Sunday Dec. 10, 2023
Advent Candle Lighting:
John 3:16-17
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:14-21
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Songs:
Angels We Have Heard on High
Verse 1
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Chorus 1
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Verse 2
Shepherds why this jubilee
Why your joyous strains prolong
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav'nly song
Verse 3
Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord the newborn King
Verse 4
See Him in a manger laid
Whom the choirs of angels praise
Mary Joseph lend your aid
While our hearts in love we raise
Little Drummer Boy
Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum
A new born king to see
Pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the king
Pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum
So to honor him
Pa rum pum pum pum
When we come
Pum pum pum pum
Pa rum pum pum
Pum pum pum pum
Pa rum pum pum
Pum pum pum pum
Pa rum pum pum
Pum pum pum pum pa rum
Little baby
Pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too
Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give our king
Pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you
Pa rum pum pum pum
Pa rum pum pum
Pum pum pum pum
Mary nodded
Pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time
Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for him
Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for him
Pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum
Then he smiled at me
Pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum
Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum
A new born king to see
Pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Rum pum pum pum
Hope Song
We don’t see what the world sees anymore
We don’t give up in despair
We see something that looks like a baby
Full of wonder and hope...
We don’t see pain as permanent
We don’t see sorrow forever
We see something that looks like a lighthouse
Faithfully guiding the way,
So, Sing all you children, sing loud a sweet song
Sing all you people with visions so long
Let us sing a song of hope
Sing all you wanderers looking for Love
Sing all you prophets who see high above
Let us sing a song of hope
Come, let us not be burdened so low
Come, let us unfold the weight
Come, let it rest on the shoulders of many
As we all stand strong
For it won’t be too long ‘til our lives are a history
A history that will shape the future
Whether we see it or even believe it
It’s how we’re called to live,
So, Live all you children live loud a sweet song
Live all you people with visions so long
Let us live a song of hope
Live all you wanderers looking for Love
Live all you prophets who see high above
Let us live a song of hope
So, Sing all you children, sing loud a sweet song
Sing all you people with visions so long
Let us sing a song of hope
Sing all you wanderers looking for Love
Sing all you prophets who see high above
Let us sing a song of hope
Let us sing a song of hope
Let us sing a song of hope
Teaching: Advent: Love
Matthew 22: 36-40
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
John 15:9
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.
John 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Communion:
Head up and take communion
head back to your seat and reflect and pray over the following questions:
Think of a time that you learned how to love someone more perfectly. What resulted from it?
Practically, what are ways that you can love others more perfectly?
Advent Benediction:
Be people of love.
Let love live in your heart and share the love of Christ with all you meet.
Share love by loving those you see regularly. Start by loving your community.
Share love by loving those you do not know. How do your actions affect the rest of God’s creation?
Share love by praying for our world.
In this Advent season, we need to see, feel, and share love.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s creations, share love, joy, peace, and hope with those you meet.
Amen.