The following is material collected by John Maynard for distribution to the Worship-Revised Common Lectionary e-mail group. I am posting it here because some have had trouble receiving it on the list
AN INVITATION: These weekly postings are here to help sow the seeds of creativity. I invite you to share what you are developing - collects, readings, prayers, songs and hymns, etc. - with the rest of us at this forum. Don’t be shy! - God loves a cheerful giver!
Please also tell us your favourite worship/preaching resources and Web links. And anything else that might benefit us all. Many Thanks! John Maynard
*** IN THIS ISSUE: Hymns and Songs for Advent, Advent Candle Litanies, and the COCU Index, now updated to the End of Easter! ***
Bibliographical references (and useful links) may found at: STEPPING STONES: A Web Guide to Lectionary-based Resources for Worship and Preaching (http://www.digtree.org.au/steppingstones)
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PREPARATORY NOTES:
First Thoughts on the Old Testament Readings of the RCL
http://vic.uca.org.au/~hwallace/WebOTcomments/Contentspage.html
-and-
http://www.oldtestamentlectionary.unitingchurch.org.au/Lectionary.htm
First Thoughts on the New Testament Readings of the RCL
http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/lectionaryindex.html
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2A. SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
(Colour: Violet or Blue)
[9-December-2007]
RCL READINGS:
Isaiah 11:1-10 The Peaceful Kingdom
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 A Prayer for the King
Romans 15:4-13 Please Others Not Yourselves
Matthew 3:1-12 The Preaching of John the Baptist
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SENTENCES:
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make His ways straight.’" (Matthew 3:3)
"A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him. (Isaiah 11: 1,2a NRSV)
“For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9)
There is a voice crying in the wilderness of life: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Prepare a way for the Lord, make paths straight for him." “People of Zion, the Lord will come to save all nations, and your hearts
will exult to hear his majestic voice.” (based on Isaiah 30:19,30)
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SELECTIONS:
(Matthew 3:1-8, 11)
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’" Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance … "I baptize you with water for
repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire …
(Romans 15:9b-13)
As it is written, "Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name"; and again he says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people"; and again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him"; and again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope." May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Isaiah 11:1-6)
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.
(Psalm 72:1-7)
Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor. May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations. May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.
___________________
POSSIBLE THEMES:
Christ, our Lord and Messiah, the true Root of Jesse
Create in us clean hearts, O God
Follow Christ’s Way
May we bear fruit
The earth will be full of the knowledge of God
The Salvation of God
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COLLECTS & PRAYERS:
God of prophets: in the wilderness of Jordan You sent a messenger to prepare our hearts for the coming of Your Son. Help us to hear the good news, to repent, and be ready to welcome the Lord, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
O Lord, You have planted in us the hope of Your coming again, Help us to hear and to do what You command, so that we may witness to Your coming and prepare the way for You. AMEN.
Gracious Father, by Your tender compassion the light of Christ has dawned upon us. Open our hearts, so that, joyfully receiving Christ, we may declare His glory to the ends of the earth. AMEN.
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WCC PRAYERS:
(Week 49: 2-9 December)
Let us pray with the people of Liberia, Sierra Leone: "May the word of God reach all nations, and may He be recognised as the one true God; through Christ our Lord. AMEN."
(from "With All God’s People", WCC Geneva)
(Week 50: 9-16 December)
Let us pray with the people of Cape Verde, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal: "May the word of God reach all nations, and may He be recognised as the one true God; through Christ our Lord. AMEN."
(from "With All God’s People", WCC Geneva)
(Week 51: 16-23 December)
Let us pray with the people of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo: "O God, we implore You, bless the people of this land, this beautiful land, this green land, this yellow land under Your wonderful sun. You know what we need: food for body, soul and spirit; through Christ our Lord. AMEN."
(From "With All God’s People", WCC Geneva)
(Week 52: 23-30 December)
Let us pray with the people of Ghana, Nigeria: "O Lord, we beseech Thee to deliver us from fear of the unknown future: from fear of failure, poverty, bereavement, loneliness, sickness, pain, age and death. Help us by Thy grace to love and fear Thee only. Fill our hearts with cheerful courage and loving trust in Thee; through our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. AMEN."
(WCC Geneva)
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DAILY BIBLE READINGS FOR ADVENT:
Sun Dec 2 Matthew 25:1-13 Thu Dec 6 Luke 20:27-40
Mon Dec 3 Luke 20:1-8 Fri Dec 7 Luke 20:41 to 21:4
Tue Dec 4 Luke 20:9-18 Sat Dec 8 Luke 21:5-19
Wed Dec 5 Luke 20:19-26 Sun Dec 9 Luke 7:28-35
Sun Dec. 9 Luke 7:28-35 Thu Dec 13 Luke 22:1-13
Mon Dec. 10 Luke 21:20-28 Fri Dec 14 Luke 22:14-30
Tue Dec. 11 Luke 21:29-38 Sat Dec 15 Luke 22:31-38
Wed Dec. 12 John 7:53 to 8:11 Sun Dec 16 John 3:22-30
Sun Dec. 16 John 3:22-30 Thu Dec 20 Matthew 3:1-12
Mon Dec. 17 Luke 22:39-53 Fri Dec 21 Matthew 11:2-15
Tue Dec. 18 Luke 22:54-69 Sat Dec 22 Luke 3:1-9
Wed Dec. 19 Mark 1:1-8 Sun. Sun Dec 23 John 3:16-21
===[ A SUNDAY REFLECTION ]===
"ON RECEIVING GIFTS"
Have you ever spent time and thought preparing a gift for someone, and then found that your gift was scarcely noticed at all by the receiver? Have you ever seen the look of keen disappointment on the face of a child who has given one of his or her hand-drawn pictures to an adult who doesn’t even try to understand what it is?
Have we ever failed to receive the gifts of learning and culture available to us from friendships with those who differ from us?
What does it take to be a good receiver? It takes awareness of the giver, sensitiveness to the purpose of the giver, openness to something new, humility, willingness to accept someone else’s thought, anticipation of joy in the new experience, appreciation of the new relationship between giver and receiver.
As we enter this Advent season of preparation for the receiving of the greatest gift of all time — the advent of the Christ child — let us ponder what kind of "receivers" we shall be of God’s greatest gift. Do we anticipate the gifts of righteousness, peace, and wholeness of which the prophet writes in Isaiah, Chapter 11? Are we open to receive and appropriate such gifts?
Let us be ready to receive the gift for which Paul prayed in Romans, Chapter 15, that we may be granted "to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
LET US PRAY: [that nothing may hinder us from receiving Christ with joy…] God of power and mercy, open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy. May we share His wisdom and become one with Him when he comes in glory. In His name we pray. AMEN.
==[ AN ADVENT REFLECTION ]==
What shall we say as we begin our Advent celebration
And look to God who comes to us with judging proclamation?
A world so full of darkness and the pain of human strife
Cannot just sentimentalise the God of light and life.
