to watch this worship service on YouTube, click here.

For some, winter is a time of bitter cold and isolation. But that is where we go today with a special message for the second Sunday in Advent. So far we’ve traveled through the season of Autumn, bringing the excitement of fall colors and crisp air, to a time of hope for what comes as the seasons pass through icy Winter’s chill. Sometimes we are that way in our faith, too. But if we pause in the time of winter just a bit to reflect on our faith and the coming of Christ into our lives, powerful things can happen. We focus especially today on the angels message of peace to all people on earth.

Our worship this week is just over 30 minutes long, with sing-along hymns, prayers, and a special word from Pastor Amy in Belgium, and advent reading from England—two continents in production, and all continents worshipping with us as one people of God. As we do every week, our time together includes a time of communion (breaking of the bread) where 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 are given to 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: “Lo How A Rose Ere Blooming”
2. Call to Worship, Introduction: Russ Smith
3. Opening Hymn: “In the Bulb There is a Flower”
4. Advent Candle Lighting, from England
5 Holy Baby, Holy Child, Lee Hamre
6. Pastor's Prayer with Lord's Prayer: Bob Shaw
7. Hymn: “Peace in the Valley”
8. Scripture: Russ Smith Psalm 4, Numbers 6:22-27 (NRSV)
9. Message: Amy Grogan
10. Hymn: “How Far is it to Bethlehem”
11. Communion: Anita Cobb
12. Hymn: “Eat this Bread”
13. Sending out

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.

ABOUT OUR DISCIPLES SHEEP:
You may notice in our videos that we have various stuffed sheep with us in worship. To us, these are not toys, but important parts of our church.
It happened this way: When we began producing worship as DisciplesNet in November 2010, one of the first problems we recognized was that when we are speaking to the people on the other end of a camera and internet, we cannot actually see the people to whom we were speaking. It was easy to speak to the other pastors in the room, but as we prayed and preached and spoke, we instead wanted to be reminded of the people for whom we were serving—including people whose best way to attend worship might be online. We wanted to be speaking to them---and as best we could hearing and telling their stories.

So, on a whim, we set some sheep that we’d used for a children’s sermon in front of our speakers, and found that helped! Before we knew it, their number was growing. They spilled over onto the table as we spoke. They have become dear to us and no longer children’s toys— but representations of all of the sheep of God’s pasture, all of God’s children—the real people like you, whom we may not be able to see in real life, but wish never to forget are there, and are each and everyone loved by God more than we can ever comprehend. Those sheep are why we are here.

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!