Sunday School, November 27, 2016 1 Advent Cycle A
Themes:
The Beginning of Christian New Year
Review the calendars in our lives. The Gregorian Calendar that we use. School calendars, Sports Calendars, Work
Calendar, Concert Season Calendars. The
Country’s Patriotic Time and Official Holidays.
Have children list the number of calendars in their
lives. Calendars are used to measure
time. Different calendars measure time
in different ways depending upon the human events which are occurring at
different times.
The Church Calendar
Why do we have one?
Because we want to schedule that time that we give to God, through
learning throughout the year about the meaning of God for our lives.
How does the Church Calendar work? It works like a school curriculum. The church takes the Christian program of
learning and divides it into a yearly cycle to presentation. The year is divided into six seasons. These seasons give us the opportunity to
review each year different teachings about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the
life of the church.
What are the seasons?
Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost
What does Advent mean?
It means “Coming.” It refers to the
first coming of Christ when he came as the baby Jesus at Christmas. So the season of Advent is a time to prepare
for Christmas. It also refers to the
future comings of Christ in our lives and the life of the world. We believe that Christ will come to our
future and this gives us hope that the future can be better no matter what
seems to be happening in our lives or in our world.
What do we read during Advent from the Bible? We read about John the Baptist and how he
helped prepared the way for Jesus. We also
read about the future and how God will establish fairness and justice and how
the promise of fairness in the future can help us survive now when we realize
that our lives are not perfect and some harmful things are happening now even
to good people. During Advent, we
believe that a future perfect world is still calling us as a model for how we
can become better.
What is an important word during Advent? Repent.
Repent means to Educate ourselves to keep changing our minds with better
knowledge and wisdom, not just to know more, but to change our behavior as a
way of preparing to greet Jesus as our friend.
A Sermon:
Happy New Year! Did
you have a big New Year Eve’s party last night?
Did you know that today is the first day of the new Christian Year. Today is the First Sunday of Advent. Let us renew our Seasons of the Christian
Year. Repeat after me. Advent.
Christmas. Epiphany. Lent East
and Pentecost. Now what is the color for
the Season of Advent? Purple. And what kind of season is Advent? Is it a celebrating season like Christmas and
Easter? No, it is a serious season. A season of training and preparation. Sometimes with all of the early Christmas
parties, Advent is just seen as a speed bump in the road as people are racing
to a Christmas celebration.
Advent is a time for
us to pray just a little bit more. To
give just a little bit more to those who are needy. And to take good care of our selves. Take good care of our bodies. We see all of the Christmas sweets coming out
early, but remember Advent is a time to prepare and take care of
ourselves. And why should we take care
of our selves and our world?
Because Advent
means: Coming. We are preparing for the
coming of someone very important. When
someone special is coming to your house, what do you do? You rush around and clean up the house. You fix some special food because you want
everything just right for the coming of the special people in your life.
During Advent, we
prepare our selves for the coming of Jesus Christ. And Christ comes to us in many ways. Christ came to us as the Baby Jesus in the
manger, and that is what we celebrate at Christmas. Christ comes to us each day in special way
through the love and care of our family and friends. Christ comes to us as we gather to bless the
bread and the wine and receive the presence of Christ into our hearts and as we
know that Christ is as near to us as the bread and wine become after we eat and
drink. We also believe that Christ will
come in our future in many special ways.
So, Advent is a
season of preparation, when we make our selves always ready for the special
coming of Christ in our lives.
So before we rush to
Christmas celebrations, let us remember that we are in the season of
Advent. And Advent is a special season
of preparation for the coming of Christ.
Is Christ welcome in your home?
Is Christ welcome in your life?
Of course he is. Advent is season
when we practice for the welcoming of Christ into our lives. Amen.
St. John the Divine Episcopal Church
17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Family Service with Holy Eucharist
November 27, 2016: The First Sunday of Advent
Gathering Songs: We Light the Advent Candles, If You’re
Happy and You Know It, Father, I Adore You,
Soon and Very Soon
Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
Liturgist: Oh God,
Our hearts are open to you.
