​             SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
December 26th 2021
1st Day of Christmas
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.                  
·  Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
·   masks are required by Session, as well as social distancing
   bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards.  An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, in Calvin Hall
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett,  Jo Lefleur,  Dr Dyke,  Bonnie and Jon Pillers,  Mike Niles, Harlan Marx ,Tom Kelly, Lois Seger,  Jon Ryner, Family of Jack Braden, Lucy Melvin. Bob Emmert, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Rich Lewis, Tom Kelly is having Surgery on Jan 18, and Kay Werner had a stroke
 
PRELUDE
 
LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE
 
Words of Introduction & Scripture
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, NKJV) Christ is come to us! With gratitude and joy we light the Christ Candle and come to worship our Christ.
Sing (from O Come, All Ye Faithful): #41, chorus only
 
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!
 
**CALL TO WORSHIP Isaiah 52:7,9, NRSV
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
 
 
GATHERING PRAYER
Lord, we come this day in celebration, but admitting that just as your people long ago needed peace, good news, and salvation, so do we. We come singing some of our favorite songs to worship you, and to receive that comfort you offer us in one of our favorite stories, the birth of your Son into our world. Be present with us, Lord, as we celebrate with you and receive once again the gifts you offer.  Amen.
 
*HYMN Joy to the World                                                  #40
 
 *CONFESSION
As we reflect on the past season, let us make our confession to God.
Lord, we confess to you the times we have rushed or shown our frustration. We confess the times we have been less than patient with those around us. We confess when we have spent too much or cared too little. We confess getting caught up in the world’s style of Christmas and the moments we forgot it’s all about you. Help us move into a new season with our focus sharpened and our hearts softened. Amen.
 
*WORDS OF ASSURANCE Titus 2:11-14, CEB
The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. It educates us so that we can live sensible, ethical, and godly lives right now by rejecting ungodly lives and the desires of this world. At the same time we wait for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of our great God and savior Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us in order to rescue us from every kind of lawless behavior, and cleanse a special people for himself who are eager to do good actions.
Because of the gift of Jesus, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God!
 
*SONG OF PRAISE Gloria Patri #579
 
*PASSING THE PEACE (facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
(You may be seated.)
 
 
     INTERLUDE
 
CELEBRATING CHRIST’S BIRTH IN SCRIPTURE AND SONG
Luke 2:1-8
Away In A Manger                                                                                                                                             #25
Luke 2:8-14
Angels From The Realms Of Glory                                                                                                                  #22
Luke 2:15-20
Angels We Have Heard On High                                                                                                                      #23
 
SCRIPTURE LESSON             Colossians 3:12-17, NLT
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE         A Gift To Keep Giving
I like gifts that keep giving. As I look around my home there are gifts I received from folks in this church at Christmas or at my retirement that continue to give blessings to me. It might be decorations I enjoy at Christmas or year-round. It might be the blanket on my bed or the robe I snuggle in or the toaster oven I use several times a day. It’s furniture and luggage and clothes and memories of a lot of help as I moved into my home. It’s journals I use every Thursday or art supplies or the keyboard ready when I get inspired. I appreciate the on-going usefulness as well as the thoughtfulness of the ones who gave them or the gift money with which I bought them. Think about the gifts you gave and those you received this holiday season. Now imagine how much they will continue to give for a long time to come.
 
Of course that is also how it is with God’s gift to us the first Christmas. God gave us Jesus, the gift of God’s self, wrapped in human flesh, a gift that continues to give to us through the millennia. In our Call to Worship, Isaiah reminded us that Messiah would bring good news of salvation and would comfort and redeem us. These are gifts of God to us through Christ. In our Words of Assurance, we heard from Paul’s letter to Titus that God did indeed appear and bring salvation for all people. God’s grace came through Jesus, but not only for our own benefit. Paul’s message to Titus adds purpose to our salvation, that redeemed from our old sinful behavior we might live more ethical lives and do good in the world. I think as we turn to the reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians it elaborates what these ethical lives of doing good might include.
                                                                                               
As I read the whole section from Colossians, I am also reminded of Paul’s letter to the Romans, the second half of chapter 12. It includes many of the same ideas about how we are to live in this world and treat one another. Many other letters from Paul or Peter are also echoed in this passage. There is a consistency in what the early church was teaching new Christians, as if to say, Now that you believe Jesus came to save you from your sin, here is how you should live going forward. It may seem an unusual message to celebrate Christmas, but what I want us to consider is this. If we believe that God came in Jesus to buy us back from our slavery to sin, to give us that gift of a life that is free in Jesus, then how shall we live going forward? Having received the gift of Christ for ourselves, how do we embody and share that gift by the way we live?
 
