Ministry Matters: "Thanksgiving & gratitude | Fatal distractions & Advent | Taking our theology seriously" in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Monday, 21 November 2016-------
Thanksgiving and the practice of gratitude by Alex Joyner
Bigstock/mythja
The day before Black Friday
If it seems that Black Friday has been arriving earlier and earlier each year, you’re right. The activities of the Friday after Thanksgiving, featuring mad rushes on the doors of retail stores as they offer pre- Christmas sales, have now shifted to Thanksgiving night at many large stores. Macy’s, which sponsors a famous parade on Thanksgiving morning, will be opening its doors for shoppers at 5:00 p.m. the same evening, according to Forbes magazine. Others will surely follow suit. Bucking that trend, however, is a large group of major retailers, including Barnes & Noble, Costco and Neiman Marcus, who have announced that they will be closed for the holiday. Even the giant Mall of America in Minnesota, the nation’s largest shopping mall, will be closed on Thanksgiving. Of course, many of those retailers will be luring customers with online sales on the day, but the doors will be shut.
For those who can remember the days of blue laws when stores were routinely closed on Sundays and holidays, this may not seem so unusual. In fact, holiday blue laws remain in place in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine. But in recent years, the more commercial aspects of the Christmas season have begun to encroach on the celebration of Thanksgiving, making the announcement of closed stores real news.
Employees at these retailers may have reason to give thanks as they get more time with family and friends, but what does the season mean for Christians? How do our observances of the holiday reflect our beliefs and how can we incorporate the practice of gratitude throughout the year?
The benefits of gratitude
To read the press on gratitude, you would think that it rivals kale as the trendiest health kick. In a 2015 article for Psychology Today, Amy Morin touted seven “scientifically proven benefits” to giving thanks that “can transform your life.” “Mentally strong people,” Morin said, “choose to exchange self-pity for gratitude” and thereby open themselves to more relationships, improved physical health, enhanced empathy, reduced aggression and better sleep, among other things. Morin recommends the use of a daily gratitude journal to move toward greater thankfulness.
Christians would add more to that self-help advice. Most of us do feel better when we experience a grateful heart, and if we’re gathering with loved ones for the Thanksgiving holiday, we may experience a greater sense of well-being. But gratitude is more than something we do because of the benefits. We give thanks because it’s a natural outgrowth of a life lived in communion with God and with others. It’s not a tool to get something else; thanksgiving is the natural by-product of a life of wholeness.
‘Silence Shall Be as Praise’
At Wahat al-Salam, in the “No-Man’s Land” between Israel proper and the Palestinian West Bank, there’s a double-domed building called the Pluralistic Spiritual Community Centre. Built for this unique community (called Neve Shalom in Hebrew) of Israeli Jews and Palestinians, the centre invites a diverse population to gather around silence. In a simple, bare meeting hall, Muslims, Jews, Christians and others sit in silence as a communal spiritual practice. The inspiration for this attempt at unity is a verse from Psalm 65:1, which they translate as, “To thou, Lord, silence shall be as praise.” In the search for common ground they begin with this unique form of praise and thanksgiving.
When I visited the community a few years ago, I was struck by its pragmatic nature. The people living there, especially those who have been there since its inception over 30 years ago, are not given to flowery declarations of harmony. They live in a region strewn with the wreckage of too many peace plans to talk blithely about such things. So their talk is silence and waiting. And while they wait, they put together budgets and repair streets and serve on the school board. Their silent praise is their offering, and it’s the medium through which they anticipate unity.
Thanks-Giving Square
A structure with a similar purpose sits right in the middle of the downtown business district in Dallas, Texas. In Thanks-Giving Square, a simple, spiral-roofed chapel has been welcoming people into a spirit of gratitude. Chris Slaughter, president of the Thanks-Giving Foundation, which oversees the park, calls it “a place for people to come for peace and reflection on the many reasons for gratitude in their lives.” The foundation has an interfaith mission that seeks to draw people together around a practice that the founders feel is “a human universal, present in cultures and faith traditions around the world.”
In July 2016, the square was the site of a prayer vigil following a gunman’s attack that killed five law enforcement officers and wounded nine others during a peaceful protest in downtown Dallas. The multifaith event brought together protesters, who had been raising awareness about highly publicized shootings of unarmed black men by police, and law enforcement officers who experienced tragic losses in the July attack. Dallas police chief David Brown addressed the gathering. As KERA News reported, Brown noted the appreciation expressed by the crowd and said, “In the police profession, we’re very comfortable with not hearing thank you from citizens who especially need us the most. . . . So today feels like a different day than the days before this tragedy.”
Rediscovering our natural language
Psalm 65, whose opening verse inspired the vision for the Dome of Silence at Wahat al-Salam, is one of the great psalms of thanksgiving. The silence offered up as praise at the beginning soon blossoms into a celebration of God’s attributes. We have a God who listens (verse 2) and forgives (verse 3) the people and who secures (verse 5) and establishes (verse 6) creation. The response of creation is to offer its joy and praise back to God. The “gateways of morning and evening sing for joy” (verse 8). By the end of the psalm, the meadows and valleys have joined the chorus, singing and shouting for joy (verse 13).
The implication of the psalm is that the natural state for the creation is one of praise to the Creator. When we give thanks, we’re only taking up our part. Praise may actually be our natural language, something that we get disconnected from through the suffering and insecurity we experience in the world. If the hills are alive with the sound of music, why shouldn’t we be as well?
‘Luckiest man on the face of this earth’
Seeing the world through the eyes of gratitude changes our perspective. It allows us to see the world as God sees it — as an extravagant gift given out of the pure love of God. Gratitude also has a prophetic edge, inviting us to respond to our neighbors, and their needs, as a gift as well. In God’s economy, there’s always abundance, potential and possibility, even when we are facing the worst.
Lou Gehrig captured some of this in his farewell speech at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939. Gehrig was one of the greatest baseball players of his generation, playing with Babe Ruth and other legendary athletes during his career. He was known as the “Iron Horse,” partly due to his then-record 2,130 consecutive games in the field.
At the age of 36, however, Gehrig developed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare disease that was later named for him. The diagnosis was not good, and he rapidly lost his physical abilities. So on Independence Day, as he retired from the game he loved, he was honored in a stadium packed with 61,000 people.
“Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got,” Gehrig said, referring to his diagnosis. “Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. . . . I’ve got an awful lot to live for.”
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Fatal distractions and Advent by Mike Slaughter
Bigstock/IR Stone
I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You must have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:2-3 CEB)
Thanksgiving in our American culture heralds the start of the Advent Season. Paradoxically, the season celebrating the humble birth of Christ is ushered in with the blare, glitz and materialistic glamour of Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday sales. How easily we forget that Jesus was not the messiah most people were expecting, nor the sugar daddy that many still hope for. Jesus was not the savior that came shimmying down the chimney, but the One who came demonstrating a lifestyle that follows the way of the Cross.
Our cultural celebration of Christmas is full of what I call “fatal distractions,” those things that shove God from being the front and center priority in our lives onto the back of the shelf — right behind that big screen TV that’s a steal of a deal at 4am on Black Friday. If you think about it, Christmas is the perfect time to become distracted from God priorities. The culture says shop till you drop, the holiday parties say overindulge, and the Joneses next door challenge you (at least in your mind) to top their flashy Santa’s sleigh display in the front yard. Your primary place of God distraction may not be the same as mine. For instance, money is not a temptation for me, but it might be for you. You could leave a thousand dollars on the table in front of me in an otherwise unoccupied room, and I wouldn’t be tempted to touch it. But, Christmas can really appeal to what is one of my greatest distractions, materialism. I can’t wait to get each new iGadget that comes out, am picky about where I like to purchase my clothes, and have been known in days past to purchase an exclusive item or two from a specialty catalog, that I then never used.
Worse yet, this hypnotic lure of the seductive marketing sirens of mindless Christmas consumption serves to compound the already life-sapping, joy-stealing burden of debt for so many households. In 2016, the average U.S. adult plans to spend $781 on Christmas gifts. That amount doesn’t account for the additional hundreds that will be spent on pretty bows, packages, postage, trees, travel, decorations and the annual Christmas roast. The nearly $1,000 in debt many households add to their current debt load may take up to 10 years to pay off when making the minimum payment on a card with 15 percent interest. Interest fees alone would add an additional $400 to the ultimate cost. We sin, in a sense, both against God and ourselves when our “loves” are out of order.
In the Christian calendar, Lent is the season of denial in which we begin to deal with the counterfeit dependencies we use as substitutes for the God life. In recent Lenten seasons, to combat my own materialism, I have decided to give up “purchasing,” with the exception of food and fuel, to ensure a right focus on God. To avoid the derailing “fatal distractions” of Advent this year, let’s all practice a little Lenten spirit early. Let’s repent of those areas or practices that keep Christ from being fully revealed in us and through us, and eliminate the false priorities and practices that keep us from experiencing, returning, and sharing God’s love this Advent Season.
