Hybrid Worship Service, November 16,2025

 Hybrid Worship

30 November 2025

Words for Worship

Words of response are in bold & italics

Prelude

Gathering

Call to Worship

On Sundays and Mondays, on good days and bad days,

early in the morning and very late at night,

here in this room, and out in the world,

God, we long for you to break in.

Meet us in this space. Surprise us with your presence.

Fill this room with your Good News.

With hope - we sing, we worship, we pray. Amen!

Acknowledging the Land & Candle Lighting

As we gather to worship together, let us respectfully pause to remember the original peoples, the Snuneymuxw First Nation as the traditional custodians of the Gabriola Island. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land and sea. If we listen, we may hear the calling of the eternal Spirit.

We commit ourselves to work for justice, reconciliation

and care of the earth.

Lighting this candle, we draw near to God and to one another.  

We are here. God is here.

This space is holy ground.

Hymn: God of Still Waiting                                                    MV #20

Lighting the Advent Candle

In a world full of fear, where do you see hope?

We see hope when we look to the next generation.

We feel hopeful when we gather together.

We know hope, deep in our bones,

When we dream of a better world.

You are right. Even in a fearful world, hope is all around us.

Today we light the candle of hope as a reminder of this good news.

May this flicker of light help us remember that we have reason to hope. (Light candle.)

We thank God for the light of hope!

Hymn: Hope Is a Star (vs. 1)                                                    VU #7

Hope is a star that shines in the night,

Leading us on till the morning is bright.

When God is a child there’s joy in our song.

The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,

And none shall be afraid.

Prayer for Reconciliation

Ever-present God, we long to feel you close. We long to feel your presence in our lives. We long for you to break through the chaos and suffering of this world. However, if we’re honest, we rarely stand still long enough to feel you in our midst.

Forgive our rushing and distractions.

Forgive our wandering hearts and center us in this space.

Remind us that even in the time of Herod,

even on the longest nights, you are always there. Amen.

Words of Forgiveness

People of faith, even when we doubt God’s presence,

even when we fail to notice God’s fingerprints in this world,

God is always moving closer to us.

Hear and believe the good news this Advent season:

Nothing can keep God’s love away.

We are seen. We are forgiven. We are not alone. Amen.

Affirmation of Faith

We have seen the valley. We have seen a sky without stars.

We have seen the longest night, and still we believe.

We believe in a with-us God.

We believe in the hope of tomorrow.

We believe that good news is louder than fear.

We believe this good news is for all people.

So even when our knees shake, even when our voice trembles,

even when fear is all around us,

we will hold onto that good news.

We will reach for each other.

We will look for God in our midst.

We will sing songs of joy.

We will proclaim: Unto us, love is born.

We have seen the longest night,

and we have seen unimaginable love.

So still, we believe. Amen.

Prayer Before the Reading of Scripture

Scripture Reading:                                               Reader: Corinne Carlson

Lamentations 3:55-57            (New revised Standard Version, Updated Edition)

Do not fear

I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, “Do not close your ear to my cry for help, but give me relief!” You came near when I called on you; you said, “Do not fear!”

This is God’s Word.

We open our hearts to this Word today!

Gospel Reading                                                   Reader: Corinne Carlson                           

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

God be with you.

And also with you

The Good News of Jesus the Christ according to Luke.

Glory to you, Christ Jesus

Luke 1:5-13                                                                       (The Message)

In the time of Herod

During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God. But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old.

It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment, it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense. The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering. Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.

But the angel reassured him, “Don’t fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. You’re going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you - many will delight in his birth. He’ll achieve great stature with God.

“He’ll drink neither wine nor beer. He’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment he leaves his mother’s womb. He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God. He will herald God’s arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics - he’ll get the people ready for God.”

This is the Gospel of Christ.

We open our hearts to Good News today!

Word: In the time of Herod

Hymn of Response: In the Time of Herod                    (tune: Cranham)  

         (Hymn text by Rev. Anna Strickland | A Sanctified Art, LLC | sanctifiedart.org)

In the time of Herod, fear had taken hold,
hope was buried deep - and hidden, rare as gold.
Ordinary people dared not speak aloud.
Dreams of the Messiah breaking through the clouds.

Thick as fog the fear grew, slowly creeping in.
Day by day the people bent and drew within.
With the clouds so heavy, who could see the stars?
Hopelessness had trapped them, strong as prison bars.

Piercing through the darkness comes the angels’ song:
“Do not fear!” rings hollow, when we’ve feared so long.
Still, in the recesses of our weary souls
something is awakened - could it be our hope?

In the time of Herod, fear has taken hold,
still we share a longing for a glimpse of hope.
Ordinary people shout the truth we trust:
God will stop at nothing to be here with us!

Offering

Prayer of Dedication

God of hope, in a world that trembles with fear,

we dare to believe that Your light will shine.

Take these gifts and use them to break through despair with hope, through darkness with light, through fear with love. Amen.

Life & Work of the Church

Prayers of the People                                                       Betty Schultze

Loving God

            Hear our prayer.

Prayer Response:  Kindle a Flame                                        VU #19

Kindle a flame to lighten the dark

and take all fear away.

The Prayer of Jesus

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.

Closing Words

Hymn: All Earth is Waiting                                                       VU #5

SENDING & BLESSING

In a fearful world, may you look for God’s spirit.

May you reach for each other’s hands.

May you choose courage whenever you can.

And in all things, may you remember that good news is louder than fear.

In the name of the one who calls, the one who sends,

and the one who journeys with - go in peace and be not afraid. Amen.

The blessing, love and hope that God brings be yours,

this day and always.

Postlude

Credit - Liturgy (alt) by A Sanctified Art, LLC | sanctifiedart.org