A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
10:30 am, First Sunday of Advent
“When we decide to embrace hope — when we choose to make that our goal and our message — we release a flow of energy that cannot be overcome. Hope is a light that darkness can never contain.” ~ Steven Charleston
From There to Here: We Gather
Hymn Sing Choose Your Favorites!
Meditation Chant/Song Kindle a Flame John Bell
@1987, Iona Community, GIA Publications, Inc., agent
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
First Reading Isaiah 64:1-9 Don Cardwell, Reader
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence–as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil– to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people.
~ New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition (Friendship Press, 2021)
Lighting the Candle of Hope
This Sunday marks the beginning of a new church season, the first in our yearly cycle. As its name implies, Advent is a time of new understandings, of awakening, and of expectation and of beginnings. We start not in the bright lights of Christmas cheer, but rather in the NEED that calls for this longed for child. We start in the shadows, learning their shape, and tracing the presence and promise of God that leads from “shadow” to “living love.”
Reading by Candlelighter
One: Beginning with the season of Advent we trace a sacred arc from “shadows” to “kindled light” to all that God is illuminating through the Lord’s “light of the World, Jesus.” In Advent we seek to understand the shape of these shadows and God’s presence and promise among them.
One: Isaiah’s lament could be our own: We know God’s goodness, but have acted like we don’t. We crave a world more just, more joyful, more loving, but have too often knocked down all that would support such a future. We are shaded by our fears, perhaps our guilt, and certainly our feelings of powerlessness. But we are all God’s people, everyone of us, and today we have passed the candle of HOPE to lighten the dark. Let us pray:
Prayer from the Shadows
One: God our world is out of sorts and the people suffer too much too often. O that you would come down and make it right!
All: Hear your people from the shadows of our lives, Lord.
One: Like our ancestors we have broken covenants and failed to love as you teach. Our best hopes have not beget our best actions toward you, our neighbors, or your creation.
All: Forgive us, and reshape our shadows into new life and new hope.
The Candle of Hope is Lit
One: God you meet all those who seek to follow your light and your hope calls us all to lift our hearts.
All: You have kindled hope in us, O Lord of Light. Grant that we may shelter the flame for all. Amen.
¨ Hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Veni, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Child of God appear. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by your advent here; Love stir within the womb of night, and death’s own shadows put to flight. Refrain.
O come, Desire of nations, bind all peoples in heart and mind. Make envy, strife and quarrels cease; fill the whole world with heaven’s Peace. Refrain.
¨ Passing of the Hope
All who come to this sanctuary are welcome companions on the journey of faith. Please turn to those nearest you and greet them with words of hope.
Word and Worship
Anthem This Little Light of Mine Union Church Orchestra
Children’s Moment as the children return to their seats we sing:
May God’s blessings guard, protect and guide you. God bless you, God bless you. Our savior’s loving arms be ever ’round you. God bless you, God bless you.
Scripture Lesson Mark 13:24-37
“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. 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.
“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. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 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.
“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, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
~ New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition (Friendship Press, 2021)
Sermon Shaping Hope from Shadows Rev. Kent Gilbert
Video Reflection
Responding to God’s Love in Communion
Invitation to Communion
One: God be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift our hearts in prayer.
One: Let us give thanks to God.
All: It is good to give God thanks and praise.
Ringing of the Peace Bell Rhonda Cardwell
The Union Church Peace Bell was created by Jeff Enge in honor of Union Church member Carl Eschbach (1904-1998). A twin bell hangs in Berea’s sister province in Japan and is also rung in the hope of peace for all nations.
Communion Prayer
One: You keep us waiting. You, the God of all time, want us to wait for the right time in which to discover who we are, where we must go, who will be with us, and what we must do.
All: We thank you . . . for the waiting time.
You keep us looking. You, the God of all space, want us to look in all the right and wrong places for signs of hope, for people who are hopeless, for visions of a better world which will appear among the disappointments of the world we know.
All: We thank you . . . for the looking time.
You keep us loving. You, the God whose name is love, want us to be like you— to love the loveless and the unlovely and the unloveable; to love without jealousy or design or threat; and, most difficult of all, to love ourselves.
All: We thank you . . . for the loving time.
And in all this, you keep us. Through hard questions with no easy answers; through failing where we hoped to succeed and making an impact when we felt we were useless; through the patience and the dreams and the love of others; and through Jesus Christ and his spirit, you keep us.
All: We thank you . . . for the keeping time, and for now, and for ever. Amen.
Sanctus
Words of Institution
One: As we remember light in the darkness of another night, we do what Jesus did the night before he died. He took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread and gave it to his friends, and said:
All: “Take, eat; remember me.”
One: Then he took a cup, and said,
All: “Take, drink; remember.”
