The Celebration of the Gospel

December 20, 2015 —Fourth Sunday of Advent

“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
—Luke 1.42

_______ We Gather as the Body of Christ_______

GREETING
PRELUDE     Prelude On A French    Carol Alice Jordan
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
we listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]

LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE   Luke 1.26-38
[Luke tells of the Annunciation: Gabriel visits Mary and discloses that she will bear a holy child. She responds, “May it be for me according to your word.”]

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a young girl engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The girl’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! God 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 God almighty 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? I am just a girl!” 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.”
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SONG    The Promises of God     Steve G-H
Pay attention my friends, to the promises of God,
like a candle shining in a dark place,
’till the morning star rises brightly in your hearts,
so that even in the darkness you may walk in the light of God.

RESPONSE
Leader: The Advent candle shines with light,
All:    the same light that shines in us, the light of your love.
On the darkest day of the year, the longest night, your light shines into the world.
And it shines in our hearts. Bring to life your holy presence in us
as we worship now and as we live each moment.
Christ, be born in us, now and always. Amen.

* SONG   All Earth Is Waiting   Blue hymnal # 210 vv. 1-3

(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME

____________ We Attend to the Word__________

THE WORD IN SONG
8:15:  Still, Still, Still   arr: Chip Davis, Carol Storrs, Bass Clarinet
10:30: Mary’s Magnificat   Andrew Carter

PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of love, your presence grows within us. Open our hearts to receive, to honor and to nourish the holy child, that Christ may be born in us by your grace. Amen.

GOSPEL   Luke 1.39-45
[Mary visits Elizabeth, who is six months pregnant. When Mary comes, the child in Elizabeth’s womb (who will become John the Baptist) leaps for joy. Elizabeth affirms Mary’s faith and her gifts.]

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
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* CANTICLE     Luke 1.46-55 Blue hymnal, page 199
[Mary’s song of praise, called the Magnificat (from the first word of the Latin version). She praises God for blessing her despite her low social position, and describes God’s justice and mercy: God overturns the social stratification of rich and poor, powerful and oppressed. Like Old Testament prophets, Mary anticipates that the poor will be fed and cared for. ]

And Mary said, “My soul proclaims your greatness, O God,
and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior,
for you have looked with favor on the lowliness of your servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for you, O Mighty One, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
Your mercy is for those who fear you from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm;
you have scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
You have brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
you have filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
You have helped your servant Israel, in remembrance of your mercy,
according to the promise you made to our ancestors,
to Sarah and Abraham and to their descendants forever.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
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SERMON
ADVENT SILENCE

SONG  Blessed Child
Steve G-H

Blessed child of Bethlehem, waiting to be born,
some will bring you incense, and some a crown of thorns.
yet you bear so gently all our joys and harms.
How I long to greet you, and hold you in my arms.

Blessed child of heaven, waiting to e born,
joy of all Creation, delight of those who mourn:
teach us how to worship, teach us how to love,
living in the presence of angels from above.

Blessed child among us waiting to be born,
in whom all are healed, and all our sorrows borne,
help us live in love, in peace and reconciled.
By your birth in us, everyone’s a holy child.

Blessed child within me, waiting to be born,
bringing gifts and wonders with the light of morn,
heaven springing in me, new life yet to grow:
child of holy promise, oh how I love you so!

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
RESPONSE: This is my prayer. All: This is our prayer.

PASSING THE PEACE

__________We Share at Christ’s Table _________

(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG
Savior of the Nations, Come   arr. Cathy Moklebust (Bells of St. Matthew’s)

OFFERING OUR GIFTS   God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen     arr: Mark Hayes

* COMMUNION SONG   In the Bleak Midwinter   Blue hymnal #221

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Beloved, God 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.

We praise you, God, for you birth us in love.
You promise yourself to us, and you are faithfully present.
You defeat the forces of oppression, set us free,
and call us to join you in building a world of mercy and justice.
Therefore with all Creation we sing your praise.

[sung:]
Holy, holy, Holy One, God of power and love,
heaven and earth shine with your glory.
Hosanna on high!
Blessed is the one who comes in your name.
Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ:
in him you were incarnate among us and live with us always.
He taught and healed, he embodied forgiveness and reconciliation;
he recognized the divine in each of us and called it to life.

[…The Blessing and Covenant…]

Whenever we break this bread and share this cup we remember his incarnation,
his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Remembering your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves, with praise and thanksgiving,
as a living and holy sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery at the heart of our faith.

[sung:]
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in mercy. Hosanna on high.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts,
that they may be for us the Body and Blood of the Holy One Jesus Christ.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us,
that we may conceive in our souls
and bring forth your love made flesh,
that by the grace of your Spirit in us
we may be for the world the Body of Christ.

[sung:]
Honor, glory and dominion and eternal victory,
evermore and evermore. Amen.

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 your Spirit you live within us; your presence accompanies us; your love flows from us.  May Christ be born in us in this holy season and all the days of our lives, by your grace, to your eternal glory. Amen.

_____ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World____

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD

* SONG   Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming   Blue hymnal #216

* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE   Please stand and sing to your neighbors:
Like roses in winter, may Mary’s deep “Yes”
bloom warm in your spirits, to heal and to bless;
the light of God’s promise turn night into day,
and bring you God’s peace as you go on your way.
POSTLUDE   The Holly And The Ivy    Old English Carol, arr: Richard Ellsasser

[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]