Advent and Christmas Resources
1. Sermons and
Worship Services
I began posting sermons online in 1996, and worship services etc. in
2000. Manuscripts before 1989 were not digital.
In 2005, I moved (for the most part) from preaching with a manuscript to
extemporaneous.
See further below for songs, dramas, and candlelight
services listed separately
|
1989 |
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| Advent 1 | - "And Sarah Laughed" (manuscript) | Genesis 18:1-15 (off lectionary) | 12/3/89 | GCOB |
| Advent 2 | - "The God Who Really Sees" (manuscript) | Genesis 16:1-16; 21:9-21 (off lectionary) | 12/10/89 | GCOB |
| Advent 3 |
choir cantata |
|||
| Advent 4 | - "Giving Birth to Joy" (manuscript) | Luke 1:39-56 | 12/24/89 | GCOB |
| Christmas Eve | - "A Simple Scene" (manuscript) | Candlelight service | 12/24/89 | GCOB |
| Christmas 1 | - "The Unfinished Journey" (manuscript) | Genesis 12:1-9 (off lectionary) | 12/31/89 | LGVCOB |
***********************
|
1990 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Inferiority complexes ... or a life of expectancy" (manuscript) | 1 Corinthian 1:3-9 | 2/2/90 | LGVCOB |
| Advent 2 | - "Letters from Home" (first version) (manuscript) | 2 Peter 3:8-15a | 12/9/90 | LGVCOB |
| Advent 3 | - "The hopes and fears of all the years" (manuscript) | Isaiah 61 | 12/16/90 | LGVCOB |
| Advent 4 | - "Giving Birth to Charity" (manuscript) | Luke 1:26-38 | 12/16/90 | LGVCOB |
***********************
|
1991 |
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| Advent 1 |
- "Are You Ready?" (manuscript) |
Luke 21:25-36 |
12/1/91 LGVCOB 11/27/88 GCOB |
| Advent 2 | - "Only angels need apply" (manuscript) | Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 3:1-6 | 12/8/91 |
| Advent 3 | - "Our Festive God" (manuscript) | Zephaniah 3:17 | 12/15/91 |
| Advent 4 |
Choral Presentation |
12/22/91 | |
***********************
|
1992 |
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| Advent 1 | - "As in the days of Noah" reflections of his son, Shem (no ms) | Matthew 24:36-39 | 11/29/92 |
| Advent 2 | - "Reflections of a Pharisee" (no ms or manuscript) | Matthew 3:1-10 | 12/6/92 |
| Advent 3 | - "What are you waiting for" reflections of a common man (no ms) | Matthew 11:1-6 | 12/13/92 |
| Advent 4 | - "Reflections of Joseph, a carpenter" (no ms) | Matthew 1:18-25 | 12/20/92 |
***********************
|
1993 |
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| Advent 1 |
Hanging of the Greens Service |
11/28/93 | |
| Advent 2 | - Untitled (no manuscript) | Isaiah 40:1-11 | 12/5/93 |
| Advent 3 | - "Beyond Ourselves" (manuscript) | John 1:6-9, 19-28 | 12/12/93 |
| Advent 4 | - "A Song of Futures Past" (no or missing manuscript) | Luke 1:39-56 (off lectionary) | 12/19/93 |
| Christmas 1 | - "Mr. Funnytalk's Story" (see 12/29/02 for newer version) | Galatians 4:4-7 | 12/26/93 |
***********************
|
1994 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Living Incomplete" (manuscript) | 1 Corinthians 13:10 (off lectionary) | 11/27/94 |
| Advent 2 | - "When all you can do is watch" (no or missing manuscript) | Luke 3:1-6 | 12/4/94 |
| Advent 3 |
- "When confession & repentance are not enough"
(manuscript) |
Luke 3:7-18 |
12/11/94 LGVCOB 1/12/86 GCOB |
| Advent 4 | - "Fried Green Surprise" (manuscript) | Luke 1:39-56 | 12/18/94 |
| Christmas Day | - "What's a 'Pair of Ducks'" | Titus 3:3-7 | 12/25/94 |
***********************
|
1995 |
|||
| Advent 1 |
Hanging of the Greens Service |
12/3/95 | |
| Advent 2 | - "One Foot in Heaven" | Isaiah 10:33-11:10; Romans 15:1-13 | 12/10/95 |
| Advent 3 | - "Are you the one?" (manuscript) | Matthew 11:2-15 | 12/17/95 |
| Advent 4 |
Various members share about Christmas: "from my youth" (one of our oldest members reminisces) "in Jamaica" (a young couple just back from service work shares) "at Jentry McDonald House" (telling of us taking a party to a home for children) "at Carpenter's Kitchen (our feeding the homeless project) followed by a brief message pulling these all together (no manuscript) |
12/24/95 |
|
***********************
|
1996 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Waiting in Hope" | Isaiah 63:15 - 64:11 | 12/1/96 |
| Advent 2 | - "Under Construction" | Isaiah 40:1-11 | 12/8/96 |
| Advent 3 | - "Joy for the Journey" | Isaiah 61:1-11 | 12/15/96 |
| Advent 4 | - "A Heavenly Host Around Us" | Luke 1:26-38, 2:8-15 | 12/22/96 |
| Christmas 1 | - "Letters from Home" (reprise from 1990, 2 readers) | Galatians 4:4-7; Isaiah 61:10 - 62:3 | 12/29/96 |
| Christmas 2 | - "Is there time" | Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Mark 1:9-15 (off lectionary) | 1/5/97 |
