You Should See Me in a Crown

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 3: Peace — Jeanette Williams 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, our Light and our Hope, will come.

Candle Reader — Wilma Wind Listen to these words from the Revelation to John: “And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: ‘Great and amazing are your deeds.’”

Candle Lighter — Fred Wind

Candle Prayer — Rev. Johan Dodge O come, Desire of nations, bind as one the hearts of all humanity; bid thou our sad divisions cease, and be thyself our guide to Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Amen.

Loving God, you have assured us that the days are surely coming when your people will know peace, your people will know justice, your people will know loving kindness. Confident in your promises, we proclaim with faith:

God is our Loving Kindness.

We pray this day for those in particular need of justice, righteousness, and mercy. We pray for the trampled, the ignored, the brushed aside. We pray for the unhoused, the lonely, and the unwell. We pray for leaders in governments, homes, communities, and schools, that they may know the influence of wisdom rather than power; and declare with faith:

God is our Loving Kindness.

We pray this day for those who only know violence: those whose countries have been torn apart by invasion, civil war, and private armies, those whose communities have been forgotten by all but the warlords and gangs, those whose homes are places of danger and fear rather than sanctuary and love. May they declare with certitude: God is our Loving Kindness.

God of all creation we pray that in the midst of chaos we might hear God’s word to us: that in the midst of heartache we might know the Spirit’s presence, and in the midst of a cacophony of voices we might proclaim:

God is our Loving Kindness. Amen.

Holy God, through the generations you have spoken to us. You have sent voices crying out in the wilderness. You have sent the words of an overjoyed new father and an expectant mother. You have sent the assurance of a condemned man on a cross. Quiet in us any voice but your own, that by the power of your Spirit, we might hear the words you speak to us today. Amen.

¹¹ May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, so that you may have all endurance and patience, joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has enabledyouto share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. ¹³ He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. ¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, ¹⁶ for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For in him all the fullness of Godwas pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

The author of Colossians describes Jesus with what scholars refer to as a “High-Christology” that is, a very divine Jesus. But Jesus didn’t describe himself this way. Jesus had a very low Christology, he saw himself as human and his message of his relationship to God was not that he was God’s son, but rather that we are all children of God. Jesus changed the relationship, the understanding, of the people toward God. Holding these different views of Jesus in tension,what does it mean to you to be a child of God? How does this empower you? How does it give you pause?

Let us affirm God’s presence in all creation, continuing our worship through the offering of our gifts to God. Amen.

Holy God, you have looked upon your people with mercy, generosity, and love; and so, we offer these gifts for your hurting and broken world. May these gifts be multiplied to do your service. May we be strengthened to do your work. In the name of Jesus showed us how to multiply small gifts and feed the multitude. Amen.

And now may the holy triune, the visible and invisible, guide your feet, strengthen your hands, and fortify your heart this day and evermore. In the name of the Creator. Amen.