So, let’s imagine for a moment a Christmas tree with lots of wrapped gifts under it. There is a creche nearby with baby Jesus smiling at us as we open these gifts one at a time. Maybe some of you opened gifts with family or friends this weekend or you have memories of doing that in the past. I think of gathering at Aunt Bert and Uncle Charlie’s. At some point after dinner we all found seats in the living room and either Mark or Mike dressed as Santa and came to hand out the gifts. We took turns opening them. Sometimes the younger children were helpers. In our imaginary scene as we explore today’s scripture there is a twist to the usual Christmas scene. While we open these gifts of God one at a time, we aren’t going to keep them to ourselves. I want each of you to think about where you can pass this gift forward, how can you share it with someone else in your life?
 
First, note that God chose you! Imagine how you feel when the gift being distributed comes to you, whether it came by mail, a knock on the door, or at a gathering, being chosen to receive a gift feels good. God chose you! Let go of any feelings you have of being unworthy or unwanted. God wanted you to receive all the gifts and blessings he sent his son to offer, and God crafted you especially to be one of God’s gifts to the world. You are precious to God. God chose you! Honestly I think to be chosen is in itself an important gift.
 
Second, God wants to make you holy. To be holy is to be a set apart sacred thing, something consecrated for God’s purposes. God loves you so much that God has a special purpose in mind for you. Because you are called to be God’s emissary with God’s mission to pursue, God wants you to wear appropriate spiritual clothing, so these next gifts are your spiritual attire.
 
Clothe yourselves with “tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” It’s a five-piece suit, and every piece blends perfectly with the rest as if chosen by a celebrity stylist or inspired by a famous designer. Let’s take a moment to appreciate each piece.
 
Tenderhearted mercy is translated elsewhere as a heart full of compassion. Think about it. This is how God looks at you, with a heart full of compassion. This is how God wants you to look at others. Compassion and mercy don’t ignore our flaws, but love us anyway. Compassion sees our need and does whatever it can to meet that need. Mercy sees our mistakes and forgives us while still helping us see where we can do better. This tender heart of God doesn’t yell at us or belittle us, though it may nudge us pretty hard and consistently until we agree to the good things God wants for us and from us. Mercy and compassion from God see us as we are, accept us, yet want the best for us. That is how God hopes we will also look at others.
 
Kindness is one of the fruits of God’s Spirit, a quality God wants to plant and grow within us until it blossoms and bears fruit. To be kind is to do little things that make someone’s life better. It may be random acts of kindness done for a stranger perhaps anonymously like the stories we hear of leaving extra money for the next person’s coffee or helping pay for someone’s groceries. It may be the way we help our neighbor, like shoveling a sidewalk or sharing a plate of cookies. It may be the way we treat our family or others with a little help or a kind word or handling a problem quietly and simply without letting our frustration show. We’ll discover God’s kindness to us in so many little ways if we are paying attention. God also asks you to be kind to one another.
 
Humility is another gift. To be humble or lowly does not mean allowing yourself to be looked down on or trampled, but to have an attitude that lifts others up when they feel down. To be humble means you don’t lord it over anyone else. Think again about Jesus’ birth. The Lord of heaven humbled himself taking on human flesh and being born of a human mother who had nowhere but a manger to lay him that night. Jesus didn’t choose to be exalted by coming to a royal or wealthy family. Jesus wasn’t born in a fortress or a mansion. Jesus who came by humble birth and lived a simple life growing to be first a carpenter, then an itinerate teacher. He didn’t lord it over others, but shared his wisdom, gifts, and meager supplies with common folk, teaching them with examples from their everyday lives. God isn’t as obsessed with status as we humans tend to be. Regardless of our credentials, we are called to live simple lives, sharing what we have, and not thinking of ourselves as better than anyone else. Instead of bragging about ourselves, we are called to look for the good in everyone else.
 
Next we have the gift of gentleness. Jesus’ mother, Mary, is often described as gentle. Jesus also bears that trait. When Isaiah described the coming Messiah he said, “a bruised reed he will not break.” (Isaiah 43:3) That’s an image of gentleness. One with a soft touch, a soft-spoken word, one who brings no harm. Think about how Jesus cared for the sick or welcomed little children. Jesus was gentle with them. We can also offer a gentle touch, gentle spirit, and gentle words to those around us. It is a gift that may heal their wounded spirit.
 
