December 5 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, December 5, 2021 10:00 am We are an Open and Affirming congregation, welcoming into our full life and ministry persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, races, socioeconomic status, faith experiences, countries of origin, and abilities. Jesus welcomes everyone and so do we!

A CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP CLAREMONT UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST PRELUDE Of the Father’s Love Begotten Gilbert Martin Chorale Prelude on ‘From Heaven Above to Earth I Come’ Johann Pachelbel INTROIT Lift Up Your Heads, O Mighty Gates TRURO CALL TO WORSHIP One: At his birth, the angels proclaimed it! All: He is the Wonderful Counselor, Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace. One: He is coming once again to teach us how to live lives filled with love. All: Come, let us worship Jesus, the King of Kings! OPENING HYMN #116 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel VENI EMMANUEL (verses 1-5, 7) WELCOME ADVENT WREATH LIGHTING The Estraya/Coxen Family PRAYER OF CONFESSION Gentle Savior, we confess that we have trouble believing in a King in our lives. Early in our nation's history, we rejected monarchy as something undesirable. Yet, we are called to recognize You as the King of our lives, our sovereign ruler. Your kingdom is based on the laws of love, and you try again and again to teach us how to love God and one another. Yet our world is filled with fear and loneliness, hunger and disease, hopelessness and pain. Forgive us for losing sight of your guidance. Forgive us for being weak witnesses to the power of your grace. Lead us once more to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those imprisoned, and welcome the stranger. Rule our lives so that we might truly be instruments of your peace and justice. Amen. ASSURANCE One: …Be assured, my friends, that the love of Jesus Christ will never leave you. All: Let us be Christ’s witnesses throughout the world. Amen.

PASSING OF THE PEACE One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. LITURGICAL SONG Where Children Belong James Ritchie This, this is where children belong, welcomed as part of the worshipping throng. Water, God’s Word, bread and cup, prayer and song: This is where children belong. SERMON ON THE STEPS Rev. Laurel Capesius OFFERING/ANTHEM O Rex gloriae Luca Marenzio RESPONSE What Child Is This GREENSLEEVES Bring gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh; come join in jubilation; The Holy Child, though meek and mild, has come with God’s salvation. This, this the angels sing, is Christ, God’s holy offering; Haste, haste your praise to bring the babe, the child of Mary! DEDICATION SCRIPTURE Matthew 6:24 24 “No one can serve two masters; for a servant will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. SERMON Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz King of Kings: Jesus vs. The Great Rulers of History “Jesus vs. Mansa Musa” HYMN Light Dawns on a Weary World TEMPLE OF PEACE Light dawns on a weary world when eyes begin to see all people’s dignity. Light dawns on a weary world: the promised day of justice comes. The trees shall clap their hands; the dry lands, gush with springs; the hills and mountains shall break forth with singing! We shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace, as all the world in wonder echoes shalom.

Love grows in a weary world when hungry hearts find bread and children’s dreams are fed. Love grows in a weary world: the promised feast of plenty comes. The trees shall clap their hands; the dry lands, gush with springs; the hills and mountains shall break forth with singing! We shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace, as all the world in wonder echoes shalom. Hope blooms in a weary world when creatures, once forlorn, find wilderness reborn. Hope blooms in a weary world: the promised green of Eden comes. The trees shall clap their hands; the dry lands, gush with springs; the hills and mountains shall break forth with singing! We shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace, as all the world in wonder echoes shalom. COMMUNION One: God be with you. All: And also with you. One: Lift up your hearts! All: We lift them up to God. One Let us give thanks to God. All: It is right to give God our thanks and praise. One: …Therefore, we join our voices with all the saints who have gone before us, of every time and place, who forever sing of your joy: All: Holy are you, God who remembers us, and blessed is Jesus Christ, Your creative Word. Bringing us light in the darkness, conquering death so that we may look forward to eternal life. One: As we reflect on his life, his ministry, his love, we remember all that he has done for us, that mysterious story we call faith: All: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again! PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER To honor the power of both the traditional and new versions of the Lord’s Prayer, we will alternate which version we pray each week. One: … We pray in your strong and capable name, O Jesus, using the words you teach us:

All: Our Father/Mother/Creator who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom/kin-dom 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom/kin-dom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. GUEST MUSIC Schaffe in mir, Gott, ein reines Herz Heinrich Schütz Alexandra Grabarchuk, mezzo-soprano David Rentz, tenor BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE #116 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel VENI EMMANUEL (verse 6) POSTLUDE Fugue on ‘From Heaven Above to Earth I Come’ Pachelbel ALTAR FLOWERS Today's altar flowers are given by Edd and Judi Ridderbusch in celebration of Advent and as a gift to our wonderful congregation!

