The Acclamation
Darkness encircles us, Loving God.
Its weight is heavy. We call out for your Light.
Facing danger and loss of what is right and true, we light these candles to remind us that You alone radiate justice and peace.
Advent Wreath Lighting
Advent Collect
Let us pray.
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
God’s Word
Isaiah 11:1-10
A reading from the book of Isaiah.
A green Shoot will sprout from Jesse’s stump,
from his roots a budding Branch.
The life-giving Spirit of God will hover over him,
the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit that gives direction and builds strength,
the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-God.
Fear-of-God
will be all his joy and delight.
He won’t judge by appearances,
won’t decide on the basis of hearsay.
He’ll judge the needy by what is right,
render decisions on earth’s poor with justice.
His words will bring everyone to awed attention.
A mere breath from his lips will topple the wicked.
Each morning he’ll pull on sturdy work clothes and boots,
and build righteousness and faithfulness in the land.
The wolf will romp with the lamb,
the leopard sleep with the kid.
Calf and lion will eat from the same trough,
and a little child will tend them.
Cow and bear will graze the same pasture,
their calves and cubs grow up together,
and the lion eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child will crawl over rattlesnake dens,
the toddler stick his hand down the hole of a serpent.
Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill
on my holy mountain.
The whole earth will be brimming with knowing God-Alive,
a living knowledge of God ocean-deep, ocean-wide.
On that day, Jesse’s Root will be raised high, posted as a rallying banner for the peoples. The nations will all come to him. His headquarters will be glorious.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 72
Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God,
the gift of just rule to the crown prince.
May he judge your people rightly,
be honorable to your meek and lowly.
Let the mountains give exuberant witness;
shape the hills with the contours of right living.
Please stand up for the poor,
help the children of the needy,
come down hard on the cruel tyrants.
Outlast the sun, outlive the moon—
age after age after age.
Be rainfall on cut grass,
earth-refreshing rain showers.
Let righteousness burst into blossom
and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.
Rule from sea to sea,
from the River to the Rim.
Romans 15:4-13
A reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans
Want to know exactly what Jesus did? He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!
So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory. Jesus did it; now you do it! Jesus, staying true to God’s purposes, reached out in a special way to the Jewish insiders so that the old ancestral promises would come true for them. As a result, the non-Jewish outsiders have been able to experience mercy and to show appreciation to God. Just think of all the Scriptures that will come true in what we do! For instance:
Then I’ll join outsiders in a hymn-sing;
I’ll sing to your name!
And this one:
Outsiders and insiders, rejoice together!
And again:
People of all nations, celebrate God!
All colors and races, give hearty praise!
And Isaiah’s word:
There’s the root of our ancestor Jesse,
breaking through the earth and growing tree tall,
Tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope!
Oh yes! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!
Hear what the Spirit is saying to our community.
Thanks be to God.
Matthew 3:1-13
Words of Freedom from the Gospel of Matthew
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called “the Baptizer,” was preaching in the desert country of Judea. His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”
John and his message were authorized by Isaiah’s prophecy:
Thunder in the desert!
Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey. People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action. There at the Jordan River those who came to confess their sins were baptized into a changed life.
When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It’s your life that must change, not your skin! And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and flourishing? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.
“I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I’m a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”
The Gospel of the Saviour
Praise to you O Christ
Sermon
The Prayers
Advent Affirmation of Faith
We believe in God, the Creator, who formed the heavens and the earth,
called us to care for creation with humility and love.
We believe in Jesus Christ, God with us, born of Mary, who proclaimed good news to the poor, freedom to the oppressed, healing to the wounded, and justice to those cast aside.
We believe in the Spirit of God, who moves through darkness and chaos, bringing life, renewal, and hope; who stirs us to protect the earth, to defend the marginalized, to stand against racism, war, and abuse, and to honor the dignity of all people.
We believe in the coming of Christ, who will make all things new, who calls us to prepare the way of peace and to walk humbly with God.
In this season of hope, we commit to act with courage and compassion, for the sake of creation, for the least among us, and for the glory of God.
Amen.
Prayers of the People
God of hope, hear our prayers:
We pray for the hungry or homeless. Energize us to call on our leaders to eliminate poverty by taxing the ultra-wealthy and relieving burdens on the working poor. Empower this church to do what we can to provide for the needs of all.
Come, Christ, and bring your justice.
We pray for the earth, suffering from human exploitation. Empower leaders who stop new fossil fuel development and accelerate the spread of renewable energy for all. Protect all species. Teach us to respect our only home.
