Order of Worship

15 December 2024

Have you started the Christmas music and put up the tree? That is okay even if it is still Advent. We can theologically multitask. However, we will keep the process of waiting and the theology of hope with us as we anticipate the meaning of the birth of the Christ child. Today we light the third candle. It is the candle of joy, and we are glad that peace, hope, joy burn side by side. Our theme is "Do What You Can Do".

WELCOME TO SHADOW ROCK UCC!

Prelude ~

Shared by Travis Meyers

WELCOME! Thanks for making Shadow Rock your chosen

spiritual family.

GATHERING IN THE SPIRIT’S PRESENCE

Centering Affirmation: You are uniquely situated to bring light into the world. May you find courage this season to do the good that is yours to do. What ever good you do matters and makes a difference. May you see the ripples of your actions expand ever outward, touching lives and mending the fabric of our shared humanity.

Welcome and Announcements

Led by Pastor Ken

Opening Words

One: Who are we and what are we called to do?

All: We are the sensitive and responsive ones

called to create a world where every person

is radically affirmed and barriers between

people become bridges of inclusion, justice,

and spirituality.

Call to Worship

Led by The Gaberdiels

(Please stand in body, mind, or spirit)

One: “Teacher,” the crowd asked, “What should we do?”

All: If you have two shirts, give one away. Hold onto hope. Live like we belong to one another. Speak the truth. Look for God. Do the good that is yours to do.

One: It’s all that easy, and it’s all that hard. Let us worship our present and active God. In a weary and worn world, how

do we begin again? Where do we start?

All: Let us start small. Let us begin with what is right in front of us. Let us do the good that is ours to do, and let us do it with joy!

One: Yes, let us begin with joy. Today we light the candles of

hope, peace, and joy.

All: May these lights remind us of what could be. May

these lights inspire action. May the warmth of these

lights fill us with joy.

One: May it be so! Amen.

Singing Our Faith ~ O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

by Thomas Helmore

1. O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom capƟve Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

UnƟl the Son of God appear.

Chorus

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel!

2. O come, thou Wisdom from on high,

And order all things, far and nigh;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And cause us in her ways to go.

Chorus

3. O come, Desire of naƟons bind

All peoples in one heart and mind;

Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease;

Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.

Chorus

4. O come, thou Day-spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Chorus

Prayer for Illumination

Shared by Pastor Ken

Spiritual Play Children’s Program “Be the Light”

This Little Light of Mine

Traditional

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let shine, let it shine.

1. I’m gonna take this light around the world,

I’m gonna let it shine

I’m gonna take this light around the world,

I’m gonna let it shine

I’m gonna take this light around the world,

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Chorus

2. I won’t let anyone blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine

I won’t let anyone blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine

I won’t let anyone blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Chorus

Everyday, Everyday, I’m gonna let my little light shine!

Singing Our Faith ~ We Are the Family

Led by Spiritual Play Kids by Ray Repp

Chorus

We are the family and we are the home,

We are the mountain where love can be known.

We are the voices and we are the hands

For bringing peace to our land.

(Repeat)

1. And in our family all are welcome,

Doesn’t matter who you are,

In our home, there’s always room

So plan to stay.

On our mountain where we labor

There’s much work that’s let to do,

And your talents would be helpful if you stay.

Chorus

2. And in our family ev’ry nation,

Ev’ry planet, ev’ry race,

Ev’ryone is always welcome to our home.

And with our voices let us tell you

That we mean just what we say,

And with our hands united, let us pray.

Chorus

Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer

Led by Spiritual Play Kids

Celebrations

Led by Pastor Ken

John the Baptist’s followers once asked him, “What shall we do?”

Church, knowing the state of the world, what is your answer? In the Spirit of Jesus Christ, we say: Do not be discouraged by the weight of the world. Instead, hold fast to hope. Roll up your sleeves. Feed the hungry. Tend the garden. If you have two coats, give one away. Do the good that is yours to do. In doing so, you will see God. For this we believe: small acts of love can make a difference. Amen.

Special Music for Thinking of You Cards

~ Shared by Travis Meyers

In the pew racks are cards with the title “Thinking Of You”. Please use these cards to write a note to someone so they know they are remembered and cared for. Put the card in the offering plate when it comes by and the church office will forward the cards to the person you addressed in the card. This was one of the elements of our time together you lifted up as important for all of us. Thank you! 

This is a good time for you to get a piece of bread and some juice or wine for communion. This allows us to eat and drink together.

Invitation to Rededicate Ourselves to The More of Life

Shared by The Gaberdiels

We prepare ourselves for experiencing the act of giving of ourselves and our offerings with the reading of this reflection.

Reflection ~ “The New Creation"

By Bede Griffiths

Shared by The Gaberdiels

This earth and all that is in it,

and the whole cosmic order to which it belongs,

has to undergo a transformation;

it has to become a "new heaven and a new earth."

Modern physics helps us to realize that this whole

material universe is a vast 'field of energies'

which is in a continuous process of transformation.

Matter is passing into life and life into consciousness,

and we are waiting for the time

when our present mode of consciousness

will be transformed and we shall transcend

the limits of space and time,

and enter 'the new creation.'

We all long for heaven where God is,

but we have it in our power to be in heaven with God

at this very moment.

But being happy with God now means

Loving as God loves,

Helping as God helps,

Giving as God gives,

Serving as God serves,

Rescuing as God rescues,

Being with God twenty-four hours,

Touching God in The Spirit’s distressing disguise.

Offering and Offertory~

Shared by Travis Meyers

Word About Life ~

Shared by Pastor Ken

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by

him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from

the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not

begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not

bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share

with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and

they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your

wages.’

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

Words For Mission

Led by The Gaberdiels

One: And now may the rhythms of our coming together:

the melodies of our worship, and the harmonies of our farewells,

All: Make musical our living, soothing our spirits and

uplifting our souls this day and into the beckoning

future.

One: These are the times!

All: We are the people!

One: All of Creation is blessed.

All: May we love all and serve all.

One: May God be with you.

All: And also with you.

One: Amen.

All: Amen.



EMPOWERING AND SENDING

Sending Forth Song ~ Joy to the World

by G.F. Handel and Issac Watts

1. Joy to the world! The Lord is come!

Let earth its praises bring;

Let every heart prepare Christ room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and heaven and nature sing.

2. Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns,

Let all their songs employ,

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3. Christ rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the naƟons prove,

The glories of God’s righteousness

And wonders of God’s love,

And wonders of God’s love,

And wonders, and wonders of God’s love.

Thank you for being with us!

Sermon Reboot is ON for today.

This is a time to talk about the message and explore together using the ORID Art Form Conversation methodology. What is ORID? It stands for Observation, Reflection, Interpretation, and Decision. You will get the hang of it.