Patience is a significant gift. I am such a slow learner sometimes; I’m certainly glad God is patient with me. I also crave the gift of being more patient with others. This is true not only on an individual level. God was patient a very long time with his people as they continued to wander astray. I pray God is patient with our world as we work to repair the damage done in the past and change our ways for the future. God asks us to “be patient in trouble” (Romans 12:12) and “patient with one everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14) To be patient and kind are aspects of love (1 Corinthians 13:4).
 
Taken together these five characteristics mark a quality of Christian living. They are gifts of God’s spirit to us, that enable us to bless others as well. You will find them mentioned many times in the Bible, for they are enduring qualities God wants each of us to display to the best of our abilities relying on the grace God has already given to us.  They are what allow us to forgive others as God has forgiven us, just as verse 13 urges. They fit together as the wrapping of love binding everything together perfectly as God planned. They flow from the peace Christ offers us as we talked about last week, another precious gift God brings through Jesus.
 
As we receive daily from these gifts of God, let us be truly thankful. May we lift our spirits and perhaps even our voices to offer God praise for all God gives to us, and especially today for the gift of God’s Son, Jesus. May we share from these gifts with all those around us, so that together we dwell in God’s blessing and God’s peace. This is how we pay forward the gifts of Christmas.
 
 
*HYMN        O Come, All Ye Faithful                                          #41
 
 
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
 
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
 
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever. Amen.
 
OFFERING OUR LIVES
As the shepherds offered their worship to the newborn king, so we offer our worship and service to Christ who still reigns as King in our lives. May we share eagerly all he taught us and all we have received by his grace. Amen.
 
 
*DOXOLOGY Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow                                                  #592
 
​*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH          Apostle’s Creed (Ecumenical)     p. 14
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
He is seated on the right hand of the Father,
And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
 
*HYMN Go, Tell It On The Mountain                                        #29
 
 
*CHARGE & BLESSING
 
 
*POSTLUDE
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.

​SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
December 12th 2021
3rd Sunday of Advent Joy
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.                  
·  Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
·   masks are required by Session, as well as social distancing
   bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards.  An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, in Calvin Hall
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett,  Jo Lefleur,  Dr Dyke,  Bonnie and Jon Pillers,  Mike Niles, Harlan Marx ,Tom Kelly, Lois Seger,  Jon Ryner, Family of Jack Braden, Lucy Melvin. Bob Emmert, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, and Rich Lewis is having more tests this week.
 
PRELUDE
 
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING
Words of Introduction & Scripture
The Lord’s ransomed ones will return and enter Zion with singing, with everlasting joy upon their   heads. Happiness and joy will overwhelm them; grief and groaning will flee away. (Isaiah 35:10 CEB) In the midst of difficult times, God promised that his faithful would return with joy. Let us hold    onto that promise for our own times as we light the third Advent candle for joy.
Sing (from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel): Chorus Only #9
Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
 
*CALL TO WORSHIP from Zephaniah 3:14-20, CEB
        Rejoice, Daughter Zion! Shout, Israel!
        Rejoice and exult with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem.
 The Lord has removed our judgment; he has turned away our enemy.
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst; you will no longer fear evil….
        The Lord our God is in your midst—a warrior bringing victory.
        He will create calm with his love;  he will rejoice over us with singing.
        The proclaims: I will deliver the lame; I will gather the outcast.
        I will change their shame into praise and fame throughout the earth.
        God promises: I will bring all of you back, at the time when I gather you.
        I will give you fame and praise among all the neighboring peoples
        when I restore your possessions and you can see them—says the Lord.
 
*GATHERING PRAYER
Lord, as we gather in your presence, gather all your beloved in your Spirit. May we worship you from our pews, from our homes, from wherever we are this day and every day. Amen.
 
*HYMN Rejoice, the Lord is King!                               #155
 
 *CONFESSION AND PARDON
Let us make our confession to the Lord.
God of all that is good. We confess to you that we are quick to complain and slow to praise. We get frustrated and even angry with situations around us or conditions with which we live. Yet we fail to notice and give thanks for many of the blessings surrounding us every day. Teach of patience and gratitude, that our lives may be filled with your joy until it overflows to bless someone next to us. Amen.
 
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON Isaiah 12:2-6
God sent us salvation through Jesus, God’s own Son. Through Christ we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God!
 
*SONG OF PRAISE Gloria Patri #579
 
*PASSING THE PEACE (facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
(You may be seated.)
 
 
     INTERLUDE
 
word
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Luke 3:7-18
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
 
SERMON Joy!
 
