Dear Brothers and Sisters at Hope,
In these final days of Advent, as we wait and watch and hope to celebrate the one who was, who is, and who is to come, we might consider taking some time this week to read Luke chapter again or continue with your reading of a chapter from Luke’s Gospel daily. Take some time this week to contemplate the enormity and true awesomeness of God’s gift in Jesus. Take some time to nourish your spirit and breathe in the Spirit. Maybe you could follow a Gratitude Scavenger Hunt that helps you see the gifts God has laid out for you: 1} Find something that makes you happy. 2}Find something to give someone else to make them smile. 3} Find one thing that you love to smell. 4| Find something that you enjoy looking at. 5} Find something that’s your favorite color. 6} Find something for which you are thankful in nature. 7} Find something you can use to make a gift for someone else. 8} Find something that is useful for you.
Joy, knowing that God is in control and God has got you and all things in God’s grasp, and God will never let you down-true joy is a choice when we place our lives in God’s loving hands. Remember: When you choose joy, you feel good and when you feel good, you do good, and when you do good, it reminds others of what joy feels like and it just might inspire them to do the same. Together, let’s spread joy and hope and love so that it can extinguish the despair and hopelessness and anger we see all around us. As they sing “In a world full of hate, be the light.” We are the light when we reflect Christ’s love and hope and joy in the world. Be kind to yourself and be kind to others. That’s how we show God how grateful we are for his gift in Jesus.
A blessed and holy Advent be yours! Love, Pr. Jen Schaefer+
Fourth Sunday of Advent~~~December 18-19, 2021
The Prayer of the Day Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that binds us, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Gospel: Luke 1:39-45 [46-55]
Elizabeth, John’s mother, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, are two women filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. In Elizabeth’s inspired greeting and Mary’s song of praise we hear of a saving God who remembers, scatters, lifts up, and fulfills all things.
39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” 46And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name. 50His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
HOMILY This four-week season of Advent is a season of many things-preparation, repentance, joy, and hope. The color blue is the color of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the color of the sky where we look in hope as we offer our prayers to God.
~~~Today, with four candles lit, the Song of Mary soars through the Gospel and into our hearts again, as it does every year. Mary, the unwed mother, the fiancee of a poor carpenter. Mary, who knows depths of desperation that many of us will never have to know. Mary, who felt herself powerless but sang to God who was about to save the whole world. We often think of Mary as gentle and meek, but today, Mary is brave and bold, singing loud and strong. Everything the very shape of human history – is about to change. Light is on the way, and Mary sings out to greet it. Hope is born. ~~~In the first installment of the three-part series The Hunger Games, there is a scene that sums up the trilogy’s theme. President Snow, the dictator of the dystopian, futuristic country of Panem, is walking in his rose garden with Seneca Crane. Crane is the man responsible for creating a game that pits young people from the twelve districts of Panem against one another in a highly publicized fight to the death each year. The winner of the Hunger Games is then held up as a brave, strong hero that represents the spirit of Panem. President Snow asks Seneca Crane why the games must have a winner. If the Capitol simply wanted to show its power and to instill fear and control, he says, why not simply execute people? Why the games? Why a winner?” Seneca Crane does not understand. He stares back, confused. “Hope,” President Snow says simply. “Hope is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective. A lot of hope is dangerous. A spark is fine, as long as it’s contained.” ~~~Hope is more than mere optimism just as joy is more than happiness-hope is more. A lot of hope can shake the foundations of everything that weighs us down. A lot of hope can change the course of history. For Mary’s part, she doesn’t initially greet the news of her pregnancy with her soaring song and blazing hope. When Luke’s Gospel first introduces us to Mary, she is more like the traditional image of Mary — young, meek, seemingly timid, but ultimately faithful. When the angel tells her the news, she consents, but she’s not singing yet. As she’s absorbing the news from the angel Gabriel that she will conceive and bear a child, he tells her, perhaps to console her: Elizabeth, your relative, is pregnant too, even in her old age! Proof. It’s real. Gabriel doesn’t actually tell Mary to go to Elizabeth, but Luke says she still “made haste” to go to the Judean town in the hill country to see her-to see proof! ~~~Mary wants to be near someone who understands. Elizabeth is also pregnant by a miracle. Elizabeth, Mary knows, won’t think she’s crazy. And here, with another human being who understands that God works in really weird and unexpected and direct ways, Mary is able to find the courage to sing her song of hope. Not ordinary optimism, but great hope. The kind that can’t be contained. The kind that sings loud. ~~~Today, Mary sings as she invites us into daring to hope big. Optimism looks behind us to find comfort in what we’ve experienced before. Hope the big, world-shaking, musical hope of Mary looks ahead, knowing that we cannot imagine what God is able to do. Hope inspires us to be a part of what God is making new. ~~~There is nothing wrong with optimism. Optimism hopes for good fortune, for fun with friends and family during the holidays, for a blessed and happy new year, and for love and warmth to surround us. There is nothing wrong with a little optimistic Advent cheer. But if you have experienced the depths of despair, if you have seen the pain that exists in the world, you know that optimism is not enough on its own. It is too difficult to sustain. The world is too broken, too violent, and too divided, and we alone cannot fix it. Our one spark of hope is that God has spoken and told us that someday, all things — all things — from our personal struggles to the weight of the world’s pain, shall be made right. That hope is why Mary sings.
~~Today, the Gospel story invites us, like Mary, to seek out others in order to find our song of hope. It wasn’t until Mary was with Elizabeth in the Judean hills that her hope burst into song. And maybe, whether we know it or not, that’s what we’ve done today, too. We gather together so that we, too, can sing songs of hope. Hope-big hope- because we cannot repair the world on our own. Only God can, and only God will. In the meantime, we are called to make our corner of the world that God so loves a less divided, more trustworthy, more hopeful place as we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all. We are called to sing.
