katyandtheword

Carols & Lessons Order of Worship

FIRST LESSON Luke 1:26-30

CAROL #38 “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”

WELCOME Pastor

SECOND LESSON Isaiah 9: 6-7

CAROL # 31 “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

Prayer of Confession (Unison) Merciful God, we confess we have trouble understanding a Jesus who came for all the outcasts. We have trouble seeing Jesus sitting with the homeless, aiding the immigrant and healing any and all who approached him. We confess that we get caught up in worthiness. Forgive us, teach us to love as easily as we might love a baby we pray. (Silent Confession) Amen

Assurance of Forgiveness: Christ rises with healing in his wings know the truth In Jesus Christ we are forgiven

THIRD LESSON Luke 2:1-7

CAROL # 24 “Away in a Manger”

Lighting of the Christ Candle: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love & Christ

(All Children are invited forward to assist with the lighting)

FOURTH LESSON Luke 2:8-14

CAROL # 23 “Angels We Have Heard on High”

FIFTH LESSON Luke 2:16-19

CAROL #53 “What Child is This?”

Offering Anthem

SIXTH LESSON Matthew 2:1-12

CAROL # 66 “We Three Kings” v. 1-4

Holy Communion

Invitation from Christ

The Lord be with you

And also with you

Lift up your hearts

We lift our hearts to the lord

Give thanks to the Lord our God It is right to give our thanks and praise….(prayer continues)

….and praying as his son taught us to pray……..The Lord’s Prayer (unison)

Our Father, who art 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the glory and power forever. Amen.

Bread & Cup: Communion will be taken by intinction, where congregants come forward and dip the bread in the cup. If you need assistance, the pastor will come to serve you individually.]

SEVENTH LESSON Luke 1:46-55

CAROL #40 “Joy to the World”

EIGHTH LESSON John 3:16-17

CAROL “Silent Night”

•(Please encircle the nativity so we can pass the light of Christ to the entire congregation. Feel free to take the Silent Night Insert with you.)

Seeds: Narrative Lectionary Liturgy

Matthew 1:18-25

Fear Not!

For a child will come conceived by the Holy Spirit?

Who is this child

You shall name him Jesus, for he will save all people from their sins.

What are we waiting for?

O Come Emmanuel, we are waiting

Prayer of Confession: We confess we do not know how to fulfill your prophecies of love. We forget that Jesus was born to save all flesh, and we get caught up in shame and judgement. Lord God you came down to earth as a lovable baby to show us love. Teach us how not to value pride or fame or money but instead to work for hope, peace, joy and love we pray.

Assurance of Pardon: Remember God so loved the world that he gave his only son, not to condemn the world, but to save it. Hear the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of Dedication: Almighty God, bless all the gifts that we bring here and to one another at Christmas. Fill us with the intangibles we need to practice are faith, and let this Christmas be an opportunity to connect with you we pray. Amen

Food for Thought:The Waiting Room (adopted by Jesus)https://wordpress.com/stats/post/4454/katyandtheword.wordpress.com

Charlie Brown: Digging Deeper

Sunday School ideas; Look at all the names of Jesus and/or look up the meanings of the names of people in Church, Ask children what their favorite gift ever was and why.

RCL bulletin for Dec. 16th

December 16th, 2018 Third Sunday of Advent 10:30 a.m.

Welcome and Announcements
Prelude
Lighting of the Advent Candle: We begin this third week of Advent with a sense of
liberating joy. Let us pause and breathe deeply as we hear these words spoken by Mary:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

Call to Worship (from Isaiah 12)
One: Surely God is my salvation.
Many: With joy we will draw water from the wells of salvation.
And we will say in that day:
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
for great in our midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Sing praises to the Lord,
make known God’s deeds in all the earth.

Opening Prayer
O God, Source of all that is true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, and gracious, unite us to you in joy. Fill our minds with good and praiseworthy things so that we will put into practice what we have learned and received, heard and seen in Christ Jesus. In his name, and by the power of the Spirit, we pray. Amen.
*Opening Hymn (blue hymnal) #145 Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart

*Call to Confession: God calls us to fill our minds, hearts and lives with all that creates joy, but we are not always ready to go there. Let us confess our need for God’s forgiveness and grace.

