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MUSIC NOTE
Please join me in thanking our musicians — the many students of the Walla Walla University choirs and, under the direction of Brandon Beck, the WWU Orchestra and WWU Brass Ensemble. We also thank our readers representing Rogers Adventist School, Walla Walla Valley Academy, Walla Walla University (presidents of OPS, AGA, and ASWWU), our congregation, and pastoral staff.
Our Christmastide service, “Lessons and Carols,” focuses on the entire sweep of salvation history. Beginning with the fall of humankind and some prophecies of the Messiah, the readings next depict His kingdom and reign to come, and finally describe the events of His earthly birth. Embedded into this narrative we hear music both familiar and new and sing beloved carols highlighting the great story of Christ’s appearing in our lives – once in a lowly manger, ultimately in the clouds of glory. Could there exist a better reason to sing?
The great, devout, French composer Olivier Messiaen often appended texts to his works, including the following biblical reference for our prelude:
God, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to Himself, to the praise and glory of His grace.
–Ephesians 1:5,6
The postlude narrates the events of Luke 2 without the aid of words. The piece begins with a fast alternation of different scenes – crashing chords announce the descent of God from heaven to earth; quiet music depicts the human family gathered in a manger – recreating the bewilderment of the shepherds on hearing the heavenly news. A longer middle section, based on the manger tune, includes an evocation of twinkling stars and leads to the final section: a full-blown French toccata celebrating the news, God Among Us!
-Kraig Scott
THIS SABBATH
AT THE UNIVERSITY CHURCH
LESSONS AND CAROLS
Program order for the Second Service
Prelude Eternal Purposes
-Olivier Messiaen
Kraig Scott, organ
Call to Worship Alareece Collie
Carol #115, O Come, O Come, Immanuel
1 – O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
[Refrain] – Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
2 – O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go.
[Refrain]
3 – O come, Desire of nations, bind
all peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
[Refrain]
Morning Prayer Alareece Collie
FIRST LESSON Genesis 3:8–15
Daenan Veverka, Rogers School
God announces in the Garden of Eden
that the seed of woman shall bruise the serpent’s head.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
The man said, “The woman You put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
Cursed are you above all the livestock
and all the wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.“
Anthem Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
-Thomas Knox
WWU Brass Ensemble
SECOND LESSON Isaiah 9:2, 6–7
Christian Wallace-Bailey, WWVA
Christ’s birth and kingdom are foretold by Isaiah.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
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.
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Carol #131, Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming
1 – Lo, how a rose e’re blooming
From tender stem hath sprung,
Of Jesse’s lineage coming
As men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright,
Amid the cold of winter
When half spent was the night.
2 – Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind,
With Mary we beheld it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright
She bore to them a Savior,
When half spent was the night.
THIRD LESSON Isaiah 11:1–3a, 4a, 6–9
Brandon Dudar, OPS President
The peace that Christ will bring is foreshown.
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
Lord — and He will delight in the fear of the Lord.
With righteousness He will judge the needy,
with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will
lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and
the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear, their young will
lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like
the ox.
The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper’s
nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my
holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the
knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the
sea.”
Anthem Wexford Carol
-Dan Goeller
WWU Orchestra
FOURTH LESSON Luke 1:26–35, 38
Christine Marie Gibbs, AGA President
The angel Gabriel salutes Mary
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you are to call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end."
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Carol #141, What Child is This?
1 - What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary`s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
[Refrain] – This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
2 - Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
[Refrain]
3 - So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own Him,
the King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
[Refrain]
Anthem Deposuit
-Francesco Durante
University Singers, piano
Lyrics are as follows:
Luke 1:52-53
He hath put down the mighty from their seat,
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things:
and the rich He hath sent empty away.
FIFTH LESSON Luke 2:1, 3–7
Adam Hagele, ASWWU President
Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree
that a census should be taken of the entire Roman
world. And everyone went to their own town to
register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of
Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the
town of David, because he belonged to the house
and line of David. He went there to register with
Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and
was expecting a child. While they were there, the
time came for the baby to be born, and she gave
birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in
cloths and placed him in a manger, because there
was no guest room available for them.
Anthem O Little Town of Bethlehem
-Dan Goeller
WWU Orchestra
Jinhyang Park, piano
SIXTH LESSON Luke 2:8–16
Patricia Craigg
The shepherds go to the manger.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields
nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them, and they
were terrified. But the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that
will cause great joy for all the people. Today in
the town of David a Savior has been born to you;
he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign
to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths
and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host
appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph,
and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
Anthem Seek Him That Maketh The Seven Stars
-Jonathan Dove
I Cantori, piano
Amos 5:8; Psalm 139
Seek Him that maketh the seven stars
and Orion and turneth the shadow of death
into the morning.
Alleluia, yea, the darkness shineth as the day, the
night is light about me.
Amen.
SEVENTH LESSON John 1:1-14
Alex Bryan
John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.
Anthem Ring Out Ye Crystal Spheres
-Ralph Vaughan Williams
University Singers, organ
Lyrics as follows:
John 1:1-14 (adapted); and John Milton,
“Hymn on the Morning of Christ’s Nativity”
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us,
full of grace and truth.