~~~The best part about Mary’s song of hope is that it is never hope unfulfilled. Every year, we remember her bold song to remind ourselves that God has already broken through. Even in the darkness, even in the deepest disappointments, even when we are betrayed, and even when the world looks most broken, we keep this crazy hope alive that God has and God will break through. And today, we make haste to find each other to sing that hope again, to fan that spark into flame again.
~~~The Reverend Joseph Peters-Mathews, puts it this way: “That’s why I love Advent … Jesus never doesn’t get born. We long, hope, wait, anticipate, and we are never let down at the last minute.” Every year, Christmas always arrives. Even if we are exhausted or brokenhearted, the Light of Christ always comes to the Church. Always. The final candle is always lit. Advent and Christmas are here every year to remind us that God has already broken through. Despite the world’s pain, the Light is well on the way. And that is why Mary finds Elizabeth and sings her heart out. So, let us today find one another and sing our hearts out to the God who breaks through, who sustains our lives, who dares us to hope big — and beckons us to sing and live his love loud. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
In this season of watching and waiting, let us pray for all people and places that yearn for God’s presence. A brief silence.
Nurturing God, you give us life and care for our every need. Use the church’s gifts and ministries for your service, bringing your word to all who seek your transforming grace. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Creator God, you proclaim your boundless love for all that you have made. Renew barren lands, polluted waters, and melting ice caps. Make us servants of your creation that brings forth abundant life. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Righteous God, you bring down the mighty and lift up the lowly. Strengthen those who seek justice. Bless the work of community organizers, activists, journalists, and all who call our attention to imbalances of power. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Compassionate God, you proclaim your love and mercy. Show your lovingkindness to teen parents and those who are pregnant. Comfort any struggling with infertility and those who await test results, are in treatment and hospice care, and others in need (especially). Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Gracious God, you fill the hungry with good things. Bless the feeding ministries of this congregation and community. Guide us to share your bounty with those who hunger or live in poverty. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Faithful God, you stir up the hearts of those who love you. We give you thanks for those who, like Mary, were courageous in their witness (especially). Give us such courage until that day when you fulfill all things. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of new life, you come among us in the places we least expect. Receive these prayers and those of our hearts, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Our Father…..
The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing so that we may abound in hope by the power of the Spirit through Christ for whom we wait. Amen.
Let us go out into the world in peace. Christ is near as together we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all. Thanks be to God!
HOPE HAPPENINGS
We welcome all who worship with us today. Please complete one of the visitor cards at our guest table. If you would like to make Hope your church home, please speak to Pastor Jen. Everyone is welcome at Hope Lutheran Church.
Next Week’s Readings: Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1;46b-55; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)
The October through December Word in Season Devotionals are available on the narthex table.
LAY SERVANTS FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Altar Guild: Candy Ogden
Usher: Roger McGill
Counters: Barbara Johnson
PRAYER LIST
Please call the church office or email Pr. Jen with any prayer requests you may have so they may be shared with the congregation.
Please continue to hold in prayer:
Mary Jones for healing
Pr. Tom Barbret for healing
Diane & Al for healing and strength
Fred and Cindi Carley for healing
Sandy Garant for healing
Kim for healing
John Hodler for healing
Jan for healing
Vanessa for healing
Maxine Linn (Mark Packer’s Mother)
Richard Massey and Rick for healing
Doreen Parkinson for healing
Herb Sixbury for healing
Dawn Seibert for healing
Carol for healing, hope, and God’s will.
Laura Everill, daughter of Phyllis and Tom Agness, for healing.
John Greene, Millie’s husband, for strength and healing & healing for all their family
Cheryl Burke who is in need of healing
Larry and Barbara Brady, as they focus on healing.
NEW AT HOPE
KINDNESS KORNER: Tell someone else about the Kindness Initiative and how we try to raise the kindness quotient in our community. Ask them to join us in bringing kindness to the world. Spread the word about kindness!
BAZAAR TOTAL: $1,255.85 Profit!!!!!! Thank you to all you donated, helped and purchased!!!
BIBLE STUDY: On Monday’s, we have a study from 10 to 11am. Join us for an overview of the Bible. Study with us God’s love story for his people! All are welcome!
Sunday, December 19th at 3pm: 11-time Grammy Award winning Tommy Fairchild will lead us in a Christmas Carol Sing Along. Wine and Cheese reception to follow. Bring friends, all are welcome!
Poinsettias for Christmas: $15/plant. Sign up on desk outside of Narthex by December 19th
ADVENT—URE 2021 at Hope Lutheran Church
On Wednesdays in Advent, we will meet at 4:30pm in the Sanctuary for worship focused on the theme “Pop-Up Nativity”. We will join in prayer, song worship, and laughter as we discover a new way to celebrate. Don’t miss out on the fun and the time to reflect on Emmanuel, God with us, and our joyous anticipation of his Birth at Christmas!
Wed Dec. 22 at 4:30pm-focus on the Three Kings, followed by the decorating of our Sanctuary for Christmas and a sharing of treats.
Please plan to join us in this holy season of Advent so that together we are prepared to celebrate the Birth of Christ at Christmas! As always, please bring a friend!
CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SCHEDULE AT HOPE
Friday, Christmas Eve, Dec. 24:
4pm Candlelight Worship in the Sanctuary
5:30pm Worship in the parking Lot
7pm Candlelight Worship in the Sanctuary
Sat. Christmas day, Dec. 25 10am spoken worship in Sanctuary
Our regular weekend liturgies of Sat. 5:30pm and Sunday 8:30 and 10am will take place for Christmas Dec. 25-26. Celebrate with us and as always please bring a friend!
Leave a Reply