Home Church, Advent 3, December 12, 2021, Rev. Karen Hollis

Home Church, Advent 3, December 12, 2021, Rev. Karen Hollis

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

Preparing the Space Around Us

Welcome if you are gathering on zoom or if you are worshipping at home with the bulletin. We are one community and all part of the body of Christ. I invite you to prepare the space around you so that for the next hour you can be fully in this worship experience, not to keep out the realities of the world, rather to focus us in the midst of it all on God. If you need to go and get something or shift something around you, feel free. We are in the season of Advent; it is a season of presence . . . of watching and waiting  . . of spaciousness . . . of preparing. Welcome to this space where God will be born anew; welcome to the season of Advent and the gifts that are awaiting you here. 

Preparing the Space within Us

Let us prepare now the space within us for a time of worship. I invite you to sit quietly, perhaps with feet on the floor, taking a couple of deep breaths and bring yourself into this moment. Open yourself to the presence of God who is with us and within us . . . as you intentionally open yourself to God, open yourself also to what you need from this time of worship.

Prelude: Here We Come a Wassailing -Turner Ivany

Greeting                                                         
One:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, 

          and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:    And also with you       

Call to Worship  -   Enfleshed

One:  Amidst our yearning for violent systems to fall,

All:    The Liberating God plots with us ways of mutuality.

One:  Amidst our heartbreak and our mourning for the dead,

All:    The Living God breathes life into relationships of care.

One:  Whenever we move towards liberation and community,

All:    The Celebrating God rejoices over us in singing.

One:  Whenever we reject schemes manufactured in the halls of power,

All:    The Another-Way God meets us with creativity.

One:  Thanks be to God, who joins us in our struggles

All:    and who dances with us in our joy

Advent Candle Lighting - Carol & Brad

Hymn: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel v. 1&6 - VU #1

1O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

6 O come, O Dayspring, from on high,

and cheer us by your drawing nigh;

disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

and death's dark shadows put to flight. Refrain

Prayer of Confession and Emptying                     

God, we come before you with our worries and anxieties, our feelings of loneliness and helplessness, our desire to manage and control; we acknowledge how difficult it is to wrap our minds around the state of the world and continue to surrender to its reality. Help us to distinguish between things can and cannot control and give us grace to let go. 

Palms Down Palms Up Prayer -  fr Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline

Release Begin by placing your palms down as a symbolic indication of your desire to turn over any concerns you may have to God. Inwardly you may pray, ‘God, I release my control (anxiety, fear) over _____.’ Whatever it is that weighs on your mind or is a concern to you… release it. You may even feel a certain sense of release in your hands.

Receive After several moments of surrender, turn you palms up as a symbol of your desire to receive from God.  Perhaps you will pray silently, ‘God, I would like to receive your peace (your patience, your joy).’

Commune Having centered down, spend the remaining moments in silence and stillness. Do not ask for anything.  Allow God to commune with you, to love you.

Assurance of Grace

Every day and in every season, God’s peace, stillness and assurance meets us where we are. This space is always available to us as an inner resource as we navigate this ever-changing world. Thanks be to God!

Peace of Christ 

I invite you to unmute your microphones for the passing of the peace. Even as these COVID Sundays continue on, we show up and be community for one another. Here in this season of Advent, as we wait for God to show up in a new way, as we wait for our own ability to gather in a new way, let us celebrate the peace Christ brings, however and whenever we gather. Those at the end of the alphabet, please join me in saying:

            N-Z: The Peace of Christ be with you!

            A-M: And also with you!

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20 -  Lisa Griffith

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.    

Isaiah’s Song of Thanks (Isaiah 12:2-6, Voices United) - Lisa Griffith

I will praise you, O God,

       for though you were angry with me,

       your anger turned away, and you comforted me.

Surely God is my salvation.

I will trust and not be afraid,

       for you, God, are my strength and might;

       you show yourself my saviour.

With joy we draw water from the wells of salvation.

       Give thanks and call on God’s name.

Make known God’s deeds among the nations;

       proclaim that God’s name is exalted.

Sing praises to God, whose work is glorious;

let it be known in all the earth.

       Shout for joy, you who dwell in Zion,

       for the Holy One of Israel is majestic among you.

Gospel Reading - Don Moser

One:  God be with you.           

All:    And also with you.

One:  The Good News of Jesus Christ according to Luke;

All:    Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 3:7-18 (NRSV) 

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

One: This is the Gospel of Christ; 

All:   Praise be to Jesus Christ

Reflection                     

Silent Reflection

Apostle’s Creed

Let us affirm our faith . . . 

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers of the People  -  Betty Schultze

One:  Loving God,

All:    Hear Our Prayer

Lord’s Prayer - New Zealand Prayer Book – Jim Cotter

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, 

Source of all that is and that shall be, 

Father and Mother of us all, 

Loving God, in whom is heaven: 

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! 

The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! 

Your commonwealth of peace and freedom 

sustain our hope and come on earth. 

With the bread we need for today, feed us. 

in the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. 

In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. 

From trials too great to endure, spare us. 

From the grip of all that is evil, free us. 

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, 

now and for ever. Amen

Offering - Sally Bullas

Offering Prayer                     

You are present in the joy, O God, when we gather together, when we connect with one another, when we pray together, laugh together, do meaningful work, and find our own place of belonging. Thank you for your invitation into joy, particularly the joy of service, which is mysterious as it is powerful. We offer ourselves to your service in Christ's name. Amen

Hymn: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus - VU #2

1 Come, thou long-expected Jesus

born to set thy people free;

from our fears and sins release us,

let us find our rest in thee.

2 Israel's strength and consolation,

hope of all the earth thou art,

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart.

3 Born thy people to deliver,

born a child and yet a King,

born to reign in us forever,

now thy gracious kingdom bring.

4 By thine own eternal Spirit

rule in all our hearts alone;

by thine all-sufficient merit,

raise us to thy glorious throne.

Blessing  - Iona Community

If you are with another person, you’re invited to bless each other, taking every other line.

One:      The Creator’s blessing be yours on your road, on your journey, guiding you, cherishing you.

A-M:      The Son’s blessing be yours, wine and water, bread and stories, feeding you, challenging you.

N-Z:       The Spirit’s blessing be yours, wind and fire, joy and wisdom, comforting you, disturbing you.

All:        The Angel’s blessing be yours, on your house, on your  living, guarding you, encouraging you. Let us walk         together, a community on a journey, sustained in God’s blessing. Amen!

One:      Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:        Thanks be to God! Alleluia!