Christmas Eve at St. John's 2021

 

Merry Christmas!

Here is the link to the YouTube recording of our Christmas Eve service at St. John's.

Christmas Eve 2021

I hope you'll enjoy it.

Pr. John

Information on upcoming Services

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we will celebrate the Nativity of Jesus Christ in the church at 7:00pm. Reservations for attendance should already be in as it was announced a while back. The Service of Holy Communion will be recorded and put up on YouTube as soon as possible.

Your pastor will be taking a bit of a holiday after that and services will not be held on December 26 or January 2.

On January 9, 2022, we will celebrate Holy Communion at 11:00am in the front lounge of the Saxonia Hall just west of the church, across from the Aylmer Arena. All COVID-19 protocols - masking, social distancing, hand sanitation, contact tracing, and brief COVID-19 screening - will be in place.

The service for January 23 will be held in person at the church.

The services for January 16 and January 30 will be done virtually over YouTube.

I hope to see many of you at these Services. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.

Pr. John

The 4th Sunday of Advent --- Service Text & Sermon

 

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Prelude, Welcome, and Information Hymn #242 Awake! Awake and Greet the New Morn

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. Psalm: Luke 1:46b-55 (The Magnificat) And Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;             my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.             From this day all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me,             and holy is his name. He has mercy on those who fear him             in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm;             he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,             and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things,             and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel,             for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers,             to Abraham and his children forever.”

The Lord be with you.       And also with you. Let us pray. Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that binds us, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Reading: Micah 5:2-5a

A reading from the prophet Micah

²But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. ³Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. ⁴And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; ⁵and he shall be the one of peace. If the Assyrians come into our land and tread upon our soil, we will raise against them seven shepherds and eight installed as rulers.

The Word of the Lord

Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

⁵Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; ⁶in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.

⁷Then I said, ‘See, God, I have come to do your will, O God’ (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).” ⁸When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), ⁹then he added, “See, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Verse: 

Alleluia. Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word. Alleluia! (Luke 1:38)                                

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:39-45 [46-55]

A reading from the Gospel of Luke

³⁹In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, ⁴⁰where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴²and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon (added at the end of the document)

Hymn #263   Savior of the Nations, Come

Thanks and Offertory

Prayers of the Church:  

With gratitude that the Almighty has done great things for us, we offer our prayers for the world, the church, and for all people according to their needs.

[Short pause]

Almighty One, bless us with an awareness of the great things you have done and the great things you are doing.  God, in your promised mercy,   Hear our prayer.

Almighty One, watch over our families and our friends so all generations may continue to call you blessed.  God, in your promised mercy,    Hear our prayer.

Almighty One, continue to show the strength of your arm and lay low our pride. Lift up all who suffer from illness, whether physical, mental, or spiritual. God, in your promised mercy,   Hear our prayer.

Almighty One, fill the hungry with good things and continue to turn the tables of the world for the good of your kingdom. God, in your promised mercy,  Hear our prayer.

Almighty One, look with favor on all your lowly servants and those who preach, pray, sing, and serve in your church. Bless the congregation of St. Peter’s, Brodhagen and their pastor, Pr. Laura Sauder. God, in your promised mercy,    Hear our prayer.

Almighty One, we trust in your help. Hear the prayers we keep in our hearts… … God, in your promised mercy,   Hear our prayer.

Almighty One, raise up the sufferers of natural disasters in British Colombia, Ontario, and Kentucky. Be merciful to all those enduring violence in this season. God, in your promised mercy,  Hear our prayer.

Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your promise of mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hymn #293  That Boy Child of Mary

The Lord’s Prayer

Finally let us pray for all things as our Lord would have us ask:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

    hallowed be thy name,

    thy kingdom come,

    thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

    and forgive us our trespasses,

      as we forgive those who trespass against us;

    and lead us not into temptation,

       but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

         and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Closing prayer

Glory to God,

whose power, working in us,

can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation,

in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn   #267  Joy to the World

Benediction and Sending

The Lord bless us and keep us.

The Lord make his face shine on us and be gracious to us.

The Lord look upon us with favor and + give us peace.

                            Amen.

Go in peace. Serve the Lord.   Thanks be to God!

