A Service of Worship for
The Third Sunday of Advent
December 13, 2020
You can prepare
but still it will come to you by surprise crossing through your doorway calling your name in greeting turning like a child who quickens suddenly within you it will astonish you how wide your heart will open in welcome for the joy that finds you so ready and still so unprepared. Jan Richardson Worship notes are included at the bottom of this page and in the Worship Order located at the link below.
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Adult Education - TODAY, 9AM
The Examined Life and COVID: 2020 and its inner impact: John, and his life partner, Patricia Kane, brought many gifts to Covenant when they began spending part of each year in Houston when John was teaching at the Jung Center. John shares his gentle wisdom at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-your-past Zoom link is available on the Online Gatherings page on our website: https://www.covenanthouston.org/covenant-gatherings.html Full worship service video:
COFFEE TIME Gathering on Zoom
Today, 11AM We will begin as a large group and discuss the elements of worship we find particularly meaningful. After that, we will transition into “rooms" for coffee time. Log in details on the Online Gatherings page. |
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Prelude
"A Babe is Born in Bethlehem" by Dietrerich Buxtehude; Patrick Parker, organ. Call to Worship Lighting the Advent Candle The Cuellar Family (Amy, Mauricio, Lucas, and Sebastian) light the third Advent candle - Joy. Opening Sentences We live in all we seek. The hidden shows up in too-plain sight. It lives captive on the face of the obvious – the people, events, and things of the day – to which we as sophisticated children have long since become oblivious. What a hideout: Holiness lies spread and borne over the surface of time and stuff like color. Scripture Lesson: Luke 2:8-20 Time for Children Confession Unison Confession
Gracious God, we have sought you in high and holy places; we are ill-prepared to acknowledge your presence among the lowly and the poor. We believe you are profound, but we overlook your obvious truths. We are anxious about the unknown but we hardly consider the realities immediately in front of us. Turn us, incarnate God, by the simple wonders of your love, to a rebirth of faith and hope and joy. Amen. Music
"In Dulci Jubilo" by Dieterich Buxtehude; The Covenant Singers, led by Fran Avera. |
Proclamation Hymn "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" by Edmund Hamilton Sears and Richard Storrs Willis; led by Patrick Parker Organ and the Covenant Singers.
Prayer Gentle God, Help us to embrace the eagerness and gladness of the shepherds this season. May we be eager to help, eager to ease the burden of another, eager to share ourselves with ALL our neighbors. May we be glad for even the smallest example of joy, glad when we see another smile, glad when we let ourselves smile. Let our gladness and eagerness replace the fear or sadness we may be experiencing. Help us feel the excitement of the new as the shepherds did when they heard of Jesus' birth. A coming new year, new promises of vaccines, new ideas and new reasons for joy. Amen. - Jodi Bash Invitation
Prayer of Dedication Empower me to be a bold participant, rather than a timid saint in waiting, in the difficult ordinariness of now; to exercise the authority of honesty; rather than defer to power, or deceive to get it; to influence someone for justice, rather than impress anyone for gain; and, by grace, to find treasures of joy, of friendship, of peace hidden in the fields of the daily you give me to plow. Doxology
Affirmation of Faith This is the promise of the incarnation that we await: in the birth of a baby in Bethlehem, God cracked open the heavens and lit up the earth in the face of a beautiful, fragile, creature of the dust—just like us. And we—alongside God—are called to watch and wait in active hope, transgressing false boundaries wherever we find them to share God’s justice and grace. Benediction Postlude "A Rose Has Sprung Up" by Johannes Brahms; Patrick Parker, organ. |
Worship Notes
The worship leader is Raymond Stubblefield.
The prelude is played by Patrick Parker, organ.
The Call to Worship is from Leading in Worship: Worship Resources in a Mennonite Voice for Ears of All Kinds.
The Opening Sentences are from For the Time Being by Annie Dillard.
The Unison Confession is from Touch Holiness edited by Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi.
The Music is sung by the Covenant Singers, directed by Fran Avera, recorded January 6, 2013.
The Prayer of Dedication is from Wrestling the Light by Ted Loder.
The Affirmation of Faith is from “Advent One: To Watch Again Another Night” by Jill Crainshaw.
The postlude is played by Patrick Parker, organ.
The worship leader is Raymond Stubblefield.
The prelude is played by Patrick Parker, organ.
The Call to Worship is from Leading in Worship: Worship Resources in a Mennonite Voice for Ears of All Kinds.
The Opening Sentences are from For the Time Being by Annie Dillard.
The Unison Confession is from Touch Holiness edited by Ruth C. Duck and Maren C. Tirabassi.
The Music is sung by the Covenant Singers, directed by Fran Avera, recorded January 6, 2013.
The Prayer of Dedication is from Wrestling the Light by Ted Loder.
The Affirmation of Faith is from “Advent One: To Watch Again Another Night” by Jill Crainshaw.
The postlude is played by Patrick Parker, organ.
Sunday schedule for today:
9:00 - Adult Education with Zoom
10:00 - Worship via videos on the Worship Page
11:00 - Transition from worship to coffee time with Zoom
9:00 - Adult Education with Zoom
10:00 - Worship via videos on the Worship Page
11:00 - Transition from worship to coffee time with Zoom
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