# 🕊️ Reign of Christ Sunday - Totenfest **Location:** St. John’s United Church of Christ, Chambersburg, PA **Date:** November 24, 2024 ## Vision and Mission - **Vision:** We are called to love, to learn, to worship, and to witness in Christ as a congregation that welcomes everyone and seeks service that will advance God’s realm on earth. - **Mission:** To grow in love of God and neighbor. --- ## ✨ Worship Details ### Gathering - **Song:** *"This is the Day"* > **This is the Day** > > This is the day, this is the day > That the Lord has made, that the Lord has made > We will rejoice, we will rejoice > And be glad in it, and be glad in it > This is the day that the Lord has made > We will rejoice and be glad in it > This is the day, this is the day > That the Lord has made - **Unison Welcome:** "No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here." - **Mission Moment:** Heifer Project --- title: Announcements and Totenfest Insert date: 2024-11-24 location: St. John’s United Church of Christ, Chambersburg, PA tags: - church - worship - announcements - Totenfest --- # 📰 Announcements and Totenfest Insert ## ✨ This Week at St. John’s ### Sunday, November 24 - **Event:** Totenfest & Thanksgiving Community Worship - **Location:** Calvary United Methodist Church (150 Norlo Drive, Fayetteville, PA 17222) - **Time:** 3:00 pm - This service is held in collaboration with other area churches. ### Monday, November 25 - **10:00 am:** Meditation Class (Parlor Room 104) ### Tuesday, November 26 - **10:00 am:** Nursery School Thanksgiving Feast (Fellowship Hall) - **6:00 pm:** Ladies Bible Study via Zoom - **6:30 pm:** Cub Scouts (Fellowship Hall) - **7:00 pm:** Amistad Praise Band Rehearsal (Fellowship Hall) ### Wednesday, November 27 - **10:00 am:** Nursery School Thanksgiving Feast (Fellowship Hall) ### Thursday, November 28 - **Church Holiday:** Thanksgiving – Office Closed ### Friday, November 29 - **Church Holiday:** Thanksgiving – Office Closed ### Sunday, December 1 - **8:45 am:** - Godly Play Class (Room 119) - Spark! Elementary Church School Class (Room 115) - Teen Discussion Class (Youth Room 206) - Wired Word Church School Class (Room 116) - **10:00 am:** Sunday Service (Sanctuary) --- ## 🎄 Holiday Activities ### Angel Tree Tags - Gifts are due back to the church **no later than Friday, December 6.** Thank you for your generosity this holiday season! ### Cookie Walk - **Date:** Saturday, December 7 - **Time:** 9:00 am – 12:00 pm - Purchase homemade cookies to benefit homeless children in the Chambersburg School District for $10/lb. - Bring your cookies to the kitchen on **December 6** from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. ### Staff Christmas Gift - Contributions for staff gifts can be submitted to the church office. - Please include “STAFF CHRISTMAS GIFT” on the memo line of checks. - **Deadline:** December 8, 2024. ### Pajama Drive - **Host:** St. John’s Nursery School - **Deadline:** December 4, 2024 - Bring a set of new pajamas (place them in the cart in the lobby). For every pair, a children’s book will be donated to Little Daisy’s Closet. ### Holiday Gift Program - Supporting Hoffman Homes for Youth Holiday Gift Program. - Tags are available in the church office. Gifts must be returned **no later than Monday, December 2.** ### Operation Dishwasher - Help replace the church’s dishwasher. - Campaign Goal: $20,000 – Nearly there! --- ## 🕊️ Upcoming Events ### Yoga - **Next Class:** Tuesday, January 7, 2025 (Room 202) ### Victorian Christmas - **Dates:** December 6 & 7 - **Location:** St. John’s - **Info:** A free event presented by Discover Dance Works. - Tickets can be booked on Eventbrite. ### Blue Christmas - **Date:** Sunday, December 21 - **Time:** 3:00 pm - **Location:** St. John’s - A service to experience hope and healing in the midst of darkness. ### Midweek Advent Services - **Wednesday, December 4:** Fayetteville Otterbein Church (61 W. Main Street) - **Wednesday, December 11:** Mont Alto UMC (10 S. Main Street) - **Wednesday, December 18:** St. Paul Lutheran Church (44 E. Main Street) - **Time:** 7:00 pm ### Christmas Eve Services - **Date:** December 24 - **Time:** 5:00 pm (Fellowship Hall) and 7:00 pm (Sanctuary) --- ## 🛐 Confession and Assurance - **Call to Confession:** *(from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion)* Jesus loves us and frees us from our sins; therefore, let us confess our sins to God. - **Prayer of Confession:** *(from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion)* Holy God, how often we trust in the promises of earthly rulers instead of the power of Your love; help us to turn our hearts toward You. Restore us in Your love, and set us free to forgive as we have been forgiven, by the grace and mercy of Christ. Amen. - **Declaration of Forgiveness:** *(from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion)* Siblings, God loves us, forgives us, and frees us from our sins; therefore, be at peace. - **Glory Be to the