 
The Third Sunday of Advent is traditionally focused on the word “Joy!” Heaven rejoiced when God’s Son was born on earth to bring God’s salvation to the world. Humans who had patiently waited and recognized their Messiah in Jesus also rejoiced. The Wise Men who came seeking a new king following the star were filled with joy as it came to rest over Bethlehem. It is a joy filled time of year for many.
 
For two Sundays we have had readings from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. I think from one perspective we could say this is the Joy letter. In chapter 1 Paul wrote that every time he thanks God for them and prays for them, it is a prayer filled with joy. (v.4) In Chapter 2 he begs them to “complete [his] joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other.” (v.2) In Chapter 3 he asks them to “rejoice in the Lord!” (v.1) In Chapter 4, Paul claims that they are his joy, and continues to plead with them, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” (v.4)  As we read Paul’s encouragement in joy, we might forget Paul’s own circumstances at the time. He is writing from prison. As verses 12-13 will go on to say, we rejoice in spite of our circumstances, because Christ is our strength.
 
This is our second Advent and Christmas season in the pandemic that history will remember as marking the beginning this decade. I’m pretty sure we are as tired of the pandemic as the Jews were of the Roman occupation at the time Jesus was born. As that circumstance dominated every aspect of their lives, so does the corona virus
dominate ours. Just as their reactions and compliance varied, so do ours. As they looked at the world around them, it may have been hard to rejoice. It was still hard as Paul wrote his letters. Not only did the Romans still control a vast region, but those who believed Jesus was indeed the Messiah were persecuted by those who did not agree. I look at the things over which our world disagrees and the persecution that results, and I groan that not much has improved in how humans treat one another. Labels and issues may change, attitudes toward those different from us haven’t changed nearly enough. From pandemic to injustice, the daily news makes it hard to rejoice, and yet….
 
And yet, what God still longs to offer us is hope, and for Christians that hope is based on Jesus the Christ, God’s Son, born in the flesh into our world, Emmanuel meaning God with us, born to save us from our own sin and to bring light to all the areas of darkness in our world. Jesus came to bring hope and peace and love and joy!
 
In our Gospel lesson today, as people heard John the Baptist preach a message of hope, they asked, “What must we do?” As we await the fullness of the good news Jesus offers our world, we might ask the same thing. I have always believed that our faith is meant to lead us to cooperate with God’s work in our world. We cannot make a better world by ourselves. But God also chooses not to do all the work for us. Perhaps we can only experience the fullness of God’s intentions for our world when we cooperate to bring them into being.
 
How should we cooperate in a way that would bring joy to God and to our world? Luke records John telling the people to repent which means to turn around. We would say to turn their lives around, or as the Common English Bible translates it, to change their hearts and lives. The New Spirit Filled Study Bible Notes point to three concrete suggestions in verses 11 – 14 answering what people could do to turn their lives around in Jesus’ time. First, it tells them to share what they have, giving away a coat if they had two. Second, specifically to tax collectors, he said to collect no more than they should. If you remember Zacchaeus’ story, you know some tax collectors collected extra for their own wealth. Third, specifically to the soldiers present, he told them not to harass anyone, but be satisfied with their pay.
 
How would we translate John’s words to our own day? What should we do to turn our world around?
First, give generously of what you have. That might mean donating financially to charity. It might mean going through your cupboards or closets to downsize your excess and share them through a food pantry or thrift store, so that someone else might find what they need. You might have a talent to share and enough time on your hands to use it for someone else’s benefit. Everyone one has something to share. In this season of giving, think of what you can share, but don’t restrict your generosity to this time of year. Let it become a habit year-round.
 
Second, ask or expect no more than you should. That’s a little tougher to flesh out. Few of us are in a position to be collecting funds from anyone. But what other transactions are part of our lives? Do you have expectations that are sometimes hard for your friends or family to fulfill? What about your expectations of service staff in stores or restaurants, city workers, delivery services, medical personnel? Life is rough for them, too, especially this time of year. Let your gratitude, patience, and consideration be more than your expectations or demands or complaints. Expect what is appropriate, but not more than you should.
 
Third, don’t harass anyone. In our world this covers a lot of territory. Harassment comes in many forms from verbal abuse to cyber bullying. It includes physical assault and sexual inuendo. Harassment may take the form of stereotyping or common gossip. Harassment is experienced as racial, gender, and other forms of prejudice. It may be felt simply as intimidation or exclusion by the way we speak or even look at someone. Let me say, that to understand harassment you have to see it from the perspective of the person feeling harassed. Whether intended or not, your words or behavior might make someone else very uncomfortable, to the point that person feels harassed.
 
