December 19, 2021 Advent 4: Love Sunday Seeking Sanctuary
Watch this Service at: www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live
Leading us today in worship:
Minister: Rev. Christine Smaller
Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
Scripture Reader: Mary Lou Gignac
Advent Singers: Kelly Adam & Shirley Woolner
Candle Lighters: Doug & Carol Clarke
Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung Words: bold italic font
Prelude:
Pastorale from Christmas Oratorio ~ J.S. Bach
Advent Candle-Lighting (Tune: Santa Claus is Coming to Town)
The purple candles of Hope and Peace are lit and the pink candle of Joy is lit
Singer 1: Oh, with hearts open wide,
with hands open too;
living God’s love each and every day, through…
All: Jesus people, walking Christ’s way.
Singer 2: Opportunities here,
opportunities there, using our talents,
God’s gifts we will share…
All: Jesus people, walking Christ’s way.
Singer 1: This Advent flame is burning,
to brighten day and night,
invites us to discipleship…
to shine out the Christ light.
All: Jesus people, walking Christ’s way.
The purple candle of love is lit.
Candle Lighting Hymn: VU 7 Hope is a Star (vs 1,2,3 & 4)
1. Hope is a star that shines in the night,
leading us on till the morning is bright.
Refrain:
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.
2. Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth,
giving a promise of safety and worth.
Refrain:
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.
3. Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn,
Telling the world that the Savior is born.
Refrain:
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.
4. Love is a flame that burns in our heart,
Jesus has come and will never depart.
Refrain:
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.
Welcome & Territorial Acknowledgement
Long ago, all of this land was covered by ice
Clothed in a winter without end
But God our Creator brought back the warmth
Pulling back the ice and revealing this land
Plants and animals returned to the land
And it was good
Then God gave to the land many peoples
And many peoples to the land
To care for one another
To live together
And in this time, we celebrate the gifts of Treaty 18 and the Homeland of the Anishinaabek, Six Nations of the Grand River, Haudenosaunee, and Wendat-Wyandot-Wyandotte peoples
We celebrate all who make this place a home today
We celebrate together with love
As a people called to love and serve others
We eagerly await the day where the law of the land is love
Where all will share its abundance together
We work and wait for that day, when all will live together
in hope, peace, joy and love.
Amen.
Call to Worship:
We are seeking—
deeper faith,
a place to belong,
the feeling that God is here in this room.
We are seeking—
joy that overflows,
the movement of the Spirit,
a hand to hold, when alone in the dark.
We are seeking—
the freedom to be,
the courage to love,
the conviction to act in the face of injustice.
We are seeking, but here in this space,
We are found.
Take a deep breath. This is your sanctuary.
God is here. We are found. Amen.
Candy Cane Blessings
Opening Hymn: VU 60 O come, All Ye Faithful
1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem:
come and behold him, born the King of angels;
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.
2. God of God, light of light,
lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb;
very God, begotten, not created:
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exaltation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
glory to God in the highest:
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
4. See how the shepherds summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come let us adore him.
Christ the Lord.
5. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given;
word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.
Prayer for Illumination:
Holy God,
We come to your Scripture today
hoping that it will feel a bit like an open door,
like Elizabeth welcoming Mary,
like coming home.
We want to fall into it.
We want to find sanctuary here.
We want to breathe easier just hearing these words.
And we want to find ourselves laughing
because this good news is just too good to keep inside.
So, hover close to us now, we pray.
Open the door to our hearts
so that we might find sanctuary in your words.
Gratefully we pray, amen.
Readings:
Micah 5:2-5a
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth;
and he shall be the one of peace.
If the Assyrians come into our land
and tread upon our soil,
we will raise against them seven shepherds
and eight installed as rulers.
Luke 1:39-55
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Response:
The Word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
Musical Interlude:
I Wonder as I Wander ~ John Jacob Niles
Soloist - Kelly Adam
Sermon Seeking Sanctuary
Hymn: MV 33 Jesus Came Bringing Us Hope
1 Jesus came bringing us hope,
Jesus came bringing us hope,
Jesus came bringing us hope,
hallelujah forever more!
