D e c e m b e r 1 0 , 2 0 2 3 T h e S e c o n d S u n d a y o f
A d v e n t
T h e S e c o n d S u n d a y o f
Adult Sunday School @ 9:30 AM Sunday In-Person and Livestream Worship Service @ 10:45 AM “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14 NRSV
The Church on the Hill, Near the Cross, In the Word and on the move for Christ
&KXUFK ,QIRUPDWLRQ 7KH 5HYHUHQG 'U :D\QH ( &URIW 6U Senior Pastor 2IILFH 6WDII $GPLQLVWUDWLYe 0DQDJHU Carlene Mahan Technical Administrative Assistant: Tiffany Grier %RRNNHHSHU Carlene Mahan Lead 6H[WRQ Stan Edwards
6XQGD\
Monday
Youth Church Sunday @ 10:45 AM
Pastor’s Prayer Call @ 7:00 AM
Adult Sunday School now in person @ 9:30 AM
Monday - Friday
Sunday Service on Livestream @ 10:45 AM
KAIROS Call @ 1:00 PM :HGQHVGD\ Bible Study on Zoom @ 7:00 PM
&KXUFK 2IILFH +RXUV Monday through Friday 9AM - 4 PM One Hagerty Blvd. West Chester, PA 19382 610.692.2446 www.stpaulsbaptist.org
ADVENT LITANY : PEACE
LEADER: A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
PEOPLE: Come, long-expected Prince of Peace ignite in me anew, a hunger for peace in the world, peace in my community, peace in my home, and peace within me.
LEADER: God did not promise that the world would be humane and just, nor would it be free from war and disagreements. However, God did give us a gift, the Lord of Peace Himself, with the promise to give us peace.
PEOPLE: Come, long-expected Prince of Peace ignite in me anew, a hunger for peace in the world, peace in my community, peace in my home, and peace within me.
LEADER: We are all God’s people, connected, interrelated, and interdependent on one another in a world of great division because of race, class, income, gender, ethnic culture, violence, hatred, and religion that prevents the unity of the human family. However, God did give us a gift, The Shiloh, Peace-Maker, in whom all nations will be blessed.
PEOPLE: Come, long-expected Prince of Peace, ignite in me anew, a hunger for peace in the world, peace in my community, peace in my home, and peace within me.
ALL: God calls us to do what is honorable and right. Justice and kindness make way for healing and peace. As followers of our Christ, the Prince of Peace, we have been called to peace, not only to have peace, but to make peace. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
Order of Worship The Second Sunday of Advent Sunday, December 10, 2023 Rev. Orville Brissett Minister of Music and Worship Arts
Minister Elaine Smith Worship Leader
Praise and Worship Lighting of the Advent Candle The Call to Worship The Choral Introit……… Holy, Holy, Holy….…........Congregation Prayer of Invocation..….….……..................Minister Elaine Smith Prayer Chant…………….The Lord’s Prayer………..Congregation
** ***
Musical Interlude……………………..……………………… Advent Litany………………………………………………. The Hymn of Consecration “Let There Be Peace On Earth”..Inspirational Choir
* ***
Greeting our Visitors…..…………............…Sister Judy Henderson Pastoral Emphasis & Scripture Lesson............... Rev. Dr. Wayne E. Croft Sr., The Ministry of Giving Offertory Prayer…….…...............................Trustee Carmen Lesesne
**
Announcements …..……..................................................................... Prayer of Intercession………...…..........….....Deacon Larry Wright Choral Response.…...……………..…………………..………...
**
The Ministry of Music
Sermonic Selection... “Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior”..Inspirational Choir “We don’t need another political uprising. We don’t need another conqueror on the scene. What we need is a special word, that will bond within our hearts and give us direction from above. We need a Word from the Lord. A Word from the Lord. Just one Word from the Lord, will remove all the doubts and cause the sun to shine and give peace of mind. Speak Lord, Speak Lord.”
The Ministry of Preaching The Reverend Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr.
