Beacon Online Worship Outline 12/20/20 Fourth 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

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

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Facing God (from Psalm 89)

Leader: The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, my servant David:

All: ‘I will establish your descendants forever,

and build your throne for all generations.’”

Leader: My hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him.

All: He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’”

Leader: Let us worship God.

Lighting the Advent Candles

Light one candle for love.

The world is broken and the wait is long, but love never ends. Love faithfully goes about the work of casting out fear, speaking truth, healing wounds, and reconciling relationships. “Here I am,” she whispers, “the servant of the Lord.”

So we light one candle, because it only takes one: Christ with us.

Up To The Mountain

I went up to the mountain

Because you asked me to

Up over the clouds

To where the sky was blue

I could see all around me

Everywhere

I could see all around me

Everywhere

Sometimes I feel like

I've never been nothing but tired

And I'll be walking

Till the day I expire

Sometimes I lay down

No more can I do

But then I go on again

Because you ask me to

Some days I look down

Afraid I will fall

And though the sun shines

I see nothing at all

Then I hear your sweet voice,

come and then go, come and then go

Telling me softly

You love me so

The peaceful valley

Just over the mountain

The peaceful valley

Few come to know

I may never get there

Ever in this lifetime

But sooner or later, It's there I will go

Sooner or later, It's there I will go

Laying Down Our Burdens & Assurance

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

All: Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you by what we have done and what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart, mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. 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

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

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer

our spirits by thine advent here;

disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o Israel

O come, Desire of nations, bind

all peoples in one heart and mind;

bid envy, strife, and discord cease;

fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o Israel

Children's Bible Story

Lectio Conversation (Luke 1:26-45)

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

What stands out to you about this text?

How do you imagine you would react as Mary or Elizabeth?

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Discussion

What stands out to you about this text?

How do you imagine you would react as Mary or Elizabeth?

Homily

This Joy I Have

by Shirley Caesar

This Joy that I have the world didn’t give to me

This Joy that I have the world didn’t give to me

This Joy that I have the world didn’t give to me

The world didn’t give it the world can’t take it away

This Love that I have the world didn’t give to me

This Love that I have the world didn’t give to me

This Love that I have the world didn’t give to me

The world didn’t give it the world can’t take it away

The Holy Ghost that I have the world didn’t give to me

The Holy Ghost that I have the world didn’t give to me

The Holy Ghost that I have the world didn’t give to me

The world didn’t give it the world can’t take it away

This Joy that I have the world didn’t give to me

This Joy that I have the world didn’t give to me

This Joy that I have the world didn’t give to me

The world didn’t give it the world can’t take it away

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

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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

To give online, click here: https://www.thewordatbeacon.org/donate

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

How Can I Keep from Singing?

My life goes on in endless song

Above Earth's lamentations

I hear the real, though far-off hymn

That hails a new creation

Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear its music ringing

It sounds an echo in my soul

How can I keep from singing?

While through the tempest loudly roars

I hear the truth, it liveth

And though the darkness round me close

Songs in the night he giveth

No storm can shake my inmost calm

While to that rock I'm clinging

Since love is lord of heaven and earth

How can I keep from singing?

When tyrants tremble in their fear

And hear their death knell ringing

When friends rejoice both far and near

How can I keep from singing?

In prison cell and dungeon vile

Our thoughts to them are winging

When friends by shame are undefiled

How can I keep from singing?

Sending/Blessing (from Romans 15)

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

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

All: Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another.

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.