*Doxology No. 94 Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow

Anthem Glory to God by Joseph Martin

Chancel Choir Heather Hamilton, piano

Sermon Text Isaiah 7

Sermon Rev. Howard Martin

“Signs of the Times”

Communion Hymn No 614 For the Bread Which You Have Broken

Invitation to Holy Communion

The Great Thanksgiving No. 17 Musical Setting A

Holy Communion

Invitation to Christian Discipleship Rev. Howard Martin

*Hymn of Invitation No. 128

He Leadeth Me: O Blessed Thought

*Dismissal with Blessing Rev. Howard Martin

*Benediction Response TFWS No. 2100 1st stanza

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

*The Light Carried Forth Acolytes

*Postlude _________________________

Commemorative Brick Order Deadline has been extended

Order forms are available throughout the church and the church office. If you have any questions, please call Jennifer Muncey at

254-592-9083

December 10 2017 11:00am Order of Worship

*please stand as you are able

Welcome & Announcements Rev. Howard Martin

Entrance of the Light/Voluntary Acolytes

Hymn No. 211 3rd stanza

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Lighting of the Advent Candle of Love

Hymn No. 211 4th stanza

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Apostles’ Creed No. 881

Gloria Patri Glory Be to the Father

A Time to Pray

Call to Prayer No. 214

Savior of the Nations, Come Chancel Choir

A Christmas Confession We believe in Jesus Christ and the beauty of the gospel begun in Bethlehem. We believe in the one whose spirit glorified a little town; and whose spirit still brings joy to people all over the world in towns both large and small. We believe in the one for whom the crowded inn could find no room, and we confess that our hearts sometimes want to exclude Christ from our lives. We believe in the one who the rulers of the earth ignored and the proud could never understand. We believe in the one who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible: We believe in the one who looked at people and made them see what God's love saw in them, who, by love, brought sinners back to purity, and lifted human weakness up to meet the strength of God. We confess the many things that stand in the way of true celebration of God's love. We confess those things in our lives that have caused us to become sepa-rated from our God, our neighbors, and ourselves. We confess our ever-lasting need of God: The need of forgiveness, the need of new life for empty souls, the need of love for hearts grown cold. We believe in God who gives us the best of himself. We believe in Jesus, the son of the living God, born for me and for the world. We believe that in and through Him comes God's gift of for-giveness and new life, both here and in the world to come.

*Passing of the Peace

Offertory Prayer

Offertory Music

Christmas Schedule December 10th Communion Sunday Engage Conference at FUMC Comanche 2 p.m. 11th Grief Share “Blue Christmas” service 6 p.m. Sanctuary 24th Christmas Eve services 11 a.m. (one service) 5 p.m. 7 p.m. 11:30 p.m. 31st New Year’s Eve 11 a.m. (one service)

FUMC Youth Day Trip Donations of winter gloves, scarves and hats needed.

The youth will be traveling to the Presbyterian Night shelter in Fort Worth on December 21st. The purpose is to bring some “Christmas warmth” to some of the homeless people that stay there. In the winter months, there are upwards of 1,000 souls who spend the night in the facility. We are asking that you donate winter gloves, scarves and hats to the church office for the homeless. Due to lim-ited space (in the church van) we will not be bringing coats this year.

Church Family,

The finance committee would like to share with you the status of our giving and ministry as it relates to finances as we wrap up 2017. Our ministry is continuing to grow and the church is seeing many positives as we move into our next century of worship. This year you have given over $76,000 to retire the debt on our sanctuary.

Regarding our budget, the November totals will be available next week and we anticipate closing the gap between our giving and our ministry expenses. Through October we were short by $57,000. While this is concerning we have been in this situation before and ended the year with a positive cash flow.

We celebrated the beginning of our 2018 Stewardship Campaign last Sunday and we look forward to the excitement of a new year. Wrapping up 2017 on a positive note is well within our reach.

Please be in prayer that the final numbers for November will get us started in the right direction and that momentum will continue through December.

Great things are happening at FUMC- Stephenville! We are so thankful for each of you as we strive to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transfor-mation of the world.

Your finance committee

First United Methodist Church Memorials/Honorariums

Christmas Honorariums and Memorials This is the time of the year that FUMC ask the congregation to make Christ-mas donations in honor or in memory of loved ones. We collect anywhere from $1,200 to $2,500 each December for a particular ministry. This year the funds will go to support our E.S.L. program. For the last two years Dr. Janet Whitley has volunteered to oversee the English as a Second Language minis-try. Every Monday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m. the participants gather to study English, fellowship with one another and share in a common meal. Please continue to support this mission with your memorial contributions.

Given by:___________________________________________________________ In Memory Of:_______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________ In Honor Of:________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

Deadline for Submission is Wednesday, December 20 All Memorials/Honorariums will be listed in the December 24 bulletin.

First United Methodist Church 328 W. Washington Stephenville, Texas 76401

254.965.5046 office@fumcstephenville.org

Howard Martin Senior Pastor

Heather Hamilton Pianist

Travis Lowery Director of Music Ministries

Melissa Castleberry Director of Family Ministries

Sena Leese Lay Leader

Kelly Oliver Director of Childcare

Serving, nurturing, and sharing so that people may experience

God’s love and grace and become followers of Jesus Christ.

