Sunday Bulletin
Celebration Service
First Sunday of Advent
November 30, 2025 9:30 am
Prelude “Savior of the Nations, Come” R.E. Smith
“nun Komm’ der Heiden Heiland” Buxtehude
Introit “Prepare the Way, O Zion”
Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship Lay Leader: Whitlock family
Dear God,
As we begin our Advent pilgrimage,
Grant us the courage to hope.
Hope for your presence,
Hope for your peace,
Hope for your promise. Amen.
Today, we light the candle of hope. Please join with me in our prayer:
To you, O Lord, we lift up our souls: in you, O God, we trust.
Teach us your ways, O God of our salvation.
We light this candle in the sure hope that God’s promises endure.
Amen.
Hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” #119
The Lord’s Prayer #307
Children’s Message
Isaiah 2:1-5
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and
Jerusalem.
In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established
as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may
teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion
shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many
peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against
nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
The Gloria Patri #35
Anthem “O Come, Emmanuel” Don Besig
Amy Cobaugh – flute
Psalm 122
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
Our fee are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem – built as a city that is bound firmly together.
To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the
house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.”
For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within
you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.
Prayers of the People
Hymn “Come, O Long-expected Jesus” #125
Reading Matthew 24:36-44
Message “A Time for Hope” Rev. Dan Haugh
Offering
Offertory “Vieux Noel in D Minor” Cesar Franck
Doxology* #46
Offertory Prayer*
Hymn “Christians All, Your Lord Is Coming” #136
Benediction
Closing “Peace Before Us”
Postlude “Savior of the Nations, Come” Paul Manz
Calendar of Events
Monday, 12/1 Noon AA meeting in Fellowship Hall
Tuesday, 12/2 7:30 AA meeting in Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, 12/3 Noon AA meeting in Fellowship Hall
5:30 Choir Rehearsal in Organ Loft
7:00 Silent Night Service in sanctuary
Thursday, 12/4 7:00 Elf Jr. in sanctuary
Friday, 12/5 7:00 Elf Jr. in sanctuary
Saturday, 12/6 9:00 Christmas Fair in Fellowship Hall
7:00 Elf Jr. in sanctuary
Happy Birthday this week to:
Brett Loomis today, 11/30
Grace Couto, Roger Keller and Julia Macalaster on 12/1
Quinn Krukar on 12/2
Parker Liljedahl on 12/3
Sandi Kuhl on 12/4
Bryer Spauling and Maureen Wheelwright on 12/5
Happy Anniversary this week to:
Roger and Rachel Hanmer on 12/4
Announcements
The ushers today are Kim Hampton and Nancy Money. Thank you for helping today.
Baked goods are needed for the Christmas Fair (Saturday, December 6). Please bring items for sale to the church kitchen on Friday, December 5 between 8:30 and 2:30 and Saturday, December 6 between 8 – 9am. Any questions contact Denise at women@stowecommunitychurch.org. Thank you for all your wonderful contributions to the Baked Sale.
The Stowe Community Church is sponsoring a grocery drive this holiday season.
Beginning November 30th, we invite the community to bring bags of groceries to church each Sunday in Advent to support the Lamoille Food Share and help local families struggling with food insecurity during this holiday season.
Join Pastor Dan Dan each Tuesday at noon during Advent to read the lectionary texts, meditate, pray, and reflect together. People can meet in his office or join via Zoom. The link is provided in the Quest, or email the church office.
”Giving Tuesday" is an annual day of giving held on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year, Giving Tuesday will be held on December 2, 2025. Following traditional days of spending, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday stands in contrast. Instead, Giving Tuesday is focused on the act and spirit of giving back. This year, Stowe Community Church invites you to donate to support our vision to be a blessing to our community, help support local organizations, care for our members, educate our children, empower our youth, and worship God with thanksgiving. To make a “thanks” offering, please visit the donate page of our website or scan the QR code attached in the bulletin. We are thankful for your generosity.
The SCC Care Team invites you to share a conversation with Kyle Robidoux, who is the Executive Director with Friendship Works of Greater Boston, a nonprofit network for older adults.
He will lead a conversation around "Creating opportunities for connections and support for older people in Stowe: addressing issues of isolation and loneliness."Stowe Church is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting on December 9, 7:00. See the Quest for the link.
