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Covenant-First Presbyterian Church Sunday, December 15, 2024 • 10:30 AM Covenant-First’s mission is to praise the Father, proclaim the Son and submit to the perfecting power of the Holy Spirit. Covenant-First Presbyterian Church • 717 Elm Street • Cincinnati, OH 45202 covfirstchurch.org • office@covfirstchurch.org • 513-621-4144
Welcome to Covenant-First Presbyterian Church Whether you attend Covenant-First Presbyterian Church on a regular basis or are here for the first time, we are glad you are here. Covenant-First Presbyterian Church was founded in 1790, and has been a part of downtown Cincinnati ever since. Our almost 2,000 pound tower bell is from the Paul Revere Foundry in Boston, and first rang from the steeple of one of our earliest buildings. This building was completed in 1875, and the Austin Pipe Organ dates to 1915, with its approximately 3,500 pipes. We have traditional worship with Bible-based preaching each week. Our music program is enhanced by our Music Scholar program and we are excited to have them lead in worship most Sundays. If you need help with directions to restrooms, the fellowship hall, or to the lower level nursery, the person who greeted you this morning will be glad to help you. Children and worship We delight in children, and your children are always welcome to stay with you in worship. However, if you would prefer nursery care for your infants and toddlers, we do have a professionally staffed nursery in the lower level. We invite children ages 2 years to 5 years to participate in Junior Church. If your child wants to participate in Junior Church, you may escort them to the lower level during the singing of the Doxology. You may then pick your child up following the service from the downstairs classrooms. Parking Validated parking is available in the adjacent garage for all worship services. Please pick up a validation stick-er and apply the sticker to your parking ticket to use for validation. Then simply scan your ticket with the sticker at the parking gate on your way out of the garage. If you are unsure how to obtain your parking stick-er, any greeter or our security personnel will be happy to assist you. Fellowship Time After worship, we invite you to gather with us in Metzger Hall for a reception featuring coffee, treats, and encouraging conversation. Many of us travel from a distance to join together in worship on Sunday morn-ings, and we find this weekly fellowship time to be a valuable and enriching time for us to catch up and meet new people. Please join us! About us If you are interested in learning more about Covenant-First Presbyterian Church, see your morning greeter, help yourself to any of the literature located on the back tables, contact the church office at 513-621-4144, or visit our website at covfirstchurch.org.
Pre-Service Improvisation on In Dulci Jubilo Andrew Hackett, Organist Concerns of the Congregation Advent Candle Lighting Shepherd’s Candle Devon and Maria Bloom As we light the Shepherd’s candle, we are reminded of the shepherd's joy upon hearing of the birth of a king. The announcement about Jesus from the angel brought joy to the shepherds. The announcement, much like the Whispering Fountains in the dome of Union Terminal, where voices are heard in an unlikely fashion, came to the shepherds in an unexpected way. The angelic pronouncement of Jesus’ reign on earth brings joy to the least. Jesus’ presence in this world ushers in joy. Hear the word from Luke 2:10: “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Let us pray: Lord Jesus, as the pronouncement of your kingdom brings joy, so does your pres-ence in our lives. We are grateful that you became man and dwelt among us. Remove the cloud of evil that robs joy. Sustain our joy in you with your spirit. May we be your joy with our very lives. Amen. As we light the Shepherds’ Candle, we rejoice in the good news of great joy: Christ our Savior has come! Prelude Partita on Comfort, Comfort, Var. 11 Georg Böhm Andrew Hackett, Organist Children Ringers Away in a Manager Ringers: Claire Crousey, Evie Crousey, Isla Crousey, Kit Crousey, Eliana Dechter, Emily Millhaem Ringing of the Revere Tower Bell Let the ringing of the bell call our attention away from ourselves and onto the living Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. *Hymn See pg. 7 Comfort, Comfort Ye My People Service for the Lord’s Day
*Invocation Rev. Turis All: Gracious God, awaken our hearts to your presence. As Advent unfolds, fill us with unshakable joy rooted in your promises. Shape us to be your sanctuary, a people of hope, love, and delight. Amen. *Prayer of Confession All: Lord of joy and justice, we come before you, confessing the idols we’ve allowed to clutter your sanctuary—our hearts. Like the people of old, we have trusted in empty rituals and neglected your call to justice, mercy, and truth. We have sought joy in fleeting comforts while ignoring the eternal joy found in your presence. Forgive us, O God, for our hollow words and divided hearts. Cleanse us and teach us to walk in your ways, that we may be vessels of your joy to the world. Restore to us the joy of Advent hope through Christ, our Savior. Amen. *Moments of Silent Confession *Assurance of Pardon Hear the good news: Though we have wandered, God’s invitation remains steadfast. In Jeremiah’s day, the people clung to false hopes, yet God’s heart longed for their return. So too, in this Advent season, God calls us back—not to judgment, but to joy. Through Jesus Christ, the living temple, we are restored, redeemed, and invited into a joy that cannot be shaken. Friends, hear and believe this assurance: In Christ, your sins are forgiven, your hearts are made new, and your joy is anchored in the unchanging faithfulness of God. Rejoice, for Emmanuel has come, and his grace abounds for you! Amen. *Gloria Patri #575 Glory Be to the Father 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. Anthem For Unto Us a Child Is Born G.F. Handel Covenant Choir Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Prayers of the People
Lord’s Prayer All: 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. Call for the Offering (if you would like to give online see the back of the bulletin) Offertory Gesu Bambino Pietro Yon Brian Calfano, Tenor; BoYun Li, Violin When blossoms flowered ‘mid the snows upon a winter night, was born the child, the Christ-mas Rose, the king of love and light. The angels sang, the shepherds sang, the grateful earth rejoiced, and at his blessed birth the stars their exultation voiced. O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord. Again, the heart with rapture glows, to greet the holy night, that gave the world its Christmas Rose, its king of love and light. Let every voice acclaim his name, the grateful chorus swell, from paradise to earth he came that we with him might dwell. O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord. *Doxology #572 Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow At this time all children are invited to go to Children’s Church Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn #105 What Child Is This Scripture Lesson Jeremiah 7:1-15 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Stand at the gate of the LORD’s house and there proclaim this message: ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. 3 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. 4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” 5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, 7 (Continued on page 6)
then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. 9 ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? 11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD. 12 ‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. 14 Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. 15 I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’ One: This is God’s Word for God’s people. All: Thanks be to God. Sermon Joy in the World Rev. Dan Turis *Hymn #116 Good Christian Men, Rejoice *Benediction Postlude Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645 J.S. Bach Christie Lee, Organ Scholar *Those who are able, please stand. * * * * * * * The flowers on the communion table are given by Tracy Kramer in loving celebration of her husband Jeff’s birthday today. * * * * * * * We are excited to have violinist BoYun Li join us this morning in worship. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 2018 and is now an adjunct professor at CCM. She is also a faculty in CCM Preparatory Department, and in Starling Project Foundation; she is teaching both college and pre-college programs.
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