HYMN COMMENTARY My Soul Gives Glory to my God #119 Miriam Therese Winter (b. 1938) was a doctoral student at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1987 when she recorded this hymn. Winter is a Medical Mission Sister who has been writing religious songs since Vatican II, a council that greatly liberated worship and hymnody in the church. Her most recent publication presents 100 of her songs from several decades of hymn writing. A hymnbook (printed in 1816) by Ananias Davisson (1780-1857) for use in Presbyterian churches included this tune. Davisson used shape notes, a method of musical notation developed to help untrained singers to present the sort of songs that were favorites in the rural South. CLAREMONT UCC PRAYER LIST Join us in prayer this week for the following individuals. Would you like to get involved with the Prayer Team? Please contact Judi Bayer at (215) 350-3397 or email [email protected]. THOSE SEEKING ENCOURAGEMENT: Mary Alexander, twin of Martha Stephenson Tim McCann, Jasmine and Anna Gatto-McCann, Katrina Armienti, friend of Carolyn Barbera friends of Blair & Chris Aldworth Casey & Sarah Boatman, Tatum & Everett, Linda Hodson & Family, CUCC member Family of Sandy Wittwer & Galen Kenoyer Randi McKee & Family, friend of Blair Aldworth Elaine Bumiller, CUCC member Valeria Pizzetti, friend of Dona Turk Jill Carol, CUCC member Christy Powell, friend of Ali Perreault Irma Castaneda, CUCC attender Mario Ramos, Adelanto detainee Cynthia Chertos, CUCC member Gary Roswell, friend of Sandy Fasano The DiMitri Family, family of the Barbera’s Jennifer Stephenson, CUCC staff Ellen Feyk, CUCC member Lucy, Claire, & John Stover, friends of Linda Tajima Victoria Findlay & Allison Thomkins, Paul Towne, family of Howard Towne CUCC member & her daughter Carol & Linda, friends of Kay Brand Charles Folks, family of Marsha Madison Roger & Jeane, friends of Ruth Sandberg Leventhal Family, friends of Francesco Barbera

