Advent 1
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle C Gospel Texts
Liturgical Color: Purple/Blue
Gospel: Luke 21:25-36
Theme: Judgment. Watch Out! We never know when our end will come. As you approach the end, no matter what your present age is, for what do you watch and prepare?
Praise To God
Choral Invitation
"Advent Proclamation," Richard Avery and Don Marsh, The Avery and Marsh Songbook, Hope Publishing Company. (See Appendix I for address.) Use the variety of ways to sing this song, as suggested by Dick and Don. Begin with "Four more weeks...."
Pastoral Invitation
In the name of the one who is coming, even though we already know the outcome, welcome. Because the story is so familiar and because the culture already has celebrated Christmas for weeks, how will we capture anew the surprise of Advent? Ron Guinn has written that "Advent is similar to dishwashing -- you have to do it over and over again. It is a time of looking squarely at the dark clouds of the world and (perhaps irrationally) choosing to keep on hoping ... reaching for the one who has come and is coming again."
Response
"People, Look East," French folk melody, Eleanor Farjeon, 1881-1965; harm. Martin Shaw, 1875-1958.
Lord, Have Mercy
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Pastor
For the past two Sundays, some of you wrote what you believe to be the two most important qualities of God. Here are the results. (If your congregation is similar to mine, you will point out that most identified God as love and forgiveness; few wrote that God is holy.) In silence, write down your thoughts about that discovery. Anyone care to share? (Do not be surprised if no one responds.) In our promiscuous, "anything goes" culture -- and everyone goes to heaven simply by professing, "I believe in God" -- we think little about the judgment of God -- for ourselves -- though we may have a private list of those who will inherit hell. For two minutes of silence, I invite you to identify and write down the names of those that you think will not make it into heaven. And note which sins will keep them out. How does that compare with your own sins? (Silence for two minutes.) Now, are you ready to identify your sins and to confess them?
Response
"Just As I Am, Without One Plea," Charlotte Elliott, 1834; William Batchelder Bradbury, 1849; harmony, The Hymnbook, 1955. (See Appendix I for address.)
Thank You, Jesus
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor
Confession always begins with ourself, not someone else. When it does begin with ourself, we receive forgiveness. That's the promise of the Good News. Of course, it's painful to confess. Of course, it's joyful to receive grace, God's unmerited, unearned, undeserved, unconditional acceptance of us as we are this moment! And, all the people said....!
Response
"God of Justice, God of Mercy," Jane Parker Huber, 1993; Rowland Hugh Prichard, 1855.
Learn The Truth
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you ever get scared? About what? (Give them time to respond; encourage them by sharing some of your own fears.) Tell the essence of the Scripture; focus on the message of the fig tree. (Have a tree available if possible.) You children know what it takes to get ready for school, exams, sports, vacations, Christmas. Jesus also asks us to get ready for whatever happens, not because God wants us to be scared, but because God has so much more for us than we want for ourselves.
Reading from the Scripture
Have someone either read or memorize the Gospel lesson. Have this person walk around the sanctuary, making eye contact with the people. Then, have another person speak Luke 21:37-38.
Proclamation of the Good News
Begin: "How many of you prefer to hear messages about God is love, rather than God is holy?" Take one minute to identify your response for preferring God is love over God is holy. Ask if anyone cares to respond. The message will represent your response.
Here Am I
Stewardship Challenge
It is a sad and tragic fact of life that multitudes of people, inside and outside of the institutional church, spend more time, money, energy preparing for a one-day trip to the Kingdome, than they do preparing for an eternity in the Kingdom. Is that true for you?
Prayer following the Offering
God, thank you for everything we need for the God-life; forgive us for everything we want for the "good life."
Hymn of Advent
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," Latin, twelfth century; stanzas 1-2, trans. John Mason Neale, 1851; alt. 1854; stanza 3 trans. Henry Sloan Coffin, 1916; adapt. Thomas Helmore, 1854; accomp. John Weaver, 1988.
Charge to the Congregation
Judgment day is not some future event. Every day is judgment day. Our choices determine the kind of day we want. The story is told of a person standing before the great white throne and hearing a voice asking, "Well, what did you think of my world?" And the response came back, "I didn't see it; I was too busy telephoning." Substitute your own word for "telephoning."
Meditation
Someone has said that "the Christian begins every day with the belief that he/she is on trial for his/her life, and may not be acquitted." As Christians, we live in tension, not in harmony, with the world. We never know for absolute certainty that we are doing God's will. We fear/revere God, neither afraid of nor buddy-buddy with God. This means that we serve God, not as an escape-hatch from Hell, but as a joyful response to God's love.
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Come Now, Redeemer," J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Praise: "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night," John Bowring, 1825; alt., 1972; Joseph Parry, 1879.
Response to the Proclamation: "Praise Ye the Lord," Saint-Saens.
Hymn of Commitment: "The Lord's My Shepherd" (one of a variety of choices).
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Advent hymns. (Invite the congregation to stay and sing these hymns as a counterattack to the Christmas carols they will hear the rest of the week and month.)
