Order of Worship
GATHERING MUSIC Come Light of Lights
WELCOME
* OPENING SONG O Come, O Come Emmanuel #116
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here,
until the Child of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel!
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
and order all things far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
and help us in that way to go.
[Refrain]
O come, O come, O Adonai,
who came to all on Sinai high,
And from its peak a single law
proclaimed in majesty and awe.
[Refrain]
O come, O shoot of Jesse, free
your own from Satan’s tyranny,
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.
[Refrain]
O come, O Key of David, come,
and open wide your heavenly home;
Make safe the way to endless day,
to hell's destruction close the way. [Refrain]
O come, O Day-spring, come and cheer
our spirits by your advent here;
Love stir within the womb of night,
and death’s own shadows put to flight.
[Refrain]
O come, Desire of Nations, bind
all peoples in one heart and mind;
Make envy, strife, and quarrels cease;
fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
[Refrain]
OPENING PRAYER
PASSING OF THE PEACE
Peace be with you… ...and also with you
* SONG Oh Happy Day
Oh, happy day…
When Jesus washed
Oh, when He washed
When Jesus washed
He washed my sins away.
Oh, it's a happy day
He taught me how
To watch and fight and pray
Watch and pray
And live rejoicing every day
Every day
Oh, happy day…
SCRIPTURE - Matthew 24:36-44 reader, Ron Romasanta
READING - “Recognitions” by Rachel Hadas
SONG OF PREPARATION Watcher, Tell Us of the Night
Watcher, tell us of the night,
what its signs of promise are.
Traveler, O a wondrous sight!
See that glory-beaming star!
Watcher, does its beauteous ray
news of joy or hope foretell?
Traveler, yes; it brings the day,
promised day of Israel!
Watcher, tell us of the night;
higher yet that star ascends.
Traveler, blessedness and light,
peace and truth its course portends.
Watcher, will its beams alone
gild the spot that gave them birth?
Traveler, ages are its own;
see, it bursts o’er all the earth!
Watcher, tell us of the night,
for the morning seems to dawn.
Traveler, shadows take their flight,
doubt and terror are withdrawn.
Watcher, you may go your way;
hasten to your quiet home.
Traveler, I rejoice today,
for Emmanuel has come!
SERMON Rev. Vince Amlin
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION
Nick Photinos, cello
SHARING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS
When in the past week did you see God at work?
What concerns would you like to turn over to God’s care?
PASTORAL PRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father/Creator/Parent, 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 sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen
GIVE, SERVE, SHARE: Announcements
OFFERTORY
* DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God, all creatures here below.
Praise God above ye heavenly host,
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
* CLOSING SONG You Can’t Hurry Love
I need love, love
To ease my mind
I need to find, find
Someone to call mine
But Mama said
[CHORUS]
"You can't hurry love
No, you just have to wait"
She said, "Love don't come easy
It's a game of give and take"
"You can't hurry love
No, you just have to wait
You got to trust, give it time
No matter how long it takes"
But how many heartaches
Must I stand
Before I find a love
To let me live again?
Right now the only thing
That keeps me hangin' on
When I feel my strength
Yeah, is almost gone
I remember Mama said
"(You can't hurry love)
No, you just have to wait"
She said, "Love don't come easy
It's a game of give and take"
How long must I wait?
How much more can I take
Before loneliness
Will cause my heart, heart to break?
No I can't bear
To live my life alone
I grow impatient for a love
To call my own
But when I feel that I
I can't go on
These precious words
Keeps me hangin' on
I remember Mama said
[CHORUS]
No, love, love
Don't come easy
But I keep on waiting
Anticipating
For that soft voice
To talk to me at night
For some tender arms
To hold me tight
I keep waiting
I keep on waiting
But it ain't easy
It ain't easy,
but Mama said
"You can't hurry love
No, you just have to wait"
She said, "Trust, give it time
No matter how long it takes"
"You can't hurry love
No, you just have to wait
She said love don't come easy"
* BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
**********
Yasuko in Salieri's Falstaff - Dec. 3rd-7th
If you are in the mood for a comedy, here is a delightful opera based on Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor. Our music director Yasuko Oura will be at the harpsichord. Don't miss your chance to hear the rarely performed music of Salieri (from the movie/play Amadeus.)
More information here.
Three performances only: Wed. Dec. 3rd @7:30pm, Sat. Dec. 6th @3pm, Sun. Dec. 7th @3pm
You can use a Friends & Family discount code: FRIENDS&FAM, good for 20% off all A-D seating (excluding A+).
Join The Outer Belt Pilgrimage - Dec 6th
Sign up to join us for the next leg of our Outer Belt Pilgrimage! We’ll be walking together on Saturday Dec. 6th
For more info, reach out Vince at vince@bethanychicago.com and/or go to outerbelt.org
Holiday “Stockings” for Night Ministry- Dec. 7th
Believe it or not, it's that time again! We're collecting items for The Night Ministry to distribute to clients living un- or undersheltered. There's again an emphasis on high quality, so you can sign up to bring individual items (or lots). New this year: we're stuffing drawstring backpacks! Turns out: that's what recipients prefer. So we need those as well. Details about those and everything else here
Please bring or send items to church by Sun, Dec 7th. We'll be packing them up that day after church.
