New Is Simple – 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 7 — Virginia Olejnik 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 the gospel of Matthew: “... 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.’” — Matthew 4:1-3

Candle Lighters: Lois & Jim Dimos

Liturgist — Virginia Olejnik 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.

Holy God, you reveal yourself in so many ways, especially in your son, Jesus Christ. We gather up the prayers of this community for the church, the world, and all in need, confident that you know our deepest thoughts and will refresh our spirits. We pray in the name of the One who transforms principalities and powers and renews the heavens and the earth, Christ our Savior.

For the church: We pray for our sisters and brothers in Christ who gather as we do on this day all over the world in house churches and storefronts, on reservations, in townships and base communities, among immigrants, in hospital chapels and prisons, and with persons who are dying. Wherever the church is found on frontiers of mission and service, empower its witness to strengthen and stretch the vision of your people.

For the earth and all creatures: We pray for the healing and well-tending of all that you have given us; for water and air, soil and stars; for creatures that roam the seas and those that fly thousands of miles in migration; for mammals and reptiles, insects and microbes in swamps and forests and in our own homes. Show us their beauty and our need for them. For an end to violence, oppression, and injustice: We pray for all who sing with Mary a song of joy for deliverance; for all people who long to hear your promise of good news; for all peacemakers; for governments that hold at the heart of their work the needs of people otherwise invisible; for all people left homeless and destitute by the greed of others. Lead your people from darkness to light.

For Mary and Joseph in every land: We pray for all people who face the enormous vocation of raising children; for biological parents and adopting parents, for grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends; for children who long for a parent’s or guardian’s love and care; for children who will be born today; and especially for those born into hunger and insecurity. Let the light of your desire for our well-being shine through all children.

For those we hold dear and those who have asked for our prayers: We pray for everyone who is in any need today: for the lonely; for all people who are anxious at this time of year; for our elders in the nursing home; for people who cannot find work and those whose work is not life-giving for them; for …

For our own lives: We pray that Mary’s song of joy and Joseph’s loyalty will be magnified in us. Fill us with the breath of Advent. Stir us to extend ourselves beyond what we thought possible. Show us that like Mary, we need not fear. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great. We remember with thanksgiving the faithful who have gone before us, especially …

As your light shines on us through them, guide us to so enlighten others. With the whole church, we cry “Let it be,” trusting in your word. Amen.

O Mighty One, who scatters the proud and fills the hungry, by your Holy Spirit let your word leap in us and bring to our yearning the joy that comes with new beginnings and renewed lives. Amen.

²But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. ³Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. ⁴And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; ⁵and he shall be the one of peace.

³⁹In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, ⁴⁰where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴²and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Where do you see the light of Christ magnified in your personal life? Where do you see the light of Christ magnified in your family and community? Where might you bring the light of Christ to those around you who have judged the light to be darkness and have turned away?

God does not desire us to bring burnt offerings and sin offerings, but instead asks that we overcome me to be the we of the body of Christ. So we bring to God now the offerings of our lives and our labors, with the understanding that God’s will may be done through them. Amen.

Jennifer Scoullar, soprano Dave Albulario, tenor Hannah Yi, pianist

You deliver us, O God, from exile, separation, and despair into communion with each other, with you, and with your good news. We thank you for all that draws us close together, astounding us with lives transformed by gratitude. Accept our gifts as signs of our gratitude for what you give us every day and as honor to your presence in the world; for the sake of those who stand in need and Jesus Christ who shows us the way to save them. Amen.

May the God of justice be your path, the Lord of mercy be your guide, and the Spirit of love be your light, this day and forevermore. Amen.