This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, November 29, 2009.
November 2009 Archives
THE PROPHETIC LESSON Jeremiah 33:14-16
THE GOSPEL LESSON Luke 21:25-36
SERMON "Hope: Preparation as Alertness"
Worship Notes
Welcome to worship at Westminster on this, the First Sunday of Advent, which is also celebrated as the start of a new church year. The liturgical color for Advent is blue and that color appears not only in the paraments on the communion table and lectern, but also in the choir stoles and in three of the four candles in the Advent wreath.
The season of Advent is a time of anticipation, expectation, and preparation. By observing a season of Advent, we have the opportunity to reflect on just how much our world waits with eager longing for the coming of the Messiah. During Advent, our worship cultivates a sense of mystery as we wait in anticipation of the coming Light. The season of Advent is always measured by the four Sundays proceeding Christmas Day. Each week represents the passage of 1,000 years to total the 4,000 years believed to have elapsed between the time of Adam and Eve and the birth of the Savior. We use an Advent wreath as a symbol of our progression through this season as we prepare to move from a world of darkness into a world of light. This year we light the candles as a response to God's word rather than at the beginning of our service.
God's word expressed in worship today is focused on hope. This hope is that which exists in the midst of darker times represented in the apocalyptic character of today's scripture lessons. The hymns and service music through which we worship today reflects this spirit of hope amidst the darkness.
During Advent, our worship will begin with the choir singing one of the O Antiphons, which have been incorporated as a lyrical paraphrase into the familiar Advent Carol, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." The prophetic text of the antiphons has been used by Christians to prepare for the Christmas observance since the first century.
This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, November 22, 2009.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON 2 Samuel 23:1-7
THE NEW TESTAMENT LESSON John 18:33-37
SERMON "The Thankful King"
Worship Notes
Today is marked as the last Sunday of the Christian year and is often referred to as Christ the King Sunday marking the sovereignty of Jesus over our lives. It is also Thanksgiving Sunday where we explore the essential component of grace in our spirituality. The connection between Christ as King and thanksgiving is highlighted in our worship today.
Our worship begins with the haunting melody of a Taize song reminding us that in the Lord we are ever thankful. We continue this thanksgiving singing such hymns as We Gather Together, Come Ye Thankful People Come, and Now Thank we all Our God. Our younger singers also sing our thanksgiving providing their voices to lead us in a celebration of grace.
In the concluding section of our worship we "say grace" before we recess down to the fellowship hall to eat our Thanksgiving Dinner.
THE GOSPEL LESSON Mark 13:1-8
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON 1 Samuel 1:4-20
SERMON "Pouring it Out!"
Worship Notes
The central text this morning is the story of Hannah and how God creates life where none is expected. We begin with the words from Isaiah reminding us of the joy we find in God's presence. In the Processional Hymn we begin with the words "Come, Thou Almighty King, Help us Thy name to sing, Help us to praise."
In our Confession we are reminded that the lack of hope often leads to lives filled with despair and troubled spirits. The hymn following the sermon include the words "Bring to our troubled minds, Uncertain and afraid, The quiet of a steadfast faith, Calm of a call obeyed."
The Prayer response beautifully evokes the words "Nothing can trouble, nothing can frighten...God alone fills us".
In our offering this morning, you are invited to place your pledges and Time and Talent sheets for 2010 in the plate as it is passed. We close with the rousing contemporary hymn "O For a World where our hope is in a God who brings equality, peace, and justice".
This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, November 8, 2009.
THE EPISTLE LESSON Philippians 2:1-8
THE GOSPEL LESSON Mark 12:38-44
SERMON "Giving It All!"
Worship Notes
In our worship this morning, we focus on the question of stewardship. The central text is the story popularly referred to as the Widow's Mite. Jesus points to the actions of a widow (an image of a poor and vulnerable member of his society) in which she gives all she has to God compared to those in power who give so little of what they have. In our prayer of Confession, we admit that often fear holds us back from faithfully offering all of ourselves to God. We are reminded in our hymns that God is the source of all that is good and is a gracious God who showers gifts on upon us every day.
This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, November 1, 2009.
