The Celebration of the Gospel
December 16, 2018 — Third Sunday of Advent
Bear fruits worthy of repentance.
One who is more powerful than I is coming.
— Luke 3.8, 16
_______We Gather as the Body of Christ_______
GREETING
PRELUDE In The Bleak Midwinter Harold Darke, arr: Stephen Nielsen
[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.
You may light a votive candle in prayer any time during the prelude, hymns, offering, Peace, communion or postlude.]
CALL TO WORSHIP
God, we are waiting, watching and hoping.
Come to us, and save us, and bring us peace.
1. Bear the fruit that comes of repentance in your lives. Share your food and shelter.
One is coming who is more powerful than I, who will baptize you with fire.
2. In all things rejoice, for the Coming One is near. Let your gentleness be evident.
May the peace that passes our understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ.
LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE — Philippians 4.4-7
[Paul encourages us to be gentle, joyful, thankful and prayerful, rooted in the peace of God.]
Rejoice in God always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Beloved is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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RESPONSE
Leader: Kindle your joy in us, O God.
All: By the grace of your nearness, instill your gentleness in us.
Heal our worries, and hear our prayers.
Receive our thanksgiving, and our silent supplications.
Friends, in the light of the One who is coming,
may the peace that passes all understanding
guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
* SONG — Hail to the Lord’s Anointed — Blue hymnal # 203
____________We Attend to the Word__________
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG Isaiah 12.2-6
( First Song of Isaiah— Jack Noble White)
[We rejoice in God’s saving grace. We will draw from the wells of our salvation, and proclaim God’s goodness to the world.]
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for God is my strength and my might;
God has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Holy One,
call on God’s name; make known God’s deeds among the nations;
proclaim the exalted name of the Righteous One.
Sing praises to God, who has done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
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PRAYER
Eternal God, we long for your justice, for peace on earth, for the mending of the world. Give us faith that your reign of grace is indeed breaking in upon the world. Give us courage to be gentle and to work for justice. Give us hope to trust your promises. Give us joy, that you are near. Speak to us, and baptize us with the fire of your love. Amen.
(10:30) OLD TESTAMENT
[God enjoys God’s people, and will “exult over you with loud singing.” God is with us, and will deal with oppressors, and bring exiles home. ]
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!
God has taken away the judgments against you,
the Holy One has turned away your enemies.
The keeper of Israel, Yahweh, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak.
God, the Holy One, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory;
God will rejoice over you with gladness,
The Beloved will renew you in deep love;
and will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
I will deal with all your oppressors at that time.
And I will save the lame and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you home,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Holy One.
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GOSPEL Luke 3.7-18
[John the Baptist urges us to prepare for the One Who Is Coming. Repentance leads to a new social order of sharing, justice and compassion. All that does not bear fruit in mercy and justice is burned away. But the “fire” is not outside us; it is the flame of the Spirit within us, which the Coming One gives to us.]
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
SERMON — Living “as if”
SONG — All Earth Is Waiting — Blue hymnal # 210
(10:30) PRAYER SONG — Gabriel’s Oboe (Bells of St. Matthew’s)
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer at the microphone.]
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
___________We Share at Christ’s Table _________
OFFERING OUR GIFTS
8:15: The Holly and the Ivy— arr. Patricia Cota (Ringtones)
10:30: Wexford Carol – Traditional Irish Carol, arr: Stan Pethel
* COMMUNION SONG
We thank you, God, for you have made your people lovingly.
Oppressions cease and by your peace you set your children free.
Your light dawns on the captives who in deep darkness dwell.
With all that lives, your praise we give, O God, Emmanuel.
How blest is Jesus whose deep grace the world could not contain.
He taught and healed and truth revealed that love and justice reign.
For Christ has died and risen, and Christ will come again.
And so we give ourselves to live in love. Amen. Amen.
[The Blessing and Covenant]
Pour out your spirit on these gifts; be present in this meal.
Baptize with fire; our hearts inspire to love and bless and heal.
Make us the living body of Christ in our own place,
in this world’s night to be the light of your redeeming grace.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, 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. In the coming of Christ, the Prince of Peace, you have begun the reign of your Empire of Grace. In this meal you have included us in the promise. Send us into the world to do justice, to live peace, to be living signs of the coming of Christ. Amen.
______ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG — It Came Upon the Midnight Clear — Blue hymnal #218
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH Philippians 4.4-7
Rejoice in God always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Beloved is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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RESPONSE We stand and sing to our neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE — Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming — Geistliche Kirchengesang, arr: Fred Bock
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]