God comes to judge the blindness of our hurtful denigration
Of the earth and its resources and our sinful exploitation,
That thinks the earth belongs to us to use as we may please
And forgets that we are stewards of the God who heals disease.
But judgment is the other side of God’s gift of salvation,
That does not want to fill us nor to see our devastation.
God comes to take away our own debauchery and blight
And in the Christ our Saviour brings the armour of His light.
God comes to beat our swords and spears of terrible destruction
Into the ploughs and pruning hooks of peaceful reconstruction.
The nations then shall never lift their sword blades any more,
And we shall never have again to study and wage war.
So let us open wide our hearts for Christ’s own coronation
To reign in us and come to us with reconciliation;
For then He can dispel the darkness of our human night
And we can truly celebrate the joy of Advent’s light.
- Author Unknown 29 November 1998
…………………………………
AN ADVENT PRAYER:
O Lord, You have planted in us the hope of Your coming again. Help us to hear and to do what You command, so that we may witness to Your coming and prepare the way for You. AMEN.
ADVENT WREATH (DOWNUNDER):
Purchase or make a base for a wreath which will be big enough to hold 1 pink and 3 purple candles with a larger white Christ candle in the centre.
Evergreens are traditionally used in the northern hemisphere to denote hope in the cold, bare days of winter. We, however, can use the wonderful expressions of God’s colourful creativity so visible in the spring and summer flowers, shrubs and trees that are available now. There is a variety of purple, pink and blue flowers to choose from depending on what is available in your area. eg. jacaranda, hydrangeas, agapanthus, bougainvillea; native flowering shrubs include some varieties of callistemon (mauve mist),grevillea (misty pink), pink tea tree etc. Invite -a child/young person and an adult - each week to lead the
(by Moira Laidlaw, 2001)
=====[ IDEAS FOR WORSHIP ]=======
SEE ALSO: Starters For Sunday (Worship on the Web - Church of Scotland)
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/wpstarters.htm
===[ WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME ]===
(* PRELUDE) /or/ (* PRE-SERVICE SINGING)
* INTROIT: TIS #275 (AHB #203) - "Hail to the Lord’s Anointed" (vs. 1)
Hail to the Lord’s anointed, great David’s greater Son;
Hail, in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression to let the captive free,
And take away transgression, and rule in equity.
/or/ TIS #272 (AHB 200) “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (vs. 1)
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.
(by Charles Wesley, 1707-88.)
/or/ Scripture in Song #42 - "For Unto Us a Child is Born"
For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a son is given.
And the government shall be upon His shoulder,
And His name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, the Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father
And the Prince of Peace is He.
/or/ TIS #666 “We Are Marching in the Light of God”
/or/ TIS #275 (AHB #203) - "Hail to the Lord’s Anointed" (vs. 1)
/or/ "O Come, Let Us Adore Him"
O Come, let us adore Him … (3x)
Christ the Lord
For He alone is worthy … (3x)
Christ the Lord
He’s the lily of the valley … (3x)
Christ the Lord
GREETING & CALL TO WORSHIP:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God
And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!
[AND ALSO WITH YOU!]
God is here, and we are here to worship Him.
[LET US WAIT UPON THE LORD!]
(by James G. Kirk, "When We Gather", Year C, p. 136.)
We come together to worship our Lord, God, Emmanuel: "God-With-Us."
Leader: Praise God who does wonderful thing!
ALL: Praise God’s name forever!
Leader: May God’s glory fill the whole world!
ALL: Amen! May it be so! Amen!
(adapted from "Ideas for Worship", Uniting Education)
/or/
(Based on Isaiah 11:1-2,5.)
In the scorching heat of summer, deep in fire-ravaged bush
charred and apparently lifeless tree stumps
incredibly produce new shoots.
Transformation and renewal takes place.
Isaiah prophesies the coming of one who will renew people’s faith
and transform the values by which they live.
A shoot will come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord will rest on him…
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
(by Moira Laidlaw, Dec 2001)
* AN ADVENT HYMN: TIS #265 (AHB #193) - "O come, O come, Emmanuel"
/or/
"PREPARE THE WAY, O ZION" [or TIS #346]
Prepare the way, O Zion, our Christ is drawing near!
Let every hill and valley a level way appear.
Great One who comes in glory, foretold in sacred story.
O blest is Christ that came in God’s most holy name.
Christ brings God’s rule, O Zion; He comes from heaven above.
His rule is peace and freedom, and justice, truth, and love.
Lift high your praise resounding, for grace and joy abounding.
O blest is Christ that came in God’s most holy name.
Fling wide your gates, O Zion; your Saviour’s rule embrace.
And tidings of salvation proclaim in every place.
All lands will bow rejoicing, their adoration voicing.
O blest is Christ that came in God’s most holy name.
— Franz Mikael Franzen (1771-1847)
[Tune: Bereden Väg för Herran]
PRAYER OF PREPARATION: [”We ask God to help us to love and worship Him.”]
God our holy Friend, because of your love you sent your prophet John to prepare the way for the coming of your Son, our Saviour. By your Spirit, prepare our lives, that by our worship and service we may open up paths for his coming. Through us, may his liberating love travel into the world around us. In your name and to your glory. AMEN.
(by Bruce D. Prewer, Dec 2001)
WELCOME & INTRODUCTION:
Today is the Second Sunday in the Season of Advent. Advent is a time when we await the coming of Christ. We await his coming at Christmas time. We await His coming in the New Year.
=={children are invited to the front}==
THE LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE:
"We Gather as a People of Peace"
The Season of Advent continues: (Minister re-lights the Candle of Light)
Last Sunday the frail LIGHT of a single candle dared to pierce through the darkness of desolation and sin. Hope lives in us and will abide with us. In an age when people so seldom find peace within themselves, and when all the earth stands under threat of environmental catastrophe, civil wars, hunger and poverty, we light a fire called peace. Christ comes to bring peace to a world, to people, who have been separated from God and from one another. In the name of that Child born so long ago, we stand in the light of peace.
/or/ (Group comes forward)
(See also "NOTES" below)
Child: We light this second candle to remind us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. His life has shown us ways to share God’s peace with others.
(The second candle is lit.)
Grownup: Let us join together in a prayer for peace for ourselves and our world using the words of the International peace prayer:
ALL: Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth. Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace. Let peace fill our hearts, our world, our universal; through Christ Emmanuel. Amen.
/or/
We light this candle as a symbol of peace. May God the giver of all peace send us forth as peacemakers to lead others to the way of salvation.
"O come, Thou key of David, come,
And open wide the heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high
and close the path to misery."
O come, O come, Emmanuel.
* ADVENT SONG: TIS #286 (verse 1) - "Light One Candle for Hope"
Light one candle for hope, one bright candle for hope.
He brings hope to every heart. He comes! He comes!
/or/ TIS #289 (verse 2) “ADVENT RING” (by John L. Bell)
Refrain:
“Christmas is coming” the church is glad to sing
and let the Advent Candles brightly burn in a ring.
