Pastor: David Range
December 7, 2025
Miramar United Methodist Church
in the heart of Miramar, a place for gathering, healing, and sending out friends, helping to create a sense of family to find new life in Christ.
Part of the United Methodist family where we make disciples for the
Transformation of the world.
Order of Worship for
December 7, 2025, 10:00 a.m. service
Second Sunday in Advent
Please see the end of the bulletin for some additional important information
CALL TO WORSHIP
ADVENT 2 Candle Lighting
Lighting the advent candle: The LORD said this to the prophet Isaiah about the soon coming Messiah: His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! (Isaiah 9.7)
We light this candle of peace as a sign of our commitment to pursue the work of making peace in our hearts, our families, our communities, and throughout the earth until God’s kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven.
*HYMN 193 Jesus! The Name High Over All+
1 Jesus! the name high over all,
in hell or earth or sky;
angels and mortals prostrate fall,
and devils fear and fly.
2 Jesus! the name to sinners dear,
the name to sinners given;
it scatters all their guilty fear,
it turns their hell to heaven.
3 O that the world might taste and see
the riches of his grace!
The arms of love that compass me
would all the world embrace.
4 Thee I shall constantly proclaim,
though earth and hell oppose;
bold to confess thy glorious name
before a world of foes.
5 His only righteousness I show,
his saving truth proclaim;
'tis all my business here below
to cry, "Behold the Lamb!"
6 Happy, if with my latest breath
I may but gasp his name,
preach him to all and cry in death,
"Behold, behold the Lamb!"
WORDS: Charles Wesley, 1749 MUSIC: Johann Cruger, 1647
PRAYER
*PRAISE AND WORSHIP
He Is Exalted (Sing twice)
He is exalted, the King is exalted on high, I will praise him
He is exalted, forever exalted
And I will praise his name
He is the Lord, and forever his truth shall reign
Heaven and earth, rejoice in his holy name
He is exalted, the king is exalted on high.
King of Kings (Sing twice)
King of Kings and Lord of Lords, glory, hallelujah!
King of Kings and Lord of Lords, glory, hallelujah!
Jesus, Prince of Peace, glory, hallelujah!
Jesus, Prince of Peace, glory, hallelujah!
Sophie Conty and Naomi Batya ©1980 Maranatha! Music
Emmanuel, Emmanuel (Sing twice)
Emmanuel, Emmanuel,
His name is called Emmanuel,
God with us, revealed in us,
his name is called Emmanuel.
What a mighty God we serve (Sing twice)
What a mighty God we serve.
What a mighty God we serve.
Angels bow before Him.
Heaven and earth adore Him.
What a mighty God we serve.
Soon and Very Soon (Sing once)
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King
Hallelujah………hallelujah
We’re going to see the King
No more cryin’ there we are going to see the King
No more cryin’ there we are going to see the King
No more cryin’ there we are going to see the King
Hallelujah…..hallelujah we’re going to see the King
No more dying there we are going to see the King
No more dying there we are going to see the King
No more dying there we are going to see the King
Hallelujah….hallelujah we’re going to see the King
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King
Hallelujah………hallelujah
We’re going to see the King
WELCOME: Visitors, you are invited to stand and introduce yourself or be introduced by a friend. Please receive the information card that the usher offers and when you have filled it in please return it to the usher.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
ANNOUNCEMENTS—CALL TO ACTION
TODAY: Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. with Holy Communion. The United Methodist Men meet after the 11:00 a.m. service. All men welcome.
TONIGHT: Christmas Concert sponsored by the Men’s Group starting at 5:00 p.m. Come to have a good time, to praise God, to support the Memorial Day Picnic and to increase our giving to the Hurricane Melissa aid fund.
MONDAY: Bold Justice will meet by Zoom with the Americans for Immigrant Justice at 1:00 p.m. If you would like to participate please speak to Pastor David.
MONDAY: Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.
TUESDAY: Choir 7:00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Bible study on Zoom with Pastor David at 7:00 p.m.
THURSDAY: Choir 7:00 p.m.
SATURDAY: Food Distribution 10:00 a.m.
