Rejoice, Anyway

3 Advent b December 17, 2023, 3 Advent
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Psalm 126
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8,19-28

Lectionary Link


The cauldron of the probabilities of what has happened, is happening, might have happened, did not happen, will happen, will have happened, is very full, yes teemingly full.  And some happenings are so horrifying that they can monopolize our thinking and energy into neglecting the reality of them being but mere happenings within the totality of everything happening.

What is happening to me right now can easily be generalized to characterize what is happening to all, and everything.

How do we live without generalizing our selfish interpretations of what is happening to me or us, and projecting our small interpretations as being the significant truth of everything?

The third Sunday in Advent is Gaudete Sunday, Rejoice Sunday.  It is an invitation to access the deep experience of joy as a way to live in relationship to everything that has and is happening.

But how can I have joy with the senseless war in Ukraine with many dying and a tyrant wanting to overrun a country because megalomanical disease?  How can I rejoice with the horrendous events in Israel, Gaza, Syria, and the complete impossibility of exacting precise justice to offending parties in real time resulting in bombing not being very smart but very indiscriminate among innocent people who end up being in harms way?

How can I rejoice in a country of relative plenty where people with a lot get much more and people with a little get much less?  How can I rejoice facing my own guilt of having plenty while accepting general helplessness of getting enough to those who need it?

The life conditions of the truly free play of probabilities means that life is always ambiguous in what might actually happen to us and to other people in our world.  How do we live best with the actual probable conditions?

Well, practically we adopt the best wisdom of probability living, namely, statistically approximation, which simply means we apply good actuarial thinking of what has happen onto what might happen in the future.  But we know that even good wise planning and good scientific thinking cannot guarantee future specific outcomes in our personal, social, and national lives.

What is required is to tap into the two inwardly known virtues of faith and joy to accompany us in our living with the probable conditions of what is and what may happen.

Jesus came to people who were oppressed people, people who were often trying to perform religious duties like the proverbial arranging of deck chairs on the sinking Titanic.  How can we live when it seems like the entire world is going down, sinking for me and my people who are living in the distressed conditions?

How can the people of Pauline churches live as tiny majorities within the cities which were dominated by the cult of Emperor?   Paul had the audacity to write, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances..."   Paul are you crazy, how can we do this?

Most of the biblical literature was written by and for oppressed people.  Most of white European Christianity has known the legacy of Christendom and Empire Christianity who have been more on the side of the oppressor than the oppressed.  And people on the winning sides of Empire Christianity need to be careful in how they appropriate a literature written during time of oppression and for people who were oppressed.

Our American founding documents invite everyone to the life goal of a pursuit of happiness.  Happiness is a valid quest if we regard freedom from all manner of pain to be what is normal for us psychologically and socially.  But on the pursuit of happiness we know that happiness often depends upon what happens, and so we and many are often unhappy in life.  We can hope that the experience of unhappiness builds within us grooves of empathy to help us aid others in their pursuit of happiness, especially when events of unhappiness occur.

John the Baptist, baptized, and so built a community of baptized people who practiced together the pursuit living lives of excellence.  John the Baptist predicted that Jesus would baptize with a Spirit and this Spirit would create a community.

How do we reconcile joy and happiness since joy is an underneath condition which can be experienced even when happiness is not our current experience?  Joy is the embracing of everything, all at once experience which totally relativizes the power and the effect of any specific thing which might be happening to us.  Joy is the experience of ultimate togetherness, and it is poignantly known in the mutual support of being in community together.  John the Baptist could baptize people into a community of mutual support during hard times.  Paul could tell his flock to rejoice, because of their covenant with each other to be together, no matter what happen to them while they tried to fly under the radar of the cult of the Emperor.

The Gospel, the good news for us, is to rejoice, which means learning to tap into the very native joy of having been born and having consciousness, but also of living in the Spirit with a community of people who share with us the conditions of the free probabilities what might happen to any of us at anytime.

Let us in our spiritual practice today discover how to access the All, of everything, all at once, impinging upon us deeply as the experience of joy.  And from this joy, let us go forth to live together with what may happen, and be thankful for the many occasions of happiness which have and will come our way.  The Risen Christ within us as the All in all, is our source of Joy.  Amen.

Sunday School, December 17, 2023 3 Advent B

  Sunday School, December 17, 2023   3 Advent B

Theme:

Gospel

What does Gospel mean?

Good News.

Gospel is also what we call the first four books of the New Testament:  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are called Gospels because they tell the story of the good news of Jesus

Where did the word Gospel come from?

