Texts: Jeremiah 31:7-14; Psalm 147:12-20; Ephesians 1:3-14; John 1:1-18
Call to Worship
L: However far we have wandered from God:
P: God comes to find us, and to gather us in generous love.
L: However broken we have become:
P: God comes to heal us, and make us whole in hope.
L: However empty our spirits may be:
P: God comes to feed us, until we are filled to the brim with grace.
Prayer of the Day
Mirror of Abba:
by light and word,
you come to us,
so we can hear well enough
to see your songs all around us.
Through grace and truth,
you teach us,
so we come to know
how graciousness is the gift
we can offer to others.
In promise and hope,
you call us,
trusting that we will accept the joy delivered to us
and count on the fulfillment
of your dreams for us
and for all creation.
All this we pray,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we speak the words Jesus teaches us to say together,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Our words, our actions, our silence may make it seem that we are on that path which only hurts others and harms us. But God has destined us for healing, for hope, for joy. Let us pray to the One who loves us beyond compare. Please join me as we pray, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession.
In the winter of our lives, Tender God, our passion for following Jesus wilts in the chill of indifference. We could walk in the light, but choose to tiptoe through the shadows of missed chances. We could look for your glory in others, but gaze instead in the mirror of selfishness, seeing our desires staring back at us. We could gather the broken of the world to our side, but hold them at arm's length from us.
Forgive us, Redeeming Grace. Jesus was bringing life and hope to all people. With grace and truth, he calls us to follow. Filling us with peace, he gathers us up and brings us home to you, serving as our Brother, our Savior, our Friend.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Grace upon grace; mercy upon mercy; hope upon
hope: these are the gifts God pours out on us in
this moment, and all the moments of our lives
to come.
P: Thanks be to God! We are filled to overflowing
with God's tender love and peace. We are forgiven! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the God of new days be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: People of Christmas, lift up your hopes.
P: We lift them to the one who comes
bringing new life and hope to us.
L: People of hope, offer your thanksgiving to God.
P: Joy bubbles from our hearts, praises dance from
our lips to our loving God.
Into the emptiness of chaos, Blessing of Imagination,
the Word carried all your hopes,
scattering the seeds of goodness
throughout the universe,
flinging light into the shadows of night,
planting life in the watery deeps.
You offered us grace upon grace,
tending to your garden with joy.
But we chose to dance
to the mourning dirges
played for us by sin and death,
shutting the doors of our hearts
in your face.
Prophets came, singing your praises,
telling us of your hopes for us,
but we would not listen to a single word they spoke.
So you sent Jesus to us,
to gather us from the far corners of despair and loss,
to bring us home to you.
So with those in every place,
and with those through every time,
we join our voices singing to you:
P: Holy, holy, holy! Lord God of all creation!
Before the foundations of the world were poured,
you prepared every blessing for us.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the Word who comes to bear witness to you.
Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you in every moment, Joyous God,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, Light and Life.
In the beginning,
he was your Word of creativity,
and at our end,
he is your Word of hope.
He came among us,
gifting us with grace and truth,
whispering of your great love.
Though we rejected him,
he continued to embrace us,
knowing we were destined for adoption,
to be his sisters and brothers.
He carried your light
into the shadowed recesses of our lives;
he was filled with the emptiness of death,
that we might receive
the promise of the resurrection
into life with you forever.
As we begin this new year with hope,
we remember his promise to be with us always,
even as we tell of that mystery we call faith:
P: At the beginning, Christ was your imaginative Word;
at the right time, Christ was the Word of salvation;
at the end, Christ will be the Word of fulfillment.
As your Spirit rests upon
the gifts of the bread and the cup,
we pray that you would fill us
with every spiritual blessing.
As we taste of the life
in the Bread which strengthens us,
we would be made aware of the hunger of our world -
real, daily hunger for food
as well as yearning for you -
and go to bring everyone
to the feast you offer.
As we drink the sweet
richness of your grace,
we would reach out
and take the hands of all who are despised and rejected,
drawing them into your dance of life.
As we are filled full at your feast,
we would go to empty ourselves
of pride and selfishness,
as we humbly serve that great company of the broken.
And when all things come to an end in your Word,
as we are gathered in the true Light,
sitting with our sisters and brothers
around the kitchen table
in that life we will have
with your forever,
we will join our voices singing your praises through all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
First Sunday in Christmas - A
Texts: Isaiah 63:7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10-18; Matthew 2:13-23
Call to Worship
L: All God's people - boys and girls, men and women:
P: come and worship!
L: Shepherds, wise ones, saints, and angels:
P: come and worship! Come and worship!
L: All who need the Savior, all who long for comfort:
P: come and worship! Come and worship Christ, the newborn King!
Prayer of the Day
In your love, which never ends,
Steadfast Grace,
you hear the cries
of all the two-year-olds
cast aside by the world,
and the weeping of their mothers
who cannot feed them
because there is no hope.
Wrapped in an old blanket
to keep you warm in a cold stable,
and smuggled into Egypt to keep you safe,
Marginalized Messiah,
you know the searching of refugees
for a place they can call home,
for a life they can call safe.
Cradling the innocents killed in war,
remembering those driven from their homes
by fear, or greed, or power;
singing laments with all the parents
who cannot give their children
the lives they should have,
you proclaim God's name for us,
Spirit of Sanctuary.
God in Community, Holy in One,
you fill our hearts with you,
for you continue to come into this world.
Give us the peace, the joy, the hope to carry
to all who cry out to you this day,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Born of Mary, in a child called Jesus, God knew life
as we know it: our pain, our doubts, our temptations,
our hopes. Without sin, Jesus could choose to judge
us; instead, he redeems us and is the midwife of our
birth into new life. Let us confess our sins, so we
might be filled with God's grace and joy in this season
of holiness and hope.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Dweller in eternity, you became a little baby for us.
We chase down the corridors of power, while you enter
the hallways where weakness and suffering reside. We
grab for more and more, while you let go of glory to
become one of us. We reduce our Savior's birth to
tinsel, toys, and trash to be placed by the curb, while
you widen your embrace to welcome all thrown out
by the world.
Forgive us, Joyous Love. Come among us, filling
our hearts with your grace and truth. Open our lips,
so we might sing with the angels. Send us forth with
the shepherds, to tell everyone we meet of the good
news of the birth of the One who brings us life, Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
L: The news we have hungered for fills our lives;
the news we have been searching for has found us;
the news that is for all people is proclaimed:
a Savior has been born - for us!
P: The One who is our hope has arrived;
the One who is our life has come to us;
the One who is our joy is in our midst:
Jesus Christ the Lord! Thanks be to God! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
All creation recounts your gracious deeds,
God of Christmas and beyond:
all the angels praise you from heaven's heights,
sea creatures in the deeps sing your carols;
shining stars twinkle your glory,
flying birds and creeping things echo your songs.
