Tag: City on a Hill

Dec 4th Love and Justice

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

Dec. 4
Esther Love Candle
Esther 4:1-17
For Such a Time as This, Esther was Made Queen
Matthew 5:13-16 Salt and Light 
Psalm 89:1-13

Advent Candles Liturgy

Topical Prayer: Love, A Prayer for Such a Time as This

Call to Worship
God we need your justice
For such a time as this to light our way
When salt and light is not enough, Jesus we need you
Come, let us look for God
God we are looking for your love
Come, let us love God together

Call to Confession: God you call to your love in the good and the bad times. Come let ourselves to God

Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that it is hard to come to you in uncertain times. How can anything be worthy of love at such a time as this? Who can sort out there feelings in this mess? We want time, to clean up, to get things in order, to research, to know things. God, you remind us that you are the city on the hill, not us. You are the salt in our food, not us. Be our salt and light, and remind us that we are allowed to be a mess and still love we pray. Amen

Assurance of Pardon: Jesus comes in the midst of emergencies, full of grace, so we know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven, right now. Amen. 

Prayer of the Day, Dedication: God, remind us the Grace does not wait, because we need its immediacy. Let us go forth full of grace we pray. Let it spill from our hands, our mouths and feet as we go, so that we may become the very embodiment of your love. May this be our prayer as we go about the world. Amen.

Hymns: We Are One In the Spirit, Here I am Lord, O Come O Come Emmanuel, I Love the Lord Who Heard My Cry, I Wonder as I Wander, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

With Children: Warm Fuzzies https://reenchantements.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/warm-fuzzy-tale.pdf Sharing Love vs. Hate in times of Trial
I feel its very important to note that we call Dandelion fuzz: Wishies in my family and also link “warm fuzzies” to dandelion seeds

Image

Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologianthrough donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Full Extended Advent Resource

Nov 20th Christ the King/Light Sunday

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

November 20th Christ the King Sunday
Swords into Plowshares (Thanksgiving?): Light
Isaiah 36 1:3, 13-20, 37:1-7, 2:1-4 Swords into Plowshares
Matt 5:14 Light of the World City on the Hill
Psalm 131

Call to Worship 
Come let us go to the mountain of the Lord
That God may teach us God’s ways
For out of Zion shall come instruction and light, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem
Come, the Lord’s House will be established, and peoples will stream to it
They shall beat their swords into poughshares, and know peace
Come let us find peace, and learn war no more in the God’s place

Call to Confession: Come let us draw ourselves closer to God with our confession

Prayer of Confession: God, we long to be a part of your City on the Hill. We confess that this longing is so deep that sometimes we try to manufacture it here on earth. We also confess that we do not have the patience to plant and grow peace. We do not want to wait for people to stream to God, we do not want to see God’s city come. We do not have the patience for God to open our eyes. It all seems really hard. Encourage us, Enlighten us, Imbue us with peace we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God’s peace is from everlasting to everlasting. Know then the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Let us go forward knowing that God is the City on the Hill, not us. God is helping us to plant the peace that is needed. Let us go forward ready to build the tools of peace. Amen

Hymns: I’ve Got Peace Like a River,  Crown Him with Many Crowns, Jesus Priceless Treasure, Lord Make us Servants of Your Peace, O Day of Peace, Song of Hope, Near to the Heart of God, As Deer Long for The Streams, For the Fruit of All Creation, Let All Things Now Living, We Plow the Fields and Scatter

With Children: Talk about how peace is hard work, and how war is built on hate/fear, and what the tools of peace might be “Harold’s Fairy Tale”

Harold and the Purple Crayon Book Featuring Harold drawing a Crayon

Image: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/harolds-fairy-tale-further-adventures-with-the-purple-crayon_crockett-johnson/403566/item/70790/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqoibBhDUARIsAH2OpWg5QyBw_HnoXPv16N2_WQ-o2VHHTQ19pBZe7JFOEeAftSrrGWim_GoaAtFcEALw_wcB#idiq=70790&edition=2339925

Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologianthrough donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Full Extended Advent Resource