Beacon Online Worship Outline 12/16/20 - Blue Christmas Service

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

Last Kids Sunday School this year - Sunday at 4:30pm

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

Amplify the Light – Help out with our annual giving campaign! If you’d like to share a story or image saying what Beacon means to you, email us at info@thewordatbeacon.org

Facing God (from Psalm 13)

Leader: How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,

and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

All: But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

Leader: I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

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

Laying Down Our Burdens & Assurance

All: Gracious God, there are so many ways we have been hurt; we are tired, we are grieving. We confess in the inattentive pain of grief and lament, we often wound others in ways we do not mean. We ask for your forgiveness. Be with us as we sit with our grief tonight, may it bring comfort to ourselves and empathy for others. May we be better neighbors to those around us and kinder to ourselves, even in the midst of hardship and lament. 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.

Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul, the Lord is on your side

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain

Leave to your God to order and provide

In every change God will remain

Be still, my soul, your God will undertake

To guide the future as in ages past

Your hope, your mind, your will let nothing shake

All now mysterious shall be bright

Praise God, my soul

Praise God, O praise God

Praise God, my soul

Praise God, O praise God

Be still, my soul, the hour is hastening on

When we shall be forever with the Lord

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone

Sorrows forgot, love’s joys restored

Scripture (Lamentations 3:16-25)

He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “Gone is my glory, and all that I had hoped for from the Lord.” The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.

Homily

Naming Our Grief

Now we will enter into a time of prayer. We want to make space to name whatever we are grieving during this especially difficult year, both big and small. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a celebration that wasn’t quite what you imagined, or something as simple as working at a coffee shop, you are invited to share.

Go to the link in the chat to share what you are grieving this year while we listen to Abi sing “Anthem.” Click in the boxes and type a word or short phrase, like a name, event, or place, and then hit “Enter” to send it to the word cloud. https://www.menti.com/8fxoinmodh

If there are prayers you would like to share privately, please feel free to email them to the pastoral team at info@thewordatbeacon.org.

Anthem

Prayers of the People

Please join us in praying this litany of grief and gratitude.

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

Leader: How long, O Lord?

All: The nights are long, but your mercies are new every morning.

We Shall All Be Reunited

Where is now my father's family

That was here so long ago?

Sitting 'round the kitchen fireside

Brightened by the ruddy glow

Chorus:

We shall all be reunited

In that land beyond the skies

Where there'll be no separation

No more marching, no more sighs

Some have gone to lands far distant

And with others made their home

Some upon the world of waters

All their lives have chose to roam

Chorus

Some have gone from us forever

For with us they could not stay

They have all dispersed and wandered

Gone away, so far away

Chorus

We shall meet beyond the river

In that land of pure delight

Where no sickness or no sorrow

Will our joys there ever blight

Chorus

Sending (John 14:27)

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

As we close this time together, let us read the words of Jesus in the gospel of John:

All: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

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.

Blessing