Done doing nothing by Kira Schlesinger
Bigstock/everythingpossible
Ten years ago, my husband and I went on a weekend wine-tasting getaway in Central Texas. We stopped at a beautiful, Tuscan-inspired winery and went inside where we proceeded to chat with the older gentleman who was pouring tastings. Off-handedly, we mentioned that we were preparing to move to Nashville in a few months. The man said that he had heard nice things about Nashville, paused, and then continued, “And the blacks there are nice and well-behaved, not like the niggers in Memphis.”
Ten years later, this incident still haunts me. I should have done anything except what I did, which was just stand there and act like that was a normal, acceptable thing to say. I should’ve paid for the tasting (or not) and walked out. I should’ve asked to speak to the manager. I should’ve said, “Excuse me?” or “That kind of language is unacceptable and offensive.”
Instead, I did what I was conditioned to do, which was ignore it for the sake of niceness and keeping the peace. I was a young woman, just out of college at the time; he was an older man. If I’d challenged him, he probably would’ve responded that he was “just joking,” as if using that word is a joke. Whether consciously or unconsciously, he decided, as a fellow white person, that I was a safe person with whom he could be explicitly racist.
Since then, there have been other instances, none of them quite that blatant, that I have looked the other way. When my neighbors wring their hands about “those people” moving into the neighborhood, I have not asked them what they mean and why they might object to people of color living near us. When the grounds committee only complains about how the people working for the landscaping company don’t speak English but fails to recognize their hard work in a variety of weather conditions, I have stayed quiet.
As this election cycle came to an end, I decided that I am finished being nice. I am through letting offensive and hurtful remarks slide in my presence. I need to let my fellow white people know that this is not okay, that I am not a safe landing space for their racism. I am putting off the Gospel of Niceness that I was raised with as a Southern, female Christian, and I am putting on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will probably make people mad and uncomfortable, and I am ready for that. I might lose some friends and alienate some family members, but my soul will be at peace. No one can denigrate and demean other people who are made in the image of God in front of me.
For years, I have read and listened to my brothers and sisters of color — their struggles, their joys, and their sorrows. Now, this is my work, to challenge other white people to examine their own implicit bias against “the other” as I have been examining mine. I acknowledge my own racism and fear of “the other.” I admit that I benefit from white privilege, that I can go places without being questioned or followed, and now it is time to use that white privilege to challenge other white people, to do that which is frequently too dangerous for my friends of color.
As Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing.” When I confess my sins, I regret much more the “things I have left undone” than the things I have done. I refuse to let evil triumph. I refuse to do nothing..
Here, but not yet: The feeling of Advent
By Matt Rawle
Bigstock/An-T
During Advent, Christians sing songs such as, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” These songs anticipate the hope that God’s people felt as they waited for this Savior. Congregations light candles of hope, peace, love, and joy, like an emblazoned clock counting down to God’s intervention. My family has an Advent calendar with hand-sewn Nativity story characters, which travel daily from numbered pocket to numbered pocket on a red and green felt background.
Waiting for something that has already happened is a curious practice. Explaining the season of Advent was quite difficult for me until my wife and I were pregnant with our first child. When a child is in the womb, the child is certainly real even though you can’t hold the baby in your arms. A mother’s body changes, subtle flutters soon become kicks, and ultrasounds reveal a profile, leading someone to say, “She looks just like you!” or “Are you sure you aren’t having an alien?” The child is certainly real, but not yet born. It’s kind of like recording kick counts as the baby’s due date approaches. Ask any mother — the baby is already here, but not yet born.
The Advent season plays with our notion of time. The church gathers in the present to ponder the past for a future hope. A Christmas Carol is a beautiful story for the Advent season because it is a tale in which the past, present and future all come together in one transformative night. Certainly this story is about Scrooge’s love of money and his altruistic failures, but it is also a story about how Scrooge cannot let go of his past. Early in the story, after establishing that Marley had been dead for some time, Dickens writes, “Scrooge never painted out Old Marley’s name. There it stood, years afterwards, above the warehouse door: Scrooge and Marley” (Stave One). Scrooge seems to cling to the past because his (only?) friend Marley represented the only things in which Scrooge trusts: hard work, frugality, unwavering discipline and action that can be weighed, measured and counted.
One of the reasons I love the song “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” is because it’s difficult to count. The time signature is common time (four beats per measure and the quarter note gets the beat), but each measure seems to flow into the next without a structured beat or meter. Rarely does a phrase in the song begin with beat one, and words are extended past measure breaks. The song also talks about the promises of the past coming into fruition. The words and music together suggest that the past and future unite in an ambiguous but blessed present. Scrooge is stuck in the past, and he can’t move forward because one can only count what one’s already been given. If your world is only what can be weighed and measured, Advent’s “here, but not yet” mantra makes too little sense for a merry investment.
Jesus came to save us from counting our past as our only reality. It’s like when Moses led God’s people out of Egyptian slavery into the wilderness. Before they reached the Promised Land, the Book of Exodus says, “The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt … for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger'” (Exodus 16:2-3 NRSV). Because living in the wilderness was difficult and they were caught wandering between where they were and where they were heading, the people complained and wished they had died as slaves. The people became stubborn and bitter (see Exodus 32:9), almost “Scroogelike” in their relationship with God and one another. Instead of moving forward in faith, trusting that God was with them, the people kept looking over their shoulders, hopelessly lamenting over the way things were.
Advent is like living in the wilderness between what was and what will be. Living into this tension, remembering God’s promises, and depending on faith become spiritual disciplines that keep us from becoming Scrooges ourselves. Even though the Promised Land may seem far off, we hold tightly to the promises of our God, for “he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 NIV).[An excerpt from The Redemption of Scrooge by Matt Rawle. This was also published at Cokesbury Commons.]
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The kingdom of heaven is (still) at hand
By Rebekah Simon-Peter
Bigstock/theerapong28
Yes, Donald Trump won the presidential election. No, not everyone is happy about that. Clinton won the popular vote while Trump won the electoral vote. Plenty of people are having to adjust their ideas of the next four years.
Like many people I was surprised, even discouraged, at the election results. My candidate didn’t win. The values I hold most dear are not well-represented in the president-elect. Yet, I still find reason to hope for a world that works for everyone. For me, it all started with this realization: The kingdom of heaven is (still) at hand.
Whether you are delighted or outraged with the results of the election, this is an important fact to hold true: The kingdom of heaven is (still) at hand. If you’re thinking that your ideal world cannot happen unless the right woman or man is in the White House then consider again the story of Jesus. He proclaimed the kingdom of God right under the nose of Pontius Pilate and under the rule of Caesar. He proclaimed it not as something that was going to come, or going to be restored, but something that was at hand even then.
Jesus reminds us all — Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike — that it’s not our leaders who ultimately create the kind of world we live in. They don’t have that kind of power. It’s up to us to say what kind of world we live in, and to act accordingly.
Yes, Trump will soon have executive powers. But that no way impinges on our own inherent kingdom powers of dignity, self-regard and co-creation with God. The power of the kingdom is already within us: it’s found at the depth of our being. It’s expressed through our thoughts, our feelings, beliefs and our actions. No one can take that away.
At the same time that we are each responsible for our ensuring own personal dignity and empowerment, that doesn’t mean we stop paying attention to the world at large. It’s imperative that we church leaders continue envisioning a just and inclusive society. It’s imperative that we church leaders continue to work for a world in which the needs of all are met. It’s imperative that we church leaders continue speaking up about what works and what doesn’t. Finally, it’s imperative that we back up our talk with action.
There’s been a dramatic uptick in hate crimes by some pro-Trump supporters since last Tuesday’s election. On the other hand, some anti-Trump protests have turned violent. Christian values of loving friends and enemies, forgiving those who have wronged us, offering radical hospitality and welcoming the stranger are more important than ever. Living the gospel has never been more counter-cultural!
While violence against persons of color, religious minorities and property should cause us to be vigilant, let’s not go overboard by assuming the worst in others. We have to keep our assumptions in check. We lead congregations full of both Republicans and Democrats ... and Independents. Regardless of our own political leanings, we cannot assume that everyone who voted for Donald Trump wants to deport immigrants, block Muslims from coming into the country, roll back civil rights, normalize preying on women or insult and bully people at will. It’s simply not true. Sure, some share those views. More likely, however, most Trump supporters were drawn to one or more of his ideas about the economy, the government or international relations. Or, they simply couldn’t see voting for the other party. Or the other party’s candidate.
On the other hand, we cannot assume that everyone who voted for Hillary Clinton is insensitive to concerns about the economy or security, supports rioters in the streets, is non-patriotic or is somehow against everyone else.
