to watch this worship service on YouTube, click here.

Jeremiah spoke to his people both in times when safety and prosperity led them to take God's presence for granted and in times when they were defeated, in exile, and mourning the loss of all they'd trusted in. Pastor Russ uses Jeremiah 33:14-16, written for one of those later times, to encourage us when we feel like strangers and exiles in our world.
We begin the time of Advent with this service. Advent is a time of remembering Jesus' coming to us. We observe Advent each year to remind us that, although Jesus has already come, what will fully come in God's time has not yet arrived. We still must wait and anticipate the fullness of God's rule and realm.
This year, our Advent theme uses the hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel":
O come, O come, Emmanuel
and ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
Each Sunday and Advent and on Christmas Day, we will have one verse from that hymn as the theme for the day.
The theme for today, taken from the first verse, is "Jesus comes as our Redeemer". Jesus is the one who seeks out the lost, the outcast, the outsider and welcomes them in.
Our worship today is just over 26 minutes long and includes a time of prayer, scripture, a number of favorite hymns, preaching as well as communion. You may choose to participate, or simply meditate as we tell of Jesus' invitation to "do this in remembrance of me." If you would like to share with us at the table that goes beyond earthly boundaries of time, place, and structure, we ask that you prepare a piece of bread of some type and a drink such as grape juice, wine, or water. As we pray, our prayers extend to where you are. If you are unable to eat or drink, you may want to use a symbolic gesture or mental symbol as you come together at this table of remembrance with us.
(Scroll down for an Order of Worship)

We hope that as you join us for worship you will feel a blessing from being part. Please tell friends, family, and others you know about our online church that is here with doors that are always open, walls as wide as the world, and always room at the table.

ORDER OF WORSHIP:
1. Opening background music:
--- "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" - instrumental
-- Brian Wallen & Dean Phelps on guitar
2. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" verse 1
--- from "Ten More Miles" with the guitar and vocal talents
--- of Dean Phelps, Brian Wallen, and Molly Wallen
3. Elder's Prayer: Elder Susan
4. "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" - Dean Phelps
5. Scripture: Jeremiah 33:14-16 read by Janet Spaulding
6. Message: “Hope in Exile" Pastor Russ
7. "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus"
--- Dean Phelps and Twana Harris
8. Communion: Pastor Deb
9. "Here at Thy Table, Lord" - DisciplesNet singers
10. Sending Out
11. Credits
--- background music: --- "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
-- Brian Wallen & Dean Phelps on guitar

We are grateful for the permission of the artists to use "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" from the "Ten More Miles" Christmas album (c) 2018 theWallensMusic.

If you would like to chat with one of our pastors, including talking more about belief in God, becoming a Christian or following Christ, or living as a disciple of Christ, please email us at pastor@disciplesnet.org, or contact us using the contact information on our website, disciplesnet.org, or our Facebook page, DisciplesNet Church.

INVITATION TO GIVING:
DisciplesNet Church is a not-for-profit church that exists to cross barriers and boundaries to share the Good News of God's redeeming love. We rely on the gifts of our online viewers as we continue to grow and extend our nets around the world.

We also extend the invitation for you to be part of the DisciplesNet ministry by giving a one-time gift, or ongoing, including a tithe. Even the smallest of gifts, like the mustard seed, has a way of growing in amazing ways to share God's word and the love of Jesus Christ. We have a giving page on our website, disciplesnet.org, and email address: giving@disciplesnet.org

God bless you, and thank you for joining us!