The Celebration of the Gospel
First Sunday of Advent
November 30, 2014
8:15 & 10:30 am
O, That you would tear the heavens open
and come to us!
—Isaiah 64.1
__ We Gather as The Body of Christ _
GREETING
PRELUDE What Is This Lovely Fragrance? French Carol, arr: Alice Jordan
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE Romans 13.11-12
Leader: God of light, as we light this candle in this season of darkness
our hearts ache for your blessing.
All: Dawn upon us and be our light.
Our hearts ache for your presence.
Holy Spirit, transform our desires,
and shape our hope by your light in us,
as we await your coming in peace.
* SONG People, Look East Blue hymnal #202
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
____ We Attend to the Word _____
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG E’en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come, Paul Manz
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of Hope, we turn to you. In the darkness be our light. In the longing be our hope. In the silence be our Word. May your Promise be our light. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Isaiah 64.1-9
[Advent begins with an acknowledgment of our longing for God to come among us. The prophet looks around at a troubled world and cries to God, “Oh, that you would tear the heavens and come down!” God has done marvelous things. But because we can not see God directly, we become distrustful, and we are burdened by our sin. But God will reshape us, as a potter reworks the clay.]
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the mountains would quake at your presence—
as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, and the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for you.
You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.
But we were afraid of your anger, and we sinned;
because we couldn’t find you we wandered.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities,
like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls on your name,
or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Still, O Lord, you are our Mother, our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not deal with us in anger, O Lord,
and not according to our sin.
Instead, be mindful that we are all your people.
GOSPEL Mark 13.24-37
[Jesus imagines the coming of God’s Promised One with awesome, world-changing power. Like watching a tree that is about to bloom, or servants waiting for their master late at night, we should be ready, and not asleep, for the moment is near.]
In those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. They will see “the Human One coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then the Promised One will send out the angels, and gather the elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Human One, but only God. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like someone going on a journey, who leaves home and puts slaves in charge, each with their work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the homeowner will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else you may found asleep when the time comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.
SERMON
SONG Child of Promise Steve G-H
Child of promise, oh child of hope, prophets spoke of you,
visions treasured but unfulfilled. Shall our dreams come true?
Help us wait for you.
Child of woman, oh child of God, bring us birth anew.
Make a room, oh make a womb in our hearts for you.
Help us wait for you.
Child of patience, oh child of pain, suffering ills we do,
heal, forgive, and help us be gentle, child like you.
Help us wait for you.
Child of wonder, oh child of joy, you make all things new.
Re-create us, come anew, like the morning dew.
Help us wait for you.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
PASSING THE PEACE
—————We Share at Christ’s Table —————
OFFERING OUR GIFTS
Watchman, Tell Us Of The Night Jacob Hintze, arr: Mark Hayes
* COMMUNION SONG
O Christ, you call to your table here
your blessed children, your people dear.
Our gifts we bring, and your praise we sing,
as we gather to wait for your coming.
Come, come, Emmanuel!
The bread and wine your presence tell.
Come, come, and fill our hearts,
and make of us signs of your coming.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
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 good to give God thanks and praise.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
SHARING THE HOLY MEAL [Everyone is welcome at the table of Christ’s self-giving love.
The bread is wheat-, soy- and dairy free. We dip the bread in the juice.]
PRAYER OF BLESSING
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. In our hunger, you feed us with your promise. In our darkness you enlighten us with your coming. May your longing in us be light for this world, for the sake of the healing of all Creation, in the name of Christ. Amen.
_ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World __
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus Blue hymnal #196
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE Please stand and sing to your neighbors:
Go in peace, go in grace,
go with Christ from this place.
Seek his coming, like the dawn.
May his rising lead you on.
Christ be born in your hearts.
Christ be born in your hearts.
POSTLUDE When Morning Dawns Tune: MORNING SONG, arr: Lani Smith
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]