Hampstead Congregational Church UCC

PDF BULLETIN

Hampstead Congregational Church

December 7, 2025

Second Sunday of Advent

with Communion

No Matter Who You Are or Where You Are on Life’s Journey,

You are Welcome Here!

Order of Worship

Prelude                                                                                                               Herb Tardiff  

Greetings and Announcements                                                                   

Call to Worship (responsive)                                                                      Paul D'Adamo 

Invocation   (unison)                                                                                   Paul D’Adamo

      Patient and loving God, we so easily launch ourselves in preparation for the secular festival of giving and parties and the swirl of social events; but we forget that the true preparation is the readiness of our hearts to receive you. Help us look again at our lives and turn them around so that they may be in tune with your will. We ask this in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.

Passing of the Peace of Christ 

(Feel free to pass the peace by shaking hands, offering hugs or waves.  Those who would like to share peace without physical contact are invited to place their hands over their hearts in greeting.)

*Opening Hymn:  

Lighting the Advent Candles                                                                   Donna Lacey                                            

      Congregational Response:  Ch #132 When God is a Child (Verse 2)

Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth;

Giving a promise of safety and worth;

When God is a child there’s joy in our song;

The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong;

And none shall be afraid.

Scripture Readings:  Isaiah 11: 1-10, Mt 3: 1-12    (NRSVUE)              Paul D’Adamo

 Isaiah 11: 1-10

   A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
² The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
    the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the spirit of counsel and might,
    the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
³ His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see
    or decide by what his ears hear,
⁴ but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor
    and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
    and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
⁵ Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist
    and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

⁶ The wolf shall live with the lamb;
    the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the lion will feed together,
    and a little child shall lead them.
⁷ The cow and the bear shall graze;
    their young shall lie down together;
    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
⁸ The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
    and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
⁹ They will not hurt or destroy
    on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

¹⁰ On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Mt 3: 1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ² “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ³ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight.’ ”

⁴ Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶ and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, ⁹ and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰ Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹ “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Children’s Message

Sermon: "God's Roots & Shoots:                                  Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

Special Music

Call for Concerns & Celebrations

Pastoral Prayer                                                                Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

     The Lord’s Prayer:

     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, the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

Call to Offering

*Doxology:        Praise God for gifts of hope and peace;
                           Praise God for gifts of joy and love;
                           Praise God for sending Christ to dwell:
                           On earth for us – Emmanuel.  Amen.

*Prayer of Dedication                                                          Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

       Emmanuel, hear our prayer! We bring these gifts before you to spread peace throughout our homes, our communities, and our world. On every street corner, beside rivers, lakes, oceans, at the top of your tallest mountains, and dwelling below the cliffs, your people are in need. Take these gifts to strengthen our church and bring relief to your beloved children.
Amen 

*Communion Hymn:   

Celebration of Communion

INVITATION

REMEMBERING JESUS

SHARING BREAD AND CUP—All are welcome to the table always

     Sharing of the Bread (please come forward and eat once you receive)
     Sharing the Cup  (served in the pew.  Please hold so we can take together.)

THANKSGIVING:  (unison)

            Thank you for giving yourself to us in so many different ways.  May we too distribute you to all in new ways, old ways, every way, any way, so that the hungry will be fed, the dying will have lie, the lonely will be accompanied, the oppressed will have justice, and all of us together will rejoice in your love.  In Jesus name we pray.  Amen.

*Hymn of Going Forth:

*Benediction                                                                              Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

      Beyond these walls, the world needs peace. Go out taking with you the exquisite peace of Christ. Carry it boldly and spread it to all those you meet, knowing that God is within you, strengthening the light of the world. Amen.

Music Usage permitted through OneLicense HCC License # A-730412 and CCLI License Number 2927783. All rights reserved.

Steeple Lighting

December 8^th to December 14^th

Steeple Lit

In loving memory of

Ellen Cronin Little

Love, Her Family

December 8^th Church Weekly Calendar