You alone are exalted, shaping all
for the children created in your image.
But temptation spoke to us in dreams,
and we fled into the embrace of death.
You sent prophets to search for us,
so that your hopes might be fulfilled,
but we refused to listen to the
brokenness of your heart.
So Jesus came into our lives
to lift us up and carry us home.
So with the politicians and the powerless,
with the immigrants, as well as the insiders,
we sing our praises to you:
P: Holy, holy, holy, God of glory above earth and heaven.
All creation praises you forever and ever.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to fulfill
the words of the prophets.
Hosanna in the highest!
You alone are holy, God of steadfast love,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Child, our Savior.
Putting aside the robes of glory,
he came to be wrapped in diapers.
Experiencing every single thing we do,
he is able to strengthen us in every part of life.
Seeing how sin tricks us, he came
to lead us out of its slavery.
Knowing that it would be infuriated,
he went to the cross,
reducing death to a lump of a word,
as he strode out of it's useless grasp.
As we celebrate the birth of the Child,
as we remember the death and resurrection of Christ,
we recount that mystery we call faith:
P: Christ died, setting us free from the fear of death;
Christ rose, filling us with the hope of life;
Christ will come, to lift us up and carry us to God.
Pour out your Holy Spirit
upon the gifts of the bread and cup
and on your children gathered here.
As we eat of this bread
which restores us to life,
may we hear the mothers
weeping for their sons
held captive by poverty;
may we listen to the fathers
who lie awake in the night
worrying about their daughters.
As we drink from the Cup
which is your Spirit for us,
may our sophistications
be washed away, so we
can hear the cries of all the
innocents.
And when your gracious deeds have ended,
and we are gathered in your glory
with our sisters and brothers,
we will fill all time with songs of praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© 2010 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
L: All God's people - boys and girls, men and women:
P: come and worship!
L: Shepherds, wise ones, saints, and angels:
P: come and worship! Come and worship!
L: All who need the Savior, all who long for comfort:
P: come and worship! Come and worship Christ, the newborn King!
Prayer of the Day
In your love, which never ends,
Steadfast Grace,
you hear the cries
of all the two-year-olds
cast aside by the world,
and the weeping of their mothers
who cannot feed them
because there is no hope.
Wrapped in an old blanket
to keep you warm in a cold stable,
and smuggled into Egypt to keep you safe,
Marginalized Messiah,
you know the searching of refugees
for a place they can call home,
for a life they can call safe.
Cradling the innocents killed in war,
remembering those driven from their homes
by fear, or greed, or power;
singing laments with all the parents
who cannot give their children
the lives they should have,
you proclaim God's name for us,
Spirit of Sanctuary.
God in Community, Holy in One,
you fill our hearts with you,
for you continue to come into this world.
Give us the peace, the joy, the hope to carry
to all who cry out to you this day,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
Born of Mary, in a child called Jesus, God knew life
as we know it: our pain, our doubts, our temptations,
our hopes. Without sin, Jesus could choose to judge
us; instead, he redeems us and is the midwife of our
birth into new life. Let us confess our sins, so we
might be filled with God's grace and joy in this season
of holiness and hope.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Dweller in eternity, you became a little baby for us.
We chase down the corridors of power, while you enter
the hallways where weakness and suffering reside. We
grab for more and more, while you let go of glory to
become one of us. We reduce our Savior's birth to
tinsel, toys, and trash to be placed by the curb, while
you widen your embrace to welcome all thrown out
by the world.
Forgive us, Joyous Love. Come among us, filling
our hearts with your grace and truth. Open our lips,
so we might sing with the angels. Send us forth with
the shepherds, to tell everyone we meet of the good
news of the birth of the One who brings us life, Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
L: The news we have hungered for fills our lives;
the news we have been searching for has found us;
the news that is for all people is proclaimed:
a Savior has been born - for us!
P: The One who is our hope has arrived;
the One who is our life has come to us;
the One who is our joy is in our midst:
Jesus Christ the Lord! Thanks be to God! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
All creation recounts your gracious deeds,
God of Christmas and beyond:
all the angels praise you from heaven's heights,
sea creatures in the deeps sing your carols;
shining stars twinkle your glory,
flying birds and creeping things echo your songs.
You alone are exalted, shaping all
for the children created in your image.
But temptation spoke to us in dreams,
and we fled into the embrace of death.
You sent prophets to search for us,
so that your hopes might be fulfilled,
but we refused to listen to the
brokenness of your heart.
So Jesus came into our lives
to lift us up and carry us home.
So with the politicians and the powerless,
with the immigrants, as well as the insiders,
we sing our praises to you:
P: Holy, holy, holy, God of glory above earth and heaven.
All creation praises you forever and ever.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to fulfill
the words of the prophets.
Hosanna in the highest!
You alone are holy, God of steadfast love,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Child, our Savior.
Putting aside the robes of glory,
he came to be wrapped in diapers.
Experiencing every single thing we do,
he is able to strengthen us in every part of life.
Seeing how sin tricks us, he came
to lead us out of its slavery.
Knowing that it would be infuriated,
he went to the cross,
reducing death to a lump of a word,
as he strode out of it's useless grasp.
As we celebrate the birth of the Child,
as we remember the death and resurrection of Christ,
we recount that mystery we call faith:
P: Christ died, setting us free from the fear of death;
Christ rose, filling us with the hope of life;
Christ will come, to lift us up and carry us to God.
Pour out your Holy Spirit
upon the gifts of the bread and cup
and on your children gathered here.
As we eat of this bread
which restores us to life,
may we hear the mothers
weeping for their sons
held captive by poverty;
may we listen to the fathers
who lie awake in the night
worrying about their daughters.
As we drink from the Cup
which is your Spirit for us,
may our sophistications
be washed away, so we
can hear the cries of all the
innocents.
And when your gracious deeds have ended,
and we are gathered in your glory
with our sisters and brothers,
we will fill all time with songs of praise to you,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
© 2010 Thom M. Shuman
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Christmas Day
Texts: Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-14
Call to Worship
L: Wonder of wonders,
God has come to us!
P: Not as a judge, but a Savior,
not in power, but as a servant.
L: Wonder of wonders,
God comes to us!
P: Not in silence, but in the Word made flesh;
not in the shadows, but bringing Light.
L: Wonder of wonders!
P: God is with us!
Prayer of the Day
Angels sang their anthems
at the midnight hour
to awaken a sleeping creation;
shepherds came to worship you,
and went away rejoicing;
wise one gave their hearts to you,
so they could dwell in yours.
O Immanuel,
we adore you!
You came to us as a baby,
to hold us in your grace;
you came to us in a stable,
so we would have no trouble finding you;
you came to us in poverty,
to enrich our lives.
