Love is Here, God is Now

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 Candle Week 2: Love — 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: Christ, God’s Light and Love, has come.

Candle Reader — Lois Dimos Listen to the words of Creation in Genesis: And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together, Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. Genesis 1:9-13

Candle Lighter — Jim Dimos

Candle Prayer — Rev. Johan Dodge Let us pray … Loving God, you gave us, your creation, the earth upon which to thrive and share in your gifts of abundance. And yet we have turned to ourselves and held our desires above yours. Place into our hearts a love for others even as we grow in our understanding of your love for us and all of your creation. May the light that we light today remind us that we are not to place ourselves first as we labor together to build the new earth in your name. Amen.

God of new beginnings, you have promised us a season in which weeping will no longer be heard, nor cries of distress. Yet we live in a season of weeping and distress and find ourselves calling out for guidance and the way of Jesus in this time of trial.

We pray for elected officials and for civil servants. Stir them to heed justice and rouse us to hold them accountable. God in your way of love, Teach us to act.

We pray for those who are sick or in trouble, especially those we name in this moment — Comfort them with grace and empower us to minister to them. God in your way of love, Teach us to act.

We pray for all who suffer violence of human hands or natural disasters, especially the people of Gaza, the people of Ukraine, and the people across the world recovering from massive storms. Bind us to them and encourage us to care for them. God in your way of love, Teach us to act.

We pray for children and the elderly, especially those who are home bound. Protect them with your care and strengthen us to tend to them. God in your way of love, Teach us to act. We pray for all those who may live in fear of your judgement, those who have known rejection, and those who have been pushed to the margins of our society. Help us to show them that love casts out fear and enable them to find a place in your community in which to belong and be loved. May we be a community of love and reconciliation. God in your way of love, Teach us to act.

God of mercy, our guide and teacher, receive these prayers that we ask in our need even as you graciously care for all of creation. In gratitude and in hope, we pray in the name of Jesus who showed us the way. Amen.

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God of breath and God of silence, quiet in us the voice of fear that seeks to shout over your voice of love, that by the power of your loving Spirit we might hear, and in hearing, we might be stirred to action, calling forth your new creation in the here and now. Amen.

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold ⁵ When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, ⁶ “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” Signs and Persecutions ⁷ They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸ And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. ⁹ “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹ there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. ¹² “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. ¹³ This will give you an opportunity to testify. ¹⁴ So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance, ¹⁵ for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all because of my name. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Jesus peaks of wars, insurrections, earthquakes, famines, and plagues, but instructs his followers, “Do not be terrified!” How does our witness to the Good News of God’s Love include our natural impulse to be terrorized by evil? What are ways we might stay energized in a seemingly impossible task? In a world that values business above all else, how do we in a healthy and faithful way also strive to find and create sabbath rest?

In a world filled with blessings, we celebrate our privilege and our responsibility to share those blessings. Let us celebrate the God of overwhelming blessings by offering our tithes and gifts. Amen.

Loving God, before we give to you, you have given to us. All we offer we have received from you, we thank you for your goodness, and we praise you for your bountiful works, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Now may the God of Love who taught us the way of active hope in the life and teachings of Jesus give you comfort in your heart and strengthen you to share every good deed and word. Amen.