Reminder:  The Lenten devotional series entitled ” Up to Jerusalem ” will begin on February 22, 2012 (Ash Wednesday).  For Chapel viewers, you can receive devotionals via email by entering your email address in the form provided on my Home Page.  Respond to the verification email and you will be scheduled to receive the Lenten devotionals.  If you’ve received this update, you’re automatically subscribed.  Thank you!

Service Order for 9:00 AM
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell

WELCOME    Jennifer L. Aycock

PREPARATION OF HEARTS AND MINDS

A Mighty Fortress is Our God Joshua Beckett

PROCLAMATION OF WORD

Sermon—Psalm 46   Jennifer L. Aycock

NIV Psalm 46:1 For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

RESPONSE
Emmanuel   Joshua Beckett

Here I Am to Worship  Joshua Beckett

BENEDICTION   Jennifer L. Aycock

Service Order for 9:00 AM
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell
Welcome 

Message:  “Our God of Hope” by Pastor Rick Sutton, Lakeview Presbyterian Church, Vernon Hills, IL

NIV Psalm 42:1 For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. 5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and 6 my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon– from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me– a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” 10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 43:1 Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men. 2 You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? 3 Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. 4 Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. 5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Benediction

Service Order for 9:00 AM
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell
Welcome

Prayer

Psalm 40:1 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. 5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. 6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. 7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come– it is written about me in the scroll. 8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” 9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD. 10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. 11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me. 12 For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me. 13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me. 14 May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. 15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame. 16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The LORD be exalted!” 17 Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.

Message: Psalm 40: “Our God of Hope” by Jeremy Woods   

There are two major movements within this psalm, and in each movement we are called to praise and worship God for who he is and what he does. In the first movement, David roots his praise of God in the fact God has been merciful in the past, both to David and in many other ways (creation, Exodus, etc). The Lord has been merciful to us before too. And when he does show his mercy and we are able to see his goodness, this should inspire us to worship God and to proclaim him.

The second movement deals with a present situation which David is facing. We do not know the exact situation, but he is clearly in great danger. We all find ourselves in situations which is seems is too much for us. But we can look back and think to the goodness of God and in his mercy and love, and we can have confidence that he is not far from us when we call to him. Even in the midst of trials, we can rejoice and be glad, and we can praise the Lord for who he is, what he has done, and what he continues to do.

The greatest example of God’s action in his redemptive purpose was the Incarnation. God made all that was good, including man, but man fell from his grace through sin. Man was thus separate from God and could not, on his own merit, reconcile with him. Jesus Christ came to be that reconciler, and lived a perfect sinless life and for our sake was crucified to make us free. That was an action of the past, and we can have life in Christ if we put our hope in him. This is great hope for the future: Christ has conquered, and he will once again make all things right!

Benediction

Service Order for 9:00 AM
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell
Welcome
Worship in Song with Nathan, Adam, and Mary Clayton

Come Now Is The Time To Worship 
Open the Eyes of My Heart
Blessed Be Your Name

Scripture Reading— Psalm 34 Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. (ESV) 
1 I will bless the LORD at all times;  his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;  let the humble hear and be glad.  3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!

 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.  5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.  6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.  7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

 8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,  for those who fear him have no lack! 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

 11 Come, O children, listen to me;  I will teach you the fear of the LORD.  12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.  14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

 15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. 16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears  and delivers them out of all their troubles.   18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted  and saves the crushed in spirit.

 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,  but the LORD delivers him out of them all.  20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.   21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;  none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Message by Nathan Clayton—“Give Thanks: Our God Protects and Cares!”
When we are thankful to God ,we demonstrate our allegiance to God.
This psalm shows us that we will demonstrate our allegiance to God when we:

1. Express a fresh praise (vv. 1-3)
2. Engage in a focused pursuit (vv. 4-7)
3. Enjoy a freeing perspective (vv. 8-14)
4. Embrace a faithful protection (vv.15-22)

Response

Amazing grace
Give me Jesus

Benediction

Service Order for 9:00 AM

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell

Welcome–Barbara Shafer

Worship in Song with Desmond Herbert

Come Now Is The Time To Worship  ( Brian Doerksen)

