Welcome, worship is our love offering to God! Preparations: Gather a bible, 4 candles and something to light them with. This week in MOSAIC worship, the children will be bringing the Christmas Story to life. If you have children at home (or adults who aren’t afraid to play) consider getting out a pile of bathrobes and scarves and suiting up to act out Matthew 1-2. The first part of Matthew isn’t action packed, but it will give you a chance to talk about your own family tree. Music to gather and inspire our thoughts: Carol: There’s a Song in the Air Call to Worship L: This is the moment to prepare, P: to receive the good news of Christmas. L: This is the day to wait, P: for joy is about to fill us to overflowing. L: This is the time to celebrate, P: as we listen to the Dream, as we welcome the Birth, as we embrace the Love of our God. Lighting of the Advent Wreath Reader: Do not be afraid, salvation is at hand. God is about to do a mighty thing. Joseph’s dream of God’s promise will soon be our reality. God’s promised Messiah will be none other than Emmanuel, God with us. We light the fourth Advent candle in hope of the coming Emmanuel, God in the flesh. God’s healing of human brokenness comes by way of God taking on human flesh. Light three candles Reader: Come, Lord Jesus. All: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Amen. Advent Song Vs.3 The Faith We Sing # 2090. Light the advent candle, four: Think of joy forever more; Christ Child in a stable born, gift of love that Christmas morn. Candle, candle, burning bright, shining in the cold winter night; Candle, candle, burning bright, fill our hearts with Christmas light. Unison Prayer by Ruth Duck, U.S.A. ALL: In the advent season, when the past has fled, unasked, away and there is nothing left to do but wait God, shelter us. Be our surrounding darkness; be the fertile soil out of which hope springs in due time. In uncertain times, help us to greet the dawn and labor on, love on, in faith awaiting your purpose hid in you waiting to be born in due time. Amen. Silence Words of Assurance Reader: God who is shelter surrounds us with the Spirit of hope. Christ who is coming shines light at the edge of darkness. Know that the Lord is God, it is God who made you, and God who is with you. If you are worshipping with others, exchange signs of Christ’s peace. Entering God’s Word Together: The Gospel According to Matthew 2: 1-15 The Wise Men recognized God’s call through a star. What’s your sign of God’s call? If you opened up your treasure chest, what would you find to offer to Christ? This call takes the wise men and the holy family far from their homes. Have you ever felt the gospel drawing you away from what’s comfortable? Morning Message Christmas Blender by Jeremy Wayland Music for Meditation Carol of the Epiphany by John Bell Praying Together Receive God’s gift of time to be in prayer, offering God any burdens or joys that you are aware of for yourself, others, the world. Don’t rush. Receive silence as well as words. God has all the time in the world for you! Then join in praying with Jesus: Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever. AMEN Sharing gifts and self: If you are worshiping with others, take turns naming God’s spiritual gifts that you recognize in each other. Make sure that everyone has a gift named! If you are worshipping by yourself, take a few minutes to name the gifts you recognize in at least 3 people you know. Next, name gifts that God has placed in your life this day. 2 Sundays of storms are wrecking havoc on end of the year budgeting. You can help us catch up via the church’s paypal link: http://www.umcbrunswick.org/giving.html Prayer of Thanksgiving: We offer our gifts to the one who gives us all things. We offer our lives to the one gave us life. To God, Creator, Christ, and Spirit, one We bring our offering of thanks and praise. Amen Witnessing to God’s Grace at Work *Call, email, or text at least one person to share God’s love. *Think about whether you know someone in your neighborhood or church who might appreciate being checked on in the storm. *Don’t forget to check the Grace Notes (updated on the web site) for what’s going on! http://www.umcbrunswick.org/grace-notes-e-news-and-monthly-newsletters.htm Our Church’s work: The United Methodist Church is…. Helping students sing the way from fear to healing for Arapahoe High School in Colorado. The United Methodist Church is….. A listening presence in places of pain. “I had grown men crying on my shoulder, saying that their sons and daughters were students at Arapahoe,” said the Rev. Ryan Canaday, associate pastor at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch. “We had one family where the wife was a teacher at Columbine and the husband is a math teacher at Arapahoe, so for them it was a double whammy.” The Methodist Church is …. Supporting recovery in the Philippines and Oklahoma from typhoon and tornado The United Methodist Church is…. Leading “No More Malaria”, partnering with the United Nations and the Global fund to mitigate malaria in Africa. The United Methodist Church…is supplying leadership to address world problem: Bishop Thomas Bickerton, chairperson of the executive committee for Imagine No Malaria says, "Today there's a 3-year-old who's going to be bitten by a tiny bug, and, in 48 hours, she is going to die. She's the reason I do what I do. To make the world a healthy place for every child has everything to do with what Mr. Wesley intended us to do." The United Methodist Church is…… Providing Child Friendly spaces in Syrian Refugee Camps.
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Karen L MunsonUnited Methodist Pastor & litugical artist Archives
December 2015
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