1. The first is for God’s promise to put the wrong things right,
and bring the earth’s darkness the hope of love and light … (refrain)
2. The second for the prophets who said that Christ would come
with good news for many and angry words for some … (refrain)
3. The third is for the Baptist who cried " Prepare the Way".
Be ready for Jesus both this and every day … (refrain)
4. The fourth is for the Virgin, who mothered God’s own Son
and sang how God’s justice was meant for everyone … (refrain)
PRAYER OF CONFESSION:
Today we have lit the "candle of Peace" /or the Candle of the Prophet/…
Last week we lit the "candle of Light" …
Jesus says to you and me that we are the light of the world. We are to walk in the light just as He is in the light. How simple are Jesus’ words! Yet, how difficult are they to obey!
LET US COME TO GOD IN HUMBLE PRAYER: Let us remember the wrong things we have done, and tell God that we are sorry, so that we can walk again in the light.
LET US PRAY: Father God, sometimes I prefer to hide in dark shadows than to walk in Your light. Sometimes I choose evil over good. Sometimes I speak words of hatred instead of words of love. Father, forgive me. Help me to walk as Jesus walked: in the light. Help me to share the goodness, love, and truth that you have given to me with all people, so that they will know You are the Light of the World. Renew me by the power of the Holy Spirit. For it is in the Spirit of Christ I pray. AMEN.
/or/
Because we are often blind to God’s ways; Lord have mercy …
Because we are often stubborn and unteachable; Christ have mercy …
Because God’s love is greater than all our sins; Lord have mercy …
Merciful God, we do not pretend to be either better than worse than other people. But because you have shown us true humanity in Jesus, we are especially conscious of how far we fall short of the real thing.
We do not pretend to be either wiser or more foolish than others, but because you have shown us a new wisdom in Jesus, we are keenly aware that we fall far short of the real thing.
We do not pretend to be more worthy of your forgiveness and help than others, but because you have shown us salvation in Jesus, we come to you seeking the real thing.
Loving God, please continue to forgive our sins and heal the rifts in our nature. Set us free to be a joyful and merciful people wherever we go and with whoever we meet. Through Christ Jesus our Saviour … AMEN.
(by Bruce Prewer, Dec 2001)
/or/
Stringent God, jealous for our happiness, you cannot bear to see us self-destruct. Please, in your relentless love, send us tough prophets like John the Baptist. Call us to repentance. Give us a divine discontent with all that is religiously shallow or secularly second-rate. Prepare us to suffer the pain of honest self-knowledge. Let us recognise our deepest needs, and immerse ourselves in your grace, not expecting an easy fix but the costly joy of salvation. Through Christ our Saviour. Amen.
(by Bruce Prewer, Dec 2001)
HEAR THE GOOD NEWS! St. John writes: "God is light, and there is no darkness at all in Him. If we live in the light (just as He is in the light) then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, God’s son, will purify us from every sin."
HEAR THEN GOD’S GRACE FOR US: "Our Sins Are Forgiven!"
["THANKS BE TO GOD!"] AMEN.
SHARING GOD’S PEACE: We are the people of the Light. Jesus said: "I am the Light of the World" - He also said "You are the light: Let your light so shine that all may see your good works and give glory to our Father in Heaven."
THE PEACE OF THE LORD JESUS BE WITH YOU ALL!
["AND ALSO WITH YOU!"] …
* SONG: SA #6 - "And Did You See Him Little Star?" [introduced by choir]
[INTIMATIONS / NOTICES / MINUTE FOR MISSSION]
SHARING WITH THE FAMILY OF GOD: For the Young & Young at Heart Ask the children: What is imagination? Accept all responses. Ask: Think about what you like to imagine. Who would like to share what they like to imagine? (Note to leader: Be willing to share what you imagine as well.) Share with the children that there are people in the Bible who had imagination too. Talk about what Isaiah imagines in today’s reading. Talk about what John the Baptist imagined. Talk about how we all need imagination, even as adults, because it is our imagination of a world of shalom that helps our faith grow and helps change our world.
(from ‘Gathering’, http://www.united-church.ca/gathering/2005/ace/december05.shtm)/or/
/or/
This is the Sunday closest to World AIDS Day. The following two children’s books might be used to introduce the topic of HIV/AIDS with children. (Thank you to Jan Richardson of Killam United Church, Killam, Alberta for
suggesting the titles.)
* Come Sit by Me by Margaret Merrifield (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1990)
* Morning Light by Margaret Merrifield and Heather Collins (Markham, ON: Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2004)
(from ‘Gathering’, http://www.united-church.ca/gathering/2005/ace/december05.shtm)
/or/
As a model for leadership, tell the story of the wise rabbi, "The Woman and the Dove," in Lois Wilson’s book, Stories Seldom Told (Northstone Publishing Inc., 1997, available through United Church Book Rooms).
(from "The Gathering", http://www.uccan.org/gathering/december09.htm ).
/or/
Prop - a branch of a gum tree with leaves attached.
Ask the children/young people if they have ever seen the bush after a fire has gone through it. How would they describe it?
Someone once described such a scene as looking like a crowd of black skeletons - the trees looked lifeless and branches stuck out in the air without a single leaf left on them. Black and grey - no green at all. Yet - even when they appear dead - because the roots are usually still intact, growth can take place.
Therefore, what seems like a miracle takes place just underneath all that charred bark. Immediately under the bark, many eucalypts have an emergency reserve of leaf buds.
The changes made in the bark by the fire send a signal to these hidden buds telling them to shoot quickly - which they do and you have the wonderful picture of new shoots appearing out of the black, charred bark. Shoots that quickly grow into branches like this (show branch with leaves).
Isaiah the prophet was using an example a bit like that when he described the coming of a new king from the roots of the previous kingship. Isaiah’s vision was of a world shaped by justice, righteousness and peace, ruled by one with God’s Spirit resting on him - so it is not surprising that, in time, the description came to fit Jesus.
Bushfires are perhaps most likely to occur when the hot north wind blows, but our hymn calls attention to the fact that we celebrate the birth of Christ in the heat of summer - "when the north wind is tossing the leaves…"that is when "we lift up our voices and sing to the Christ child, the heavenly King
(by Moira Laidlaw, Dec 2001)
* ADVENT SONG: TIS #322 (AHB #246) - "The North Wind is Tossing the Leaves"
/or/ TIS #272 (AHB #200) - "Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus."
===[ WE LISTEN FOR CHRIST’S WORD ]===
INTRODUCTION TO THE LESSONS:
AN ADVENT PRAYER: O Lord, You have planted in us the hope of Your coming again. Help us to hear and to do what You command, so that we may witness to Your coming and prepare the way for You. AMEN.
/or/
LET US PRAY: [That nothing may hinder us from receiving Christ with joy.]
God of power and mercy, as we read Your Holy Word in Scripture, open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy. May we share His wisdom and become one with Him when He comes
in glory. In His name we pray. AMEN.
OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 11: 1-10
The Peaceful Kingdom
[Isaiah brings a promise to Israel - The Messiah is coming!]
