Bulletin – Sunday, December 12, 2021

Sunday, December 12, 2021
Advent 3
Our Deepest Gifts—Love

Approach

Advent Candle Lighting

As the days get shorter and darkness gets longer we enter into this Advent time of waiting, as we wait for the coming of Light and Love Incarnate. Advent is often called a time of preparation when we are “preparing the way,” preparing our hearts for the coming of Emmanuel “God with us.” As we enter tis time we open our hearts to the presence of God with us and the gifts that God gives us and in turn the gifts we are called to share with the world. Today day we light the candle of Love, that defies expectation, a love that tears down walls, a love that will not let us go, the love of God. As we light this candle we open our hearts to the love of God and share that love with all we meet. May the light of this candle instill the transforming love of God into our hearts as we go out to transform the world in love.

Response – “Light a Candle”

Light a candle for love in the darkness,
Hearts content, we know you are near;
Advent watching and waiting for Jesus,
God with us, your purpose is clear,
Emmanuel, love is here;
Love is here!

Call to Worship

One:   Sing praises to God on high, for glorious are God’s works, sing of God’s love.
All:      Sing praises to the ends of the earth, sing songs of God’s love.

One:   Shout and sing for joy, O people of God,
All:      for great is the Holy One in our midst, blessed is Love Incarnate who comes to dwell among us.

One:   Let us worship the God of love in song and word.
All:      Let us worship our God who dwells among us always.

(adapted from Harry Dasher)

Hymn – “Holy Child Within the Manger”

Holy Child within the manger, long ago, yet ever near;
Come as friend to ev’ry stranger, come as hope for ev’ry fear.
As you lived to heal the broken, greet the outcast, free the bound.
As you taught us love unspoken, teach us now where you are found.

Once again we tell the story—how your love for us was shown,
When the Image of your glory wore an image like our own.
Come, enlighten with your wisdom, come and fill us with your grace,
May the fire of your compassion kindle ev’ry land and race.

Holy Child within the manger, lead us ever in your way,
So we see in ev’ry stranger how you come to us today.
In our lives and in our living give us strength to live as your,
That our hearts might be forgiving and our spirits strong and true.

Prayer of Approach and Confession

Creator of the universe, we stand amazed at your power and glory. We are eager to worship you and offer our praise, but we are often reluctant to answer when we hear you calling our name.

We sing our songs of tribute in the sanctuary, where we feel safe among our friends and family but shy away from the river, lest we be baptized with the fire of the Holy Spirit.

Forgive us when we forget your promise to be with us always, O God. Forgive us when we become so wrapped up in the world that we forget to listen for your call. Forgive us when our act of worship, our time within the confines of this community, becomes more important than the object of our worship, you! Forgive us when we would rather be consumed with the manic preparations of this time of year, than to contemplate the true meaning of your incarnation with us. Renew us with the power of your ever-present love, and strengthen us to proclaim your presence with us, your mercy, your justice, your love, throughout the world. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Hymn – “On Jordan’s Bank”

On Jordan’s bank, the Baptist’s cry announces that the Lamb is night;
Awake and hearken, for he brings glad tidings of the King of Kings.
Then cleansed be every life from sin; make straight the way for God within;
And let each heart prepare a home where such a mighty guest may come.

Stretch forth your hand, our health restore, and help us rise to fall no more.
O let your face upon us shine, and fill the world with live divine.
All praise to you, eternal Son, whose advent has our freedom won;
And praise to God whom we adore, with Holy Spirit evermore.

Time for All Ages

Response

Love is a flame that burns in our heart,
Jesus has come and will never depart.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song.
The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,
And none shall be afraid.

The Word

Scripture Reading:           Isaiah 12:2-6

² Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
³ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. ⁴ And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted.
⁵ Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.
⁶ Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Scripture Reading:           Luke 3:7-18

⁷ John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹ Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
¹⁰ And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹ In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”
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.

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

Meditation – “What is Love?”

Solo – “God So Loved the World”

The Response

Prayers of the People

One:   Teach me Your ways, God, that I may come down from my heights and be open to the same Spirit who moved over the face of the waters in the first day of creation and moves also over the chaos of this time to fashion a day like this, a world like ours, a life like mine, a kingdom acting as leaven in the bread of earth. Hear our calls to you, Oh God
All:      and teach us your ways.

One:   And make me aware of the miracles of life, of warm and cold, of starkness and order, of screaming wind and impenetrable silences, and of the unfathomable mystery of amazing grace in which I am kept. Hear our calls to you, Oh God
All:      and teach us your ways.

One:   Teach me Your ways Lord, that I may praise You for all the surprising, ingenious ways You bless me, and for all the wondrous gifts You give me, along with all the pain and joy I sustain. Hear our calls to you, Oh God
All:      and teach us your ways.

One:   Teach me Your ways, Lord, that I may accept my own talent openly, nurture it hopefully, develop it faithfully, and give it freely. Hear our calls to you, Oh God
All:      and teach us your ways.

One:   Teach me Your ways, Lord, that I may love Your kindness and practice it toward the hungry of the world, the poor and sick, and oppressed, that I may lean the healing humility that comes from You. We ask that you be with those in this community whom we now lift up to you…Hear our calls to you, Oh God
All:      and teach us your ways.

One:   Teach me Your ways, Lord, so that my heart is flooded with Your mercy and love—emptying it of what makes it firmly opposed to Your ways, so that it beats more in rhythm with You and pounds greatly for Your kingdom. Hear our calls to you, Oh God
All:      and teach us your ways.

One:   Teach me Your ways, Lord as we speak to your kingdom coming in the prayer that Jesus taught us:
All:      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 and ever. Amen.

Hymn – “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King,
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail, the incarnate deity,
Please with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail, the heave born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
Born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

Benediction

We have come to experience your love this day and as we move into this coming week, we pray that we might be the hope we have found, the peace we seek, and the joy we receive in your Holy name, to all we meet each and every day. So, as we leave this place may we bring hope to the hopeless, peace to the restless, joy to those who crave it, and love to all in the world. Knowing that as we do, Emmanuel, God with us, is there every step of the way. Amen.

Response

There’s a song of love in my heart;
Love is a gift from Jesus.
There’s a song of love in my heart;
Love is gift from God.
Alleluia! Love in my heart is singing praises.
Alleluia! Love is a gift from God.