Bulletin – Sunday, November 27, 2022 – First Sunday of Advent – “Hope in Hope”
Sunday, November 27, 2022
First Sunday of Advent
Hope in Hope
Approach
Lighting the Advent Candle
One: The Gospel of Matthew speaks to the coming of God into our world and that we don’t know when that might happen but maybe it is happening right now, Christ is coming now. In commemoration of that coming, we light candles for the four weeks leading to Christmas and reflect on the coming of Christ. It is significant that the church has always used that language—the coming of Christ—because it speaks to a deep truth. Christ is coming. Christ is always coming, always entering a troubled world, a wounded heart. And so we light the first candle, the candle of hope, and dare to express our hope in hope, our longing for peace, for healing, and the well-being of all creation.
All: Loving God, as we enter this Advent season, we open all the dark places in our lives and memories to the healing light of Christ. Let us truly learn to hope in hope. Show us the creative power of hope. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, that we may walk in the light of Christ.
Call to Worship
One: We are called to wake from sleep,
All: to wake up and hear, to wake up and see.
One: What has God to show to us?
All: A new life, a new world, a different set of priorities, freedom from the tyranny of desiring and acquiring.
One: Wake up, wake up! Hear the invitation that echoes down the centuries.
All: Welcome the Way of Christ and find freedom, We come together to worship this day, to hope in hope.
Hymn – “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free:
From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art,
Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
Born they people to deliver; born a child and yet a king;
Born to reign in us for ever; now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit raise us to thy glorious throne.
Prayer of Approach and Confession
O God beyond time, we are an impatient people. As the days grow shorter and the darkness longer, teach us to wait with faithful expectation. In this time of worship, open our eyes and hearts to the Advent blessings in our midst.
Help us to hope in the hope that exists in this season. God of light and life, you set before us today the challenges of laying aside the works of darkness, of putting on the light of Christ, of being watchful and prepared for your coming in our midst in the person of Jesus Christ.
As the people of God in this place, we know that a crucial part of our witness is in revealing Christ to the world through the way we love and care for one another. Forgive us when people do not see any evidence in us of the One who is to come. So many people, young and old, grope helplessly in the gloom of despair and suffering, yearning for the light of hope to dawn in their lives. Remind us that the light of Christ shines through people like us.
Merciful God, cleanse our hearts and minds of all that hinders us from loving you and loving our neighbour so that our lives radiate faith active in love, as we watch and wait for your breaking into our world once more in the person of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Response
Jesus came bringing us hope,
Jesus came brining us hope,
Jesus came brining us hope,
Hallelujah, forever more!
Time for All Ages
Hymn – “When Hands Reach Out Beyond Divides”
When hands reach out beyond divides and hope is truly found,
Each chain of hate will fall 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 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.
The Word
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5
1 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 In days to come the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. 3 Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 24:36-44
36 “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!
Meditation – “Hoping in Hope!”
Anthem – “A Child of Hope”
Offering / Response
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.
The Response
Prayers of the People
One: In the hushed anticipation of your coming, O God, kindle in us the desire to remain awake; that we might be ready for your coming and eager to pray. O God, in days to come the mountain of your house will be established, and your joy shall reign. We pray for the church both this church and the whole church, that you might teach us your ways and that we might walk in your paths. Come Lord Jesus,
All: and hear our prayer.
One: Out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and you, O God, shall judge between the nations. We pray for our nation, and all nations, that your peace would be manifest in every corner of the earth. Come Lord Jesus,
All: and hear our prayer.
One: In Your Kingdom, O God, wolves lie down with lambs and children play with serpents without fear. We pray for the sick, the suffering, and those in distress of any kind…that you would heal all injuries, comfort all grief, and settle all wrongs. Come Lord Jesus,
All: and hear our prayer.
One: In your Kingdom, O God, even the wilderness and dry land are glad and rejoice. We pray for those who rejoice this week, that they might obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing might flee away. Come Lord Jesus,
All: and hear our prayer.
One: In the fullness of time, O God, you sent your son, to be born of our sister Mary. And his name was Emmanuel: God With Us. We thank you for your Presence with us, and we pray that you might be always present with those whom we love but see no longer. Come Lord Jesus,
All: and hear our prayer.
One: Come among us O God, and hear our prayers; so that when your Son Jesus comes among us with great might, and in manger mild, we might recognize his face and his voice, and come to adore him.
All: Amen.
Hymn – “Holy Child Within the Manger”
Holy Child within the manger, long ago, yet ever near;
Come as friend to every stranger, come a hope for every 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 every land and race.
Holy Child within the manger, lead us ever in your way,
Se we see in every stranger how you come to us today.
In our lives and in our living give us strength to live as you,
That our hearts might be forgiving and our spirits strong and true.
Benediction
Take time, in the busyness of this season, for quiet reflection—for the light of God’s love is discernible everywhere. We will let ourselves be surprised by wonder, and set aside time to offer quiet thanks.
The good news of Advent is this: Christ is coming. Christ is always coming. We will welcome Christ into our hearts. We will let ourselves be guided by his ministry. We will go forth from this place in hope.
Response
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 hope through us this day.
Savour, dwell with us that we may go forth, your light to be.