Both sets of assumptions are false.
As church leaders we are called to bring people together to live into the kingdom of heaven. This is the time to lean into the calling. Not by pretending discord and disagreement aren’t happening. Or by simply reacting in fear. But by actively promoting all that we do stand for.
This is our time. This is our time to love all our neighbors and all our enemies. This is our time to extend radical hospitality. This is our time to cast out demons, to turn fear into faith and to cast a vision of a world that works for everyone. After all, the kingdom of heaven is (still) at hand. Let’s demonstrate it.[Rebekah Simon-Peter blogs at rebekahsimonpeter.com. She is the author of The Jew Named Jesus and Green Church.]
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A new Thanksgiving tradition
By David Staal 
Scott StaalBigstock/lilkar
(Note: This month, David Staal turns his column over to his 23-year-old son, Scott.)
Several years ago, our family tried something new for Thanksgiving that has evolved into an authentic tradition. As November rolled around each year, we constantly heard the importance of developing a spirit of gratitude and wanted that to be true for us. Yet, there was a definite disconnect between our good intentions and our implementation.
Said another way: we didn’t do anything. The result was an unsettled feeling, so the four of us decided to take action in order to truly live out our thankful spirits. To walk the walk. Practice what we preach.
Said another way: to finally do something.
If you remember the old T-Mobile slogan from a decade ago, then the phrase "Who's in your 5?" may sound familiar. The cell phone company encouraged its customers to select five personal contacts to call for free. Our family creatively enhanced the concept.
It's simple; each November, each of us looks back over the past year and chooses five people who made a positive difference in his or her life. After developing our personal lists (the only rule: the five people must be non-relatives), each of us specifically expresses thanks to each of the five via note, text, email, or call. It's nothing elaborate, nothing over-the-top. Just a quick description of the “Who’s in your 5?” tradition, followed by a couple sentences of gratitude for the impact that person made in our lives that year.
On Thanksgiving, we share with one another “Who’s in my five” and why. The new result: our family celebrates twenty individuals (25 this year, now that I’m married) and a spirit of gratitude fills our hearts and highlights the holiday. We look forward to this tradition more than anything else.
Who can you personally thank this holiday season? Whether you do it at Thanksgiving or Christmas matters little. It’s a tradition any family can adopt. Now it’s your turn: Who's in your 5?
I thank my God every time I remember you. (Philippians 1:3)
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Preparing for public violence
By Jim SkillingtonBigstock/Skaya
It's Saturday night, the sermon is prepared, the bulletin is printed and in the narthex. The pastor is about to go to sleep for the night when a parishioner calls and asks if she has heard about the shooting at the local shopping center. Several people have been killed, the caller says, and his son was there when it happened. His son wasn't injured, he adds, but can the pastor arrange something for the youth on Sunday?
Will the pastor stay up most of the night, tear up her prepared sermon and write a new one, create a new bulletin and call pastoral counselors she knows hoping one of them can be at church the next day? Or does she go to bed and just add a prayer for those impacted by the violence?
One clergyman describes this situation as his "worst pastoral nightmare."
Public violence — when a random violent incident traumatizes a community — is occurring more than once a day in the United States. No community should expect to be exempted.
When an incident of public violence occurs, houses of worship report inactive members and an influx of visitors attend the following day of worship. Whether the visitors return the following week often depends on their experience that day.
While a new sermon and worship service can be created overnight or on the fly, it is better to be prepared for the inevitable day when public violence occurs in the community.
Creating a plan for the first worship following an incident of public violence should not just be a task for the pastor; members of the leadership team should also participate. It's better to have leaders agree ahead of time that no matter what special music or service features had been previously announced, the entire worship experience may be changed when violence occurs.
A key component of the plan must focus on communication to members and the general public. Who will update the website, the Facebook page, Twitter feed, an email list? Who will write and who will approve the message, and how quickly can it be distributed? Following the nightclub shooting in Orlando in June, just two local houses of worship included anything on their website and less than five had anything on their Facebook page in time for Sunday morning worship.
Also, decide ahead of time who will speak to the press and be sure that person knows the right information and what to say — and not to say. This is not the time to get into a political debate.
The message for the day should also be outlined in advance. All incidents of trauma have some commonalities that can be used to prepare a generic message; fill in the details when the incident of public violence occurs. The same is true for the actual service. If printed bulletins are used, produce extras of an undated bulletin and keep the copies offsite in case worship has to be moved. Don't forget the children's message if one is normally prepared; make sure it is appropriate and consider providing trauma resource suggestions for families.
Know where the worship service will be held if the building is within police lines or threatened by a local disaster. Develop a plan ahead of time with another religious community or another appropriate location that is available with little notice. Following a recent Saturday incident of public violence, one pastor used his smart phone to videotape a message that was posted on Facebook telling members where and when they would meet and how to avoid police barricades.
By definition, public violence causes trauma. As many as forty percent of community members will need professional help to navigate through the trauma. Identify credentialed professionals trained in crisis and spiritual care counseling to whom congregation members may be referred when an incident occurs. Health Department professionals are likely to be overwhelmed and may not reflect an appropriate theology. Include a plan for care for clergy and other staff, who can easily suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) while caring for everyone else.
Finally, plan for the future. Topical workshops, future services of remembrance, and ongoing trauma counseling should all be part of ongoing care following the first worship service. Lives and places are forever changed following public violence, and working through the recovery phases will take years even for the best prepared communities. Be open to offering or participating in new ministries as the community heals.-------
Taking our theology seriously
By Christopher P. MomanyBigstock/igor stevanovic
While preparing my winter, upper-level seminar at Adrian College on American Religion and Antislavery Literature, I came across a powerful essay written in 1693. That’s right: 1693.
This particular statement for love and justice begins with a preface: “Seeing our Lord Jesus Christ hath tasted Death for every Person. . . .” The reference is to Hebrews 2:9, a critical text relating to the doctrine of atonement. It is also a text that has been embedded in Wesleyan theology for centuries. God in Christ came to a broken world, lived, loved, died and rose for each and every person. Period. Many may reject this sacred gesture, but each and every one is valued by a God who turned reality inside out to save.
Do we believe it?
Among the many divides in our culture and in the church is the divide between sound, serious theology and other ideas that pass for theological reflection. Yet we need to put the brakes on our tendency to make assumptions about what that divide means. The present crisis in The United Methodist Church is not over those who value the theological tradition and those who do not. The crisis has more to do with how a variety of positions go about bending theological legacies to support their points of view. But it is far past time for us to admit that the gospel is not about our intramural squabbles. There are much bigger matters at stake.
I am one who cannot breathe without relying on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Not as some imaginative symbol of this or that, but as historic redefinition of reality — specifically love in action. To some, that is not enough like their particular litany of doctrinal checkpoints. To others, it is too cerebral, theoretical. Yet I know a lot of people, particularly younger people, who hunger and thirst for a God who writes their names on his heart and who writes the law of love on their hearts.
This kind of theology was the motivating factor behind the Wesleyan/Holiness Movement of the 19th century — a movement which, by the way, affirmed the value of each and every person according to Hebrews 2:9. This movement ordained women long before the cultured, social-climbing interests of mainline Protestantism dared to live equity. This movement embodied a diversity of identities long before more established and privileged church leaders got the memo. Over the years, the Holiness Movement has struggled to maintain its integrity, but many of us are still committed to historic Christian teaching and the absolute equality of persons.
Hebrews 2:9 was heeded later by another movement. Preaching in 1941, Harry Emerson Fosdick of New York’s Riverside Church wrestled with this text to point out the distinction between a faith that embraces democracy and the ideologies of Fascism. Christians were not committed to race or ethnicity or even the nation itself for a sense of meaning. Christians embraced a God in Christ who entered the world to live, love, die and rise for each and every human being on earth.
Do we believe it or not?
Our witness depends upon an answer to this question.[This was previously published by United Methodist News Service.]-------
Pope Francis denounces growing 'demonization' of enemies and outsiders
By David Gibson / Religion News ServicePope Francis in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Bigstock/Polifoto
VATICAN CITY (RNS) At a solemn ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica to elevate 17 new cardinals, Pope Francis on Saturday (Nov. 19) delivered a ringing plea to the world and his own Catholic Church to reject “the virus of polarization and animosity” and the growing temptation to “demonize” those who are different.
The pontiff’s address came across as a powerful, gospel-based indictment of the populist and nationalist anger roiling countries around the world, displayed most recently by the stunning election of Donald Trump as president of the U.S.
“In God’s heart there are no enemies,” Francis told a grand assemblage of hundreds of clerics in elegant scarlet and purple vestments along with thousands of political and civic leaders and supporters of the new cardinals, who include three Americans.
“God has only sons and daughters,” the pope said. “We are the ones who raise walls, build barriers and label people. God has sons and daughters precisely so that no one will be turned away.”