*Confession of Sin (followed by silent confession)
God, in this busy season, we are discovering the ways in which we are not fully ready.
We are not ready to give up our shame.
We are not ready to abandon our fears.
We are not ready to rejoice.
We are not ready to turn to you instead of to worrying.
We are not ready to tell the truth. We are not ready to be just.
We are not ready to be real. We are not ready to be gracious.
We are not ready to show that we belong to you in all that we think, and say, and do.
Forgive us and change us. (Silent Confession)

* Assurance of Pardon (from Zephaniah 3, New International Version)
The Lord has taken away your punishment.
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.
Thanks be to God for the Good News:
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

* Gloria Patri: Hymn 579 (blue hymnal) “Glory Be to the Father”

Passing of the Peace
The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.

Offering Hymn #13 (blue hymnal) Prepare the Way

* Doxology (Hymn 592, blue hymnal) “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”

* Prayer of Dedication

Prayer for Illumination
Open our eyes, Lord we want to see Jesus
to reach out and touch him, and say that we love him.
Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen.
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20
Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-9

Message: Getting Ready for Christ to Come
Affirmation of Faith (from the PC-USA Brief Confession of Faith)
In life and in death we belong to God.  Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,  and the communion of the Holy Spirit,  we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,  whom alone we worship and serve.
We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God.  Jesus proclaimed the reign of God:  preaching good news to the poor  and release to the captives,  teaching by word and deed  and blessing the children, healing the sick  and binding up the brokenhearted,  eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners,  and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.

We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father.  In sovereign love God created the world good  and makes everyone equally in God’s image  male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community.
God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant.  Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child,  like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home,  God is faithful still.
We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life.  The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith,  sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor,  and binds us together with all believers  in the one body of Christ, the Church.
In a broken and fearful world  the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing,  to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior,  to unmask idolatries in Church and culture,  to hear the voices of peoples long silenced,  and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.  In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks  and to live holy and joyful lives,  even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth,  praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
With believers in every time and place,  we rejoice that nothing in life or in death  can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper

*Closing Hymn (blue hymnal) #2 Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

*Charge & Blessing

*Denotes please stand if able.

Seeds: Narrative Lectionary Liturgy for Dec. 16th

Themes for this week’s readings touch on light and freeing the captives.
These passages have much in common with Mary’s Song/The Magnificat, Luke 1:46-51.
The Nicene Creed (light from light) might go well with these themes as well.

Related hymns from the 1990 Presbyterian Hymnal are listed below. See hymnary.org to see whether the texts/tunes are available there if you don’t have this hymnal…

I’ve marked those that I think could have an Advent flavor and noted particularly pertinent verses/parts.


	Pres Hymnal
Creator of the Stars of Night	4	Advent
Savior of the Nations Come	14	Advent
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing	31	Advent	v. 3
In Bethelehem a Babe was Born	34	Advent
Joy to the World	40	Advent	v.4
From a Distant Home	64	Advent	Refrain only
What Star Is This, with Beams So Bright	68	Advent	v.4
All Hail to God’s Anointed	205	Advent/Ps 72
My Song Forever Shall Record	209	Psalm 89
Praise the Lord?	225	Psalm 113
Sing Praise Unto the Name of the Lord	226	Psalm 113
Etenral Light, Shine in My Heart	340
Hope of the World	360
Arise, Your Light is Come!	411	Magnificat
The Church of Christ in Every Age	421
Lord of Light, Your Name Outshining	425
Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service	427
We Give Thee but Thine Own	428		v.4
Song of Hope	432
Today We All Are Called to Be Disciples	434
O Day of God, Draw Nigh	452	Advent

The Isaiah text is in the RCL but for Baptism of Christ (1/8/17 and Monday of Holy Week) http://www.textweek.com/prophets/isaiah42.htm While Matthew holds much in common with Isaiah, it is not in the RCL.

Opening Prayers

Almighty God,

you sent Jesus to proclaim your kingdom

and to teach with authority.

Anoint us with your Spirit,

that we too may bring good news to the poor,

bind up the brokenhearted,

and proclaim liberty to the captive;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.

Everlasting God,

in whom we live and move and have our being:

You have made us for yourself,

so that our hearts are restless

until they rest in you.