Comment:
This passage contains the prophet Isaiah’s presentation of God’s vision for creation, crystallising that vision in a particular person. Christians take this passage to refer to Jesus which is why it is read in Advent. It is important to remember that the passage has and does stand on its own, without a Christological interpretation. Therefore, we can see the ways in which Jesus was in line with his Jewish tradition.
(from ‘The Gathering’, United Church of Canada)
/or/
"CONCEIVED BY SPIRIT” (based on Isaiah 10:33-34; 11:1-9)
Use your own eyes! See the Lord of the stars!
With the speed of lightening
He brings down the dead timber.
The high and mighty crash down,
decaying giants are laid low.
Like diseased karri the proud are axed,
and the arrogant fall like jarrah.
But see the regrowth from an old stump,
a new branch from Israel’s roots.
The Spirit of the Lord conceives Him:
the spirit of wisdom and vision,
The spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and awe.
He shall not judge by mere appearance
nor make up His mind by hearsay.
To the poor He will hand down justice;
He will defend the weak with fairness.
His mouth will whip the ruthless,
His words spell doom to the wicked.
He will wear integrity like a shirt,
and loyalty like a jacket.
Then the feral cat will live with the bilby,
and the Tasmanian devil with the lamb.
The calf and crocodile will be together,
and a child will lead them on the string.
Dingo and wallaby will be friends,
pups and joeys will play together.
Babies will crawl beside the taipan,
and children dance over the funnel-web.
Nothing will suffer in my holy creation,
nothing perish on hill or mountain.
For the world will be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord
As the ocean beds are filled
with the waters of the sea.
- Bruce Prewer ("More Australian Psalms", p. 123.)
THE PSALTER: Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19
A Prayer of a King
[A model for leadership then and now!]
/or/
AN AUSTRALIAN PSALM: "King of Love"
(based on Psalm 72: 1-14)
Give the new King Your insight, God,
Fill this royal son with Your justice,
That He may deal well with Your people
And rule in favour of the poor.
Then peace will be our high country
And justice become our foothills.
He will come to the aid of the weak,
To save children and crush oppressors.
He will excite wonder and awe,
Age after age, while sun and moon remain.
He will come to us like soft rain,
As showers on dry paddocks.
In His time sincerity will blossom
And peace outshine the moon.
His love will rule from coast to coast,
To the end of the river of time.
Things that bedevil us will fall,
His foes will bite the dust.
Rulers from faraway places
Will come and pay tribute.
Presidents and prime ministers
Will arrive with gifts.
Kings will swear their allegiance,
All nations offer their service.
You will hear the victims’ cries,
The battered child, the refugee.
He will have compassion for the addict,
And will revive the hope of Aborigine.
He will liberate the abused and oppressed,
For their blood is precious in His eyes.
(by Bruce D. Prewer, ‘More Australian Psalms’, p. 128.)
NEW TESTAMENT: Romans 15:4-13
Please Others Not Yourselves
[Paul quotes Scripture, including Isaiah, in order to proclaim hope, endurance, and encouragement to Gentile believers.]
THE GOSPEL: Matthew 3: 1-12
The Preaching of John the Baptist
[Matthew recounts John the Baptist’s proclamation that God’s challenging vision is close at hand.]
MEDITATION:
Living out in the wilderness, wearing a hair shirt,
not willing to compromise or sell God short.
The time has come! Repent! The axe goes to the roots!
Change, change, radical change, not religious rites!
It’s not enough to feel sorry and shed religious tears,
repentance must dig deep, uprooting the tares.
Don’t listen to the excuses of ego taking fright.
It’s time to face the hard truth and bear some desert fruit.
John cleans up for the Advent, baptising deep down,
hungry for the new age, eager for the dawn.
(Copyright. Bruce D. Prewer, 2001)
* SCRIPTURE HYMN: TIS #283 (SA #61) - "Long Ago, Prophets Knew"
/or/ TIS #264 (AHB #192) - “Hark! A Herald Voice is Calling”
SHARING GOD’S WORD: Sermon Proclamation
Comment:
Images abound! John wears strange garments and eats uncommon food. From stones God raises children to Abraham. An axe is laid to the roots of trees that fail to bear good fruit. People will be baptised with the Holy Spirit. The wheat is gathered, and the chaff is burned with unquenchable fire. All creation serves god’s mercy and judgement.
(by James G. Kirk, "When We Gather", Year A, p. 20.)
Sermon Starters:
Advent challenges our notions of what can and cannot be. Advent presents a reality beyond our present realities. Advent presents a vision of the time when God gets God’s way with the world. The passage from Isaiah and the gospel reading call us to have eyes that see that world coming to a new reality among us. Do we have the imagination to comprehend the width, depth, and breadth of that new age? Can we imagine what it would be like not to be resigned to accepting what might be called necessity? (e.g. Do we really need a Casino in our community?) Can we imagine what it would be like to break the cynicism of our world? It is so difficult to imagine the "wolf living with the lamb" becoming a reality, but what is it that would awaken our imagination and dare us to dream about a new reality?
(from ‘Gathering’, http://www.united-church.ca/gathering/2005/ace/december05.shtm)
/or/
Depending on the congregation, you could begin a sermon on these passages by talking with the folks in the pews. The question could be posed, "What makes for a great leader?" This works better if the preacher has a remote microphone and is close to the congregation in order to encourage responses. Since the folk in the pew are not on microphones, it is necessary to repeat briefly what they say to ensure everyone has heard. (The preacher can return to the pulpit when this part of the sermon is finished.)
Then the sermon could move into talking about biblical leadership and its characteristics, with examples drawn from the prophets Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah and their reluctance in terms of God’s call to leadership. The disciples as leaders who struggle greatly with their human frailties would be another possible direction. Also helpful is chapter one of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s book, No Future Without Forgiveness, (Doubleday, 1999), in which Tutu talks about wanting to retire, but being called to chair South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The sermon would then move on to the specifics of the biblical passages, remembering always that for Christians they point to Christ, while for our Jewish sisters and brothers, for whom the Old Testament texts are also holy Scripture, there are other meanings.
(from ‘Gathering’, United Church of Canada, December 2001)
Prayer:
God of prophets: in the wilderness of Jordan You sent a messenger to prepare our hearts for the coming of Your Son. Help us to hear good news, to repent, and be ready to welcome the Lord, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
/or/
O God our Father, You sent forth Your Son to be King of Kings and Prince of Peace. Grant that all the kingdoms of this world may become the Kingdom of Christ, and learn of Him the way of peace. Send forth among all people the spirit of good will and reconciliation. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. AMEN.
===[ WE RESPOND TO THE SPIRITS VOICE ]===
* SCRIPTURE HYMN: TIS #279 (AHB #199) - "On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist Cry"
/or/ TIS #264 (AHB #192) - "Hark! A Herald Voice is Calling"
NOTICES / INTIMATIONS / MINUTE FOR MISSION:
(incl. The Christmas Bowl and Empty Tree.)
