Gathering Our Spirit to God's Spirit

We’ve got a table covered with many candles, a few of them very tall. This is our Advent Wreath this year. The tall candle of Hope, the short candle of Peace and the wide candle of Love remain. The candle of Joy is in the center. The Eye Chart emphasizes the words “I see God in you.” In front of this is the long table with many, many small votive candles on it from the prayer vigil for David Gentiles.

• “Joy to the World” by Tom Prasada-Rao plays
• A Journeyer steps up to light the lamp and another rings the bell

Welcome and Breathe

• Renee welcomes, has us breathe…

Worshiping with Our Children

• Rick leads our children in talking about how Advent can be a time of joy

In Memoriam

• Leslie relates to the community the events of the week surrounding the passing of Pastor David Gentiles
• Leslie leads the community in prayer

Joy

• A Journey family reads the Advent Welcome

Reader 1: Today we light the candle of Joy. When we deal with loss, and when we find trouble, we can feel very empty and alone. We can feel scared. It’s a world with loss, and betrayal, and pressures, and worries. It’s a world in which it’s easy to forget the message that Love is real.

But Love is real. We gather to remember that. We stand together as followers of Jesus. The tell the story that God came into this world -- in the midst of poverty and darkness and fear -- and Love shone like light and beauty and strength and courage and power.

Reader 2: The early Christian teacher Paul told the Jesus people in Philippi,

“Find your joy in God, always. Let me say this again: find your joy. Be gentle with every single person. Do not worry about any single thing. Instead, in every moment, give thanks to God and ask for what you need. And God’s peace -- the peace that God gives, that cannot be understood – will guard the gates to your hearts and minds.” (Philippians 4)

Joy is at the heart of the journey through Advent to Christmas: Joy in the knowledge of what God has done throughout the ages, joy in the realization that God is able and that God does change things for the better, joy in the assurance that God can enter into our lives no matter what our situation may be. The Apostle Paul calls us to a life of rejoicing:?to live a life full of rejoicing and gentleness; to put aside worry in the confidence that the Lord is near; to lift our requests in prayer, with thanksgiving; to trust that the Peace of God will guard our hearts and minds.

Reader 1: Please pray with me. In a world of busyness and worry, of grief and fear, we come to you God, and ask for help. We hear the message that the Christ-child is coming into the world where we are. That the Word becomes flesh and blood and moves into our neighborhood. That You, God, are with us, intimately intertwined in our every moment. But it is hard to believe. So help us see that Your Love, God, is real, and that we can experience it, and live it, and share it. Amen.

• Jonny Baker video “Unwrap Our Darkness” plays while Sufjan Stevens’ “O Come O Come Emmanuel” plays as background music
• Rick talks about today’s theme, “I See God In You” and how that’s what we’re doing as a faith community, and during Advent, and how that’s a huge part of what Davy G was all about – seeing God in every person. And so did Jesus.
• Renee leads the community in singing “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”

Giving -- To Help God Do God's Work in This World

• A Journeyer reads reads Isaiah 40:1-5 and then leads an offertory prayer
• Judi S. sings “Stables” by Peter Mayer as the ushers pass the baskets and then take them to the foot of the cross.

Telling The Story and Our Story

• A Journeyer reads Luke 10:25-37 (the good Samaritan story)
• Rick talks. [This is not a eulogy. David’s in it, but this is about all of us and the coming of Christ and how Jesus was love and saw it in every single person and that was the best possible vision the prophets ever had. This isn’t about Law; it’s something cosmically bigger than that. It’s about looking for God’s Love in ourselves, and in other people, and acting as if it’s true even if it doesn’t feel like it. And, do it now. Don’t wait.]
• Rick invites the community to come forward and light the votive candles [This is celebratory, not maudlin; baby Jesus is being born.]

Go Out to Serve with Mercy and Grace

• Renee leads the community in singing “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
• Leslie dismisses
• “Joy to the World” plays again as folks depart