Give us purity of heart and strength of purpose,

that no selfish passion may hinder us from knowing your will,

no weakness keep us from doing it;

that in your light we may see light clearly,

and in your service find perfect freedom;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.

Lord, open unto me

Open unto me—light for my darkness.

Open unto me—courage for my fear.

Open unto me—hope for my despair.

Open unto me—peace for my turmoil.

Open unto me—joy for my sorrow.

Open unto me—strength for my weakness.

Open unto me—wisdom for my confusion.

Open unto me—forgiveness for my sins.

Open unto me—love for my hates.

Open unto me—thy Self for my self.

Lord, Lord, open unto me! Amen.

By Howard Thurman

Eternal Light, shine into our hearts;

Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil;

Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance;

Eternal Pity, have mercy upon us,

that with all our heart and mind and strength

we may seek your face

and be brought by your infinite mercy to your holy presence;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

By Alcuin of Tours

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not seek so much

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Attributed to St. Francis

O God, light of the hearts that see you,

life of the souls that love you,

strength of the thoughts that seek you:

to turn from you is to fall,

to turn to you is to rise,

to abide in you is to stand fast forever.

Although we are unworthy to approach you,

or to ask anything at all of you,

grant us your grace and blessing

for the sake of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. [46]

Amen.

O God,

you are light to the lost,

bread to the hungry,

deliverance to the captive,

healing to the sick, eternal vision to the dying,

and harbor to every soul in peril.

Gather the wanderers from every corner of the world

into the community of your mercy and grace,

that we may eternally praise you

for our salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of Confession (adapted for Advent)

Almighty God,

through the gift of Christ Jesus your Son

you shatter the power of sin and death.

We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear,

bound by the ways that lead to death.

We overlook the poor and the hungry,

and pass by those who mourn;

we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed,

and indifferent to calls for peace;

we despise the weak, and abuse the earth you made.

Forgive us, God of mercy.

Help us to trust your power.

Be born in us

that we may know the joy of life abundant

incarnate in Jesus Christ

and given to us by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

Guide us, O God,

by your Word and Spirit,

that in your light we may see light,

in your truth find freedom,

and in your will discover your peace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [

Prayers of the People

#1 Let us pray for all who suffer

and are afflicted in body or in mind:

for the hungry and homeless,

the destitute and the oppressed,

and all who suffer persecution, doubt, and despair,

for the sorrowful and bereaved,

for prisoners and captives

and those in mortal danger,

that God will comfort and relieve them,

and grant them the knowledge of God’s love,

and stir up in us the will and patience

to minister to their needs.

#2 in Jesus Christ you taught us to pray,

and to offer our petitions to you in his name.

Guide us by your Holy Spirit,

that our prayers for others may serve your will

and show your steadfast love;

through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [80]

Let us pray for the world.

Silent prayer.

God our creator,

you made all things in your wisdom,

and in your love you save us.

We pray for the whole creation.

Overthrow evil powers, right what is wrong,

feed and satisfy those who thirst for justice,

so that all your children may freely enjoy the earth you have made,

and joyfully sing your praises;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [81]

Let us pray for the church.

Silent prayer.

Gracious God,

you have called us to be the church of Jesus Christ.

Keep us one in faith and service,

breaking bread together,

and proclaiming the good news to the world,

that all may believe you are love,

turn to your ways,

and live in the light of your truth;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [82]

Let us pray for peace.

Silent prayer.

Eternal God,

you sent us a Savior, Christ Jesus,

to break down the walls of hostility that divide us.

Send peace on earth,

and put down greed, pride, and anger,

which turn nation against nation and race against race.

Speed the day when wars will end

and the whole world accepts your rule;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [83]

Let us pray for enemies.

Silent prayer.

O God,

whom we cannot love unless we love our neighbors,

remove hate and prejudice from us and from all people,

so that your children may be reconciled

with those we fear, resent, or threaten;

and live together in your peace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [84]

Let us pray for those who govern us.

Silent prayer.

Mighty God,

sovereign over the nations,

direct those who make, administer, and judge our laws;

the President of the United States

and others in authority among us (especially N., N.);

that, guided by your wisdom,

they may lead us in the way of righteousness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [85]

Let us pray for world leaders.

