December 20, 2020

Christ Presbyterian Church

Virtual Worship Service

Facebook Live: @christpc

Audio Live Stream: www.largocpc.org
Call and Listen: 351-888-7756
Cell Phone Text: CALL ME
 Welcome to Sunday Worship
4th Sunday in Advent,
December 20, 2020 10:00 am
Welcome and Announcements
GATHERING AROUND THE WORD
Advent Reading and Wreath Lighting Herbranson-Sanchez-Reeves Family
Watch and wait for Christ’s coming! We light the candles of hope,
peace, joy, and love, remembering the promises of God with prayer.
We light this candle in hope. We light this candle for peace. We light
this candle for joy. We light the fourth candle for love.
God’s promise of joy from Isaiah 9: “The people who walked in
darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep
darkness— on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy; 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. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless
peace.
Call to Worship Psalm 96
One: O sing to the Lord a new song; tell of God’s salvation from
day to day.
All: For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; God is
to be feared above all gods.
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 One: Worship the Lord in holy array; tremble before God, all the
earth!
All: Honor and majesty are before God; strength and
beauty are in God’s sanctuary.
Hymn
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Desire of nations,

bind all peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and discord cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

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Call to Reconciliation
Prayer of Confession
Your grace, O God, has appeared for the salvation of all,
calling us to renounce false gods and irresponsible love.
In the midst of our sin, Christ has appeared as a sign of
our hope, redeeming us and calling us to be a people eager
to do your will. Make us zealous for good deeds in
response to your wonderful deed in Jesus Christ. We
confess the vain worship of ourselves and our neglect of
your children. Forgive us and empower us to live upright
and godly lives in this world.
Silent Confession
Assurance of Pardon
One: Brothers and sisters, hear what Paul writes concerning the
assurance we have in Christ: “May the God of peace . . . sanctify
you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept
sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful, and will do it.”
All: Together we are the Body of Christ. Thanks be to God!
PROCLAIMING THE WORD
Prayer of Illumination

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Reading from the Epistles
Romans 16:25-27
Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and
the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and
through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles,
according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the
obedience of faith—to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to
whom be the glory forever! Amen.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (Ro 16:25-27). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

One: This is the Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God!
Special Music: Schubert
Ave Maria
Solo – Susan Taylor
Reading from the Gospel
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in
Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name
was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And
he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with
you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what
sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive
in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be
great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God
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will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the
house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary
said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel
said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be
holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in
her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for
her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with
God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with
me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (Lk 1:26-38). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
One: This is the Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God!
Sermon Rev. John Scott

“Advent Love”
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
Affirmation of Faith A Brief Statement of Faith (1983)
We affirm that we trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father.
In sovereign LOVE, God created the world good and makes
everyone equally in God’s image, male and female, of every race
and people to live in one community…In everlasting LOVE, the
God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all
the families of the earth….LOVING us still, God makes us heirs
with Christ of the covenant….In gratitude to God, empowered by
the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live

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holy and joyful lives even as we watch for God’s new heaven and
new earth, praying “Come, Lord Jesus!” AMEN.
SEALING THE WORD

The Lord’s Table:

Invitation
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
One: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them to the Lord.
One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
One: It is truly right and our greatest joy to give
you thanks and praise …
The Lord’s Prayer
Words of Institution
Communion of the People of God
Prayer after Communion

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 GOING OUT INTO THE WORLD

Hymn
Rejoice! Rejoice, Believers
Rejoice! Rejoice, believers, And let your lights appear;
The evening is advancing And darker night is near.
The bridegroom is arising And soon He will draw nigh;
Up, watch with expectation, At midnight comes the cry.
See that your Lamps are burning, Replenish then with oil;
Look now for your salvation, The end of sin and toil.
The marriage feast is waiting, The gates wide open stand;
Arise, O heirs of glory, The Bridegroom is at hand!
Our hope and expectation, O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, Thou sun so longed for, Above this shadowed sphere!
With hearts and hands up lifted, We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth’s redemption, And ever be with Thee!
Benediction
Postlude