Gospel: Luke 21:25-36
Theme: Judgment. Watch Out! We never know when our end will come. As you approach the end, no matter what your present age is, for what do you watch and prepare?
Praise To God
Choral Invitation
"Advent Proclamation," Richard Avery and Don Marsh, The Avery and Marsh Songbook, Hope Publishing Company. (See Appendix I for address.) Use the variety of ways to sing this song, as suggested by Dick and Don. Begin with "Four more weeks...."
Pastoral Invitation
In the name of the one who is coming, even though we already know the outcome, welcome. Because the story is so familiar and because the culture already has celebrated Christmas for weeks, how will we capture anew the surprise of Advent? Ron Guinn has written that "Advent is similar to dishwashing -- you have to do it over and over again. It is a time of looking squarely at the dark clouds of the world and (perhaps irrationally) choosing to keep on hoping ... reaching for the one who has come and is coming again."
Response
"People, Look East," French folk melody, Eleanor Farjeon, 1881-1965; harm. Martin Shaw, 1875-1958.
Lord, Have Mercy
Introduction to the Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Pastor
For the past two Sundays, some of you wrote what you believe to be the two most important qualities of God. Here are the results. (If your congregation is similar to mine, you will point out that most identified God as love and forgiveness; few wrote that God is holy.) In silence, write down your thoughts about that discovery. Anyone care to share? (Do not be surprised if no one responds.) In our promiscuous, "anything goes" culture -- and everyone goes to heaven simply by professing, "I believe in God" -- we think little about the judgment of God -- for ourselves -- though we may have a private list of those who will inherit hell. For two minutes of silence, I invite you to identify and write down the names of those that you think will not make it into heaven. And note which sins will keep them out. How does that compare with your own sins? (Silence for two minutes.) Now, are you ready to identify your sins and to confess them?
Response
"Just As I Am, Without One Plea," Charlotte Elliott, 1834; William Batchelder Bradbury, 1849; harmony, The Hymnbook, 1955. (See Appendix I for address.)
Thank You, Jesus
Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life
Pastor
Confession always begins with ourself, not someone else. When it does begin with ourself, we receive forgiveness. That's the promise of the Good News. Of course, it's painful to confess. Of course, it's joyful to receive grace, God's unmerited, unearned, undeserved, unconditional acceptance of us as we are this moment! And, all the people said....!
Response
"God of Justice, God of Mercy," Jane Parker Huber, 1993; Rowland Hugh Prichard, 1855.
Learn The Truth
Message with the Children of All Ages
Do you ever get scared? About what? (Give them time to respond; encourage them by sharing some of your own fears.) Tell the essence of the Scripture; focus on the message of the fig tree. (Have a tree available if possible.) You children know what it takes to get ready for school, exams, sports, vacations, Christmas. Jesus also asks us to get ready for whatever happens, not because God wants us to be scared, but because God has so much more for us than we want for ourselves.
Reading from the Scripture
Have someone either read or memorize the Gospel lesson. Have this person walk around the sanctuary, making eye contact with the people. Then, have another person speak Luke 21:37-38.
Proclamation of the Good News
Begin: "How many of you prefer to hear messages about God is love, rather than God is holy?" Take one minute to identify your response for preferring God is love over God is holy. Ask if anyone cares to respond. The message will represent your response.
Here Am I
Stewardship Challenge
It is a sad and tragic fact of life that multitudes of people, inside and outside of the institutional church, spend more time, money, energy preparing for a one-day trip to the Kingdome, than they do preparing for an eternity in the Kingdom. Is that true for you?
Prayer following the Offering
God, thank you for everything we need for the God-life; forgive us for everything we want for the "good life."
Hymn of Advent
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," Latin, twelfth century; stanzas 1-2, trans. John Mason Neale, 1851; alt. 1854; stanza 3 trans. Henry Sloan Coffin, 1916; adapt. Thomas Helmore, 1854; accomp. John Weaver, 1988.
Charge to the Congregation
Judgment day is not some future event. Every day is judgment day. Our choices determine the kind of day we want. The story is told of a person standing before the great white throne and hearing a voice asking, "Well, what did you think of my world?" And the response came back, "I didn't see it; I was too busy telephoning." Substitute your own word for "telephoning."
Meditation
Someone has said that "the Christian begins every day with the belief that he/she is on trial for his/her life, and may not be acquitted." As Christians, we live in tension, not in harmony, with the world. We never know for absolute certainty that we are doing God's will. We fear/revere God, neither afraid of nor buddy-buddy with God. This means that we serve God, not as an escape-hatch from Hell, but as a joyful response to God's love.
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: "Come Now, Redeemer," J. S. Bach.
Hymn of Praise: "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night," John Bowring, 1825; alt., 1972; Joseph Parry, 1879.
Response to the Proclamation: "Praise Ye the Lord," Saint-Saens.
Hymn of Commitment: "The Lord's My Shepherd" (one of a variety of choices).
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Advent hymns. (Invite the congregation to stay and sing these hymns as a counterattack to the Christmas carols they will hear the rest of the week and month.)
