Advent Worship

Ever since dad passed away this summer I have felt like work here at the church is at least a month behind, if not more. But the church has surprised me with their pickup and determination. I was ready to tank in Sunday School, now it is thriving and the best since I've been here. I was ready to delay and cut back the 175th events, but it was spectatcular. Now it is stewardship season, I barely got the information out, we'll see what kind of response we will get. I trust it will the results will be what we are hoping for.

SO we begin Advent and I wish more than anything that we still had a couple more weeks of plannig. The calendar doesnt stop for me, so advent here we come.

Worship Order

Ringing of the Bell
Prelude
Greeting
Opening Hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel (building verses)
Collect of the Day (Rite I from the BCP)
Prayer of Confession of Sins
Kyrie (sung by choir)
Pardon
First Lesson
Second Lesson
Anthem
A Time with the Children
Gospel Lesson
Sermon
Invitation to Discipleship
Hymn of Discipleship
A Call to Prayer (Psalm for the day)
Prayers of the People
The Peace
Announcements
At the Offertory
Communion Hymn
Invitation to the Table
Sharing of the Bread and the Cup
Hymn of Thanksgiving
Advent Blessing
Postlude

As I think about this week's text I am drawn to the line Be on guard that your hearts are not weighed down (Luke 21:34)

A look around perhaps shows a world that has let its guard down. I'm sure a look at my own life reveals a guard down, how else to describe the sudden placement of an extra ten pounds. Diligency doesnt seem to be our virtue. But Advent is a pale of cold water in our faces, calling us to wake up and be on guard. Be on guard for what? For the destruction of the temple? the Son of Man descending on a cloud? I'm not too concerend with the coming eschaton, perhaps I should be. Why? well i'm sure nature will lemme know when the Son of Man will return. I'm too worried about my father-in-law, my mother making in life without her husband, a parishioner who is in the grips of cancer, kids who are ill, not to mention terrorism, torture, war and hunger in our world. I'll save my worries about the Son of Man for a later time, right now today has enough worries of its own.

What's that JC?

And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder: One of the four beasts saying: "Come and see." And I saw. And behold, a white horse.
There's a man goin' 'round takin' names. An' he decides who to free and who to blame. Everybody won't be treated all the same. There'll be a golden ladder reaching down. When the man comes around.

The hairs on your arm will stand up. At the terror in each sip and in each sup. For you partake of that last offered cup, Or disappear into the potter's ground. When the man comes around.

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. One hundred million angels singin'. Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum. Voices callin', voices cryin'. Some are born an' some are dyin'. It's Alpha's and Omega's Kingdom come.

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree. The virgins are all trimming their wicks. The whirlwind is in the thorn tree. It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Till Armageddon, no Shalam, no Shalom. Then the father hen will call his chickens home. The wise men will bow down before the throne. And at his feet they'll cast their golden crown. When the man comes around.

Whoever is unjust, let him be unjust still. Whoever is righteous, let him be righteous still. Whoever is filthy, let him be filthy still. Listen to the words long written down, When the man comes around.

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. One hundred million angels singin'. Multitudes are marchin' to the big kettle drum. Voices callin', voices cryin'. Some are born an' some are dyin'. It's Alpha's and Omega's Kingdom come.

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree. The virgins are all trimming their wicks. The whirlwind is in the thorn tree. It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

In measured hundredweight and penny pound. When the man comes around.

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts, And I looked and behold: a pale horse. And his name, that sat on him, was Death. And Hell followed with him.