Sunday, November 27, 2016 FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

Robert K. Livingston Darcy A. Crain-Polly

Senior Minister Associate Minister

Chapel Communion: 9:30 a.m. Traditional Worship Service: 10:00 a.m.

We Gather to Worship God Silent Meditation

Prelude

"Advent: the time to listen for footsteps – you can’t hear footsteps when you’re running yourself.” – Bill McKibben “The Advent Star” Gilbert M. Martin Timothy L. Huth, Organist

Celebration of Community

Rev. Darcy Crain-Polly

* Processional Hymn

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

* Call to Worship One:

In this house of stone and light,

All: One: All: One: All: One: All: One: All:

NCH Hymnal #116

God is present. In this place of worship and service, Christ is living. In this time of waiting and hoping, the Spirit is calling. “Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord.” We have come. We are here. Listen…Wait… Christ has come. Christ is with us now. Let us pray.

* Prayer of Invocation

Holy One, we wait and hope for your peace. We live in the promise of your love. As the days darken and the nights lengthen, light our way with your promised presence. Prepare us to celebrate you birth, and guide us to create your kingdom on earth. In hopeful expectation we pray in one voice, saying together:

* Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 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; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

* Gloria Patri

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.

Lighting of the First Advent Candle: Hope

Advent Family, Frankie and Willis Patterson

Give, Share, Rejoice Offertory Sentences and Offertory Special Offertory Music * Doxology

* Prayer of Dedication

“Amazing Grace”

Kristine Clair Uchi Galano, violinist

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. Rev. Bob Livingston

We Grow in Our Faith Psalter Reading * Hymn of Preparation Gospel Reading Sermon

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Pew Bible P. 529-530

“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” NCH Hymnal #122 Luke 1:5-23 “How Not to Talk to an Angel”

Pew Bible P. 931 Rev. Darcy Crain-Polly

Special Music

“Bituing Walang Ning Ning” (The Stars Have No Sparkle) Kristine Clair Uchi Galano, violinist

Pastoral Prayer

Rev. Bob Livingston

We Go Forth to Live and Serve * Recessional Hymn Charge and Benediction

“Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

Pilgrim Hymnal #120

Choral Benediction * Postlude

“Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme” J.S. Bach BWV 645 Timothy L. Huth, organist

* Congregation Standing (Please feel free to remain seated if standing is difficult for you.) The flowers on the communion table are given to the Glory of God. Following the service, please join us upstairs in Pilgrim Hall for refreshments and fellowship during Friendship Hour!

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 To the leader: on Lilies, a Covenant. Of Asaph. A Psalm. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us the scorn of our neighbours; our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself. Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Luke 1:5-23 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years. Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’ Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.’ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ANN ARBOR Welcome!

We are glad you joined us this Sunday and look forward to meeting and getting to know you. Please join us after the 10 a.m. service for refreshments and friendship upstairs in Pilgrim Hall. Please don’t forget to visit our website at www.fccannarbor.org to learn more about our church.

Sunday

During our programming year (September through May), we offer our contemporary worship service in Pilgrim Hall at 9:00 a.m. There is a brief 15-minute communion service in our Douglas Memorial Chapel at 9:30 a.m. Our more traditional worship service is in the sanctuary at 10 a.m., and is normally followed by refreshments and friendship in Pilgrim Hall.

Worship

Childcare and Church School

Luncheon Group

Tuesday Night Series (TNS)

Nursery care is available for children newborn to 2 years of age with screened and consistent childcare workers. If you’d like to keep your infant or child with you in worship, you are more than welcome to do so. Please feel free to move about during the service as is needed. Church school begins with preschool (3-5 years) and continues through high school. Preschoolers may be dropped off before the service and checked into their class, or they are welcome to participate in our children’s circle, which is a time when children are invited to come forward with the pastors for a brief children’s message towards the beginning of the service. Afterward, the children are invited to church school. These luncheon gatherings, hosted by Bob Livingston, meet monthly on the fourth Monday of each month (September through May). They are highly informal, with welcoming and wide-ranging conversations with the hopeful result of the nourishment of both the mind and the body. The luncheons are held at Knight’s Restaurant on 2324 Dexter Ave. Our next luncheon will be December 5th at 11:30 a.m.

At TNS, we view and discuss a variety of relevant and interesting theological issues. We meet Tuesday evenings at FCC in the Mayflower Room. Please contact Bob at [email protected] if you have questions or want more information. TNS will recess until January 10th. We hope to see you then.

Text Breakfast

We gather with Bob Livingston every Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. at the Classic Cup Café (4389 Jackson Rd) for lively discussion. Our next breakfast is scheduled for November 30th. We will be reading Isaiah 9:2-7. We look forward to seeing you there!

Mind & Spirit

Church women meet on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 10:15 a.m. in the Mayflower Room. It is a community of women of all ages. We enjoy reading and sharing our life stories as a means of personal and spiritual growth. We will begin discussing Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds by Kelly A. Turner, PhD. on December 7, 2016. Please bring a copy of the book with you. See you in November.