“In Search of Peace” Isaiah 40:1-11 NRSV *Call to Discipleship
Departing to Serve
*PleaseStand **UshersMaySeatWorshippers ***Congregation Seated Worship with us online at https://stpaulsbaptist.org/
16
Home Daily Bible Readings MONDAY “Tamar’s Risk-taking Faith” (Genesis 38:6-11,13-18,24-26) TUESDAY “Rahab’s Faith” (Joshua 2:1-6,8-16) WEDNESDAY “Patient Faith” (James 5:1-11) THURSDAY “God’s Grave Overflowed” (1 Timothy 1:12-17) FRIDAY “Bathsheba’s Challenged Faith” (2 Samuel 11:1-5, 26-12:1, 4-7a, 15-16, 24) SATURDAY “God, the Stronghold for the Opressed” (Psalm 9:1-14) SUNDAY “A Family Tree Characterized by Faith” (Matthew 1:1-17 )
MINISTRY MOMENTS CLOTHING MINISTRY-ACCEPTING WINTER CLOTHES OPEN TUESDAYS 1PM-3PM QUILTING MINISTRY-TUESDAYS 6PM-8PM CHOIRINSPIRATIONAL CHOIR PRACTICE TUESDAYS @ 7PM ** Heartfelt thanks to our St. Paul’s family for helping with the success of the Children's Coat Drive. We donated 128 coats, hats, scarves and gloves. Rev. Val Andrews was overwhelmed with Joy! Deaconess Dr. Denise Ray Chair -Deaconess Ministry
Church Family the following items will help us serve with greater efficiency: Any items that you need to be placed in the Sunday Bulle�n must be submitted to the Church Office by noon on Wednesday. You may email your announcement informa�on to assistantsecretary@stpaulsbap�st.org. If informa�on is received a�er the deadline, it will be placed in the next upcoming Sunday Bulle�n. Announcements will only be placed in the bulletin 3 weeks prior to the event. Any in-service Ministry announcements can be sent to spbcannouncementministry@gmail.com. They will announce Pastoral Emphasis and St. Paul’s ministry news only. The deadline is Monday to be announced 3 weeks out. Any item of informa�on for Pastoral Emphasis, or if you are reques�ng to make an announcement on Sunday, must be submitted by noon on Friday. You may either call 610.692.2446 Ext. 140 or email your announcement informa�on to churchoffice@stpaulsbap�st.org. We realize that things do happen between Friday and Sunday and that the need may arise wherein someone has to get a note to Pastor. However, in an effort to give Pastor minimal distrac�ons on Sunday mornings as he prepares for worship, aside from an emergency, please refrain from sending a note to Pastor reques�ng that he make an announcement.
Opportunities for sharing time and talents
Part time Church Sexton M-F 6pm-9pm Contact the church office at churchoffice@stpaulsbaptist.org Weekend Church Sexton
Saturday and Sundays
REACTIVATION of the SAFETY & SECURITY MINISTRY
Do you take safety and security seriously? Do you have a special skill set that could benefit the safety and security ministry? Did you serve on the safety and security ministry previously? If you answered yes to any of these questions then please use the tiny URL to express interest in serving on the ministry. https://tinyurl.com/SPBC-SSERP23
For more information, please contact Dr. Carmen Lesesne or email security@stpaulsbaptist.org
.
Memorial Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Judith Thomas We, as family and friends of the late Dr. Judith Thomas, hereby establish this scholarship designed to support a student in need whose interests include educa�on. Besides being a Lincoln University student, to qualify for the scholarship, each year an oratorical compe��on will be held where students will be asked to speak on an issue relevant to educa�on in the current �me. Our goal is to raise $25,000 in the near term (by June 30, 2024), so that the first compe��on can be held in the fall of 2024. Students studying any major offered by Lincoln University are eligible to apply and to compete. Please use the link below to donate. Thank you for your support!
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/drjudiththomas
ST. PAUL'S BAPTIST CHURCH MARTIN LUTHER KING PLAZA
ONE HAGERTY BOULEVARD WEST CHESTER, PA 19382 PHONE: 610-692-2446 FAX: 610-692-7582 EMAIL: CHURCHOFFICE@STPAULSBAPTIST.ORG WWW.STPAULSBAPTIST.ORG