Welcome to the first Sunday in Advent--the time of waiting, longing for the coming of the Messiah into the world as it was for the people so long ago. And, as the Christ child did come all those years ago, we now look forward to this same Christ coming anew into our hearts and lives today.
The church traditionally looks at the four Sundays in Advent as ones of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. This year DisciplesNet is doing that, but using nature to help us. We will use the fours seasons of Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer to look at these weeks in our hearts. So this Sunday, we look at Hope that comes in a Season of Fall.

We know that the seasons that each of us experience around the world will vary----some of us live at the equator, some in arctic regions, some in opposite times of northern and southern hemisphere. Where ever you live and the weather there,, we invite you to go with us on a four week journey through the seasons of our hearts.
And this week? We invite you to come along o a place where it is Fall, or Autumn: the days of summer have left us, the hours of sunlight are getting shorter, tree leaves turn beautiful colors and fall from the trees, and the warm air cools off signaling winter's approach. How can this time remind us of God, and the coming of Jesus into the world? How can it remind us of our work here on earth in the Kingdom of God? Please join us and see.

Worship is 31 minutes with time for song, prayer, scripture, an inspiring, thoughtful message. An as we do every week, our time together includes a time of communion (breaking of the bread) where you may choose to participate, or simply meditate as we tell of Jesus' invitation to "do this in remembrance of me." If you would like to share with us at the table that goes beyond earthly boundaries of time, place, and structure, we ask that you prepare a piece of bread of some type and a drink such as grape juice, wine, or water. As we pray, our prayers are given to extend to where you are. If you are unable to eat or drink, you may want to use a symbolic gesture or mental symbol as you come together at this table of remembrance with us. (Scroll down for an Order of Worship)

We hope that as you join us for worship you will feel a blessing from being part. Please tell friends, family, and others you know about our online church that is here with doors that are always open, walls as wide as the world, and always room at the table.

ORDER OF WORSHIP:
1. Opening background music: “Holy Baby, Hold Child”
2. Call to Worship, Lighting of Advent Candle: Pastor Ann, with Isaiah 40:2-4, with chorus: " Holy Baby, Holy Child."
3. Opening Hymn: “In the Bulb There is a Flower”
4. Pastor's Prayer with Lord's Prayer: Susan McNeely. Background: Wind in the Olive Trees
5. Hymn: “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”
6. Scripture: Amy Grogan, Isaiah 2:1-5
7. Message: “Hope in a Season of Fall”
8. Hymn: “When God is a Child”
9. Communion: “Susan McNeely”
10. Hymn: “Jesus, Remember Me”
11. Sending out

If you would like to chat with one of our pastors, including talking more about belief in God, becoming a Christian or following Christ, or living as a disciple of Christ, please email us at pastor@disciplesnet.org, or contact us using the contact information on our website, disciplesnet.org, or our Facebook page, DisciplesNet Church.

ABOUT OUR DISCIPLES SHEEP:
You may notice in our videos that we have various stuffed sheep with us in worship. To us, these are not toys, but important parts of our church.
It happened this way: When we began producing worship as DisciplesNet in November 2010, one of the first problems we recognized was that when we are speaking to the people on the other end of a camera and internet, we cannot actually see the people to whom we were speaking. It was easy to speak to the other pastors in the room, but as we prayed and preached and spoke, we instead wanted to be reminded of the people for whom we were serving—including people whose best way to attend worship might be online. We wanted to be speaking to them---and as best we could hearing and telling their stories.

So, on a whim, we set some sheep that we’d used for a children’s sermon in front of our speakers, and found that helped! Before we knew it, their number was growing. They spilled over onto the table as we spoke. They have become dear to us and no longer children’s toys— but representations of all of the sheep of God’s pasture, all of God’s children—the real people like you, whom we may not be able to see in real life, but wish never to forget are there, and are each and everyone loved by God more than we can ever comprehend. Those sheep are why we are here.

INVITATION TO GIVING:
DisciplesNet Church is a not-for-profit church that exists to cross barriers and boundaries to share the Good News of God's redeeming love. We rely on the gifts of our online viewers as we continue to grow and extend our nets around the world.

We also extend the invitation for you to be part of the DisciplesNet ministry by giving a one-time gift, or ongoing, including a tithe. Even the smallest of gifts, like the mustard seed, has a way of growing in amazing ways to share God's word and the love of Jesus Christ. We have a giving page on our website, disciplesnet.org, and email address: giving@disciplesnet.org

God bless you, and thank you for joining us!