Francis said “our instinctive reaction” is to “discredit or curse” those who we view as opponents, “to ‘demonize’ them so as to have a ‘sacred’ justification” for dismissing them.
God’s unconditional love, he said, “is the true prerequisite for the conversion of our pitiful hearts that tend to judge, divide, oppose and condemn.”
Trump — with his call for a registry for Muslims, a wall separating the U.S. from Mexico and promise to throw the undocumented out of the country — galvanized resentments against immigrants, religious minorities and others during the presidential campaign.
His victory, this summer’s Brexit vote, and the growing popularity of nationalist movements across Europe has raised grave concerns around the world, including in the Vatican.
Francis made it clear that for him, such divisive sentiments are anathema.
“We live at a time in which polarization and exclusion are burgeoning and considered the only way to resolve conflicts,” said the pope, who turns 80 next month. “We see, for example, how quickly those among us with the status of a stranger, an immigrant or a refugee become a threat, take on the status of an enemy.”
“An enemy because they come from a distant country or have different customs. An enemy because of the color of their skin, their language or their social class. An enemy because they think differently or even have a different faith.” This animosity gradually turns to outright hostility and violence, he said.
Yet Francis did not spare his own church from his warning.
“Yes, between us, within our communities, our priests, our meetings,” he told the hundreds of clerics. “The virus of polarization and animosity permeates our way of thinking, feeling and acting.”
Those words carried a special resonance given the controversy that erupted in recent days as four conservative cardinals publicly challenged Francis over his efforts to make the church more open and pastoral in its ministry, saying that they may try to charge him with teaching heresy if he does not clarify some of his statements.
The “Gang of Four,” as some here have dubbed them, is led by U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke, a Rome-based churchman who has been one of Francis’ staunchest foes since he was elected pope in 2013.
In an interview published on Friday, Francis appeared to respond to his foes – without naming them – saying some critics “are acting in bad faith to foment divisions.”
In his address in St. Peter’s on Saturday, Francis said the such division were “contrary to the richness and universality” of the Catholic Church, which was on display in the range of new cardinals from countries around the world.
“We come from distant lands; we have different traditions, skin color, languages and social backgrounds,” he said. “We think differently and we celebrate our faith in a variety of rites. None of this makes us enemies; instead, it is one of our greatest riches.”
The churchmen elevated to the rank of cardinal on Saturday include prelates from 11 dioceses and six countries that have never before had a cardinal, and from places far outside the traditional European orbit of ecclesiastical influence: Albania, for example, plus the Central African Republic, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.
Three of the new cardinals are over the age of 80 and thus not eligible to vote in a conclave to elect Francis' successor.
One of those new cardinals, Sebastian Koto Khoarai of Lesotho in Africa, is 87 and could not make the trip due to poor health. He is still considered an official cardinal.
Francis included three Americans in this new batch of cardinals, the first he has appointed from the U.S. in three rounds of nominations he has made so far.
They are Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago; Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Indianapolis and soon to head the Newark archdiocese in New Jersey; and Cardinal Kevin Farrell, an Irish-born churchman who Francis recently transferred from the Dallas diocese to a major post in the Roman Curia.
Of the 228 current members of the College of Cardinals, 121 are under the age of 80 and thus could vote in a conclave. Vatican guidelines set the number of cardinal-electors at 120, though a pope can exceed that limit.
Francis has appointed 44 of the current cardinal-electors, about one-third. Another 56 were appointed by his immediate predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and 21 were named by Saint John Paul II.
Benedict, who in 2013 became the first pope in 600 years to resign, is 89 and infirm and lives in a monastery inside the Vatican walls.
This is the first consistory, as the service creating new cardinals is known, that Benedict has not been able to attend.
But the new cardinals piled into two mini-buses immediately after the ceremony in the basilica and drove through the Vatican gardens to pay Benedict a courtesy visit.-------
This Sunday, November 27, 2016
First Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
Scripture Texts: Isaiah 2:1 This is the word that Yesha‘yahu the son of Amotz saw concerning Y’hudah and Yerushalayim:
2 In the acharit-hayamim
the mountain of Adonai’s house
will be established as the most important mountain.
It will be regarded more highly than the other hills,
and all the Goyim will stream there.
3 Many peoples will go and say,
“Come, let’s go up to the mountain of Adonai,
to the house of the God of Ya‘akov!
He will teach us about his ways,
and we will walk in his paths.”
For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah,
the word of Adonai from Yerushalayim.
4 He will judge between the nations
and arbitrate for many peoples.
Then they will hammer their swords into plow-blades
and their spears into pruning-knives;
nations will not raise swords at each other,
and they will no longer learn war.
5 Descendants of Ya‘akov, come!
Let’s live in the light of Adonai!
Psalm 122: (0) A song of ascents. By David:
(1) I was glad when they said to me,
“The house of Adonai! Let’s go!”
2 Our feet were already standing
at your gates, Yerushalayim.
3 Yerushalayim, built as a city
fostering friendship and unity.
4 The tribes have gone up there, the tribes of Adonai,
as a witness to Isra’el,
to give thanks to the name of Adonai.
5 For there the thrones of justice were set up,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for shalom in Yerushalayim;
may those who love you prosper.
7 May shalom be within your ramparts,
prosperity in your palaces.
8 For the sake of my family and friends, I say,
“Shalom be within you!”
9 For the sake of the house of Adonai our God,
I will seek your well-being.
Romans 13:11 Besides all this, you know at what point of history we stand; so it is high time for you to rouse yourselves from sleep; for the final deliverance is nearer than when we first came to trust. 12 The night is almost over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and arm ourselves with the weapons of light. 13 Let us live properly, as people do in the daytime — not partying and getting drunk, not engaging in sexual immorality and other excesses, not quarrelling and being jealous. 14 Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah; and don’t waste your time thinking about how to provide for the sinful desires of your old nature.
Matthew 24:36 “But when that day and hour will come, no one knows — not the angels in heaven, not the Son, only the Father. 37 For the Son of Man’s coming will be just as it was in the days of Noach. 38 Back then, before the Flood, people went on eating and drinking, taking wives and becoming wives, right up till the day Noach entered the ark; 39 and they didn’t know what was happening until the Flood came and swept them all away. It will be just like that when the Son of Man comes. 40 Then there will be two men in a field — one will be taken and the other left behind. 41 There will be two women grinding flour at the mill — one will be taken and the other left behind. 42 So stay alert, because you don’t know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But you do know this: had the owner of the house known when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you too must always be ready, for the Son of Man will come when you are not expecting him.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Isaiah 2:1-5
Verse 1
[1] The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
The word — Or, the matter or thing, as this Hebrew word commonly signifies; the prophecy or vision.
Verse 2
[2] And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
In the last days — In the times of the Messiah. For Christ's institutions were to continue to the end of the world.
The mountain — The temple of the Lord which is upon mount Moriah; which yet is not to be understood literally of that material temple, but mystically of the church of God; as appears from the flowing of all nations to it, which was not to that temple, nor indeed was fulfilled 'till that temple was destroyed.
Exalted — Shall be placed and settled in a most conspicuous and glorious manner, being advanced above all other churches and kingdoms.
Verse 3
[3] And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
The law — The new law, the doctrine of the gospel, which is frequently called a law, because it hath the nature and power of a law, obliging us no less to the belief and practice of it, than the old law did.
Verse 4
[4] And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
He — Christ shall set up his authority among all nations, not only giving laws to them, but doing what no other can do, convincing their consciences, changing their hearts, and ordering their lives.
Rebuke — By his word and Spirit, convincing the world of sin; and by his judgments upon his implacable enemies, which obstruct the propagation of the gospel.
Verse 5
[5] O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.
The light — Take heed that you do not reject that light which is so clear that even the blind Gentiles will discern it.
Psalm 122
Verse 4
[4] Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
The tribes — Whom God has chosen to be his people.
Unto — Unto the ark, called the testimony, because of the tables of the covenant laid up in it, which are called God's testimony, and the tables of the testimony. And this is called the testimony of, or to Israel, because it was given by God to them.
Give thanks — To worship God; this one eminent part thereof being put for all the rest.
Verse 5
[5] For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
Judgment — The supreme courts of justice for ecclesiastical and civil affairs.
Thrones — The royal throne allotted by God to David and to his posterity, and the inferior seats of justice under his authority.
Romans 13:11-14
Verse 11
[11] And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
And do this — Fulfil the law of love in all the instances above mentioned.
Knowing the season — Full of grace, but hasting away.