NEXT SUNDAY: Worship at 10:00 a.m. for the Christmas Cantata
Looking Ahead:
FRIDAY December 12: Preschool Christmas program at 9:00 a.m. Please support the preschool by donating a toy or toys for ages one to five today and up until December 12 so they may be wrapped and given out the next week.
MONDAY, December 15 Admin/Church Council 7:30 p.m.
CHRISTMAS EVE December 24, our Lessons and Carols service is at 7:30 p.m. Please talk to pastor if you would like to do a reading. Please use your Special Offering for Christmas envelope or give online.
December 31 will be our WATCH NIGHT service starting at 11:00 p.m. and ending at midnight.
Staff Christmas envelopes are in the pews today. Please give a generous bonus to our Administrative Assistant Beth, our Music Director Helen, our custodian Ramone, our lawn trimming and roof care worker Dwight, our lawn mowing worker Myron, and our treasurer Mario.
The Mission Wreath is up! and there is a pink half sheet on the back table to fill out and make a commitment to give in honor of, in memory of, or to the glory of God.
The Mission Offering today is for Good Samaritan Fund
Next Sunday our Mission Offering goes to Apportionments
For Sharing of the Spirit, please wave at the YouTube camera and say, “the peace of the Lord be with you,” and then wave at your neighbor in the sanctuary and say, “and also with you”
Please stand for the gospel of Matthew 3:1-12
CHILDREN’S TIME
HYMN 196 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus+
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.
2. 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.
RECEPTION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
WAYS TO GIVE
1. Click the ‘Donate’ icon on http://www.miramarumc.org/
And follow the prompts
2. Give by text, using the number 833-931-1791.
Text the donation amount, press send, and you will be prompted
to register by giving your name and card information
3. You may also donate with cash or check to MUMC
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
praise him all creatures here below,
praise him above, ye heavenly hosts,
praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
Sunday School children go out to their classes
Jesus Loves Me This I Know
1 Jesus loves me! this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
2 Jesus loves me, this I know, as he loved so long ago,
taking children on his knee, saying, "Let them come to me.“
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
3 Jesus loves me still today, walking with me on my way,
wanting as a friend to give, light and love to all who live.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
TIME OF SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS
(please email miramarpastor@gmail.com)
PRAYER HYMN 510 Come, Ye Disconsolate+
1. Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish.
come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.
2. Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
"Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot cure."
3. Here see the bread of life;
see waters flowing forth from the throne of God,
pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing
earth has no sorrow but heaven can remove.
WORDS: Thomas Moore, 1816; alt. by Thomas Hastings MUSIC: Samuel Webbe, Sr., 1792
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION AND THE 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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.
SERMON Who is preparing the way? Pastor David Range
HYMN OF PREPARATION 189 Fairest Lord Jesus
1 Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature,
O thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown.
2. Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
robed in the blooming garb of spring:
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer
who makes the woeful heart to sing.
3. Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,
and all the twinkling starry host:
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
than all the angels heaven can boast.
4 Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
now and forevermore be thine.
WORDS: Munster Gesangbuch, 1677; trans. Joseph August Seiss, 1873 MUSIC: Schlesische Volkslieder, 1842; arr. by Richard Storrs Willis, 1850
HOLY COMMUNION
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING FOR ADVENT
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life.
When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast. You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through your prophets, who looked for that day when justice shall roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ, whom you sent in the fullness of time to be a light to the nations.
You scatter the proud in the imagination of their hearts and have mercy on those who fear you from generation to generation.
You put down the mighty from their thrones and exalt those of low degree. You fill the hungry with good things, and the rich you send empty away. Your own Son came among us as a servant, to be Emmanuel, your presence with us.
He humbled himself in obedience to your will and freely accepted death on a cross.
By the baptism of His suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to His disciples, and said:
“Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by His blood.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and for ever. Amen
Songs to be sung during Communion
Jesus take me as I am
Jesus, take me as I am.
I can come no other way.
Take me deeper into You.
Make my flesh life melt away.
Make me like a precious stone,
Crystal clear and finely honed,
Life of Jesus shining through
Giving glory back to You.
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
All His wonderful passion and purity!
O Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
O come, let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord.
We’ll give Him all the glory
We’ll give Him all the glory
We’ll give Him all the glory
Christ the Lord.
For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
For He alone is worthy
Christ the Lord.