Silent prayer.

Eternal Ruler, hope of all the earth,

give vision to those who serve the United Nations,

and to those who govern all countries;

that, with goodwill and justice,

they may take down barriers,

and draw together one new world in peace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [86]

Let us pray for the sick.

Silent prayer.

Merciful God,

you bear the pain of the world.

Look with compassion on those who are sick

(especially on N., N.);

cheer them by your word,

and bring healing as a sign of your grace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [87]

Let us pray for those who sorrow.

Silent prayer.

God of comfort,

stand with those who sorrow (especially N., N.);

that they may be sure that neither death nor life,

nor things present nor things to come,

shall separate them from your love;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [88]

Let us pray for friends and families.

God of compassion,

bless us and those we love,

our friends and families;

that, drawing close to you,

we may be drawn closer to each other;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [89]

Other petitions may be added in the same manner.

Following all of the petitions, the following commemoration of those who

have died in the faith, or a similar commemoration (pp. 121–122), may be said.

God of all generations,

we praise you for all your servants

who, having been faithful to you on earth,

now live with you in heaven.

Keep us in fellowship with them,

until we meet with all your children

in the joy of your eternal kingdom;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [90]

The leader concludes the prayers with the following prayer, another brief collect

(pp. 123–124), or the prayer of the day (pp. 165–400).

Mighty God,

whose Word we trust,

whose Spirit enables us to pray:

Accept our requests

and further those which will bring about your purpose for the earth;

through Jesus Christ, who rules over all things. Amen. [91]

Prayer of Great Thanksgiving/Communion Prayer

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is truly right and our greatest joy

to give you thanks and praise,

O Lord our God, creator and ruler of the universe.

You formed us in your image

and breathed into us the breath of life.

You set us in this world to love and serve you,

and to live in peace with all that you have made.

When we turned from you,

you did not turn from us.

When we were captives in slavery,

you delivered us to freedom,

and made covenant to be our sovereign God.

When we were stubborn and stiff-necked,

you spoke to us through prophets

who looked for that day

when justice shall triumph

and peace shall reign over all the earth.

Therefore we praise you,

joining our voices with the celestial choirs

and with all the faithful of every time and place,

who forever sing to the glory of your name:

The people may sing or say:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

The minister continues:

You are holy, O God of majesty,

and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.

You sent him into this world

to satisfy the longings of your people for a Savior,

to bring freedom to the captives of sin,

and to establish justice for the oppressed.

He came among us as one of us,

taking the lot of the poor,

sharing human suffering.

We rejoice that in his death and rising again,

you set before us the sure promise of new life,

the certain hope of a heavenly home

where we will sit at table with Christ our host.

If they have not already been said, the words of institution may be said

here, or in relation to the breaking of the bread.

We give you thanks that the Lord Jesus,

on the night before he died,

took bread,

and after giving thanks to you,

he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take, eat.

This is my body, given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way he took the cup, saying:

This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood,

shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

Whenever you drink it,

do this in remembrance of me.

Remembering your gracious acts in Jesus Christ,

we take from your creation this bread and this wine

and joyfully celebrate his dying and rising,

as we await the day of his coming.

With thanksgiving we offer our very selves to you

to be a living and holy sacrifice,

dedicated to your service.

The people may sing or say one of the following:

Great is the mystery of faith:

Christ has died,

Christ is risen,

Christ will come again.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus:

Dying you destroyed our death,

rising you restored our life.

Lord Jesus, come in glory.

According to his commandment:

We remember his death,

we proclaim his resurrection,

we await his coming in glory.

Christ is the bread of life:

When we eat this bread and drink this cup,

we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus,

until you come in glory.

The minister continues:

Gracious God,

pour out your Holy Spirit upon us

and upon these your gifts of bread and wine,

that the bread we break

and the cup we bless

may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ,

that we may be one with all who share this feast,

united in ministry in every place.

As this bread is Christ’s body for us,

send us out to be the body of Christ in the world.

Intercessions for the church and the world may be included here.

Strengthen us, O God, in the power of your Spirit

to bring good news to the poor

and lift blind eyes to sight,

to loose the chains that bind

and claim your blessing for all people.