It came from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The Hebrew word is “basar” and the prophet wrote about one who had a special mission from God to bring good news to people who were suffering, people who were sick and people who were in prison.

When Jesus read this from the prophet Isaiah, he told everyone that his life was about bringing good news, just like what the prophet Isaiah wrote about.

The life of Jesus is Good News

John the Baptist wanted everyone to know that Jesus was the Good News for the world.  He recommended everyone with his voice to follow Jesus.

Think about what is good news for you today.

Think about how you can share and bring good news to other people today

Sermon:

  Do you know what “Good News” is?  Christmas is coming…Is that good news?  Why is it good news?  You are going to have special fun with your family and friends.  You are going to have parties and good food.  And Santa Claus will come and leave some presents.   Is that good news?  Of course it is.

  If you know what good news is…then what is bad news?  If you fall and hurt your knee, that’s bad news.  If you are sick…that’s bad news.  And if we have more bad news than good news, then our lives can be very difficult, very hard to live.

  And we know that in our world today there is some very bad news.  Lots of people do not have jobs.  Lots of people do not have enough to eat.  Lots of people are sick.  Lots of people live in fear because of war and fighting.

  So we need to be thankful because in our lives we have more good news than bad news.

  Do you know what the word Gospel means?  It means “Good News.”  We call the books about Jesus Christ, “Good News,” because Jesus brought Good News.

  In the reading from the Prophet Isaiah, Isaiah wrote that the one who God anoints will bring good news.

  God’s anointed is the Messiah or the Christ.  And Christ is the one who brings good news.

  And what news did Jesus bring us?

  God loves, God cares for us, and God forgives us and God gives us everlasting life.  That is good news isn’t it?  It is great news.

  But Jesus wants us not just to receive good news, he wants us to do something more.  He wants us to take good news to people who need hear good news.

  And how do we do this?  By helping others.  At Christmas we are helping to buy some gift cards for some families who need special good news at Christmas.  So we are helping some families who have had some bad news, and we are trying to bring them some good news.

  Today let us be thankful for the Gospel, for the good news in our lives.  Let us ask God for more good news.  But as we ask God for good news, let us become people who bring good news to other people by helping people who have to overcome some bad news in their lives.

  How many of you like good news?  How many of you are willing to help bring good news to other people today?  Good, then we can help Christ make this a merry Christmas for more people.  Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

December 17, 2023: The Third Sunday of Advent

Gathering Songs: Light a Candle, The Lord is Present,   Eat This Bread, I Want to Walk

Song: Light A Candle   (tune: Jimmy Crack Corn)

1-Light a candle for hope today, light a candle for hope today, light a candle for hope today.  Advent time is here.  

2-Light a candle for peace today…

3-Light a candle for joy today….

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.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)

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

Liturgist:   A reading from the Prophet Isaiah

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor,

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 126

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, * then were we like those who dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, * and our tongue with shouts of joy.

Then they said among the nations, * "The LORD has done great things for them."

Birthdays:   Terry Rounds,   Bob Dwyer

Anniversaries: 

  

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Liturgist:

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 John

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

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. (chanted)

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.

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.

Offertory:The Lord Is Present  (Renew! # 55)

1.         The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us praise the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us praise the Lord.  Praise him, praise him, let us praise the Lord.  Praise him, praise him, let us praise Jesus.

2.         The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us sing to the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us sing to the Lord.  Sing to him, sing to him, let us sing to Lord.  Sing to him, sing to him, let us sing to Jesus.

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 heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of our 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 up 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.

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.

The Prayer continues with these words

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.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we can we 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,

(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

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: Eat This Bread, (Renew! # 228)

Eat this bread, drink this cup, come to me and never be hungry. 

Eat this bread, drink this cup, trust in me and you will not thirst.

 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: I Want to Walk As a Child of the Light (Renew!  # 152)

I want to walk as a child of the light.  I want to follow Jesus.  God set the stars to give light to the world; the star of my life is Jesus. 

Refrain: In him there is no darkness at all; the night and the day are both alike.  The lamb is the light of the city of God.  Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

I want to see the brightness of God; I want to look at Jesus.  Clear sun of righteousness, shine on my path and show me the way to the Father.  Refrain

Dismissal   

Liturgist:    Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.

People:      Thanks be to God! 

Rejoice Even When It Is Not Obvious to Do So

 3 Advent b      December 13, 2020, 3 Advent
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Psalm 126
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8,19-28

Lectionary Link

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent.  We lit the Rose color candle.   It is also called Rose Sunday.  It is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin meaning "rejoice."  And we've read the epistle message, "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice."