That it is high time to awake out of sleep — How beautifully is the metaphor carried on! This life, a night; the resurrection, the day; the gospel shining on the heart, the dawn of this day; we are to awake out of sleep; to rise up and throw away our night-clothes, fit only for darkness, and put on new; and, being soldiers, we are to arm, and prepare for fight, who are encompassed with so many enemies. The day dawns when we receive faith, and then sleep gives place. Then it is time to rise, to arm, to walk, to work, lest sleep steal upon us again. Final salvation, glory, is nearer to us now, than when we first believed - It is continually advancing, flying forward upon the swiftest wings of time. And that which remains between the present hour and eternity is comparatively but a moment.
Verse 13
[13] Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Banqueting — Luxurious, elegant feasts.
Verse 14
[14] But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ — Herein is contained the whole of our salvation. It is a strong and beautiful expression for the most intimate union with him, and being clothed with all the graces which were in him. The apostle does not say, Put on purity and sobriety, peacefulness and benevolence; but he says all this and a thousand times more at once, in saying, Put on Christ. And make not provision - To raise foolish desires, or, when they are raised already, to satisfy them.
Matthew 24:36-44
Verse 36
[36] But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
But of that day — The day of judgment; Knoweth no man - Not while our Lord was on earth. Yet it might be afterward revealed to St. John consistently with this.
Verse 37
[37] But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Luke 17:26.
Verse 40
[40] Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
One is taken — Into God's immediate protection: and one is left - To share the common calamities. Our Lord speaks as having the whole transaction present before his eyes.
Verse 41
[41] Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding — Which was then a common employment of women.
Verse 42
[42] Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Ye know not what hour your Lord cometh — Either to require your soul of you, or to avenge himself of this nation. Mark 13:33; Luke 12:35; 21:34.
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A VIEW FROM ABOVE by Mike Childress
Isaiah 2:1-5
This time of year is a real mixed bag.
Advent and Christmas can be very difficult for some people. Depression and suicide increase more than any other time of year. Loneliness and isolation prevent some folks from enjoying the holiday. Hymns and carols can elicit feelings of melancholy and make people withdraw. High blood pressure rises due to the rat-race nature of finding the right gifts and getting to that next party. We stretch our sensibilities and sensitivities to the snapping point.
Churches are no different. From lessons and carols to Advent Series to pageants and choral cantatas, along with the demanding rehearsal schedules, church folks barely find the time to fit all the festivities in a schedule. Things like silent time and moments of reflection on Advent readings from Scripture are at a high premium. Many times, the premium is too high. The only moment we have may be at worship, if we can fit it in.
It’s also a time when frustration can lead to anger. Conflict over priorities emerges as expectations run rampant. Worship is the place we may run to for help, for confession, for forgiveness, for being redeemed in the midst of the holiday season. It’s a place where we can sort out our priorities.
It is the time of year, perhaps, when we need God’s help more than any other.
I recall seeing a Peanuts cartoon where Charlie Brown is sitting under a tree and thinking about a reading from the Bible. It’s about Moses hearing a word from above. Charlie thinks of what it must be like to be able to hear God’s voice. He looks at his sidekick, Snoopy, and asks him if he’s ever heard a word from above. In a little bubble over Snoopy’s head are the words, “Attention K-Mart shoppers.” This time of year we find ourselves trying to keep as much of the noise out as possible but too often find ourselves in Snoopy’s predicament and exhausted by all the Christmas barkers.
Thus the text from Isaiah calls to us once again and asks us to grapple with the purpose and meaning for being in worship on Advent’s first Sunday. Is it not the place to which we run each week to hear a word from above, a place to quiet the noise inside us to hear that “still, small voice”? I believe so. But maybe it’s more than that.
Worship can also be a significant Advent location for us to discern and believe “He’ll show us the way he works / so we can live the way we’re made” (Isaiah 2:3 THE MESSAGE).
How can we worship and live in ways this Advent that demonstrate less time spent on Wall Street and more on Church Street?
First of all, in our places of worship, let us hear God saying how we’re to act and behave “out there.” An example may help us understand this. Several years ago I was in a local town meeting sponsored by our mayor to address the issue of gang violence. Several from our church attended the forum. Among the huge turnout of citizens, representatives from eight different faith organizations gave insights and reports on how they were dealing with the issue.
I recall feeling that God was at the meeting. I perceived that God was working through the presenters’ faith communities. It was clear to me that the people of faith in that room were sincerely interested in the issue and wanted to do something to help. Put another way, they were acting out their worship in very real and significant ways.
As we listened, we were told the police department in our town had identified 287 people of various ages and backgrounds as gang members. But much of what we were hearing was about efforts being focused on youth in our city and county who were not gang members. It became clear the meeting was basically about preventive measures to keep youth out of gangs.
But what about the 287 identified gang members? Was God interested in these folks? Or were we to just write them off as unreachable, nonrecoverable? A couple of us voiced such concern during the break time and even spoke to the mayor and the police chief about what was happening or what was being planned to reach those who had already been victimized by gangs and were presently involved in gang activities.
What we later found out was that there was a plan to develop a hotline of professionals skilled in the area of counseling who would take calls from anonymous callers and direct them to those who could help them leave a gang. It was clear to us that preventive measures alone would take an enormous amount of community effort in such extremely dangerous and complex work. Rescuing the victimized youth would be extraordinarily hard and risky and even harder work.
This is where Isaiah gets under our skin. Some of us in the room that night sensed we were being called to join the cooperative effort to let gang members know that they were on our radar screens, not as targets but as victims, and worth every one of our efforts. We felt they were our children, our neighbors, and we were being moved to reach them and begin the process of learning, educating, and helping them reassimilate or be restored to their community. They didn’t have to be isolated, fearful, hateful, and angry toward our town. We wanted them back with us. We left the meeting that night feeling compelled to support efforts addressing the gang issue in our town and reaching out to them.
Is this not the way God wants us to respond in what really matters in this life? After all, is this not the way God behaves toward us when we go off the path? Isaiah’s calls for advocacy, those who can “arbitrate” (Isaiah 2:4) and help bring resolve and solution to life’s most challenging and demanding concerns.
Make no mistake about it, addressing such concerns as gang violence is a huge mountain to climb. They are Mount Everest–sized challenges. It takes time, money, and sweat equity to be God’s advocates. But with God’s help, the church can help a community make the climb.
How do we begin such journeys of rescue? Isaiah says, “Come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!” (v. 5).
How will knives ever be turned into shovels and guns turned into tools of learning if we are not first enlightened by God? Advent is a wonderful time for enlightenment from above.
Having said all this, I still believe this time of year is a real mixed bag of things. Some of the things are of little or no value; some are invaluable, even eternally valuable. A view from above every now and then helps sort them for us, especially during Advent.… read more
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WORSHIP ELEMENTS: NOVEMBER 27, 2016 by Laura Jaquith Bartlett
First Sunday of Advent
COLOR: Blue or Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
THEME IDEAS
It is with great irony that on the very week that we begin our Advent countdown to Jesus’ birth, Isaiah proclaims that we have no idea when the Prince of Peace will come. The deep longing for peace echoes as surely in our twenty-first–century world as it did in Isaiah’s time. Through our liturgy, we must communicate that traditional Christmas preparations are not enough. If we truly want to receive with joy the long-awaited Prince of Peace, the one who comes at an unexpected hour, we must accept the invitation to walk expectantly in the light of the Lord, each and every day of our lives.
INVITATION AND GATHERING
Call to Worship (Isaiah 2, Psalm 122)
I was glad when they said to me,
let us go to the house of the Lord!
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains.
Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord!
Opening Prayer (Isaiah 2, Romans 13)
When, O God, will the day of peace come?
When will the nations stream to your holy mountain
and beat their swords into plowshares?
When will the long night of war and hatred,
give way to the dawn of love, righteousness,
and joy?
We are ready for the dawn, O God.
Shine your light into our world, mighty One of peace.
Illuminate the path,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to follow your light.
We pray in the name of the Prince of Peace. Amen.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
Prayer of Confession (Isaiah 2, Psalm 122, Romans 13, Matthew 24)
God, we are ready now.
We want peace now.
We long to receive the Prince of Peace
in our world today.
But don’t delay too long, Holy One,
for soon we’ll be busy with parties,
and decorating, and baking, and shopping.
Our lives are crammed so full,
we find it hard to calendar you in;
we find it hard to locate the time
to welcome the Light of the World.
We need your help, O God.
Teach us to set aside our party wardrobes,
and clothe ourselves in Jesus Christ.
Guide us into true readiness,
even though we do not know the date and time,
when true peace will reign.
Wake us up;
shake off the cobwebs of our complacency;
and take us with you
on the path up your holy mountain.
Plant your peace within us,
so that each day, each moment,
we may be ready for the harvest of your love. Amen.
Words of Assurance (Isaiah 2)
The light of God’s love shines brightly!
The invitation is given:
Come, walk in the light.
Passing the Peace of Christ (Psalm 122:8)
The psalmist sings, “For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’” Turn now to your own relatives and friends, your sisters and brothers in Christ, gathered here in the house of the Lord, and greet them with these same words: “Peace be within you.”