Catch Nick, Yasuko, and Andy at the Check Out:
Joined by clarinettist Andy Hudson, Nick and Yasuko are performing a concert of contemporary classical chamber music featuring music written for clarinet, cello, piano, and electronics.
Tue. Dec. 9th at 7:30pm
More information here.
Order Poinsettias For Christmas Eve - Dec. 9th
We are taking orders for poinsettias! These beautiful plants will be used to decorate our sanctuary for Christmas eve, and afterwards, you'll be able to take them home with you.
Each poinsettia will be a $15 donation. You can make your donation by cash, check, or electronically by PayPal or Vanco from our website. The deadline to let us know how many you’d like to order is Dec. 9th.
Let us know how many you'd like by signing up here!
Dec. Book Group: Hurricane Season - Dec. 10th
Join us for our next Book Group on Dec. 10th at 7pm! We’ll be reading Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor:
This nonlinear novel focuses on the murder of a woman known as "the Witch" in a small, impoverished Mexican village. Told through the unreliable perspectives of various villagers, the story reveals the cycle of violence, poverty, and corruption that led to her death, exposing the myths and brutalities of the community and their connection to larger societal issues, like femicide.
Sign up here if you plan on reading with us!
Living Nativity - Dec. 12th 5-7pm
Join us as Bethany’s courtyard is transformed into an interactive nativity scene, complete with live animals! There will be cookies, hot cocoa, mulled wine and our fire pit outside to keep warm. We're in need of volunteers to help keep our cookie supply stocked and a few friendly faces to welcome our neighbors to the festivities, if you’re available, please sign up!
This year, when so many people are looking for ways to have a positive impact on the world, we’re inviting guests to bring donations. We’ll be accepting:
1) Funds for refugee/immigrant support (via cash, check, or PayPal)
2) Dry goods for Nourishing Hope
Spread the word about all of it!
Christmas Eve at Bethany - 2 Services to Choose From!
This Christmas Eve, we are offering two opportunities to worship together. We hope you will join us for one or both!
Family-friendly Service of Lessons and Carols at 4:30pm
In the afternoon, we’ll offer a 50-minute service telling the Christmas story with the help of our kids. We’ll sing carols, light candles, and set up the nativity scene, with music from Yasuko and Katy.
Traditional Christmas Eve Service at 7pm
In the evening, join us for a more contemplative (it’s all relative) candlelit Christmas Eve service with strings from Nick and Emi Photinos as we celebrate the arrival of Emmanuel, God with us. (Kids of all ages also welcome at this service!)
We Need Your Help
Two services means we need twice the greeters! Please sign up if you’re able to be the face of Bethany that night.
Give and Get Help
Are you looking for ways to respond to ICE raids, hunger in the wake of SNAP cuts, and other urgent needs? At Bethany, we're working to identify, organize and address the issues that are facing our community. It's an evolving initiative that will change as needs change. This month, we're continuing to collect food for Nourishing Hope as the demand for their support has grown exponentially. If you haven't had the chance to contribute to this drive, or if you can do even more, here are the biggest needs: canned chicken/tuna, dry black beans, canned vegetables, canned chili or stew.
District 19 Mutual Aid is in need of warm blankets, towels and washcloths, women's M underwear, kids hats, and kids clothes (Boys 5T-7/8 bottoms, Girls 4T-8 bottoms and Girls 2T tops and bottoms. If you can provide these items, bring them to church, mark them "D19" and we'll deliver them.
And if you want to help in other ways (delivering donated items, running errands for families too afraid to go to the store, or joining a school patrol at drop-off and pick-up times), contact us at bethany.ucc.assistance@gmail.com.
And finally, if you, your family or close connections have needs that are not being met during this difficult time, contact us at bethany.ucc.assistance@gmail.com. We would love to point you in a direction that could be helpful or even provide information that you may need. We want to be there for you, our own Bethany community, so please let us know (bethany.ucc.assistance@gmail.com) if there's something we can do.
Service and Justice Pilot Year: 2026
On Tuesday, September 16th, the parlor was packed with folks who've been at Bethany forever, and some who just got here. We had a lively conversation about plans for Service & Justice in 2026. Whether you were there or not, you're invited to take part!
Bethany is a different church now than it was five years ago. We’re bigger, more active, with shifting energies and passions in the face of the current climate in our city, our country, and our world. What hasn't changed: our core commitments to serving others and pursuing justice.
As we move into 2026, we’re embarking on a pilot year for the Service and Justice arm of Bethany UCC. We want to hear from YOU about where we should be directing our energy as a church. And, we want to strengthen relationships as we serve others, both within our Bethany community and with our neighbors.
So, here’s our ask:
If you have a topic on your heart (homelessness, food insecurity, refugee resettlement, earth care, police reform, mental health, suicide-prevention, prison-abolition…) submit a proposal for Bethany’s consideration.
Our goal: a 2026 calendar full of diverse, sustainable, opportunities to serve and seek justice alongside each other. Pastor Fredrick Buecher said that the place God calls us to is "where our deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” What needs are we called to meet now, and what joyful gifts do we have to offer?
