you still see us, though we feel we are lost in the rubble. Let this light be the guide that brings us to Emmanuel once more. People: O Come, O Come Emmanuel. (*Light the first Candle!)
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 64:1-9
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence — as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil — to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people.
Leader: The word of God.
People: Thank be to God.
Psalter Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 UMH #801
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth!
In the presence of Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might, and come to save us!
Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us the scorn of our neighbors; and our enemies laugh among themselves.
Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
But let your hand be upon those of your right hand, the ones whom you have made strong for yourself!
Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name!
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
*Gospel Lesson Mark 13:24-37
“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
Leader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God!
SHARING OUR JOYS & CONCERNS
Happy Birthdays or Anniversary to
Lillian Meyer (11/30); Susan Waide (12/2)
Stephen Smith (12/5); Sonja Sousa (12/5)
Elizabeth Janice Foster (12/5)
Prayer Request
Healing Audrey Roberts, Everett Spencer, Peter’s mother & sister, Peter Mascaro’s mother Judy, Paula Graves, Kacey Koch, Joshua, Susan Waide (Georgette, Tom, Shirley, Grace, Maddy’s mom, Tim, Jordan Juback, Anders, Jenn and her mother Jeanne, Cousin Paul, Vilma, Jill); Rebecca Hicks; Kristin McKenzie, Cindy Miller, Kelly’s friend Kelly, Jim’s brother
Recovery David Wilson, Darlene Larson, Michael Burns
Wellbeing Jack Cernan, Larry Scovill, Bill Franklin, Ben Turner, Greg Bosco, Douglas Foster, Clifford Skinner, Mary KK’s sisters, & the isolated
Wisdom & Strength For leaders, essential & healthcare workers (Stephen & Shannon Zarger, Shannon Burkle, Craig & Jenny Evans, Joshua Meyer, Bethany); Victims of natural disasters
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER
RESPONSE
OFFERING OF OUR TITHES AND GIFTS
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Sermon “He Is Near!” Pastor Ahn
Hymn (Sung by Kelly Burns)
Benediction
ALL Church services will be online as well as IN PERSON and a prayer/check in meeting each week. The links will be posted here for your convenience. Please stay well!
Psalms, Proverbs, Paul, and Revelation Jeopardy
Childrens Bible Study Jeopardy
The Books of the Bible Jeopardy
The Books of the Bible part two Jeopardy
Best New Testament TEST FOR Adults Childrens Bible Study
FINAL Church History TEST FOR Adults and Children (1)
The FINAL Old and New Testament QUIZ FOR Adults and Children (2)
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UPCOMING EVENTS AT HIGGANUM UMC
Sunday school will resume in the future.
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