Come, Christ, and bring your justice.
We pray for survivors of violence, prejudice, and abuse. Give them safety, healing, and vindication. Teach those who mistreat others to stop and change their ways.
Come, Lord Jesus, and bring your peace.
We pray for an end to war and the flourishing of love and understanding among all nations. Instead of missiles and warheads, direct governments to spend for food, education, healthcare, and housing for all.
Come, Lord Jesus, and bring your peace.
We pray for all whom society replaces dignity and inclusion with hatred and scorn. Let us be a place that affirms the sacred worth of every person. Protect migrants.
Come, Lord Jesus, and bring your joy.
Celebrant: Almighty God, as we await your coming, kindle in us a passion for your justice and a commitment to your peace, that we may labor for the triumph of your realm.
Amen.
The Confession and Absolution
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
God of mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
Forgive us, we pray.
Strengthen us to live in hope and work for justice,
so that we may reflect your love in the world. Amen.
Celebrant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in the zone, in the moment, in God. Amen.
The Peace
Leader: May Christ’s peace be with you, always.
People: And with you, too.
Announcements
The Holy Communion
Walk in love, the way Christ walked. Become a holy offering to God, rich with the fragrance of grace.”. based on Ephesians 5:2
During the Offertory, a hymn, psalm, or anthem may be sung.
Doxology
(Words: Isaac Watts (1674-1748), para. of Psalm 117; Music: Old 100th, melody from Pseaumes octante trois de David, 1551, alt.; harm. after Louis Bourgeois (1510?-1561?); Licensed for Use: CCLI Copyright License 20716203; CCLI Streaming License 20716210
At the Presentation
All things come of you, O Lord;
And of your own have we given you.
Our God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them towards Our Christ.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
We lift up our thanks and praise.
It is right, and it is joyful,
to give you thanks and praise,
Holy God, Creator of heaven and earth.
In this season when the days grow short
and the world is heavy with fear and struggle,
your mercy rises like a beautiful dawn.
Through prophets you promised a child
who would bring justice to the oppressed
and comfort to all who sit in the shadow of death.
And now, when conflict and confusion swirl around us,
you are faithful—
guiding your people, renewing courage,
and leading us into peace.
And so we join with angels and archangels
and with all creation in heaven and on earth
to sing your praise:
All:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power, God of might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
We praise you in the highest.
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
We praise you in the highest.
Celebrant:
Holy God, you love us with a love that never lets us go.
When we became stuck into darkness, you did not turn from us.
You sent Jesus, your Son, Light of the world,
to live among us, to heal us,
to welcome the forgotten, to draw forth new strength,
and to show us the way of compassion and joy.
On the night before he died,
Jesus took bread; gave thanks to you; broke it;
and gave it to his friends, saying:
“Take and eat.
This is my Body, given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup;
gave you thanks;
and gave it to them, saying:
“Drink this, all of you.
This is my Blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it,
remember me.”
And so, remembering his love,
his death and resurrection,
and his promise to come again
we offer you these gifts,
and we offer you our lives.
Send your Holy Spirit on us
and on these gifts of bread and wine,
that they may become for us
the Body and Blood of Christ.
Make us radiant with his presence.
Strengthen us to be people of light,
people who carry your presence
into every corner of this world.
Bring us with all your saints
into the fullness of your new creation—
a day when your peace and joy are all in all.
Through Christ,
and with Christ,
and in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
to you be glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
Let’s pray together in the spirit that Jesus taught us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
These are God’s gifts for all of us, God’s people.
Post-Communion Prayer
God of all that is, was, and will be,
We thank You for this feast of grace and love.
Here, at this table, we’ve tasted connection—
to You, to one another, to all creation.
In the breaking of bread and the sharing of the cup,
we’ve glimpsed a world made whole,
a table where all are welcome,
and there’s always enough.
As we leave this sacred moment,
help us carry its energy into the everyday.
Let the bread fuel us for justice,
let the cup refresh our hope.
We step into the world ready to love louder,
to risk kindness, to practice peace.
May the spirit of this meal propel us forward,
toward mercy, toward courage, toward You.
Amen.
The Blessing
Our Advent blessing is in the form of a haiku, an ancient Japanese poetic form.
Morning star rising—
may its hope rest on your path.
Go now, held in light.
Closing Hymn
The Dismissal
Go into the world in hope, to proclaim justice, peace, and love. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.