O Beautiful Messenger of Peace,
we adore you!
You play with us
in the streets of the kingdom;
you build your home
deep within our souls;
you walk with us
in the winter of life.
O Wisdom from on high,
we adore you!
God in Community, Holy in One,
all the faithful lift their songs of joy to you,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father. . .
Call to Reconciliation
God became one of us, so that we could see the face of love, hear the voice of peace, be touched by the hand of grace, know the heart of mercy. God comes to us, offering us forgiveness and peace. Please join with me as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
You came in weakness, Mighty God:
forgive our grasping for power.
You came in humility, Prince of Peace:
forgive us
for wanting more than others.
You came in poverty, Everlasting One:
forgive us
when we do not see your family
sleeping in our streets.
You came in gentleness, Wonderful Counselor:
forgive us
for the anger we speak
and the pain we cause.
Child of Bethlehem,
be born in us today:
forgive us,
heal us,
make us new;
then we will join the angels in singing your praises
this Christmas Day
and all the days to come.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Break forth into singing, children of God:
for the Babe comes to comfort us,
like a mother rocking her son to sleep,
like a father wiping away the tears
of his daughter.
P: (sung) Joy to the Word, the Lord is come,
let earth receive her King.
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Child of Bethlehem be born in you.
P: And in your heart as well.
L: Children of God, lift up your hearts.
P: We lift them to the One who came to us that first Christmas morning.
L: People of God, give thanks to the One who is always with us.
P: O come, o come Immauel, to feed us at your Table.
When you were weary
of chaos as your companion,
Everlasting God,
you whispered to the Word
who sang Creation's song:
mountains sprang to attention,
rivers and oceans splashed your feet,
and the dust from the Carpenter's table
was gathered up and shaped in your image.
Spirit breathed life into us,
that we might dance with you forever.
But when we looked beyond your glory,
and saw the decorative temptations
the world dangled before our eyes,
we rushed to embrace sin and death.
Yet you looked past our rebellion,
seeing the people we could become,
and so sent Isaiah and Hannah,
Simeon and Anna as your faithful witnesses.
When we continued to turn up
the world's volume
to drown out your pleas,
you sent the Word of hope
in the silence of a stable.
Therefore, we join with the angels
of Bethlehem's skies,
and all those who sing of your steadfast love,
in every time and place:
P: Holy are you, God of Christ-filled mornings.
All creation remembers your steadfast love and faithfulness,
breaking out in joyous song:
'Hosanna in the highest!'
Blessed is the One who brings us the victory of God.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Mighty God,
and blessed is the One who comes in your name,
our Lord and Savior, your Gift to all the world.
You would not keep the Word to yourself,
but sent him to tell us
of your hopes for us.
You did not cling to the Prince of Peace,
but poured him out to end
our enmity and violence with one another.
You could not hold your Heart
in your hands,
but allowed him to be broken
on the tree of Calvary
that we might be made whole forever.
So, as we celebrate his birth,
his life, his death and his resurrection,
we remember the faith which he models for us,
and gives to us as our inheritance:
P: In the beginning, Christ was with you, creating life;
on the cross, Christ died with you, defeating death;
from the empty tomb, Christ rose with you, bringing salvation;
from glory, Christ will come again with you, the Light which
could not be overcome.
As we gather at your Table,
send your Spirit upon the bread and the cup,
and upon us, your children.
As you sent Jesus to be born of Mary,
may we bear the burdens of others;
as you became One with us in the Child,
may we live at peace with all people;
as you have brought us out
of the shadows of our sin,
may we carry the Light of the world
to all who live in the darkness
of oppression and injustice.
Then, when we gather at your Table
prepared for all people in your kingdom,
we will sing that new song
first caroled at creation
and echoed through Bethlehem's hills:
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth, peace,
goodwill to all."
Amen.
(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman
Call to Worship
L: Wonder of wonders,
God has come to us!
P: Not as a judge, but a Savior,
not in power, but as a servant.
L: Wonder of wonders,
God comes to us!
P: Not in silence, but in the Word made flesh;
not in the shadows, but bringing Light.
L: Wonder of wonders!
P: God is with us!
Prayer of the Day
Angels sang their anthems
at the midnight hour
to awaken a sleeping creation;
shepherds came to worship you,
and went away rejoicing;
wise one gave their hearts to you,
so they could dwell in yours.
O Immanuel,
we adore you!
You came to us as a baby,
to hold us in your grace;
you came to us in a stable,
so we would have no trouble finding you;
you came to us in poverty,
to enrich our lives.
O Beautiful Messenger of Peace,
we adore you!
You play with us
in the streets of the kingdom;
you build your home
deep within our souls;
you walk with us
in the winter of life.
O Wisdom from on high,
we adore you!
God in Community, Holy in One,
all the faithful lift their songs of joy to you,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father. . .
Call to Reconciliation
God became one of us, so that we could see the face of love, hear the voice of peace, be touched by the hand of grace, know the heart of mercy. God comes to us, offering us forgiveness and peace. Please join with me as we pray together, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
You came in weakness, Mighty God:
forgive our grasping for power.
You came in humility, Prince of Peace:
forgive us
for wanting more than others.
You came in poverty, Everlasting One:
forgive us
when we do not see your family
sleeping in our streets.
You came in gentleness, Wonderful Counselor:
forgive us
for the anger we speak
and the pain we cause.
Child of Bethlehem,
be born in us today:
forgive us,
heal us,
make us new;
then we will join the angels in singing your praises
this Christmas Day
and all the days to come.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Break forth into singing, children of God:
for the Babe comes to comfort us,
like a mother rocking her son to sleep,
like a father wiping away the tears
of his daughter.
P: (sung) Joy to the Word, the Lord is come,
let earth receive her King.
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May the Child of Bethlehem be born in you.
P: And in your heart as well.
L: Children of God, lift up your hearts.
P: We lift them to the One who came to us that first Christmas morning.
L: People of God, give thanks to the One who is always with us.
P: O come, o come Immauel, to feed us at your Table.
When you were weary
of chaos as your companion,
Everlasting God,
you whispered to the Word
who sang Creation's song:
mountains sprang to attention,
rivers and oceans splashed your feet,
and the dust from the Carpenter's table
was gathered up and shaped in your image.
Spirit breathed life into us,
that we might dance with you forever.
But when we looked beyond your glory,
and saw the decorative temptations
the world dangled before our eyes,
we rushed to embrace sin and death.
Yet you looked past our rebellion,
seeing the people we could become,
and so sent Isaiah and Hannah,
Simeon and Anna as your faithful witnesses.
When we continued to turn up
the world's volume
to drown out your pleas,
you sent the Word of hope
in the silence of a stable.
Therefore, we join with the angels
of Bethlehem's skies,
and all those who sing of your steadfast love,
in every time and place:
P: Holy are you, God of Christ-filled mornings.
