Click right here Sunday shortly before 10:00 AM to join our online service.

A candle of Joy is lit on the 3rd Sunday in Advent, a time of waiting and preparation, anticipating new life and possibility. We will explore how we can invite more joy into our lives. 

“Making Ready-Opening to Joy”

Click right here Sunday shortly before 10:00 AM to join our online service.

Order of Service 
Sunday, December 12, 2021

Welcome                                                                        Rev. Telos Whitfield

Board Greeting & Announcements                                  Robert Wyckoff           

Prelude: “My Favorite Things”  Rodgers and Hammerstein 
                            from “The Sound of Music”
                                  Eva Greene, piano

Chalice Lighting:                                                              Maisie Crowther                               
“May the light of our chalice offer an opening to joy found in the smallest and largest moments of living.”                                                                                   

Opening Words                                                         Rev. Telos Whitfield  

Lighting our Advent Wreath                                                   

Opening Hymn #226:  “People Look East”     Traditional French Carol
Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965),        lyrics  Marty Haugen, producer

           
Story For All of Us: “Joy” by Corinne Averiss

Sharing Our Covenant                                                  Trish Murtha
“We build our church on a foundation of love, 
and covenant with one another: 
to freely explore our values and honor our diversity 
as a source of communal strength, 
to accept responsibility for our individual acts 
and promote justice and peace, 
to celebrate the joys of discovery, 
embracing the fullest measure of our humanity, 
to communicate with kindness and support, 
to serve with compassion and commitment, 
to openly share our laughter and tears, and 
to show reverence for the divine in all that is.” 
(Covenant adopted on April 17, 2001) 
                                               
Anthem:  “Carol of the Bells”  
         composed by M.  Leontovitch/P. Wilhousky
            arranged by Steve Kupferschmid
              All Souls Choir, Tom Baehr, Director

Sharing Readings

Sermon: “Making Ready-Opening to Joy”     Rev. Telos Whitfield

Hymn #21:  “For the Beauty of the Earth”
F.S.Pierpoint, lyrics,       Conrad Kocher, music,
sung by George Carvill and Ellie Weiss

Offering shared with Groundworks Collaborative

Offertory:   “Gigue” from French Suite V    J.S. Bach
           (The “gigue” originated from the English jig)                    
                        Eva Greene, piano

Candles of Joys and Concerns                                          

Closing Hymn #1058: “Be Ours a Religion”
                Theodore Parker, lyrics      Thomas Benjamin, Music
                             Christina Gibbons, soprano

Extinguishing the Chalice                                         Maisie Crowther
“As we extinguish our flame, let us keep the energy of this light alive in the words we share and the actions we choose.  May our light represent the compassion, commitment and open embrace of this community.”                                        

Closing Circle: “Carry the Flame of Peace and Love” (sung two times)

Benediction                                                               Rev. Telos Whitfield

Coffee Hour and Conversation