Bulletin – Sunday, November 13, 2022 – “A New World”

Sunday, November 13, 2022
“A New World”

Approach

Lighting the Christ Candle

As we light this candle this morning we would ask you to stir up the wills of your people, O God. Move us into new ways of living. Stir up the minds of your people, O God. Move us into deeper ways of thinking. Stir up the hearts of your people, O God. Move us into fuller ways of loving. Stir us thoroughly, O God.

Call to Worship

One:   God says:
All:      “I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered.”

One:   We say:
All:      “Okay, God, that’s good, but does it have to be quite so difficult? This creation of your new heavens and new earth? It’s hard right now. We are tired.”

One:   God says:
All:      “You do not labour in vain. Before you call out to me, I answer. I am.”

One:   We say:
All:      “Yes, God, that’s good. Thank you for being with us. We need you now. We really need you. Tell us again about your vision. We need yours words of hope.”

One:   God says:
All:      “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like an ox. In this new place—this place we are creating together—no one will hurt or destroy on my holy mountain.”

One:   We say:
All:      “Yes, God that’s good. Let’s worship together now. We need to remember who we are and who you are and that we belong to each other.”

(adapted from Rev. Caela Simmons Wood)

Hymn – “Isaiah the Prophet has Written of Old”

Isaiah the prophet has written of old how God’s new creation shall come,
Instead of the thorn three, the fir tree shall grow,
The wolf shall lie down with the lamb.
The mountains and hills shall break forth into song,
The peoples be led forth in peace,
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God
As the waters cover the seas.

Yet nations still prey on the meek of the world,
And conflict turns parent from child.
Your people despoil all the sweetness of earth;
The brier and the thorn tree grow wild.
God, bring to fruition your will for the earth,
That no one shall hurt or destroy,

Prayer of Approach and Confession

We, who so often take the wonders of creation for granted, O God, we come here this morning to worship and to praise you. Yet, praise is not easy for everyone, as we come from differing situations and lifestyles. Some are burdened down with the stresses of daily living and all it that involves; some wearied from tasks of serving others; some worried over the state of the world and where that is all leading and so we don’t look beyond this day.

Speak to us all, O God, in the stillness of this time and remind us of Jesus’ presence with us and open our hearts that we might be recreated as we witness his gentleness and steadfast love for all.

O God, you are still creating, and we hear your promises of a new day of joy and peace, but we are skeptical. We expect things to go on the same as they always have, from bad to worse. The past will keep us guilty, the future will make us afraid, and the present will burden us with too little time and too much to do.

Forgive our lack of faith, our quickness to believe that you do not hear us, and our pessimism about tomorrow. Do a new thing in our hearts, and let us be glad and rejoice in your abundant care; through Christ we pray. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Hymn – “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 warring 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.

Time for All Ages

The Word

Scripture Reading:           Isaiah 65:17-25

¹⁷ For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. ¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. ¹⁹ I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. ²⁰ No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. ²¹ They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. ²² They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. ²³ They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the LORD—and their descendants as well. ²⁴ Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. ²⁵ The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD.

Scripture Reading:           Luke 21:5-19

⁵ When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, ⁶ “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

⁷ They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸ And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

⁹ “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹ there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

¹² “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. ¹³ This will give you an opportunity to testify. ¹⁴ So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; ¹⁵ for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all because of my name. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will gain your souls.

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

Meditation – “A New World”

Hymn – “I See a New Heaven”

I see a new heaven, I see a new earth
As the old one will pass away,
Where the fountain of life flows and without price goes
To all people who abide in the land.
There, there on the banks of a river bright and free,
Yielding her fruit, firm in her root,
The Tree of Life will be.

I see a new heaven, I see a new earth
As the old one will pass away,
Where the fountain of life flows and without price goes
To all people who abide in the land.
There, there where death dies and our lives are born again,
Body and soul, struggling but whole
Like flowers after the rain.

I see a new heaven, I see a new earth
As the old one will pass away,
Where the fountain of life flows and without price goes
To all people who abide in the land.
There, there where the darkness brings visions from above.
There where the night, bearing new light,
Reveals the promise of love.

I see a new heaven, I see a new earth
As the old one will pass away,
Where the fountain of life flows and without price goes
To all people who abide in the land.
There, there where we work with the love of healing hands.
Labour we must, true to our trust
To build a promised new land.

I see a new heaven, I see a new earth
As the old one will pass away,
Where the fountain of life flows and without price goes
To all people who abide in the land.

Offering / Response

Grant us, God, the grace of giving
With a spirit large and free,
That ourselves and all our living
We may offer faithfully.

The Response

Prayers of the People

One:   Gracious God, in whose love we live and move, we pray for a world crying out to feel loved, wanted, cherished, and unique. Hear our prayers this day
All:      And in your love answer.

One:   We pray for a world torn apart by conflict and war. A world that lives uneasily in a climate of fear with no clear vision for future days. Hear our prayers this day
All:      And in your love answer.

One:   We pray for a world that thinks less of others than of self. A world where division between nations, race, religion, neighbour, and family leads to distrust. Hear our prayers this day
All:      And in your love answer.

One:   We pray for a world that is short on happiness, too busy to enjoy this world you have created, too preoccupied with living to appreciate life. Hear our prayers this day
All:      And in your love answer.

One:   We pray for a world where illness and disease, sadness and despair continue. There are times when we don’t see those who need our help because our lives are so busy. Times when we don’t have time to care for those around us. We lift up today those in this community whom we hold in prayer and we pray that they feel your presence with them today… Hear our prayers this day
All:      And in your love answer.

One:   We pray for a world where spiritual longing is satisfied by fashionable notions and temporary solutions with no thought for tomorrow. Hear our prayers this day
All:      And in your love answer.

One:   We pray for a world that needs to know your love, your hope, your peace, your joy and presence. A world that needs to know it is special, unique and is uniquely loved by you, Gracious God. Hear us this day as we continue to pray an inclusive version of the prayer that Jesus taught us.
All:      Our Mother and Father who are in heaven, hallowed by 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 have trespassed against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory. Forever and ever. Amen.

Hymn – “One More Step Along the World I Go”

One more step along the world I go,
One more step along the world I go,
From the old things to the new,
Keep me travelling along with you:
And it’s from the old I travel to the new;
Keep me travelling along with you.

Round the corner of the world I turn,
More and more about the world I learn;
All the new things that I see
You’ll be looking at along with me
And it’s from the old I travel to the new;
Keep me travelling along with you.

As I travel through the bad and good,
Keep me travelling the way I should;
Where I see no way to go
You’ll be telling me the way, I know:
And it’s from the old I travel to the new;
Keep me travelling along with you.

Give me courage when the world is rough,
Keep me loving though the world is tough,
Leap and sing in all I do,
Keep me travelling along with you:
And it’s from the old I travel to the new;
Keep me travelling along with you.

You are older than the world can be,
You are younger than the life in me,
Ever old and ever new,
Keep me travelling along with you:
And it’s from the old I travel to the new;
Keep me travelling along with you.

Benediction

May God, who comes to us in the things of this world, bless your eyes and be in your seeing. May Christ, who looks upon you with deepest love, bless your eyes and widen your gaze. May the Spirit, who perceives what is and what may yet be, bless your eyes and sharpen your vision.

May the Sacred Three bless your eyes and cause you to see. And as you go from this time together know that you aren’t alone for the Sacred Three: God, Christ, and Spirit, go with you each and every day. Amen.

Response – “Peace be With You”

Peace be with you, peace forever,
Peace be with you, my friends.
Till we meet again, may God be with you.
Peace, peace, peace.