There’s not much joy for those who don’t have enough, for those who are weary from others’ expectations or complaints, for those who feel someone else is judging them, looking down on them, or taking advantage of them. One way we can bring more joy to our world is to carefully and respectfully evaluate our own resources, habits, words, and behaviors.
 
For others the holidays are a tough time because they are missing family. It might just be that they can’t get together because of the pandemic or the distance or someone has to work. But in other cases a loved one is no longer here, and that leaves a sad emptiness in the midst of the holidays. For some they have been alone a long time, but it’s still painful at Christmastime. Perhaps you know someone who needs a visit, a phone call, or an invitation to a holiday meal. What can we do to make life better for someone else?
 
The cards we signed last week will bring joy to those who receive them. The gloves and scarves and hats on your mitten tree will bring joy as well. A kind word, a cute joke, a little gift, a bright smile can bring joy to someone’s day. These are easy enough that all of us can become joy bringers. That thought led me to a fun slogan for today’s message. I imagined ringing a bell with the words “Brrring in the joy!” What a fun way to be Jesus’ helpers this season with the task of brrringing joy to the world!
 
How do you do that if you are the one without joy in your own heart? Go back to Paul’s message to the Philippians a moment. “Be anxious for nothing.” Pray with gratitude” making your requests known to God.” And know that “peace of Christ that surpasses our understanding.” (all from Phil. 4)
Again the Spirit Filled Study Bible Notes claim that prayer and peace are closely connected and go on to say, “One who entrusts cares to Christ instead of fretting over them will experience the peace of God to guard him from nagging anxiety.” Sorrows and worries and other cares will come. That’s the nature of our human existence in a fallen world. But I remember someone once saying that doesn’t mean you have to let them take up permanent residence in your life. Whether it is your own burden or someone else’s you observe, continually surrender that burden up to Christ in prayer. I can’t tell you how long it will take, but I am convinced that God will be at work in the midst of that situation and that peace will come. One of my favorite promises in scripture is from Psalm 147:3, “He heals the broken hearted, binding up their wounds.”
 
Rather than allowing the concerns of life to rob you of joy, do what you can to make things better inviting God into the situation with the wisdom and strength and resources that are beyond your own abilities. Rest in your faith trusting God to be faithful, even when you can’t see the answer. Then turn your mind to focus on the things that do bring joy. In the very next verse of Philippians 4, Paul gives this advice, “From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise.” As you consider these things, let them bring joy to your heart and life, even enough to share when someone else needs a joyful lift.
 
So let’s end with some joyful images of the season and bring a smile to our spirits! I asked on Facebook for joyful images of Christmas. I was surprised by some common answers from a variety of friends. Many relate to sharing time with family. Several revolved around Nativity sets. Many were about attending candlelight Christmas Eve services. Pause for a moment and let these images bring a smile and perhaps a related memory to your Advent.
 
A full house, full of my children, their spouses, and 5 grandsons. Full of love and excitement. (Rita)
I always like helping my Grandma the whole week before. She fed about 30 some. Each day was a different task. The one I remember most is setting the table in advance. She taught what order everything goes. (Laura)
Children, their joy and excitement. Family, enjoy every moment you have…(Patty)
My momma home and a quiet day with mom, dad and our family (this from a friend, Mandi, whose mom has been in the hospital)
A lit Christmas tree. And, I agree about the joy of the children!! My grandson makes our holiday!! (Barb)
My twin grandsons more excited about delivering everyone's packages than opening their own. (Renee)
Reading the Christmas story to the entire family, and watching the reactions of the grandchildren and great grandkids as we point out the various participants in the crèche! Celebrating the greatest gift God gave, His son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! (Judy)
The nativity scene & then when my family is sitting in my living room opening presents …I stop & look around & look at their beautiful faces & smiles…& I thank God for my family & his precious birth of our savior (Tanya)
Building a Christmas creche with our kids....imagining a midwife conversing with the angels while she waits on Mary....(Boo)
Watching my younger grandchildren playing with the nativity set. They act it out with the figures. The animals talk. Baby Jesus cries. Mommy Mary tries to console him. Priceless.  (Jeanne)
My children also played with the nativity set. And when they were older it was my son’s job to set it out and arrange it. I love that memory. Even as a teenager he took such care. (Kathleen)
Candlelight service with my family & singing carols by Candlelight  (Debra)
Candlelight Christmas Cantata when we were children at St John’s. Each year I can almost sing the entire piece in my head. (Susan)
Christmas Eve service at midnight at Riverside Presbyterian Church…all warm and cozy with only candlelight lighting in the church….I miss this soooo much… (Christina)
Singing silent night with the lights dimmed in church on Christmas eve (Beth)
The star (Dale)
The angel on top our tree watching over all of us, reminding us to share the good news. (Linda)
[These are some of the Facebook responses to my post. I did indicate at the beginning that they were to be shared in my Sunday message.]
 