Response to the Word (Isaiah 2, Romans 13, Matthew 24)
We do not know the year of your coming,
but we do know how to prepare.
We must live as peacemakers.
We do not know which day peace will reign,
but we do know how to prepare.
We must clothe ourselves with Christ.
We do not know the hour the world can breathe again,
but we do know how to prepare.
We must live honorably at all times.
We do not know when the Prince of Peace will come,
but we do know how to prepare.
We must pray constantly for peace
and walk in the light of the Lord.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
Invitation to the Offering
If this Advent is to be about more than going through the motions, then we must get ready for the Prince of Peace in new and radical ways. What can we do to signal our readiness for the coming of Christ into this very place? We can start with a total commitment of our resources and our lives to the cause of God’s peace in the world. When we give our financial gifts to the ministry of this church, the benefits travel widely through the connections of our denomination, but nowhere is the impact greater than in our own hearts. I invite you to use this time of offering as an opportunity to get ready for Christ’s arrival.
Offering Prayer (Isaiah 2, Psalm 122, Matthew 24)
Thank you, God.
Thank you for the wake-up call,
reminding us to be ready.
Thank you for not giving up
on your vision of peace.
Thank you for the opportunity
to gather each week in your house,
that we might encourage one another
to stay on your path.
And thank you for the opportunity
to give these gifts for your ministry,
that together we might help the world
be ready to receive the Prince of Peace,
in whose name we pray. Amen.
SENDING FORTH
Benediction (Isaiah 2, Psalm 122, Romans 13, Matthew 24)
As you leave the house of the Lord,
open your eyes to the signs of God’s presence
all around you.
Stay awake, and be constantly ready
to welcome the Prince of Peace.
Put on the clothes of Jesus Christ,
and walk with the Spirit in the path of light.
Go in peace.
CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS
Contemporary Gathering Words (Matthew 24)
(This dialogue is meant for two worship leaders, the second of whom is sitting off to the side, not paying attention—perhaps texting or reading a magazine.)
Wake up! Get ready! It’s almost time!
In a minute . . .
No, it has to be now! You’re just about out of time!
Really? How much time do I have left?
Not much!
Well, exactly how much is not much?
Okay, I don’t actually know when it will be, but that doesn’t matter.
What do you mean, it doesn’t matter?
I need to know when!
No, you don’t need to know when and you don’t even need to know how.
You just need to get ready.
Well, okay then, let’s get ready!
(Move immediately into an opening song or hymn.)
Praise Sentences (Isaiah 2 Psalm 122)
Let us go to the house of the Lord.
Give thanks to the name of the Lord.
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
From The Abingdon Worship Annual edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © Abingdon Press. The Abingdon Worship Annual 2017 is now available.… read more
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WORSHIP CONNECTION: NOVEMBER 27, 2016 by Nancy C. Townley
First Sunday of Advent
COLOR: Blue or Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1:
L: The Lord is getting us ready to receive a gift of great joy.
P: Watch for this gift!
L: Be vigilant and ready. For the gift is about to come.
P: The promise of God is faithful and trustworthy.
L: Watch, wait. The Gift is coming into the world!
P: Praise be to God for such lavish love. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2:
L: I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
P: For in God’s house we shall find hope and healing.
L: In God’s house we shall find forgiveness and friendship.
P: May peace be within the walls of this house of God.
L: Come, let us go to the house of the Lord.
P: Come, let us sing our praises to God who loves and redeems us. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2270, “He Has Made Me Glad,” offer the following call to worship as directed.]
Choir: singing “He Has Made Me Glad” through as they process into the sanctuary. [You may want to use tambourines and hand drums during the procession. This should be a very exciting moment for the congregation.]
L: God has made us glad to be here today!
P: The joy of the Lord is written on the faces of the people!
L: Within each heart, God has placed words of forgiving love and welcome.
P: Let us celebrate and be joyful for all that God has done for us.
Congregation and choir: singing “He Has Made Me Glad” (You may want to sing it through twice.)
Call to Worship #4:
L: The time is coming when the Lord shall pour his most special blessing on the earth.
P: We want to be ready for that time. What should we do?
L: Be vigilant. Keep your hearts, minds, and spirits open to God’s word.
P: Help us, O Lord, to be aware of all of your blessings.
L: Come, let us celebrate God’s love for us.
P: Make our hearts ready to receive your Gift of Love, O Lord. AMEN.
PRAYERS, READINGS, AND BENEDICTION
Opening Prayer
O Lord, our lives are so filled with chaos and tribulation. Help us be ready to receive your message and gift of love, that we might grow into faithful disciples, serving you by serving others with hope and compassion. In Christ’s Name, we pray. AMEN
The Lighting of the Advent Candle: The Candle of Patience: Watch! Wait!
Reader 1:
In the days to come, the Lord shall establish God’s house upon earth!
Reader 2:
Watch! Wait! For God will do something special, something very unexpected.
Reader 3:
Do not be hesitant. Place your trust in God’s promise.
Reader 4:
Today we light this first candle, a special candle, lighted in darkness, shedding its meager light into our world. [The first candle on the left of the center riser is lighted.]
Reader 1:
Come, see the light. Let its brightness fill you.
Reader 2:
Come, feel the warmth of the light. Let it give you comfort.
Reader 3:
Come, draw near to the light, for it is God’s way of breaking through to you.
Reader 4:
Come, rejoice in the light, for God is with us!
Prayer of Confession
God of Amazing Surprises, we are rushing headlong into this season of buying, giving, greed, and struggle. We want to think of the holiday as delightful, but we have a tendency to make it a time of the highest stress. We over-schedule our time, overdraw our resources, ignore those moments in which we could just relax and have quiet time with our families and with you. We blame it on everything else but our own decision making. We speak of obligations, of the need to be constantly busy, of the pressure to purchase things to make people happy. The reality is that your love should be our foundation, the base from which we celebrate. Our watchfulness is not necessarily about what is to happen, but rather should be on the ways in which we order our lives, ways that block out your love and your healing power. Forgive us for our stubborn insistence on maintaining schedule rather than focusing on your love. Heal us. Strengthen us and make us watchful over our faith in you. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
Words of Assurance
Watch! Wait! God is bringing to you new hope and peace. It is a gift, given especially for you--one that you cannot earn—it’s a gift. Praise be to the Giver of All Great Gifts, our Lord. AMEN.
Pastoral Prayer
Lord of hope, you bless our lives every day. We sometimes forget that all these blessings come from you and we overlook them or decide that we just deserve all the wonderful things that come our way. It seems that every year the push for the commercial holiday expectations comes earlier and earlier. By the time we approach the true Holy Day we are exhausted; we cannot gather the strength to praise you. Make us ready, Lord. Slow us down and help us find release from the demands. Enable us to make decisions that will build hope and community, rather than foster greed and selfishness. Help us reach out to others with gifts of kindness and peace. Enter our hearts, not with demands, but with a gentle reminder of the peace you bring. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
Reading
[Using THE UNITED METHODIST HYMNAL, p. 706, “Soon and Very Soon,” offer the reading as directed. You may want to have a praise band or a small ensemble energetically sing the song. Whatever you do, don‘t drag it!]
Praise Band/Ensemble: singing “Soon and Very Soon” repeating the first verse 2 times.
Reader 1:
I feel as though I am about to begin a race--the race to Christmas. It gets this way every year. I want to focus on Jesus, but instead I get caught in the trap of purchasing.
Soloist: singing second verse of “Soon and Very Soon”
Reader 2:
My children have all grown and live so far away. I am lonely and it just doesn’t feel like the holidays anymore. The scriptures say to watch and wait. That’s all I do. I watch as time rushes by and wait for words of love and joy from my family. I feel alone. Where is the message of hope that will dry my tears?
Duet: Singing third verse of “Soon and Very Soon”
Reader 3:
I have a business to run and so much of the bottom line depends on the Christmas buying public. I feel pressured to push the items earlier and earlier each year so that I can ensure my employees of their jobs and even give them a little bonus for their faithfulness. But at the same time, I have lost the joy of the season. Instead it is one great big sale. I can’t seem to see the Christ in this holiday season. Help me see you, Lord.
Praise Band/Ensemble: singing “Soon and Very Soon” through 1 time
Worship Leader:
Can you identify with our readers? Do things already seem out of control? Have you lost the focus of the season? Do not be afraid. The Lord is with us, ready to bless our lives and give us hope. God is bringing to us the greatest gift of all. Watch! Be ready! Your blessing is on it’s way.
Benediction
To all the corners of the world, God is bringing God’s blessing. Be ready! Watch! For the time is near; Salvation is at hand. Be at peace in the arms and love of God. AMEN.
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
The traditional color for this season is purple, however, I prefer blue, the alternate color.
The theme for this first Sunday of Advent is : WATCH! WAIT!