Rose Sunday, means that we're allowed to lighten up on our penitential habits of Advent.  However this year it seems as though continual penance has been forced upon us.  The pandemic has taken many, many lives our citizens.  We have a country divided about whether we can protect each other by using a simple facial mask.  We have significant people who cannot accept the results of the election and there is much  anger expressed in our political discourse.

And you tell us that we have to rejoice.  Is this asking us to be inauthentic in how we actually feel?

Today is also the day after the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe which is significant for us since we are St. Mary's-in-the-Valley parish church,  and all feasts of Mary are relevant to our identity as a parish which is located in the Santa Maria Valley.

Why should we rejoice?  The Isaian message tells us that good news comes through the one with the Spirit who comforts those who mourn.  And how we need some reasons to rejoice in the time of so much mourning in our country and our world.

Part of rejoicing comes from the ability to access what has been made obscure, because we've not taught ourselves where to look for true joy.

Who would look for the babe in Bethlehem for joy, except the mom and dad of the baby?  Who would expect a peasant  in occupied Mexico to receive an incredible appearance from the spiritual saintly Queen of the religion of the Spanish Conquistadores?  And Mary did not appear to the Spanish Conquistadores but to an unsung obscure native peasant and the end was that native culture was validated as acceptable way for Christ to be known and promulgated in the Mexican territories.  In the Song of Mary, Mary says her spirit rejoices in God her savior, for favoring the lowly, and lifting them up.  And we can rejoice that most of God's saving happens out of sight.

We have not taught ourselves properly to find the good news to rejoice in because it seems to be lost in the singular touches of God out of the spotlight like in the myriad deeds of kindness which help the world to survive.  The innumerable deeds of kindness do not make the news as much as the bad news.  What is the reason to rejoice in this pandemic?  In the countless heroic acts of medical workers and other essential workers who put their lives on the line for others.  Rejoice, indeed that the very worst has brought out of us some of the awesome sacrificial service even as we "hang on by our fingertips" until we make it through this pandemic.

How can we further obey the command to rejoice on this day in the midst of some great woes?

I once remember a news report from a refugee camp on the border of Sudan.  Many were forced to flee and many children were left orphans.  But what was so ironic was to see video of young boys who had a make shift soccer balls and they were playing a game, laughing and smiling.  It so juxtaposed the tragic with the joyful, you wondered how they could be shielded from misery.  Didn't they know that the logic of the situation did not permit smiles and joy?  Did the ignorance of childhood prevent and block them from experiencing the severity of their situation?  Each one us still has within us the experience of infant and childhood joy.  Children can be joyful even when mom and dad and everyone else was stressed out.  Each us has the ability to access our joy memory spot to rejoice for no apparent reason at all.

The practice of the repentance practice of John the Baptist and the encounter of the Holy Spirit allow us to access the full versatility of our spiritual capacity, to do seemingly contradictory things.  We can mourn and rejoice at the same time.  We have the spiritual eyes to access the wide field of life experience and know that at any given time, things are going bad and things are going good.  And we have to be mature in not thinking we deserve to be exempt from all bad occasions, but also need to know that we don't deserve for things to go wrong for us.  What does honest living of mourning and rejoicing make us?  It makes us more than ambi-dexterous; it makes us ambi-empathetic, learning to be with people who rejoice and people who mourn without hypocrisy and without minimizing true suffering.

And so today we respond to this command to rejoice in the Lord, always and again I say rejoice.  Why do rejoice?  Because we can have the spiritual eyes to see that what is bad at any time does not nullify the overwhelming goodness of life that is available to us at any time.  And what does this mean for our ministry?  It means we are given discernment to where to apply the good news work of our lives.

The Prophet Isaiah wrote, "I will greatly rejoice in my God....."  We rejoice in God because the spirit of the Lord is upon us to bring good news to people who need it.  And there is nothing more satisfying that bringing good news to people in word, in deed, in food and health and provision for quality of life.

Let us rejoice that God through Jesus lifts up the lowly.  Let us accept the confession of Blessed Mary about God's favor to the lowly, but not to keep people in lowly conditions but to lift them up with the good news.

Let us rejoice in God our savior today, and find that to be the energy of God's Spirit to go forth and create the conditions so that many people can confess with Blessed Mary, "My spirit rejoices in God my Savior."  Amen.

Sunday School, December 13, 2020, 3 Advent B

 Sunday School, December 13, 2020   3 Advent B

Theme:

Gospel

What does Gospel mean?

