Invitation to Worship

December 21, 2025

Friends,

On Sunday, December 21, we gather for the Fourth Sunday of Advent at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, a morning shaped by light, hope, and the quiet nearness of Christ.

We will light the final Advent candle, sing familiar carols that still know how to carry a soul, and hear again Jesus’ words, “I am the light of the world.”

In a season that can feel crowded and noisy, this service makes room to breathe, pray honestly, and remember that love has already come among us.

Worship begins at 11:00 AM.

Come as you are.

Bring your weariness, your joy, your questions, and maybe a friend who could use a little light right now.

There will be music, Scripture, shared prayer, and a community ready to welcome you without fuss or pressure.

I would be glad to see you there and to worship alongside you as we draw closer to Christmas together.

Peace,
Pastor Jon

St. John's Presbyterian Church

5020 West Bellfort Avenue

Houston, TX 77035

(713) 723-6262

P.S. The service will be live-streamed

on our church website

and on our St. John's Facebook page.

St. John's Presbyterian Worship Bulletin

December 21, 2024,

Fourth Sunday of Advent 

Gathering

Prelude, Alina Klimaszewska, organ



Lighting the Advent Candle, Shirley Boyd & Jan Herbert

*Call To Worship, The Rev. Dr. Jon Burnham

Leader: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!

People: Though darkness covers the earth and thick darkness the peoples, the Lord rises upon us.

Leader: Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

People: We lift our eyes and look around. We gather in the light of Christ! Let us worship together!

Opening Prayer Rev Burnham

*Hymn 113 Angels, We Have Heard on High

1 Angels we have heard on high, 

sweetly singing o’er the plains,

and the mountains in reply

echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

2 Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be

which inspire your heavenly song?

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

3 Come to Bethlehem and see

him whose birth the angels sing;

come, adore on bended knee

Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Prayer of Confession, Liturgist Ann Hardy

God of light, we confess that we have preferred darkness. We have hidden in shadows rather than stepping into Your revealing brightness. We have closed our eyes when Your light exposed our sin. We have dimmed our witness rather than letting it shine. We have failed to be bearers of light in a darkened world. Forgive us, Lord. Remove the scales from our eyes. Free us from fear of the light. Make us reflectors of Your glory, that others may see Your goodness through us. In the name of Jesus, Light of the World, we pray. Amen. (Silent Confession)

Assurance of Pardon 

*Glory Be to the Father, Hymn 581

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen, amen.

*Passing the Peace Ann Hardy

The Word

Prayer for Illumination Ann Hardy

First Scripture Reading, Isaiah 60:1-3 Ann Hardy

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Anthem

Sermon Scripture, John 8:12

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life."

Sermon, “The Light of the World Has Come”

The Rev. Dr. Jon Burnham

*Hymn 110 Love Has Come

1 Love has come: a light in the darkness!

Love shines forth in the Bethlehem skies.

See, all heaven has come to proclaim it;

hear how their song of joy arises:

Love! Love! Born unto you, a Savior!

Love! Love! Glory to God on high.

2 Love is born! Come, share in the wonder.

Love is God now asleep in the hay.

See the glow in the eyes of his mother;

what is the name her heart is saying?

Love! Love! Love is the name she whispers.

Love! Love! Jesus, Emmanuel.

3 Love has come and never will leave us!

Love is life everlasting and free.

Love is Jesus within and among us.

Love is the peace our hearts are seeking.

Love! Love! Love is the gift of Christmas.

Love! Love! Praise to you, God on high!

The Apostles Creed 

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 

Prayers of the People

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, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Welcome and Announcements

Offering

*Doxology, Hymn 609

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God, all creatures high and low.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Praise God, in Jesus fully known: Creator, Word, and Spirit one.

Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

*Prayer after the Offering 

Sending

*Hymn 134 Joy to the World

1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her king;

let every heart prepare him room,

and heaven and nature sing,

and heaven and nature sing,

and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let all their songs employ,

while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

repeat the sounding joy,

repeat the sounding joy,

repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3 No more let sins and sorrows grow,

nor thorns infest the ground;

he comes to make his blessings flow

far as the curse is found,

far as the curse is found,

far as, far as the curse is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace,

and makes the nations prove

the glories of his righteousness

and wonders of his love,

and wonders of his love,

and wonders, wonders of his love.

*Blessing

Postlude