Hybrid Church Fourth Sunday of Advent December 18, 2022

Hybrid Church, Fourth Sunday of Advent,December 18, 2022

Rev. Karen Hollis

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

Land Acknowledgment & Announcements

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

* please stand if you are able

Prelude

Welcome 

If you are gathering in person, on zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ.

Centering & Stillness

Lighting the Christ Candle

*Greeting                                                                    
One:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, 

          and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:     And also with you

*Call to Worship                                                                                                   enfleshed, adapted

One:  Rejoice!

All:    Wonder breaks through despair in unexpected ways.

One:  Rejoice!

All:    Divine Creativity is courageous in Her Way-Making.

One:  Rejoice!

All:    Sacred Solidarity consoles the brokenhearted.

One:  When we sleep, She knocks on the doors of our dreams.

All:    When we wake, She lures us towards radical hope.

One:  When we sing, She spreads out Her love like a song.

All:    Rejoice! Love is with us.

Candle of Love      Ivany Family

Reader: The Love of God-With-Us does not come as mere feeling, or sentimental fluff. Love cannot be imposed from on high. Love is our greatest commandment— tending tenderly to God, to other, and to self. The Love of God-With-Us is love in action, radical love practices: redistribution of resources and risks, solidarity with those most exposed to threat, hospitality to caravans, refugees, migrants, and sojourners, caring for those we’ve been taught to despise, or fear. This love is fierce, and tender. It defies unjust rules and flattens hierarchies of value. The Love of God-With-Us is collective, liberating us from deadly alienation. Love is gestating in darkness; it comes unexpectedly. Love invites our expectation and demands our participation. Prepare the way, for Love enfleshed. May Love be birthed among, within, and through us, this Advent. 

Hymn: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel v. 1&5                               VU #1

 1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

[Refrain]

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

5 O come, O Key of David, come

and open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

and close the path to misery. [Refrain]

Forgiveness Prayer

If I have harmed anyone in any way, either knowingly or unknowingly through my own confusions, I ask their forgiveness. 

If any one has harmed me in any way, either knowingly or unknowingly through their own confusions, I forgive them. 

And if there is a situation I am not yet ready to forgive, 

I forgive myself for that. 

For all the ways that I harm myself, negate, doubt, belittle myself, 

judge or be unkind to myself, through my own confusions, 

I forgive myself.

Silent Prayer of Confession

Assurance of Grace 

Along with our ancestors of old, we look to the mother and child named Emmanuel, the sign of God’s closeness, the sign of God’s fierce love for us. Thanks be to God!

Passing of the Peace 

Let us stand in body or spirit and share the peace that restores us to right relationships.

One:    The peace of Christ be with you! 

All:      And also with you!

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace. Those on zoom, please unmute and share with one another.

Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may hear your Word today and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-16 (NRSV)                                  Reader: Tim Leadem

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

Psalm 80, Part One (VU #794)                                          Reader: Tim Leadem

[Refrain]             

Shephard of Israel, hear us,

       you who lead Joseph like a flock,

       you who are enthroned amidst the cherubim.

Shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh;

       Stir up your might, come and save us.   R

God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayer?

       You have fed us with the bread of weeping,

       and given us tears in plenty to drink.

You have made a mockery of us to our neighbours,

       and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

Let you hand rest on the one at your right hand,

on the one you have made strong for yourself.

       Then we will never forsake you;

       give us life, and we will call on your name.   R

Gospel Reading                                                                                   Reader: Tim Leadem

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

Reader:           God be with you.         

All:      And also with you.

Reader:           The Good News of Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

All:         Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV) 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 with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss 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 conceive and bear 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 borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

       Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

       All:        Praise be to Jesus Christ       

Reflection        Love              

Silence for Reflection

*Hymn: Long Before the Night                                                                               VU #282

1 Long before the night was born from darkness

Long before the dawn rolled unsteady from fire

Long before she wrapped her scarlet arms around the hills

there was a love this ancient love was born

2 Long before the grass spotted green the bare hillside

Long before a wing unfolded to wind

Long before she wrapped her long blue arm round the sea

there was a love this ancient love was born

3 Long before a chain was forged from the hillside

Long before a voice uttered freedom’s cry

Long before she wrapped her bleeding arms around a child

there was a love this ancient love was born

4 Long before the name of God was spoken

Long before a cross was nailed from a tree

Long before she laid her arm of colours ‘cross the sky

there was a love this ancient love was born

5 Wakeful are our nights and slumbers our morning

Stubborn is the grass sowing green wounded hills

As we wrap our healing arms to hold what her arms held

this ancient love this aching love rolls on

*Affirmation of Faith: Shema        Island’s Liturgy

Hear, O Israel,

the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart,

with all your soul,

with all your mind,

and with all your strength.

This is the first and the great commandment.

The second is like it:

Love your neighbour as yourself.

There is no commandment greater than these.

Prayers of the People     Paddy Waymark

One:  God of Love

All:    Hear Our Prayer

Lord’s Prayer                                                                                                                        VU #959          

Our Father in heaven, 

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, 

your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil,

for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,

now and for ever. Amen

Invitation to Offering

Poet and activist, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, writes of “perpetually awaiting a rebirth of wonder.” Amidst systems of oppression, wonder is a salve. Wonder is a lightning bolt of possibility. Wonder is the sweet ache of being alive on a fresh morning. So let us birth wonder for one another, meeting each other’s needs with tenderness. Let us bring forth our offerings this day, that it may be so.

*Doxology                                                                                                                                       CP #669

Praise God the Source of life and birth,

Praise God the Word, who came to earth.

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All Glory, honour to God’s name.