FOR HEALTH AND HEALING: Caitlin Antrim, friend of Jean Marston Josephine Miller, mother of Deborah Castillero Robert Apodaca, friend of Lydia de los Rios Debbie Mitchell, CUCC member Tony Araunz-Martinez, friend of Maureen Moorman Patricia Molina, aunt of Beatriz Roman Castellanos Stacey Ballard Mila Moncayo, friend of Francesco Barbera Lori Barbera, mother of Francesco Barbera Jeffrey Mulder, son of Sheri Mulder Cristina Bergfalk, mother of Benjamin & family of Cynthia Munos, daughter of Juan Munoz Virginia Bergfalk Steve Murray, extended family of Judith Bayer Stephanie Bertleson, Betty Frank’s niece Myles Nielson, grandson of Bea Gallegos Debbie Brown, friend of Judi Bayer Barbara Patch, friend of Ruth Abel Carlene Cable, friend of Sherry McCauley Madeline Patane, CUCC member Linda Carney, niece-in-law of Linda Corbin Greg Pavlik, friend of Marsha Madison Alice Chin, CUCC attender Jessie Colby Pryce, friend of Linda & Craig Cummings Denise Christopoulos, friend of Sandy Fasano Whitney Relf Barbara Coates, CUCC member Jenna Robinson, friend of Rita Dixon Hazel & Claudia Corbin, aunt and cousin of Linda Margo Rouette, CUCC member Corbin Lawrence Randall Rutt, father of Christopher Rutt Russell Corbin, cousin of Linda Corbin Jay Sharp, CUCC member Linda Cummings, CUCC member Cheryl Sims, friend of Marsha Madison Toni de los Rios, cousin of Lydia de los Rios Bo & Wayne Sims, brother and sister in-law of Marsha MaryAnn Delgadillo, mother of Christopher Madison Delgadillo Nancy Skidmore, cousin of Judith Bayer Tom Dixon, brother of Jerry Dixon Todd Songer, friend of Diana Miller Margaret Duffy, extended family of Dali Podenski Joyce Sorrento, family of the Barbera’s Erica & Haley Enos, CUCC member & sister Mickey & Sandra Spiker, friends of Tim & Peggy Matthew Enriquez, friend of Scott Bohlender Constantine, Denise Spooner, & Joe Marino Levi Entereso, CUCC member Larry Starkweather, friend of Sandra Wittwer Sandy French, friend of Marsha Madison Kathy Starr, friend of Sherry McCauley Laurie Giesenhagen, CUCC member Martha Stephenson, CUCC member James Golubic, brother of Judith Bayer Julius M. Steubing, CUCC member Jennifer Grande, CUCC member Lorraine Telles, friend of Marta D’Anda Kimberly Griffin, CUCC attender Jennalee Thurston, mother of Wayne Thurston Iris Harleman, friend of Shirley Jones Michael Toomay, son of Bea Gallegos Dixie Hegg, mother of Wendy Anson Jocelyn Tuchon, daughter of Merritt Verrill Bill Hodson, father of Linda Hodson Teresa Tulcan, friend of Anne Forburger Joan Hunter, Granny of Zoe Estrada Dakota Van Fossen, friend of Peggy Kelly David Jamieson, CUCC member Sandi Walter, CUCC member Terri King, CUCC member Shirley Washington, CUCC member Michal Kohout, husband of Anne Bennett Chris Weldon, friend of Christopher Fairchild Courtney Koverman, daughter of Briggs Gamblin Kathy Widmer, friend of Cynthia Moreno Diana Krumme, friend of Dali Podenski Donna Williams, extended family of Shirley Jones Olivia Lakner, family friend of Carolyn Barbera Rev. Maria Wilson, CUCC attender Elaine & Ed Larson, friends of Dona Turk Catherine Yamasaki, friend of Sandy Fasano Kathleen Leo, CUCC member Troy Zeleny, nephew of Anne Stromberg Nola Lewallen, mother of John Lewallen Ava & her father, Mike, friend of Ruth Abel Marlene Lobb, friend of Anne Stromberg Benjamin, grandson of Virginia Bergfalk Bob Lominska, brother of Susan Lominska Brian, friend of Tina Kambarian Frank & Barbara Malone, friends of Judith Bayer Chad, friend of Christopher Fairchild Jim Marino, brother of Joe Marino Esperanza & Hector, extended family of Siliva Jan Marshall, CUCC attender Giordano Sherry McCauley, CUCC member Ruthie, friend of Valerie Carrick Leslie McLouhlin, extended family of Diana Miller Simolena, grandmother of Sherry McCauley’s nurse Joseph Mikesell, nephew of Sandy Gabel

PLEASE BE IN TOUCH Claremont United Church of Christ 233 W. Harrison Ave., Claremont, CA 91711 (909) 626-1201 | claremontucc.org @uccclaremont Claremont United Church of Christ Senior Pastors Directors of Music & Fine Arts Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz Dr. Alexandra Grabarchuk [email protected], x230 [email protected], x242 Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland Dr. David Rentz [email protected], x228 [email protected], x242 Finance & Payroll Administrator Principal Organist Ms. Jocelyn Bocking Dr. Carey Robertson [email protected], x225 [email protected] Office Manager Building Manager Ms. Jasmine Tomita Mr. Adam Thomas [email protected], [email protected], x222 x240 Minister of Children, Youth, & Technology Director Families Mr. Jon Van Rev. Laurel Capesius [email protected] [email protected] Technology Assistant Children, Youth, & Families Mr. Josh Ngo Assistant [email protected] Ms. Elizabeth Zehm [email protected] ASL Interpreter Ms. Rebecca McAllister Junior High Youth Director Ms. Zoe Estrada Moderator (Council President) [email protected] Ms. Rita Dixon [email protected] Director of the ECC Ms. Kristy Knight Pastor Emeritus [email protected], x226 Rev. Dr. Homer “Butch” Henderson