Book Group

20/40 Group

Our 20-, 30-, and 40– somethings meet on Wednesday evenings. Our next gathering will be November 30th at Wolverine Tap Room for trivia, 7-9 p.m.

Single Moms

Our single moms will participate in the Wrapped In Love event on December 15th from 6-8 p.m. Programming will include dinner, our Wrapped In Love gift market, and cookie decorating. Thanks to all our volunteers that make this ministry possible!

Ministry

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ANN ARBOR Special Music Violin prodigy, Kristine Clair Uchi Galano, will be performing the music Presentation for the 10 a.m. service today. Galano, who was born in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, first showed interest in playing the violin at the age of four. She November 27 was enrolled as a Starling scholarship student at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music pre-collegiate Starling program at the age of 10, receiving weekly lessons via Skype from Professor Kurt Sassmannshaus. At the age of 14 she won the concerto competition at the Great Wall International Music Academy among a very strong field of college students. Welcome to FCC, KayCee! Advent Workshop Join us after the 10:00 a.m. service for the Advent Workshop and Church Decorating Party. Kids will have the chance to make ornaments, November 27 gingerbread houses, cards, and care bags of toiletries. Care bags will be distributed during the rotating shelter as an outreach to serve the homeless. Christmas music and lunch will be provided. While kids are doing these activities, adults are invited to help decorate the church for the Christmas season. The decorations will be labeled and placed for your decorating pleasure. We will need people to work inside hanging decorations and putting up trees and outside hanging the wreath roping. We will end our time together eating pizza and healthy snacks for the kids and singing Christmas carols. The event is open to all! Please join us! Men’s Rotating Shelter It's time again to ask your support for the Men's Rotating Shelter. This year, the rotating shelter will be at FCC from Monday evening, Nov 28 at 8 Nov. 28-Dec. 4 p.m. to Monday morning, Dec 5. We will be host to approximately 25 men from the Delonis Shelter who need a safe and warm place to sleep during the winter season.

We still need volunteers: overnight chaperones (3 per night), to provide snacks (1 volunteer), and also to prepare a soup (1 volunteer). We open the church to our guests at 8pm every night and overnight volunteers should arrive between 8-9pm. Overnight volunteers typically bring a sleeping bag and are able to catch a few hours of sleep during the overnight rotation. Volunteers that bring the snack and soup can leave the food in the Pilgrim Hall kitchen prior to the evening along with instructions for the overnight volunteers. To volunteer, please contact Renee in the church office, Seth Sadis (734-358-6548), or Jim Neal (734-646-6670), Thanks for your generosity to those who need it most. Annual FCC Please join us at the 10 a.m. service for one of Bach’s most well-known Music Service works, Cantata 140, was composed in 1731 when he was in Leipzig and in the employ of the Lutheran church, composing music for its service December 4 amongst other duties. This cantata is based on a 1599 hymn by Philipp Nicolai, which in turn is based on the parable of the ten virgins contained in the gospel of Matthew. Stewardship Campaign

November is Pledge Month, a time to reflect on our many blessings and consider how we can put them to good use in God's name. Please look for the FCC pledge forms in your mailbox and make sure to pledge by November 30th. You can also pledge online: fccannarbor.org/give-back/give-online/ Consider how you can support FCC with your time, talents and treasures. Every bit helps, and every donation is appreciated. Thank you for supporting our First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor!

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ANN ARBOR Second Sunday On Sunday December 4th, the Contemporary Issues Committee will Presentation present a program by Anya Abramzon, Executive Director of Jewish Family Services (JFS) in Ann Arbor at 11:10 am in the Mayflower Room. In December 4 December 2015, FCC members first heard about the extraordinary work that JFS is doing to resettle refugees and quickly became involved by organizing a resettlement drive during the 2016 Easter season. Since that time several FCC members have taken volunteer training in the new JFS initiative called the “Welcome Wagon” and others are scheduled to take the training in January 2017. Our upcoming CIC program will provide an opportunity to learn from the Executive Director exactly how refugee resettlement will be impacted in Ann Arbor and how FCC members can continue to help. Please join us for this important update from Anya! Special Congregational This is the first official call to a Special Congregational Meeting on Sunday, Meeting December 11, following the 10 a.m. sanctuary worship service. This special congregational meeting is being called by a vote of our Church Council, to hear, discuss, and vote on a special Church Council resolution affirming our Church’s historical legacy of love and care and lifting up our important and continuing role of being a welcoming, accepting, and safe place for all people. The full text of the resolution will be available for your information and study on Sunday, December 4 and will be printed in the December 4 and 11 worship bulletins and the December 2 and 9 Friday emails. We invite you to be here and join us for that special congregational meeting.