All creation remembers your steadfast love and faithfulness,
breaking out in joyous song:
'Hosanna in the highest!'
Blessed is the One who brings us the victory of God.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Mighty God,
and blessed is the One who comes in your name,
our Lord and Savior, your Gift to all the world.
You would not keep the Word to yourself,
but sent him to tell us
of your hopes for us.
You did not cling to the Prince of Peace,
but poured him out to end
our enmity and violence with one another.
You could not hold your Heart
in your hands,
but allowed him to be broken
on the tree of Calvary
that we might be made whole forever.
So, as we celebrate his birth,
his life, his death and his resurrection,
we remember the faith which he models for us,
and gives to us as our inheritance:
P: In the beginning, Christ was with you, creating life;
on the cross, Christ died with you, defeating death;
from the empty tomb, Christ rose with you, bringing salvation;
from glory, Christ will come again with you, the Light which
could not be overcome.
As we gather at your Table,
send your Spirit upon the bread and the cup,
and upon us, your children.
As you sent Jesus to be born of Mary,
may we bear the burdens of others;
as you became One with us in the Child,
may we live at peace with all people;
as you have brought us out
of the shadows of our sin,
may we carry the Light of the world
to all who live in the darkness
of oppression and injustice.
Then, when we gather at your Table
prepared for all people in your kingdom,
we will sing that new song
first caroled at creation
and echoed through Bethlehem's hills:
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth, peace,
goodwill to all."
Amen.
(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman
Christmas Eve
Texts: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20
Greeting
L: The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
P: on those living in the shadows of death
a light has dawned.
L: Jesus Christ is our Life and Light.
In Christ's name, welcome!
In Christ's grace, let us worhsip God!
Call to Worship
L: Let us go, just as we are, to see what has happened.
let us go with the shepherds:
P: let us go and find the One
of whom the angels sang.
L: Let us go with those who are wise:
P: let us go and find the One
who brings God's truth to us.
L: Let us go with the poor in spirit, and in flesh;
let us go with those who are humbled by life:
P: Let us find the Glory of God
born in a stable, and placed in a feeding trough.
L: Let us go with our friends and family,
let us go with our neighbors and with strangers,
let us go with all the children of God:
P: let us go to find the One who comes
to lead us home to God's kingdom.
L: O come, let us go to the Babe of Bethlehem;
O come, let us adore him!
P: Christ our Lord!
Call to Reconciliation
We begin with such great hopes, such great dreams.
We are going to be better, to treat others more fairly,
to love more deeply. But we come to the manger once again,
knowing our failings, and aware of our brokenness.
Let us confess to the One who comes,
that our lives might be made new.
Unison Prayer of Confession
God who comes to us:
forgive us . . .
when our shadowed lives dim your Light;
when the tinsel of Christmas means more
to us than your truth;
when our hearts of stone resist the pain
and brokenness around us;
when we care more about what is under
the tree, than the damamge we do
to your creation and to your children.
Have mercy on us, Healing God,
so we might
tear down the walls we have built
to keep your love away;
so we could
seek your justice for our sisters and brothers;
so our hearts
would become cradles for your Son,
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon (based on Is. 62:10-12)
L: Go, go through the city, preparing for the people;
repair, repair all the roads, filling in the holes,
raising a banner for all to see.
God has spoken to all people,
saying to sons and daughters:
'See, your Savior comes;
to make good on my promises,
to bring redemption to all people.'
P: And we will be called God's Beloved,
the Redeemed of the Lord;
God will seek us out to live
in the New Jerusalem,
where no one is left behind. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May God be with you.
P: May God be also with you.
L: People of God, open your hearts,
P: We open our hearts to God.
L: Let us give thanks to the Living God.
P: It is right to give thanks to the One
who offers abundant life.
This is the night your heart bursts open with Joy,
this is the evening Grace pours out of heaven,
this is the moment when you come
to make all things new,
ever-creating God.
You shaped light out of the shadows of chaos,
and molded your children from the earth,
looking in the mirror as you formed us,
breathing your Spirit into our empty lungs.
Made for life with you
in the Garden you designed for us,
we ran away into the wilds of the world,
believing we were wiser than you,
that we could make our own way.
Yet your love never failed us,
your compassion was never taken from us,
you would not abandon us in our foolishness.
You brought us out of slavery
into that land of promise and hope.
You sent your prophets to speak to us
of your disappointment in us,
and to remind us of your dreams for us.
Your love for us was so passionate,
that you sent your only Son
to become one of us
that we might be one with you again.
So on this night when heaven reaches down
to caress creation with healing,
we join the angel choirs who sang your glory,
and with your people in every time and place,
caroling the good news which is ours:
P: Gloria! Gloria! In excelsis deo!
Creation joins in the angelic chorus of joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One born to us this night.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holiness is who you are, God of Christmas,
and blessings come in Jesus Christ, your Child of Grace.
Finding no warm welcome at his birth,
he knew the cold shoulder of friends at his death;
born in the rude confines of a barn,
he knew the suffering of your children;
sent to be your Word made flesh,
he calls us to follow him into your Kingdom;
proclaimed by the prophet as our Prince of Peace,
he died in the quagmire of human violence.
By his death and resurrection,
you have given new life to all creation.
So, as we gather on this holiest of nights,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:
P: Born in the shadows of night,
Christ is our light;
dying on a rough cross,
Christ is our life;
rising from a cold tomb,
Christ is our hope;
returning to us once more,
Christ is your promise.
Pour out your Spirit upon us,
Wonderful Counselor,
and on the gifts you have given us.
We lift the broken bread,
praying we would be made whole,
at peace with one another,
and reconciled to you.
As we drink from the vineyard of grace,
we believe that our salvation has come,
and we are one with Christ,
our flesh filled with his spirit of sacrifice,
our spirits refreshed by his compassionate heart.
As your joy flows into us,
may we become a river
carrying your justice to the poor;
as your hope sings in our hearts,
may we carry your righteousness to all who suffer.
And as we taste the promise
of the feast you prepare for us in your kingdom,
may we live for you and serve your children,
as we have been served by the Child of Christmas,
Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior.
Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Greeting
L: The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
P: on those living in the shadows of death
a light has dawned.
L: Jesus Christ is our Life and Light.
In Christ's name, welcome!
In Christ's grace, let us worhsip God!
Call to Worship
L: Let us go, just as we are, to see what has happened.
let us go with the shepherds:
P: let us go and find the One
of whom the angels sang.
L: Let us go with those who are wise:
P: let us go and find the One
who brings God's truth to us.
L: Let us go with the poor in spirit, and in flesh;
let us go with those who are humbled by life:
P: Let us find the Glory of God
born in a stable, and placed in a feeding trough.