In the midst of whatever bad tidings come in the daily news or personal frustrations and challenges may come your way in the next few weeks, I suggest that you take time each day to ponder the images that bring joy to you this time of year. Take care of the business that needs to be done. Speak to injustice and other concerns around you. But balance that with appreciating the joy God sends your way and brrring some joy to others as well. In the midst of it all don’t forget the words from Zephaniah in our call to worship, that God rejoices over you with singing, too!
 
 
 
*HYMN Good Christian Friends, Rejoice!                              #28
 
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
 
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
 
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever. Amen.
 
​OFFERING OUR LIVES
We offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving for the many blessings in our lives. May we truly live in joy through Christ our Lord!  Amen.
 
*DOXOLOGY Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow                  #592
 
* AFFIRMATION         Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version                                  p. 14
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
He is seated on the right hand of the Father,
And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
 
 
*HYMN Joy to the World #40
 
*CHARGE & BLESSING
 
 POSTLUDE
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.
 
 
 
 
 
 

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
December 5th 2021– PREPARE!
2nd Sunday of Advent
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.                   
·  Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
·   masks are required by Session, as well as social distancing
   bulletins are placed in the pews to help with social distancing 
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards.  An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship will be continuing with beverages only, in Calvin Hall
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett,  Jo Lefleur,  Dr Dyke, Jane , , Amy Jacobs, Bonnie Pillers,  Mike Niles, Harlan Marx had a knee replacement and Tom Kelly who is recovering from surgery. Lois Seger, the Steven’s Family, Patti Thomas’s Family, Lassen Family Death Uwe’s son Robert, Family of Elise King,  Jon Ryner, Family of Jack Braden, and Lucy Melvin hip surgery October 25
 
PRELUDE
 
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING
 
Words of Introduction & Scripture
The voice of one calling out, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3, NASB) In the wilderness of our world right now, in the desert of our own struggles, let us prepare a way for our God to be born anew in our lives as we light the second Advent candle.
Sing (from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel): Chorus Only
Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.                                   # 9
 
 
 
*CALL TO WORSHIP Song of Zechariah Luke 1:68-79
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for He has visited and redeemed His people,
 
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of His servant David,
as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of long ago,
that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
 
to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
     the oath which He swore to our father Abraham,
to grant us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
    for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise from on high has visited us;
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
 
 
*GATHERING PRAYER (UNISON)
As we come into your presence this day, O God, we give thanks that you prepared to save us from our own sin and from the harm that comes to us through others. You invite us to be a people of worship who live in light and peace. Increase our love for you. Amen.

*HYMN Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus #2
 
 
 *Confession 
Let us make our confession to the God who has mercy on us:
Gracious God, as we consider the days past, we confess the ways we have failed to do your will or the times we have chosen what is not healthy for ourselves, for others, or for creation. Forgive us we pray, and help us to live each day for you. Amen.
 
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON                                                  Malachi 3:14
As God forgave and refined the people long ago, so God forgives and refines us today if we will accept the work of God’s Spirit within us. Thanks be to God!
 
*SONG OF PRAISE Gloria Patri #579
 
*PASSING THE PEACE (facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
(You may be seated.)
 
 
     INTERLUDE
word
 
SCRIPTURE LESSONS

Philippians 1:3-11
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
 
Luke 3:1-6
3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord,  make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in,  every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”
 
SERMON Prepare
The Advent word for today is Prepare. This is the second Sunday of Advent; we are one week into that season of preparing for Christmas.
 
I know many people started putting up their decorations for Christmas a few weeks ago. I was seeing pictures of decorated Christmas trees on Facebook by mid-November. I started this sermon about the same time. I had already planned my bulletin material for Advent and Christmas Sundays the first week of November. Maybe you started early on Christmas cards and gifts or made decisions about Christmas charities. You may already have your Christmas cookies and have plans for Christmas travel or guests or dinner at home.
 
I prefer waiting until Advent to begin putting up decorations or listen to Christmas music. Some of you may know my personal frustration is ending Christmas when the season actually begins; so here’s my little reminder – Christmas is from December 25 all the way through January 5; those are the 12 days of Christmas. Right now we are in Advent, the four Sundays and weeks before Christmas, a the time of preparing for the gift of Christmas.
 