***********************
|
1997 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Focusing on the Essentials" | 1 Corinthians 13:12 (off lectionary) | 11/30/97 |
| Advent 2 | - "Listening every day" | Luke 1:39-56 (off lectionary) | 12/7/97 |
| Advent 3 | - "Untitled" (no notes) | Matthew 25:31-46 (off lectionary) | 12/14/97 |
| Advent 4 | - "God is near! Rejoice!" | Philippians 4:4-7 (off lectionary) | 12/21/97 |
| Christmas 1 | - "Simeon's Song" | Luke 2:22-39 (off lectionary) | 12/28/97 |
| Christmas 2 | - "Magic for Sale?" | Acts 8:4-25 (off lectionary) | 1/4/98 |
***********************
|
1998 |
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| Advent 1 | - "New Glasses" | Matthew 24:36-44 | 11/29/98 |
| Advent 2 | - "Dream, Dream, Dream" | Mt. 3:1-12; Is. 11:1-11; Rm. 15:4-13 | 12/6/98 |
| Advent 3 | - "Lost and Found" | Matthew 11:7-11 | 12/13/98 |
| Advent 4 | - "God with us: a threat or a promise" | Isaiah 7:10-14; Matthew 1:18-25 | 12/20/98 |
***********************
|
1999 |
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| Advent 1 |
guest preacher |
11/28/99 | |
| Advent 2 | - "A Stable Ruler" (no notes) | Isaiah 9:1-7 (off lectionary) | 12/5/99 |
| Advent 3 | - "Eternal Moments, Global Places" | Luke 2:8-20 (off lectionary) | 12/12/99 |
| Advent 4 |
Choral Christmas Cantata |
12/19/99 | |
| Christmas 1 | - "Not just ‘for the birds’" | John 1:1-14 (lectionary for Christmas Day) | 12/26/99 |
| Christmas 2 | - "To number our days" | Psalm 90 (off lectionary) | 1/2/00 |
| Epiphany | - "Elway, Clayton, and Vince" (see 1/2/11 for update) | Matthew 2:1-12 | 1/9/00 |
***********************
|
2000 |
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| Advent 1 | - Reclaiming "Prophecy" & "Repentance" | Jeremiah 33:14-16, Luke 21:25-36 | 12/3/00 | |
| Advent 2 | - Reclaiming "Evangelism" & "Testimony" | Luke 1:68-79 | 12/10/00 | |
| Advent 3 | - Reclaiming "Salvation" & "Joy" | Is. 12:2-6, Zeph. 3:14-20, Phil. 4:4-7 | 12/17/00 | |
| Advent 4 | - Reclaiming "Christmas" | Luke 1:39-55 | 12/24/00 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas 1 |
Special Service due to weather |
12/31/00 | (order of worship) | |
| Christmas 2 | - Reclaiming "the peace of Christ" | Colossians 3:12-17 (lection for 12/31) | 1/7/01 | (order of worship) |
***********************
|
2001 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Plowshare Prayer" | Psalm 122, Isaiah 2:1-5 | 12/2/01 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "Not by what his eyes see" | Isaiah 11:1-10 | 12/9/01 | order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "Returning to Zion" | Isaiah 35 | 12/16/01 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "Breaking a Resolution" | Matthew 1:18-25 | 12/2/01 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas 1 |
away |
|||
| Epiphany | - "Perceiving the Star" | Matthew 2:1-12 | 1/6/02 | (Order of Worship) |
***********************
|
2002 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Keep Awake" | Mark 13:24-37 | 12/1/02 | (Order of Worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "Stealing Home" | 2 Peter 3:8-15a | 12/8/02 | (Order of Worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "Careful with the Candles" | 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 | 12/15/02 | (Order of Worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "In the hands of a teenager" | Luke 1:26-38, 46-55 | 12/22/02 | (Order of Worship) |
| Christmas 1 | - "Mr Funnytalk's Story" a worship drama | Galatians 4:4-7 | 12/29/02 | (Order of Worship) |
| Christmas 2 | - "Chile con Carne" | John 1:1-18 | 1/5/03 | (order of worship) |
***********************
|
2003 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Are you ready?" | Luke 21:25-36 | 11/30/03 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "My deliverer is coming" | Malachi 3:1-4 | 12/7/03 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 |
service cancelled due to bad weather |
12/14/03 | ||
| Advent 4 | - "Raising the Rafters" | Zephaniah 3:14-20 (lection text from 12/14) | 12/21/03 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas 1 | - "In God’s House" a worship drama | 12/28/03 | (order of worship) | |
| Epiphany | - "Voyagers, not voyeurs" | Matthew 2:1-12 (off lectionary) | 1/4/04 | (order of worship) |
***********************
|
2004 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Nearer than before" | Romans 13:11-14 | 11/28/04 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "Living in harmony" | Romans 15:4-13 | 12/5/04 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "Living with patience" | James 5:7-11 | 12/12/04 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "Living the promise" | Romans 1:1-7 | 12/19/04 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve | 12/24/04 | |||