L: Let us go with our friends and family,
let us go with our neighbors and with strangers,
let us go with all the children of God:
P: let us go to find the One who comes
to lead us home to God's kingdom.
L: O come, let us go to the Babe of Bethlehem;
O come, let us adore him!
P: Christ our Lord!
Call to Reconciliation
We begin with such great hopes, such great dreams.
We are going to be better, to treat others more fairly,
to love more deeply. But we come to the manger once again,
knowing our failings, and aware of our brokenness.
Let us confess to the One who comes,
that our lives might be made new.
Unison Prayer of Confession
God who comes to us:
forgive us . . .
when our shadowed lives dim your Light;
when the tinsel of Christmas means more
to us than your truth;
when our hearts of stone resist the pain
and brokenness around us;
when we care more about what is under
the tree, than the damamge we do
to your creation and to your children.
Have mercy on us, Healing God,
so we might
tear down the walls we have built
to keep your love away;
so we could
seek your justice for our sisters and brothers;
so our hearts
would become cradles for your Son,
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon (based on Is. 62:10-12)
L: Go, go through the city, preparing for the people;
repair, repair all the roads, filling in the holes,
raising a banner for all to see.
God has spoken to all people,
saying to sons and daughters:
'See, your Savior comes;
to make good on my promises,
to bring redemption to all people.'
P: And we will be called God's Beloved,
the Redeemed of the Lord;
God will seek us out to live
in the New Jerusalem,
where no one is left behind. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May God be with you.
P: May God be also with you.
L: People of God, open your hearts,
P: We open our hearts to God.
L: Let us give thanks to the Living God.
P: It is right to give thanks to the One
who offers abundant life.
This is the night your heart bursts open with Joy,
this is the evening Grace pours out of heaven,
this is the moment when you come
to make all things new,
ever-creating God.
You shaped light out of the shadows of chaos,
and molded your children from the earth,
looking in the mirror as you formed us,
breathing your Spirit into our empty lungs.
Made for life with you
in the Garden you designed for us,
we ran away into the wilds of the world,
believing we were wiser than you,
that we could make our own way.
Yet your love never failed us,
your compassion was never taken from us,
you would not abandon us in our foolishness.
You brought us out of slavery
into that land of promise and hope.
You sent your prophets to speak to us
of your disappointment in us,
and to remind us of your dreams for us.
Your love for us was so passionate,
that you sent your only Son
to become one of us
that we might be one with you again.
So on this night when heaven reaches down
to caress creation with healing,
we join the angel choirs who sang your glory,
and with your people in every time and place,
caroling the good news which is ours:
P: Gloria! Gloria! In excelsis deo!
Creation joins in the angelic chorus of joy.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One born to us this night.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holiness is who you are, God of Christmas,
and blessings come in Jesus Christ, your Child of Grace.
Finding no warm welcome at his birth,
he knew the cold shoulder of friends at his death;
born in the rude confines of a barn,
he knew the suffering of your children;
sent to be your Word made flesh,
he calls us to follow him into your Kingdom;
proclaimed by the prophet as our Prince of Peace,
he died in the quagmire of human violence.
By his death and resurrection,
you have given new life to all creation.
So, as we gather on this holiest of nights,
we proclaim that mystery we call faith:
P: Born in the shadows of night,
Christ is our light;
dying on a rough cross,
Christ is our life;
rising from a cold tomb,
Christ is our hope;
returning to us once more,
Christ is your promise.
Pour out your Spirit upon us,
Wonderful Counselor,
and on the gifts you have given us.
We lift the broken bread,
praying we would be made whole,
at peace with one another,
and reconciled to you.
As we drink from the vineyard of grace,
we believe that our salvation has come,
and we are one with Christ,
our flesh filled with his spirit of sacrifice,
our spirits refreshed by his compassionate heart.
As your joy flows into us,
may we become a river
carrying your justice to the poor;
as your hope sings in our hearts,
may we carry your righteousness to all who suffer.
And as we taste the promise
of the feast you prepare for us in your kingdom,
may we live for you and serve your children,
as we have been served by the Child of Christmas,
Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior.
Amen.
(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman
Monday, December 13, 2010
Advent 4-A
Texts: Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25
Lighting of the Advent Candles
L: If we would walk the streets of the kingdom,
we need a light to guide us.
P: We light the candle of faith,
so we might travel with trust in our hearts.
L: If we would walk the streets of our world,
we need a light to guide us.
P: We light the candle of hope,
so we can carry it with us as we serve.
L: If we would see God at work among us,
we need a light so we can see God.
P: We light the candle of patience,
to see the One who travels with us.
L: If we would trust the promises God gives to us,
we need a light to illumine our dreams.
P: We light the candle of promise,
to see the One who comes to save us.
L: As we continue our Advent journey,
may God lead us into the future which awaits us.
P: A future filled with trust,
a future full of hope,
a future found on God's path.
Call to Worship
L: We gather, for it is time to prepare:
P: angels are about to burst forth into song,
singing of the peace and hope we need.
L: We gather, with expectation our guest:
P: for joy is inviting us to join in the dance
of the shepherds around the night fire.
L: We gather, eager to begin the celebration:
P: people, longing to reach Bethlehem;
people, eager to kneel at the manger;
people, ready to cradle the Babe;
people, hoping to be made whole.
Prayer of the Day
If you came to us,
we would not be afraid
to take grace
as our life's partner;
we would not fear
adopting peace and hope
into our family.
So come to us,
God-who-takes-away-our-fears.
If you came to us,
we would not be afraid
to serve the broken of the world,
for that is how
you bring healing and restoration;
we would not fear
to choose the good,
knowing we receive the grace
to be your beloved disciples.
So come to us,
God-who-is-our-sign.
If you came to us,
we would not be afraid
to reach to the heavens
to embrace your dreams;
we would not fear
to journey into the future,
for there we will find you
waiting to welcome us home.
So come to us,
God-who-dwells-with-us.
Come to us,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we pray as you have taught us, saying,
Our Father . .
Call to Reconciliation
In our brokenness, we will find no healing
until we turn to the Peace who comes to us.
In our emptiness, we will find no hope until
we turn to the Grace who comes to feed us
with forgiveness. Let us speak those words
which are so hard to say, so we may hear
the whispers of God's mercy.
Unison Prayer of Confession
With the songs of the angels in our ears,
we cannot hear the way we speak
words of hurt and anger to others;
looking for the shepherds to arrive,
we do not see the homeless family
by the side of the road;.
waiting to sit down at a fine feast,
we ignore those whose bread is their fear,
whose cup is filled with their lost dreams.
Come to us, Promised Sign of restoration:
come to open our eyes;
come to us, Child of compassion:
come to melt our hearts with your tears;
come to us, Servant of the poor,
come to lead us to serve the lost.
