You are invited to the in-person Worship Service on Dec. 3 at 10 am. The bulletin for this Sunday is available for viewing HERE.
You can worship live on ZOOM by clicking the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9658816441 or Meeting ID: 965 881 6441
You can also watch Sunday services at your convenience by going to our website “watsonville1stumc.org” and click YouTube or Facebook. Each Sunday worship will be uploaded on Sunday afternoon for your viewing.
First Sunday of Advent
With Holy Communion and Hanging of the Greens
Sunday, December 3, 2023, 10 am
Lighting the First Advent Candle of Hope Magdalena Heredia, Leah, Catalina
Children’s Time “Advent Calendar: Countdown to Christmas” Pastor John
*All the children and youth will receive Advent calendars!
Hanging of the Greens
While children and youth help decorate the Christmas tree,
the congregation will sing a medley of carols.
Sing-Along Medley of Carols
O Christmas Tree ( O Tannenbaum)
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Deck the Halls
Jingle Bells
Joy to the World
Feliz Navidad (Song by José Feliciano)
It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Message “The Magnificat, the Song of Mary” Rev. John Song
The Magnificat is a canticle, also known as the Song of Mary, the Canticle of Mary and, in the Byzantine tradition, the Ode of the Theotokos (Greek for “The Mother of God” or “The Bearer of God”.
The text of the canticle is taken from the Gospel of Luke (1:46–55) where it is spoken by Mary upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. In the narrative, after Mary greets Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, the latter moves within Elizabeth’s womb. Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith (using words partially reflected in the Hail Mary), and Mary responds with what is now known as the Magnificat. Luke portrays Mary as the singer of this song of reversals who speaks of the spirit and the power of God who will turn the world upside-down to reflect the order of God’s Kingdom. We will examine how the Magnificat is prescient for our time.
Magnificat (Latin for “My Soul”) or The Song of Mary
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