Father:** (#704) > **Glory Be to the Father** > > Glory be to the Father, > and to the Son, > and to the Holy Ghost; > as it was in the beginning, > is now, and ever shall be, > world without end. > Amen. Amen. - **Anthem:** *"Blessed Be the Name"* (arr. Patti Drennan) > **Blessed Be the Name** > > All praise to Him who reigns above > In majesty supreme, > Who gave His Son for man to die, > That He might man redeem! > > **Refrain:** > Blessed be the name, blessed be the name, > Blessed be the name of the Lord; > Blessed be the name, blessed be the name, > Blessed be the name of the Lord. > > His name above all names shall stand, > Exalted more and more, > At God the Father's own right hand, > Where angel hosts adore. > > **Refrain** > > Redeemer, Savior, Friend of man > Once ruined by the fall, > Thou hast devised salvation's plan, > For Thou hast died for all. > > **Refrain** > > His name shall be the Counselor, > The mighty Prince of Peace, > Of all earth's kingdoms Conqueror, > Whose reign shall never cease. > > **Refrain** --- ## 📖 Scripture and Sermon - **Responsive Reading:** Psalm 93 > **Psalm 93 (NRSVUE)** > > The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty; > the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength. > He has established the world; it shall never be moved; > your throne is established from of old; > you are from everlasting. > The floods have lifted up, O Lord, > the floods have lifted up their voice; > the floods lift up their roaring. > More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters, > more majestic than the waves of the sea, > majestic on high is the Lord! > Your decrees are very sure; > holiness befits your house, > O Lord, forevermore. - **Scripture Readings:** > **Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 (NRSVUE)** > > *Judgment before the Ancient One* > > As I watched, > thrones were set in place, > and an Ancient One took his throne; > his clothing was white as snow, > and the hair of his head like pure wool; > his throne was fiery flames, > and its wheels were burning fire. > A stream of fire issued > and flowed out from his presence. > A thousand thousands served him, > and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. > The court sat in judgment, > and the books were opened. > > *The Ancient One Gives Dominion to the King* > > As I watched in the night visions, > I saw one like a human being > coming with the clouds of heaven. > And he came to the Ancient One > and was presented before him. > To him was given dominion > and glory and kingship, > that all peoples, nations, and languages > should serve him. > His dominion is an everlasting dominion > that shall not pass away, > and his kingship is one > that shall never be destroyed. > **Revelation 1:4b-8 (NRSVUE)** > > Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. > > To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. > > Look! He is coming with the clouds; > every eye will see him, > even those who pierced him; > and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. > So it is to be. Amen. > > "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. > **John 18:33-37 (NRSVUE)** > > Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" > Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" > Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" > Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." > Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" > Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." - **Children’s Message:** Roxanne Davenport *(Children’s Corner will follow the message.)* - **Sermon:** Rev. Caroline E. Saxton - **Service of Totenfest:** *(insert)* ## ✝️ A Litany for Totenfest **Pastor:** Blessed God, in the holy silence of these moments of Totenfest, our hearts and minds and souls are filled with gratitude for all your love and mercy shown to us in the course of our lifetimes. **People:** Thanks be to God! **Pastor:** We thank you for claiming us as your own in the waters of baptism. **People:** Thanks be to God the Father! **Pastor:** We thank you for nourishing us at your holy table. **People:** Thanks be to God the Son! **Pastor:** We thank you for moving us to affirm our faith in you as our Creator, in Christ as our redeemer, and in the Holy Spirit as our sustainer. **People:** Thanks be to God the Spirit! **Pastor:** We thank you for calling us into the church. We thank you for each other and for all our sisters and brothers everywhere who share with us in the Christian faith. **People:** For together we are the Body of Christ and individually members of it. ### Psalm 23 (Unison) > The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. > He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; > he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. > Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; > for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. > You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; > you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. > Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, > and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. **Pastor:** We