liturgical resources

God – listen to your children praying.
We come to this day,
sure that we’re supposed to be happy.
We come with chocolate and bunnies,
with family and friends.
We come in celebration,
because we know the end of the Story.
Help us to forget.
Help us to feel what the first disciples felt,
finding the tomb empty.
Finding the body missing.
Finding their Love gone.
Help us to forget,
so that we can remember.
Help us to remember,
so that we can continue our journey.
Help us to journey,
so that we can meet the Risen Christ again,
and again and again,
here, in Galilee, in all your Creation.
God – listen to your children praying.
Amen.

The tomb is empty!
Yes. Jesus is gone.
Didn’t you hear what I said?
The tomb is empty!
Jesus is gone!
Yes! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen?
Christ is risen!
Death is done!
Life starts new!
Christ is risen?
What does that mean?
Christ is risen.
Creation is turned inside out.
Creation is turned upside down.
That’s awful.
That’s awe-full!
That’s terrifying.
New beginnings are often frightening.
But don’t worry -
Christ will be with us on The Way.
On the road.
In Galilee -
and beyond.
Christ is risen?
Yes. Christ is risen.
We are never, ever, alone.
Thanks be to God.
ALLELUIA, AMEN!

I’ve got a secret… I’m not sure I should share it. Oh – you won’t tell anyone, will you? I don’t want the congregation to know. Ok?

Thanks!

I went… well… I went… went Christmas shopping yesterday. I wandered the mall humming Christmas carols and thinking of the gifts I wanted to give to people I care about.

Most of them are pretty silly, little things… but I’ve tried to put some thought into them. With each gift, I want the person who receives it to know that this gift is a token of my respect and love for them.

And I had fun! OH – look – don’t tell the minister that, ok? Don’t tell the minister that I had fun during Advent!

See… I get the feeling that we’re supposed to use Advent as a quiet time. A time for ‘getting ready’. Almost a ‘penitential’ time. A ‘get down on your knees and pray time’. Not really a time for dancing and singing or being particularly joyful.

(Pause)

Pardon me? You saw the minister putting up decorations? You say that he was sipping on a cup of hot apple cider?

You heard him singing, “Joy to the World”?

You saw him coming out of “A Thousand Villages” with a bag or two?

Hmmmm…

(Pause)

I wonder.
I wonder if there can be joy in our waiting?
I wonder if there can be joy in our preparing?
I wonder if there can be joy in our looking back at our lives and in our looking forward into the coming year?

I wonder if joy and Advent can be together?

I… wonder.

In our wondering, we worship God.
In our waiting, we worship God.
In our joy, we worship God.
We worship God.

Sung response: “As Long As We Follow / Na nzel na lola” (Words and music: Joseph kabemba, Congo, (c) 2004 General Board of Global Ministries, GCGMusik, 475 Riverside Dr. New York, NY 10115.)

God of all life,
we sing your praise,
we shout our rejoicing,
we dance our joy –
knowing that you rejoice
with your creation.
In the birth of a child,
in the laughter of teen,
in the smile of an elder –
you are here!
In the cries of a baby,
in the quests of youth,
in the wonderings of the wise ones –
you are here!
Alleluia, loving God!
Alleluia, amen!

I walked through the park on Tuesday night. Its beautiful. The lights were in the trees. It was quiet.
Title: Go into the world, proclaiming Jesus the Christ.

I stood in the park, at the centre of town, looking towards the bandstand. There wasn’t much light, everything was wrapped in shadow… and there was a bit of a wind. It was quiet.

That’s when I heard a baby cry. Not loudly – just enough to let her mom know she was hungry.

That’s when I heard a mother’s smile. Not loudly – just enough to say, “Hush, love. We’ll be home soon.” I could almost see the arms rocking as I heard the first few notes of Silent Night being hummed.

And that’s when it hit me.

What if the Christ Child was that child?
What if the Christ Child was born today?
What if the Christ Child was born every day?

How would my life be different?
How would your life be different?

In our Advent waiting… Christ is with us.
In our Advent hoping… Christ is with us.
In our Advent dreaming… Christ is with us.

Proclaim God’s reign!
Christ is with creation!
Alleluia. Alleluia! ALLELUIA!

Second Advent Candle is lit.

Sung response: “As Long As We Follow / Na nzel na lola” (Words and music: Joseph kabemba, Congo, (c) 2004 General Board of Global Ministries, GCGMusik, 475 Riverside Dr. New York, NY 10115.)