O come, o come, Immanuel:
to forgive us, to heal us, so all that was promised
might be fulfilled for us.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Dear children of God: do not be afraid. The
promise given long ago has been kept once
and for all in the birth at Bethlehem. Rejoice,
rejoice, for Christ has come for you.
P: Grace and peace are the gift God has given
to us, not only on this day, not only in this
season, but in all the moments to come.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May Immanuel be with you this day!
P: And also with you.
L: Beloved of God, lift up your hearts.
P: We lift them to the One whose face
shines with love upon us.
L: Household of God, let your voices
ring with joy and gladness.
P: We sing of the One who has come,
come to save us and give us life.
When chaos was empty and barren,
you created the stars of the night,
to light the way for grace;
you filled the hollows of the sea
with the waters of life.
Lord God of creation,
you shaped us in your image,
so we might feast on the bounty
of the garden you gave us,
so we could drink deeply
from the fountains of goodness.
But we belittled your gifts,
thinking that those jewels
called sin and death
were priceless beyond compare.
We filled our minds
with the empty dreams of temptation,
and wearied you with our rebellion.
Sending the prophets
with hope in their hands
and reconciliation on their lips,
we turned our backs,
laughing among ourselves
at their faithful obedience.
Finally, you sent Jesus,
the One who, by refusing evil,
could help us to choose the good.
Therefore, with the faithful of every time and place,
we lift our songs to thanksgiving to you:
P: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts.
All creation calls on your name.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes, God-with-us.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Shepherd of all creation,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Servant, our Savior.
When you could not wait
for the world to conceive of peace,
you sent him to show us how
to end our violent ways;
when you could not wait
for us to find hope,
you sent him to speak
your promises to us;
when you could not wait
for us to stumble upon love,
you sent him to walk the earth,
so we would know how
to treat our friends and enemies;
when you could not wait
for us to return to you,
he went to the cross
to bring us home.
As we prepare to celebrate his birth once again,
as we sing of our longing for him to return,
we proclaim that faith which is often a mystery:
P: Christ died, refusing to choose evil;
Christ is risen, that we might choose good;
Christ will come again, his face shining in glory.
Send your Spirit to come quickly
upon the gifts of the bread and the cup,
and upon your beloved gathered here.
Fill our empty and barren lives
with the rich harvest of joy,
so we may take your sheaves of blessings
to the world;
heal our weary and wounded souls,
so we may go to minister
to the broken-hearted around us;
enlarge our vision,
so we might see that kingdom
of peace, reconciliation and hope
you prepare for all your people,
so we might go forth
to embrace our sisters and brothers.
And when all time has come to an end,
we will no longer need to dream,
but will sit with you at your Table,
surrounded by family and friends,
by strangers and enemies,
feasting on the bread of life
and drinking deeply of grace's vineyard,
joining our voices as one to praise you:
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
Blessing
L: As you go to walk the streets of the kingdom,
take a Light to guide you:
P: we take the light of faith,
to share it with everyone we meet.
L: As you go to walk the streets of the world,
take a Light to guide you:
P: we take the light of hope,
to carry it to those we are blessed to serve.
L: As you seek to walk God's holy way,
take a Light to guide you:
P: we take the light of patience,
believing we will find God with us.
L: As you open your hearts to God's dreams,
take a Light to guide you:
P: we take the light of promise,
knowing that God has come to save us.
L: As you go forth to reach Bethlehem,
travel with faith and hope into God's future:
P: with joy and gratitude,
we go forth into God's vision of peace.
(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman
Lighting of the Advent Candles
L: If we would walk the streets of the kingdom,
we need a light to guide us.
P: We light the candle of faith,
so we might travel with trust in our hearts.
L: If we would walk the streets of our world,
we need a light to guide us.
P: We light the candle of hope,
so we can carry it with us as we serve.
L: If we would see God at work among us,
we need a light so we can see God.
P: We light the candle of patience,
to see the One who travels with us.
L: If we would trust the promises God gives to us,
we need a light to illumine our dreams.
P: We light the candle of promise,
to see the One who comes to save us.
L: As we continue our Advent journey,
may God lead us into the future which awaits us.
P: A future filled with trust,
a future full of hope,
a future found on God's path.
Call to Worship
L: We gather, for it is time to prepare:
P: angels are about to burst forth into song,
singing of the peace and hope we need.
L: We gather, with expectation our guest:
P: for joy is inviting us to join in the dance
of the shepherds around the night fire.
L: We gather, eager to begin the celebration:
P: people, longing to reach Bethlehem;
people, eager to kneel at the manger;
people, ready to cradle the Babe;
people, hoping to be made whole.
Prayer of the Day
If you came to us,
we would not be afraid
to take grace
as our life's partner;
we would not fear
adopting peace and hope
into our family.
So come to us,
God-who-takes-away-our-fears.
If you came to us,
we would not be afraid
to serve the broken of the world,
for that is how
you bring healing and restoration;
we would not fear
to choose the good,
knowing we receive the grace
to be your beloved disciples.
So come to us,
God-who-is-our-sign.
If you came to us,
we would not be afraid
to reach to the heavens
to embrace your dreams;
we would not fear
to journey into the future,
for there we will find you
waiting to welcome us home.
So come to us,
God-who-dwells-with-us.
Come to us,
God in Community, Holy in One,
as we pray as you have taught us, saying,
Our Father . .
Call to Reconciliation
In our brokenness, we will find no healing
until we turn to the Peace who comes to us.
In our emptiness, we will find no hope until
we turn to the Grace who comes to feed us
with forgiveness. Let us speak those words
which are so hard to say, so we may hear
the whispers of God's mercy.
Unison Prayer of Confession
With the songs of the angels in our ears,
we cannot hear the way we speak
words of hurt and anger to others;
looking for the shepherds to arrive,
we do not see the homeless family
by the side of the road;.
waiting to sit down at a fine feast,
we ignore those whose bread is their fear,
whose cup is filled with their lost dreams.
Come to us, Promised Sign of restoration:
come to open our eyes;
come to us, Child of compassion:
come to melt our hearts with your tears;
come to us, Servant of the poor,
come to lead us to serve the lost.
O come, o come, Immanuel:
to forgive us, to heal us, so all that was promised
might be fulfilled for us.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
L: Dear children of God: do not be afraid. The
promise given long ago has been kept once
and for all in the birth at Bethlehem. Rejoice,
rejoice, for Christ has come for you.
P: Grace and peace are the gift God has given
to us, not only on this day, not only in this
season, but in all the moments to come.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: May Immanuel be with you this day!
P: And also with you.
L: Beloved of God, lift up your hearts.
P: We lift them to the One whose face
shines with love upon us.
L: Household of God, let your voices
ring with joy and gladness.
P: We sing of the One who has come,
come to save us and give us life.