It seems as though when we know something special is coming, we want to make all the preparations right away. We don’t take much time to think. Just Watch! Wait!
An interesting approach might to be move from darkness into light. In the light of that idea I am suggesting a layering of fabric, beginning with the darkest blue, dark navy blue, for the first Sunday of Advent, and then adding a royal blue for Advent 2, medium blue for Advent 3, and pale blue (Mary’s color) for Advent 4. White will be used for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day/Christmastide.
Because Advent and Christmas traditions vary in all congregations, you may want to make major alterations to the following suggestions. I will be going with the themes of Advent 1: Watch and Wait; Advent 2: Prepare; Advent 3: Behold/Believe, Advent 4: Rejoice; Christmas Eve/Christmas Day: Celebrate!
If you are using Advent Candles, you might consider using pillar candles—three medium blue candles about 6-8” high and one pink pillar candle 6-8”. Place two of the blue candles on one side of the center riser and a blue and the pink candle on the other side. You may want to place risers so that these candles are elevated.
SURFACE:
Place an 8” riser on the center of the worship table, toward the back. Place two risers about 6” high on the worship center, to the right and left but about 6” in front of the center riser; place a bench or floor riser in front of the worship center. Optional: you may place other risers as needed, but make sure that the center riser is not obscured by any other risers.
FABRIC:
Cover the entire worship area, including all risers, with the dark navy blue fabric, making sure that the fabric puddles to the floor in front of the worship center.
CANDLES:
See the section on lighting the Advent Candles. If you are using a separate wreath, not placed on the worship center, you may still use the liturgy for lighting the candles.
FLOWERS/FOLIAGE:
Generally I do not use flowers and foliage until Christmas Eve when all the memorial poinsettias and other Christmas plants are placed in the church. Go with your church tradition and the theme you have chosen.
ROCKS/WOOD:
Depending on which theme you have chosen, you may want to use a sparse amount of rocks and wood, signifying the stumbling blocks and difficulties of discipleship.
OTHER:
This will depend on the theme you have chosen. … read more
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WORSHIP FOR KIDS: NOVEMBER 27, 2016 by Carolyn C. Brown
From a Child's Point of View
Old Testament: Isaiah 2:1-5. On television and in newspaper photographs, children see the gruesome results and reality of wars and struggles between ethnic groups. Though children cannot cite names and details of the conflicts, they often feel deeply for the victims in the pictures and may fear such experiences for themselves. In their own community, they may observe or even participate in ethnic conflict. At the very least, they hear racial/ethnic jokes and slurs. All this makes welcome news of Isaiah's promise that one day all nations and groups will live together peacefully.
Because children think concretely until about the age of twelve, they take Isaiah's word picture in verse 2 literally, and thus see little Mount Zion magically rise until it towers over the Himalayas. So either explain Isaiah's coded message or focus attention on the verses that follow.
Psalm: 122. A pilgrim song praising Jerusalem as the spiritual/political capital of "my people" is hard for non-Jewish Christians of any age to join in singing today. Symbolic thinkers can equate Jerusalem with the heart, or center, of God's people, wherever they may be. But children do not think symbolically, so this psalm seems strange.
Gospel: Matthew 24:36-44. Apocalyptic passages are generally difficult for children to interpret. This one, however, offers a clear, easy-to-understand warning ("Watch out, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come!"), with a familiar example of what happens when a warning is ignored (those who died in "Noah's flood").
Although the aim in the cited examples (those killed in the flood and the victim of the thief) is to avoid judgment or danger, remember that our watchfulness also enables us to be ready for good things (God's coming).
Epistle: Romans 13:11-14. Although the apocalyptic language in this passage is all but impossible for children to interpret, the message makes quick sense to children when it is linked to the Gospel lesson for the day: Because we know that God is coming among us, we should follow God's teachings. Choose your translation carefully, paying special attention to the list of sinful activities to be avoided. The Good News Bible is especially clear.
"Drunkenness" and "indecency" are no longer strictly adult sins. Fifth- and sixth-graders are especially vulnerable. Many drug and alcohol abusers tell about first experiences at the age of eleven or twelve. General "immorality" needs to be made specific by reference to the Ten Commandments. "Fighting" and "jealousy" are chronic at all ages; examples from family and neighborhood life abound.
Watch Words
Plowshares, pruning hooks, and sickles are not familiar tools today. You will need to describe them before children can understand Isaiah's prophecy.
Tell the children that Son of Man in Matthew is simply another name for Jesus.
Avoid words such as debauchery, licentiousness, and reveling. Instead, talk about drug and alcohol abuse, fighting, greed, jealousy, and breaking rules to get your own way.
Let the Children Sing
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is an Advent hymn with abstract language unfamiliar to children, but with music that offers sad verses, followed by a happy promise in the chorus. The verse that begins "O come, Desire of nations bind all peoples" is a prayer for world peace. Point this out before the congregation sings the hymn. Paraphrase the prayer in the verse and the promise in the chorus in simple, concrete words. Encourage children to sing that verse, even if they cannot sing the others.
With urging, even nonreading children can join in on the repeated opening lines of the verses in "Christ for the World We Sing." Much of the poetic language of the rest of the hymn is hard for children to read and interpret.
Older children can follow the music and message of "In Christ There Is No East or West," especially if it is sung frequently in your congregation.
The Liturgical Child
1. To emphasize God's presence with us both in worship and in our daily life, sing, or have a choir or older children's class, sing "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" both before the call to worship and before the benediction.
Call to Worship: God comes to be with us when we worship. Let us sing, and listen, and pray in God's presence.
Charge and Benediction: God is coming into our world. Pay attention! Be ready! Live as God's people! And God's peace will be with you, and it will spread out until it includes the whole world! Amen.
2. Many children learn "Dona Nobis Pacem," a prayer for peace, at church school or camp. To use it in worship today.
• Invite a children's class or choir to sing the round as the first candle of the Advent wreath is lighted. Introduce the candle as the candle of God's promised peace.
• Invite the congregation to sing the basic melody as a response to each of a series of short prayers for peace in our families, our community, and the world.
Note: The candles of the Advent wreath do not have any set meanings; this opens up the possibility of linking them to the texts of the day. This year's texts suggest a series of God's promises, beginning with God's peace.
3. After reading the implications of Paul's instructions in Romans 13:11-14, reread it as the Charge, reminding the worshipers that Paul was speaking to each of us.
Sermon Resources
1. Create modern paraphrases of Isaiah's weapons-to-tools prophecy. For example, tanks could be turned into tractors, and aircraft carriers could be refitted as floating sport camps or cruise ships. What are the possibilities for missiles, machine guns, hand grenades and so forth? (The Worship Worksheet challenges children to draw these conversions.)
2. To explore the importance of watching and being ready, tell stories:
• Tell three parallel stories about what children, youths, and adults did the day before the flood; the day Jesus was born in Bethlehem; and a "normal" day today. Include in each story examples of people who are being watchful, as Paul instructed, and others who are not.
• Tell a story about a child who stayed at a friend's house long past time to return home and missed sharing a treat brought by a neighbor. (This story sets up a situation in which we are urged to do right—not to avoid punishment, but to avoid missing out on something desirable. Paul was not as concerned that the Romans would be punished if not prepared as that they would miss out on sharing in the joy of God's presence and peace.)
• Describe preparations for the visit of a much-loved out-of-town relative. Mention house cleaning, panning meals and activities that person would enjoy, thinking of things you want to share with them and ask them. Then talk about preparing for God's presence. Describe "cleaning" the jealousy and quarreling out of our families and "cleaning" racial jokes and names out of our mouths, because God has promised to bring peace to all the people of the world. Explore some of Paul's other instructions in a similar way.… read more
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SERMON OPTIONS: NOVEMBER 27, 2016
GETTING READY
Isaiah 2:1-5
"Are you ready yet?" My parents said those words to me practically every Sunday morning. They had to ask me that question because I was always the last one to be dressed and ready to go to church. Now my wife and I ask the same question of our boys. Even as a child I knew that there is more to getting ready for church than putting on one's "Sunday best." We must also be spiritually prepared.
We should get ready for Christmas, too. Most people are already preparing for Christmas by hauling decorations down from the attic or up from the basement. The industrious among us have even purchased or made some of their gifts. But preparing for Christmas is also a spiritual matter. Since advent refers to the coming of Christ, and the season of advent is when we celebrate that coming, we must get ready to receive him.
The prophet Isaiah was getting ready for the coming of the Messiah eight hundred years before Christ's arrival. In the book that bears his name, Isaiah has provided help for us to get ready for the advent.
I. We Get Ready for Christmas by Believing God's Promises
In some ways, Isaiah's prophecies were fulfilled in the first advent of the Messiah. On the other hand, the complete fulfillment of God's promises concerning the last days will not come to pass until the second advent of Jesus. We live between the "already" and the "not yet." Nevertheless, we can be assured that God will keep all of his promises. The coming of the Messiah on that first Christmas night was in fulfillment of God's promises, and that event is our surety that the last days will occur according to his Word.
