The Celebration of the Gospel
4th Sunday of Advent
December 21, 2014
8:15 & 10:30 am
Caroline Jennings, Rooftop Annunciation Three
“May it be for me according to your word.”
— Luke 1.38
_______ We Gather as The Body of Christ _______
GREETING
PRELUDE A Rosetti Christmas Christina Rosetti – arr: Mark Hayes
[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 16.25-27
[ Paul prays that God will strengthen us , through the mystery that is revealed in scripture, so that we will have deep faith.]
God is able to strengthen you
according to the gospel,
according to the good news of Jesus Christ.
This good news was a mystery
kept secret for long ages
but it is now disclosed,
and through the prophetic writings
it is made known to all the Gentiles,
by the command of the eternal God,
to bring about lives of faith.
To this God, through Jesus Christ,
to the only wise God, be the glory forever!
Amen.
Leader: God, we rejoice in you, who do great things.
All: You bring down the powerful and lift up the lowly.
You come to change this world with love.
We light this candle in hope, to watch for your justice;
and in faith, to nourish the power in us
to live in mercy according to your Word. Alleluia.
* SONG Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming Blue hymnal #216
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
_________ We Attend to the Word _________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG Mary Amy Tate Williams
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Great God, Loving Mystery, as your angel Gabriel came to Mary, come to us; speak to us now. Conceive in us your love, your grace, your breathing presence. May it be for us according to your Word. Amen.
GOSPEL Luke 1.26-38
[The annunciation: Gabriel comes to Mary to announce that she will bear a holy child. Unbelievable as it seems, she accepts this for herself.]
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
“And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
CANTICLE Luke 1.46-55 Blue hymnal, page 199
[When she visits Elizabeth, Mary responds to God’s activity in her life with the Magnificat (“Praise” in Latin): “My soul magnifies (praises) God.” Just as God has regarded her her low status, God institutes a great reversal: God has brought the mighty down and lifted up the lowly, fed the poor and sent the rich away hungry, according to God’s ancient promise of mercy and justice.]
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of God’s servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name.
God’s mercy is for those who are in awe of God from generation to generation.
God has shown strength with a mighty arm;
God has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts,
brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly.
God has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
God has helped God’s servant Israel,
in remembrance of God’s mercy,
according to the promise made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and Sarah and their descendants forever.”
SERMON
SONG Blessed Child of Bethlehem (Steve G-H)
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
8:15: Lo, How A Rose Johannes Brahms
10:30: A Pastoral Christmas Douglas Wagner (Bells of St. Matthew’s)
* COMMUNION SONG In the Bleak Midwinter Blue hymnal #221
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Greetings, people of God’s favor. The Lord is 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.
Our spirits rejoice in you O God,
for you have done great things.
You have looked with favor on your humblest people
and blessed us with mercy through all generations.
You have condemned the powers of oppression,
brought down the powerful, and set free your people.
You have fed the poor with good things.
Therefore with all Creation we sing your praise:
[sung:]
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of love and God of might,
heav’n and earth are glorious with your presence and your light.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Blessed is the one who comes in your name,
Jesus, your Christ, in whom you dwelt among us.
In love he fed the hungry, lifted up the lowly,
and confronted the illusions of the powerful.
With the despised he was crucified, but you raised him up with power.
For with you nothing is impossible.
[The Blessing and Covenant…]
[sung:]
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in love. Alleluia! Gloria!
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Pour out your holy spirit on these gifts
that they may be for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
May your Holy Spirit come upon us,
the power of the Most High overshadow us,
so that what is conceived in us will be holy.
May your love rule in our hearts,
and of its reign may there be no end.
Here we are, Lord, your humble servants.
May it be for us according to your Word.
[sung:]
Alleluia! Amen. Praise the Holy Trinity.
Honor, thanks and glory be sung to you eternally.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
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. You come to us in bread and cup, in human life, in love made real. By the grace of this meal may Christ be born in us. May we, by your Spirit in us, bear your divine, loving presence into the world for the sake of its redemption, to your glory. Amen.
____ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World___
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG O Little Town of Bethlehem Blue hymnal #230, vv. 3-4
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE Please stand and sing to your neighbors:
Go in peace, deepest peace.
May God’s grace never cease.
May the Spirit nest in your soul,
bring new life and make you whole.
Christ be born in your hearts.
Christ be born in your hearts.
POSTLUDE The First Noel arr: Dan Miller