Emmanuel, God with us.
Ring out, ye crystal spheres,
Once bless our human ears,
If ye have power to touch our senses so;
And let your silver chime
Move in melodious time,
And let the bass of
heaven’s deep organ blow;
And, with your ninefold harmony,
Make up full consort
to the angelic symphony.
Such music (as ‘tis said),
Before was never made,
But when of old the sons of morning sung,
While the Creator great
His constellations set,
And the well-balanced world on hinges hung;
And cast the dark foundations deep,
And bid the weltering waves their
oozy channel keep.
Yea, truth and justice then
Will down return to men,
Orbed in a rainbow;
and, like glories wearing,
Mercy will sit between,
Throned in celestial sheen,
With radiant feet the tissued clouds down-steering;
And heaven, as at some festival, Will open wide the gates
of her high palace hall.
Homily Alex Bryan
Offering University Church Budget
Offertory I Saw Three Ships
-Mack Wilberg
University Singers, WWU Orchestra
Baptism Jonathan Polomsky, by Darold Bigger
Carol #117, The Advent of Our God
1 - The advent of our God
With eager prayers we greet,
And singing haste upon His road
His coming reign to meet.
2 - The everlasting Son
Was born to make us free;
And He a servant’s form put on
To gain our liberty.
3 - As Judge, on clouds of light,
He soon will come again,
His scattered people to unite
With them in heaven to reign.
4 - Praise to the incarnate Son
Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever one,
To all eternity.
Benediction Alex Bryan
Ask. Anything. Braden Stanyer, Senior, Bioengineering
Postlude God Among Us
-Olivier Messiaen
Kraig Scott, organ
WWU Symphony Orchestra director: Brandon Beck
University Singers, I Cantori director: Kraig Scott
Organist: Kraig Scott
Pianists: Jinhyang Park and Luke Irvine
GIVE
The University Church budget funds many important aspects of our local ministry. Although pastors' salaries are funded by donations marked "tithe", the University Church budget is what subsidizes our amazing K-12 school programs at Walla Walla Valley Academy and Rogers Adventist School. It also makes our worship services and broadcast ministry possible. Thank you for your generous and systematic support!
As always - we welcome your gifts made right here on our website. Click Here to Give!
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TOUCHES OF INTEREST
Come support and cheer for the University Church Torchbearer Pathfinder Club as they participate in the College Place Christmas parade, Thursday, December 7 at 5:30pm on College Avenue.
SonBridge Open House. Come celebrate the Education Center for Better Living on December 10 from 4–6pm. Enjoy refreshments, tours, and a celebration of our community's achievement!
John Deming passed away on Wednesday night this week. His memorial service is being planned for Sabbath afternoon, December 9 at 4pm in the University Church. A donation account to help with medical expenses has been set up at Blue Mountain Credit Union.
The services for James Sadoyama will be Sunday December 3, 2017. Graveside service will be 9:30am at Mt. Hope cemetery and the memorial service will follow at 10:30am at the University Church.
The Walla Walla Symphony is performing Handel’s “Messiah!” tonight at 7:30pm in our Sanctuary. Many thanks to University Church members for your warm hospitality to community members in attendance. For those without tickets, limited tickets will be available at the door in the South lobby. WWU students will be allowed free admission by showing their ID.
A German Christmas Sing-a-long is this morning at 10am in room 208 of the Melvin K. West Fine Arts Center. Contact Kurt Schäfer at 509.527.3116.
Come support our Walla Walla University Church Torchbearer Pathfinders at the College Place parade on Thursday, December 7, 5:30pm on College Avenue.
Volunteer Spanish English Interpreters needed for Sabbath Services. Share your bilingual talent for this Spanish ministry. Students or members interested call Sandra Graham at 526-8011 for more information.
Classroom Coordinators Needed! Our Kindergarten 1 and Primary 2 classes are looking for a person willing to organize teachers weekly for their rooms! We would love someone who enjoys teaching in case they need to fill in on occasion. Volunteers must complete (or have already completed) the Verified Volunteers training and screening. Please contact Pastor Jenn today if this call is for you! jenn.ogden@wallawalla.edu or 509-527-2800.
This Sunday, Dec. 3 at 11 am, ASWWU Global Service is hosting the Holiday Hustle at the WWU track in 4th St. It is a family friendly relay adventure race that will bring festive cheer and raise money for a great cause in the spirit of the season of giving. Check out the ASWWU Global Service Facebook page for more information.
Student missionary Christmas packages are in the lobby today. Please choose one to take and mail at the post office. Thank you for your help in this yearly tradition of supporting our students!
Retired Denominational Workers’ Potluck December 3, 5:00 p.m. Fellowship Hall, Village Church. Bring a small fee ($1.50) for the Pathfinder bus, to be transported to Cordiner Hall following the meal, for the annual “Feast of Carols”. Also, remember to bring a can of food or a small cash donation for admission. You won’t want to miss this festive occasion!!
