Bulletin – Sunday, December 22, 2024 – Fourth Sunday of Advent

Sunday, December 22, 2024
Fourth Sunday of Advent

We Gather as People of Faith

Welcome

Announcements

Call to Worship

One:   We gather on the fourth Sunday of Advent.
All:      We gather as companions of the Christ whose birth we remember…

One:   We gather as companions of the Christ whose birth we await…
All:      We gather as people of love.

Hymn – “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (VU #60)

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels,
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

God of God, light of light, lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb;
Very God, begotten, not created:
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation.
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest!
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
We too would thither bend our joyful footsteps.
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee; born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Lighting the Advent Candles

One:   Today is the fourth Sunday in the season of Advent. On the first. Sunday of Advent, we lit the candle of hope. On the second Sunday of Advent, we lit the candle of peace. On the third Sunday, we lit the candle of joy. We light these three candles again, remembering that the lights of hope, peace, and joy shine for us in the darkness.

(The first, second, and third candles are lit)

One:   On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of love.

(The fourth candle is lit)

One:   May the joy of Christ be with us.
All:      May all people know the love of Christ.

One:   May all creation know the joy of Christ.
All:      This Advent we prepare for the birth of Jesus, source of light.

One:   Jesus, who declares God’s love for and in the world…
All:      Jesus the Christ, God’s gift of love for the world.

Sung 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!

Prayer of Approach and Confession

God, love is such a familiar word, such an often used word, but of all the words we use to speak of Your relationship to Your creation, our favourite words is ‘love.’ As the night of the Bethlehem birth again draws near, let us again find Your love in this story, in this manger, in this baby. Let Your love again be born in this world, and in each of our hearts. Let us be a community of Christ’s love. In the name of Christ we pray. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Sung Response – “Come, Come Emmanuel” (MV #11)

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

We Hear God’s Word

Scripture Reading: Micah 5:2-5a

² But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. ³ Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. ⁴ And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth, ⁵ and he shall be the one of peace. If the Assyrians come into our land and tread upon our soil, we will raise against them seven shepherds and eight rulers.

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

³⁹ In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, ⁴⁰ where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴² and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

⁴³ And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴ For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

⁴⁶ And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for God has looked with favor on the lowly state of God’s servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, ⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name; ⁵⁰ indeed, God’s mercy is for those who fear God from generation to generation.

⁵¹ God has shown strength; God has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. ⁵² God has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; ⁵³ God has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴ God has come to the aid of God’s child Israel, in remembrance of God’s mercy, ⁵⁵ according to the promise God made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

May God speak to us through these readings of scripture.
Thanks be to God!

Hymn – “My Soul Cries Out” (MV #120)

My soul cries out with a joyful shout that the God of my heart is great,
And my spirit sings of the wondrous things that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight, and my weakness you did not spurn,
So from east to west shall my name be blest. Could the world be about to turn?

My heart shall sing of the day your bring.
Let the first of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
And the world is about to turn!

Though I am small, my God, my all, you work great things in me,
And your mercy will last from the depths of the past to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame, and to those who would for you yearn,
You will show your might, put the strong to flight, for the world is about to turn.

My heart shall sing of the day your bring.
Let the first of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
And the world is about to turn!

From the halls of power to the fortress tower, not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears every tyrant from this throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more for the food they can never earn;
There are tables spread, every mouth be fed, for the world is about to turn.

My heart shall sing of the day your bring.
Let the first of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
And the world is about to turn!

Though the nations rage from age to age, we remember who holds us fast;
God’s mercy must deliver us from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard is the promise which holds us bound,
‘Till the spear and rod can be crushed by God, who is turning the world around.

My heart shall sing of the day your bring.
Let the first of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
And the world is about to turn!

A Story: “Christmas Eve Shepherds”

Anthem – “Calypso Lullaby”

On a clear and starry night, on a hillside far away,
Shepherds saw a golden light, and they heard the angels say:
“Alleluia, shout for joy,” – sweet music fills the sky.
The heavens ring while angels sing a Christmas lullaby.

Sleep, sleep, sleep, little one, rest your head,
Dream of peace on earth in your manger bed.

Angels filled the evening sky and with joy began to sing:
“Glory be to God on high! Let the bells of heaven ring!”
“Alleluia, shout for joy,” –sweet music fills the sky.
The heavens ring while angels sing a Christmas lullaby.

It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold.
“Alleluia, shout for joy,”—sweet music fills the sky.
The heavens ring while angels sing a Christmas lullaby.

Sleep, sleep, sleep, little one, rest your head,
Dream of peace on earth in your manger bed.

“Alleluia, shout for joy,”—sweet music fills the sky.
The heavens ring while angels sing a Christmas lullaby.
A Christmas lullaby.

We Respond to God’s Word

Invitation to Share

Offering Response – “In this Advent Time of Waiting”

In this Advent time of waiting may we serve the Prince of Peace.
Share our gifts with those around us, joy and hope in all increase.
Dream the vision, tell the story, healing bring to those in need.
Share the promises once more, Christ is near, who came before.

Offering Prayer

Prayers for the People

The Prayer that Jesus Taught

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 them that 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.

We Go Into God’s World

Hymn – “Angels We have Heard on High” (VU #38)

Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply, echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see Christ whose birth the angels sing:
Come, adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

See him in a manger laid, whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, while our hearts in love we raise.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Commissioning and Benediction

Response – “May the God of Hope” (VU #424)

May the God of hope go with us every day,
Filling all our lives with love and joy and peace.
May the God of justice speed us on our way,
Bringing light and hope to every land and race.
Praying, let us work for peace,
Singing, share our joy with all,
Working for a world that’s new,
Faithful when we hear Christ’s call.