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First Presbyterian Church of Weedsport
December 7, 2025
Second Sunday of Advent
Rev. Brian Copeland
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Liturgist
PRELUDE
Lighting the Advent Candles
With John the Baptist, calling from the wilderness, we cry: "Prepare the way of the Lord!
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
The lighting of the candles is concluded with:
The Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we have seen his glory.
Alleluia!
OPENING SENTENCES (Responsive) Adapted from Isaiah 11 Liturgist
A tree stump left to rot puts forth new shoots.
Could it be that heaven is near at hand?A wolf slinks toward sheep and joins their fold.
Could it be that heaven is near at hand?A child plays while serpents slumber.
Could it be that heaven is near at hand?A prophet cries out from the wild places:
Prepare the way! For heaven is near at hand.HYMN #
CONFESSION AND PARDON (Responsive) Liturgist
John the Baptist’s cry echoes through the ages:
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!
Here and now, we go to God in humility and faith,
confessing our sins.God of all creation,
your vision of peace is beyond our knowing.
We have been hurt
and we have seen destruction,
so we turn around and hurt others,
destroying what you have called good.
Forgive us,
and fill us with your knowledge,
so we may help bring forth your peaceful kin-dom.SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION MAY BE OFFERED
Christ comes into our world—
Christ comes into our lives—
to purify us and give us another chance.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
We rejoice in the hope Christ offers us!
Thanks be to God!SPECIAL MUSICE
CHILDREN’S TIME (Children may leave to go to Sunday School after Children’s Time.)
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (Unison) Liturgist
Holy God, our hope and strength,
by the power of your Spirit
prepare the way in our hearts
for the coming of your Word,
so that we may see the glorious signs
of your promise fulfilled;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.FIRST SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah 11:1-10 Liturgist
1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
3 His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear;
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.6 The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.10 On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 3:1-12 Rev. Brian Copeland
1In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”
4Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SERMON Rev. Brian Copeland
HYMN #
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (Unison) Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.19
Out of Israel, God in due time raised up Jesus. His faith and obedience were the response of the perfect child of God. He was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel,
the beginning of the new creation, and the pioneer of the new humanity. He gave history its meaning and direction and called the church to be his servant for the reconciliation of the world.JOYS AND CONCERNS
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
Gathered here, in the house of the Lord,
let us pray for the coming of Christ’s realm.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.INVITATION TO THE OFFERING (Offering plates are not passed. Offering plates are on the front and back tables.)
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Unison)
Eternal God, as we wait for the fulfillment of your reign, use these gifts and the gifts of our lives to bring justice to those who are oppressed, to set free those who are in prison, to lift up those who are bowed down, and to uphold those who are vulnerable. Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
Intinction
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We fill them with hope in the Lord.
Let our hope rest in the Lord our God.
It is right for our hope to rest in the Lord our God.Blessed are you, O Lord our God:
The earth is full of your knowledge and glory.
You made all creatures to live in peace and safety,
and sent a little child to lead us.Therefore we praise you, joining the song
of the universal church and the heavenly choir:
A Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy”) is sung.HYMN #
BLESSING AND CHARGE
POSTLUDE
*Large print bulletins are available. Please ask the greeter.
Reminders:
Dec. 21 – Longest Night service, 7 pm, MFPC
Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve service, 7 pm
Dec. 28 – Lynne Jacques will be the substitute minister
Jan. 12 – Committee reports due
Jan. 25 – Congregational Meeting
