September 1999

Christopher M. Idle. London: St Matthias Press and Carol Stream, Ill.: Hope Publishing Co., 1998.

CREATIVE USES OF ADVENT/CHRISTMAS RESOURCES

I got off the subway and walked a couple of blocks to the big brick church on the corner of Amsterdam and 105th in New York City. West End Presbyterian Church has been on that corner for over a hundred years and has seen many changes, especially in the past generation.

QUICK TIP

You may want to file this helpful information from the March/April 1999 Children’s Ministry magazine:

Please note that if you show videos to children [other audiences too!], consider purchasing the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (MPLC) Umbrella License for the public performance of home videos. The license costs $95 per year, and it allows your church to show copyrighted videos legally. Their address is 5455 Centinela Ave., P.O. Box 66970, Los Angeles, CA 90066-6970. Or call 800-462-8855.

Ron B. De Boer is a teacher and writer in Kitchener, Ontario. He wrote this play for the children’s Christmas program at Community Christian Reformed Church in Kitchener.

Setting and Props

Fourth Sunday in Advent

Flourish Like Grain
Hosea 14; John 12:23-26

Call to Worship
From Scripture: Psalm 96

In Song: “Humble Thyself in the Sight of the Lord” Maranatha! Praise Chorus Book 3 66

Lighting the Advent Wreath
Child: Why do we light four candles today?

This service was adapted from a set of perspectives and worship resources for Christ the King Sunday (November 21, 1999) through the first week of the year 2000. The eighty-page booklet Standing at the Door is available at no charge from the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship (1-800-685-4370).

The vesper service reflects the historic tradition of daily evening prayer services. It is a brief service that makes use of silence and symbol. The mood of the service should be unhurried and quiet.

How long have God’s people been debating about the language and order of worship? Almost as long as we’ve been gathering for prayer and praise.

We planned this service as part of an evening series on the book of Nehemiah. It focuses on the feast of booths or tabernacles (sukkot). With a little bit of tweaking, it could be an interesting service either for the time of sukkot or else possibly a service for the first Sunday of Advent.

All but one of the songs in this issue were included as part of service plans outlined in this issue of Reformed Worship. “My Soul in Stillness Waits” was sung as the opening hymn of every service during the Advent series from Hope Christian Reformed Church, Thunder Bay, Ontario (see p. 3). “O Gladsome Light” was recommended for the New Year’s Eve service plans (see p. 34). “Miren qué bueno¡” was sung at the joint English/Spanish service at West End Presbyterian Church in New York City (see p. 24).