Keep us faithful in your service

until Christ comes in final victory,

and we shall feast with all your saints

in the joy of your eternal realm.

Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all glory and honor are yours, almighty God,

now and forever. Amen. [133

Advent Narrative Lectionary: Dec 9th Esther

Advent Candles Liturgy with Taize & O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Scripture

Call to Worship

Lord give us peace

Draw us to you God

Our hope is in the Lord

From this time on and forevermore

Light us with your love God

Come let us worship the king of Peace

What do we hope for?

We hope for peace at such a time as this.

Who is our God?

Our God is the God of Peace, let us worship his holy name

How do we know this is God’ time?

There is a time for everything

Even in such a time as this?

Whatever God does endures forever, Come let us watch for God together

Prayer of Confession: Dear God, we confess that we get so busy that we forget. We forget to look for God and we forget to take time to practice peace. Forgive God, we pray. Amean

God of Peace, we have to admit are not a people of peace. We are more into plucking up than planting. We see more times to tear than times to sew. We pray that you teach us more about the time for peace.

Lord God, some days we have nothing but bad timing. Whatever we do is wrong and whatever we say is wrong, and we can’t find the right timing. Help us, we pray. Help us when we are fumbling for the right time. Help us when we feel so full of wrong that peace seems impossible. Gift us with your presence and fill us with your love and peace we pray.

Assurance of Pardon: Our God will give us peace beyond understanding, thus in that promise we can know the truth. In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of Dedication/Closing Prayer: Send us into your world as a people of Peace we pray. Amen

God, grant us enough hope that we can continue to pursue peace, we pray. Amen.

Food for Thought

Hymns

Advent Hymn to Silent Night: Good of Peace and Away in the Manger: God the Weaver

Sunday School Ideas: Draw times of Day, Create an Advent Calendar and talk about Time, Brainstorm acts of Peace

Narrative Lectionary Advent Candles

Light Hope, Peace, Joy, Love, Christ

Advent 1 Hope Habbakkuk 1:1-7, 2:1-4, 3:3-6; 3:17-19

How long shall I cry for help?

Hope is on the way. O Come Emmanuel

here is destruction and violence in the world, will justice ever prevail?

(Optional Hymns: Wait for the Lord Taize or O Come, O Come Emmanuel

https://hymnary.org/text/o_come_o_come_emmanuel_and_ransom

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel)

Look nations! Be astonished! Be astounded. Already work is being done that you would not believe if you were told! Have faith, have hope.

Have Faith, for faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of the things not seen. Let us practice faith & hope together.

Advent 2

How long shall I cry for help?

Peace is on the way. O Come Emmanuel

People are being tortured unjustly, is this the time for peace?

(Optional Hymns: Taize: My Peace I give you O Come O Come Emmanuel

https://hymnary.org/text/o_come_o_come_emmanuel_and_ransom

O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.)

For such a time as this, salvation will come from one corner or another.

Come, Take heart, this is the time to be brave peace-creators, like Esther. Come, let us sow the seeds of peace.

Advent 3 Joy

How long shall I cry for help?

Joy is on the way. O Come Emmanuel

Can joy be heard? Where is one who will not break, one who cannot be crushed?

(Optional Hymns: Taize Laudate Dominum or O Come, O Come Emmanuel

https://hymnary.org/text/o_come_o_come_emmanuel_and_ransom

O come, Thou DaySpring Come and Cheer
Our Spirits by Thine Advent here!
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night!
and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel)

The Lord calls us into righteousness, God takes us by the hand, and keeps us.

God who gives breath to the people of earth, and the spirit to walk in it, forging covenants of peace that will be a light to the nations.

Advent 4

How long shall I cry for help?

Love is on the way. O Come Emmanuel

Can Love be felt?

(Optional Hymns: Taize Nothing Can Ever Come Between Us and The Love of God or O Come, O Come Emmanuel

https://hymnary.org/text/o_come_o_come_emmanuel_and_ransom

O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel)

Fear not, for one shall conceive and bear son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, God with us.

God so loved the world he sent his only begotten son, Jesus, who came not to condemn the world, but to save us, Jesus will save his people from his sins.

Christmas Candle

How long shall I cry for help?

