FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

GATHERING FOR WORSHIP

As the bell sounds, may we quiet ourselves and allow the music of the prelude to lead us into a worshipful place in our hearts and minds.

* Please stand in body or in spirit

Prelude Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

Rowland H. Prichard, arr. Mark Hayes

Welcome and Announcements

Choral Introit

Call to Worship (Based on Psalm 130)

Leader: Holy God, Creator of Life, you call us out of our dark places,

People: offering us the grace of new life.

Leader: When we see nothing but hopelessness,

People: you surprise us with the breath of your spirit.

Leader: Call us out of our complacency and routines,

People: set us free from our self-imposed bonds, and fill us with your Hope, Peace, and Joy.

Leader: In the name of Jesus, Emmanuel,

People: we gather in worship, today.

*Opening Hymn O Come, All Ye Faithful

At the Advent Wreath

Candle-lighter: Today, we light the candle of LOVE in silence, as we take a moment to ponder: Where in the world do we find Love these days?

Moment of Silence

Advent Prayer of Invocation (In Unison)

Candle-lighter: Let us pray together...

Help us to bring Your Love to our world, O God. Give us Hope-filled dreams which move us to risk compassion; A vision of a Peace-filled community; and the Joy which comes through Loving one another. As we light this candle of Love, open our hearts to the Love Jesus embodied; then let that Love flow through us and out, into Your world!

Amen.

SHARING GOD’S WORD

Scripture Reading Luke 1:26-38

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

Musical Interlude

THE COMMUNITY AT PRAYER

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

Call to Prayer. Emmanuel, Emmanuel

Emmanuel, Emmanuel, his name is called Emmanuel. God with us, revealed in us, his name is called Emmanuel.

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

*Hymn of Preparation What Child Is This ?

SERMON HANDS TOO SMALL

THE SERVICE OF OFFERING

Collection and Offertory

*The Doxology

* Unison Prayer of Dedication

We thank you, loving God, for the surprises which you spring on us! You entrust us with an authority and ministry far beyond our own strength. Surprise us again, loving Friend. Surprise us with the Christ who believes in us and the grace which is made perfect in our human service. Amen

WE GO FORTH TO SERVE 

Hymn of Parting It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Benediction (Romans 15:13) 

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that  you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

All: And now, may we bear fruit as we go forth in peace to love and  serve the Lord. In the name of Christ. Amen. 

Congregational Response Go Now in Peace 

Go now in peace. Never be afraid, God will go with you each hour of every  day. Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true. Know He will guide you in  all you do. Go now in love, and show you believe. Reach out to others so all the world can see. God will be there, watching from above. Go now in  peace, in faith, and in love. 

Postlude Go Tell It on the Mountain 

Traditional American Spiritual, arr. Mark Hayes 

LESSONS, CAROLS  & CANDLELIGHT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24 AT 6PM 

Pop musical artist, Jewell sings these words:

My hands are small, I know

But they're not yours, they are my own

and I am never broken

We are God's eyes, God's mind, God's heart

We are God's hands.

Our hands are never too small.  They have very important things to do.

  The Bible has lots of hands in it.  The word hand or hands is used over one thousand, six hundred times.  Not to mention the number of hands that went into the making of the Holy Scriptures, countless times over these nearly 2000 years!
  In the Old Testament, the focus is on God's hands, helping us to imagine how God touches our lives.

In the Psalms, alone:

God's hand delivers us

God's hand leads us

God's hand holds us

God's hand upholds us, supports us

God's hand holds our lives

In God's hand is all creation 

  Turning to the NT: Mary was expecting a baby.  A little baby boy that she was to name Jesus, meaning “God's salvation.” We can just imagine Mother Mary checking out newborn baby Jesus' hands.

A baby's hands are so tiny, so perfect - somehow ever so much more amazing because they're just like our hands in miniature form.  And what a tight grip they wield!  Hands are never too small for something.

What would those tiny little hands of baby Jesus bring to the world?

  So many things did Jesus would do with his:

Carpentry Touch

Pray Turn over tables

Make mud Wash feet

Heal Break Bread

Write in sand Serve the cup

  As we approach Christmas, there are lots of things we have and will be doing with our hands.

  Last minute preparations - 

  wrapping gifts - tape, paper, tags

  decorating tree - ornaments, tinsel

  helping with cookies - rolling, cutting, painting, eating!

  Then, on Christmas Day - our hands will be Oh, so excitedly busy!!  Giving and passing around gifts, opening them, playing with them! 

  And then come the days after Christmas - and here the challenge comes to us.  God's presence has been made known to humankind through the life, the hands-on life of Jesus.  Our hands can also become an extension of God's love here on earth.

  Look at those hands there, attached to the ends of your arms.  Notice their shape, the length of your fingers.  Nails need trimmed?  Or lengthened?!  Nice color of polish?  

Young hands - just learning, active and inquisitive, 

well-worn, skillful hands, 

hands that have slowed down, beginning to ache a bit.

Are we embarrassed, neutral, proud?

  Look at those hands, again and think: These are hands that God could use.  No negative thoughts allowed here! - there are no hands too small to do God's work.

To touch - a hug, a handshake, a high-five

To heal - a bandaid for a cut, a bruise, surgery

To help - carry a load, share a task

To comfort - a pat on the shoulder

To create - a work of art, a song, a book

To build - a new porch, put together that new toy

To play - that new game, with that new ball

To repair - a broken toy, a burnt out lightbulb

To give - whatever we may have to share: a talent, money, time, a way to help someone else

And these hands must never hurt, harm or destroy.

  These are our hands to employ as we choose - what if we choose to see them, as much of the time as we can, as God's hands? Now think: These ARE God's hands.  How might things change?

Notice today and in these next few days how important our hands are.  And be aware that our hands are “signing” our faith and love just like Jesus' hands did.

Our hands are never too small.  Hands have played a major role in the history of our faith.  Jesus’ hands performed miracles.

We use our hands all the time.  As we think about our hands, and the hands of a tiny baby sent to us from God, and the work that his hands would do; may we, too, consider what it might mean for our hands. 

From Judy’s favorite Christmas movie: The Bishop’s Wife (1947) Wife: Julia (Loretta Young); Angel: Dudley (Cary Grant); Misguided Bishop, and Henry Brougham (David Niven).

At the end of the movie, the Bishop shares a his sermonette on Christmas Eve (actually written by Dudley - angel):

“. . In our giving, we forget nobody, adult or child. All the stockings are filled…all that is, except one. And we have even forgotten to hang it up. The stocking for the child born in manger. It’s his birthday we are celebrating. Don’t ever let us forget that.

“Let us ask ourselves what he would wish for most…and then let each put in his share. Loving kindness, warm hearts and the stretched out hand of compassion (tolerance). All the shining gifts that make peace on earth.”