NOTES: God's call never leads us out of God's loving presence. It never takes us out of God's reach or away from God's care. The direction of God's call, God's will, always leads us deeper into relationship with God, always draws us closer and closer to God's very heart. And this is true even when the way takes us through difficult and dangerous and fearful moments. We recognize and rely on this truth today as we remember Jesus' baptism and ponder our own.
Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-7 and Luke 3:1-5, 15-20
Isaiah 42:1-7
But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my sight,
and honored, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you;
6 I will say to the north, “Give them up,”
and to the south, “Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
and my daughters from the end of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Luke 3:1-5, 15-20
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler[c] of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added to them all by shutting up John in prison.
8:30 am Order of Service
We Gather in God's Presence
WelcomePrelude
Lighting the Christ Candles
Praise Hymn #261 "Sweet, Sweet Spirit (all verses)
Call to Worship
Leader: When we pass through the waters,
People: God is there with us.
Leader: When we suffer and feel hopeless,
People: God is there with us.
Leader: When we are joyful and celebratory,
People: God is there with us.
Leader: Whether we feel triumphant or defeated,
People: God is there with us, always.
Leader: Come, let us worship together with Emmanuel,
People: God with us.
~ written by Rev. Mindi, and posted on Rev-o-lution. http://rev-o-lution.org/2011/10/23/worship-resources-for-october-30-2011-and-all-saints-day/
Invocation
Holy God,
We long for your peace, and trust in your promise;
we hear your call to turn toward you,
to change our lives and welcome you in.
Meet us here and fill
our minds with your wisdom
and our hearts with your peace,
that our worship together
may open us to the challenge
of your dream of wholeness for all.
In the Name of the One who is coming, we pray. Amen!
~ written by Rev. Susan A. Blain, in To Dream God’s Dream: Service Prayers for the Second Sunday of Advent. Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/year-a/ace/advent-service-prayers.html
We Contemplate God's Word
Scripture Sermon
We Pray Together
Joys & ConcernsPrayer Hymn#628 "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" (all verses)
Praying Together Print Congregational Response in Slides & Bulletin)
Holy God, before time you named us
Through time you redeem us
You call us, precious in your sight
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
Holy One, through the turbulent waters
Make us steady, your hands
Holding strong the fragile and weak
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
Gracious God, may the fruits of our lives
be food for the hungry, bread
clothing, shelter, fire, water, Word
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
God of justice, remove the chaff
Of our lives that keep us from
Hearing, following, Your call
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
Loving God, take this day our fears our
Worries, distractions, and all
Turn them into wheat, heart food
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
~ written by Terri and posted on RevGalBlogPals. http://revgalblogpals.blogspot.ca/
We Come to the Lord's Table
Invitation to the TableCommunion Hymn#556 "Trust and Obey" (verses 1, 3, & 4)
Elder's Prayer
Words of Institution
The Lord's Supper with instrumental meditation
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We Go Forth into the World
Challenge for DiscipleshipDiscipleship Hymn#618 "How Firm a Foundation" (verses1, 3, & 5)
Blessing
10:40 am Order of Service
We Gather in God's Presence
Welcome Prelude
Call to Worship
Leader: When we pass through the waters,
People: God is there with us.
Leader: When we suffer and feel hopeless,
People: God is there with us.
Leader: When we are joyful and celebratory,
People: God is there with us.
Leader: Whether we feel triumphant or defeated,
People: God is there with us, always.
Leader: Come, let us worship together with Emmanuel,
People: God with us.
~ written by Rev. Mindi, and posted on Rev-o-lution. http://rev-o-lution.org/2011/10/23/worship-resources-for-october-30-2011-and-all-saints-day/
Praise Hymn #261 "Sweet, Sweet Spirit (all verses)
Lighting of the Candles
Invocation
Holy God,
We long for your peace, and trust in your promise;
we hear your call to turn toward you,
to change our lives and welcome you in.
Meet us here and fill
our minds with your wisdom
and our hearts with your peace,
that our worship together
may open us to the challenge
of your dream of wholeness for all.
In the Name of the One who is coming, we pray. Amen!
~ written by Rev. Susan A. Blain, in To Dream God’s Dream: Service Prayers for the Second Sunday of Advent. Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/year-a/ace/advent-service-prayers.html
Passing of the Peace
Faith Hymn#537 "My Hope is Built" (verses 1, 2, & 4
We Contemplate God's Word
Scripture Choir Anthem
Children's Sermon
Sermon
We Pray Together
Joys & ConcernsPrayer Hymn#628 "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" (all verses)
Praying Together Print Congregational Response in Slides & Bulletin)
Holy God, before time you named us
Through time you redeem us
You call us, precious in your sight
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
Holy One, through the turbulent waters
Make us steady, your hands
Holding strong the fragile and weak
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
Gracious God, may the fruits of our lives
be food for the hungry, bread
clothing, shelter, fire, water, Word
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
God of justice, remove the chaff
Of our lives that keep us from
Hearing, following, Your call
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
Loving God, take this day our fears our
Worries, distractions, and all
Turn them into wheat, heart food
Congregational Response: May we love as you love.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
~ written by Terri and posted on RevGalBlogPals. http://revgalblogpals.blogspot.ca/
We Come to the Lord's Table
Invitation to the TableCommunion Hymn#556 "Trust and Obey" (verses 1, 3, & 4)
Elder's Prayer
Words of Institution
The Lord's Supper with instrumental meditation
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We Go Forth into the World
Challenge for DiscipleshipDiscipleship Hymn#618 "How Firm a Foundation" (verses1, 3, & 5)
Blessing
Closing Hymn#469 "I Am the Light of the World" (verse 2)
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