 

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 We invite you to the in-person services on the following dates:

·         December 24 (7pm – Christmas Eve)

·         January 9 & January 23, 2022

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My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

·         Luke puts this song onto the lips of Mary, the mother of Jesus, when she visits her cousin Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptizer. It’s a wonderful piece of poetry that might be based on a similar song in the Hebrew Bible, which we Christians call the “Old Testament.” I’d like to think that Mary actually spoke these words, and still they remain inspired no matter the source.

·         It is a song of praise and a song of protest. It begins with wonderful praise: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord… and it continues in that praise while outlining the greatness of God in the reversal of the “normal.” The poor are raised up, the hungry are filled with good things, the humble know the favor of God and that by grace alone. Mary, the one who is pregnant and has an uncertain future, becomes the embodiment of the people of Israel, thanking God for God’s fulfillment of the promise to Abraham and his children forever.

·         What all this come down to is the simple statement: Things ain’t right! The world is not how it is supposed to be. We could ask if things will ever be as they are supposed to be, but I don’t think we’d get a straight answer. The Bible begins with creation and the story of how things go out of whack. The Christian Scriptures show a vision of things getting even more wild and strange, but end with “a new heaven and a new earth”, done up right, with healing available and God living with the people.

·         Mary’s song (called the Magnificat from an old translation “My soul magnifies the Lord.”) tells what is to come. God Almighty will have mercy, show strength, scatter and cast down the proud and mighty, fill the hands of the hungry, and remember the promise to Abraham and Abraham’s children:  I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven…  (Genesis 26:4)

·         For lack of better words, everything will be turned around and maybe even turned upside-down. The history of our salvation is filled with reversals of fortune and desires and with other topsy-turvy ideas.

·         If we look at it, Christ has come to challenge the built-up structures of sin, death, the devil, and oppression. And not just challenge, but overcome at the cost of his own life. His life, death, and resurrection show God’s strength to do what God has always done – lift the lowly, free the slave, feed the hungry, give justice to those who have not seen justice. It has been promised and just because we don’t see it everywhere, does not mean it is not happening.

·         If you get a chance, listen again to the words of the Church’s Advent hymns and Christmas Carols. Many of them sing of this sacred reversal of all things. Take one instance in the Carol, “O Holy Night”:

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is Peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name, all oppression shall cease.

·         Could I dare say that the Magnificat is the soul of the Gospel? That might be too much, especially in the face of John’s Gospel’s God so loved the world… Maybe it just answers the statement Things ain’t right! in some detail. It tells us again the grace of God in Jesus stands against hated, oppression, and injustice. The fact that all this seems to turn the world upside-down and upset things shows us that our idea of what is “normal” is really the thing that is turned upside-down and in God’s own time, things will be set right.

·         As the prophet Micah said: And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.

·         Let this be our song as well as Mary’s:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

 

A Service of Word & Prayer for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

 

Good Day!

I'm inviting you to join me for a Service of Word & Prayer for the Fourth Sunday of Advent this Sunday - 19 December - at 11:00am.

Here is the link to that Service on YouTube:  Fourth Sunday of Advent

If you intend to join us on Christmas Eve, please call Rita Rupar at 519-473-9303 to reserve a place. All COVID-19 precautions will be in place. (Masking, social distancing, hand sanitizing, contact tracing, as well as proof of vaccination.)

I hope to see you there.

Pr. John

The Third Sunday of Advent -- 12 December 2021

Because of circumstances beyond my control, Sunday's service was not recorded. Still, here are the readings and the sermon for your meditation.

First Reading:  Zephaniah 3:14-20 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.

Psalm:     Isaiah 12:2-6 Surely, it is God who saves me;  I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defence, and he will be my Saviour.   Therefore you shall draw water   with   rejoicing    from the springs of salvation. And on that day you shall say,   Give thanks to the Lord   and call upon his name; make his deeds known among the peoples;   see that they remember   that his name is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things,    and this is known in all the world. Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy,    for the great one in the midst of you    is the Holy One of Israel.

Second Reading:   Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Gospel:  Luke 3: 7-18 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

§  John the Baptizer seems to have it in for the people listening to him. He says they are a brood of vipers because they want to be known as righteous while not actually being righteous. They base their claim on their heritage as children of Abraham only to hear John say God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Where does that leave them? How is this good news for the people?

