Announcements

Welcome & Greetings

Lighting of Fourth Advent Candle: GIDDIs

Leader 1: Last Sunday we lit the candle of joy. We light it and the candles of hope and peace again as we remember that Christ will come again and bring us everlasting

peace and joy. (a person lights the candles of hope, peace, and joy)

Leader 2: The fourth candle of Advent is the Candle of Love. It's light is meant to remind us of the love that God has for us.

Leader 1: Jesus shows us God's perfect love. He is God's love in human form. The bible says that "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

Leader 2: Love is patient, love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful or conceited, rude or selfish. Love is not quick to take offense, it keeps no records of wrongs, it does not gloat over other people's troubles, but rejoices in the right, the good, and the true. There is nothing that love cannot face, there is no limit to its faith, to its hope, to its endurance. Love never ends.

Leader 1: We light this candle today to remind us of how God's perfect love is found in Jesus. (Light the Fourth Candle)

Let us pray:

PEOPLE: Creator and covenant God, thank you for the promise fulfilled. Help us to fulfill the promise you have placed within each of us. Thank you for Jesus, the eternal light, who dispels darkness. Help us to be lights of your love in the dark times of others. Almighty God, we bow humbly and joyfully in your presence. We glorify you. We praise you. We sing ALLELUIA! Amen!

*Opening Hymn: ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ UMH#234

Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 61:1-4

Epistle Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-16

Worship Songs in English & Telugu: UECF Choir

Prayers of the People & Lord's Prayer: Rev. Dr. David Ravinder

Children Programs: UECF Children & Youth

Offertory

Offertory Music: Anna Merigala

*Doxology

Offertory Prayer: Rev. Dr. David Ravinder

Gospel Lesson: John 1:6-13, 19-24

Sermon: ‘There Was a Man Sent from God’ Rev. Dr. David Mertz

Children Skits: UECF Children & Youth

*Closing Hymn: ‘Joy to the World’ UMH#246

*Closing Prayer & Benediction: Rev. Dr. David Ravinder

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Thanks to Rev. Dr. David Mertz and Rev. Dr. David Ravinder for ministering to us today.
• UECF Christmas will be celebrated on Dec 25^th at 10:30AM at First United Methodist Church, 130 Ferris Pl, Westfield, NJ-07090. Rev. Dr. A. B. Joseph Kishore will bring the Christmas message and Popular Actor, Producer and Director Mr. Vijay Chander will present special program. Communion Service will be administered. Christmas Feast/Lunch follows the service. Please invite your family and friends and also non Christian friends/neighbors for this special service.
• UECF Watch Night Service/ New Year Eve will be held on Thursday, Dec 31^st at 9:00 PM.
• UECF carolers visited Clement Myla, Dharanikota, Moodey, Yellepeddi, Pulipati, Bhaskar, Pitta and Kambham families on Friday, Dec 16^th.
• On Saturday, Dec 17^th, UECF carolers visited Old Age Home, Giddi, Katam, Kodali, Matta, Biswas, Muthyala, Emmanuel David and Chilaka families.
• Today’s Fellowship Hour is hosted by Sunday School Teachers.
• Please sign-up the Fellowship Roster if you would like to volunteer to host the Fellowship Coffee Hour.

Birthdays:

• Mr. Paul Moodey 18^th Dec
• Ankitha Kodali 20^th Dec
• Mrs. Christie Chigurupati 21^st Dec
• Tryphena Pilli 23^rd Dec
• Mr. Emmanuel Kuraguntla 23^rd Dec
• Ms. Janet Sharon Srigiri 24^th Dec

Anniversaries:

• Mrs. Saritha & Mr. Syam Pilli 22^nd Dec

About Pastor David Mertz:

The Rev. Dr. David C. Mertz grew up Anaheim, California and Ridgewood, New Jersey as one of four children. After graduating from Carleton College in Northfield, MN with a degree in Economics he worked as a research assistant in a Washington D.C. law firm. He received his M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where he met his future wife, Dr. Nancy J. Duff.

Rev. Dr. David’s first church was in Albert Lea, MN. After he and Nancy married they moved to Fort Worth, TX where he did a year of hospital chaplaincy in a Clinical Pastoral Education program. He then served three churches in the Fort Worth area before moving back to Princeton, NJ where Nancy joined the faculty at Princeton Seminary.

For 10 years Rev. David did fundraising for various not for profit institutions before returning to the ministry. Prior to being appointed to the Milltown church in 2008, he served the Rossmoor Community Church, Princeton United Methodist Church and Kingston UMC.

Rev. Dr. David’s wife Dr. Nancy is the Stephen Colwell Associate Professor of Theological Ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary. They have two children: McKinley who graduated with a degree in Architecture from Miami University of Ohio, and Adam who is studying at Ohio Wesleyan University, just north of Columbus, OH.

Visit us online at http://www.uecf.net   

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