November 29 Bulletin

Claremont United Church of Christ Sunday, November 29, 2020 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 Sleepers, Wake! A Voice is Calling Bach INTROIT I Believe in the Sun Miller WELCOME ADVENT WREATH LIGHTING Paul-Lopez Family ANTHEM Prepare the Royal Highway Campbell CALL TO WORSHIP One: Our crooked paths need straightening and our busy lives need quieting; All: Let us prepare the way of the Lord. One: We the people walk in darkness and our conflicts long for reconciling; All: Let us prepare the way of the Lord. One: Our hearts cry out for healing and all of creation calls out with us: All: O come, O come, Emmanuel. OPENING HYMN O Come, O Come, Emmanuel VENI EMMANUEL O come, O come, Emmanuel And bless the place your peo-ple dwell. Melt ev’ry weapon craft-ed for war Bring peace u-pon the earth for-ever more. Rejoice, rejoice! Take heart and do not fear, God’s chosen one, Emmanuel, draws near. O come, strong branch of Jes-se, free Your own from Satan’s ty-ranny; Forge justice for the poor and the meek, Grant safety for the young ones and the weak. Rejoice, rejoice! Take heart and do not fear, God’s chosen one, Emmanuel, draws near. O come now, living water, pour your grace, And bring new life to ev’ry withered place; Speak comfort to each trem-bling heart: “Be strong! Fear not, for I will ne’er depart.” Rejoice, rejoice! Take heart and do not fear,

God’s chosen one, Emmanuel, draws near. ADVENT PRAYER God who journeys with us, As we prepare for your arrival this Advent season, we are walking through this life one day at a time. We travel through this wilderness searching for meaning. We travel through the pandemic searching for hope. We journey through our divided nation longing for justice and healing. We make our way toward Bethlehem seeking a Savior. Prepare our hearts and minds so we may notice when you are in our midst. Amen. WORDS OF COMFORT & JOY One: The true light is coming into the world. All: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness shall not overcome it. Amen. PASSING OF THE PEACE One: May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. SERMON ON THE STEPS OFFERING/MUSIC I Wonder and as I Wander arr. J.J. Niles Adrien Matthews and Don Mohr DEDICATION SCRIPTURE Isaiah 65:17-25 17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;

for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity;[a] for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. SERMON Home for the Holidays: Longing for Home Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland MUSIC VIDEO PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER (These are prayers compiled by our church’s Prayer Team each week and reflect the contents of our own hearts.) One: …We pray, 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 ARTIST Go Tell it On the Mountain Traditional Adrien Matthews and Don Mohr BENEDICTION CLOSING RESPONSE Good Christian Friends, Rejoice IN DULCI JUBILO

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice; Now ye need not fear the grave; Jesus Christ was born to save! Calls you one and calls you all to gain the everlasting hall. Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save! POSTLUDE Trumpet Tune on ‘Sleepers, Wake!’ Sobaje WAYS TO DONATE TO THE CHURCH: 1. Mail in your donation (233 W. Harrison Ave., Claremont, CA 91711) 2. Contribute on our website: claremontucc.org 3. Text an amount to (909) 343-5901 4. Set up automatic giving through your bank Reflection Questions About Today's Worship * What was the most meaningful moment of worship for you today? * What is one new question or idea today's worship service inspired for you

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 Director of Music & Fine Arts Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz Dr. Jonathan Campbell [email protected], x230 [email protected], x242 Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland [email protected], x 228 Children’s Music Director Ms. Sarah Shufeldt Finance & Payroll Administrator [email protected] Ms. Jocelyn Bocking [email protected], x225 Principal Organist Dr. Carey Robertson Office Manager [email protected] Ms. Jasmine Tomita [email protected], Moderator (Council President) x222 Mr. Tad Creasey [email protected] Minister of Children, Youth, & Families Director of the Early Childhood Rev. DJ Severin Center [email protected], x227 Ms. Kristy Knight [email protected], x226 Children, Youth, & Families Assistant Ms. Elizabeth Zehm [email protected] Junior High Youth Director Ms. Zoe Estrada [email protected]