Christ is on the way. O Come Emmanuel

Can Christ be here?

(Optional Hymns: Taize Christe Luxe Mundi or O Come O Come Emmanuel or God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

https://hymnary.org/text/o_come_o_come_emmanuel_and_ransom

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel)

Go, and know this will be a sign to you, for you will find a child lying in a manger.

And we will know good news of great joy for all people, for unto us is born to us is the Messiah, the Immanuel, the Wonderful Counselor, the Strength of God, The Eternal Protector, the Champion of Peace.

(Translation of Text from Illustrated Children’s Ministry)

#Advent Hymn to the tune of #AwayinaManger God the Weaver based on NL

God the Weaver

words by Katy Stenta

Can be sung to either tune of Away in the Manger

(Habakkuk 1:5-7)

Look at the nations, be astonished and see!
A work is being woven
That you’d not believe
The Son of Salvation is promised to come
And stay with us present, and lead us all home

(Isaiah 42:1-9)

God send us your servant, in whom you delight
Let justice be woven
An’ covenants of light
God who stretched heavens & birthed us with love Give light to the nations being taught from above.
(Psalm 139 and Matthew 1:21-22)

Come God and be with us, through babe ‘mmanuel
Let your child be woven
a child in the womb, Hold fast with your left hand and lead with your right So we can know your Son and name him aright

#Advent Hymn tune of #SilentNight “#God of #Peace”

via #Advent Hymn tune of #SilentNight “#God of #Peace”‘

*Hymn “God of Peace” to tune of Silent Night

words by Pastor Katy Stenta

God of peace, God of life

Prophesy, Give your breath

Teach us how to make dry bones dance

Reveal to us your abundance

Be our God, evermore, Be, Our God evermore

God of peace, God of life

Dwell with us, in our breath

Make us prophets and dreamers all

Come to us, Emmanual

Come be with us Lord, Come be with us Lord

God of peace, God of life

King of Peace, Light of Light

Send to us your only son

Redeem us all, with the promised one

Jesus our savior, Jesus our Savior

Seeds: Liturgy Resource Dec. 2 Narrative Lectionary

Habakkuk 1:1-7; 2:1-4; 3:3-6; 3:17-19 and Matthew 26:36-38

Optional Additional Text: Hebrews 11
https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3837
http://www.aplainaccount.org/copy-of-proper-26c-gospel-1/
with particular attention to the historical setting of Habakkuk 2: https://www.patheos.com/progressive-christian/righteous-faithfulness-john-holbert-10-28-2013.aspx?p=2
the current time and the appointed time: http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1875
having faith for survival in this life v. Paul’s “have faith” for life eternal’http://homebynow.blogspot.com/2013/10/contemporary-and-awful-and-faithful.html
Further commentary on Habakkuk 1-2, some of which also include mention of chapter 3 http://www.textweek.com/prophets/hab1_2.htm
Themes include
Resisting/protesting/lamenting oppression
Waiting on/believing in God
God promising (eventual) victory
2:3-it will not delay=אָחַר ʼâchar, aw-khar’; a primitive root; to loiter (i.e. be behind); by implication to procrastinate:—continue, defer, delay, hinder, be late (slack), stay (there), tarry (longer).
As my psychologist husband says, “Waiting is hard, but It’s part of growing up”—maybe for the church as well as for individuals! Two part statement: waiting is hard, and that waiting matures us (despite the immediacy encouraged by commercialism, esp in the context of Christmas…)
These readings also remind me of the story of a child telling his mother he was late home because his friend’s dog died. When his mother asked what he did, he said he sat with his friend to cry with him. So often we are either impatient with others when they are dealing with the tough stuff of life or we hear their pain too loudly and respond by wanting them to just stop crying instead of helping them cry/pray/protest/lament.
Materials below are related to the need to lament.
My worship prof at Emory, Don Saliers, was deeply committed to the need to lament as well as praise. See
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zApUM3cry9o Don E. Saliers as the 2018 Rodney and Lorna Sawatsky Visiting Scholar. Don offered a public lecture titled, “Psalms in a Difficult Time: the Rhythms of Doxology and Lament,” on Thursday, February 15, 2018.
http://www.praytellblog.com/index.php/2018/01/15/amen-corner-psalms-in-a-time-of-violence/ From the journal Worship, also Don Saliers, about denying lament

https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=yjmr

Abstract
Where are worshipers in Christian communities to go with their experiences and observations of violence, injustice, and other forms of suffering? Historically, a central source of realistic faith-based responses to tragedy has been the Psalter, broadly defined as a set of biblical psalms arranged by date to be individually and collectively read, sung, and prayed. Recent scholarship on psalms has focused on lament and complaint, and questions regarding the presence of trauma and violence in religious traditions have shown such psalms to be particularly relevant to contemporary culture.

