We look at the joy of beloved-ness in psalm 40, reflecting on our own experiences of God's presence

READING

Psalm 40: 1-12

I waited patiently for you, O God; *

you stooped to me and heard my cry.

You lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *

you set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.

You put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; *

many shall see, and stand in awe, and put their trust in you.

Happy are they who trust in you; *

they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.

Great things are they that you have done, O God,

how great your wonders and your plans for us; *

there is none who can be compared with you.

Oh, that I could make them known and tell them, *

but they are more than I can count.

In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *

(you have given me ears to hear you);

Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *

and so I said, “Behold, I come.

In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *

‘I love to do your will, O my God; your law is deep in my heart.’ ”

I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *

behold, I did not restrain my lips, and that, O God, you know.

Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;

I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; *

I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great congregation.

You are the Holy One; do not withhold your compassion from me; *

let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever.

MUSIC

Amazing Grace, Jimmy Cousins

Here is Love Vast as the Ocean, Abby Scott and Chris Eaton

Gabriel’s Message, Good Shepherd Band

The Holy Spirit continues to invite us into deeper relationship and deeper understanding of God's vision for us individually and for God's people

READING

Acts 10:34-43

Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

MUSIC

Ol’ St. Peter, Digital Primitives

Every Time I Feel the Spirit, Roger McGuinn

Jesus' fragility at his birth reminds us that hope is something to be protected and cared for, not something to take for granted.

READING

Matthew 2:13-15,19-23

After the wise men had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."

MUSIC

I Saw Three Ships, Ben Devries

We Thee Kings, RTists for Christmas

The King Shall Come, Trevor Thompson

The Incarnation speaks as much about what human life means as it does God's power

READING

Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

MUSIC

Jesus Loves Me, Jeremy Camp feat. Bobbie Lancaster

Star in the East, Rose Ensemble

Ho, Ho, So Merrily, Some Serious Folk and Pernicious Pennywhistle

Where do we find hope when we look around and feel its absence?

READING

Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18

Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *

shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *

stir up your strength and come to help us.

Restore us, O God of hosts; *

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

O Lord God of hosts, *

how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?

You have fed them with the bread of tears; *

you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *

and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

Restore us, O God of hosts; *

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

Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *

the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.

And so will we never turn away from you; *

give us life, that we may call upon your Name.

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; *

show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved

MUSIC

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, Donald McCullough & Master Chorale of Washington

Christmas Eve, Borrtex

Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella, Aaron Devries

It's third Advent and we're all about Mary

READING

The Song of Mary Magnificat

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 for ever.

MUSIC

What Child is This, Alison Crowe

In the Bleak Midwinter, Lily & Madeline

Go Tell It On the Mountain, Roger McGuinn

What is the nature of the freedom Jesus is offering to us?

READING

Isaiah 11:1-10

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 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. 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; 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.

Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. 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. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den.

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. 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.

MUSIC

Watchmen Tell Us of the Night, Aaron & Ben DeVries

What Wondrous Love is This, Hillbilly Thomists

What Child is This?, Allison Crowe

Image by Jacquelynne Kosmicki Pixabay.com

Anticipation, penitence, hope... it's the beginning of Advent!

READING

Matthew 24:36-44

Jesus said to the disciples, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

MUSIC

Poor Wayfaring Stranger, Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra

Rejoice, the Lord is King, iMusico David

Sinners Like Me, Brother Timothy Clark

Christ is king, but what kind of king exactly and how does his reign inform our lives today?

READING

Colossians 1:11-20

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

MUSIC

Soon and Very Soon, Les Petits Chanteurs de Montigny

Over In the Glory Land, Westwood Bluegrass Band

Come My Way, My Truth, My Light, Blackfriar Music

Paul reminds us that we were created by God for purpose and meaning

READING

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

MUSIC

Here Is Love Vast As The Ocean, Abby Scott & Chris Eaton

I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light, Union College Unionaires

Hold On, DEM