December11th, 2022
Advent 3: Joy
Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live
Leading us today in Worship:
Worship Leader: Rev. Christine Smaller
Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
Scripture Reader: Debbie Potts
Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able.
PRELUDE:
”…des pas sur la neige” ~ C. Debussy
WELCOME & DECLARATION OF SAFE SPACE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE TRADITIONAL TERRITORY
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
We recognize we live and worship on land traditionally held by 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 joy
This land of joy where justice makes its home
We eagerly await yet more joyful days in this land
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.
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING:
Over a hundred people, from the ages of two to eighty years old, were asked the question, “What brings you joy?” From the voices of different generations, hear their answers:
(Responses)
Candle is lit.
Today we light the candle of joy.
May its light remind us of all the good news this season brings. May its light remind us of the many sources of joy in our lives, and may that joy not only draw us closer to one another, but closer to God.
Candle Lighting Hymn:
VU 7 Hope is a Star Verse 1, 2 & 3
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 saviour 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.
GOOD NEWS CANDLE
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH:
We believe in a God who offers second chances
and does not hold grudges.
We believe in a God who opens the door to new life
and leaves the porch light on for us when we get lost.
We believe in a God who believes in us—
believes that we can make a difference,
that we can choose grace over comparison,
love over hate,
peace over war.
And so we strive to live our lives in love.
We strive to listen as Joseph listened,
and to be the people that God calls us to be.
It’s all that easy, and it’s all that hard.
This we believe. Amen.
*OPENING HYMN:
VU 59 Joy to the World
1. Joy to the world! The Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
2. Joy to the earth! The Saviour reigns:
let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3. No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground:
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.
4. He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.
PRAYER OF APPROACH:
God of mercy,
a million times a day we have the opportunity to be gracious,
to assume the best in others,
to give the benefit of the doubt.
A million times a day we could choose the better way,
but so often we don’t.
Fear and greed kick in.
Assumptions and insecurities take the wheel.
Comparison and critique lead the charge.
Forgive us for forgetting that we are descendants of Joseph.
Forgive us for forgetting that grace and mercy are in our blood.
Forgive us for forgetting that all belong to you.
Give us the courage to love even bigger than before,
and the wisdom to choose a better way.
Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION:
Holy God,
scripture tells us that you came to Joseph through an angel— loud and clear, impossible to miss.
Scripture also tells us that Joseph listened.
He rearranged his life to follow your invitation.
God, we long for that— all of that.
We long to hear your voice—loud and clear, impossible to miss.
We long for invitations to something more, something deeper. And we long to be like Joseph and find the courage to follow.
So clean out our ears. Brush the dust off our hearts.
Trace us back to our roots—back to Joseph—who heard and followed.
With gratitude we listen.
Amen.
READINGS:
Isaiah 35:1-10 (NRSV)
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and shouting.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weak hands
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf shall be opened;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp;
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
A highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,
but it shall be for God’s people;
no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.
No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife but had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus.
RESPONSE:
The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE:
Improvisation ~ G. Fauré
MEDITATION
*HYMN:
VU 5 All Earth is Waiting
1. All earth is waiting to see the Promised One,
and open furrows await the seed of God.
All the world, bound and struggling, seeks true liberty;
it cries out for justice and searches for the truth.
2. Thus says the prophet to those of Israel,
'A virgin mother will bear Emmanuel.'
One whose name is 'God with us' our Saviour shall be,
through whom hope will blossom once more within our hearts.
3. Mountains and valleys will have to be made plain,
open new highways, new highways for our God,
who is now coming closer, so come all and see,
and open the doorways as wide as wide can be.
4. In lowly stable the Promised One appeared.
Yet feel that presence throughout the earth today,
for Christ lives in all Christians and is with us now;
again, on arriving, Christ brings us liberty.
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…
PASSING the PEACE of CHRIST:
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 for PASSING the PEACE:
Fantasy on a Hymn ~ C. Burton
DEDICATION of OFFERING:
God of joy, we give you thanks for your faithfulness that extends beyond this time and place. Bless these gifts that have been given, that they may help us to bring joy that bubbles up and overflows like a fountain. Bless all of us here, that we may embody your abundant joy. Amen.
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Care, Prayer, Share
ANNOUNCEMENTS
*CLOSING HYMN:
VU 92 In the Darkness Shines the Splendour
1. In the darkness shines the splendor
of the Word who took our flesh,
welcoming, in love's surrender,
death's dark shadow at his crèche.
Bearing every human story,
Word made flesh reveals his glory.
2. Light of nations, veiled in history,
born of woman's flesh and blood,
calling to the depths of mystery
restless hearts that seek the good.
Healing every human story,
Word made flesh reveals his glory.
3. Broken bread, sustaining us in sorrow,
wine poured out to toast our joy;
exodus and new tomorrow,
life's full promise to enjoy!
Gladdening every human story,
Word made flesh reveals his glory.
4. All God's people, sing in jubilation
of the birth that sets us free,
telling of the revelation:
Jesus, God's epiphany.
Celebrate the human story!
Word made flesh reveals our glory.
*COMMISSIONING and BENEDICTION:
As we leave this place, may we go knowing that
from generation to generation,we have been claimed and loved.
From generation to generation,
God has been by our side.
From generation to generation,
we are not alone.
The God of yesterday and the God of tomorrow
knows you by name, loves you, and calls you forth,
saying, “Go be the person you are called to be,
love wildly, do justice, and come back soon.”
May it be so. Amen.
*SUNG BLESSING:
MV 213 Take Up His song
Take up his song of joy
and go into the world.
Take up his song of joy in ev’ry moment.
In ev’ry moment of the journey,
we’re laying down our lives;
lay them down, in joy,
lay them down, and take up his song.
POSTLUDE:
“Sleigh Ride” ~ L. Anderson, as performed by Dave McKenna
*****
RESOURCES USED
LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
Sanctified Art: “From Generation to Generation”
Land Acknowledgment: Used Advent 2019 at Lanigan-Nokomis Pastoral Charge, Treaty 4 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis Nation
HYMNS and SUNG VERSES
- "Hope is a Star:” Words: Brian Wren 1985. Music: Joan Collier Fogg 1987. Words and music copyright © 1989 Hope Publishing Company. One License #608577
- ”Joy to the World:” Words: Isaac Watts 1719, alt. Music: attrib. George Frideric handel 1742; arr. Lowell Mason 1836. Public Domain
- ”All Earth is Waiting:” Words: Catalonian, Alberto Taulé 1972; English trans. Gertrude C. Suppe 1987, alt. Music: Alberto Taulé 1972; harm. Skinner Chavez-Melo 1988. Words and Music copyright © 1993 Centro de Pastoral Litugica. Translation copyright © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House. Harmony copyright © 1989 Skinner Chavez-Melo. Used by permission of Juan Francisco Chavez. One license #608577
- ”In the Darkness Shines the Light:” Words: Bernadette Gasslein 1992, alt. Music: Henry John Gauntlett 1849; harm. Arthur Henry Mann 1949. Words copyright © 1992 Bernadette Gasslein. Harmony by A.H. Mann reprinted by permission of Novello and Company Ltd.
- “Take Up His Song:’Words and music: Laura A. Herman, 2005, arr. Robin King, 2006.Words and music copyright © 2005 Laura A. Herman. Arrangement copyright © 2006. Robin King.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:
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.
Prelude: “ …des pas sur la neige” ~ C. Debussy
Interlude: Improvisation ~ G. Fauré
Music for Passing the Peace: Fantasy on a Hymn ~ C. Burton
Postlude: " Sleigh Ride” ~ L. Anderson, as performed by Dave McKenna
