Bulletin and Order of Worship

Our guest musicians for the morning are Organist Carol Mallette, an accomplished keyboard soloist who frequently substitutes for Dr. Ray Landis when he is away for vacation. Joining Carol will be our guest artist, Gateway Festival Orchestra Concert Master and retired St. Louis Symphony Associate Concert Master Takaoki “Taki” Sugitani. Mr. Sugitani plays selections of music for violin by Bach and Tchaikovsky.

The season of Advent remembers and celebrates the approach of an invasion little noticed when it happened, two thousand years ago. Our God would take on flesh and dwelt among us on earth. Our familiar legends would come to tell of armies of angels, and a campaign for the heavenly realm to be established here.

Advent’s time of hope, peace, joy, and love seeks to recruit us to be part of God’s renewing invasion and to anticipate the long-awaited reunion of heaven and earth.

At First Church, we trace a path toward the birthplace of the Messiah by lighting a candle on the Advent wreath and talking about one of the decorations on our Jesse Tree.

For the first Sunday of Advent, we mark “Blue Christmas.” This time in our lives may either find us far from those we love, and for some it causes us to miss especially those we have loved who have died. Expectations about what the season ought to feel like are complicated, when we are melancholy or sad. Part of this service will include prayers for healing and wholeness, and an opportunity for anointing with oil infused with the very fragrances associated with the first Christmas – frankincense and myrrh.

If you are struggling through the holidays, or you would simply like a spiritual lift, we encourage you to join us for this very special morning.

Readings for the day include Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; and Matthew 24:36-44.