When chaos was empty and barren,
you created the stars of the night,
to light the way for grace;
you filled the hollows of the sea
with the waters of life.
Lord God of creation,
you shaped us in your image,
so we might feast on the bounty
of the garden you gave us,
so we could drink deeply
from the fountains of goodness.
But we belittled your gifts,
thinking that those jewels
called sin and death
were priceless beyond compare.
We filled our minds
with the empty dreams of temptation,
and wearied you with our rebellion.
Sending the prophets
with hope in their hands
and reconciliation on their lips,
we turned our backs,
laughing among ourselves
at their faithful obedience.
Finally, you sent Jesus,
the One who, by refusing evil,
could help us to choose the good.
Therefore, with the faithful of every time and place,
we lift our songs to thanksgiving to you:
P: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts.
All creation calls on your name.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes, God-with-us.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Shepherd of all creation,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Servant, our Savior.
When you could not wait
for the world to conceive of peace,
you sent him to show us how
to end our violent ways;
when you could not wait
for us to find hope,
you sent him to speak
your promises to us;
when you could not wait
for us to stumble upon love,
you sent him to walk the earth,
so we would know how
to treat our friends and enemies;
when you could not wait
for us to return to you,
he went to the cross
to bring us home.
As we prepare to celebrate his birth once again,
as we sing of our longing for him to return,
we proclaim that faith which is often a mystery:
P: Christ died, refusing to choose evil;
Christ is risen, that we might choose good;
Christ will come again, his face shining in glory.
Send your Spirit to come quickly
upon the gifts of the bread and the cup,
and upon your beloved gathered here.
Fill our empty and barren lives
with the rich harvest of joy,
so we may take your sheaves of blessings
to the world;
heal our weary and wounded souls,
so we may go to minister
to the broken-hearted around us;
enlarge our vision,
so we might see that kingdom
of peace, reconciliation and hope
you prepare for all your people,
so we might go forth
to embrace our sisters and brothers.
And when all time has come to an end,
we will no longer need to dream,
but will sit with you at your Table,
surrounded by family and friends,
by strangers and enemies,
feasting on the bread of life
and drinking deeply of grace's vineyard,
joining our voices as one to praise you:
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
Blessing
L: As you go to walk the streets of the kingdom,
take a Light to guide you:
P: we take the light of faith,
to share it with everyone we meet.
L: As you go to walk the streets of the world,
take a Light to guide you:
P: we take the light of hope,
to carry it to those we are blessed to serve.
L: As you seek to walk God's holy way,
take a Light to guide you:
P: we take the light of patience,
believing we will find God with us.
L: As you open your hearts to God's dreams,
take a Light to guide you:
P: we take the light of promise,
knowing that God has come to save us.
L: As you go forth to reach Bethlehem,
travel with faith and hope into God's future:
P: with joy and gratitude,
we go forth into God's vision of peace.
(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman
Monday, December 06, 2010
Advent 3-A
Texts: Isaiah 35"1-10; Luke 1:47-55; James5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11
Advent Candle Lighting
If we would walk the streets of the kingdom,
we need a light to guide us.
We light the candle of faith,
so we might travel with trust in our hearts.
If we would walk the streets of our world,
we need a light to guide us.
We light the candle of hope,
so we could carry it with us as we serve.
If we would see God at work among us,
we need a light so we can see God.
We light the candle of patience
to see the One who travels with us.As we continue our Advent journey,
may God lead us into the future which awaits us.
A future filled with trust,
a future full of hope,
a future found on God's path.
Call to Worship
Be patient! God is coming to us!
The One who teaches joyous songs to all of creation, comes to open our ears to life.
Be strong! God is coming to be with us!
The One who paves a path to Bethlehem will walk with us every step of the way.
Do not fear! Here is your God!
We worship the One who comes to save us.
Prayer of the Day
Now, there is a road
where the blind will see
the signposts leading home.
Now, the burning sand of sin
will become an ice rink for your children.
Now, the voiceless become the soloists
in the chorus of hallelujahs.
Now that you have built
a holy way to our hearts,
Advent's Creator,
we no longer need
to wander off your paths.
Now, the crippled will dance
with the stars.
Now, your precious crop
of justice and reconciliation
planted in oppression's desert
will burst forth in glory.
Now, the pockets of the fatcats
will be turned inside out
so loose change can loosen
the chains of despair and grief.
Now that you have come,
Advent's Grace,
we no longer need
to put hope on hold.
Now, those who refuse
to listen to their enemy
will hear your sweet whispers
of peace for all.
Now, those we have offended
will be blessed
byyour healing touch.
Now, those who mutter
about the unfairness of it all,
will offer all they haveto the poor.
Now that you are incarnate
in our hearts,
Advent's Joy,
we no longer need
to be afraid.
God in Community, Holy in One,
now, we will call ourselves blessed,
as we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
It would be easy to grumble that the world haskidnapped this holy season, emptying us of hope and joy. But we must admit how oftenwe fail to tell the true story of Christmas, by how we live our lives. Let us confess ourreluctance to be storytellers, and livers out of the story, as we pray to God, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Ever Present Peace, you came to save us, butthat is so hard to remember in this hectic season.Our impatience for Christmas to arrive gets inthe way of listening to our children singing intheir rooms. We let the blinking lights blind usto your quiet presence in a noisy world. Weget so caught up in the stories of violence, we cannot hear your voice reminding us not tobe afraid.
As you poured out your mercy on all who havegone before us, Gardener of deserts, shower uswith grace and forgiveness. Then, our eyes willbe opened to all your wonders, our ears will echo with the anthems of the angels, and ouremptiness will be filled with the life gifted tous through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Dear ones of God, this is the good news: God comes to us to bring the healing of hope, the joy of justice into our hearts.
We need wait no longer. We will go and tell everyone what we have seen and heard! Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The God who is coming to us be with you!
And also with you!
Lift your hearts to the One who turns barren deserts into seas of grace.
We lift them to the God who fills our longings for peace and hope.
Beloved of God, let us lift our praise and thanksgiving to our Lord.
We come to God's Table with glad songs of joy on our lips.
In that first moment of all time,
you crafted creation out of chaos,
ever-surprising God.
Beauty blossomed abundantly
in every corner of your gift,
everlasting joy and goodness
were the playmates you gave to us
as we strolled through your Garden.
But we became too nearsighted
to see the grace awaiting us
in your infinite heart.
Hamstrung by arrogance,
we walked the burning sands of sin,
limping down that dusty road
to death's prison.
You sent Isaiah and Miriam,
Hannah and Amos,
to call us home,
but our ears were stuffed
with the world's empty promises.
Then, you asked Jesus
to walk the holy way,
leaving glory to be born in a stable.
Therefore, with those who have been raised,
and those who long for your coming,
we join the choirs of angels
who forever sing of your glory:
Holy, holy, holy, God who fills the hungry!