§  I imagine that the people taking insult from John’s preaching were quite satisfied with themselves. Those who asked how to behave – the crowds with two coats, the tax collectors, the soldiers – wanted to hear something about their state in life. John addresses the problems he sees - the selfish lack of action for the poor, the unjust self-serving tax structure, the extortion by armed thugs posing as keepers of the peace. To his listeners, this would be some good news because there WAS a way out of the despair the world around had put them in.

§  John goes on to say that he is NOT the promised and expected Messiah. He is not even worthy to tie the shoelaces of the Messiah. The baptism of fire and the Holy Spirit is coming and that will be the real harvest time. (That’s what is referred to in talking about the threshing floor and the winnowing fork.)

§  So the best is yet to come. That is John’s good news here. Justice can be worked for, but it will never be achieved by human action alone. After all, people might still be a “brood of vipers” to use John’s words. This may be how it is.

§  But… and that “but” is huge… one who is more powerful than I is coming. More is promised; the best is yet to come. The harvest is coming and what is good will be gathered and kept and what is not good will be burned up.

§  Is that frightening? It has been for me. It may help to remember that we are part of the harvest and the winnowing is our purification. We could say that what is good within us will be kept and what is not good will be removed. In that case, there is cause for rejoicing.

§  The third Sunday in Advent has traditionally been called “Gaudate” Sunday. In some Advent wreaths, the “rose” coloured candle is lit and the vestments and paraments are rose. The name comes from the Latin verses used as the entry song for the service: Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. Even in a season of waiting, in a dark time looking for light, rejoicing can and should be done. John’s words seem harsh, yet they give us hope. That a powerful one is coming is good news! Let’s just say – “Never fear; the Lord is near!”

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Your Invitation to Sunday, 12 December's In-person Worship Service & the Readings

 

Good morning!

This Sunday's Worship Service will be a service of Holy Communion in the Church sanctuary at 11:00am. The recording of it will be posted later. 

Here are Sunday's readings for you to meditate on, whether you can be present or not.

Pr. John

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First Reading:  Zephaniah 3:14-20 A reading from the prophet Zephaniah Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord. The Word of the Lord.

Psalm:     Isaiah 12:2-6 Surely, it is God who saves me;       I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defence, and he will be my Saviour.       Therefore you shall draw water        with   rejoicing from the springs of salvation. And on that day you shall say,       Give thanks to the Lord       and call upon his name; make his deeds known among the peoples;       see that they remember       that his name is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things,        and this is known in all the world. Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy,        for the great one in the midst of you        is the Holy One of Israel.

 

Second Reading:   Philippians 4:4-7 A reading from the letter to the Philippians Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The Word of the Lord.

Gospel:  Luke 3: 7-18 The Lord be with you.  And also with you. A reading from the holy Gospel of Luke in the third chapter                                          Glory to you, O Lord. John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.         This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

The Second Sunday in Advent --- the Text of the YouTube Service

 

The Second Sunday of Advent

Prelude, Welcome, and Information Hymn #239    Hark, the Glad Sound

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. Psalm: Luke 1:68-79 (The Benedictus) Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them free.      He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,      born of the house of his servant David. Through his holy prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us.      He promised to show mercy to our fathers      and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies,      free to worship him without fear,      holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,      to give his people knowledge of salvation      by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us,      to shine on those who dwell in darkness      and the shadow of death,       and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The Lord be with you.       And also with you. Let us pray. Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming give to all the people of the world knowledge of your salvation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Reading: Malachi 3:1-4

A reading from the prophet Malachi

3See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

The Word of the Lord

Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

A reading from the letter to the Philippians

3I thank my God every time I remember you, 4constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

7It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.

9And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Verse: 

Alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord. All flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia! (Luke 3:4, 6)                                

Gospel Reading: Luke 3:1-6

A reading from the Gospel of Luke

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon (added at the end of the document)

Hymn #249   On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry

Thanks and Offertory

Prayers of the Church:  

Trusting the promise that all flesh shall see the salvation of God, we offer our prayers for the world, the church, and for all people according to their needs.

[Short pause]

O Promised One, calm our hearts and souls in this season so we may watch for you with clear sight.  God of the promise,   Hear our prayer.

O Promised One, watch over our families and our friends and teach is the way to watch as well.  God of the promise,    Hear our prayer.