*Offering Prayer                                                                                         enfleshed, adapted

Wonderful Trouble Maker, when we feel like we are in a rut of hopeless- ness, thank you for the inbreaking of possibility. Take what our community has gathered and breathe your Spirit upon it, that New Life might be animated this day and each day. Amen.                                  

*The Great Thanksgiving                                                                      enfleshed

One:  God be with you                        

All:    And also with you

One:  Lift up your hearts         

All:    We lift them to God

One:  Let us give thanks to God most high           

All:    It is right to give God thanks and praise

Creator of all that is, Mother of life itself, 

by your hand we were formed.

You made us relational.

You created us to thrive – not alone, but together.

You shaped the entire cosmos so that every form of life depends on another. You never intended for us to power through these lives alone.

You made us strong and resilient people, but equally vulnerable and dependent on you, the earth, and all our neighbors.

You gifted us with the need to rely on one another,

bone of each other’s bone, flesh of each other’s flesh.

In your wisdom, you created us with both desire and need to be in community.

Therefore we join our voices with your people on earth and all the company of the heavens, singing praise to you,

Sanctus:                                                                                                  MV #203

Holy, holy, holy God, O God of time and space.

All earth and sea and sky above bear witness to your grace

Hosanna in the highest heav’n, creation sings your praise.

And blessed is the One who comes and bears your name always!

In our longing for your presence with us, we often expect your arrival in traditional places of power. We seek our hope and salvation in the false promises of dominance and might. But instead, you brought us salvation through vulnerability. You too became bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh. God, in the form of a baby, you made yourself dependent on us. An infant, revealing the transformative power of giving and receiving love through human flesh.

Throughout the life of Jesus, we saw lives transformed by your willingness to make yourself vulnerable. And yet, the same vulnerability also came at a price. Though some fed you and raised you and befriended you, others persecuted you to the point of death. Seeking to eradicate their own feelings of vulnerability, those in power preyed on yours . . . still, today, we often crucify the ones who dare to risk it all on love.

On the night of his arrest, Jesus shared a meal with his companions. He took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to his disciples and said:

“This is my body which is given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.”

After the meal, he took the cup, blessed it, and shared it saying:

“This cup that is poured out is the new covenant.”

In remembrance of all you have done to save us,

we proclaim the mystery of our faith:

Christ was birthed among us.

Christ was killed among us.

Christ rises again among us. 

Pour out your Spirit on these gifts, O God. Give us a taste of resurrection hope that lasts through even the most challenging of relational betrayals. Meet us in this bread and this cup and hear the prayers of your people in this aching world. 

Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

Glory and honour to you with-us God, 

dynamic of love, complete and perfect unity, 

now, and in all ages.

Amen

Breaking the Bread

One:  God of promise, you prepare a banquet for us in your kin-dom.

All:    Happy are those who are called to this supper.

One: These are the gifts of God for the people of God.

All:    Thanks be to God.

One:  Let us all who are gathered here receive Christ in our hearts. Those gathered in the sanctuary are also invited to receive a wafer.

Please keep to your right as you process up behind the communion table to receive and continue around, back to your seat. If you prefer to remain in your seat and socially distanced, indicate so to the usher and you will be served in the pew. Gluten Free is available upon request.

Hymn: O Ancient Love                                                                                              VU #17

1 O ancient love, processing through the ages:

O hidden love, revealed in human form:

O promised love, the dream of seers and sages:

O living Love, within our hearts be born,

O living Love, within our hearts be borne.

2 O homeless love, that dwells among the stranger:

O lowly love, that knows the mighty’s scorn:

O hungry love, that lay within a manger:

O living Love, within our hearts be born,

O living Love, within our hearts be borne.

3 O gentle love, caressing those in sorrow:

O tender love, that comforts those forlorn:

O hopeful love, that promises tomorrow:

O living Love, within our hearts be born,

O living Love, within our hearts be borne.

4 O suff’ring love, that bears our human weakness:

O boundless love, that rises with the morn:

O mighty love, concealed in infant meekness:

O living Love, within our hearts be born,

O living Love, within our hearts be borne.

*Prayer after Communion

Loving God, we recognize the ways you still make yourself vulnerable to us today. In gratitude for a taste of your Kindom, may our discipleship shape us into fierce protectors of the vulnerable, give us courage to practice our own vulnerability, and help us to honor the sacredness of our need for one another. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

*Glory to God 

whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.                                                                                                    

*Carol: Down to Earth, as a Dove                                                                     VU #42

1 Down to earth, as a dove,

came to light holy love;

Jesus Christ from above

bringing great salvation

meant for every nation.

[Refrain:]

Let us sing, sing, sing,

dance and spring, spring, spring.

Christ is here, ever near!

Gloria in excelsis.

2 This is love come to light,

now is fear put to flight.

God defeats darkest night,

giving for our sorrows

hope of new tomorrows. [Refrain]

3 Christ the Lord comes to feed

hungry souls in their need;

in the house there is bread:

Jesus in a stable,

in the church a table. [Refrain]

*Blessing                                                                                                         Iona Community

If you are with another person, you’re invited to bless each other, taking every other line.

One:  The Creator’s blessing be yours on your road, on your journey,           guiding you, cherishing you.

Left:  The Son’s blessing be yours, wine and water, bread and stories, 

          feeding you, challenging you.

Right/Zoom: The Spirit’s blessing be yours, wind and fire, joy and 

          wisdom, comforting you, disturbing you.

All:    The Angel’s blessing be yours, on your house, on your living,  guarding you, encouraging you. Let us walk together, a           community on a journey, sustained in God’s blessing. Amen!

One:  Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:    Thanks be to God! Alleluia!

Postlude