We do many physical preparations. Decorations, cards, and gifts delight our sight. Christmas music appeals to our hearing. Cookies go for our senses of smell and taste. As we drove through the Symphony of Lights Wednesday night, I realized that all of those same senses were stimulated in delightful ways, eating a Christmas cookie and listening to Christmas music as we drove through all of those light displays. These are things we look forward to each year, yet the real work of preparing for Christmas sometimes gets lost or perhaps is even unknown to much of our world. I’m talking about our need for spiritual preparation.
 
First, let’s take a look at how God prepared for Christmas. God sent prophets centuries before, pointing out to people where they had gone astray from God’s intentions and the best life God wanted for them. Zechariah’s song in our call to worship reminds us, that God “spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of long ago, that we should be saved from our enemies …that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve [God] without fear, in holiness and righteousness before [God]  all the days of our lives.” (Luke 1:70,72)  An important part of God’s preparation was sending a son to Zechariah who would be a new prophetic voice pointing to God’s own Son, the fulfillment of all those promises.
 
Zechariah’s boy was John the Baptist who came to be “the voice calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord.’” Luke 3:4) Why? So, “all people will see God’s salvation.” (Luke 3:6) Jesus is that source of salvation, the One proclaimed by the prophets and by John the Baptist. The name Jesus literally means, “God saves.” Paul wrote to the Philippians his prayer that they “will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:11) What we celebrate at Christmas in the birth of Christ is God setting into motion God’s long-awaited plan for salvation, to bring us back into a right relationship with God. It makes sense then to spend some of our preparation time, amid the sights and sounds, tastes and smells, the touch of this season, to spiritually prepare for that gift of salvation to be renewed in us. Here are some suggestions for your spiritual preparation to be renewed by Christ’s birth.
As you enjoy all the lights of the season, remember Jesus who came as the “light to the nations” prophesied by Isaiah or the “light of the world” as proclaimed by the gospel writer, John. Ponder these words from scripture:
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. They lived in a land of shadows, but now light is shining on them.. (Isaiah 9:2)
…I will appoint you as light to the nations so that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)
I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who trusts in me might not remain in the dark. (John 12:46)
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. (John 1:5)
 
What does that light mean to you? What needs to be brought to light in your life? Where are you hiding in darkness? Every time you light a candle or switch the lights on your tree and other decorations, take a moment to ponder the gift of Christ as the light of the world and the gift of bathing you in God’s light forever. Prayerfully let go of any dark areas in your own thinking or behavior and ask God’s light to enter into every aspect of your daily life.
The sounds of the Christmas story began with the voices of angels, from Gabriel speaking to two sets of parents, to a chorus of angels singing the first Christmas carols accompanied by the bleating of sheep. There was the cooing of a mother to her newborn, the lowing of whatever animals shared their space, and then the shepherds telling everyone the good news. We sing carols that continue to tell the world their story and the message of the season. In the most familiar Advent carols we long for Jesus as we sing “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” or “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” In Christmas carols we hear,
“No more let sins and sorrows grow…He comes to make his blessings flow” (Joy to the World)
“God and sinners reconciled…Light and life to all he brings” (Hark, the Herald Angels Sing)
“God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn.” (Go, Tell It On the Mountain)
 
As you listen to these songs this year, sing along out loud or mentally and pay attention to the words. What messages of hope, joy, and peace is God singing to you through them? What sin still lurks within you and within our world that needs the Savior’s healing grace? Pray for Emmanuel to come dwell within us and among us, God with us yet again, to bring righteousness and salvation to our world now as then.
 
Perhaps you will also remember that Zechariah was rendered silent, because he didn’t believe what God could do through he and his wife in their old age. Receiving God’s message of hope and salvation for ourselves is the first step, and Zechariah struggled even with that. It wasn’t until his son John was born that Zechariah’s voice returned and with it he proclaimed God’s coming salvation for the world. The shepherds did not keep the news of Jesus’ birth to themselves, but as they “returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:19) others must have heard as well. When we share our Christmas spirit with others, they hear the story of our faith, too.
As an action point to that message today, we have prepared for you to sign some cards that will go to those on prayer list in our worship bulletin. I hope you will take a moment after worship today to step into Calvin Hall and sign these cards as part of your Christmas preparation and sharing your Christmas faith.
 