Wrapped in Love This year at the First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor, we will be hosting our first annual Wrapped in Love event on December 15th. December 15 We begin with a delicious home cooked family meal. Then, through donated unopened gift items and SCRIP cards, children and parents will shop for gifts, wrap them, and be able to surprise one another Christmas morning. We will decorate cookies together after all gifts are wrapped. Want to help? Volunteer sign up and donations are at the SCRIP table. We appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness and are excited to bring this event to FCC! Glenn Tucker Glenn Tucker is coming back for a special Christmas presentation on Jazz Nativity December 16, 7:30 p.m., Glenn (piano), Rafael Statin (reeds), Ben Rolston (bass), and Jess Kramer (drums) will be performing a Jazz Nativity December 16 narrated by Rev. Bob Livingston. There is a suggested $10 donation. Let’s join together in giving Glenn a warm welcome Glenn back to FCC! M & O Christmas Gift The season is upon us, and we have decorated our wish tree for our Wish Tree members to undecorate! Once again, we will be making sure the children represented by Community Action Network will be having a special Christmas season with gifts provided by our congregation. In addition, this year one family served by Hope Clinic will have tags on our tree. We are asking that the gifts be brought to the church no later than December 11th. Also, It is very important for you to "sign out" the tags in our sign-out binder located near the tree on the wall in the Mayflower Lobby. We so appreciate your participation in this wonderful project!

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2016 FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT 8:30 a.m.

Chancel Choir Rehearsal

9:00 a.m.

NO 9 AM WORSHIP

9:30 a.m.

Chapel Communion, Douglas Chapel

10:00 a.m.

Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary

11:00 a.m.

Friendship Time, Pilgrim Hall

11:00 a.m.

Church Christmas Decorating

11:00 a.m.

Advent Workshop

11:15 a.m.

Hand Chime Rehearsal, Hand Chime Room

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2016 SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT SPECIAL FCC MUSIC DAY 8:30 a.m.

Chancel Choir Rehearsal

9:00 a.m.

NO 9 AM WORSHIP (Men’s rotating shelter)

9:30 a.m.

Chapel Communion, Douglas Chapel

10:00 a.m.

Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary

11:00 a.m.

Friendship Time, Pilgrim Hall

11:00 a.m.

Contemporary Issues Second Sunday

11:15 a.m.

Hand Chime Rehearsal, Hand Chime Room

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016 THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT SPECIAL CONTEMPORARY MUSIC DAY 8:30 a.m.

Chancel Choir Rehearsal

9:00 a.m.

Contemporary Worship, Pilgrim Hall

9:30 a.m.

Chapel Communion, Douglas Chapel

10:00 a.m.

Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary

11:00 a.m.

Friendship Time, Pilgrim Hall

11:15 a.m.

Hand Chime Rehearsal, Hand Chime Room

FCC OFFICE HOURS Monday—Friday 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m.

TODAY IN CHURCH SCHOOL Preschoolers are invited downstairs to church school before the service. Children K—12 are invited downstairs to remain in the sanctuary for family worship.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS November 27 11:00 a.m.

Advent Workshop

11:00 a.m.

Church Christmas Decorating

November 28

MEN’S ROTATING SHELTER 11:30 a.m.

FCC Lunch Group (Knights)

December 3

9:30 a.m.

Choir Appreciation Breakfast

December 4

8:30 a.m.

Deacons Meeting

12:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m.

Middle School Bell Ringing (Nickels Arcade)

10:00 a.m.

Special FCC Music Service

11:00 a.m.

Contemporary Issues 2nd Sunday

December 6

11:45 a.m.

Men’s Luncheon (Knight’s)

December 7

12:00 p.m.

Glacier Hills Luncheon

6:30 p.m.

20/40 Meeting Room

December 11

BAKE SALE 6:00 p.m.

Middle School Girl’s Night

5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

Food Gatherers (volunteers 8 & up) RSVP to [email protected]

6:30 p.m.

20/40 Christmas Party

December 15

6:00 p.m.

Wrapped in Love

December 16

7:30 p.m.

Glenn Tucker Jazz Nativity

December 18

11:10 a.m.

Intergenerational Trip Meeting

December 19

11:30 a.m.

FCC Lunch Group (Knight’s)

December 14

STAFF Senior Minister Associate Minister Minister Emeritus Minister Emerita Director of Christian Ed. Director of Music Music Worship Leader Director of Music Emeritus Organist Organist Emerita Pianist Chapel Organist Hand Chimes Bookkeeper Administrative Assistant Wedding Coordinator Custodian Sound/AV Techs

Robert K. Livingston (ext. 554) Darcy A. Crain-Polly (ext. 552) Terry N. Smith Dorothy Lenz Sarah Chaffee (ext. 553) James C. Nissen (ext. 555) Terry Farmer (ext. 557) Willis Patterson Timothy L. Huth Marilyn Mason Rebecca Jones Katherine Johnson Cindy Bylsma Nancy Sauve (ext. 560) Renee Bovee (ext. 550) Betty Jahnke Steffen Gelletly Sarah Ward, Brandon Bovee, Greg Eggelston 608 E. William St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2420 Office: (734) 662-1679 Email: [email protected]