Worship - December 7, 2003

Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
December 7, 2003
Worship 10:00 am Sunday School for all ages 11:15 am

Second Sunday of Advent

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
(Psalm 18:2)

Morning Praise (9:45 am)
Announcements
Prelude

Call to Worship

*Hymn "It came upon a midnight clear" 195
(lighting the second advent candle)

*Opening Prayer

Confession 697

Sharing a joy, a concern, a word of testimony or praise

Hymn "Infant holy, infant lowly" 206

Pastoral Prayer

Scripture Matthew 1:18-21

For Children "In a dream"
(Pre-schoolers leave for playful worship)

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Offertory

*Response                                                                         refrain (only) to 181
                 "My soul proclaims with wonder the greatness of the Lord,
                        rejoicing in God�s greatness my spirit is restored."

*Dedication

Scripture Matthew 2:13-21

Song "My Deliverer" Mullens
(with chords)

Scripture Malachi 3:1-4

Message "My deliverer is coming"

*Hymn "Christ is coming! Let creation" 295

*Benediction

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

1 - With the recent snow, it is "beginning to look a lot like Christmas"

2 - at least the Christmas of our dreams.

1 - Last week in worship, we lit the candle of "Hope"
on the Advent wreath.

2 - This is a season for those who dream of "peace on earth,"

1 - who live with hope that the way things are

2 - will not be the way things will always remain.

1 - Today, we light the candle of "Peace."

2 - As we do so, we place our hope in the "Prince of Peace."

1 - It wasn�t "beginning to look a lot like Christmas" when our first hymn
was written over 150 years ago.

2 - The storm clouds of civil war were forming above our country.

1 - Soon, north and south would be locked in a deadly conflict.

2 - A minister in Massachusetts penned these words.

1 - If you listen as you sing, the third verse speaks of the nightmare of
"two thousand years of wrong,"

2 - of "warring humankind" which "hears not the tidings" of the gospel.

1 - However, "upon the midnight clear" of a nation heading into war,

2 - the dream of "peace on earth, good will to all
from heaven�s gracious king"

1 - rang out once again on the wings of this song.

2 - As we light the candle of "Peace," worshiping the Prince of Peace,

1 - let�s take seriously the call to "hush the noise and cease (our) strife
and hear the angels sing,"

2 - and with this hymn "send back" (or echo with our voices)
the angels� song of peace.

1 - Please stand if you are able.

2 - #195 - "It came upon a midnight clear"

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father,
         it is your dream of "peace on earth"
                  which has drawn us
                           to this place and time.
         It is the flame of your Spirit
                  that burns within us.
         And it is in your Son�s name
                  that we pray just now.
                           Amen.

Confession

Leader: O Prince of peace,
                    from peace that is no peace,
                    from the grip of all that is evil,
                    from a violent righteousness�
People: deliver us.
Leader: from paralysis of will,
                    from lies and misnaming,
                    from terror of truth�
People: deliver us.
Leader: From hardness of heart,
                    from trading in slaughter,
                    from the worship of death�
People: deliver us.
Leader: By the folly of your gospel,
                    by your choosing our flesh,
                    by your nakedness and pain�
People: heal us.
Leader: By your weeping over the city,
                    by your refusal of the sword,
                    by your facing of horror�
People: heal us.
Leader: By your bursting from the tomb,
                    by your coming in judgment,
                    by your longing for peace �
People: heal us.
All: Grant us peace. AMEN

Hymnal #697 - Peace litany, 20th c., source unknown

Pastoral Prayer

written closer to the time (if not at the moment)

For Children
"In a dream"

Do any of you know this song?:

                    C    Dm7    C     B   C    Dm7      F#7     G7
                   I�m dream-ing of    a    white Christ-mas
                                   F                    G7                   C
                                      just like the ones I used to know...

I thought you might. If the snow we just received stays on the ground, we may just have a "white" or "snow-filled" Christmas. Speaking of dreaming, have any of you started dreaming about Christmas? What are some of your dreams?......

Let me tell you about Jesus� Dad, the father who raised him in the town of Nazareth. Once upon a time, Joseph was engaged to a young woman named Mary. Something happened, though, that made him think about not marrying her. In fact, he all but decided not to become Mary�s husband. And then he had a dream.

In that dream, an angel (the word "angel" means a "messenger" from God) told Joseph not to be afraid to make Mary his wife. In that dream, the angel told him about Jesus - about how the baby in Mary�s tummy would one day save everybody. Joseph paid attention to that dream, as well as to another dream he had after Jesus was born, and he did what the angel - the messenger of God - said.

I just want you to know that it�s okay to dream. The Christmas story is full of dreams - dreams that came true. One thing, if an angel tells you something in a dream, pay attention.

I�ve got another song about the baby Jesus. Perhaps some of you know it:

                      F          Bb    F   G           C     F
                   You, my God, a Babe of won-der,
                                      Bb     C7           F
                                      All through the night;
                        F               Bb      F      G               C     F
                   Dreams you dream can�t break from thund-er,
                                      Bb     C7           F
                                      All through the night;

                     Gm     F      Gm     Am   Bb Am Gm    F
                   Child-ren�s dreams can - not   be   bro -ken;
                            Gm   F    C7   Dm    F     C7   Dm    C
                            Life   is   but      a    love - ly     tok - en.

                      F              Bb     F    G       C
                   Christmas should be softly spoken
                                      Bb     C7           F
                                      All through the night;

("All Through the Night" by Nick Reynolds)

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Joseph wasn�t the only dreamer in that family. When Mary visited her Aunt Elizabeth, the Bible says that she just started singing a song about her own dream. Teenagers do that. You may not like the music they sing, or the volume, but singing and playing is important. I�m glad an older adult understood and listened to Mary, and remembered her song.

As you return your offering, remember Mary�s song, too. Think about the song that�s inside of you, needing to come out. By the way, hymn #181, of which we�ll just sing the refrain, is a rendition of Mary�s song. It might have sounded different, though, because Elizabeth didn�t remember the tune, just the words.

Will the ushers come forward to receive what we have to give?

Dedication

God, thank for the dream you plant within us. Thank you for the song that brings it out of us. Thank you for the ability to share what we have, for every gift, all the best dreams, the real songs, come from you. Amen.

Benediction