Hybrid Worship Service, Advent III, Dec. 14 2025 with Communion

HYBRID WORSHIP

Minister: Rev. Suzanna Bates

Music: Ian Cox

Words for Worship

Words of response are in bold & italics

Prelude:

Gathering:

Call to Worship:

Jeremiah said, “I am only a child.”

Moses said, “Who am I to do this work?”

Mary said, “How can this be?”

We often say, “But God, I am afraid.”

Even when we are afraid, God invites us closer.

So may we trust the One who invites us.

May we heed God’s invitation.

May we summon our courage and sing God’s praise.

Let us worship our grace-filled, inviting, calling God. Amen!

Acknowledging the Land & Candle Lighting

As we gather to worship together, let us respectfully pause to remember the original peoples, the Snuneymuxw First Nation as the traditional custodians of the Gabriola Island. And let us commit ourselves to work for justice, reconciliation, and care of the earth.

Lighting this candle, we draw near to God and to one another.       

We are here. God is here.

This space is holy ground.

Hymn: People Look East                                                               VU #9

Lighting the Advent Candle

In a world full of fear, where do you see glimmers of joy?

We see glimmers of joy in birthday candles and homemade cards. We see joy in the laughter of children and the delight of grandparents. We see joy in meals around the table and in the singing of Christmas songs.

You are right. Even in a fearful world, joy is all around us.

Today we light the candle of joy as a reminder of this good news.

May this flicker of light help us remember that even in a fearful world, joy is here. Joy is real. We only have to be open to it.

Light candle.

Thanks to God for joy today! Amen.

Hymn: Hope Is A Star (vs.3)                                                          VU #7

Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn,

telling the world that the Saviour is born.

When God is a child there’s joy in our song.

The last shall be first and the weak become strong,

and none shall be afraid.

Call to Confession

Friends, often in life, when we make mistakes, we want to keep those mistakes to ourselves. We don’t want to advertise our blunders.

We don’t want to highlight our failings. We can be tempted to brush those things under the rug and move on.

But when it comes to God, there is nothing we need to hide.

God welcomes and loves our full, honest, messy selves –

blunders and all. So let us go before God in prayer, trusting that there is nothing we need to hide from our Creator. Let us pray.

Prayer For Reconciliation

Ever-present God, Grace-filled God, you invite us to live into our call.

You invite us to act, to serve, and to trust.

Instead of responding with a resounding “yes,” we often hide our face.

We dig our heels in. We look for someone else to volunteer.

Spark courage in us. Remind us that every person can make a difference. Remind us that even when we’re scared, we are not alone.

You invite us forward.

With tiny steps we hope, we pray, amen.

Words of Forgiveness

People of faith, no matter where your path has led you in the past,

today is a new day. So, join me in declaring this good news:

We are known. We are forgiven! We are sent to serve.

May we step forward in faith, always moving closer to

God’s call. Amen.

Affirmation of Faith

We have seen the valley. We have seen a sky without stars.

We have seen the longest night, and still we believe.

We believe in a God-with-us.

We believe in the hope of tomorrow.

We believe that good news is louder than fear.

We believe this good news is for all people.

So even when our knees shake, even when our voice trembles,

even when fear is all around us, we will hold onto that good news.

We will reach for each other. We will look for God in our midst.

We will sing songs of joy. We will proclaim:

Unto us, love is born.

We have seen the longest night,

and we have seen unimaginable love.

So still, we believe. Amen.

Prayer Before the Reading of Scripture

Holy One, the story of this season is not a new one.

We’ve heard this tale before.

We’ve seen the nativities, watched the plays and sung the songs.

The story of this season is not a new one and yet we long to hear it as if it is. So, brighten our spirits. Call forth awareness, attention, and reverence in us. Allow us to hear this ancient story in a new way.

With hope we pray, amen.

Scripture Reading:                                                       Reader: Tim Leadem

Jeremiah 1:4-10                                                                    (The Message)

God calls Jeremiah

The Message of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah of the family of priests who lived in Anathoth in the country of Benjamin. God’s Message began to come to him during the thirteenth year that Josiah, son of Amon reigned over Judah. It continued to come to him during the time Jehoiakim son of Josiah reigned over Judah. And it continued to come to him clear down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah over Judah, the year that Jerusalem was taken into exile. This is what God said:

“Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations - that’s what I had in mind for you.”

