Hybrid Church December 10, 2023 Second Sunday of Advent Eucaharist

Hybrid Church

December 10, 2023

Second Sunday of Advent

Rev. Sally Bullas

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

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!

Welcome & Announcements

Whether you are gathering in person, on Zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ. 

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

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

All:         And also with you

Lighting the Candle of Peace: 

One:    Arise, take courage, and catch a glimpse of peace!

All:    The warm glow of the Divine lightens our hearts.

One:    We are together, not alone. In spirit and in community we gather on this second Sunday in Advent in solidarity and with courage to partner for a world full of peace where all of creation will flourish. Our witness is to and for peace.
                        (The candles of Hope and Peace are lit)

Testimony of Peace:

An invitation for someone to briefly share their story of solidarity and courage in working for peace: how it took shape or became real (or is becoming)... don’t know who as yet.

And Our Response:

All:   Peace is real and possible.  In solidarity, we pray, work, and wait for its blossoming.

And We pray

One:    God-of-peace-and-possibility, kindle in the hearts of all compassion and love so that goodness, just deeds, the common good, and trust may flourish. Bless and gift all with hope for a future of peace built on justice for all. In the name of the Child, the peaceful one.

Hymn:             When Hands Reach Out Beyond Divides              MV#169                                   

Opening Words                                                         (From “Gathering,” George Allan, adapted)
One:    We gather in this time of waiting we call Advent to reflect upon our lives, our faith, our past, present, and future.  
All:      We gather to support each other through the coming season of Christmas, with its joy for some, sorrow for others.  

One:    We gather to reset ourselves on our faith journey within our                                     Christian family, the church. 

All:      Let us come before God, who gives us Jesus, the Christ,                                    alive in the past, in the present, and in the future.

One:    Thanks be to God!

Response:     Hope is a Star                                                                        VU#7 vs 2

  Opening Prayer    

                                                    (From “Gathering,” David Sparks, adapted)
One:    We want to be ready for the coming of Jesus; be with us, Loving God.

All:      Encourage us to take time for our spiritual health.

One:    Remind us to look out for the needs of family members and friends.

All:       Show us what we can usefully give to the life of this faith community.

One:    Alert us to the crying needs of the world that call out for our support.

All:      Guide us to nourish our spirits with calm and quiet waiting.

One:    Make us ready to act with compassion for ourselves and for any who are sick and downhearted.

All:       Help us express our readiness as we work co-operatively with faith community members.

One:    For we rejoice in what we can do together in response to the needs of our suffering world.

All:      We are ready, O God.

All:      We are ready because we know your peace.  Amen.

As a Shared Ministry—We Covenant in Peace:

            We, Christ Church Gabriola, followers of Jesus Christ in a  shared Anglican and United Church ministry, covenant as a community with You: to CONNECT with each other and our neighbours  by welcoming and integrating into our community all persons as Your children by lovingly supporting each other as we grow in Christ,                                    creating opportunities to connect with each other in fellowship by finding ways to become more multi-generational by sharing the good news of Your love with everyone

Passing of the Peace

One:    The Peace of Christ be with you.

All:      And also with you.

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace. Those on zoom, please unmute and share with one another.

Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may               hear your Word today and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s                        name we pray. Amen

Gospel Reading:                                                       Reader:                

As is your custom, please stand or sit for the reading of the gospel. 

Reader: God be with you.  
All:      And also with you

Reader: The Good News of Jesus the Christ according to Mark

All:      Glory to you, Christ Jesus.

Mark 1:1-8

Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

All:                  Praise be to Jesus Christ       

Reflection:                  “Prepare the Way”  Sally Bullus

Hymn:             It Came upon the Midnight Clear                                        VU#44

Offering

Doxology       VU#218 vs 1

We praise you, O God, our Redeemer, Creator; 

in grateful devotion our tribute we bring.  

We lay it before you; we kneel and adore you;

we bless your holy name, glad praises we sing.