All: Holy God,
we come to Christ’s table,
open to your Presence.
We come to Christ’s table,
open to your Love.
We come to Christ’s table,
open to your Reign.

May we carry your Advent gift -
the bread and the cup…
the laughter and the love…
the challenge and the hope…
our names and your Name…
into a waiting world.
Amen.

Title: As we wait, understand the gift… and rejoice!

Have you ever wondered about this whole “Advent” thing? You know – the season in the church’s life when we’re totally and completely out-of-step with the rest of the world.

Decorations started going up around town as soon as the Remembrance Day parade had passed.

Do you see any here?

Turn on the radio and you’ll hear “Jingle Bells”… even “Silent Night” or “Joy to the World”, but we won’t be singing Christmas carols until Christmas Eve – or pretty close to it.

Why do we have to be different?

Is it just so we can show the world that we’re concerned about all of the buying and selling that seems to have taken over… or is it something more?

Could it be that we are standing against a ‘commercialization of the sacred’?

Could it be that we believe that Christmas is really about God’s presence in the world, transforming it in impossible ways, through an unimaginable medium – a newborn child?

Could it be that we are taking the time to intentionally explore where our personal stories connect with the stories of God’s people throughout history – with Mary, with Joseph, with the shepherds and the Wise Ones… with all of our sisters and brothers who have gone on before?

Could it be… that we realize that this time… this Advent-time… is more about God’s action than our busy-ness?

Could it be… something… more?

The first Advent Candle is lit.

Sung response: “As Long As We Follow / Na nzel na lola” (Words and music: Joseph kabemba, Congo, (c) 2004 General Board of Global Ministries, GCGMusik, 475 Riverside Dr. New York, NY 10115.)

All: God of the heavens,
God of the earth,
God of every moment of our lives:
help us, we pray.
Help us to wait.
In our waiting, help us to see.
In our seeing, help us to hope.
In our hoping, help us to love.
In our loving, help us to act…
so that Christ’s Advent in our lives,
might be a time of transformation
for all.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, amen!

There’s an old children’s hymn, that some of us will remember from when we were little:
“All that I am, all that I do, all that I ever have,
I offer now to you.”
It was a prayer to God.

Today, we gather here to remember what it means to be responsible for God’s gifts.

Today, we gather here to remember what it means to be ’stewards’ of God’s gifts.

Today, we gather here to remember everything we are… everything we do… everything we have… is a gift of God.

In celebration and in hope, let us worship God!

For our playful times and our serious ones –
thank you, God!
For our moments of laughter
and our moments of tears -
thank you, God!
For hopes fulfilled and ones to come,
for pasts unfinished and dreams not yet filled –
thank you, God!
For the time you give us,
and the talents you challenge us to risk –
thank you, God!
For holding what we give you,
and keeping it safe.
For loving us, even when we do not love you…
thank you, God.
Because we don’t always live out our love.
Because we don’t always live out your call.
Because we don’t always use
what you’ve given us, to the best of our ability –
forgive us, God.
Because we are sometimes paralyzed:
by fear, by longing, by anger, by greed,
by ourselves and by others.
Because we are sometimes paralyzing,
those who need to be set free…
forgive us, God.
Forgive us, God.
Show us your wisdom, we pray.
So that, next time, we might live into You.
Hear the prayers of our hearts, beloved God.
(silent prayer)
For all those in need,
we ask your blessing.
For all those in fear,
we ask your blessing.
For all those who have nowhere to turn,
we ask your blessing.
And, more than that,
we ask that we might be your blessing
to them,
using the gifts you have freely given,
to share your Love with all.
Thank you, Loving God.
Thank you, Loving God.
Amen!

Take what we offer, God,
knowing that it is simply
what you offer us.
Take our love.
Take our hope.
Take our questions and our answers.
Take all that we are,
and make it into something new!
We ask this in Christ’s name
and in your Love. Amen.

What do we bring to God?
The work of our hands.
The work of our minds.
The work of our hearts.
What does God bring to us?
The work of our hands.
The work of our minds.
The work of our hearts.
With what do we worship God?
The work of our hands.
The work of our minds.
The work of our hearts.
Does God accept what we offer,
as imperfect as it might be?
Yes!
In this moment –
in every moment of our lives!
Alleluia!
Alleluia, amen!

As we remember the women and men
who have stood here in times gone by,
lifting prayer and praise,
we offer you, God,
our memories,
our hopes,
and our dreams.
You bless us with your Love.
You bless us with your Presence.
You bless us with your Grace.
Alleluia. Alleluia! ALLELUIA!
Amen.