December 10,2023
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” arr. Barbara B. Kinyon
WELCOME Rev. Trip Porch
One: This is the day that the Lord has made
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it
CANDLE-LIGHTING– Led by The Bird Family
One: How does a weary world practice peace?
All: In small but profound ways; By listening before we speak, saying sorry
when we need to, and always leading with kindness.
One: By advocating for justice and caring for our neighbor. By practicing Sabbath
and forgiving seventy times seven.
All: By choosing grace over hate and opening the door for each other.
One: There are a million ways to practice peace. So today we light the candle of
peace as a reminder and a charge.
All: With God’s help, may we bring peace into a weary world. Amen.
*RESPONSE NO.. 91 “Come, Come, Emmanuel” Sung many times COME, COME EMMANUEL
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION Rebekah Galey
Holy God, More days than not, hope feels like the rain. We try to hold onto it with cupped hands, but eventually, it slips right on through. Forgive us for holding hope so loosely. Forgive us for allowing the realities of today to define and confine tomorrow. Allow us to see glimmers of hope for the future you see and teach us how to sing a song of hope for the world. With open hearts we pray, amen.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*RESPONSE OF PRAISE “He Came Down” HE CAME DOWN
He came down that we may have peace;
He came down that we may have peace;
He came down that we may have peace;
Hallelujah forever more. Text: Cameroon song
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
All: And also with you.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Trip & Chris
SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:57-80 CEB
CANTATA “The Gravity of Kindness” Howard Goodall (b. 1958)
Texts: Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye;
Coventry Carol, Traditional 16th c. English;
Arrorró mi niño, Traditional Mexican Lullaby
Skye Johnson, soprano
Kindness
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.
Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.
COVENTRY CAROL
Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,
By by lully, lullay.
Arrorró mi niño
Arrorró mi niño, (Hush-a-bye my baby)
Arrorró mi sol, (Hush-a-bye my sun)
Arrorró pedazo, (Hush-a-bye oh piece)
De mi corazón. (of my heart.)
Este niño lindo (This pretty child)
Ya quiere dormir; (wants to sleep already)
Háganle la cuna (make him a cradle)
De rosa y jazmín. (of rose and jasmine.)
Háganle la cama (Make him a bed)
En el toronjil, (on the lemon balm)
Y en la cabecera (and at the head)
Pónganle un jazmín (put jasmine)
Que con su fragancia (with its fragrance)
Me lo haga dormir. (to put him to sleep for me.)
Esta leche linda (This beautiful milk)
que le traigo aquí, (that I bring him here)
es para este niño (is for this baby)
que se va a dormir. (who is going to sleep)
Arrorró mi niño, (Hush-a-bye my baby)
Arrorró mi sol, (Hush-a-bye my sun)
Arrorró pedazo, (Hush-a-bye oh piece)
De mi corazón. (of my heart.)
Este lindo niño (This lovely baby)
se quiere dormir, (wants to sleep)
cierra los ojitos (he closes his eyes)
y los vuelve a abrir. (and opens them again.)
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE followed by The Lord’s Prayer (on screen)
TIME OF OFFERING
OFFERTORY RESPONSE CRANHAM
Praise the One Creator, praise the Living Christ
Praise the Holy Spirit, praise both day and night
Praise when you are weary, praise in times of joy
Praise, my soul, with all your strength and your heart and voice
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
One: Holy One, this Advent season we wait in peace,
All: And we give in peace.
One: A peace deeper than our anxiety and fear.
All: A peace growing from our trust in your loving power.
One: Receive these generous offerings,
All: And use them to bring your peace to our world.
Amen.
*HYMN NO.87 “Comfort, Comfort Now My People” GENEVAN 42
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
One: God of the watching ones,
the waiting ones,
the slow and suffering ones,
the angels in heaven, the child in the womb,
All: Give us your benediction,
your good word for our souls,
that we might rest and rise
in the kindness of your company.
Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE “Light Dawns on a Weary World” TEMPLE OF PEACE
Light dawns on a weary world
when eyes begin to see
all people’s dignity.
Light dawns on a weary world:
the promised day of justice comes.
(refrain) The trees shall clap their hands;
the dry lands gush with springs;
the hills and mountains shall break forth with singing!
We shall go out in joy,
and be led forth in peace,
as all the world in wonder echoes shalom.
Text: Mary Louise Bringle, 2001; used by permission
POSTLUDE
Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452