Prelude: “A La Nanita, Nana” by Lani Smith, echoing a traditional Spanish Carol
Welcome and Announcements: Andrew Nowak
Call to Worship and Invocation
“Light the Advent Candle Three”
Light the Advent Candle, three: Think of heaven’ly harmony;
Angels singing “Peace on Earth” at the blessed Savior’s birth
Candle, candle, burning bright, Shining in the cold winter night;
Candle, candle, burning bright, Fill our hearts with Christmas light.
Words and music by Mary Lu Walker. Paulist Press, 1975. Used by permission. CCLI#460144
Praise and Worship with Chandru Muthurajan
Hymn: “There’s A Song in the Air”
- There’s a song in the air! There’s a star in the sky!
There’s a mother’s deep prayer and a Baby’s low cry!
And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King! - There’s a tumult of joy o’er the wonderful birth,
For the virgin’s sweet Boy is the Lord of the earth.
Ay! the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King! - In the light of that star lie the ages impearled;
And that song from afar has swept over the world.
Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing
In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King! - We rejoice in the light, and we echo the song
That comes down through the night from the heavenly throng.
Ay! we shout to the lovely evangel they bring,
And we greet in His cradle our Savior and King!
Moments of Prayer
Scripture: John 1:4, 3:2; 1 John 1:7, 2:12-17, 4:1-4, 4:7-21, 5:11-20
Sermon: “How to Dive into the Deeper Things of God” by Pastor Bhim Gurung
Hymn: “Angels We Have Heard on High”
- Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Refrain: Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo! - Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
[Refrain] - Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
[Refrain]
Benediction
Postlude: “Christians, be Joyful” from “The Christmas Oratorio” by J.S. Bach, arranged and abridged by Franklin Ritter
Organist: Ms. Marilyn Glover
We welcome to our pulpit Pastor Bhim Gurung. Bhim ministers the First Nepali Baptist Church, housed within our church building in 493 Main St. Malden, MA. Bhim is a native of Nepal and devoted his life in the U.S. serving God and His church. He was nominated as the national and international mission coordinator of Alliance of Asian American Baptist Churches in 2018.