Christmas Fair and Wreaths: Saturday, December 6, 2025 9:00 – 2:00 in Fellowship Hall. Preorder your Christmas Wreaths now by contacting Nan Myers to place your order at foxleemanr@aol.com or 802-244-1471 by December 2th. 12” plain $26, Bow $28, fully decorated $30 16” plain $32, Bow $34, fully decorated $36
Save the Dates:
12/3/25 at 7:00 pm in sanctuary our annual Silent Night Service. The holidays are a time of family gatherings and joy . . . and sometimes, a time of sorrow. Grief from the death of a loved one and the accompanying loneliness can make this time of year difficult to bear. You are not alone.
You are invited to a very special, candle-lit, Silent Night service where we will remember loved ones and lament for what was lost in their passing. There will be prayer, music, and candle lighting to remind us that though grief is dark, a light remains. 802.253.7257 | STOWECOMMUNITYCHURCH.ORG
12/4/25, 12/5/25, and 12/6/25 at 7 pm Elf Jr. then on 12/7/25 at 2:00 pm. in the Sanctuary. Go here for tickets.
12/6/25 9:00 – 2:00 Our Annual Christmas Fair in Fellowship Hall. Goodies of all kinds can be purchased. Food, jewelry, ornaments, and wreaths, pre-order your wreaths by emailing foxleemanr@aol.com .
12/10/25 at 7pm in the sanctuary. Come for a fun Christmas Carol Sing Along.
12/15/25 at 7pm in the sanctuary the Messiah Sing Along.
12/24/25 Christmas Eve Services at 3:00, 5:00, 8:00 and 11:00.
SPREADING CHRISTMAS CHEER! Missions
This year we have four opportunities for you to share your Christmas Joy with others. We will be putting up the Christmas Tree with tags to start collecting gifts and gift cards beginning November 30th. Your help will provide joy to those in need at the following organizations:
● Department of Children and Families – Gift tags to help buy gifts for kids in need
● Clarina Howard Nichols – Gifts for women escaping domestic abuse
● Lamoille Family Center – Teen gift cards for helping families in need to celebrate
● Stowe Community – Helping families in need with gift cards for the holidays
Here are the details:
Organization: Tags for: Items needed: Instructions: Deliver: Deadline:
DCF Children Gifts Wrapped w/ Under 12/14
tag attached tree
Clarina
Howard Women Gifts Wrapped w/ Under 12/14
Nichols tag attached tree
Lamoille Teens $25 Amazon, Attach tag Collection 12/14
Family Visa, Walmart, plate or
or Target Gift cards church office
Our Families $25 Shaws or Attach tag Collection 12/14
Community Hannaford plate or
Gift cards church office
Musical Notes by Karen Miller
Prelude: The chorale tune "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" is based on a plainsong melody and was first published in the Eyn Enchiridion in Erfurt in 1524. Many organ composers through the centuries have created pieces based on this melody, including Robert Edward Smith (b. 1946). Smith studied at the Mannes College in New York and then became assistant director of music at the cathedral in Newark, New Jersey. He published a volume of Hymn Preludes for the Christmas Season in 1998. One of the included pieces is based on this chorale melody. It starts with two voices, the lower voice being the running eighth note accompaniment. The second statement of the melody is in half-note chords while the accompaniment continues as before.
Anthem: "O Come, Emmanuel" is an original work by Nancy Price and Don Besig, two contemporary composers who have collaborated on creating numerous accessible anthems for busy choirs. Toward the end of the work the familiar "Hyfrydol" tune is heard (Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus). The text reads:
Wandering aimlessly in through the night, walking in darkness, seeking the light, we search for the truth, our doubts to dispel.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Long we have waited for You to appear, bringing us hope and calming our fear. Descend now from heaven among us to dwell.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Come now long-expected Jesus; come, Redeemer, Lord and King. Soon we'll see a new day dawning; send a sign for all to see. End our darkness, doubt, and longing; come and set our
spirits free. Faithful believers, we watch and we pray. Soon you will come to show us the way. Then all the world Your story will tell.
O Come O Come, Emmanuel.
Offertory: Early French holiday music is full of French noels. Cesar Franck featured several of these in the many short pieces of his L'Organiste. This "Vieux Noel" (Old Carol) is in 6/8 meter and the key of D Minor.
Postlude: Another old plainsong melody that is used at Christmas time is "Veni Redemptor gentium" from the 12th century. Paul Manz (1919-2009) had a long career as an organist, composer, teacher, recitalist, and hymn conference clinician. This piece is toccata-like with repeating sixteenth notes and the melody in the soprano and pedal lines.