All creation sees the glory of the LORD.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes saying, 'Be strong, do not fear!'
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Hope-full Heart,
and all creation calls your Child,
our Savior, Jesus Christ, blessed.
Listening to you weeping in the night
for your lost children,
he set aside eternity's riches to come:
to fill the shallows of our souls
with your grace;
to snatch us away from those wild beasts
called sin and despair;
to pay the ransom for those kidnapped by death.
And so, as we prepare to celebrate his birth,
as we journey once again the holy ways,
seeking to hear and proclaim
his life, death and resurrection,
we whisper of that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, scattering sin from our hearts' imagination;
Christ arose, knocking death off its throne;
Christ will come again, according to the promise made to our ancestors.
May the gift of your Spirit,
Advent's Hope and Peace,
be poured out on the simple gifts
of the bread and the cup,
and on those who come
simply to find healing and hope.
And when we have been fed
by your surprising grace
and filled with your peace,
may we go forth to the world,
where our weak hands
will become calloused
by compassion;
where we will bend
our feeble knees, reaching down
to lift up the fallen;
where we will become fountains
of living water for those
parched by the wilderness
of their lives.
Then, when sorrow and sighing
have been chased away from us,
and we gather with all generations
around your Table in heaven,
everlasting joy will be our song,
and gracious hope will be our refrain,
as we sing to you through all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman
Advent Candle Lighting
If we would walk the streets of the kingdom,
we need a light to guide us.
We light the candle of faith,
so we might travel with trust in our hearts.
If we would walk the streets of our world,
we need a light to guide us.
We light the candle of hope,
so we could carry it with us as we serve.
If we would see God at work among us,
we need a light so we can see God.
We light the candle of patience
to see the One who travels with us.As we continue our Advent journey,
may God lead us into the future which awaits us.
A future filled with trust,
a future full of hope,
a future found on God's path.
Call to Worship
Be patient! God is coming to us!
The One who teaches joyous songs to all of creation, comes to open our ears to life.
Be strong! God is coming to be with us!
The One who paves a path to Bethlehem will walk with us every step of the way.
Do not fear! Here is your God!
We worship the One who comes to save us.
Prayer of the Day
Now, there is a road
where the blind will see
the signposts leading home.
Now, the burning sand of sin
will become an ice rink for your children.
Now, the voiceless become the soloists
in the chorus of hallelujahs.
Now that you have built
a holy way to our hearts,
Advent's Creator,
we no longer need
to wander off your paths.
Now, the crippled will dance
with the stars.
Now, your precious crop
of justice and reconciliation
planted in oppression's desert
will burst forth in glory.
Now, the pockets of the fatcats
will be turned inside out
so loose change can loosen
the chains of despair and grief.
Now that you have come,
Advent's Grace,
we no longer need
to put hope on hold.
Now, those who refuse
to listen to their enemy
will hear your sweet whispers
of peace for all.
Now, those we have offended
will be blessed
byyour healing touch.
Now, those who mutter
about the unfairness of it all,
will offer all they haveto the poor.
Now that you are incarnate
in our hearts,
Advent's Joy,
we no longer need
to be afraid.
God in Community, Holy in One,
now, we will call ourselves blessed,
as we pray as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .
Call to Reconciliation
It would be easy to grumble that the world haskidnapped this holy season, emptying us of hope and joy. But we must admit how oftenwe fail to tell the true story of Christmas, by how we live our lives. Let us confess ourreluctance to be storytellers, and livers out of the story, as we pray to God, saying,
Unison Prayer of Confession
Ever Present Peace, you came to save us, butthat is so hard to remember in this hectic season.Our impatience for Christmas to arrive gets inthe way of listening to our children singing intheir rooms. We let the blinking lights blind usto your quiet presence in a noisy world. Weget so caught up in the stories of violence, we cannot hear your voice reminding us not tobe afraid.
As you poured out your mercy on all who havegone before us, Gardener of deserts, shower uswith grace and forgiveness. Then, our eyes willbe opened to all your wonders, our ears will echo with the anthems of the angels, and ouremptiness will be filled with the life gifted tous through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Silence is kept
Assurance of Pardon
Dear ones of God, this is the good news: God comes to us to bring the healing of hope, the joy of justice into our hearts.
We need wait no longer. We will go and tell everyone what we have seen and heard! Thanks be to God. Amen.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The God who is coming to us be with you!
And also with you!
Lift your hearts to the One who turns barren deserts into seas of grace.
We lift them to the God who fills our longings for peace and hope.
Beloved of God, let us lift our praise and thanksgiving to our Lord.
We come to God's Table with glad songs of joy on our lips.
In that first moment of all time,
you crafted creation out of chaos,
ever-surprising God.
Beauty blossomed abundantly
in every corner of your gift,
everlasting joy and goodness
were the playmates you gave to us
as we strolled through your Garden.
But we became too nearsighted
to see the grace awaiting us
in your infinite heart.
Hamstrung by arrogance,
we walked the burning sands of sin,
limping down that dusty road
to death's prison.
You sent Isaiah and Miriam,
Hannah and Amos,
to call us home,
but our ears were stuffed
with the world's empty promises.
Then, you asked Jesus
to walk the holy way,
leaving glory to be born in a stable.
Therefore, with those who have been raised,
and those who long for your coming,
we join the choirs of angels
who forever sing of your glory:
Holy, holy, holy, God who fills the hungry!
All creation sees the glory of the LORD.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes saying, 'Be strong, do not fear!'
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you, Hope-full Heart,
and all creation calls your Child,
our Savior, Jesus Christ, blessed.
Listening to you weeping in the night
for your lost children,
he set aside eternity's riches to come:
to fill the shallows of our souls
with your grace;
to snatch us away from those wild beasts
called sin and despair;
to pay the ransom for those kidnapped by death.
And so, as we prepare to celebrate his birth,
as we journey once again the holy ways,
seeking to hear and proclaim
his life, death and resurrection,
we whisper of that mystery we call faith:
Christ died, scattering sin from our hearts' imagination;
Christ arose, knocking death off its throne;
Christ will come again, according to the promise made to our ancestors.
May the gift of your Spirit,
Advent's Hope and Peace,
be poured out on the simple gifts
of the bread and the cup,
and on those who come
simply to find healing and hope.
And when we have been fed
by your surprising grace
and filled with your peace,
may we go forth to the world,
where our weak hands
will become calloused
by compassion;
where we will bend
our feeble knees, reaching down
to lift up the fallen;
where we will become fountains
of living water for those
parched by the wilderness
of their lives.
Then, when sorrow and sighing
have been chased away from us,
and we gather with all generations
around your Table in heaven,
everlasting joy will be our song,
and gracious hope will be our refrain,
as we sing to you through all eternity,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman
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