Koonung Heights Uniting Church
Service of Worship at Home
Advent 3 – 17 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.
Introit: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” – (Words © Susan Wickham 2021 – Tune TiS 265)
O come, O Wisdom, mind and heart divine,
help us restore a world we’ve let decline.
Enlighten us; your way we would know
and show us where new seeds of hope to sow.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to us and in our hearts will dwell.
Acknowledgement of Country:
As we gather to worship today,
I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land and these waters,
the Wurundjeri WoiWurrung People of the Kulin nations.
I pay my respects to elders past and present
and to all future leaders and generations.
As First and Second Peoples walking together,
I pray that we might commit ourselves to be people of the covenant,
listening, truth telling and seeking justice for all.
Call to Worship:
Our God can part the sea.
God can bring water from a rock,
and provide bread in the desert.
Our God can walk on water.
God can heal the sick,
and turn water into wine.
Our God sets the stars in the sky.
God hears our voice when we cry,
and is closer than our own breath.
There is nothing our God cannot do.
Let us stand in awe.
Let us worship God with wonder.
Advent Candle:
How does a weary world practice joy.
By dancing, and throwing birthday parties.
By hanging Christmas lights,
and holding sleepy babies.
By singing loudly,
and looking for good news.
By telling the story of Jesus,
and showing up for our community.
There are a million ways to practice joy.
So today we light the candle of joy
as both a reminder and a challenge to us.
With God’s help,
may we bring joy into a weary world.
Amen.
We Sing: “Let all creation dance” – (TiS 187)
Let all creation dance
in energies sublime,
as order turns with chance,
unfolding space and time,
for nature’s art in glory grows,
and newly shows God’s mind and heart.
God’s breath each force unfurls,
igniting from a spark
expanding starry swirls,
with whirlpools dense and dark.
Though moon and sun seem mindless things,
each orbit sings: ‘Your will be done.’
Our own amazing earth, with sunlight, cloud and storms
and life’s abundant growth in lovely shapes and forms,
is made for praise, a fragile whole, and from its soul heaven’s music plays.
Lift heart and soul and voice: in Christ all praises meet
and nature shall rejoice when all is made complete.
In hope be strong, all life befriend and kindly tend creation’s song.
Call to Prayer:
If you spend any time with a child,
you will quickly notice that children see the world differently.
For a child, a ladybug is a miracle.
A gum tree is a wonder.
Curiosity is a love language,
and water is not only for survival, but for joy.
As adults, we forget this language of awe and wonder,
and when we do, we distance ourselves from God.
In prayer, we have the opportunity to close that distance.
So let us return to God with hearts wide open.
Let us return to God in prayer.
Let us pray …
Prayer of Praise and Confession:
Loving God,
you are the love of each living creature,
the warmth of the rising sun,
the whiteness of the moon at night,
the life of the growing earth,
and the strength of the waves of the sea.
You are all this and more, and we are amazed.
In our amazement we come before you in praise,
acknowledging all that you are
as well as all that we do not understand.
Not only have you given us this world,
in all its abundance,
but you have given us communities
where we find home and family.
You have given us yourself,
in Jesus, the One who came to live as one of us.
Amazing God,
Somewhere in our childhood we face pressure to outgrow awe.
We turn into adults who obsess over data and facts.
We praise those who have answers,
and assume that wonder is an answerless game.
Forgive us for closing that door to you.
Remind us that the kingdom of God belongs to children.
Teach us the ways of awe and wonder,
so that like Zechariah,
when we find ourselves speechless,
our first words will be words of praise.
With hearts open wide, we pray,
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
Family of faith,
Just as we marvel at mountains and newborns,
at sunrises and sunsets,
God marvels at us.
There is nothing you could do or leave undone that could prevent God from loving you.
So let us say, hear and believe the good news of the gospel:
We are forgiven. We are loved. We belong to God.
Amen.
The Peace:
May the peace of God dwell with you
and also with you.
A Time for All:
I wonder if you might recognise this character?
Played by Jim Nabors, he’s a fictional character, a naïve and gentle auto mechanic, who works at Wally’s Filling Station in Mayberry, North Carolina.
He was introduced to the world via the Andy Griffiths Show, but ends up becoming a US Marine and having his own spin-off show.
That’s right – he is Gomer Pyle.
As I mentioned before, Gomer is naïve and wide-eyed, and also an extremely moral character. He looks out for others and his shortcomings (which provide much of the shows comic relief) are outweighed by his gentle, generous spirit. One of the things that I love about Gomer is that he is often awestruck by the simplest of things, sometimes resulting in the exclamation “Sur-rise, sur-prise, sur-prise!”
