Sunday, December 30, 2018

Sing, choirs of angels, Dec 30,2018

Worship on Sunday, December 30 …

 We celebrate the First Sunday of Christmas with a special focus on music of the season.  The sermon portion of the service will include exploration of the history of some of our favorite Christmas hymns and singing them together. 
╬ Sing, choirs of angels! 
People of faith everywhere gather to celebrate a new day dawning. The long-awaited light has come. Emmanuel – God with us – has come into the world to show us a way and a truth and a life that leads to the very heart of God.  We come together to raise our voices in songs of praise, to celebrate with the songs that have given meaning to our lives, that express our joy in this day of days, and give voice to our hopes for a future of peace on earth and unity among all people.

 Below are the Prayer of the Day and Readings.  

 Nothing like a hymn sing to celebrate Christmas!

 - Pr. Brad Highum
bhighum@abidinglove.org

 PRAYER OF THE DAY ---------------------
God of light, fill our hearts this day with the power of your Spirit as we welcome the gift of your Christ into the midst of life.  Fill us with the peace, hope, love and joy that he brings.  Fill us with songs to praise the One who comes to make all things new.  Amen.

 READINGS ----------------------------------

 First Reading:  Isaiah 52:7-10
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."  8 Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion.  9 Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.  10 The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

 Psalm 98
1 O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
2 The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.  All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.
8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord,
9 for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

 Second Reading:  Hebrews 1:1-8
1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. 3 He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.  5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you"?  Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?  6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." 7 Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire."  8 But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. 

 Gospel:  Luke 2:15-21
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.  21 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
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Sunday, December 23, 2018

Waiting for the Light - LOVE

LOOKING AHEAD  to worship on Sunday, December 23 …

 We complete our season of Advent series – “Waiting for the Light” – with a focus on LOVE! 
click here to listen to the late service 

click here to listen to the early service 

click here for Sermon Audio Only


╬ Love
It all comes down to this.  Love one another, Jesus says.  “As I have loved you, so you should love one another.”   Jesus says it is by our love alone that world will know we are his followers, his disciples.  He says that his single, new commandment – that we love one another – sums up all the law and the prophets, all the wisdom and teaching of God.  Scripture challenges us that “one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:7)  When we love, we dwell in the very nature of God.  Love is the Gospel in a single word.  And the One God sends is coming into the world to embody that word for all to see.

 Below are the Prayer of the Day and Readings.  

 Let us love one another as God has first loved us!

 - Pr. Brad Highum
bhighum@abidinglove.org
PRAYER OF THE DAY --------------------

 Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.  Free us from the sin that would obstruct your blessing, that willingly we may bear your redeeming love to all the world, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 READINGS -----------------------------

 First Reading:  Isaiah 7:10-17
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. 13 Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

 Psalm 80:1-7,17-19
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock!  You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
2 before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us!
3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
17 But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself.
18 Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name.
19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

 Second Reading:  Colossians 3:12-17
12 As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

 Gospel:  Luke 1:39-56
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."  46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.  Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.  50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.  51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.  52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.  54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."  56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
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Sunday, December 16, 2018

Waiting for the Light-PEACE

LOOKING AHEAD  to worship on Sunday, December 16 …

 We continue in our season of Advent series – “Waiting for the Light” – with a focus on PEACE!

╬ PEACE

“Blessed are the peacemakers,” Jesus says.  At Jesus’ birth, the voices of angels ring in the heavens singing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill among all people.”  Hebrew Testament proclaims “Jehovah-Shalom;” the very name of God is ‘peace.’ But Scripture also rails against those who deal falsely saying, “ ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace!” (Jeremiah 6:14).  Real and lasting peace remains both the greatest hope and the greatest challenge for humanity.  And peace will not be achieved passively, will not come about on its own.  Jesus blesses peace-makers for they are, he says, “the children of God.”  All creation is waiting with eager longing for the revealing of the peace-makers. 

 Below are the Prayer of the Day and Readings.  

The peace of God be with you all!
- Pr. Brad Highum
bhighum@abidinglove.org

 PRAYER OF THE DAY -----------------------

 God of peace, make us peacemakers.  Guide us in the way of peace.  Call us forth as your children, to live peace, so that all the world might come to know your Great Shalom … a world ordered according to your goodness, grace and peace.  Amen.

 READINGS ---------------------------------------

 First Reading:  Isaiah 11:1-10
11 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.  He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. 6 The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. 10 On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

 Psalm 122
1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!"
2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem — built as a city that is bound firmly together.
4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:  "May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers."
8 For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, "Peace be within you."
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

 Second Reading:  James 5:7-11
7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

 Gospel:  Matthew 11:2-11
2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" 4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."  7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?  8 What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'  11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
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Sunday, December 9, 2018

Cantata-Celebrate the Child Who is the Light

Worship on Sunday, December 9 …

 We continue in our season of Advent series – “Waiting for the Light” 
click here to listen to the late service 

click here to listen to the early service 



Advent Worship with Musical Cantata
8:30 & 11:00 am

"Celebrate the Child Who is the Light"
                                                             by Tom Fettke
     
"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: On those living in a land of deep darkness, a light has dawned...For unto us a Child is born, 
unto us a Son is given." 
                                                                         Isaiah 9:2,6
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Sunday, December 2, 2018

Waiting for the Light-Hopefulness 12-02-2018



LOOKING AHEAD  to worship on Sunday, December 2 …

We enter into the season of Advent, beginning with our focus on the Gospel call to HOPEFULNESS! 

╬ Hope

 Emily Dickinson said, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words and never stops – at all –”  She captures the essence of this fluttering of the Spirit in the hearts of people of faith.  It is a force – at once fragile and gentle, but unwavering and unstoppable –  that ministers to our souls.  It speaks to us of goodness when all about seems threatening.  It speaks to us of persistence when despair gnaws at us.  It speaks to us of a light, growing brighter, when shadows crowd round us.  It is the song that accompanies us in the night, promising the dawn.  It is fitting that we begin our Advent journey here – in the place of hope – as we await the light that is coming.

  Below are the Prayer of the Day and Readings.  Sermon and Reflection Slides are attached.

 The New Year in the Kingdom of God has already begun as we enter into the season of Advent.  Blessings to you all, as we make our way together!

 - Pr. Brad Highum
bhighum@abidinglove.org
PRAYER OF THE DAY ----------------
Creating God, we are unafraid and undeterred, for our hope is in you.  Our trust is in your grace, and your goodness.  Hope in you is a light that grows in us, leading us to the fulfillment of your promise of deliverance, redemption and peace.  Amen.

 READINGS --------------------------

 First Reading:  Job 11:13-19
13 "If you direct your heart rightly, you will stretch out your hands toward him.  14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and do not let wickedness reside in your tents.  15 Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be secure, and will not fear.  16 You will forget your misery; you will remember it as waters that have passed away.  17 And your life will be brighter than the noonday;
its darkness will be like the morning.  18 And you will have confidence, because there is hope; you will be protected and take your rest in safety.  19 You will lie down, and no one will make you afraid;
many will entreat your favor.

 Psalm 33:1-5,18-22
1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright.
2 Praise the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
18 Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who revere him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

 Second Reading:  Rom 8:18-25
18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

 Gospel:  Matthew 12:15-21
15  Many crowds followed Jesus, and he cured all of them, 16 and he ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah:  18 "Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased.  I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.  19 He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.  20 He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory.  21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope."


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