The Celebration of the Gospel
December 22 , 2019 — Fourth Sunday of Advent
“Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.”
—Matthew 1.20
______We Are Received as Children of God____
GREETING
PRELUDE – Nun Komm, Der Heiden Heiland – Johann Michael Bach
[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.]
* ADVENT SONG – Come, Holy Dawn – Steve G-H
Congregation:
Come, morning star, light our way, in our darkest night.
Come, light of God, grant us peace, gently shining bright.
Come, holy dawn, sun of love, fill us with your light.
Cantor:
Courage, now, my people! Rise up and have no fear.
Dare to love with joy! Emmanuel is here.
LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE – (Isaiah 7.14)
[The prophet gives king Ahaz a sign: the birth of a child who will be named Emmanuel, which means “God with us.”]
Reader: Look, the young woman is with child
and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
All: The light of your promise, O God,
shines in our hearts like the coming of dawn. Alleluia!
* SONG – People, Look East – Blue hymnal #202
_____ We Are Transformed by the Love of Christ____
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG – Ecce Novum – Ola Gjeilo
Translation of the Latin:
Behold, a new joy,
Behold, a new wonder!
A Virgin, who knew not a man,
Bears a son.
She knew not a man,
but as the pear-tree bears the pear,
The flourishing papyrus brings
The lily from the soil.
See how nature changes her laws!
A pure virgin bears the son of God.
PRAYER
God of Mystery, we have heard the promise of your grace; but we find it hard to trust. Speak to us again, that we may hear, and know, and trust in our bones the coming of your blessing and your sure presence among us. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Amen.
* CANTICLE – Luke 1.68-79
[Zechariah’s song at the birth of John the Baptist. God has visited and redeemed us, as saving us from all that would diminish our lives, so that we can serve God in holiness, without fear. The song charges us: “Prepare a way for God by showing people forgiveness. The dawn of God’s grace is coming, to save those who live in the shadow of death, and to guide us in the way of peace.]
Blessed are you, the Most High God of Israel,
for you have visited your people and redeemed them.
You have raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of your servant David,
as you spoke through the mouth of your holy prophets from of old,
that we would be saved from our enemies
and from the power of all our foes.
Thus you have shown us the mercy you promised to our ancestors,
and have remembered your holy covenant,
the oath that you swore to Sarah and Abraham,
to rescue us from the hands of our enemies,
that we might serve you without fear,
in holiness and justice ,
in your presence all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before our God
to prepare the ways of the Promised One,
to give knowledge of salvation to God’s people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
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GOSPEL – Matthew 1.18-25
[An angel comes to Joseph in a dream and tells him to take Mary as his wife, even though she is pregnant with a child that is not his.]
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
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SERMON – Say Yes
SONG – Blessed Child of Bethlehem – 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 be 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
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
__________We Share at Christ’s Table__________
OFFERING OUR GIFTS – It Came Upon The Midnight Clear – Richard Willis, arr: Fred Bock
* COMMUNION SONG – In the Bleak Midwinter – Blue hymnal #221, v. 1, 2, 4
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
[The communion prayer includes quotes from Gabriel’s visit to Mary in Luke 1.26-38, Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1.46-55 and Zechariah’s song in Luke 1.67-79.]
Greetings, beloved. God is with you.
And also with you.
Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God.
We open our hearts to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
Our soul magnifies you, O Holy One,
and our spirit rejoices in you, our Savior.
You have looked with favor upon your lowly servants.
We have been blessed, for you have done great things for us,
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 heart of their thoughts.
You have brought down the mighty from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things,
and you have 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.
Therefore we join with all creation in singing your unending praise.
[Tune: He Is Born]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of love and God of power,
all Creation shines so bright 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,
Son of the Most High, who reigns over the house of Jacob forever.
Of his kingdom there is no end.
Jesus embodied your Word, loved the poor,
and established with us your Covenant of life:
[ The Blessing and Covenant ]
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, and we prepare for his coming again.
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s sacrifice for us
as we sing of the mystery at the heart of our faith.
Dying, Christ destroyed our death. Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ will come again in love. Alleluia! Praise to God!
As you did with Mary, pour out your Holy Spirit on us,
and on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the Body and Blood of the Beloved, Jesus Christ,
that we may be for the world the Body of Christ.
May your Holy Spirit come upon us, and your power overshadow us,
that the presence we embody will be holy.
Renew your Holy Spirit within us, and unite us with all who share this meal.
By the mercy you have shown us, promised to our ancestors,
may we serve you without fear in holiness and righteousness, all our days.
By your Spirit, may we go before you to prepare your ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to your people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
By your tender mercy, may your dawn from on high break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Amen. Alleluia! Sing hosanna in the highest!
Amen. Alleluia! Praise to God forevermore!
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 this holy season you make your Word flesh; you come to us embodied. Having received the Body of Christ, we become the Body of Christ. Send us into the world with your love, in the name and Spirit of Jesus. Amen.
______ We Are Sent in the Power of the Holy Spirit______
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 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 The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns – Tune: MORNING SONG, arr: Lani Smith