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MARK STREET UNITED CHURCH

The House of Friendship

90 Hunter Street East

Peterborough, Ontario K9H 1G5

705-742-2682

markstreetchurch@bellnet.ca

www.markstreetunited.com

10 a.m.

Rev. Patti Armstrong, B.A., M.Div., Minister

Office Administrator: Jill Brown

Custodian: Judy Ashworth

Parish Nurse: Janice Ross RN, MN

Rev. Alan Boyd M. A., Th. M., Retired Supply Minister

Thank you to Rev. Alan Boyd Retired Supply Minister for putting together todays service. Thank you to Sonya Guingona for leadership in the ministry of music.

(*PLEASE STAND AS YOU ARE ABLE &

CONGREGATION RESPOND IN BOLD)

Carolling Our Way to Christmas:

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks

(# 75, verses 1-4, Voices United)

Good Christian Friends, Rejoice

(# 35, verse 1 twice, Voices United)

Theme: why cant we mess with the manger?

. . . on the eve of His 2,000th birthday, Jesus is firmly centre stage.

You can throw out the empty tomb, Harry Maier, Professor of NT, Vancouver School of Theology, said of today's spiritual debates. But you can't mess with the manger.

Stephanie Nolen,

"Give them Jesus, but hold the theology,"

Globe and Mail, January 2, 1999 A6.

WELCOME & GREETING ONE ANOTHER

LIFE AND WORK OF THE CONGREGATION

CENTERING OURSELVES FOR WORSHIP

Let us take a moment of quiet reflection to center ourselves for worship and become more aware of Gods presence among us.

ILLUMINATING CHRISTS LIGHT (together) Song of Faith, 2006

We sing of the Creator,

who made humans to live and move

and have their being in God.

(First Candle is lit)

We sing of the Spirit,

who speaks our prayers of deepest longing

and enfolds our concerns and confessions,

transforming us and the world.

(Second Candle is lit)

We find God made known in Jesus of Nazareth,

and so we sing of God and Christ, the Holy One embodied.

Christ Candle is lit)

HONOURING THE LAND

As we gather together in this faith filled worshipping community, we celebrate the shining waters which run through the ancestral lands of our First Nations sisters and brothers in the area. Those waters shimmer with the Great Spirit of all Creation and the spirits of the mothers and fathers that came ahead of us. In our time together, let the ground on which we congregate as Mark Street United Church be sacred ground.

Call to Worship: Richard and Charlene Fairchild, and Anne Stansell

Lets Go to Bethlehem (Copyright 1994/1996), adapted (Responsively)

The Word became a human being and lived among us, and we have seen his glory. Oh, come, let us worship him. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never mastered it. Those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them a light has shined. We have seen Christs glory, the glory as of a fathers only son, full of grace and truth. For a child has been born for us a son given to us. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. Today Christ is born; today salvation has appeared. Glory to God in the highest! Alleluia!

Gathering Prayer: Walter Brueggemann (In Unison)

meditating on Joel 2:4 & 3:10 after the World Trade Center bombing

in Edwin Searcy, ed.,

Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann [2003] 77.

You who are Peace,

The intrusion of pain,

the eruption of anger,

the embrace of rage,

and then bewilderment and wonderment and awe.

Our lives in faith are situated among the poets:

The poet talks about,

swords to plowshares

spears to pruning hooks,

and unlearning war.

But answered by a shadow poet who bids,

plowshares to swords,

pruning hooks to spears

be not a weakling!

The poems conflict us, as we are conflicted,

sensing and knowing better,

knowing better, but yielding.

Do not deliver us from the clashing poems

that are your word to us.

But give us courage and freedom and faith

O Prince of Peace

In the name of the Manger-Dweller who taught us to pray,

Our Father . . . .

The Lord's Prayer (# 921, Voices United)

Gathering Hymn: Angels We have Heard on High

(# 38, Voices United)

Lighting the Candle of Love: Amy C. Wake

Advent Candlelighting Liturgy, First United Methodist Church, Honolulu, Hawaii

Reader 1: In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David (Luke 2:1,3-4).

Reader 2: Today we remember Joseph, worn-out traveler and worried husband, doing what was necessary for the sake of his family, the burden of poverty stifling his hope in the promise of God. There was no room for him, yet he knows to whom he belongs.

Reader 1: Today we give thanks for the Josephs among us, migrating far from home when there is no choice, fiercely devoted to the ones they love, unwavering in their belief that there is room for all in the kingdom of God.

