November 27, 2016 First Sunday of Advent THE THRILL OF HOPE

AFFIRMATION FOR ADVENT
We believe in God, the giver of life and grace, whose wondrous deeds
bring hope and healing to people of all nations
We believe that God’s decision to be with us, in the person of Jesus,
manifested God’s immeasurable love for humankind.
We abide in Jesus, the Beloved One, whose name is written upon our hearts.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is at work whispering words of hope, peace, joy and love
to ALL people.
We believe in the church, the living body of Christ in the world, to which we belong.
As members of the body, we are called to minister to all people in Jesus’ name
seeking transformation for ourselves, the church, and the world.
And so it begins. Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Gracious and wondrous God of Hope, we look forward to this Advent Season as an opportunity to contemplate our spiritual lives. We confess how very much we like seeing the smiles and laughter on the faces of children as they anticipate Christmas. But help us not to rush the season. Help us be aware of people’s concerted effort to show a kinder side of themselves, even in crowded parking lots and shopping malls. We pray stay the waiting course of Advent, as we prepare our hearts and minds for the arrival of your greatest gift to humankind. We shall not dwell on the former things, or consider the things of old, but we shall perceive the new thing that is sure to make us glad. Fill us with the Hope that is in you, as these Advent days unfold. In the name of the Christ, we pray.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
How many of you thrill to a rollercoaster ride, or thrill at winning the lottery or the jackpot at your favorite slot? How many of you remember the thrill of your first kiss, your first car, your first home, or your first child? “Thrill’s” origin in the 14th century as a verb, meant: to pierce through, perforate, or penetrate as in making a hole. By the 16th century thrill was being used metaphorically to describe a penetrating emotion, that made one shiver with excitement. When translating the French Carol, O, Holy Night, into English, Boston born, Unitarian, John Sullivan Dwight, translated the word tresaille (meaning tremble) to “thrill.” Until 1971 you couldn’t find “thrill” in scripture, but an enthusiastic translator took the Hebrew pâchad meaning, to tremble with fear or dread, in Isaiah 60:5, and put the word “thrill” in its place, which is a word more welcome than tremble, to our sensitive ears, as well as, a feeling we look forward to.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

November 20, 2016 "THE KING'S PROMISE"

APOSTLES’ CREED REVISITED
We believe in God, the all-powerful Sovereign of the Universe, the loving ABBA, Father,
creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, God’s only Son, who was conceived
by The Spirit of God, and born of Mary.
Condemned to death by Pontius Pilate, Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried.
On the third day God raised Jesus from the dead.
We believe, the risen Christ ascended into heaven, and is seated
at the right hand of God the Creator.
We believe that the Christ will come again one day to take all who are in him to himself.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the source of truth and power, sent to us from on High.
We believe in the one body, the church open to all people.
We believe in the forgiveness of sins, justification by faith, the resurrection of the body,
and the promise of eternal life. Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Lord God, Sovereign of the Universe, on this, Christ the King Sunday and Thanksgivng Sunday, it is right and good to give thanks for your eternal love and bountiful blessings. From the beginning your desire has been to grant us good, and yet sometimes we doubt. You know well, that when troubles come, our trust and calm can fly out the window. When our confidence is shaken, keep us from anxiety over what may come. Remind us only of your powerful presence in our lives. When negativity and faithlessness invade our spirits, sweep them away like so much dust and ash. Let us trust in you like the Christ who would not lose heart. Energize us for ministry, discovering new ways to serve in Jesus’ name, and fill us, at last, with a Spirit of triumph, believing that your kingdom is won already. All this we pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
Do you remember making promises when you were a little kid? I remember promises made with words and hand gestures, as I drew a cross over my chest, and said: “Cross my heart and hope to die.” The phrase is from a much longer poem, but those 7 words were considered enough to seal the deal. I didn’t learn about pinky promises until I was too old to participate in such silliness, even though, the “pinky swear” has been around since 1860, and is believed to be of Japanese origin. Failure to keep the promise in Japan could result in the loss of said precious pinky.** We make all sorts of promises in this life: fidelity in marriage, remembering anniversaries, protecting our children, following doctor’s orders, paying for services rendered, and supporting our church. Breaking most of these promises carries obvious consequences, but there is nothing in the fine print, that says you could lose a pinky if you don’t or can’t keep your promise to the church.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

November 13, 2016 "SO, WHAT ELSE IS NEW?"