2 Jesus came bringing us peace,
Jesus came bringing us peace,
Jesus came bringing us peace,
hallelujah forever more!
3 Jesus came bringing us love,
Jesus came bringing us love,
Jesus came bringing us love,
hallelujah forever more!
4 Jesus came bringing us joy,
Jesus came bringing us joy,
Jesus came bringing us joy,
hallelujah forever more!
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer:
As a child turns to a loving caregiver who watches over them, we turn in prayer to you O god, who are our heavenly parent, our mother,
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Passing the Peace:
The Peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Everyone is invited to share the peace of Christ by offering a message in the chat box.
You may also wish to think of someone you would like to pass the peace to this week.
Music while we share the Peace of Christ:
Improvisation ~ C. Burton
Invitation to the Offering:
Elizabeth offers her home.
She offers her arms.
She offers her joy.
She offers her affirmation and confidence.
Elizabeth offers everything she has when Mary shows up at her door, and it just feels holy, doesn’t it?
Part of our call as people of faith is to give when and where we can. So today we are invited to be a little more like Elizabeth. Today we are invited to give generously, trusting that God will take these gifts and build a better world here. Let us give with joyful hearts.
Prayer of Dedication:
Good and gracious God,
We give these gifts for the seekers.
We give these gifts for those who need sanctuary.
We give these gifts for those who build sanctuaries.
We give these gifts for those who have lost sanctuary,
and for those who find sanctuary all over the place.
Use these gifts to bring us closer to home.
With joy and hope in our hearts we pray, amen.
Offerings may be placed in the offering plate at the back of the sanctuary as you leave the service.
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Mail: Grace UC, 140 Bruce St. S. PO Box 219, Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0
Care, Prayer, Share
Announcements:
Closing Hymn: VU 333 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.
2. Come, almighty to deliver;
let us all thy grace receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
till we praise thee, with out ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
3. Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee,
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Commissioning and Benediction
Advent Sung Blessing: VU 964 Go now in peace
Go now in peace, go now in peace.
May the love of God surround you
everywhere, everywhere you may go. (Sing 2x)
Postlude:
Excerpt from “Winter” ~ A. Vivaldi ~ arr. C. Burton
*****
RESOURCES USED (all with permission):
Prayers and Liturgies:
- Advent Candle Lighting Liturgy: Written by Richard Bott. Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2015-2016, page 60. Used with permission.
- Territorial Acknowledgment: Written by Mitchell Anderson, Advent 2019 at Lanigan-Nokomis Pastoral Charge, Treaty 4 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis Nation. Used with permission.
- Call to Worship: Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC| sanctifiedart.org.
- Prayer of Dedication: Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed | A Sanctified Art
- Pastoral Prayer: : Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC| sanctifiedart.org.
Hymns and Sung Responses:
- “Hope is a Star:” -“Hope is a Star:” Words: Brian Wren 1985. Music: Joan Collier Fogg 1987. Words and music copyright © 1989 Hope Publishing Company One License #608577
- “O Come All Ye Faithful:” Words: English trans. Frederick Oakeley 1841, et al., French trans. Claude Rosier 1950. Music: attrib. John Francis Wade ca. 1743. Public Domain.
- “Jesus Came Bringing Us Hope:” Words and music: trad. song. Cameron; arr. More Voices 2007. Arrangement copyright © 2007 The United Church of Canada.
- “Love Divine, All Love Excelling:” Words: Charles Wesley 1747. Music: Rowland Huw Prichard ca. 1834. One Licence #608577
Scripture Passage from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission.
Solo: I Wonder as I Wander ~ John Jacob Niles
Prelude: Pastorale from Christmas Oratorio ~ J.S. Bach
Interlude: Hark the Glad Sound. Words: Philip Doddridge 1738, alt. Music: Thomas Haweis 1792; adapt. Samuel Webbe 1808; desc. John Wilson. Descant copyright © Hope Publishing Company.
Passing the Peace: Improvisation C. Burton
Postlude: Excerpt from “Winter” A. Vivaldi arr. C. Burton
All Public Domain
