Heaven is in God's Hands

Opening Announcements — Rev. Johan Dodge

Good Morning and Welcome to Worship!

Worship is often the first place that new people come into contact

with this growing community of faith. And so if you are joining us for

the first time, I say to you what is said every Sunday. You are

welcome here. Here is a place where all are welcome. For such is

the love of God for God’s Very Good Creation.

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 FOURTH CANDLE OF ADVENT- “Hope”

Lewis and Linda Hildreth

Leader: In the days of exile and uncertainty, the prophet Isaiah cried

out: O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that

the mountains would quake at your presence. As when fire sets twigs

ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name

known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!

For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came

down, and the mountains trembled before you.

People: God of power unexpected, we want you to tear open the

heavens and come down; to make mountains quake, water boil,

and stars to fall until all nations tremble at your presence! But you, you will not perform according to our wants and whims.

Instead you are born among us as an infant. Instead you show

us how love can turn our world upside-down. And invite us to

participate in the turning.

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

God of power and glory, we remember your awesome deeds across

the ages — the times you saved us and brought us home. Yet, we

also remember times when we felt alone and afraid.

O God, we are your people, the work of your hand. Look upon us

with your shining face, and guide us to be your hope in the

world.

We pray for those who look to you for healing ... those who are sick

or recuperating from illness and injury ... those who are lonely and

need companionship and care ... those for whom the holidays bring

sorrow or pain ... those whose deep sadness overshadows joy. Let

your face shine upon us,

O God, we are your people, the work of your hand. Look upon us

with your shining face, and guide us to be your hope in the

world.

We pray for people in need of restoration and reconciliation: for those

battling addictions and those in recovery ... for people estranged from

those they love ... for someone lost in grief ... for someone far from

home. Let your face shine upon us,

O God, we are your people, the work of your hand. Look upon us

with your shining face, and guide us to be your hope in the

world.

Renew the spirit of a world grown weary with waiting and hoping.

Especially we pray for wars to end, for hunger and poverty to be

crowded out by abundance. And we pray, too, for the church because

we also grow weary in our waiting and watching for your power and

glory to be made known. Grant us clarity, passion, and true fellowship so that we are awake to your presence. Let your face shine upon the

church and all this weary world, we pray; in the name of the One born

in a manger and coming again on clouds of glory. Amen.

Gracious God, heaven and earth will pass away, but your words will not pass away: Your Word stands forever. May our generation be attentive so that, by the power of your Holy Spirit, we remember your ways and gladly do right, meeting you wherever and whenever you appear. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:3-9 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 41 give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— ⁶ just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— 7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸ He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Mark 13:24-37 24«But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. ²⁷ Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴ “It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. ³⁵ Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, ³⁶ or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Questions for Reflection: Rev. Johan Dodge

The reading from Mark counsels us to be awake to, to pay attention

to, what is most needful for our well-being and the well-being of the

world: God’s presence, God’s appearing among us. Here at the

beginning of Advent, how will you “keep alert” for God in the midst of

so many responsibilities and distractions? Where might you see the

Kindom of God int eh community around you? How might you be the

hands of Jesus to bring the kindom into being?

afraid of spilling red grape juice, a limited number of cups with white

grape juice are provided.

Invitation to Communion (Pastor Johan Dodge)

Here at Community Church we celebrate “Open Communion’.

Anyone who wishes to commune may come to our Lord’s Table. You

do not have to be sinless; God forgives you. You do not have to be

perfect; but God is encouraging you to grow. You need not belong to

this or any church; God Invites all people to this meal. It is enough to

love the Lord and follow Him with all your heart. This is what God

asks us to do. Come to our Lord’s Table in faith this day. Go from who follow you from generation to generation. You guide us in turning

over the tables of the mighty that we might feed the hungry with good

things. Your own Son came among us as a servant, to be Emmanuel,

your presence with us. He humbled himself in obedience to your will

and freely accepted birth into a world of darkness. By the light of his

life and teaching you gave birth to this your Church, you delivered us

from slavery to to a world bent toward darkness and prejudice, and

made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave

thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:

“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in

remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave

it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my

blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the

forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance

of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living

sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim

together the mystery of faith.

People: (Sung Response)

Repeat after Cantor:

— , cn

Christ has died, Christ is ri — sen, Christ will come a — gain.

Pastor: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these

gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of

Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by

his blood. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each

other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final

victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son

Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and

glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever. Amen.

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we

all partake of the one loaf.

The bread which we have eaten is a sharing in the bread of Christ.

The cup over which we give thanks is the sharing in the cup of Christ.

Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. INVITATION TO THE OFFERING — Kelly Frankiewicz God has enriched us in every way— in speech, knowledge, and spiritual gifts. From the fellowship of Jesus Christ, we are sent out to share with thanksgiving what we have received.

Faithful God, we thank you that Christ has been and is being revealed in every time and place. Strengthen our testimony and spiritual gifts; increase our generosity, as we wait for the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

God is doing awesome things we do not expect. And Christ is here with great power, glory, and tenderness. May God strengthen us to the end; Christ draw near to our very gates; and the Holy Spirit awaken our spirits; until, with eager longing, we greet the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 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.