APOSTLES’ CREED REVISITED
We believe in God, the all-powerful Sovereign of the Universe,
the loving ABBA, Father, creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, God’s only Son,
who was conceived by The Spirit of God, and born of Mary.
Condemned to death by Pontius Pilate,
Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried.
On the third day God raised Jesus from the dead.
We believe, the risen Christ ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Creator.
We believe that the Christ will come again one day
to take all who are in him to himself.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the source of truth and power, sent to us from on High.
We believe in the one body, the church open to all people.
We believe in the forgiveness of sins,
justification by faith, the resurrection of the body,
and the promise of eternal life. Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Loving and Compassionate God, hear our prayer. This has been a week of remembering those who gave their lives defending the freedom of all souls; remembering loved ones who finished their course in life, and remembering past presidents of the republic. As a nation we ask you to pour out your spirit of renewal upon our imperfect union. Empower us by your glorious spirit of renewal, to work with our new leaders seeking, always, to establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the Welfare of all, and keep secure the blessings of Liberty. Let us not be a people of complaint and negativity, fear and doomsday thinking. Let us soldier on not for our own interests, but as citizens, who embrace equality for all people, and the right of every individual to pursue happiness. The Christ calls us to an even higher level of commitment, and that is to do whatever it takes to love one another as he loved us. All this we pray in his name. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
Do remember Henny Penny, also known as, Chicken Little? It was an oral folk tale first published in the Danish Language, in 1823. In America in 1840, it appeared in a children’s illustrated volume and was called: “The Remarkable Story of Chicken Little.” Multiple versions with multiple endings, have appeared across the centuries, including the one in which Henny Penny and her friends, Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Goosey Loosey, and Turkey Lurkey, are eaten by Foxy-Loxy, before Henny Penny can notify the king that the end of the world is at hand. Chicken Little’s hysterical mantra, “The Sky is Falling!” is the conclusion she came to when an acorn fell on her head. Today, that idiom is used to make light of a very human tendency to jump to conclusions, along with our penchant for mass hysteria and doomsday thinking. The moral of the story could be, not to overthink any moment in time. Like right now, try not to overthink your gift to the church. (historical info from Wikipedia)
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.

November 6, 2016 "JESUS' THEOLOGY OF THE RESURRECTION" or (Just explain it to me like I am a child.)

THE APOSTLES’ CREED REVISITED
We believe in God, the all-powerful Sovereign of the Universe,
the loving Abba Father,
creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, God’s only Son,
who was conceived by The Spirit of God, and born of Mary.
Condemned to death by Pontius Pilate,
Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried.
On the third day God raised Jesus from the dead.
We believe, the risen Christ ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Creator.
We believe that the Christ will come again one day to take all who are in him to himself.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the source of truth and power, sent to us from on High.
We believe in the one body, the church open to all people.
We believe in the forgiveness of sins, justification by faith,
the resurrection of the body, and the promise of eternal life. Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous God of grace and glory, we lift our hearts in praise and thanksgiving on this All Saints Day. We are reminded when hearing the names of those who are no longer in our midst, to treasure these moments of worship and communion. We have been blessed by the companionship of these saints as we journeyed together in faith. They inspired us, challenged us, and loved us in their time. We confess our sadness in their absence from the body, but remember in joy that they are now present with you. As this year continues to unfold we pray your blessing upon us. Give us patience in our work and our service, as the days seem to grow ever shorter, and filled with more and more things to get done. Fill us with the hope of good things to come. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING
All of us have to take tests in this life and answer questions that aren’t always simple and straightforward. Come on and admit it, how many of you get 100% of the questions right on your drivers test? Jesus was frequently tested being asked all sorts of wild and bizarre questions during his ministry. Many of those examination questions were meant to put him on the spot, and even trip him up, but he always seemed to be able to see through the weirdest most convoluted questions. Often answering a question with a question, the answers he provided, identified the core of the question posed. When asked if the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus quite simply said: “Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give God the things that are God’s.” He left it up to those who had ears to hear, to decide which was which, and what they ought to do. The ushers will now receive the offering.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Wondrous and Eternal God, pour out your blessing upon these gifts and promises. We offer them with full and grateful hearts. We trust that you will always guide us to use them wisely, and always for the greater good. Proclaiming our belief that all things are possible with you, we offer ourselves in service, seeking always, in the name of the Christ, to do your work and will. Amen.