But I said, “Wait, O God! Look at me. I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!” God told me, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a boy.’ I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there. I’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it. Don’t be afraid of a soul. I’ll be right there, looking after you.”

God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, “Look! I’ve just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered! See what I’ve done? I’ve given you a job to do among nations and governments.

Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish, and then start over, building and planting.”

This is God’s Word.

We open our hearts to this Word today!

Gospel Reading                                                            Reader: Tim Leadem                            

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

God be with you.

And also with you

The Good News of Jesus the Christ according to Luke.

Glory to you, Christ Jesus

Luke 1:26-39                                                                         (The Message)

The Angel visits Mary

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But, she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,

This is the Gospel of Christ.

We open our hearts to Good News today!

Word: Even in our Fear we are called forward

Hymn of Response: Bathe Me In Your Light                             MV #82

Life & Work of the Church

Offering

Prayer of Dedication

God of hope, in a world that trembles with fear, we dare to believe that Your light will shine.

Take these gifts and use them to break through despair with hope, through darkness with light, through fear with love. Amen.

Prayers of the People                                                         Susan Brockley

Loving God,

            Hear our Prayer

The Prayer of Jesus

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope

and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,

now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn: To a Maid Whose Name was Mary (vs. 1,4,6)                VU #14

Holy Communion

Invitation to the Table

Friends, those who arrive weary, those who come with questions,
those who are holding tight to hope,

and those who fear they have none left, you are welcome at this Table.

This is not a table for the certain or the strong.
It is not a table for the polished or the perfect. This is Christ’s Table.

And Christ says: "Come, all you who are afraid. Come, all you who are seeking. Come, all you who hunger for peace, for healing,
for hope that insists on being born again."

Here, there is room. Here, there is love. Here, there is enough.

All are invited and all are welcome.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

God be with you.

And also, with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to God.

Let us give thanks to God-with-us.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

God of grace and welcome, we give you thanks for the breath of life,
for stars shining in darkness,
for earth that shelters, and water that renews.

You have been our refuge through every wilderness:
guiding, challenging, comforting, sustaining.
You have spoken through prophets who dared to name injustice
and sang songs of hope in exile.

And in the fullness of time, you came to dwell among us –

not in might or armour, but in the flesh of a newborn,
held by a mother, watched by stars, sheltered by strangers.

You know our fears, and still, you speak peace.
You know our fragility, and still, you call us beloved.

With those who await your coming, and those who dwell now in your eternal peace, we lift our voices in praise:

Holy, holy, holy,
God of grace and light,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of our God.
Hosanna in the highest.

On the night when love was most threatened, when fear lingered in every shadow, Jesus gathered with his friends.

He took bread: blessed, broken, and gave it to them, saying:
“This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Then he took the cup, filled with promise and mercy, saying:
“My ife is poured out for you and for everyone. Drink from this cup in remembrance of me.”

So, in remembrance of Christ’s life among us, his vulnerable love, his liberating truth, his dying and rising again,
we offer ourselves to this mystery of faith:

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

Come, Spirit of Love, breathe on this bread and this cup,
that they may be for us life and love shared.

Breathe on us, fearful and faithful, yearning and wounded,
that we may be your Body in the world:
bearers of hope, bringers of peace,
makers of joy in the face of fear.

Let this feast strengthen what is tender in us and awaken what is brave.

Amen.

Breaking the Bread

We break bread without fear and share in the body of Christ.
We drink from the cup of joy and share in the life of Christ.

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

Sharing the Bread and Cup

Prayer after Communion

Loving God, in a world racked with fear, you gather us together.

You set the table. You meet us here.

You nourish our bodies as you nourish our spirits.

You remind us that this is a joyful feast,

and that fear cannot win every time.

So, with renewed courage, with renewed hope,

with renewed conviction, send us out into the world.

Help us to feed others as you have fed us.

With gratitude we pray, amen.

Closing Words

Hymn: Joy to the World                                                               VU #59

Sending & Blessing

In a fearful world,

may you look for God’s spirit.

May you reach for each other’s hands.

May you choose courage whenever you can.

And in all things, may you remember

that good news is louder than fear.

In the name of the one who calls,

the one who sends,

and the one who journeys with us -

go in peace and joy and be not afraid. Amen.

The peace of Christ be always with you.

And also with you.

Postlude:

Credit - Liturgy (alt) by A Sanctified Art, LLC | sanctifiedart.org