*****

Nehemiah 9: 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God. 4 Standing on the stairs were the Levites– Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani– who called with loud voices to the LORD their God. 5 And the Levites– Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah– said: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” “Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

You are the One (Lincoln Brewster)

 *****

Special Music—Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days)—

Written by Jamie O’Hara; recorded in 1986 and performed at Ravinia (2011) by The Judds

*****

Message:  UNFAILING, by Barbara Shafer

Psalm 33:1 “Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.   4 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.   5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.   6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. 10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.   12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13 From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth– 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.   18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.   20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. ”

It’s almost like the curtains of reality have whooshed open and we see things as they really are.  On one side of the stage are all the earthly hopes of Grandpa’s nostalgia—people who you hope won’t let you down, but they do anyway…and on the other side, the heavenly hope we have in God who is UNFAILING.  In Psalm 33, we see the psalmist building a case for praising our God who is UNFAILING by showing us four basic ways in which God is UNFAILING:

1. God is UNFAILING because of His WORD
2. God is UNFAILING because of His WORKS
3. God is UNFAILING because of His WILL
4. God is UNFAILING because of His WATCHFULNESS

We can place our hope in God’s unfailing love as demonstrated in His Word, His works, His will, and His watchfulness.  Such a God is worthy of our praise!

Song of Response:  Unfailing Love (Chris Tomlin)

Benediction

Service Order for 9:00 AM, Sunday January 8, 2012

Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell

Welcome

Worship in Song with Doug Fox and Nathan Clayton

Message by Nathan Clayton

NIV Psalm 31:1 For the director of music. A psalm of David. In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. 8 You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. 9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. 10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. 11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends– those who see me on the street flee from me. 12 I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. 13 For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. 17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous. 19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues. 21 Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. 22 In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. 23 Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Service Order for 9:00 AM, Sunday January 1, 2012

Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell

Welcome

Worship in Song with Desmond Herbert

Message by Barbara Shafer: “Our God of Hope-A Journey through the Psalms”

Hope is only as good as what we’re placing our hope in.

Psalm 25 outlines 5 good reasons to place our hope in God.  We can ground our hope in God because:

1. God shields us from shame
2. God guides us in truth
3. God reminds us of His mercy and love
4. God reminds us that He forgives sin [through our Savior Jesus Christ]
5. God is trustworthy and this hope is secure because of His character

 As we turn the calendar to 2012, where will you place your hope?

Psalm 25

1 Of David. To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. 4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. 8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. 11 For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. 12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. 13 He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. 15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. 18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 19 See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!

Merry Christmas!

Service Order for 9:00 AM, Sunday December 25, 2011

Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell

Welcome

Lighting the Advent Wreath’s Christ Candle

Worship in Song:

What Child is This                                                                                                                           William C. Dix

Greensleeves

Verse 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?

This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.

Verse 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.

This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.

Verse 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.

This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.

O Come, All Ye Faithful                                                                                                                                John F. Wade, 1751

Adeste Fideles  

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come, ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold Him born the King of angels;

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him, Christ the LORD

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above;

Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him, Christ the LORD

Yea, LORD, we greet thee, born this happy morning;

Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him, Christ the LORD

Christmas Message by Jennifer Aycock  (Luke 2:1-32)

Luke 2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. 22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

Service Order for 9:00 AM, Sunday December 18, 2011

Nemmers Family Chapel at Advocate Condell

Welcome

Lighting the Advent Candle of Love

Message by Barbara Shafer:   “Why John 3:16?”

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.   (John 3:16)

It’s the Gospel in 25 words or less (in Greek) and in it, we have 4 answers to the question “Why John 3:16?”   John 3:16 reveals:

1. God’s MOTIVATION regarding mankind.  “For God so loved the world…” 
2. God’s INITIATIVE on behalf of mankind.  “That He gave.” 
3. God’s PRESENCE with mankind, “His One and Only Son”
4. God’s SOLUTION for mankind, “that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”