This article (also by Saliers) examines three “psalms of lament,” Psalms 13, 42/43, and 88, discussing their implications for communal acts of worship, the development of critical theological skills in worshipers, and neglected dimensions of liturgical theological work. It argues that psalms of lament and protest, used liturgically, can enhance a congregation’s practices of truth telling, integrating life events with expressions of faith, and situating individual and communal experiences of suffering within the context of church history. Issues affecting the “performance practice” of liturgical psalms are also addressed, such as problematic content in imprecatory psalms (i.e., Psalm 137), discrepancies in the musical settings of lament and praise psalms, and styles of prayer and scripture engagement with or without the influence of lament psalms.

Another set of Lament materials is the online Material for lament from Lyrics of Lament: From Tragedy to Transformation by Nancy C. Lee, Ph.D. at http://store.fortresspress.com/media/downloads/9780800663018WebLinksLyricsofLamentnew.pdf
It includes Lamentation poetry https://www.poetryinternationalweb.net/pi/site/search/index
And recent contexts of lament: http://observers.france24.com/content/20110606-graffiti-artists-show-support-tunisian-revolution article: Graffiti artists in the Tunisian revolution
It gives website links for performances and texts of lament poems, songs and related information (most works referenced in Lyrics of Lament, according to chapters): Book Introduction; Chapter 1 From Dust to Dust—Common Ground: Suffering Is Universal; Chapter 2 Features of “Traditional” Lament across Cultures; Chapter 3 The Grounding of Lament in the Hebrew Bible; Chapter 4 Lament as Prayerful Plea in the Abrahamic Sacred Texts; Chapter 5 Lament, the Prophetic Vision, and Social Justice; Chapter 6 Laments of the People; Chapter 7 Developing Constructive Lament: Mourning and Nonviolent Justice; and Chapter 8 From Tragedy to Transformation.
The book itself can be previewed at https://books.google.com/books?id=9SKQLKbDbZIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=lyrics+of+lament&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwij8LT-jfHeAhWIjFkKHfFlDK4Q6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=lyrics%20of%20lament&f=false
Psalms of Lament original psalms by Ann Weems is also available to preview at https://books.google.com/books?id=9qB1BwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=psalms+of+lament&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiM39erivHeAhWLwFkKHb2IDrwQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=psalms%20of%20lament&f=false
Suggested related readings:
Psalm 119:137-144 provides an immediate response. The readings and gather will slowly grow until the story of Zacchaeus from Luke 19:1-10. The Habakkuk reading prepares the congregation to hear, “The Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost” – itself a wonderful introduction to the Invitation to the Great Thanksgiving, the Holy Eucharist.
The key words here (one word in Hebrew, moed) are “appointed time.” This word in Hebrew is used to designate festival times in Israel’s worship (Leviticus 23:2), a time of birth (Genesis 17:21; 18:14; 21:2), seasonal migration (Jeremiah 8:7), and, yes, the end time (Daniel 8:19).
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4,11-12 “Trouble and anguish” also pervade 2 Thessalonians, but here it is the “persecutions and afflictions” that thefaithful suffer through while waiting for the imminent return of Jesus. But here, the suffering has a direct purpose: “to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering.”

The first section “how long, O Lord” stands in a tradition of other complaint passages in the Hebrew Scriptures. Here are some examples:
Pss. 13:1-2
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I bear pain in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Psalm 62:3
3 How long will you assail a person,
will you batter your victim, all of you,
as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

Job 19:2
2 “How long will you torment me,
and break me in pieces with words?