II. We Get Ready for Christmas by Sharing God's Priorities
During the lifetime of Isaiah, the worship of Jehovah and the teaching of his Word were confined to the Jewish people. However, God made it clear through the prophet that God's plan for the future included all the nations. His gospel is universal. When Jesus was born, an angel announced to shepherds outside Bethlehem, "I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people" (Luke 2:10, emphasis added).
God's priority is to love every human being to himself. Is that your priority? Are you satisfied that the good news is confined to you and yours? Are you so caught up in the trappings of the season that God's missionary purpose is no longer a priority for you? If so, then you are not ready for Christmas.
III. We Get Ready for Christmas by Personifying God's Peace
Both Isaiah (2:4) and Micah (4:3) prophesied of a time when the nations would reshape their implements of war into implements of peace. This prophetic statement is prominently displayed in front of the United Nations building, but the preceding verses are omitted. The word of the prophets is that the nations will be at peace with one another when they are at peace with God.
The peace of which the prophets wrote began to be realized when Jesus was born. On the night he was born the angelic host announced, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors" (Luke 2:14) . The whole world is not yet at peace. In fact, the Messiah himself promised that until the end there would be "wars and rumors of wars" (Matt. 24:6). However, those who know him know his peace.
There's nothing like a deadline to motivate us to get ready. Our deadline is December 25. Will we be ready? (N. Allen Moseley)
GOD'S WAKE-UP CALL
Romans 13:11-14
Everyone who has done much traveling knows what a wake-up call is. You spend the night in a hotel but need to be up at a certain hour. You call the switchboard and ask for the operator to call you the next morning at your needed hour. With those instructions given, you can relax and enjoy a good night's rest.
The beginning of Advent is God's wake-up call to us. Notice how Paul puts it in verse 11: "It is now the moment for you to wake from sleep." What an unusual call this seems. But consider some of the implications of this mandate.
I. Wake Up to Theological Responsibilities
Faith is always lived in crisis times. That was true in Paul's day and in ours as well. The book of Romans addresses a church in theological conflict with its world. The Christ followers could not and did not fit into the theological molds of the first century. They were willing to give their lives if necessary to stand apart from their society.
Many people have observed that Christians today seem to stand for little that is different from society. If we profess to be Christian, that profession may mean little because we are often just like everyone else. We may attend church regularly and even tithe our income. But if the change is not on the inside, then the Advent/Christmas gospel means little.
Wake up because salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. That is a theological responsibility because it touches our need for vigilance.
II. Wake Up to Moral Responsibilities
Advent can be a crisis, so this is a good time to stake down the meaning of the season. You already know that it is not about packages and trees and wonderful food. It is not even about family and home. Advent is the time of paying attention to our moral responsibilities. As Paul put it, "Let us then lay aside the works of darkness" (v. 12). We need not spend much time imagining lurid tales of violence. Those are in today's headlines. Instead, let us remember that Christ comes as light in the darkness. As vermin scatter at the coming of the light, so do moral failures.
Keep a spiritual vigilance during this season. Also remember your moral responsibilities. What we do matters to God and to others.
III. Wake Up to Relational Responsibilities
The first half of verse 13 seems to describe some office Christmas parties: "Let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness." The second half seems to describe some church business meetings: "Not in quarreling and jealousy."
These are relational matters. The coming of Christ affects how we treat each other. We relate as whole persons to whole persons, not as objects to objects. God is giving the world a wake-up call. His Son is coming. The light is dawning. Let us make no room for evil. (Don M. Aycock)
PREPARING FOR HIS COMING
Matthew 24:36-44
Don't you love a mystery? I grew up on "Perry Mason," watching that masterful legal strategist explore the various alternatives, then unmask the true villain (usually on the witness stand) in the final five minutes. Some people prefer an Agatha Christie mystery, or perhaps another writer. There is something in many of us that enjoys trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle; in such a story, we're just as delighted when we are completely surprised with the outcome. (Although we'll quickly begin to review the earlier clues and see how we could have easily come to the same conclusion earlier in the story!)
One of the great mysteries of the New Testament surrounds the return of Christ. We are told that there is a day coming when Christ will again enter our midst, this time to inaugurate his reign in human history. Countless writers and preachers have tried to identify the time when this second advent will take place; a couple of years ago, hundreds of thousands of copies of a book were distributed, purporting to identify the exact day when Christ would return. Of course, when that didn't happen, a sequel was soon available demonstrating conclusively that it was actually going to be a different day after all!
In these verses, Jesus emphasizes to his disciples that no one can know the time of this remarkable future event. Indeed, it will take humanity by surprise, much as the great flood came as an utter and total shock to a population that had made such fun of Noah and his boatworks.
In the face of such a mystery, Jesus nevertheless counseled his followers to take some practical steps in anticipation of his return. Not only are these good actions in anticipation of the second advent, but they are also actions that will contribute to victorious Christian lives in the here and now.
I. Watch for His Return (v. 42)
Have you ever watched and waited for a loved one you have not seen for a long time? Perhaps your spouse has been on a trip for several days; you have missed this special person in your life, and you've anxiously awaited the time of return. Now the expected time is fast approaching, and you keep looking at the clock; you keep going to the window to see if the car is entering the driveway.
That is the idea here. Jesus says, "Watch!" Live in expectancy of that great day. Live in a sense of anticipation that the One who loves you most, the One who gave his life for you, is about to return. When we live in expectancy, we have a vivid sense of God's presence and direction in our lives. We are alert to his leading, alive to the Spirit's moving within us.
When we keep watch, it will lead to the second thing Jesus encourages us to do.
II. Prepare for His Return (v. 43)
This brief parable is not difficult to relate to our own time. We are growing more security conscious by the day. We carry poison sprays to fend off would-be attackers; we put alarms (or at least stickers threatening alarms) in our car windows; we install elaborate and expensive security systems in our homes, all because we fear those who would violate us or our belongings.
Imagine a person who receives a call one night that "A thief is on his way to your house, and is going to break in and steal your property." Can you imagine that same homeowner grunting at the phone, rolling over, and going back to sleep? I don't think so! I think the recipient of that warning would call the police, make sure the doors and windows were secured, and prepare for the potential thief.
In the same way we might prepare for such a negative event, Jesus says we ought to prepare for the positive event of his return.
How do we prepare? For a moment, imagine what specific steps you might take if you had concrete proof that Jesus was coming back twenty-four hours from now. You'd certainly try to set your own spiritual house in order; you'd probably have a sense of urgency about sharing your faith with some special friends and relatives; you'd be alert to be sure your thoughts and actions were positive and God-honoring. Sounds like we already know how to prepare; we just have to begin!
When we watch and prepare for his coming, we will inevitably follow the third action to which Jesus calls us.
III. Be Ready for His Return (v. 44)
A spirit of expectancy and a life-style of preparation will inevitably result in an attitude of readiness. We do not know when Christ's second advent may be, whether a day or a year or a century from now. We do know, however, that he challenges us to be ready for that day in every area of our lives.
In the earlier verses of this passage, Jesus talked about people in Noah's day, who were doing good things—the typical, everyday activities of life—but who had allowed those secondary activities to redirect their thoughts and priorities away from the most important thing: faithfulness and obedience to God. Jesus calls us to use the reality of his return as a constant reminder that we must be ready for his return, for when we live in readiness, then we are best prepared to serve faithfully and effectively in the days until he returns. (Michael Duduit)… read more
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NOVEMBER 27, 2016 - AND THEN COMES GOD by William H. Willimon
PULPIT RESOURCE
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Welcome to the new Pulpit Resource from Will Willimon. For over three decades Pulpit Resource helps preachers prepare to preach. Now in partnership with Abingdon Press, this homiletical weekly is available with fresh and timely accessibility to a new generation of preachers.
No sermon is a solo production. Every preacher relies on inherited models, mentors in the preacher’s past, commentaries on biblical texts by people who have given their lives to such study, comments received from members of the congregation, last week’s news headlines, and all the other things that make a sermon communal.
No Christian does anything on their own. We live through the witness of the saints; preachers of the past inspire us and judge us. Scripture itself is a product of the community of faith. A host of now-forgotten teachers taught us how to speak. Nobody is born a preacher.
Pulpit Resource is equivalent to sitting down with a trusted clergy friend over a cup of coffee and asking, “What will you preach next Sunday?” Whenever I’ve been asked by new preachers, “How can I develop as a preacher?” my usual response is, “Get in a group of preachers. Meet regularly. Learn how to give and how to receive help. Sort through the advice of others, and utilize helpful insights.”
That’s Pulpit Resource.
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