WELCOME TO WORSHIP | sunday | november 30, 2025

a diverse, inclusive church experiencing and reflecting the love, hope and joy of Jesus Christ

to each other and our community.

PRELUDE
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel | arr. Billy Madison                 
Wes Kassulke, piano; Dr. Bruce Kraemer, bassoon

Billy Madison | © 2005 by David E. Smith Publications, LLC www.despub.com | used by permission | all rights reserved

WELCOME | Pastor Doug Johns

WELCOME ONE ANOTHER

WAYS TO CONNECT  |  christchurchfl.org/ways2connect 
Please see below.

*  GATHERING HYMN
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 196 (verses 1,2)
Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a king,
born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.

Charles Wesley | Rowland Hugh Prichard | © words & music: public domain

* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH | Brian McComb, liturgist
We believe in God, who moved across the dark waters at Creation.
God’s words “Let there be light” filled the heavens and the earth with abundant light and goodness.

God loves, protects, and nurtures all of Creation.

We believe in Jesus Christ, God born among us a fragile baby.
His birth was heralded by angels. From shepherds to kings, people
came to worship Jesus, the infant king. His life, death,
and resurrection continue to transform the world with God’s love.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who gives us eyes to see all people as beloved children of God.
This Spirit call us to live in peace, and with great joy, sing with the angel chorus:
“Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people of earth.”

* 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.

Henry W. Greatorex | public domain | CCLI License # 487103

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE | Dancer Leighton Stone
The prophet Isaiah calls to us from the past to imagine the future when God’s reign will be fully realized and recognized throughout creation. When that time comes, God “shall judge between the nations and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4)

all Today, we choose to live in hope, believing that the time of God’s reign has come and is coming among us.

We light this candle of hope as a sign of our promise to follow the Light as we answer God’s call to transform our hope into reality today and in the days to come.

CAROL
O Little Town of Bethlehem | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 230 (verses 1)
O Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie;
above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.   
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. 

Lewis Henry Redner | Phillips Brooks | © words & music: public domain | CCLI License # 487103

MUSIC MINISTRY 
Where’s the Line to See Jesus | Steve Haupt & Chris Loesch                                     
Connie Bookholt, alto

Steve Haupt, Christ Loesch | © 2010 Haupt Music Productions LLC. | all rights reserved | used with permission under One License #A-726973

SCRIPTURE
1 John 1:5-9 | New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; ⁷ but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

These are the words of God for us, the people of God. Thanks be to God

MESSAGE
A Christmas Carol Revisited | Freedom from the Past | Pastor Doug Johns

OFFERING | Pastor Cathy Johns
worshiping through the offering of our lives and gifts

·      Place offerings in the plates or wooden boxes

·      Give online at christchurchfl.org/give 

·      Text GIVE to 954.880.3885

·      Mail a check to Christ Church, 4845 NE 25^th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

Connect cards may also be placed with your offering.

Christ Church is a congregationally supported ministry. We thank you for your faithfulness as we reflect the love, hope and joy of Jesus to our community.

MUSIC MINISTRY

This Child Shall Be Our Peace | Molly Ijames
Chancel Choir 
This child shall be our peace. A hush upon the stable, a humble manger bed. A weary mother stroking her sleeping baby’s head. An echo in her memory of ancient prophecies: this child of Mary’s labor, shall be our peace. A flock of sheep awakened, a flood of glorious light, a band of fearful shepherds illumined in the night. The angel voices swelling, their message to release: the lamb will be our shepherd, this child will be our peace. This earth-born child of heaven, this flesh-bound Son of God, this man who bore our sorrows, this lamb who shed his blood, he stills our raging anger, he heals our hopeless grief, he calms our frantic worry, he helps our unbelief. Beneath his righteous scepter, he makes all war to cease. Come bow the knee before him. This child shall be our peace.

Molly Ijames | Eileen Berry | © 2025 by Beckenhorst Press, Inc.  | all rights reserved | used with permission under One License #A-726973

* DOXOLOGY 
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.

Bourgeois & Ken | public domain | CCLI License # 487103

MORNING PRAYER

THE 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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

* HYMN OF COMMITMENT
I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 206 (verses 1,3)
I want to walk as a child of the light. I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world. The star of my life is Jesus.

(refrain) In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.

I’m looking for the coming of Christ. I want to be with Jesus.
When we have run with patience the race, we shall know the joy of Jesus.  (refrain)

Kathleen Thomerson | © 1970, 1975 Celebration | CCLI License # 487103

* SENDING FORTH

* RESPONSE
Spirit Song | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 347
O let the Son of God enfold you with his Spirit and his love. 
Let him fill your heart and satisfy your soul. 
O let him have the things that hold you, and his Spirit like a dove 
will descend upon your life and make you whole.

Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs. 
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs.

John Wimber | © 1979 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing Co. | CCLI License # 487103

MUSIC FOR CLOSING
Postlude on “Savior of the Nations, Come” | Robert M. Thompson
Chuck Stanley, organ
Robert M. Thompson | © 2020 Lorenz Publishing Co. | all rights reserved | used with permission under One License #A-726973

* please stand in body or spirit.

Join us next Sunday when we continue the Advent series A Christmas Carol Revisited with the message Untangling the Present, based on Mark 1:1-8.

For a complete list of all the ways to conect click here