Weaving Stories

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, in every generation.

Praise God, all creatures here below, the blessed incarnation.

Praise God above, ye heavenly host, Creator, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Let all creation praise the Lord with love and adoration.

LIGHTING OF THE FIRST CANDLE OF ADVENT- “Kindom”

Taylor White, Alvin Knowles

Leader: Lord Jesus, open our eyes to recognize your beloved family,

help us see your face among our neighbors in need. We light this

candle, the candle of Kindom as a sign of the work that is ours yet to

do.

Leader: We light this candle as the Candle of Kindom.

People: God of majesty, you love us with an everlasting love and

show us the way to justice and peace. In Jesus Christ you have

reconciled the whole world to you and claimed us as your own.

Our Shepherd satisfies our needs; in faith, let us pray to the Lord.

O Lord, our God, we pray for the church.

As you have made Christ the head of all, help us to live faithfully

as his body, continuing his mission in the world....

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, our God, we pray for the earth.

Let all the earth make a joyful noise to you, a song of praise to

the rock of our salvation, for you are coming to reveal a new

creation....

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, our God, we pray for all nations.

Drive out those wolves in sheep’s clothing who abuse the weak

and scatter the flock. Come and save us; bring justice and

peace....

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, our God, we pray for this community.

Help us to see Christ among our neighbors, serving those who

are hungry and thirsty, naked and lonely, sick or in prison....

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, our God, we pray for loved ones.

Remember the people of your pasture: rescue the lost, bind up

the broken, heal the sick, and feed those who hunger....

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Loving Shepherd, lead and guide us— in green pastures and by still

waters, in right paths and through dark valleys, until we feast with you

in glory and dwell in your house forever; through Jesus Christ our

Savior. Amen.

Holy God, open your Word. Give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation, that our eyes may be enlightened and we may know the hope to which we have been called; through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Ephesians 1:15-23 15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason ¹⁶] do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. ¹⁷ 1 pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, ¹⁸ so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. ²⁰ God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. ²² And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Matthew 25:31-46 31"\When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. ³⁴ Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ l was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? ³⁸ And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? ³⁹ And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ ⁴⁰ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ ⁴¹ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; ⁴² for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ l was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Questions for Reflection: Rev. Johan Dodge

The story of the end times in Matthew’s Gospel had a strong moral

for life here and now. In the Gospel, the threat of punishment is used

as a motivator. What are the ways you are motivated to do

something? Because of joy or because of consequences? How might

you shift from consequences to a life of joy? Who might you reach out

to to help you?

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING -— Taylor White

God holds the depths of the earth and the heights of the mountains,

the sea and the dry land. In gratitude for the immeasurable gift of

Jesus Christ, let us bring our tithes and offerings to God.

Almighty God, we give you thanks and praise for your love in Jesus Christ our Lord; may we honor your presence in all people and may our lives and our gifts serve to bring your kindom into being.

May God who seeks the lost keep you; may God who brings back the wandering heart uphold you; may God who binds up the injured heal you; may God who strengthens the weak empower you; and may the grace of Christ surround you, the love of God astound you, and the Holy Spirit keep you, this day and forevermore. Amen. Blessed Be the Tie that Binds Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen.