Advent 4: We Sing Stories of Hope

Sunday, December 22, 2024
10:30 AM 11:30 AM 10:30 11:30

Union Presbyterian Church 200 E Main St Endicott, NY, 13760 United States (map)

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As soon as Zechariah’s voice returns, his first words are gratitude and blessing. He
sings a story of praise for God’s protection and promise, and then he showers a
blessing on his newborn son. He sings a story of hope. After Elizabeth exclaims
blessings upon Mary, Mary sings: “My soul magnifies God; my spirit rejoices in God.”
Mary sings about a God of liberation who pulls the powerful from their thrones
and lifts up the lowly. Mary sings a story of hope, one in which justice and joy are
interwoven. As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth, may we also sing stories of
hope, justice, and joy.
~From "How Does a Weary World Rejoice?” copyright A Sanctified Art, 2023

You can join us for worship in our beautiful sanctuary, or right here online. Worship is live-streamed; videos are available here or on Youtube following the service. You are invited! You are always welcome to come and sing your hearts out with us!

How Does a Weary World Rejoice?

Advent 4

We Sing Stories of Hope

Luke 1:46-55, Luke 1:67-80

Union Presbyterian Church

December 22, 2024

Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Liturgist: Joan Kellam Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Welcome

Announcements Joan Kellam

Prelude Choir

“Hope Waits for Us at Advent,” Amanda Udis-Kessler

Used with permission.

Love waits for us at Advent.

Love waits for us to care.

Love waits for our compassion,

Freely offered, fully shared.

In this time of preparation

For the work of co-creation,

For the birthing of a world

Where faith shapes all we do,

Love is born in us anew.

* Call to Worship

How does a weary world rejoice?

We sing songs of hope.

We allow hope to change us, to strengthen us.

We tell the stories of what could be.

We listen for God’s word.

We resist the temptation to give up or give in.

We remember Mary’s song. We sing Mary’s song.

We gather for worship.

We hope.

We hope. Against all odds, we hope.

Friends, this is the day that the Lord is still making.

Let us worship holy God.

* Hymn  # 161 W & R

“People, Look East,” Eleanor Farjeon, Martin Shaw

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.   

People, look east, the time is near

Of the crowning of the year.

Make your house fair as you are able,

Trim the hearth and set the table.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the Guest, is on the way.

Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,

One more seed is planted there.

Give up your strength the seed to nourish,

That in course the flower may flourish.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the Rose, is on the way.

Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim,

One more light the bowl shall brim,

Shining beyond the frosty weather,

Bright as sun and moon together.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the Star, is on the way.

Angels announce with shouts of mirth

Him who brings new life to earth.

Set every peak and valley humming

With the word, the Lord is coming.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the Lord, is on the way.

Lighting the Advent Candles

How does a weary world practice love?

By sending cards, and picking up the phone.

By practicing empathy, and assuming the best in others.

By learning people’s stories, and finding common ground.

By advocating for justice, and saving a place at the table.

There are a million ways to practice love.

With God’s help, may we bring love into this weary world.

* Call to New Life

Family of faith, we all know that a small group of committed people can change the world. That’s how it has always been. People like Mary, people like Zechariah, people like John the Baptist,

And yet, we rarely feel like we can be one of those people. We downplay our ability to make a difference. We choose pessimism over optimism. We sweep hope under the rug for the sake of realism. We forget the words to Mary’s song.

Fortunately for us, our God carries enough hope and grace for all of us. So let us go to God in prayer. Let us speak the truth of our lives, and let that honesty change us. Friends, let us pray.

* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace (Responsive)

Holy God,

More days than not, hope feels like the rain.

We try to hold onto it with cupped hands,

but eventually it slips right on through.

Forgive us for holding hope so loosely.

[Silent Prayer]

And we pray,

We know that this world needs people of hope, so today we pray:

turn us into those people.

Teach us how to sing Mary’s song of hope for the world.

With open hearts we pray, Amen.

* Words of Assurance

Body of Christ, no matter how many times we let hope slip through our fingers,

we still belong to God. So hear and repeat these words after me.

I am God’s beloved.

I am God’s beloved.

I am forgiven.

I am forgiven.

I am blessed and sent to serve.

I am blessed and sent to serve.

This is the Good News of the Gospel. This is a hope we can hang our hats on.

Thanks be to God for God’s unending love.

Amen.

* Sharing of the Peace

Our God is a God of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

Let us allow our hearts to be open to all of these.

May the peace of God be with you.

And also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of God’s peace.

Scripture Luke 1:46-55

A reading from the Gospel According to Luke, beginning at chapter 1, verse 46.

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
    Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name;
indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
    and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Christmas Pageant “A Very Special Child” by Rev. Anna Strickland

UPC Youth/ Spirit Squad

“My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness,” Marty Haugen

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.

Cast

Mary Channel Rivera

Zechariah, Joseph Xavier Rivera

Elizabeth Ellie Rivera

Gabrielle Kiara Neal

Narrator Sophie Helgeson-Roode

Shepherds, People at the temple Carmen Rivera, Arianelo Rivera,

Isaac Helgeson-Roode

“Angels We Have Heard on High”

(Public Domain)

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echo back their joyous strains.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Anthem Choir

“Canticle of Zechariah,” Michael Joncas

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.   

Blest be the God of Israel,

The ever-living Lord,

You come in power to save your own,

Your people Israel.

For Israel you now raise up

Salvation’s tower on high

In David’s house, who reigned as king

And servant of the Lord.

Through holy prophets did you speak

Your word in days of old,

That you would save us from our foes

And all who bear us ill.

To our ancestors did you give

Your covenant of love;

So with us all you keep your word

In love that knows no end.

Of old you gave your solemn oath

To father Abraham:

Whose seed a mighty race should be

And blest forevermore.

You vowed to set your people free

From fear of every foe

That we might serve you all our days

In goodness, love, and peace.

O tiny child, your name shall be

The prophet of the Lord;

The way of God you shall prepare

To make God’s coming known.

You shall proclaim to Israel

Salvation’s dawning day,

When God shall wipe away our sings

With mercy and with love.

[WITH CONGREGATION:]

The rising Sun shall shine on us

To bring the light of day

To all who dwell in darkest night

And shadow of the grave.

Our footsteps God shall safely guide

To walk the ways of peace,

Whose name forevermore be blest,

Who lives and loves and saves.

Scripture Luke 1:67-80 (NRSVUE)

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke, beginning at chapter 1, verse 67.

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.

He has raised up a mighty savior for us
    in the house of his child David,

as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

    that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.

Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors
    and has remembered his holy covenant,

the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
    in his presence all our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

to give his people knowledge of salvation
    by the forgiveness of their sins.

Because of the tender mercy of our God,
    the dawn from on high will break upon us,

to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.

Response  Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: 

Thanks be to God! 

Sermon “We Sing Stories of Hope”

* Statement of Faith (Unison)

We believe that hope can change the world.

We believe that God uses ordinary people,

like an unwed teenage mother,

for extraordinary good.

And we believe

that each of these ordinary people

can make a difference.

We know that grief, fear, and suffering abound.

We know that suffering quells joy and makes it harder to hope.

But we choose to hope anyway.

In the face of hardship, we hope together.

We hope with God.

We hope for a better world.

This is our song.

We believe; help our unbelief.

In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

* Hymn [to the tune of #184 W & R]

“My Soul Proclaims that God Is Good,” Carolyn Winfrey Gillette

Used with permission.

My soul proclaims that God is good

I sing to God my Savior.

For God has blessed me! I am loved!

God looks on me with favor.

God is not far away;

God cares for people every day.

God sees and loves the poor

And gives to them a blessing.

The Mighty One has done great things;

I see God's hand of mercy.

God's people know the love God brings;

They know that God is holy.

God is not far away;

God cares for people every day.

God sees and loves the poor

And gives to them a blessing.

God casts the mighty from their thrones;

The proud will surely scatter.

God lifts the lowly, hurting ones,

And shows them their lives matter.

God is not far away;

God cares for people every day.

God sees and loves the poor

And gives to them a blessing.

God fills the hungry with good things;

And sends the rich ones hungering.

God's promise was to immigrants

And also to their children.

God is not far away;

God cares for people every day.

God sees and loves the poor

And gives to them a blessing.

Minute for Mission Laura Keibel

Prayers of the People   

The Lord’s Prayer   

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. 

Prayer Response # 174 W & R

“Prepare the Way of the Lord,” Jacques Berthier

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.   

Prepare the way of the Lord,

And all people will see

The salvation of our God.

Call for Offering

* Doxology

"Doxology for a Weary World,” Anna Strickland

Used with permission.

Praise the one Creator, praise the Living Christ

Praise the Holy Spirit, praise both day and night

Praise when you are weary, praise in times of joy

Praise, my soul, with all your strength

And your heart and voice

* Prayer of Dedication

* Hymn # 167 W & R

“Long Ago, Prophets Knew,” Fred Pratt Green

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.   

Long ago, prophets knew
Christ would come, born a Jew,
Come to make all things new,
Bear his people's burden,
Freely love and pardon.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes, when he comes,
Who will make him welcome?

God in time, God in man,
This is God's timeless plan:
He will come, as a man,
Born himself of woman,
God divinely human.

Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes, when he comes,
Who will make him welcome?

Mary, hail! Though afraid,
She believed, she obeyed.
In her womb, God is laid
Till the time expected,
Nurtured and protected.

Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes, when he comes,
Who will make him welcome?

Journey ends! Where afar
Bethlehem shines, like a star,
Stable door stands ajar:
Unborn Son of Mary,
Savior, do not tarry!
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
Jesus comes, Jesus comes,
We will make him welcome!

* Benediction

Family of faith,

as you leave this place,

you go into a weary world—

so speak tenderly.

Do the good that is yours to do.

Choose connection.

Hold onto hope.

And remember

that Christ took on flesh for you.

You are God’s beloved.

So go rejoicing.

The world needs it.

Amen.

Postlude Chris Bartlette

Variations on “Winchester New,” Nigel Williams

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.   

Where an * is indicated, please rise in body and/or in spirit.

“W & R” ~ the red Worship and Rejoice hymnal

“PH” ~ the blue Presbyterian Hymnal

Words for Worship taken and/ or adapted from How Does a Weary World Rejoice, Words for Worship Advent-Baptism of Christ Sunday, Rev. Sara (Are) Speed, A Sanctified Art, 2023.

Image 1: "Prophecy" by Hannah Garrity. Inspired by Luke 1:67-80

Oil paint, charcoal, and copper leaf on canvas

A Sanctified Art | @sanctifiedart.org

Image 2: "Magnificat" by Ben Wildflower, Used by Permission.