The Celebration of the Gospel
3rd Sunday of Advent
December 14, 2014
8:15 & 10:30 am
Rejoice always. The One who calls you is faithful.
— 1 Thessalonians 5.16, 24
_______ We Gather as The Body of Christ_______
GREETING
PRELUDE Peace Prelude Annette Sims (Ringtones)
[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 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24
[In all circumstances rejoice and pray, be thankful, and hold fast to what is good as we await the coming of Christ. We can rejoice because we trust that “the one who has called you is faithful.”
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and will do this.
Leader: Even in darkness the promise is sure.
All: We light a candle of joy.
In days of sorrow and waiting, God’s Presence is near.
We sing a song of joy.
Even in a world of suffering, God’s healing arises with light as the dawn.
In the Spirit of Christ we live lives of joy.
We worship you, God of hope and promise, and sing to you our joy
* SONG Hail to the Lord’s Anointed Blue hymnal #203
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
___________ We Attend to the Word___________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG Thou Shalt Know Him Mark Sirett.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of life, as your prophet cries in the wilderness, we prepare a way in our hearts for your coming. We open ourselves to your presence, to your transforming Word, to your power in this world. Be our light in the darkness, our song in the silence, our star in the night, so that we might be your people in this world. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Isaiah 61.1-4, 8-11
[God’s spirit anoints us to do God’s justice: to care for the poor and powerless and set people free.]
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
God has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display God’s glory.
They shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations.
For I the Lord love justice,
I hate robbery and wrongdoing;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
A who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for God has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
God has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
GOSPEL John 1.6-9, 19-28
[John the baptizer bears witness that “among you stands one who is coming.” John is not the light, but bears witness to the light.]
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord,’ ” as the prophet Isaiah said.
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
SERMON
SONG t Came Upon the Midnight Clear Blue hymnal #218
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 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen arr: Mark Hayes
* COMMUNION SONG
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Blue hymnal #626 vv. 1-2
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.
[Pastor] It is always our delight to sing your praise, O God,
for when all was darkness and chaos, you brought forth light.
[Choir side:] You made us in your image, with your light already within us.
[Bells side:] When we were lost and enslaved you came to us;
you condemned and overthrew the powers of oppression and set us free.
You have spoken to us through the prophets and walked with us in love.
Even in the darkest times you hid your light within us and your hope among us:
your promise already given, the dawn already on its way.
Therefore we sing your praise with all creation:
[Sung:]
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of love and God of mercy,
earth and heav’n are glorious with the light of your presence here.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the God of mercy.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the God of love.
Alleluia sing we now, sing hosanna in the highest.
Alleluia sing we now, sing hosanna to God on high!
Blessed are all who come in your name, and blessed is Jesus, your Christ.
Born in a rough stable, hunted by death squads, refugee to Egypt,
he walked with us in our darkest passages.
Healing and teaching, gathering a community and crying out for justice,
he embodied your love.
Crucified and buried, Christ bore the burden of human suffering.
Raised from the dead, Christ embodied your overpowering grace.
Christ lived as your promise among us, your hope given flesh,
the new world beginning even now.
[…The Blessing and Covenant…]
[Sung:]
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in love. Alleluia! Praise to God!
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts,
that they may be for us the Body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, that we may live your promise with faith.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, that we may be your light in this darkness.
By your grace may Christ be born in us,
that we may be living signs of your coming.
[Sung:]
Amen. Alleluia! Sing hosanna in the highest!
Amen. Alleluia! Praise to God forevermore!
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
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.
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. Born in our hearts, enfleshed in our community, be our hope our courage and our joy. Send us out as your light, in the name of Christ and the power of your Spirit, for the sake of the healing of the world. Amen.
_____ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World______
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Star Child Black hymnal #2095
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE Please stand and sing to your neighbors:
May God come, come to you,
may God make all things new.
As you wait for Jesus’ birth
may you help bring peace on earth.
Christ be born in your hearts,
Christ be born in your hearts.
POSTLUDE
While By Our Sleeping Flock We Lay Traditional German, arr: Hugh Livingston
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]