Koonung Heights Uniting Church
Service of Worship at Home
Advent 1 – 3 December 2023 – 10am or whenever possible
You may like to light a candle during your time of worship.
Feel free to text the Peace to other members of the congregation.
During the service we will share Communion so you may wish to have the elements ready.
Introit: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” – (Words © Susan Wickham 2021 – Tune TiS 265)
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and fill our lives, all dark and fear dispel,
as once an exiled people you found,
redeemed, restored and set on holy ground.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to us and in our hearts will dwell.
Acknowledgement of Country:
The Ancient of Days breathed life into this land and her peoples.
From time beyond our reckoning
the Wurundjeri WoiWurrung People of the Kulin nations
have blessed this place through their care and concern.
I pay my respects to their elders and leaders –
past and present, and all future generations.
I pray for the future peace of all communities
who call this land home.
Call to Worship:
In God’s house, we can be joyful.
We can be grateful.
We can be hopeful.
In God’s house, we can be weary.
We can be anxious.
We can be grieving.
In God’s house, we can be honest –
inspired or tired,
delighted or doubtful,
connected or curious,
and everything in between.
This is God’s house. You are welcome exactly as you are,
so let us worship our loving God.
Advent Candle:
How does a weary world hope?
By telling stories of hope,
by lighting candles in the night,
and planting seeds that will bloom in the future.
By praying for children as they grow,
picking up rubbish in the street, and
by insisting that small acts can make a difference.
There are a million ways to practice hope.
So today we light the candle of hope
as both a reminder and a challenge to us.
With God’s help,
may we bring hope into a weary world.
Amen.
We Sing: “Lord of creation” – (TiS 626)
Lord of creation,
to you be all praise!
Most mighty your working,
most wondrous your ways!
Your glory and light are
beyond us to tell,
and yet in the heart of
the humble you dwell.
Lord of all wisdom,
I give you my mind:
rich truth that surpasses
our knowledge to find,
what eye has not seen and
what ear has not heard
is taught by your Spirit
and shines from your Word.
Lord of all bounty, I give you my heart;
I praise and adore you for all you impart,
your love to inspire me, your counsel to guide,
your presence to shield me, whatever betide.
Call to Prayer:
Friends, in today’s scripture passage, a man named Zechariah is given good news from God
and his response is to ask, “How can this be?”
Have any of you ever felt that way when receiving good news?
It can be hard to receive good news when we don’t expect it.
It can be hard to accept God’s grace and God’s love when we think we don’t deserve it.
But friends, scripture tells us over and over again
of a loving, generous, and gracious God.
So may we come to our prayer of praise and confession today, not with fear,
but with an awe so deep that we ask ourselves, “How can this be?”
Let us pray …
Prayer of Praise and Confession:
Loving, gracious God, you have given us so much –
mercy that reaches out,
patience that awaits our return,
and love that is always ready to welcome and bring us home.
You are faithful and kind,
and today we come to praise and worship you.
We thank you for your loving presence in our lives,
the way you have formed us in your image,
and continue to transform us as we grow in faith.
Despite all this, Gracious God, we are weary.
For weary bodies that ache and cry out,
we pray:
Forgive us for pushing ourselves too hard.
Remind us that we deserve Sabbath rest.
For weary minds that feel overwhelmed and saturated with news,
we pray:
Forgive us for creating so many distractions.
Remind us that in the quiet, we can hear you.
For weary hearts that long to feel the joy of this season,
we pray:
Forgive us for being impatient with ourselves.
Remind us that healing takes time, and that joy and grief can coexist.
For the weary edges of our faith that struggle to hold onto hope,
Forgive us. Remind us of Zechariah and Elizabeth.
Remind us that your good news knows no bounds.
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
Family of faith,
no matter how many times we wear ourselves thin,
no matter how many times we lose ourselves to distractions,
no matter how many times we ask ourselves, “How can this be?”
God’s love keeps showing up for us.
So say this with me:
We are loved. We are claimed. We are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
The Peace:
May the peace of the Advent God dwell with you
and also with you.
We Sing: “Weary World” – (Words © Anna Strickland 2023 – Tune TiS 311)
Weary world, God’s own vine, tears our only bread and wine
Crying out to be restored, desperate for a break from war
Weary world rejoice – Come and raise your voice.
Weary world, broken and bruised, name of God so misused.
Can we see the light of Christ glowing in each person we spite?
Weary world rejoice – Come and raise your voice.
Weary world, out of hope, disbelief is how we cope
We’ve left faith to rot and rust, dreams are covered in layers of dust.
Weary world rejoice – Come and raise your voice.
Weary world, waiting still, holding our breath until
Christ returns in truth and grace. Will we recognize his face?
Weary world rejoice – Come and raise your voice.
Bible Reading: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
– Prayer for Israel’s Restoration
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 neighbours;
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.
Bible Reading: Luke 1:1-23
– Dedication to Theophilus
1 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3 I, too, decided, as one having a grasp of everything from the start, to write a well-ordered account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may have a firm grasp of the words in which you have been instructed.