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 ANNOUNCEMENTS
Christmas Day Dinners
Chef June Sanchez and her crew will be taking a much-
deserved Christmas break this year. There will be no
Christmas day dinners offered. There will still be a boxed meal
offered on Wednesday, December 23, 2020. So, if you are not
currently receiving a boxed meal on Wednesdays you can call
and be added to the list to receive a meal that day instead.
Lessons & Carols - Christmas Eve
Our Christmas Eve program of Lessons and Carols will be live
streamed at 5 pm. As you gather in the comfort of your home,
enjoy familiar carols, special music, and traditional readings.
We invite you to light a candle in
your home during the closing
hymn “Silent Night.”
Christmas Eve Offering
The annual Christmas Eve
Offering will be collected via mail
or drop off this year. The Good Samaritan fund in 2020 has
supported over 100 individuals with bus passes, fuel cards,
Publix cards, and vouchers. Due to the current economic
situation in our community, this fund desperately needs to be
replenished so we are asking that you consider sending in your
Christmas Eve offering and marking it ‘Good Samaritan Fund.’
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CPC Outreach to our Neighborhood
CPC is working to address hunger issues in our community by
making and distributing meals weekly. They are distributed on
Tuesdays at 5 pm front of the church. We gather at 4 pm in
Don Airey Hall following COVID-19 precautions to prepare the
meals. Thank you for your continued support.
Wednesday Night Worship
We will be taking a break until
January 6, 2021 when we will
have our Epiphany service live
streaming at 6:30 PM. Join us
from the comfort of your home
as we reflect in music and the
Word on the message in the
Magi and the star as they followed it to find the Christ child.
Follow the Shepherd on his Advent Journey at CPC
The Shepherd is on the search finding Christ in Christmas here
at CPC in Largo, FL. Follow his
daily journey at our church
Facebook page @christpc to
discover what that may be. Like
the posts and share them with
all your friends!
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Blessings Box
Feeding America has updated information related to hunger in
communities across the nation. Since Covid-19, food insecurity
is sharply on the rise in all age demographics including children,
families, and especially in senior adults at levels not seen since
the Great Recession. Please help us keep the pantry full. Please
drop off your items to the church on Tuesdays between 4 and 6
pm or call the church office to arrange an alternative drop off or
pick up of donations. We accept all nonperishable food items
with unexpired dates. We have a
great need for boxed cereal and
canned meat items. Thank you for
your support as we bring hope to our
neighborhood.
Wednesday Boxed Dinners
During the busy Advent season, June continues to offer meals on
Wednesday nights for delivery or pick-up. This week’s menu is
Pork loin, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies, salad,
gingerbread cake. There will be no meal on December 30 with
meals resuming on January 6, 2021. Remember you can be
added to the list for a meal at any time. We are asking for
donations to help with the cost of food and preparation. If
interested in receiving a meal, please contact June Sanchez at
727-409-4199. Limited delivery available.

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December Stewardship Update
Your CPC leadership thanks you for your continued support in financial gifts
for the ministries of the church especially in this time as we have all been
affected by Covid-19. In October, giving was at only about half of our
budget. As the year is coming to a close, we are grateful for the 2021
Stewardship pledge cards that we have received so far. For those who
have not done so yet, please consider returning your pledge card as
soon as possible to help us better determine our ministry funding for
the coming year. If you have been making gifts in support of the ministries
here at Christ Presbyterian Church, we thank you for your generous heart.
If you have not given recently, we encourage you to consider doing so.
Ways to give from home:
1. Online at www.largocpc.org
2. Through GIVEplus App on Apple or Android devices
3. Mail a gift directly to the church
4. Use the bill pay option through your bank.

CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Phone: 727-584-8695 • Fax: 727-585-1079 • 3115 Dryer Ave, Largo FL 33770
www.LargoCPC.org • email: Office.largocpc@gmail.com
Office Hours: Due to Covid-19 restrictions office is currently only open by appointment.

Pastor & Teaching Elder Rev. John A. Scott, Jr. email: Pastor.largocpc@gmail.com
Director of Music Steven Radeck email: StevenRadeck@gmail.com
Custodian June Sanchez email: JuBug616@aol.com
Youth Coordinator Sean Myers email: Seanmyers24@gmail.com
All songs used by permission CCLI #863215 and streaming CPSL 139714, Expiration date 7/31/2021

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