Good News.

Gospel is also what we call the first four books of the New Testament:  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are called Gospels because they tell the story of the good news of Jesus

Where did the word Gospel come from?

It came from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The Hebrew word is “basar” and the prophet wrote about one who had a special mission from God to bring good news to people who were suffering, people who were sick and people who were in prison.

When Jesus read this from the prophet Isaiah, he told everyone that his life was about bringing good news, just like what the prophet Isaiah wrote about.

The life of Jesus is Good News

John the Baptist wanted everyone to know that Jesus was the Good News for the world.  He recommended everyone with his voice to follow Jesus.

Think about what is good news for you today.

Think about how you can share and bring good news to other people today

Sermon:

  Do you know what “Good News” is?  Christmas is coming…Is that good news?  Why is it good news?  You are going to have special fun with your family and friends.  You are going to have parties and good food.  And Santa Claus will come and leave some presents.   Is that good news?  Of course it is.

  If you know what good news is…then what is bad news?  If you fall and hurt your knee, that’s bad news.  If you are sick…that’s bad news.  And if we have more bad news than good news, then our lives can be very difficult, very hard to live.

  And we know that in our world today there is some very bad news.  Lots of people do not have jobs.  Lots of people do not have enough to eat.  Lots of people are sick.  Lots of people live in fear because of war and fighting.

  So we need to be thankful because in our lives we have more good news than bad news.

  Do you know what the word Gospel means?  It means “Good News.”  We call the books about Jesus Christ, “Good News,” because Jesus brought Good News.

  In the reading from the Prophet Isaiah, Isaiah wrote that the one who God anoints will bring good news.

  God’s anointed is the Messiah or the Christ.  And Christ is the one who brings good news.

  And what news did Jesus bring us?

  God loves, God cares for us, and God forgives us and God gives us everlasting life.  That is good news isn’t it?  It is great news.

  But Jesus wants us not just to receive good news, he wants us to do something more.  He wants us to take good news to people who need hear good news.

  And how do we do this?  By helping others.  At Christmas we are helping to buy some gift cards for some families who need special good news at Christmas.  So we are helping some families who have had some bad news, and we are trying to bring them some good news.

  Today let us be thankful for the Gospel, for the good news in our lives.  Let us ask God for more good news.  But as we ask God for good news, let us become people who bring good news to other people by helping people who have to overcome some bad news in their lives.

  How many of you like good news?  How many of you are willing to help bring good news to other people today?  Good, then we can help Christ make this a merry Christmas for more people.  Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

December 13, 2020: The Third Sunday of Advent

Gathering Songs: Light a Candle, The Lord is Present,   Eat This Bread, I Want to Walk

Song: Light A Candle   (tune: Jimmy Crack Corn)

1-Light a candle for hope today, light a candle for hope today, light a candle for hope today.  Advent time is here.  

2-Light a candle for peace today…

3-Light a candle for joy today….

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.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Alleluia (chanted)

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

Liturgist:   A reading from the Prophet Isaiah

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor,

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 126

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, * then were we like those who dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, * and our tongue with shouts of joy.

Then they said among the nations, * "The LORD has done great things for them."

Birthdays:   Terry Rounds,   Bob Dwyer

Anniversaries: 

  

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Liturgist:

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 John

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

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. (chanted)

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.

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.

Offertory:The Lord Is Present  (Renew! # 55)

1.         The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us praise the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us praise the Lord.  Praise him, praise him, let us praise the Lord.  Praise him, praise him, let us praise Jesus.

2.         The Lord is present in his sanctuary, let us sing to the Lord.  The Lord is present in his people gathered here, let us sing to the Lord.  Sing to him, sing to him, let us sing to Lord.  Sing to him, sing to him, let us sing to Jesus.

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 heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of our 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 up 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.

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.

The Prayer continues with these words

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.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we can we 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,

(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

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: Eat This Bread, (Renew! # 228)

Eat this bread, drink this cup, come to me and never be hungry. 

Eat this bread, drink this cup, trust in me and you will not thirst.

 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: I Want to Walk As a Child of the Light (Renew!  # 152)

I want to walk as a child of the light.  I want to follow Jesus.  God set the stars to give light to the world; the star of my life is Jesus. 

Refrain: In him there is no darkness at all; the night and the day are both alike.  The lamb is the light of the city of God.  Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

I want to see the brightness of God; I want to look at Jesus.  Clear sun of righteousness, shine on my path and show me the way to the Father.  Refrain

Dismissal   

Liturgist:    Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.

People:      Thanks be to God!