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.
8 Once when he was serving as priest before God during his section’s turn of duty, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to offer incense. 10 Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified, and fear overwhelmed him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16 He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” 19 The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”
21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was ended, he returned to his home.
Reflection:
‘You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is necessary’ (Annie Dillard).
When the whole eastern sea board of the United States and Canada was plunged into darkness by a huge power outage, Dr Reynolds set up his telescope in his front yard in Ohio and invited all his neighbours to come over after dark to view the wonders of the night sky. That night, free from any artificial light, the sky was a deep, deep dark black. All the galaxies were in plain view and the sky was alive with wonders. It was a night for seeing the stars as they were meant to be seen. In the time of blackout, Dr Reynolds saw an opportunity to provide his neighbours with a time of celebration, joy, learning and fellowship out of what could have been a time of fear and misery.
The Advent wreath came into being as one of the ways that humans sought to deal positively with darkness – the deep darkness of winter – prior to the coming of artificial light. It comes from a custom older than the church itself, going back to pre-Christian times. After the harvest was in and as the nights got longer and longer, and the weather colder and colder, the rural people of northern Europe would take one wheel off the farm wagon. They would lay the wheel on its side. Work would stop. Instead, they would take time in the stillness and quiet of the very dark night sky to linger and look for stars, to light fires and candles, and light up the darkness of the long night.
This is one of many ancient customs that the church took from pagan traditions and gave a new meaning. Now the Advent wreath is a symbolic way of helping us focus on the meaning of the Advent season. It is lit each week to encourage us to take time to reflect on the significance of the coming of the Christ child and to prepare in our hearts for the celebration of Christmas. The reassuring light of the candles on the Advent wreath reminds us of the light that no darkness can put out.
It seems to me that this is a message that we need to hear this Advent Season for many of us are weary and, in fact, the world is weary. So how does a weary world rejoice? How do we hold onto joy in the midst of our weariness? As we journey through Luke’s gospel each week, we will look at this question through the lens of the texts we read and, hopefully, we will create a space where we can both acknowledge our weariness and celebrate God’s closeness with great joy. Sometimes we can believe that joy is not something we deserve, or we might think it is out of reach. Joy, however, is connected to the truth that we belong to God, so it is something we deserve to feel, and something the world needs us to share.
So how does a weary world rejoice? We acknowledge our weariness. This means we have to be brave enough to be honest with what we are carrying – grief, rage and hopelessness. The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth helps us lean into this as we meet a couple who have battled infertility while living for many years remaining steadfast in their faith.
Birth stories – and the birth of Jesus – are the focal point of the Advent and Christmas season, but we need to acknowledge the grief and trauma related to childbearing that many people carry. Acknowledging that pain can allow us to recognise where joy – and God – may also be present.
We can be weary in many ways … because of our age, because of our waiting, because we have faced the same routine for years and seemingly nothing has changed. Zechariah’s question to Gabriel is directly aligned with this question of weariness and an expectation of hope. ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years’. (Luke 1:18) Weariness can make it hard to believe. When we are weary we tend to seek clarity instead of looking to God’s grace to provide for us during our weariness. Even though the angel gives Zechariah explicit details of what will happen, he finds it hard to belief and so seeks clarity. As a result of his questioning, he is kept silent. This seems harsh, but maybe Zechariah was in need of a time of silent retreat. I also can’t help but wonder whether within this action there is some provision for Elizabeth. It is likely that she and Zechariah had tried to have children before this. She may even have a history of miscarriage. I wonder whether Zechariah’s silence in some way made it easier for her to relax into the changes happening for her, without having to listen to his concerns and doubts. Zechariah’s muteness also causes the crowd to remain silent. When Zechariah returns to them after his delay in the temple, they realise he has seen a vision … he does not speak and they do not speak on the issue either.
While Zechariah and the crowd keep silent, the psalmist cries out for restoration after weariness has shaken the people’s hope. The request is that the people are restored, that God’s face will shine, and that the outcome will be the saving of the people. Three times we hear this request which lets us know just how important it is. Restoration is important, not just for the psalmist but also for us, because when we are weary we need to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It is this light that helps combat the weariness we carry, enabling us to see a glimpse of hope that helps sustain us. It is this hope that encourages us not to give up, not to look back, but to look ahead to the future restoration that is coming.
As we begin our Advent journey, may we remember that even in the midst of weariness, God wants joy and delight for us, not just survival and existence. May we be honest and acknowledge our weariness, but also have joy knowing that God hears our prayers and is already at work, even when we find it difficult to believe.
Amen.
We Sing: “In our darkness” – (TiS 725)
In our darkness there is no darkness with you O Lord,
the deepest night is clear as the day.
Prayer for Others (prepared by Liz Pace):
Creating and redeeming God, we come before you this morning as your people who are struggling against a tide of forces that find power through punishment and privilege and ignore your messages of quiet presence and compassion.
Hear our prayers.
We thank you for your Son Jesus, who showed us that real power is shown through love, not just for those we are close to, but for all your people. Help us to reach out to all in need.