What about our sense of taste and smell? Christmas baking comes to mind. The cookies and breads smell so good as they come out from the oven and taste so good when they cool down to eat. These are among the many tastes and aromas we enjoy during the season. One scripture in particular comes to mind, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8) I discovered another, also from Psalms “your Word is so pleasing to my taste buds— it’s sweeter than honey in my mouth!”  (119:103) As you bite into your Christmas favorites and savor the flavor, take a moment to ponder the goodness of God. What has God brought into your life that makes it as sweet as that cookie or as savory and satisfying as the meal you are eating? How about taking a moment with your favorite Christmas beverage and goodie while reading a bit from God’s Word, and enjoy the richness of both?
 
As for our sense of smell, did you know that the burning of sacrifices in Old Testament times or even incense used in worship today is about offering a sweet fragrance to God? The laws of the Torah say to bring certain foods and “burn them on the altar for a sweet and soothing aroma before the Lord.” (Exodus 29:25) Later, God was angry they had begun to offer such sweet-smelling sacrifices to other gods and warned the people through the prophet Ezekiel. But God also promised through Ezekiel a time when those who honored God would be brought out of exile. “I will accept you [graciously] as a pleasant and soothing aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands in which you have been scattered.” (Ezekiel 20:41)
 
It is no longer by burnt offerings that we bring a sweet aroma to honor God, it is by our own behavior. In the New Testament, Mary honored Jesus by anointing his feet with an expensive perfume. Paul thanked the Philippians for gifts they sent him calling them a pleasing aroma. As you smell a fragrant pine or your favorite Christmas treat, pause to ask yourself in what ways your life offers a pleasing aroma to God. So much of what goes on in our world today stinks as badly as the world did in Ezekiel’s time. But we can still offer something of ourselves to God in ways that make the world much sweeter for all of us, and to please God as well.
 
I pondered longer the sense of touch, and here is the contrast I found. I thought about Mary wrapping baby Jesus in the softness of swaddling cloth before she laid him in a manger filled with rough, scratchy straw. In my own Christmas preparations I experienced the scratchy fake pine of my wreathe as I hung it on the door and even broke out in a rash on my wrists. But I enjoyed soft warm comfort wrapped in my furry robe, a gift from a previous Christmas. Jesus came to us in a vulnerable human body like ours; he was not immune to the harsh, scratchy, roughness of our world. But Jesus came offering to wrap us in the soft, warm comfort of God’s love. John’s Gospel shares Jesus telling his disciples, “In the world you will endure suffering. But take courage! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) In today’s Gospel reading, Luke quotes Isaiah 40. In the Old Testament that chapter begins, “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned.” (Isaiah 40:1-2a) As you touch a prickly Christmas decoration, consider the harsh rough spots in our world today. There are so many. Offer a prayer asking God to be present in those situations around the world. Then as you sit in your favorite spot wrapped in a warm sweater or blanket or robe, pause to give God thanks for all the ways God comforts you even in the midst of suffering and troubles.
 
I’m not asking you to take on an extra burden in preparation for the season. I’m asking you to let your physical senses remind you to experience God’s presence and goodness in everything around you as you enjoy this season. It’s just that sometimes we forget to pause long enough to take that in, even though God is reaching out to us through every sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch. Take that moment here and there this season, and perhaps it will become a habit that lasts all year. That would be sweet indeed!
 
 
**HYMN Lo, How A Rose E’re Blooming                              #48
 
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
 
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
 
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever. Amen.
 
OFFERING OUR LIVES
As God has offered to live in our midst through God’s Son, Jesus, so we offer ourselves to live for God’s purpose and pleasure in our daily lives. May God help us fulfill this vow. Amen.
 
*DOXOLOGY                                                                                                           P. 14
 
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed (Ecumenical)
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
​Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
He is seated on the right hand of the Father,
And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
 
 
*HYMN Let Us Break Bread Together #513
INVITATION AND INSTRUCTION FOR HOLY COMMUNION
 
GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
 
It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and praise,
…
who forever sing to the glory of your name:
 
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
 
You are holy, O God of majesty,
…
dedicated to your service.
 
Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life.
Lord Jesus, come in glory.
 
Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
…
all glory and honor are yours, almighty God,
now and forever.
 Amen.
 
 
RECEIVING THE BREAD AND CUP
 
*CHARGE & BLESSING               
 
*POSTLUDE
 
 
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.
Presbyterians practice open communion which means anyone who seeks to be in a relationship with Christ is welcome at the table regardless of denomination, age, or status. The communion elements are already in your pew, and you will be instructed when to eat the wafer and when to drink the juice.
 

 





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