Rogers Adventist School Christmas program for grades 5-8 is on Tuesday, December 5 at 7pm in the WWVA Auditorium. The program for grades K-4 is Tuesday, December 12 at 6:30pm in the WWVA Auditorium.
Walla Walla Valley Academy will present their annual Christmas Concert featuring their Band, Choir, Hand Bells, Singers and their Orchestra. The program will take place in the WWVA Auditorium beginning at 7pm on Sabbath, December 9 .
The Longest Night, a midwinter service of renewal and hope will take place on Friday, December 15 at 7 pm. Join us for a meditative service of music, reflection, and healing prayer.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Sabbath, December 9, 2017 — 3:30 p.m. “Good Christian Friends, REJOICE!”- the annual Vespers Celebration of Lessons & Carols will be presented by the Village Church Choir, Brass Ensemble, Kids of the King Children’s Choir, Orchestra, and Grace Notes Handbells directed by ministers of music Terry and Terri Koch. College Place Village Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Milton-Stateline Adventist School is accepting applications for a janitor. Experience preferred. Position to start January 2018. For more information email info@miltonstateline.org or call 541-938-7131
The Cantrell family is grieving the unexpected and tragic loss of Kevin Cantrell, who died in a auto accident on November 14, 2017. One way you can help the family in this time is to sign up via this Meal Train to provide food while they are processing this terrible loss. click here: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/e74v7e
The La Sierra University vocal ensemble UNITED will perform at the University Church on December 16, 2017 at 6pm.
Enchiladas to go, from College Place Spanish SDA Church to benefit their student aid fund. Call 525-9523, 301-2956 or email enchiladasforeducation@gmail.com to order. Order by December 5 to pick up on December 10 or order by January 30 to pick up on February 4 at Rogers Adventist School.
Jim and Virginia Davidson of “Jesus and Science Seminars, Inc.” present two afternoon topics at the Umapine SDA Church on Sabbath, December 2. At 2pm, the topic is “Outside the Box” and at 3pm “Zero Probability and the ABC’s.” All are welcome.
Guests coming and need an extra guest room? Havstad Alumni Center has 3 beautiful guest rooms. For guest room availability and information go to www.wallawalla.edu/alumni/wwu-alumni-association/guest-rooms/ or call 509 540-8095.
Need space for family/friends event? Havstad Alumni Center is available for rent for those special events. Choose between the 1st floor beautiful home-like living room setting or the 2nd floor which includes a full kitchen. Located on 4th Street on the Walla Walla University campus. For more information, please call 509 527-2241 between 9am - 5pm Monday - Thursday.
Come and enjoy “Miracle On Bethleham Street” a play and performances by the MSAS Band and Choir! The fun starts at 7:00 pm on Thursday, December 14th in our gymnasium.
Milton-Stateline Adventist School invites you to a Pancake breakfast on Sunday, Dec 3rd 8:00 am to 10:00 am in the Stateline Adventist Church Fellowship Hall. There will be pancakes, eggs, hash browns and a whole lot more! By Donations. All proceeds go to the 8th grade trip fund.
If you’re a medical doctor or dental hygienist and are interested in going on a mission trip to Bolivia with a church group in March, please contact Monique Morris at moniquemorris@gmail.com or call 509-540-9345.
The Christian Aid Center needs you! This important ministry partner of the University Church is always in need of volunteer help. In particular, the director of volunteers at CAC (and our church member), Jeannette Regalado, is requesting for help with chapel speakers (6:30pm daily), breakfast cooks (Sunday and Monday mornings), and van drivers to pick up donated food (Tuesday and Thursday mornings). Contact Jeannette at 509.525.7153.
EVENTS
Sabbath, December 2
11:45am -- Lessons and Carols worship service, Sanctuary
3pm — Come Before Winter film screening, CTC 119
6-7pm -- Walla Walla City Parade of Lights, Downtown
Sunday, December 3
9:30am — Jimmy Sadoyama Graveside, Mt. Hope
10:30am — Jimmy Sadoyama Memorial, Sanctuary
5pm — Retired Denominational Workers’ Potluck, Village Church
Monday, December 4
7:30am — (daily) Morning Worship, Heubach Chapel
Tuesday, December 5
7pm — High Five Youth Group, Jr. High Room
7pm — Rogers School, 5-8 Christmas Program, WWVA Auditorium
Wednesday, December 6
6:30pm — Pathfinders, Fellowship Hall
7pm — Prayer Meeting, Heubach Chapel
Thursday, December 7
5-7:30pm -- College Place City Christmas parade and fireworks
Friday, December 8
1pm — “Change the Day” Service Activity, Youth Room
4:08pm — Sundown
6pm and 8pm -- WWU Music Department Christmas Program, Sanctuary
Sabbath, December 9
4pm -- John Deming Memorial Service, Sanctuary
7pm - WWVA Music Dept. Christmas Program, WWVA Auditorium
Tuesday, December 12
6:30pm — Rogers School, K-4 Christmas Program, WWVA Auditorium
Friday, December 15
7pm -- "The Longest Night" vespers, Sanctuary
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