Things that might seem obvious to others, often surprise Gomer, but this child-like wonder is something that I sometimes wish we had more of. As adults we tend to lose the amazement we had as children. Because things don’t seem new and exciting anymore, we forget the wonder of all that surrounds us and often miss the joy in the simple things. Gomer’s amazement morphs into joy. Maybe if were a little more like that, we might find joy too.
This poem, by Rev Sarah Speed, invites us into this posture.
We could play hard and fast, not let anything touch us at all,
keep composure, have all the answers.
Or we could crack ourselves open and let everything in.
We could feel everything, every touch, every marvel.
We could stand gaping at the beauty of the world,
mouths wide open
(because sometimes a mouth wide open is the very best gratitude).
We could laugh so loudly that the whole restaurant looks,
and err on the side of goofy whenever possible.
We could put our defences down.
We could grow soft. We could choose awe.
We could take her by the arm.
We could let her lead us all the way to joy.
Let us pray:
Loving God,
when we think of all you have done for us, we are amazed.
Help us find that amazement again and again as we travel through life,
encountering your world and her many different peoples.
In Jesus name we pray,
Amen.
We Sing: “Joyful, joyful, we adore you” – (TiS 152)
Joyful, joyful, we adore you, God of glory, God of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before you opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and deadness, drive the dark of doubt away;
giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.
All your works with joy surround you, earth and heav’n reflect your rays,
stars and angels sing around you, centre of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
singing bird and flowing fountain call to praise you joyfully.
You are giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest,
well-spring of the joy of living, ocean-depth of happy rest.
You our Father, Christ our brother,
all are yours who live in love;
teach us how to love each other, lift us to your joy above.
Bible Reading: Psalm 126
– A Harvest of Joy – A Song of Ascents
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.
Bible Reading: Luke 1:57-66
– The Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
Reflection:
This advent we have been considering the question ‘How does a weary work rejoice?’ Today the suggestion is that to move into joy we need to allow ourselves to be amazed. I think there is some intentionally around the language allow ourselves – it suggests that we need to do something. Joy cannot be coerced out of us, and it seems to me that amazement is often a precursor to joy. So if joy feels out of reach, maybe we first need to allow ourselves to notice and take in the amazing wonders in each day. These can be ordinary things, the wonders that we too easily ignore or overlook, simply because we don’t allow ourselves time to notice. The white swirl of milk in your morning coffee, the carefully crafted bird’s nest in your favourite tree, the tentative steps of a toddler discovering the confidence to walk, the dappling beams of sunlight refracting through a window, the coolness of an evening breeze – all ordinary and yet extraordinary. Allowing ourselves to be amazed requires a posture of paying attention and then saying ‘yes’ to wonder when it washes over us. In the readings for this week we see surprise and amazement turn into joy. In Psalm 126 those who expect to reap tears are granted a surprise and there are shouts of joy. In the continuation of the story from Luke, Elizabeth gives birth and what follows is a time of celebration, affirmation and restoration which fills everyone with awe.
Psalm 126 is really a story of a group of people who are remembering a time of great joy and hoping for it again. They remember their ‘laughter’ and ‘shouts of joy’ even though they are currently experiencing a time of weeping. They are able to remember what God can do, because it is what God has already done. Back then God did things, God saved, God acted definitively , and that brought great joy.
For those who sang this psalm, knowing that God has acted in the past brings joy because it means that God can act this way now and in the future. Being reassured of this, the people look again to God in the hope that God will do something that they are not able to do themselves. They want things to change and are ready for it, and it is actually the past that anchors them solidly enough to know what to expect of God in the future.
Hope isn’t just a wishing for a better tomorrow, and it isn’t a nostalgic longing for the return of the good old days either. Knowing something of God’s heart, as shown in years gone by, can give us joy too, as it invites us to imagine a glorious future – one where the sad can’t stop laughing, where tears are dried and replaced with shouts of joy. In the same way that we smile when we remember something special, being amazed again at what God has done in the past can bring us joy in the present.
In the gospel story there is great rejoicing with Elizabeth after the birth of her son. Her community of neighbours and family join with her and celebrate the special event that has taken place. All is going well until it comes to naming the child. There seemed to be a pause in the praise when the name of the child did not align with the traditions of the day. Surprise, surprise! Failing to believe Elizabeth (after all why would you trust a woman to name her own child), that gathered crowd motion for Zechariah to name the child. They are surprised that his selection is the same as Elizabeth’s, and in this moment the crowds was amazed, as Zechariah was freed to speak, and praise was again the order of the day.
After being silent for so long, Zechariah’s voice pours out of him, parts the surrounding crowd and stirs each person into confusion and bewilderment. The blessing of his song spills over to his son, a baby boy tenderly held by his mother. Everyone is filled with awe, and we are told the neighbours were also overcome with fear, sending the rumour mill wild with questions about who this child would be. Of course we know that this child, John, grew to be the baptiser, the one who prepared the way for Jesus.