Hymns:
These are right out of this text, though some of the verses/words are archaic https://hymnary.org/text/although_the_vine_its_fruit_deny_the_bud
I was going to play with updating the words for this (last) one, but the meter is 8.8.6.8.8.6 and none of the hymnary tunes are familiar to me—even the one that appeared in 96 hymnals!
Here’s another archaic/right out of the text one: https://hymnary.org/text/thy_speech_o_lord_i_heard_with_fear
Advent hymns that have themes that overlap the above (themes of waiting, darkness/time arriving)
https://hymnary.org/text/comfort_comfort_now_my_people
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c_tGiFlps8 People, Look East, The time is near Themes of waiting/time arriving
https://hymnary.org/text/rejoice_rejoice_believers_and_let_your_l
https://hymnary.org/text/i_heard_the_bells_on_christmas_day
http://www.pateys.nf.ca/cgi-bin/lyrics.pl?hymnnumber=140 (Slaughter of the Innocents). See also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-TxynHCzrM
https://hymnary.org/text/in_the_bleak_midwinter

Non-seasonal hymns
https://hymnary.org/text/god_the_omnipotent_king_who_ordainest
https://hymnary.org/text/o_god_of_every_nation#authority_media_flexscores

Communal psalms of lament may also be helpful in finding hymns; try these in your hymnal index:
Psalm 44
Psalm 60
Psalm 74
Psalm 79
Psalm 80
Psalm 85
Psalm 90
Saliers’ work (cited above) adds Psalm 13, 88 and 137; Psalm 18 talks about hinds’ feet in high places.

Seeds: Narrative Lectionary Resource 11/18 Swords into Plowshares

Isaiah 36:1-3, 13-20; 37:1-7; then 2:1-4

There are two entries about this text at the Narrative Lectionary/Working Preacher site.
2018
http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3835
2014
https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2236

While the lectionary adds in verses from Chapter 2 about beating swords into ploughshares, I find myself wondering if this provides too ready a solution to the situation, moving from a threat to morale and from the military to a time when might will not dictate right, but without necessarily addressing the time now/between now and then.
I have to admit to not being too fond of taking chapters out of order in this way, either.

In chapters 36 and 37, the king of Assyria, rather than defeating Israel in battle, seeks to conquer them by making them disbelieve God’s power and support. Take away the people’s hope/vision and it won’t matter what you do to them after that.

Why does the Assyrian king talk instead of fighting, especially when he apparently has the military advantage? Maybe he figures he can defeat the Israelites for all time at less cost if they give up hope. Without hopes/dreams, we are lost.

While in the lectionary the text is paired with Matthew 5:14 about being the light of the world/city on a hill, I find myself thinking of other passages.

Psalm 138 talks about kings who, like Hezekiah, rely on God
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+138&version=NRSV

2 Timothy 4:1-5 about the people having “itching ears,” hearing what they want to hear
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4&version=NRSV

In John, Jesus praises those who believe without seeing. In a sense, the king of Assyria is contrasting his own visible, physical rule with that of the (unseen) god of Hezekiah that must be believed without being as visible.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+20%3A26-29&version=NRSV

Below are angles on the king of Assyria’s attempt to kill the Israelites’ hope

See Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+13%3A12&version=NRSV

and Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision/hope, the people perish
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+29%3A18&version=KJV
Also see Langston Hughes’ poem, “Harlem,” which begins: What happens to a dream deferred?
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46548/harlem
and this piece emphasizing “when your dreams meet reality, choose hope”

Click to access 2551.pdf

In Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” hell is the place where all hope is abandoned
Maybe abandoning all hope = hell
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/abandon+hope%2C+all+ye+who+enter+here
Liturgical resources related to this aspect of the passage

Collect/invocation:
O God of Israel, Hezekiah, and Isaiah,
who sustained the hope of your people Israel,
threatened by Assyria’s words and weapons
embolden us to face all threats to our faith and hope,
that we can serve and praise you with our whole selves for our whole lives.
Amen.

Confession of Sin (the refrain is from Isaiah 37: 31, Isaiah’s prophecy to Hezekiah)

O God, you shatter the powers of this world.

You conquer all that separates us from you and from one another.

Yet we remain captive to doubt and fear.

When the problems of the world and our own problems overwhelm us, forgive us.