| Christmas 1 | - "One foot in heaven" a worship drama | Matthew 2:11-21 | 12/26/04 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas 2 | - "What’s a ‘pair of ducks’?" | Ephesians 1:3-14 | 1/2/05 | (order of worship) |
***********************
|
2005 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Not lacking in any spiritual gift" (no ms) | 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 | 11/27/05 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "Speak peace" (no ms) | Psalm 85:8-13 | 12/4/05 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "A dream of joy" (no ms) | Psalm 126 | 12/11/05 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "A marginal song" (no ms) | Luke 1:46-55 | 12/18/05 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve | ||||
| Christmas Day | - When the fullness of time had come" (no ms) | Galatians 4:4-7 (lection for Christmas 1) | 12/25/05 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas 1 |
away |
1/1/06 | (order of worship) | |
***********************
|
2006 |
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| Advent 1 | - "To restore what is lacking" (no ms) | 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 | 12/3/06 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "He who began..." (no ms) | Philippians 1:3-11 | 12/10/06 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "Down by the riverside" (no ms) | Luke 3:7-18 | 12/17/06 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "Womb song" (no ms) | Luke 1:39-55 | 12/24/06 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve | ||||
| Christmas 1 |
away |
12/31/06 | (order of worship) | |
| - "And they received the Holy Spirit" (no ms) | Acts 8:14-17 & Lk 3:15-17, 21-22 (off lection) | 1/7/07 | (order of worship) | |
***********************
|
2007 |
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|
"Witnesses of the Nativity" series |
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| Advent 1 | - “The Innkeeper” (no ms) | Luke 2:7, Matthew 24:36-44 | 12/2/07 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - “John” (no ms) | Luke 1:39-45, Matthew 3:1-12 | 12/9/07 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - “The Shepherds” (no ms) | Luke 2:8-20, Luke 1:46-55 (off lectionary) | 12/16/07 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - “Mary & Joseph” (no ms) | Matthew 1:18-25 | 12/23/07 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve | ||||
| Christmas 1 |
away |
12/30/07 | (order of worship) | |
| Epiphany | - "The Magi" (no ms) | Matthew 2:1-12 | 1/6/07 | (order of worship) |
***********************
|
2008 |
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| Advent 1 | - "The Restoration Project" | Psalm 80 | 11/30/08 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "Construction Zone" | Mark 1:1-8 | 12/7/08 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "On the Witness Stand" | John 1:6-8, 19-28 | 12/14/08 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "In the middle of the muddle" | 2 Samuel 7:1-11 & Luke 1:26-3 | 12/21/08 | (order of worship) |
| - "Simeon’s Song" (text and mp3) | Luke 2:22-40 | 1/4/09 | (order of worship) | |
***********************
|
2009 |
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| Advent 1 | - "Whatever is lacking" (mp3) | 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 | 11/29/09 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "Tough Love" (mp3) | Philippians 1:3-11 | 12/6/09 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "A moment of truth" (mp3) | Luke 3:7-18 | 12/13/09 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 |
services cancelled due to snow |
12/20/09 | (order of worship) | |
| Christmas Eve |
Candlelight Service (pdf file) |
|||
| Christmas 1 | - "Mr. Funnytalk's Story" (text and mp3) | 1 John 1:1-4 (off lectionary) | 12/27/09 | (order of worship) |
| Epiphany | - "Acting upon what we perceive" (mp3) | Matthew 2:1-12 | 1/3/10 | (order of worship) |
***********************
|
2010 |
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| Advent 1 | - "When yawn overpowers dawn" (mp3) | Matthew 24:36-44 | 11/28/10 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "Ready, aim, bear fruit" (mp3) | Matthew 3:1-12 | 12/5/10 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "The Holy Way" (mp3) | Isaiah 35:1-10 and Matthew 11:2-11 | 12/12/10 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "Witness to Withness" (mp3) | Matthew 1:18-25 | 12/19/10 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve |
Candlelight Service (pdf file) |
|||
| Christmas 1 | - "Listening to and following the dream" (mp3) | Matthew 2:13-23 | 12/26/10 | (order of worship) |
| Epiphany |
- "Elway, Clayton, and Vince"
(revisited from 1/9/00) (text version .mp3 audio) |
Matthew 2:1-12 |
1/2/11 |
(order
of worship) |
***********************
|
2011 |
||||
| Advent 1 | - "Eat in or Carry out" (mp3) | Psalm 80 | 11/27/11 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "Stealing Home" (mp3) | 2 Peter 3:8-15a | 12/4/11 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "Careful with the Candles" (mp3) | 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 | 12/11/11 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "In the hands of a teenager" (mp3) | Luke 1:26-38, 46-55 | 12/18/11 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve |
Candlelight Service with a Christmas play (both .pdf) |
|||
***********************
|
2012 |
||||
|
revision of 2000 sermons |
||||
| Advent 1 | - Reclaiming "Prophecy" & "Repentance" | Luke 21:25-36 and Jeremiah 33:14-16 | 12/2/12 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - Reclaiming "Evangelism" & "Testimony" | Luke 1:68-79 | 12/9/12 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - Reclaiming "Salvation" & "Joy" | Isaiah 12:1-6 and Philippians 4:4-7 | 12/16/12 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - Reclaiming "Christmas" | Luke 1:39-56 | 12/23/12 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve | Candlelight Service | |||
| Christmas 1 | - "What’s a ‘pair of ducks’?" |
John
1:1-18 |
12/30/12 | (order of worship) |
| Epiphany | 1/6/2013 | |||
***********************
|
2013 |
||||
| Advent 1 | - "The days are coming" (mp3) |
Isaiah 2:1-5 |
12/1/13 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "a ‘Call to Worship’ in the flesh" (mp3) |
Matthew 3:1-12 |
12/8/13 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "Answering our own question" (mp3) |
Matthew 11:2-15 |
12/15/13 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "What’s in a name?" (mp3) | Matthew 1:18-25 | 12/22/13 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve | Candlelight Service | |||
| - | ||||
|
2014 |
||||
| revision of 1996 sermons | ||||
| Advent 1 | - "Waiting in hope" (text and mp3) | Isaiah 63:15 - 64:11 | 11/30/14 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "Under construction" (text and mp3) | Isaiah 40:1-11 | 12/7/14 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "Joy for the Journey" (text and mp3) | Isaiah 61:1-11 | 12/14/14 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "A heavenly host around us" (text & alt. mp3) | Luke 1:26-38, 2:8-15 | 12/21/14 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve | Candlelight Service | |||
|
2015 |
||||
| Advent 1 | - "Hidden Hope" |
Luke 21:25-36 | 11/29/15 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - "God's
interruption" |
Luke 1:5-25, 57-80 |
12/6/15 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - "Joy-full" |
Luke 1:26-56 |
12/13/15 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - "Small package" |
Micah 5:2-5a |
12/20/15 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve | Candlelight Service | |||
| Christmas 1 | - "Christmas wardrobe" | Colossians 3:12-17 | 12/27/15 | (order of worship) |
|
2016 |
||||
| Advent 1 | - “Hope in action” | Matthew 24:36-44 | 11/27/16 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 2 | - “Live in Harmony” | Romans 15:1-13 and Isaiah 11:1-10 | 12/4/16 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 3 | - “White elephant” | Matthew 11:1-15 | 12/11/16 | (order of worship) |
| Advent 4 | - “Breaking a Resolution” | Matthew 1:18-25 | 12/18/16 | (order of worship) |
| Christmas Eve | Candlelight Service | |||
| Christmas Day | - “To Treasure and Ponder” | Luke 2:1-20 | 12/25/16 | (order of worship) |
|
Music |
Drama |
|
| "The Lord is coming" | "In God’s House" | Candlelight Service 2004 |
| "Letters from Home" | Candlelight Service 2005 | |
| "Mr Funnytalk's Story" | Candlelight Service 2006 (see 2015 below) | |
| "One foot in heaven" | Candlelight Service 2007 | |
| Skit for 2009 Christmas Eve (pdf file) | Candlelight Service 2009 (pdf file) | |
| Candlelighting from 2009 service (on another site) | Candlelight Service 2010 (pdf file) | |
| Play for 2011 Christmas Eve (pdf file) | Candlelight Service 2011 (pdf file) | |
| Candlelight Service 2012 (pdf file) | ||
| Candlelight Service 2013 | ||
| Candlelight Service 2014 (pdf file) | ||
| Candlelight Service 2015 (pdf file) | ||
| Candlelight Service 2016 (pdf file) | ||