And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.
Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship
you.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Song: We Light the
Advent Candles (While lighting the first purple candle)
We light the Advent candles against the winter night, to
welcome our Lord Jesus who is the world’s True Light, to welcome our Lord Jesus
who is the World’s True Light.
The first one will remind us that Christ will soon
return. We light it in the darkness and
watch it gleam and burn. We light it in
the darkness and watch it gleam and burn.
Liturgist: The
Lord be with you.
People: And
also with you.
Liturgist: Let us
pray
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of
darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in
which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the
last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the
living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Litany of Praise: Alleluia
O God, you are Great!
Alleluia
O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us! Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior! Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family! Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins! Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead! Alleluia
A reading from the Prophet Isaiah
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of
the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge
between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat
their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall
not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Liturgist: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 122
Peace be within your walls *and quietness within your
towers.
For my brethren and companions' sake, * I pray for your
prosperity.
Because of the house of the LORD our God, * I will seek to
do you good."
Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God!
Litanist:
For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to
God!
For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!
For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks
be to God!
For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!
For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!
For work and for play. Thanks be to God!
For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!
For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!
For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of
our friends and parish family.
Thanks be to God!
Liturgist: The
Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
People: Glory
to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said to the disciples, "But about that day and
hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the
Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying
and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew
nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming
of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one
will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and
one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord
is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what
part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would
not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for
the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
Liturgist: The
Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise
to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon –
Children’s Creed
We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father
is the maker of the world.
Since God is so great and we are so small,
We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus,
son of the Virgin Mary.
We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the
life, death and
resurrection of
Jesus Christ.
We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy
Spirit.
We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church
where everyone is
welcome.
We believe that Christ is kind and fair.
We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.
And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve
us forever. Amen.
Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.
For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have
mercy.
For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have
mercy.
For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.
For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.
For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.
For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in
our world. Christ, have mercy.
For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have
mercy.
For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have
mercy.
For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have
mercy.
For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.
Youth Liturgist: The
Peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving
of an offering
Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It (Christian Children’s
Songbook, # 124)
If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it clap your
hands. If you’re happy and you know it,
then your face should surely show it. If
you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.
…Make a high five….
…shout Amen!….
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all
creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost.
Prologue to the Eucharist
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong
the kingdom of God.”
All become members of a family by birth or adoption.
Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.
A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.
The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to
his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.
The Lord be with you
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made
us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all
of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might. Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.
(All may gather around the altar)
Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;
You have made us in your image
And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to
live by faith:
Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob
and Rachael.
And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured
by Joseph
And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.
Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this
Holy Meal so that when we eat the bread and drink the wine, we can know that
the Presence of Christ is as near to us as this food and drink that becomes a
part of us.
And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine.
Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and
Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Sanctify
us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.
On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the
blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take,
eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of
me."
After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and
said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which
is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink
it, do this for the remembrance of me."
Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we
eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the
life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in
our future.
Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a
special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ. May we forever live with praise to God to
whom we belong as sons and daughters.
By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of
the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for
ever. AMEN.
And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,
Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)
Our Father who art in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.
Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.
Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.
And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.
As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.
Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.
But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.
Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy
name.
Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.
Breaking of the Bread
Celebrant: Alleluia,
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People: Therefore
let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
Words of Administration
Communion Song: Father, I Adore You (Christian Children’s
Songbook, # 56)
1 Father, I
adore you, lay my life before you, how I love you.
2 Jesus….
3 Spirit…
Post-Communion Prayer
Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus
asked us to keep;
We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and
the wine.
And His Presence has been known to us.
We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and
brothers
and sisters in
Christ.
Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that
the blessing in the
bread and wine
spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,
As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Closing Song: Soon and Very Soon (Renew! # 276)
1-Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King; soon and
very soon we are going to see the King.
Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King. Alleluia, alleluia, we are going to see the
King.
2-No more dying there, we are going to see the King. No more dying there, we are going to see the
King. No more dying there we are going
to see the King. Alleluia, alleluia, we
are going to see the King.
3. Repeat verse 1
Dismissal:
Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God!