PRAYERS OF PETITION & INTERCESSION:
(** Recommended)
/See/ "Clouds and Glory", by David Adam, Year A, p. 7-8.
/or/ "Let Us Pray" by Janet Nelson, pp. 8-9.**
/or/ "Companion to the RCL" by Christine Odell, Vol I, p. 4.
/or/ "When We Gather" by James G. Kirk, Year A, p. 21.
/or/ “Lord For All Seasons” by Ted Burge, p. 4.
/or/
PRAYERS FOR ADVENT: (See "Australian Prayers")
Come, O Advent God [AND HEAR OUR PRAYER]
Come, Advent God, and complete the special work of love that You began in Jesus of Nazareth … Come, O Advent God [AND HEAR OUR PRAYER]
Many are cast down with spiritual needs, thirsting for the peace of Your forgiveness and the warmth of Your healing love. Come to them with the grace they desperately need. At evening or midnight, morning or midday:
Come, Lord Jesus, O Advent God [AND HEAR OUR PRAYER]
Many are in despair through physical hardship, seeking relief from their burdens and hope in the midst of their cares. Come to them with the help they desperately need. At evening or midnight, morning or midday: Come, Lord Jesus, O Advent God [AND HEAR OUR PRAYER]
Many have minds and souls filled with hatred, lives shackled by prejudice and terrible obsession in the Middle East, Africa, South America, Asia, and in our own Australia. Come to them with the conversion they so desperately need. At evening or midnight, morning or midday: Come, Lord Jesus, O Advent God [AND HEAR OUR PRAYER]
Your church in all the world also needs saving from everything that threatens its mission. Where it is persecuted, keep it faithful. Where it persecutes, rebuke it. Where it is seduced by affluence, shake it to its foundations. Where it is self-satisfied, thoroughly unsettle it. Where it is weak, poor, and meek, bless it with Your joy, peace and strength. At evening or midnight, morning or midday: Come, Lord Jesus, O Advent God [AND HEAR OUR PRAYER]
Come, Advent God, and complete Your work in Jesus Christ, through whom we offer these prayers. At evening or midnight, morning or midday: Come, Lord Jesus, O Advent God [AND HEAR OUR PRAYER. AMEN.]
(by Bruce Prewer, "Australian Prayers", p. 38.)
/or/INTERCESSIONS
Merciful God, Friend of the earth, we pray for people in their suffering and sorrow, their anxiety and fear, their temptation and bondage, their confusion and regret. Be with each, according to their need, with the saving love of Christ Jesus.
Responses: L: That the earth may be full of the knowledge of God
P: As the waters cover the sea.
Holy Friend, grant to your people the grace to authentically represent you in this world of alienation and many hostilities. Enlist us to be on that sharp edge which leads to a better future. Wherever we find sharp divisions and misunderstandings, help us to understand the causes and work to implement the remedy.
Wherever we find prejudice and intolerance, help us to spread understanding and a creative acceptance and respect of human differences.
Wherever we find exclusive self interest to the cost of others, help us to exhibit enough of your kind of love to awaken a social conscience in those around us.
Wherever we find neglect and poverty, help us both by sharing and by using political will, to enlarge the scope of care and hope.
Wherever we find ugliness and ruin, help us to exhibit and foster the beauty of your healing, liberation and restoration.
Wherever we find apathy and indifference, especially in your church, help us to be your agents of irritation and confrontation.
Wherever we find aimlessness and despair, help us to find the best way to share the story of the One who came in humble circumstances to be our divine Friend and Saviour.
Whenever you find us losing our keenness and sliding into a sleepy worship and service, wake us up with a jolt and bring us to repentance and a renewed love for our Lord and the world which he came to save.
(by Bruce Prewer, Dec 2001)
[INTIMATIONS / NOTICES / MINUTE FOR MISSSION]
===[ THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER: THE HOLY EUCHARIST ]===
“Will you not instead give us life; and shall not your people rejoice in you? Show us, O Lord, your kindness, and grant us your salvation.”
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
* OFFERTORY/COMMUNION: AHB #198 - "The Advent of Our God"
/or/ TIS #266 (AHB #195) - "Wake, Awake! For Night is Flying!" [Sleepers Wake]
/or/ TIS #12 (AHB #286) - "Ye Gates, Lift Up Your Heads on High" [St. George’s Edinburgh]
DEDICATION OF GIFTS:
Father, we offer our lives and our gifts to You. May they be an expression of our love for You, and the work of Your Kingdom. May we be the People God, the Church, which You have called us to be in Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
/or/
Receive and bless these gifts, O God, as we offer them in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, keep us connected to you, so that the fruit we bear grows out of our faith in you. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen
(by Moira Laidlaw, Dec 2001)
SETTING APART OF THE ELEMENTS:
According to Luke when our Risen Lord was at table with His disciples, He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised Him. From that day onwards they gave
witness to the Risen Lord through Word & Sacrament. Today we do the same.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING: (standing)
Leader: The Lord be with you!
People: AND ALSO WITH YOU!
Lift up your hearts.
People: WE LIFT THEM TO THE LORD.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God:
People: LET THE HEAVENS BE JOYFUL, AND THE EARTH BE GLAD!
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,
we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When he humbled himself to come among us as a man,
he fulfilled the plan you formed long ago
and opened for us the way to salvation.
Now we watch for the day,
hoping that the salvation promised us will be ours
when Christ our Lord will come again in his glory.
(from CanticaNova,
http://www.canticanova.com/planning/year-a/pln2aa_1.htm)
……………………………
And so, with all the choirs of angels in heaven
we proclaim your glory and join in their unending hymn of praise:
/or/
Therefore with all the faithful throughout the world and all time, and
every creature in heaven and earth we praise you saying:
ALL: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY LORD, GOD OF POWER AND MIGHT,
HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE FULL OF YOUR GLORY.
HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!
BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.
HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!
PRAYER OF CONSECRATION & ACCLAMATION
[The great prayer of thanksgiving continues, recalling Gods goodness in caring for his people, the life and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ, how he commanded his disciples to remember him with the bread and the wine, and we pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit on us and what we do.]
We thank you, Holy God that in the time of our dreams
your care for us was sealed in the rainbowed promise of hope -
of the sun, after storm; of life, after death;
of yourself, revealed in human form - in Jesus Christ.
We wait for the promised One.
The One whom your Spirit anointed to proclaim justice to all peoples,
good news to the poor, release for the captives, sight for the blind,
liberty for the oppressed, and to announce that the time had come
when you would save your people. We wait for the promised One.
[On the night he gave himself up for us he took bread, gave you thanks,
broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat. This is my body, given
for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant
sealed in my blood, poured out for you and for all, for the forgiveness of
sins. Do this in remembrance of me."
And so, in remembrance of these mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we take this bread and this cup and give you praise and thanksgiving.
May your Spirit, O God, breathe upon these gifts of bread and wine
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ. His life in us.
For this we give you thanks, in Jesus name. AMEN.
And so, in remembrance of these mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we take this bread and this cup and give you praise and thanksgiving.
