Beacon Online Worship Outline 11/29/20 First Sunday of Advent

(A Sanctified Art)

We hope you join us for worship, either live-streaming on our Youtube Channel or via zoom. Email info@thewordatbeacon.org for zoom info.

Gathering Time (unmuted)

Feel free to say hi and check in with others before the service begins!

Welcome/Announcements

Regular Weekly Stuff:

last Antiracism Discussion Group until January - Monday at 8pm

Mid-Week Prayer - Wednesdays at 6pm

Kids Sunday School - 4:30pm

Mark your calendars:

Community Meeting - today after worship

Gingerbread Houses - Saturday, Dec. 5 (email to volunteer)

Blue Christmas service - Wed. Dec. 16 at 6pm

Christmas Eve service - Thurs. Dec. 24 at 6pm

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11.29.20

Facing God (from Psalm 80)

Leader: Stir up your might, and come to save us!

All: Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Leader: How long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?

All: Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Leader: Give us life, and we will call on your name.

All: Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Leader: Let us worship God.

Candlelighting Liturgy

For You, My God, I Wait

For you, my God, I wait

With hope born of the Word.

Like sleepless ones who long to dream

I wait and call my Lord.

Lord, hear my pleading voice,

And let me know you hear!

As sleepless ones feel rest approach,

I know my God is near.

If you should list my faults,

The sins of heart and hand,

Like sleepless ones who groan at dawn

I know I could not stand!

O God, you are my hope;

I know that you forgive.

Your love redeems me from the depths

So I may rise and live.

Laying Down Our Burdens & Assurance

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

All: God of creation, over and over again in scripture, we see your dream for peace and reconciliation, for community and hope. We know the dreams you have for us – yet we keep the curtains drawn and the covers pulled tight, not knowing how to face the realities of the world. Forgive us. Kindle a hope in us that will burn through the longest nights. Give us the strength and the will to keep awake in this sleeping world. Amen.

Leader: The Good News is that Christ has come and Christ will come again.

All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel (verses 1-2)

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel,

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o Israel

O come, thou Root of Jesse, free

thine own from Satan’s tyranny;

from depths of hell thy people save

and give them victory o’er the grave.

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o Israel

Children's Bible Story

Lectio Conversation (Mark 13:24-37)

(Hold onto these questions while we read our scripture.)

What stands out to you about this text?

What has been revealed to you this year?

“But in those days, after that suffering,

the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from heaven,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Discussion

What stands out to you about this text?

What has been revealed to you this year?

Homily

There is a Longing in Our Hearts

Chorus:

There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord

For you to reveal yourself to us

There is a longing in our hearts for love

We only find in you, our God

For justice, for freedom, for mercy:

Hear our prayer

In sorrow, in grief:

Be near, hear our prayer, O God

Chorus

For wisdom, for courage, for comfort:

Hear our prayer

In weakness, in fear:

Be near, hear our prayer, O God

Chorus

For healing, for wholeness, for new life:

Hear our prayer

In sickness, in death:

Be near, hear our prayer, O God

Chorus

Lord, save us, take pity,

Light in our darkness

We call you, we wait:

Be near, hear our prayer, O God

Chorus

Prayers of the People

Now is the time when we share the prayers on our hearts and minds. If you have a private prayer, you can email them to us throughout the week and the pastoral team will pray over them.

If you have a prayer, please unmute your mic to share.

After each prayer, I will lead our response on mute:

Lord in your mercy // hear our prayers

***

Now I will offer a prayer for the greater community and world. We will end by saying the Lord’s Prayer together in whatever language you prefer. Let us pray.

(muted)

Leader: Just as God/Christ taught us to pray...

All: 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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen.

Offering

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To give your prayers, email us at info@thewordatbeacon.org

We’ll Understand it Better By and By

Chorus:

By and by, when the morning comes,

when the saints of God are gathered home,

we'll tell the story of how we've overcome,

for we'll understand it better by and by.

We are tossed and driven

on the restless sea of time;

somber skies and howling tempests

oft succeed a bright sunshine;

in that land of perfect day,

when the mists are rolled away,

we will understand it better by and by.

Chorus

We are often destitute

of the things that life demands,

want of food and want of shelter,

thirsty hills and barren lands;

we are trusting in the Lord,

and according to God's word,

we will understand it better by and by.

Chorus

Trials dark on every hand,

and we cannot understand

all the ways of God would lead us

to that blessed promised land;

but God guides us with God’s eye,

and we'll follow till we die,

for we'll understand it better by and by.

Chorus

Sending/Blessing (from 1 Cor 1)

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

As we close this time together, let us read this word from the apostle Paul to the Corinthians:

All: For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Leader: The steadfast love of God goes with you, the deep and abiding peace of Christ goes with you, and the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit goes with you, now and always. Amen.

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Feel free to hang out a little longer and catch up with others! Please also leave us feedback in the chat so we know what's working well and what to tweak for the future.