thank you for those of this family of faith, friends, and loved ones, who in the past year have traveled through the valley of the shadow of death to live with you in the realm of eternal life: ### In Memoriam - Shirley Hudson - Lois Young - George Diehl - Mary Lou Hendrickson - Merle "Van" VanScyoc - Gerald "Jerry" Shipp - And others who have shaped our congregation. **All:** Gracious God, may the assurance of your love and the memory of those who have gone home to you brighten our days, energize our work and witness, and bring us at the last to the time and place where all your people shout together: "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God reigns. Let us exult and rejoice and give God the glory!" - **Passing of the Peace:** "The peace of Christ be with you" **Response:** "And also with you" - **Chiming of the Trinity** - **Prelude:** *(from Whispers of God)* ### Call to Worship - God reigns; let the earth be glad. God’s word is truth; let all people rejoice. **Response:** - We bow before God’s strength and majesty; we come in awe before God most high. - God’s rule is from everlasting and forevermore; all creation bows before God’s holiness. - Be gathered, then, by God’s love and truth, to worship and make faithful witness. God is our righteousness and our peace. - We come to be renewed in God’s truth. - **Opening Hymn:** *"Jesus Shall Reign" (#158)* > **Jesus Shall Reign** > > 1. Jesus shall reign where'er the sun > Does its successive journeys run; > His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, > Till moons shall wax and wane no more. > > 2. To Him shall endless prayer be made, > And praises throng to crown His head; > His name like sweet perfume shall rise > With every morning sacrifice. > > 3. People and realms of every tongue > Dwell on His love with sweetest song; > And infant voices shall proclaim > Their early blessings on His name. > > 4. Blessings abound where'er He reigns; > The prisoner leaps to lose his chains; > The weary find eternal rest, > And all who suffer want are blest. > > 5. Let every creature rise and bring > Honors peculiar to our King; > Angels descend with songs again, > And earth repeat the loud Amen! --- ## 🎶 Music and Dedication - **Hymn:** *"Jesus, I Live to Thee"* (#C-37) > **Jesus, I Live to Thee** > > 1. Jesus, I live to Thee, > The loveliest and best; > My life in Thee, Thy life in me, > In Thy blest love I rest. > > 2. Jesus, I die to Thee, > Whenever death shall come; > To die in Thee is life to me, > In my eternal home. > > 3. Whether to live or die, > I know not which is best; > To live in Thee is bliss to me, > To die is endless rest. > > 4. Living or dying, Lord, > I ask but to be Thine; > My life in Thee, Thy life in me, > Makes heaven forever mine. - **Blessing of the Prayer Shawls** - **Sharing of Joys and Concerns** - **Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer (Debts)** - **Invitation to Giving** - **Offertory** - **Offertory Response:** *"Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow"* (#706) > **Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow** > > Praise God from whom all blessings flow; > Praise Him, all creatures here below; > Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; > Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. - **Prayer of Dedication:** *(from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion)* Holy God, You call us from every tribe, language, people, and nation to share in Your everlasting kingdom. Bless these gifts we offer that we may extend Your blessing to others; in Christ’s name we pray. Amen. - **Closing Hymn:** *"For All the Saints"* (#567) > **For All the Saints** > > 1. For all the saints who from their labors rest, > Who Thee by faith before the world confessed, > Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. > Alleluia, Alleluia! > > 2. Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might; > Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight; > Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light. > Alleluia, Alleluia! > > 3. O blest communion, fellowship divine! > We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; > Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. > Alleluia, Alleluia! > > 4. From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast, > Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, > Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, > Alleluia, Alleluia! --- ## 🌟 Commission and Benediction *(Adapted from Whispers of God)* Go out to tell the world that no evil can have the last word, for God is greater than any wrong. God calls us to creative living and equips us for the life and ministry we share. **Response:** Praise God for truth and righteousness and for peace that has no end. Amen.