May your Spirit, O God, breathe upon these gifts of bread and wine
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ. His life in us.
For this we give you thanks, in Jesus name. AMEN.
THE LORD’S PRAYER:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. AMEN.
/or/
(An Adaptation in Verse)
Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept
in reverence, honour and awe.
Let Your Reign come and Your will be done,
on earth as in heaven for all.
Feed us today with the food we need;
nourish, refresh us, we pray.
Forgive our wrongdoings as we forgive
those who have wronged us along the way.
And as we go through hard-testing times
deliver us from Evil’s way.
For the Reign, the Power and Glory are Yours
today and forever always. AMEN.
[Translated and adapted by Rev. John Maynard, Copyright 2005.
May be used freely for public worship or personal devotion.]
BREAKING OF THE BREAD and AGNUS DEI:
The bread we now break and the cup we take are a sharing in the life of Christ … (fraction) …. As we take this cup of blessing and as we share this bread of life we proclaim his death with gratitude and celebrate his resurrection with joy …
Jesus, Firstborn of Mary: HAVE MERCY ON US.
Jesus, Saviour of the world: HAVE MERCY ON US.
Jesus, Monarch of heaven: GRANT US PEACE.
/or/
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: HAVE MERCY ON US.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: HAVE MERCY ON US.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: GRANT US YOUR PEACE.
ALL: Lord, we are not worthy to receive You,
but only say the word and we shall be healed. AMEN.
DISTRIBUTION: The Bread of Life for You
The Cup of Salvation for You
(or The Body of Christ for You The Blood of Christ for You)
PROCLAMATION: Jesus said: I am the Bread of life.
The one who comes to me shall never be hungry,
and the one who believes in me shall never thirst!
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION:
We give thanks to you, O God, for renewing , refreshing and sustaining us in this meal by the presence of your love revealed so fully in Jesus Christ. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to be daily revelations of that love- in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
* HYMN OF FAITH: TIS #12 (AHB #286) - "Ye Gates, Lift Up Your Heads on High" [St. George’s Edinburgh]
/or/ TIS #283 (SA #61) - “Long Ago, Prophets Knew”
BLESSING & DISMISSAL:
Today we lit the Candle of Peace: "May the God of peace make us holy, keeping us blameless in body, mind and soul for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ … AND THE BLESSING OF GOD ALMIGHTY … (AMEN.)
/or/
"May God, the source of hope, fill you will all joy and peace by means of your faith in Him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen" (Romans 15:13)
/or/
May the God of all hope fill you with the all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
And may the blessing of God nourish you,
the faithfulness of Jesus sustain you,
and the fruit of the Holy Spirit grow in you.
(by Moira Laidlaw, Dec 2001)
/or/
The Lord open your eyes to His coming,
Open your ears to His voice,
Open you hearts to His love …
And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be among you, and remain with you always. AMEN.
(by David Adam, "Clouds and Glory", Year C, p. 9.)
* BENEDICTION: TIS #275 (AHB #203) - "Hail to the Lord’s Anointed" (vs.4)
O’er every foe victorious, He on His throne shall rest,
From age to age more glorious, all blessing and all-blest.
The tide of time shall never His covenant remove;
His name shall stand forever, that name to us is Love.
/or/ TIS #272 (AHB #200) “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (vs. 4)
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all-sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious Throne.
(by Charles Wesley, 1707-88.)
/or/ Scripture in Song #42 - "For Unto Us a Child is Born"
For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a son is given.
And the government shall be upon His shoulder,
And His name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, the Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father
And the Prince of Peace is He.
/or/ TIS #666 “We Are Marching in the Light of God”
/or/ TIS #275 (AHB #203) - "Hail to the Lord’s Anointed" (vs. 1)
/or/ "O Come, Let Us Adore Him"
O Come, let us adore Him … (3x)
Christ the Lord
For He alone is worthy … (3x)
Christ the Lord
He’s the lily of the valley … (3x)
Christ the Lord
(* POSTLUDE)
===[ ANOTHER SUNDAY REFLECTION ]===
THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
(by David Beswick, Full Sermon at,
http://www.beswick.info/rclresources/A2A95Ser.htm)
As people who believe in Jesus Christ, Christians are bound to rely upon those who are witnesses to him. The apostles and evangelists of the first century who wrote the books of the New Testament give us evidence from the eyewitnesses [eg. Luke 1:1-4; 1 Cor. 15:3-8; 1 John 1:1-4.] The authority of scripture for us follows from our belief in him as the Word of God, the Word made flesh [John 1:14]. And we recognise authority in the Old Testament also because, like John the Baptist [Matt. 3:1-17] it points forward to Christ [Acts 8:30-35; Luke 24:25-27; Romans 15:3-4]. Christ himself is the key to the interpretation of scripture.
The Word of God and the Biblical Witness — What the Church says:- Christ who is present when he is preached among people is the Word of God who acquits the guilty, who gives life to the dead and who brings into being what otherwise could not exist. [Para. 4]
The Uniting Church acknowledges that the Church has received the books of the Old and New Testaments as unique prophetic and apostolic testimony, in which it hears the Word of God and by which its faith and obedience are nourished and regulated. When the Church preaches Jesus Christ, its message is controlled by the Biblical witnesses. The Word of God on whom salvation depends is to be heard and known from Scripture appropriated in
the worshipping and witnessing life of the Church. The Uniting Church lays upon its members the serious duty of reading the Scriptures, commits its ministers to preach from these and to administer the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as effective signs of the Gospel set forth in the Scriptures. [Para.5]
The Uniting Church acknowledges that God has never left the Church without faithful and scholarly interpreters of Scripture, or without those who have reflected deeply upon, and acted trustingly in obedience to, God’s living Word. In particular the Uniting Church enters into the inheritance of literary, historical and scientific enquiry which has characterised recent centuries, and gives thanks for the knowledge of God’s ways with humanity which are open to an informed faith. [Para. 11]
[From the Basis of Union of the Uniting Church in Australia]
==[ LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES ]==
These candle lighting ideas were first introduced by the Christmas Bowl Appeal in 2000. Current Resources from the Christmas Bowl May be found at: http://www.christmasbowl.com.au/
[1. RESOURCE ONE]
First Sunday in Advent
HOPE
Voice: Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Hope. We light this candle today to remind us that our hope is in God and his son Jesus Christ. He is our hope and the hope of the world. We thank God for the promises he has made to us and for the light he has brought into the world.
Light the first candle
Voice: Let us pray; O God of Hope, Emmanuel, God with us, we pray that you send your light into our hearts at this time. Live in us and help us live in You so that our work and worship, may be filled with your transforming hope. We remember the work of the Christmas Bowl in helping to resettle refugees here in our own country. Rebuilding lives and giving hope.
AMEN.
Song: A Candle is Burning (Tune - Away in a Manger)
A candle is burning, a flame warm and bright
A candle of hope in the darkness of life.
While angels sing blessings from heaven’s starry sky,
Our hearts we prepare now for Jesus is nigh.