One: Send, O God, Your Holy Spirit upon the gifts of this table and upon those gathered here, that we may know Christ in the breaking of bread together, and be channels of your hope, peace, joy, and love, living chalices of Christ’s light, poured for all.
Serving One Another
All who seek the love of God are welcome at this table and are invited to freely receive from it. By tradition, unfermented grape juice is used in the cup on Sunday mornings. If it is not convenient to come forward, the elements can be brought to your seat by signaling to the usher.
If it is not your tradition to receive, you are invited to join in prayers for the unity of the Spirit within your tradition. You may remain in your seat, or you may come forward for a blessing, as you wish.
Offertory
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Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Serving One Another
All who seek the love of God are welcome at this table and are invited to freely receive from it. By tradition, unfermented grape juice is used in the cup on Sunday mornings. If it is not convenient to come forward, the elements can be brought to your seat by signaling to the usher.
If it is not your tradition to receive, you are invited to join in prayers for the unity of the Spirit within your tradition. You may remain in your seat, or you may come forward for a blessing, as you wish.
Doxology
To God, all glorious heavenly light; To Christ, revealed in earthly night; To God the Spirit, now we raise Our joyful songs of thankful praise. Amen.
Community Prayer of Thanksgiving Rhonda Cardwell, Reader
From this table we rise to follow your light. From shadow to life everlasting, you feed your flock and call us to follow. As we again renew and prepare for Christ’s coming, attend with your quiet urgency the hopes of your people: for those without table today, for those without shelter or care, for those whose hearts feel irreparably broken, kindle the fire of service in us that we may share a flame of hope to them.
We have been fed and blessed. Go with each one now into our lives to creatively and boldly embody the life and ministry of the coming Christ, as love demands. This we ask in Jesus name as we reach to you in the way he taught us to say…”
Our Lord’s Prayer
All: Our Maker, Our Mother, and Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
From Here to There: We Depart
Hymn Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus Hyfrydol
Reprinted with permission using OneLicense #A-723786
Community Connections
Announcements
We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve. Please see the listing of church & community evens, prayers, and notices in the pages following the service.
Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth
During the season of Advent, we want to celebrate not specific individuals or organizations, but all those throughout the world who hope and strive for justice. As we approach the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, the natural world seems asleep, even dead. Many cultures both ancient and modern celebrate the solstice with the hope of renewal as the days lengthen in the new year.
We now enter Advent with anticipation and hope: Hope for the coming Messiah, hope for renewal both physical and spiritual, hope for a lessening of hatred, hope for our shared ideals….HOPE.
Our hope must not be passive, but must be shown in our own actions both small and large. Hope only dies when the yearning for justice fails. One quote sums up our duty and our joy, which we find echoed in Micah 6, taken from the Hebrew Talmud: “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
¨ Benediction
¨ Benediction Response Let There Be Hope on Earth
Let there be hope on earth, and let it begin with me, Let there be hope on earth, the hope that was meant to be. With God our Creator, family all are we; Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony. Let hope begin with me, let this be the moment now. With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow: to take each moment and live each moment in hope eternally. Let there be hope on earth and let it begin with me.
Postlude
Our Prayers for Others
¨ Each week we join millions of Christians who pray for one another through the ecumenical prayer cycle and, locally, the Berea Ministerial Association’s prayer cycle (World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer cycle: union-church.org/ministries/prayer) Let us hold the people of Myanmar and Thailand; and our brothers and sisters at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.
¨ All the people of Ukraine for their safety and sovereignty. Prayers also that the government of Russia will turn to reason & respect for their own peoples’ lives as well as for Ukrainian families.
¨ All those affected by the devastating losses in the current conflict in the Middle East.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Jan Hamilton, Betsy Hoefer, Dorie Hubbard, Lois Morgan, Sara Parker, Cheryl Payne, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie, Betty Wray, Sally Zimmerman
¨ Rita Barlow, receiving care at home.
¨ All those suffering from mental strain, trauma, and disease: may God soothe and heal all who are troubled.
¨ James Stephens, Charlie Hoffman’s brother-in-law, responding well to cancer treatment.
¨ Members and Friends who need safer housing and income security.
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ Jeannette Davidson, having health problems.
¨ Betty Wray, at Cardinal Hill for rehab.
¨ Rhonda Edwards’ son, Steven Bailey, recovering from surgery.
¨ Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!
Birthdays: Today, Dec. 3 – NoraRuth Jenkins, Larry Brandenburg, Chris McKenzie; 4 – Alva Peloquin; 5 – Jan Hamilton; 7 – Isaiah Broomfield; 8 – Jackson Napier; 10 – Joan Moore
Anniversaries: Dec. 7 – Lisa Bosley & Reid Livingston
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
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