Enable us to become a source of hope in a world that is seemingly intent on forcing rules and ideas without compassion. May we find a way of showing your light and love to this world.
Strengthen our faith daily, as we find ways to show that there is a different way to peace. Help us to build your Kingdom of faith, hope and love here in this community through by our everyday activities.
Fire our imaginations so that we can become effective messengers of your alternative way of living. Give us the courage and the ability to explain the true meaning of Advent.
This morning we bring before you those people and situations close to our hearts in a few moments of silent prayer.
Hear our prayers, as we go out into the world refreshed and enthused, to bring your Kingdom into reality through our lives. This we ask through Jesus Christ
Amen.
Communion:
Invitation to the Table
Jesus was born into a world that told him right away,
“There’s no room for you here.”
Mary and Joseph were turned away from every door,
so Jesus was born in a stable instead of a house.
He was laid in a manger instead of a crib.
Friends, today you will not be turned away,
because Jesus spent the rest of his life making room.
He made room for tax collectors and children.
He made room for five thousand people to sit down and eat together.
He made room for Samaritan women, Jews and Gentiles.
He made room for the sick, for the outcast, for the unclean.
So come to this Table.
Come with your faith and your doubt.
Come with your questions and your hopes.
Come with your grief and your love.
Just come, because there is room for you here.
This is Christ’s table and all are welcome.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Holy God,
We have been waiting for the joy and the quiet of Christmas,
for the sound of the angel chorus, for the old familiar songs.
As we begin the season of Advent we long for the peace and hope of the message of
Christmas.
So as we bow our heads, we offer you our most earnest and honest prayers,
trusting that once again, you meet us where we are.
So God, we say thank you for the things in our lives that spark joy:
for the gift of family recipes and crowded tables,
for a slower schedule, as many approach holidays,
for infusing this season with practices of generosity.
We thank you for the bells, and the songs, and the candles in the windows,
for the children who squeal with joy, and the neighbours who drop off cookies.
Thank you for every ounce of beauty that marks this season;
it has made it possible for us to join our voices with the angel chorus, singing …
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of love and light,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
However, God, even in the face of remarkable joy during this season,
we still bring weary and worried hearts to you because we know
that many will have an empty seat at the table this year.
We know that many will celebrate Christmas from a hospital room.
We know that many have crunched numbers over and over again
to see if they could afford a gift.
We know that for far too many, the holidays are a reminder
that the world is still not as it should be.
So in between our joy and our weariness, God, we ask that you would make room.
Pour yourself into the cracks of our hearts.
Bind yourself to our good days and our bad days.
Carve out space for your love in the centre of our beings
so that no matter where we go we might trust the angels’ song when they say,
“Be not afraid,” and, “Joy to the world!”
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name;
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.
Invocation
Compassionate God,
let your Spirit come upon us now, whether gathered in this place or over the screen.
Bless us, and this bread and wine, that it might renew and sustain us for what lies ahead.
Amen.
Distribution
We take this bread and take this cup so that we can all share in the life of Christ.
Look, these are the gifts of God for the people of God.
So in the meal tradition of Jesus we break and share bread, and drink wine,
pledging ourselves to allow the spirit and faith that moved in Jesus,
to move freely in our lives.
As Jesus took the bread, blessed it and broke it,
we share the bread which sustains the life of God in us.
As Jesus did, we take a cup and remember the life that Jesus gave for us.
The bread of life. The cup of hope.
As we eat and drink may together, may we know the blessing of your Spirit,
and know that you are the God of new beginnings.
Prayer
God of angel choruses and teenage mothers, there are many other places we could be,
but we wanted to be here worshiping together.
When we gather around this table we remember the ways that you make room for us.
You are always pulling up chairs, welcoming the children, the tax collectors, and the outcast.
At your dinner party, no one gets turned away.
Help us to carry that inclusive spirit into the rest of our lives,
for we know that love like that is what turns weariness into joy.
With grateful hearts we pray,
Amen.
We Sing: “Shout for Joy!” – (TiS 545)
Shout for joy! The Lord has let us feast; heaven’s own fare has fed the last and least;
Christ’s own peace is shared again on earth; God the Spirit fills us with new worth.
No more doubting, no more senseless dread: God’s good self has graced our wine and bread;
all the wonder heaven has kept in store, now is ours to keep for evermore.
Celebrate with saints who dine on high, witnesses that love can never die.
‘Hallelujah!’ – thus their voices ring: nothing less in gratitude we bring.
Praise the Maker, praise the Maker’s Son, praise the Spirit – three yet ever one;
praise the God whose food and friends avow heaven starts here! The kingdom beckons now!
Blessing:
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.
And the blessing of the Triune God,
One in Three, Three in One,
be with you always.
Amen.
Thanks to all those who have assisted in preparation for this liturgy with encouragement, prayers and conversation. I have also utilised the following resources: A Sanctified Art (How does a weary world rejoice?), Ministry Matters and Fig Tree Worship.