Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 21, 2025
| Pastor: Ralph Wrightstone |
Bulletin
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On this Fourth Sunday of Advent we prepare to conclude this season of anticipating Christ's coming (again) with the celebration of his birth on Thursday, Christmas Day. On Wednesday, we will have a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service beginning at 5:00 pm at the church. We hope you will be able to join in this meaningful service. Though we have no online service to correspond to this candlelight service, clicking on the right-most image at the top of this page will open a Service of Lessons and Carols that we hope you will find inspirational during this time.
The resource page also has the UDM supplied worship plan for the 4th Sunday of the Advent worship services in the series: "All Earth is Waiting, Expectantly". There is also a link to a 5th service in this series, prepared as a Christmas Eve Service.
Just as the Season of Advent comes to an end on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day begins a new season of the Christian Year. It is the first of the Twelve Days of Christmas, comprising the Christmas Season or Christmastide, ending on Epiphany, Jan 6, the traditional date that the Wise Men arrived at Christ's cradle. The resource page has more about these as well.
Today is also the "Winter Solstice", the first day of our Winter Season, and the resource page has information about those too.
However your week ahead unfolds, we wish you a very
Merry Christmas
The resource page also has the UDM supplied worship plan for the 4th Sunday of the Advent worship services in the series: "All Earth is Waiting, Expectantly". There is also a link to a 5th service in this series, prepared as a Christmas Eve Service.
Just as the Season of Advent comes to an end on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day begins a new season of the Christian Year. It is the first of the Twelve Days of Christmas, comprising the Christmas Season or Christmastide, ending on Epiphany, Jan 6, the traditional date that the Wise Men arrived at Christ's cradle. The resource page has more about these as well.
Today is also the "Winter Solstice", the first day of our Winter Season, and the resource page has information about those too.
However your week ahead unfolds, we wish you a very
for links to some Resource materials for today's service.
For those unable to attend the 11:00 AM Sunday services at the church, a new service will be available here online before 10:00 am each Sunday morning, using the same format as the on-site service. So you may "gather" here for an "Early Service" at 10:00 or the traditional service at 11:00...actually it will be available here at any time all week. We hope that you will find it a refreshing place to come into God's house.
NOTE: Each part of this online service consists of an audio file and, for most, a Link to a pdf file of "projection slides". Click on the 
symbol to play the audio file under a separate browser tab or in a new window. Then select the "Bethel 12/21/25 Service" browser tab or return to this window to open the Link to the "slides". Use your browser's back/return arrow to come back to this page from the slides. It is best to close the tab or window of an audio file before starting to play another.
We hope that you will fully participate in the service provided here, taking the time to raise your voice or read along with the hymns and responses, and listening to the recorded messages and songs that have been prepared for you. Realize that, though not meeting face-to-face, you are virtually gathering with many others for this time of worship, celebration and spiritual refreshment.
symbol to play the audio file under a separate browser tab or in a new window. Then select the "Bethel 12/21/25 Service" browser tab or return to this window to open the Link to the "slides". Use your browser's back/return arrow to come back to this page from the slides. It is best to close the tab or window of an audio file before starting to play another.
We hope that you will fully participate in the service provided here, taking the time to raise your voice or read along with the hymns and responses, and listening to the recorded messages and songs that have been prepared for you. Realize that, though not meeting face-to-face, you are virtually gathering with many others for this time of worship, celebration and spiritual refreshment.
- . Verse - Prelude/Processional - "Sing Alleluia to the Lord"
- . Slides - Welcome and Announcements . (01:43)
- Opening Hymn
. Verses . "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" . (UMH 240)
:
Let us know if you have a favorite hymn that you would like to have included in an online service. -
.
Slides - Lighting the Fourth Advent Candle
- . Slides - Call to Worship, Apostle's Creed and Gloria Patria . (02:07)
We hope that you will participate privately or communally in this responsive reading as part of your worship service. - .
Old Testament Scripture: Isaiah 7:10-16 . (01:28)
......consider following along with a favored translation of your own. - . Pastor Intro and Reading: Psalm 80 . (03:05)...and...
. Thoughts about the Psalm . (07:47)
- . Slides . Prayer Concerns and the Lord's Prayer . (02:28)
The slides here include a list of those for whom prayers have been requested. - Hymn of Preparation
. Verses . "Angels From the Realms of Glory" . (UMH 220,v1)
- The Message
. Scripture:
Matthew 1:18-25 . (01:34)
You may wish to follow the reading of the scripture in your own Bible.
. Message:
"Here is Your Sign" . (09:40)
(The "church message" on this day, with the same topic, will be on the "Sermons" page of Bethel's web site later this week.) - Closing Hymn:
. Verses . "Love Came Down at Christmas" . (242,v1,3)
- Closing Chorus & Benediction:
. Verse - "Bind
Us Together"
Please let us know of any problems you have with or suggestions about this site by sending an email to "bumctlh@gmail.com". If you have any announcements or prayer concerns you would like included next week you may contact Pastor Ralph Wrightstone directly at: 850-591-9785