Second Sunday in Advent
PEACE
Voice: Today is the second Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Peace. We light this candle today remembering that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. We give thanks for the hope He gives us and for the peace he bestows. Light the first and second candles
Voice: Let us pray; O God of Peace, Emmanuel, we pray that You would light our hearts at this time. Live in us and help us live in You so that our work and worship will be your gift of peace.
AMEN.
Song: A Candle is Burning (Tune - Away in a Manger)
A candle is burning, a candle of peace,
A candle to signal that conflict must cease:
For Jesus is coming to show us the way;
A message of peace humbly laid in the hay.
Third Sunday in Advent
JOY
Voice: Today is the third Sunday of Advent; The Sunday of Joy. We light this candle today remembering that like peace, joy is a gift from God which can fill us and overtake us when we remember what God has done and what he has promised to do. We thank God for the hope that is given, for the Peace we can know and for the joy that is poured into our hearts.
Light the first three candles
Voice: Let us pray; O God of Joy - Emmanuel, send your light into our hearts at this time as we prepare for the coming of this wonderful child. We remember today the work of the Christmas Bowl in Zimbabwe, providing guttering, tanks and storage to harvest the rain so that villagers can share in the joy of rainfall long after it has gone.
AMEN.
Song: A Candle is Burning (Tune - Away in a Manger)
A candle is burning, a candle of joy.
A candle to welcome brave Mary’s new boy.
Our hearts fill with wonder,
and eyes light and glow
as joy brightens darkness with its loving glow.
Fourth Sunday in Advent
LOVE
Voice: Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent The Sunday of Love. We light this candle today, remembering that God is Love, and that those who live in God, live in love. We thank God for this Love which transforms and perfects all things, and for the gifts of peace, hope and joy to share this advent time.
Light the first four candles.
Voice: Let us pray; O God of Love, Emmanuel, send your light into our hearts at this time. Live in us and help us live in you so that our work and worship reveal your transforming love in our lives. We remember the Christmas Bowl in Cambodia, particularly the work to remove landmines and the Cambodian Christian Women’s Association in rural provinces. We pray for these people whose country is being transformed from such trauma and destruction by loving action.
Song: A Candle is Burning (Tune - Away In a Manger)
A candle is burning, a candle of love,
A candle to point us to heaven above,
A baby for Christmas, a wonderful birth,
For Jesus is bringing God’s love to our earth.
"A Candle is Burning" is written by Sandra Dean (1986) from Voices United.
Christmas Day
Voice: We light this candle today, thanking God for the gift of Jesus. Through him, God’s light shines into our world, making it possible for us to know God’s Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
Light all the Candles, including the Christ Candle.
Voice: Let us pray; Loving God, Emmanuel, we thank you for Jesus to walk with us and to lead us. In celebration of this great gift we offer our lives that they may be filled until overflowing with your hope, peace, joy and love.
Song: Joy to the World!
The Lord is come: Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing. (AHB 224)
……………………………
[2. RESOURCE TWO]
First Sunday in Advent: Hope
Say: We light the first candle, the Candle of Prophecy, to remind us of all the years that people waited for the coming of the Messiah and longed for God’s kingdom to be established.
Read: Isaiah 65:17-25.
Reflect: We, like the prophets, hope for God’s love to be shared and to cover the world. What are some of the dreams and hopes you have for your life? For the world? Do you know someone who is without hope? What might you do to help?
Pray: Gracious God, we long for the day when all the world will come to experience your love as seen in Christ. Help us to live as instruments of your hope. AMEN.
Sing: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
Second Sunday in Advent: Faith
Say: We light the first candle for hope, and now we light the second candle, the Bethlehem Candle, to remind us of Mary and Joseph’s faith as they prepared for the birth of Jesus.
Read: Matthew 1:18-24.
Reflect: It must have been overwhelming for Mary and Joseph to be the ones to receive the Christ Child. How did God prepare Mary and Joseph? What can we do to prepare for Christ’s coming? How can we get ready both inwardly (in our prayers and minds) and outwardly (in our homes, workplaces, schools)?
Pray: God who comes to us in the ordinary things of life, help us know what changes we must make in our daily routine to make the Christ Child welcome. AMEN.
Sing: "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
Third Sunday in Advent: Joy
Say: We light a candle for hope, one for faith, and now we light the Shepherds’ Candle to remind us of the joy the shepherds experienced at hearing the announcement of Christ’s birth.
Read: Luke 2:8-12.
Reflect: There is both joy and fear in the hearing and telling of the Good News. Why do you think the shepherds were afraid? What in your life makes it difficult to receive the Good News? Who has shared the Good News with you? How can you share it with others?
Pray: God of joy, take away our fear of new things and of having to move out of our comfortable routines. Kindle in us a willingness to know the happiness that comes when we tell others about your love. AMEN.
Sing: "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks"
Fourth Sunday in Advent: Peace
Say: We light one candle for hope, another for faith, a third for joy, and now the Angels’ Candle to remind us of the message of peace on earth that the angels proclaimed.
Read: Luke 2:13-14.
Reflect: The promise of peace is not that our lives will always be peaceful, calm, and relaxed. It is that the Prince of Peace will be with us as we are called to show his presence to the sick, the hungry, and the lonely so they too may have peace. How can you reach out to those who need your care?
Pray: God of comfort, may we not focus so much on our own need for peace that we neglect those around us. Open our eyes to the needs of our brothers and sisters who depend on us to lighten their burdens. AMEN.
Sing: "Let There Be Peace on Earth"
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day: Love
Say: We light four candles to remind us of hope, faith, joy, and peace. Now we light the centre candle, the Christ Candle, to remind us who is at the centre of the Christmas story.
Read: John 1:1-5.
Reflect: The gift of Christ’s coming makes other gifts of hope, faith, joy, and peace possible for every person. God has given each of us gifts we can use for service. Help those gathered to name the gifts God has given them and the ways they might use these gifts to serve the needs of the world.
Pray: O God of love, we welcome this blaze of light at the dawning of Christmas. May the light of Christ’s presence burn so brightly in our hearts that we will bring the message of your love to every person, family, community, and nation. AMEN.
Sing: "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"
— Donna Gaither
Adapted from Prepare Our Hearts: Advent and Christmas Traditions for Families by Muriel Tarr Kurtz. Published by The Upper Room, 1986. [The Upper Room offers an online opportunity for Advent reflection. Beginning November 28, 1999, The Upper Room Advent & Christmas Calendar will offer brief daily meditations designed to deepen your experience of the season.]
From The Upper Room(r) Daily Devotional, November/December 1999. Copyright (c) 1999 The Upper Room(r). All Rights Reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
……………………………
[3. RESOURCE THREE]
ADVENT CANDLE PRAYERS
By Tim Staker Apostleman@AOL.COM
Christmas 1995
The style of these advent candle dedications is inspired by the pattern in the Seder tradition of the youngest child asking the meaning of what the family is doing.
