New Is Ours to Do – Do It Anyway

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. ADVENT 5 — Marylee Thomsen As our nights grow longer and our days grow short, we look on these earthly signs — light and green branches — and remember God’s promise to our world: ALL: Christ, our Light and our Hope, will come.

Listen to the words of Malachi, the prophet: “See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.” — Malachi 4:1-3

Candle Lighters: Mary Martinez and son, Steve Martinez

Liturgist — Marylee Thomsen Let us pray …

ALL: Lord Jesus Christ, in your resurrection you appeared as the Morning Star that knows no setting: Dawn upon the darkness of the human heart so that the deathly orders of this world may be overcome and your whole creation made new; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit, you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord of Life, you call us to prepare the way for your reign by bearing fruit worthy of repentance. You lift up a vision before us of a world that is shared and fair, where needs are met and no one is outcast. Baptize us fresh in your Spirit.

We pray for the nations of the world, both allies and enemies, for their leaders and their people. Make yourself known to us all, that all the peoples of the earth may live in justice and peace.

For your church here and abroad, that we hear your call for justice as good news for all people.

We pray for peace in our world, especially for those caught in war, and for all who live in fear of violence, extortion, threats, and false accusations.

For those who suffer from natural disasters, from hunger and cold. Lead us to share our food and our coats with them.

For the frail, the sick, and all those whose hands grow weak, lead us to help them with gentleness. For those who are disabled, oppressed, or outcast among us, change their pain into praise, and let their courage be renowned in the world.

For the earth from which we draw our health, our strength, our inspiration, and for all the living creatures in whose community we live—

Surely, God, we can trust in you and not be afraid. Lead us in songs of praise and shouts of joy, for you are in our midst. We pray through the one who baptizes us not only with water but with the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Amen.

Holy Word, you are our guide and ultimate assurance. By your Holy Spirit, open us to your promises and commands and shower us again with the fire of your love. Amen.

¹⁴Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! ¹⁵The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. ¹⁶On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. ¹⁷The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing ¹⁸as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it.¹⁹I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. ²⁰At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.

⁷John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” ¹⁰And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” ¹⁵As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁸So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

In the beginning of John’s Gospel this week, John says to the people who have come out to him — You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? And in the passage from the Prophet Zephaniah God is described as a warrior who will deal with oppressors, gather the outcast, and bring the people home. How has this language of opposition framed your worldview? How might a change of perspective serve to see the world around us not as opposition but as opportunity?

Siblings in Christ: Through the Sacrament of Baptism we are initiated into Christ’s holy Church. We are incorporated into God’s mighty acts of salvation and given new birth through water and the Spirit. All this is God’s gift, offered to us without price.

Through the reaffirmation of our faith, we renew the covenant declared at our baptism, acknowledge what God is doing for us, and affirm our commitment to Christ’s holy Church.

I present MAUREEN “MO” ASHLEY, ALVIN KNOWLES, LOIS DIMOS, and JIM DIMOS, who come seeking professing membership in Leisure World Community Church and the United Methodist Church.

On behalf of the whole Church, I ask you: Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin? Mo, Alvin, Lois, and Jim — “I do.”

Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves? Mo, Alvin, Lois, and Jim — “I do.”

Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races? Mo, Alvin, Lois, and Jim — “I do.”

According to the grace given to you, will you remain a faithful member of Christ’s holy Church and serve as Christ's representative in the world? Mo, Alvin, Lois, and Jim — “I will.”

Do you, as Christ’s body, the Church, reaffirm both your rejection of sin and your commitment to Christ? Congregation — “We do.”

Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life and include Maureen, Alvin, Lois, and Jim now before you in your care?

With God’s help we will proclaim the good news and live according to the example of Christ. We will surround these persons with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their trust of God, and be found faithful in their service to others. We will pray for them, that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life.

Let us join together in professing the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

Do you believe in God the Father? I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? I believe in Jesus Christ, his 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, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.]

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? 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.]

PASTOR (to Mo, Alvin, Lois, and Jim): As a member of Christ’s universal Church, will you be loyal to Christ through The United Methodist Church, and do all in your power to strengthen its ministries? Mo, Alvin, Lois, and Jim: “I will.”

As a member of this congregation, will you faithfully participate in its ministries by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness? Mo, Alvin, Lois, and Jim: “I will.”

PASTOR (to Congregation): Members of the household of God, I commend Maureen, Alvin, Lois, and Jim to your love and care. Do all in your power to increase their faith, confirm their hope, and perfect them in love.

We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love. As members together with you in the body of Christ and in this congregation of The United Methodist Church, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the Church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

The God of all grace, who has called us to eternal glory in Christ, establish you and strengthen you that you may live in grace and peace.

Let us bring to God our offerings, with thanksgiving that God provides more than enough for all. Let us give, as each is able, for the benefit of Christ’s church and God’s world. Amen.

Gracious God, in gratitude for all that you have given us, we bring our tithes, offerings, and labor to help feed a world hungry for healing and hope; for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

As we go forth this day, we go forth as those with need and those with abundance. May God bless each of us with eyes to see where our abundance might serve another need and may the Holy Spirit dissipate our pride to ask for or to receive the assistance we need. Amen.