The reaction of the neighbours isn’t actually that surprising, for when we are amazed we tend to share the news. We either seek validation that the news we share is shocking or we like to witness the shock factor that it has on others. Think about it. We hear something amazing and wonder if it is true. We then want to tell someone to see if they believe us, or to see whether they are just as shocked as we are.
In fact the only person in the scene who doesn’t seem to be presently swept up in wonder is Elizabeth, but I believe she has spent months allowing herself to be amazed. She was in isolation for the first five months of her pregnancy (Luke 1:24). Perhaps she needed that time to go inward – to heal from the trauma of her infertility, to trust the promise of life in her womb, to attune herself to her child. She was capsized with awe the day Mary showed up at her doorstep. And so, when Zechariah’s voice returns, Elizabeth’s senses have not grown dull. Instead, her amazement has metabolized into something new: she is attuned to her child. Her amazement has transformed into love and deep trust. It has turned into joy.
When was the last time you were truly amazed – wrapped up in wonder, absorbed in an unexpected delight? I remember witnessing one such moment when Elizabeth was younger. We were camping, away from any built-up areas, and the night sky was spectacular. I remember being so transfixed by the beauty of all I could see, that I woke Elizabeth up so I could share it with her. I held her there in the outback night and I will never forget her words …”It’s amazing … I’m cold but it’s amazing.”
Amazement is a balm for the weary. It awakens those who feel numb. It renews those whose senses have been dulled. May we all find moments of amazement that lead us to joy.
Amen.
Affirmation of Faith:
We believe in a God who knows our names,
who counts the hairs on our heads,
and carries the dreams in our hearts.
We believe that God’s fingerprints are all over creation,
and that God is forever speaking to us in a million different ways.
We believe that awe and wonder,
goosebumps and laughter,
telling stories and paying attention,
are all ways that we can say thank you
to our creating, sustaining, and loving God.
Therefore we commit ourselves to moving through this world
with eyes wide open, with porous hearts, and grateful spirits.
We commit ourselves to living lives of awe, wonder, and gratitude,
trusting that these things will forever draw us
deeper into God’s loving arms.
We believe. We stand in awe.
Thanks be to God!
We Sing: “Isn’t It Amazing” – (Tune – Angels We Have Heard on High)
Seeds within the soil grow – deep under the ground below
Planted when the earth was bare – no life showing anywhere.
Gloria! Isn’t it amazing? Gloria! Isn’t it amazing?
Deeper, deeper grow the roots – reaching upward grow the shoots
Through the earth they weave and snake – until soil starts to break
Gloria! Isn’t it amazing? Gloria! Isn’t it amazing?
Cell by cell a plant is built – toward the sun the leaves will tilt
Nourished by the sun and rain – to bring forth it’s seed and grain
Gloria! Isn’t it amazing? Gloria! Isn’t it amazing?
Even when the earth seems bare – plant the seeds of hope with care
If you water in the drought – you will reap with joyous shout
Gloria! Isn’t it amazing? Gloria! Isn’t it amazing?
Prayer for Others:
This prayer invites you to bring prayers that you have for yourself, those you know as well as wider situations of concern.
Let us pray …
O God, for whom we wait and long, we bring you now our prayers for ourselves, others, your world and your church.
Promise of righteousness, come.
Feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and hear the cries of all who plead for justice.
(silent prayer)
Promise of freedom, come.
Bring good news of release to the oppressed, free those in chains of misery and despair.
(silent prayer)
Promise of peace, come. Heal ancient feuds and hatreds and deliver people from the horror of war.
(silent prayer)
Promise of love, come.
Hold in your tender embrace all who are lonely, friendless, forgotten or rejected.
(silent prayer)
Promise of comfort, come.
Bring the balm of your presence to all who know pain, anguish, sorrow or grief.
(silent prayer)
Promise of hope, come.
Let us see that the time of your coming is near and keep us watchful and joyful.
(silent prayer)
Let us pray together, the prayer Jesus taught his followers,
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.
We Sing: “For the fruits of all creation” – (TiS 168)
For the fruits of all creation, thanks be to God;
for the gifts to every nation, thanks be to God,
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safe keeping, thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labour, God’s will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour God’s will is done;
in our worldwide task of caring for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvest we are sharing, God’s will is done.
For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit, thanks be to God;
for all wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us, thanks be to God.
Blessing:
Family of faith, as you leave this place,
you go into a weary world – so speak tenderly
to yourself and others.
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?), Let Us Pray (by Janet Nelson), Each Day & Each Night: Prayer from Iona (by J Philip Newell), and Fig Tree Worship.