Dec 3 Promise of LIGHT in a Dark world
Dec 10 Promise of PEACE in a Troubled world
Dec 17 Promise of JOY in a Sorrowful World
Dec 24 Promise of PRECENCE in Lonely world
Dec 24 (Christmas Eve) Promise of LOVE in a Cruel world
LIGHTING OF THE SECOND ADVENT CANDLE (candle of peace)
(Written by Tim Staker for PRCL, Dec. 1985)
Youngest child: "Mummy, why are we lighting this candle?"
Mum: "Because we are getting ready for Christmas, the birthday of Jesus. This is the Candle of Peace and we are lighting this candle to remind us that Jesus’ message was one of peace."
Oldest Child: "The Apostle Paul said, He came and proclaimed peace to you who were afar and to those who were near’."
Father: "Let us pray: Dear God, as we deck the halls, buy presents, and plug in the lights, may we also prepare for Christmas by making peace with others. You give us the promise of peace in a troubled world. May we find peace in our hearts through the One who is the Prince of Peace. Amen."
Congregational response: "Emmanuel"
……………………………
[4. RESOURCE FOUR]
The style of the following advent candle dedication is inspired by the pattern in the Seder tradition of the youngest child asking the meaning of what the family is doing.
Have one of the family light the appropriate candle, then go through the litany. Change the parts to fit the family if need be. Also, instead of a family, one could instead have a Sunday School class, some friends, women’s group, singles group, etc. chorus "Emmanuel, Emmanuel" (by Bob McGee, Chalice hymnal #134). Or one could use the chorus from "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" as a congregational response.
LIGHTING OF THE FIRST ADVENT CANDLE (candle of light)
Youngest child: "Mom, why are we lighting this candle?"
Mom: "Because we are getting ready for Christmas, the birthday of Jesus. This candle is the candle of Light. We are lighting this candle to remind us that when we were in the dark about God’s love, God sent Jesus to be the Light of the world and show us God’s love."
Oldest Child: "As the prophet Isaiah says, ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in the land of darkness a light has dawned.’"
Father: "Let us pray: O come, Lord Jesus, Light of the world. Come and shine upon us. Take away our spiritual blindness and give us sight. Thank you for your promise of Light in a dark world. May each of us be like an Advent candle flame burning bright, dancing in the darkness. AMEN."
Congregational response: "Emmanuel"
(Author Unknown, posted to PRCL-L in 1995.)
==[ MORE CHRISTMAS BOWL IDEAS ]==
These prayers and readings have been adapted from a liturgy written by Rev. Richard J. Fairchild 1998.
Call to Worship
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
O come let us worship the Eternal,
For He is our Father.
Let us praise God
Our Creator, Lord and Redeemer.
He is our God,
And we are his people,
Whom he has called to serve the cause of right:
To bring good news to the poor,
To proclaim liberty to prisoners,
And recovery of sight for the blind,
To set the downtrodden free,
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
(Luke 4:18)
Prayers of Confession:
Let us Pray;
God of hope and wonder, sometimes we forget
That you have walked among us,
That you are always creating us,
And that the Holy Child is always being born.
It is then that we refuse to hear your prophets,
Reject your messengers of peace, and believe that there is no hope.
Unison: Help us to remember that you are with us,
And forgive us when we forget.
Individual Prayers of Confession:
Assurance (Leader)
The Eternal God of Hope Knows our fears and failures
And tells us that in Christ We are forgiven.
Unison: Thanks be to God!
Share a sign of Peace together
Voices of Hope:
A liturgy for the offering of the Christmas Bowl
Voice 1: We lift this bowl up to you O Lord, an offering of our Hope. We remember the work of the Christmas Bowl, reaching out to families and folk that come to our country seeking refuge. Lives, once shattered and torn apart, being built up with hope.
Voice 2: We lift this bowl up to you O Lord, an offering filled with Peace. We remember the work of the Christmas Bowl, amidst the drama and bloodshed of the Middle East. Families and communities needing to find new ways to live together ó As they seek to build a future of peace for their children.
Voice 3: We lift this bowl up to you O Lord, an offering of our Joy. We remember the work of the Christmas Bowl in Zimbabwe, In a continent where half the population live without access to safe water, We celebrate with joy the success of the rain harvesting programs.
Voice 4: We lift this bowl up to you O Lord, an offering of our love. We remember the work of the Christmas Bowl in Cambodia - The slow, painstaking work of removing landmines; the small networks of Christian women working with love for a better future.
L: This Christmas Bowl comes forward as an offering of hope from the people of this church. It will join with other offerings from other congregations and denominations across our country. For 50 years this bowl has brought hope to countless and nameless people in our world - the poor, the homeless, the sick, the refugee, the thirsty and the oppressed. Let us commit ourselves to this work in prayer.
A Prayer of Commitment: Commanded to Hope
L: In a world that selfishly lives for the moment, without thought for whatever evil we may be causing the future, we thank you God, for commanding us to be people of hope. Do not allow us to be conformed to the present short-sighted, self-serving attitudes but open our eyes to see all those things that are possible through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Give us a sure commitment to your new heaven and new earth by living some of the promised future in the here and now:
P: Giving with no thought of reward
Reaching out to the forsaken
Bandaging the wounded
Challenging injustices
Fostering seeds of faith
Caring for mother earth
Exposing pride and greed
Building bridges of understanding
And loving our neighbours of the future.
L: Stretch our vision to include the improbable and strengthen our wills to take the next step on your road. Assure us again that you can do exceedingly more than we can ever ask or imagine. Glory be to your loving purposes, now and forever!
AMEN.
By Bruce D. Prewer from Jesus Our Future
Used with permission of Openbook Publishers.
A Hymn for the Christmas Bowl
The hymn below was written with the Christmas Bowl in mind. The bowl and the hands are key elements in the Christmas Bowl logo.
An empty bowl, uplifted hands;
A challenge here we see,
To share with neighbours in all lands
Our one community.
An empty bowl, uplifted hands:
May our commitment be
That peace and justice in all lands
Shall be reality.
An empty bowl, uplifted hands:
To set the captives free
And joining people in all lands
In one community.
A cup of wine, uplifted hands:
O Christ, lead us to be
Your body broken for all lands
Now and eternity.
By Robert J. Faser, 1996
Tune: Bangor AHB #156
Give Us Hope: A Blessing
Lord, Give us hope to look forward to a happy tomorrow.
Give us courage to face the hardships without losing hope.
Give us faith so that the joy of receiving Christ will lead us to serve others.
Give us appreciation for the gifts that we have received that we might use
them responsibly, daring to give friendship, service and love.
Give us Christmas throughout the year.
From Christian Conference of Asia.
===[ RESOURCES & ACKNOWLEGEMENTS ]====
[PLEASE NOTE: The above resources are the protected work of their authors. They may be reproduced locally for use in worship, with proper acknowledgment to myself or the person concerned, but may not be used for commercial gain or profit. John Maynard, 2003.]
Bibliographical references (and useful links) may found at: STEPPING STONES: A Web Guide to Lectionary-Based Resources for Worship and Preaching (http://www.digtree.org.au/steppingstones)
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