WEEKLY BULLETIN

PIPESTONE CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH

P.O. Box 428

Pipestone, MN 56164

December 14, 2025

We wish to welcome all of you as we have gathered to worship the LORD together. May we bring praise to our heavenly Father, bow before the name of Jesus, and be united together through the bond of the Holy Spirit! In this order of worship that follows, please note that the words printed in bold are ones that the congregation is asked to respond with. Also, when an asterisk (*) appears, the congregation is asked to stand, if they are able.

THE LORD GATHERS US . . .

Welcome

Call to Worship: Psalm 37:28-29

Advent Reading & Candle Lighting: Love – Jim & Jerry DeKam

*God’s Blessing

*Mutual Greetings

*Opening Hymn: “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” - LYRIC VIDEO

Come Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee;

Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art,

Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King;

Born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious Kingdom bring;

By Thine own eternal Spirit, rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.

By Thine own eternal Spirit, rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.

*Opening Response: Isaiah 37:30-32

This will be the sign for you, O Hezekiah: "This year you will eat what grows by itself, and the second year what springs from that.

But in the third year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above.

For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

*Hymn of Response: “What Child Is This?”

1 What Child is this, who, laid to rest, On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping?

Refrain:
This, this is Christ, the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary!

2 Why lies He in such mean estate Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear, for sinners here The silent Word is pleading.

Refrain

3 So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh, Come, peasant, king to own Him.
The King of kings salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Refrain

TO BOW ON OUR KNEES BEFORE HIM . . .

Reading of God’s Law: 1 John 3:10-24

Prayer of Confession

Assurance of Pardon: Romans 8:38-39

TO LIFT OUR EYES TO HIM . . .

Pastoral Prayer

Offering for Classical Ministry Share (place offering in bags in narthex)

*Preparatory Hymn: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” vs. 1,3,4

1. It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold;
"Peace on the earth, good will to men, From heaven's all-gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.

3. And ye, beneath life's crushing load, Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing:
O rest beside the weary road And hear the angels sing.

4. For lo! the days are hast'ning on, By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years Shall come the time foretold,
When peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song Which now the angels sing.

TO OPEN OUR HEARTS TO HIS WORD

Scripture: Isaiah 37:26-32, Ps. 36:5-12, Matt. 1 p. 1115, 874, 1496

Pastor: This is the Word of God for the People of God

Congregation: Thanks be To God

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: From Sustenance to Fruitfulness

...AND TO DEPART WITH HIS BLESSING!

* Closing Hymn: “Angels We Have Heard On High” (Lyric Video)

Words: Public Domain; Music: Public Domain

CCLI # 58350

Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o'er the plains

And the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains

Refrain:

Gloria In excelsis Deo

2. Shepherds why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong

What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heav'nly song?

Refrain:

3. Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing

Come adore on bended knee Christ the Lord the newborn King

Refrain:

4. See Him in a manger laid whom the choirs of angels praise

Mary Joseph lend your aid while our hearts in love we raise

Refrain:

*God's Parting Blessing

*Doxology: #320 (PH) “Lord Dismiss Us With Your Blessing”

Postlude

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR December 14, 2025

TODAY 9:00 AM WORSHIP SERVICE

DECEMBER 21 MEGAN DERUYTER report

DECEMBER 25 9:00 AM CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE – offering will be for Bethesda Christian Counceling.

Congregational Announcements

We sincerely welcome all who are worshiping with us today. In this Advent season, may we prepare our hearts to receive the promised Messiah as our Savior from sin and Lord of our lives.

Coffee today: Jan
Next Sunday: Von

Offering today: Classical Ministry Share

Offering next Sunday: Christian School Tuition

Christmas Day: Bethesda Christian Counseling

Remember in prayer those of our congregation who are unable to attend our service. Arlo Bolt and Cliff Mulder at Good Samaritan, Adrian Klein and Verna Van Bockel at Ridgeview, Etta Mae Gunnink at Edgebrook Apartments.

Next Sunday immediately after our worship service (in the Fellowship Hall), Megan DeRuyter
will give a report on her work with "Youth With a Mission".

Dear Pipestone CRC,
Thank you so much for your generous offering. It means so much to me that you all have been praying and have continued to pray for me during my recovery from my hip surgery. I have always trusted that God will provide us with whatever we need, but during trials it can definitely test our faith. I have felt your prayers immensely and I can’t thank you enough. Just having this financial burden lifted from my shoulders has given me one less thing to worry about and an even bigger thing to thank God for! Thank you again for everything you have done for me, and I will
forever be grateful for the church I grew up in.
- With gratitude, Matea Mohlenkamp

Missionaries

Cornerstone Prison Ministries – Rev. Scott Van Voorst
Megan DeRuyter (Youth with a Mission) Boulder Creek, CA.
Sosthene and Kara Maletoungou in Africa

Last week’s trivia question: Who ate grass like cattle? Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:33)

Today’s trivia question: In what town did Jesus perform his first miracle?

Memory Verse

Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before Him with joyful singing.

Psalm 100:2

Community Announcements

The SWC K–8 Band & Choir Christmas Concert will be Monday, December 15, at 7:00 pm at
the SWC Elementary gym. Our students are busy preparing a joyful celebration of the season just
for you! You can expect a heart-warming blend of classic Christmas tunes and songs that point
us to the real hope and wonder of Jesus’ birth. It’s always a highlight of the year—an evening
filled with music, smiles, and the sweet sound of children sharing the Good News! Please join us
as we rejoice in the Savio's birth this Christmas season. The concert will also be live streamed at https://christensenbroadcastnetwork.com/sports/

Kids Corner Devotions: Advent at Home: Joy to the World - Check out this week’s kids’
devotion, “Advent at Home: Joy to the World” at www.kidscorner.net. This week of Advent is all
about joy! Maybe light the hope, peace, and joy candles with your family, sing a favorite
Christmas song, like Joy to the World, and remember that Jesus is the best reason to celebrate.
Explore all the great content at kidscorner.net, including the Kids Corner Christmas Collection of
devotions, Bible stories, crafts, and activities.

Groundwork: Out of Darkness and into the Light - Turning on a light changes everything.
What changes can we anticipate when Jesus brings his light to our world? Join Groundwork as we
study Isaiah 2:2-5, John 8:12-19, and John 12:44-50 to discover the significant effects we can
expect the presence of the Light of the World to bring in our lives and our world. Listen now at
GroundworkOnline.com and subscribe to Groundwork's weekly emails for future episodes.

Thrive Faith Formation Tip - Around the world a lot of people are thinking about giving and
receiving gifts for Christmas. Did you know that Christmas is, in some way, God’s gift to God? It
marks that important moment when God entered our earthly life in order to restore God’s broken
world through the cross of Christ and the empty tomb. A restored world had been a desire of
God’s heart for a long time, so now is a good time to write God a Christmas card, praising the
Lord that salvation is possible through the birth of the Christ-child in Bethlehem. Brought to you
by Thrive: crcna.org/Thrive