Offering Prayer                                                         (From “Gathering,” Andrea Allan, adapted)

One:    O Living God, we thank you for your constant presence in our  lives.

All:      In response to the constant blessings you give, we offer you our gifts today.

One:    Accept our offerings of time, talents, and treasures that they  may further your work here on earth so that one day all will truly know your peace.

All:      Amen.

Prayers of the People                                                                                                      

One:    

All:      Hear Our Prayers

Communion Hymn:  Put Peace into Each Other’s Hands  MV#173  (Verses 1,2,3,4a,5a)

A New Creed   VU#918

We Celebrate at the Table

One:    May you know that the God of comfort is with you…
All:                  and may you see the God of hope with you.
One:    Open wide anxious hearts!
All:                  We open them to God’s peace.
One:    Let us give thanks and share our joy.
All:                  In this space and time, we offer God our love and praise.

One:    This meal unites us as the children of God, followers of  Jesus…

All:      and companions with one another.

Sanctus                                                                                                                                                          MV#203

O holy, holy holy God, O God of time and space.

All earth and sea and sky above bear witness to your grace.

Hosanna in the highest heav’n, creation sings your praise.

And blessed is the One who comes and bears your name always.

One:    The dawn of hope rests on the horizon…
All:                  and beams of love reach our doubting hearts.
One:    We celebrate the newness of this season…
All:                  waiting to see how the Christ will appear in our world.
One:    Even in our despair, a glimmer of hope reaches into our  twilight,
All:                  beckoning us to breathe and wait…

Memorial Acclamation                                                                                                         MV#204

Sing Christ has died and Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

Sing Christ has died and Christ is risen, Christ will come again!                     

One:    Our story tells us that the Christ child whose birth we anticipate
                        will one day sit at tables with strangers and friends, 
All:                  building relationships filled with love and grace.  
One:    We see this as he fed the multitude,
All:                  turned water into wine,
One:    and ate with dear ones the night before his death.

One:    He took the bread, blessed it, and broke it. 
                        (bread it broken)
All:                  “Eat in remembrance of me,” he said.

One:    He took the cup, and in his blessing…
                        (wine is poured)
All:                  reminded them that when they sipped from the fruit of the vine to drink in remembrance of him.

One:    Jesus.  The Christ.  Emmanuel – God with us.
All:                  Light of the World.  The Word of Life.
One:    No matter how we know him, or what name we call him,
All:                  Christ is our hope, our peace, our joy, and our love.
One:    May the Spirit bless us and these elements as we commune                                     and remember.

 

The Prayer of Jesus                 VU#959 

            Our Father in heaven, 
            hallowed be your name,

            your kin-dom come, 
            your will be done
            on earth as in heaven.

            Give us today our daily bread.

            Forgive us our sins

            as we forgive
            those who sin against us.

            Save us from the time of trial

            and deliver us from evil

            for the kin-dom, the power
            and the glory are yours,

            now and forever.

Communion is Served:

            The bread of life!

            The cup of blessing!

Prayer After Communion:

One:    For the nourishment of spirit, mind, and body,
All:                  for hope that we begin to see,
One:    and for comfort from the Prince of Peace,
All:                  we share our gratitude, Gracious God.
One:    Encourage us in these shortened days.
All:                  Through the long nights of this season.
One:    May your hope carry us until dawn arrives again.

All:                  Amen.

Hymn:     Infant Holy, Infant Lowly                                                    VU#58

Thank You

Blessing                                                                                 (From “Gathering,” Kim Falls, adapted)

One:    Let us go now in peace and with confidence!
All:      May God bless us with holy peace and gift us with open hearts to give and to receive blessing.  
One:    Go joyfully from this place to love and serve  God.
All:      Allelujah and Amen!

 

(The Advent communion liturgy is adapted from a service written by Rev. Michelle Torigian, United Church of Christ, https://michelletorigian.com/tag/advent-prayers/ )