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The Spirit of Hope

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The Spirit of Hope Northminster United Church November 29, 2020 Advent I Hanging of the Greens Service Prelude: “Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus” Words of Welcome: Life and Work of Northminster The Spirit of Hope Opening Words How often have we heard people say, “I haven’t got the Christmas Spirit yet.” Or “I just can’t seem to get the Christmas spirit this year’’? It takes a while – some years longer than others. But eventually, as we hear the carols, see the tinseled trees, and taste the cookies, we begin to recapture the feelings of a family Christmas and the spirit returns As Christians we look for something more in Christmas than the tangible and material things: something deeper and more significant – the spirit of hope from God’s own heart. Christmas with the family can be fraught with tension and anxiety and the focus is often on making sure this year is better than last. Because we have so many things to prepare, we miss the hope of the season – the promise of a precious Saviour Son who would become the Lamb of God, sent to take away the sins of the world. This hope is the core of the Christmas spirit for all who believe. It is this deeper spirit – this echo of that earliest Christmas – that we seek today as we hang the greens. As we prepare the sanctuary, we welcome back some old friends: the Advent candles, the evergreens, the Christmas tree, carols and poinsettias. We will be reminded the we belong to an everlasting family – the family of God. So come, brothers and sisters in Christ! Come and worship! Come and receive the true spirit of Christmas. Call to Worship: In anticipation we gather With expectation we wait. We gather to watch for the coming of the good news into our world and into our lives. We wait to see the fullness of God’s vision. O God, open the doors to our hearts that this year we may have room for the birth of Jesus. O God, overwhelm us with so much wonder that words of praise spring forth from our lips! In this time of waiting, let true worship begin in our hearts. Let our praises rise up to the heavens! 1 Prayer of Approach Holy One, our hearts are filled with anticipation. The promise of new life is proclaimed. Our hearts are overflowing. Take any jadedness that we hold on to and set it free, So that we might fully embrace this wondrous time of year. May the joy of this blessed season be experienced by all people, Especially in gentle ways for those who are hurting and lonely. Grant life-changing peace and love to your beloved ones. We pray focusing on the stable of Bethlehem. Amen. Music “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-3 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 2 For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. 3 Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Advent Candles Advent is a time of expectation, and this is symbolized, not only by the four-week period of preparation, but also by lighting an Advent Candle on each Sunday of the season. The flame of each new candle reminds us, the worshippers, that something is happening, and something more is still to come. The candles are arranged in a circle to remind us of the continuous power of God, which knows neither beginning nor ending. The three purple candles symbolize the coming of Christ from the royal line of David. He is coming as the King of Kings and Prince of Peace. The pink candle is to be lit on the third Sunday of Advent. This candle represents Joy. The large white candle is our Christ candle and points to Jesus as the Christ, the Light of the world. Each candle represents various aspects of our waiting experience: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. When we light the Christ Candle, we join in the rejoicing that the promise of long ago has been fulfilled. Light of the Advent Candles Our Advent journey has begun. We prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth. We come to embrace the good news of the Light of the World. It is within the hidden mysteries of life we discover vulnerability. Within the dancing shadows cast by a flickering candle flame we discover the promise of hope and of new possibilities. We come to be transformed despite and because of our weakness. We light a candle reminding us of the way of hope. (the first purple candle is lit) Let us join as one community of faith in prayer: We come to worship with the image of flickering light seared in our minds. It dances as your Spirit dances within our hearts, gracious God, drumming the rhythm of hope that enlivens us all. As you bless us with the Way of Jesus, may we invite others to Christ’s dance of transformation. Amen. 2 Music “Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown” The Spirit of Life Scripture: Isaiah 60:13 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify where my feet rest. The Wreath The Christmas wreath, so colourful and welcoming, is as packed as a snowball with tradition and symbolism. Ancient pagan people, endowing trees with spirit, sheltered the branches of life-preserving evergreens through the frozen winter. Early Romans gave gifts of green branches at New Year’s, bestowing the wish for health and vigor upon friends and family. Eventually, the branches were shaped into wreaths, symbols of joy and victory in classical times. The evergreen wreath – its circular shape an emblem not only of perfection and unity but also of the warm, enduring sun – later became a Christian symbol for Christ’s suffering and ultimate triumph over death. It is believed that the holly wreath, with its sharp, pointed leaves, first represented the crown of thorns worn by Christ on the cross, the little red berries symbolizing drops of blood. Later wreaths were formed from a variety of pines and firs, with evergreens embodying eternal life. Hung on the door or a window, the wreath has been viewed as an invitation to the spirit of Christmas to enter the home and bring luck, suggesting as well that the Christmas spirit dwells within. The Spirit of Peace Call to Confession Just as Jesus is our life, and Jesus is our hope, so also Jesus is our peace. He made peace between God and us when we were far away and alienated. He continues to make peace between factions of humankind trying to share this planet. Let us pray: Prayer of Confession God of forgiveness and mercy, hear our prayer as we confess our sin. Even though every moment is important, we waste the precious resource of time. Even though the light of your love is among us, we linger in the darkness. Even with Christ as our armour, we continue to fear the unknown. Even when we know the night has passed, we still hesitate to greet the new day. O God, lead us forth, that we may meet the moment you graciously give us. Shine your light in the shadows so that your will may be clear. These things we ask in the name of your Son. Amen. Assurance of Pardon: Most Christmas greenery reflects European traditions. However, one colourful plant, which looks like a flaming star, is native to this continent. The poinsettia was named after Dr. Joel Robert Poinsettia, a minister in Mexico who first introduced it to the United States in 1828. The people of Mexico and Central America have a long tradition of calling this brilliant tropical plant the Flower of the Holy Night. The red colour symbolizes the blood of Christ that is shed for the forgiveness of our sins and the white reminds of us the peace that we have in knowing that our sins have been forgiven. 3 Music: “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” VU 8 Scripture: Ephesians 2:13-14, 17-19 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. 17 So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God. Music “Let There Be Peace on Earth” The Spirit of Sharing Christmas Tree The Christmas tree is one of the most individual and unique of all our home decorations. Each family has a unique collection of ornaments. Some are specialized: all angels, all hand-made, all a certain colour. Others are assortments: things the children have made through the years, things handed down from generations, gifts from friends. The first use of the Christmas tree was in the medieval German Paradise Plays which were held outdoors and portrayed the creation of humankind. The Tree of Life was a fir tree decorated with apples.
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