December 16, 2007, 11:00 AM
Third Sunday of Advent

WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE
Preparation for Worship
*Call to Worship –
Rejoice in the Lord always,
I will say it again, Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all.
The Lord is near.
We rejoice in the hope of Christ’s coming.
Let us worship God.
*Song of Joy – 337:1,2 “Joy to the World!  The Lord Is Come”
Welcoming Advent – a PowerPoint presentation
Lighting the Third Advent Candle
*Song for Advent – 327:1,2,5 “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”
*God Greets Us
*We Greet Each Other
Children’s Time
*Continuing Praise  – “Soon and Very Soon”
“Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You”
“Let’s Worship and Adore Him”
Call to Confession
In spite of God’s love for us and gift of love o us, we often act in destructive and hateful ways.  We close our hearts to God and disobey God’s law.  Together let us confess our sin.
Prayer of Confession
God of salvation, in Christ you have done great things – our hearts are filled with joy.  By your power you lifted us out of the wasteland of sin and brought us with joy and laughter into your kingdom.  Salvation is your gift to us.  But we confess that often we try to replace your gift with our own efforts.  We try to complete what is already perfect; we try to add to what is already full; we try to earn what we already have.  Forgive us for our foolishness.  Help us to focus on your grace.  Help us to live grateful lives in return.  For Jesus’ sake alone, Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
People of God:  Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose coming we announce in this season, is our righteousness.  In Christ, we are made right with God.
Thanks be to God!
Musical Offering – “Christmas Lullaby”
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
Scripture Reading – Malachi 1:6-14; 3:1-5
Message – “Cheating God?”
Prayer
WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING
*Song – 346:2,4,5 “He Came Down from Earth to Heaven”
The Offering – General Fund
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Intercessory Prayer
WE ARE SENT TO LOVE AND SERVE
Opportunities for Ministry and Fellowship
*God Blesses Us
*Closing Praise – 337:4 “He Rules the World with Truth and Grace”
Postlude

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Today is the third Sunday of the Advent season.  Join your hearts with ours as we anticipate our celebration of Jesus’ birth and remember his promise to return again some day.  We hope you enjoy hearing parts of the prophetic section of Handel’s Messiah each Sunday. We are also lighting the Advent candles at each service, offering a visible reminder of the coming of the Light of the World into our world.

Wednesday, 9:30 AM Women’s Bible Study at Claire Krempel’s home 
Thursday, 7:00 PM Prayer meeting

Thank you for helping needy families in our community.  The items you placed on the “Giving Tree” were all distributed yesterday to area families through the annual Christmas sharing at the Chenango Forks Fire station which is organized by the social workers at the Chenango Forks Schools.  Thanks too to those who helped with unloading the truck and sorting items in preparation for the event.

Once again the Live Nativity was a huge blessing to all who attended.  Thanks go to all the children and youth who participated in the presentation (38 children this year!!), as well as to those who organized the event and helped with practices, publicity, refreshments, cleanup, and countless other tasks that, when put into a whole, make this such a blessed event.  Valley Church people are the greatest!

Advance notices:
The Sunday School children will present a Christmas puppet show as part of our morning worship next Sunday.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship is December 24 at 7:30 PM.  This is another great opportunity to invite a neighbor or friend to attend a special worship event with you.
New Year’s Eve Worship will be December 31 at 7:30 PM.

Prayer notes:  Continue to pray for Beth Cunningham and Dick Crawford as they continue with their treatments to counteract any cancer cells that may be traveling through their bodies.  Join them in thanking God for the good reports they are receiving concerning their cancer.  Pray too for Tom Yahner, known to many in our community, who is suffering the debilitating effects of Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Next Sunday, December 23, 2007

SUNDAY SCHOOL:  Classes will NOT meet this week or next as we take a short break for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.  Classes will resume on January 6.

MORNING WORSHIP:     11:00 AM   Pastor Gelder will lead our worship.  He concludes a series of messages that tie in with music from The Messiah as we hear the words of the prophets calling us to prepare for the arrival of Immanuel, “God with us”.  The focus this week is on “Unto Us a Child Is Born” based on Isaiah 7:1-7 and 9:1-7.