Worship for the week of DEC 5, 2021
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Holy Trinity Community Church United Church of Christ.
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Thank you for joining us in worship today. We invite you to reach out to Pastor Rob, (he/they), to learn more about our historic faith community. Please contact Pastor Rob at revrobvaness@gmail.com today.
DEC 5, 2021 – 2nd Sunday of Advent - Peace
GATHERING SONG
WELCOME AND GREETINGS
SONG OF PRAISE
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
SONG OF PREPERATION: O Come, O Come Emmanuel
1 O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
2 O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain
3 O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
4 O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain
LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLES: The first candle of Advent we light for hope in honor of both those who have died and those who continue live with HIV/AIDS. The second candle of Advent we light for Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward all.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 2: 1-7
Sitting or standing, hear now the birth of Jesus as announced in the gospel according to Luke:
2 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
One: Holy wisdom, holy word.
All: Thanks be to God!
SERMON
OFFERING
You may help the church financially in this pandemic by contributing in 3 different ways.
- Holy Trinity Community Church has a CashApp account. Our CashApp code is $HolyTrinityMemphis.
- Go to HolyTrinityMemphis.org & click on the word GIVE in the upper left-hand corner. Then click on the large PayPal button and follow instructions.
- Finally, you can always send in your tithe, gift, or offering by mail. Please send to: Holy Trinity Community Church PO Box 2991 Cordova, TN 38088.
Your faithful contributions regardless are essential for our ability to proclaim the gospel. Thank you for your generous support of our mission and ministries.
OFFERATORY:
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
COMMUNION AND BLESSING[i]
[Sing Alleluia to the Lord track in the background during communion.]
(Invitation)
To your table
You bid us come.
You have set the places,
You have poured the wine,
And there is always room,
You say,
for one more.
And so we come.
From the streets
and from the alleys
we come.
From the deserts
and from the hills
we come.
From the ravages of poverty
and from the palaces of privilege
we come.
Running,
limping,
carried,
we come.
We are bloodied with our wars,
we are wearied with our wounds,
we carry our dead within us,
and we reckon with their ghosts.
We hold the seeds of healing,
we dream of a new creation,
we know the things
that make peace,
and we struggle
to give them wings.
And yet, to your table
we come.
Hungering for your bread,
we come;
Thirsting for your wine,
we come;
singing your song
in every language,
speaking your name
in every tongue,
in conflict and in communion,
in discord and in desire,
we come,
O God of Wisdom
we come.
(Offering Prayer)[ii]
Lord, as we [eat this bread and] drink this wine,
We remember that you are the giver of life.
You are forgiveness, You bring deep peace to our souls and Your love flows within us.
As we [break this bread and] pour out this wine, we see Your sacrifice [broken and] poured out for us.
We notice the depth of Your goodness, and the pain You suffered for us.
We dwell upon the intricacy of human life, and the price You paid to set humanity free.
Yet just as the tombstone rolled away to unleash the Risen Lord, Your light shines in our hearts now, extinguishing all darkness to release Heavens blessings upon us.
Thank you, Lord. Amen.
(The Words of Institution - Inspired by L. Cohen's Hallelujah)
Rob: On the night of his arrest, Jesus took the bread and blessed,
"Take and eat my body given to ya.
Taste and see, it gives you life, this my ultimate sacrifice.
The gift of God, receive and let it move ya."
Choir: Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Rob: Afterwards he took the cup, blessed it and he raised it up,
"Drink, my friends, my life given to ya.
Do this whenever you gather here. Know my love is what draws you near.
I gave my life so you'll know 'Hallelujah!'"
Choir: Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Rob: Bless, O God, these gifts we bring, the lives we live, the songs we sing!
Our offering of faith, now given to ya.
As we receive, so may we give. As you have loved, so may we live
The mystery of your blessed Hallelujah!
Choir: Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Rob: Receive our best. It's not enough to show the mystery of your touch!
We know, O God, that here we can't fool ya.
And even when we get it wrong, we stand before the Lord of song
with nothing on our tongues but, "Hallelujah!
Choir: Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah
(Sharing of the Bread and Cup)
Now is the time to take what you have set aside to eat, break it, and eat. (You also eat)
Now is the time to take what you have set aside to drink, and drink. (You also drink)
(At this time the communion stewards come forward and distribute communion as the people come forward. They know what to do. You can have a seat.)
(Prayer After Communion – The Lord’s Prayer)
We pray in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray,
All: Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed by 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, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
BLESSSING AND COMMISSION
SENDING SONG:
One: Go in love and peace to serve the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God!
[i] In Wisdom’s Path by Jan L Richardson. P. 129.
[ii] https://www.prayerscapes.com/prayers/occasions/communion_prayers.htmlAuthor Unknown. Date accessed: 7/21/21.