Praise the name of Jesus
Praise the name of Jesus
Praise the name of Jesus
He’s my rock, He’s my fortress,
He’s my deliverer, in Him will I trust;
Praise the name of Jesus.
He Is Here
He is here, Hallelujah! He is here, Amen!
He is here, Holy, Holy, I will bless His name again
He is here, listen closely, hear Him calling out your name
He is here, you can touch Him, you will never be the same.
All hail king Jesus
All hail, King Jesus…all hail, Emmanuel
King of kings, Lord of lords,
Bright Morning Star.
And through all eternity, I’ll sing Your praises
And I’ll reign with You throughout eternity.
How good is the God we adore
How good is the God we adore!
Our faithful, unchangeable friend:
His love is as great as His power
And knows neither measure nor end.
For Christ is the First and the Last;
His Spirit will guide us safe home;
We’ll praise Him for all that is past
And trust Him for all that’s to come.
*HYMN OF SENDING FORTH 702 Sing with All the Saints in Glory +
1 1 Sing with all the saints in glory, sing the resurrection song!
Death and sorrow, earth’s dark story, to the former days belong.
All around the clouds are breaking, soon the storms of time shall cease;
In God’s likeness we, awaking, know the everlasting peace.
2 2 O what glory, far exceeding all that eye has yet perceived!
Holiest hearts, for ages pleading, never that full joy conceived.
God has promised, Christ prepares it, There on high our welcome waits.
Every humble spirit shares it; Christ has passed th’eternal gates.
3 Life eternal! heaven rejoices: Jesus lives who once was dead.
Join we now the deathless voices; child of God, lift up your head!
Patriarchs from the distant ages, saints all longing for their heaven,
Prophets, psalmists, seers, and sages, all await the glory given.
4 Life eternal! O what wonders crowd on faith; what joy unknown,
When, amidst earth's closing thunders,
Saints shall stand before the throne!
O to enter that bright portal, see that glowing firmament;
Know, with thee, O God Immortal, “Jesus Christ whom thou has sent!”
WORDS: William J. Irons, 1873 MUSIC: Ludwig van Beethoven, 1824; arr. by Edward Hodges, 1864 set tune: Hymn to Joy
BENEDICTION
All music under ccli #24249
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We are always happy (and look forward) to have you join us in the sanctuary, but for those who would like to continue to participate from home, we will continue to live stream the services on youtube.com.
To join us on youtube.com simply type Miramar UMC in the search bar and then you should see the service live streamed. If you subscribe to our service through youtube.com you can set up reminders for the day before or 15 minutes before, whatever you like.
Please email your prayer requests for uplifting on Sundays by sending them to miramarpastor@gmail.com. It is best if you send them by Saturday NOON if possible.
Our church prayer meeting is online on Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and you may contact Marvia Aitken or Vinessa Edwards for the link.
WAYS to give:
1. Online giving is available through our website
www.MiramarUMC.org. On the home page the ‘Donate’ icon (a hand with a dollar sign above it) is located at the top left corner and on the right under “Contact Us” you will see the same icon along with “Donate Online.” Click on either location for instructions. If you need help call the church office at 954-989-4711. Thanks to all who have signed up for this. The regular tithes and offerings of the church are a great source of blessing.
2. You can also mail a check to Miramar United Methodist Church. If you have your offering envelopes you will see that the address of the church is printed for mailing purposes and your offering can be mailed in this envelope when you apply a stamp. You may also use a regular envelope and address it to: MUMC, 2507 Utopia Drive, Miramar FL 33023. Just put your check inside, mark which funds you would like to support, put a stamp on and let the United States Postal Service do the rest! Or bring it by after the Sunday services, someone will be in the church for one hour after the worship finishes as well as Mon-Thurs 1-5 pm. We trust God will keep us strong.
3. Also, we have the option of giving by text! Use 833-931-1791 to GivePlusText and when you text any amount, by putting that number in the message, you will be prompted to register, then fill out the details of your name, address and means of payment, and the contribution will go in! If you enter an email address you will get an immediate receipt. It is easy! If you have an Apple phone you may also get Vanco’s GivePlusMobile by downloading the app from the App Store. You may also look up YouTube videos to show how all this is done.
Thank you for your prayers! Grace and peace, Pastor David