Reader 2: On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we light this candle as a symbol of Joseph, who knocks at the door, ready to take his place among royalty.

(Light two purple candles, the pink candle, and the last purple candle)

A Candle Is Burning (# 6, verse 4, Voices United)

Good News about Jesus: Luke 2:8-14 (Responsively)

Eugene H. Peterson,

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language [2005], adapted.

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, Gods angel stood among them and Gods glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, Dont be afraid. Im here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Liberator has just been born in Davids town, a Liberator who is Messiah and Master. This is what youre to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing Gods praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,

Peace to all on earth who please God.

This is the Good News about Jesus of Nazareth. Good News indeed!

A New Creed (# 918b, Voices United; standing]

Hymn: Go, Tell It on the Mountain (# 43, Voices United)

SHARING OUR STORIES (Childrens Time): Away in a Manger

Baptism of William Aberdeen Wall

Good News about Jesus: Luke 2:7, 12, 16 (Responsively)

Codex Vaticanus

While they were there, it came time for Mary to give birth. She delivered her first-born son and wrapped him round and round in cloth. She laid him in a feeding-trough because there was no room in the guest-room.

The messenger said to the shepherds, Dont be afraid. Take a long, hard listen: Im announcing joyous, great good news for everyone! Today for you has been born a liberator, messiah and master, in Davids city. This is the evidence you need: You will find a baby wrapped round and round in cloth and lying in a feeding-trough.

They went in a hurry and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the feeding-trough.

Sermon: Away in a Manger

Moment for Reflection: Charles R. Swindoll

The Pivot Point of His Story, Kindred Spirit 30.4 (Winter 2006): 19.

About the time Wang Mang overthrew the Han dynasty, lions were facing extinction in Western Europe. Buddhas religion was reaching China, and monks in Sri Lanka were preparing to write down his teachings. Yet Luke focused on a feeding trough in a small corner of an empire ruled by Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus.

Octavianus was given the title Augustus, which is Latin for majestic or venerable. This Caesar Augustus ended a century of civil wars and ushered in an era of peace, prosperity, and imperial greatness for Rome known as Pax Romana.

A baby was born in an animal shelter near an inn, a rugged setting which no one knew and where no one cared. Dirty shepherds encountered angels who scared them to death. Such was the entrance, stage right, of the Kings of kings and Lord of lords!

A Song of Faith, excerpted (In Unison)

[approved 39th General Council, The United Church of Canada, 2006]

We find God made known in Jesus of Nazareth,

and so we sing of God the Christ,

the Holy One embodied.

We sing of Jesus,

a Jew,

born to a woman in poverty.

CHOIR ANTHEM

*OFFERING SONG: MV #191

What can I do? What can I bring?

What can I say? What can I sing?

Ill sing with joy. Ill say a prayer.

Ill bring my love. Ill do my share.

DEDICATION OF THE OFFERING (In Unison)

Your work needs many hands

To see it to fulfillment.

Your work needs our trust and participation.

Through our gifts this day

And through our discipleship,

We offer what we have and are to you.

Bless all of our giving and multiply our gifts

So that your vision may become reality. Amen.

Beth W. Johnston, Hantsport P.C., Hantsport, N.S.

Our Prayers for One Another (Responsively)

THE LORDS PRAYER VU #959

Departing with Praise: Unto Us a Boy Is Born

(# 54, Voices United)

Journeying with God: Mark Moore (Responsively)

Go with an invitation. We go, extending this invitation:

Crowns and Shepherds Crooks,

Wisdom and Simplicity,

Come and see how a baby-God looks!

Benediction

MUSICAL POSTLUDE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please note that the office is closed from December 22nd, 2017 to January 2nd, 2018.

Since the beginning of October, your minister, Rev. Patti Armstrong has been on Restorative Care. In her absence, Shining Waters Presbytery has appointed Rev. Alan Boyd as Retired Supply Minister at 50% time to provide worship leadership, critical pastoral care and governance support. His regular office hours are Wednesday and Thursday mornings (9:30-12:30) In the event of an emergency, he can be reached at 705-760-9593.

We are collecting 1) bread tags for St. James 2) pop can rings and 3) Milk bags for sleeping mats. Collection bins are on the bulletin board in the foyer. Thanks Janet McLeod

Please pick up your 2018 offering envelopes in Friendship Hall.

Please pick up your 2018 offering envelopes in Friendship Hall.