O Promised One, lay your healing hand on all who suffer from long-term illnesses and those enduring the present virus. Strengthen those who care for these we pray for.  God of the promise,   Hear our prayer.

O Promised One, in this season of preparation, show us how to make the way straight, even when it is rough and rocky. Continue to work in us to bring your Kingdom there. God of the promise, Hear our prayer.

O Promised One, bless your church and all your scattered people. Watch over the celebration of Hanukkah for our sisters and brothers of your Chosen People. Bless our congregations and hear them as they pray for us at St. John’s today. God of the promise,   Hear our prayer.

O Promised One, hear as well the prayers we keep in our hearts… …God of the promise,  Hear our prayer.

O Promised One, hold close the people of British Columbia as well as anyone enduring natural disasters. Be merciful to all those enduring violence in this season. God of the promise,
Hear our prayer.

Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hymn #240   Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah

The Lord’s Prayer

Finally let us pray for all things as our Lord would have us ask:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

    hallowed be thy name,

    thy kingdom come,

    thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

    and forgive us our trespasses,

      as we forgive those who trespass against us;

    and lead us not into temptation,

       but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

         and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Closing prayer

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;

  Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Will you not give us life again,

  That your people may rejoice in you?

Show us your mercy, O Lord,

  And grant us your salvation.

Blessed is the King

who comes in the name of the Lord!

  Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.

Hymn   #254  Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Benediction and Sending

The Lord bless us and keep us.

The Lord make his face shine on us and be gracious to us.

The Lord look upon us with favor and + give us peace.

                            Amen.

Go in peace. Serve the Lord.   Thanks be to God!

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We invite you to the in-person services on the following dates:

·         December 12 & December 24 (7pm – Christmas Eve)

·         January 9 & January 23, 2022

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the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 

·      At this point in Advent, John the Baptizer makes his appearance as a wilderness preacher and prophet in the mold of Elijah. We might wonder why all those names precede the action of John’s preaching, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. We hear of John’s family pedigree – he is the son of Zechariah, who is a priest of the Temple, whose story we can hear earlier in the Gospel of Luke and whose prayer was our “Psalm” at the beginning of the service. We also hear a number of names of political figures, like the emperor of Rome, the Roman governor and the puppet leaders of the local Roman allies. The high priests of that time are also noted.

·      Is it important that the beginning of John’s ministry is placed in a certain time of the world’s history? Is it important that certain people are mentioned by name? It actually is and it’s vital.

·      John’s call to repentance and to a baptism of repentance is given an actual time to take place. We even have a certain place where he preached and baptized in the river Jordan. If you were to go a bit further east from that river, you would be in “the wilderness”, a desert place inhabited by wild animals and a certain Jewish sect that many believe John was a part of. Luke does not talk of clothing of camel’s hair or a diet of locusts and wild honey, but John’s words remind the hearer of the prophet Elijah, who was to return to proclaim the coming of the Messiah. Luke puts John in that role, using Isaiah’s word of making paths straight and smooth, and saying that all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

·      Letting people know of the time and place allows us to know that all this takes place in the real world rather than some mythical time and place. What John (and Jesus) did and said happened in Judea among real people, rather than in Tolkien’s Middle Earth, in Lewis’ Narnia, or “A long time ago… in a galaxy far, far away.” They addressed real concerns of real people in real places.

·      The Good News of this part of Luke’s Gospel is this: God does not remain distant from the world God created. God’s kingdom enters time and space in the world’s history, a history that is often beyond our control.

·      The words of Isaiah were first addressed to the people of Israel returning from exile in Babylon. He told the people of God’s action of returning them to the Promised Land, even while speaking of the future. The talk of raising valleys and flattening hills or of straightening crooked paths imply a smooth passage, but also tell of a radical transformation and a reversal of things. What was can no longer be; this theme is found all through-out the Scriptures, from Genesis with new creation right to Revelation with the new heaven and the new earth.

·      We could all use some “new” right now. The pandemic has left us tired, often frustrated and terribly uncertain. Some of us look for a new normal, others want the old normal back, and some of us are just trying to get through the day.

·      There is one thing that is certain in all this murky and sticky reality: there is hope. God still enters this time and this place in this reality of history and speaks to this people – us – to say again that all flesh shall see the salvation of God. I hope and pray that this Advent season in this place and time reminds us all of this promise. Prepare the way of the Lord.

…the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, … “and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”