Church Calendar Sunday, December 10 Communion Sunday *9:00am RENEW Contemp. Service-S *10:00am Sunday School *11:00am Traditional Service-S *2:00pm Engage Conference at FUMC Comanche *4:00pm FUMC Family Christmas Gathering Monday, December 11 *9:30am Intercessory Prayer-NB *10:00am Adult Bible Study-TM *6:00pm ESL-FH *6:00pm GriefShare “Blue Christmas”-S *6:00pm Trustees Meeting-CR Tuesday, December 12 *2:00pm Stitching Prayer Group-CR *6:00pm Administrative Board Meeting/Everyone Welcome Wednesday, December 13 *3:45pm WOW *6:00pm UMWF Bible Study *6:00pm Adult Bible Study-CR *6:00pm Handbell Choir *7:00pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal-S Thursday, December 14 *9:00am Pecan Valley Navigators-TM *6:30pm Renew Band rehearsal-S Sunday, December 17 *9:00am RENEW Contemp. Service-S *10:00am Sunday School *11:00am Traditional Service-S *4:00pm Children’s Choir Rehearsal *4:30pm UMYF Christmas Party @ Castleberry’s Monday, December 18 *9:30am Intercessory Prayer-NB *10:00am Adult Bible Study-TM *6:00pm ESL-FH *6:00pm GriefShare-TM Tuesday, December 19 *2:00pm Stitching Prayer Group-CR Wednesday, December 20 *11:00am Stepping Stones Program-S *3:45pm Rhythm Ringers go chiming *No UMWF Bible Study *6:00pm Adult Bible Study-CR *6:00pm Handbell Choir *7:00pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal-S Thursday, December 21 *3;00pm Youth/Night Shelter-Ft.Worth *5:30pm Finance Meeting-CR *6:15 Magdalene Women-KD *6:30pm Renew Band rehearsal-S Friday, December 22 Office Closed Sunday, December 24 *11:00pm Traditional (one service) *5:00pm Contemporary Christmas Eve *7:00pm Traditional Christmas Eve *11:30pm Midnight Christmas Eve Monday, December 25 Office Closed Merry Christmas! Tuesday, December 26 Office Closed *2:00pm Stitching Prayer Group-CR Wednesday, December 27 *6:00pm Adult Bible Study-CR *No UMYF-YR *6:00pm Handbell Choir *7:00pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal-S Thursday, December 28 *9:00am Pecan Valley Navigators-TM *6:00pm Renew Band Rehearsal-S

Sunday Bulletins are available on the church website

www.fumcstephenville.org click on “about us” then “bulletins & news”

If you would like to receive the bulletin/

newsletter by mail please call 254-965-5046

To access the Church calendar go to... www.fumcstephenville.org Click on the calendar tab

December 17 Vicki Cook Dave Martin

December 10 Molly Elliott

Scott Kunishige

TELLERS

Prayer Concerns Friends & Family….. Nursing Home Residents ,Our Troops in Harm’s Way, Daniel Petty (grandson of Linda Sledge), Jim Laney (cousin of Gary Stasey), Harold Wayne Parks, David Mayfield (friend of Linda Jones), Jonnette Speegle (aunt of Jana & Gary Sult), Joe and Barbara Davis (brother and sister in law of LaVena Prichard), Ja-na Richardson Horn (friend of Shirley Manley), Marily Considine (friend of Sena Leese), James Woodward, Heather Brown (friend of Debbie Cole), Cami Bern-stein (friend of Tim & Linda Jones),Kelly Williams, Joann Vestal (mother of Cindy McCulloch), Ouida Hummel (mother of Debbie Hummel), Brian Walker (friend of Greg & Betsy Ball), Michaela Elliott Hart (friend of Connie Banks), Laredo & Doggett family (friend of Jenny Iley & Brenda Haedge), Tommy Coan

(friend of Tonya Dobson), Ronnie McKinney, Kevin Durand, Linda Jameson, Medea (Dee) Starnes SalGuero (family friend of Terry & Tonya Dobson),

Hardy & Holton Vincent (family of Hannah Dowell),

Kathryn Hamilton (Mother of Heather Hamilton),

Brinley Huckabee (Great granddaughter of Shirley

Manley), Gayle Donham, (friend of the Barberees),

Frances Burks (mother of Brenda Burks), Linda Land

(mother of Kim Grantham), Sue Kalmar, (mother of Kelly

Oliver), Jay Bonner (brother of Annie Barnes), Glen Layton (father of Katrina Hinson), Courtney Watkins,

(daughter of Annie Barnes), Carl Smith (SHS teacher),

Marsha Goodlett (sister of Sena Leese, Greg Leeth (nephew of Ora Lee Leeth),the Magin Family (friends of

the Priddy family), Scott Pinkston (step-father of Jane

Barberee), Brandi Moore, Doris Threadgill, Homer Godair (father of Jennifer Muncey), Fran Hannah, Becky Bennett (sister of Linda Reynolds) Jamie Murray (friend of Sherri Magnani), Travis Young (step-father of Howard Martin)

Members…. Mike Nash, Ronnie & Gaytha Isham, Rodney Pate, John McCleskey, Sheila Dove, Terry Dobson, Ivan & Connie Farrell, Wanda Benham, Betty Chandler, Lois Alexander, Chuck & Ann Truby, Theo Coffee, Jacob Woolridge, Janice Higgs, Janet Whitley, Karen Wilson, Shirley Manley, Carolyn Martin, Brad Chilton, Maddie McLemore, Chris Martin, Rita Mason, Laura Ann Priddy

GriefShare Support Group meets every

MONDAY night at 6:00 in the “Two or More” Sunday School Classroom.

For more info call … Carolyn 214-708-7672

5th Sunday Breakfast Sunday, December 31, 2017 Sponsored by Methodist Men

Everyone is Welcome!!! We begin serving at 9:30am in the

Fellowship Hall

Faith Lit book Club

For more information contact Annie Barnes anniebarnes49@gmail.com or 254-592-0599