Bulletin – Sunday, December 10, 2023 – Second Sunday in Advent

Sunday, December 10, 2023
Second Sunday of Advent

Approach

Welcome

Call to Worship

One:   Grace and peace to you in the name of the Prince of Peace.
All:      In the name of Christ, we gathered to offer praise and prayer.

Hymn – “All Earth is Waiting” (VU #5)

All earth is waiting to see the Promised One,
And open furrows await the seed of God.
All the world, bound and struggling, seeks true liberty;
It cries out for justice and searches for the truth.

Thus says the prophet to those of Israel,
“A virgin mother will bear Emmanuel.”
One whose name is “God with us,” our Saviour shall be,
Through whom hope will blossom once more within our hearts.

Mountains and valleys will have to be made plain,
Open new highways, new highways for our God,
Who is now coming closer, so come all and see,
And open the doorways as wide as wide can be.

In lowly stable the Promised One appeared.
Yet, feel that presence throughout the earth today,
For Christ lives in all Christians and is with us now;
Again, on arriving, Christ brings us liberty.

Lighting the Advent Candles

One:   Today is the second Sunday in the season of Advent. Last Sunday, we lit the first candle, the candle of hope. We light it again, remembering that the light of hope shines for us in the darkness.

The first candle is lit.

One:   Peace is a word we hear a lot these days, and lighting this second candle reminds us that peace is one of God’s gifts to us. Isaiah calls God’s Messiah “The Prince of Peace.” Jesus taught people about being peacemakers, he said to them. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” We need to receive God’s gift of peace – in our world, in our families, and in our hearts. We light this second candle to remind us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and to give us light to find ways in which we can share God’s peace with others.

The second candle is lit.

All:      We are together, not alone. In spirit and in community we gather on this second Sunday of Advent in solidarity and with courage to partner for a world full of peace where all creation will flourish. The warm glow of the Divine lightens our hearts.

Response – “We Light This Candle”

We light this candle for Peace.
Await the new life within.
May our hearts now live each day,
So Peace can find a way,
So Peace can find a way.

Prayer of Approach and Confession

Come, come Emmanuel, Come Emmanuel
Come, come Emmanuel, Come Emmanuel.

Words of Assurance

Response – “I am Walking a Path of Peace” (MV #221)

I am walking a path of peace,
I am walking a path of peace,
I am walking a path of peace,
Lead me home,
Lead me home.

The Word

Scripture Reading:         Isaiah 40:1-11

¹ Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. ² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. ³ A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. ⁴ Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. ⁵ Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” ⁶ A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass; their constancy is like the flower of the field. ⁷ The grass withers; the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. ⁸ The grass withers; the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. ⁹ Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” ¹⁰ See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him and his recompense before him. ¹¹ He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms and carry them in his bosom and gently lead the mother sheep.

Scripture Reading:         Mark 1:1-8

¹ The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ. ² As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way, ³ the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight,’ ”

⁴ so John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. ⁸ I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!

Hymn – “On Jordan’s Bank” (VU #20)

One Jordan’s bank, the Baptist’s cry announces that the Lamb is nigh;
Awake and hearken, for he brings glad tidings of the King of Kings.

Then cleansed be every life form sin; make straight the way for God within;
And let each heart prepare a home where such a mighty guest may come.

In you, we find, abundant life, our refuge in the midst of strife;
Without your grace we waste away, like flowers that wither and decay.

Stretch forth you hand, our health restore, and help us rise to fall no more.
O let your face upon us shine, and fill the world with love divine.

All praise to you, eternal Son, whose advent has our freedom won;
And praise to God whom we adore, with Holy Spirit evermore.

Meditation – “Prepare the Way”

Anthem – “O Day of Peace”

O day of peace that dimly shines through all our hopes and prayers and dreams,
Guide us to justice, truth, and love, delivered from our selfish schemes.
May swords of hate fall from our hands, our hearts from envy find release,
Till by God’s grace our waring world shall see Christ’s promised reign of peace.

Then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb. nor shall the fierce devour the small;
As beasts and cattle calmly graze, a little child shall lead them all.
Then enemies shall learn to love, all creatures find their true accord;
The hope of peace shall be fulfilled, for all the earth shall know the Lord.

The Response

Offering

One:   God gives us many gifts and talents with expectation that we will use them in God’s service. Let us now give to God what is right and meaningful to God’s service.

Offering Response – “May the Spirit of the Christ Child”

May the Spirit of the Christ Child show us how in love to live
For the joy and peace of Christmas is for us to share and give.
May the story of God’s coming, God with us – Emmanuel,
Fill the world with light of Christmas as in awe we do God’s will.

Prayers of the People

O God, lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth;
Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust,
Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace.
Let your peace fill our hearts, our world, our universe.

Response – “A Christmas Lord’s Prayer”

Our Father in heaven, all praise to your name.
Your kingdom in heaven, on earth be the same.
By mortals and angels, come, Lord reign alone;
O hear us and bless us, from heaven’s high through.

The bread that we yearn for provide us each day;
As we forgive others, our sins take away;
In times of temptation, to lead us be near;
From evil deliver your children most dear.

For yours is the kingdom, o’er all things you reign,
And yours is the power, all things you maintain.
To you be the glory, resounding again
From all of creation, forever. Amen.

Hymn – “When Hands Reach Out Beyond Divides” (MV #169)

When hands reach out beyond divides and hope is truly found,
Each chain of hate will fill away and bells of peace shall sound,
And bells of peace, of peace shall sound, and bells of peace shall sound,
Each chain of hate will fall away and bells of peace shall sound.

When fear no longer guides our steps and days of war are done,
God’s dream for all shall live anew; our hearts will heal as one,
Our hearts will heal, will heal as one, our hearts will heal as one,
God’s dream for all shall live anew; our hearts will heal as one.

When race and creed blind us no more, a neighbour’s face we’ll see,
And we shall dance the whole world round, for love will set us free,
For love, yes love will set us free, for love will set us free,
And we shall dance the whole world round, for love will set us free.

Benediction

Response – “Saviour, Dwell with Us that We”

Saviour, dwell with us that we may go forth, your light to be.
Send us out, good News to sing; hope, peace, joy and love to bring.
God incarnate, with us dwell. Come, O come, Emmanuel.
Come, Lord Jesus, don’t delay; shine your peace through us this day.
Saviour dwell with us that we may go forth, your light to be.