Cycle ABC Epiphany

1/6/2014 Confession

Sunday Title:  Homage Sunday  

Sermon Title: “Gifts for a King”

Previously:

Sunday Title:  Heaven and Earth Sunday  

Sermon Title: “When Worlds Collide”

Sunday Title:  Light Sunday  

Sermon Title: “What are we going to do with all this light?”

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 60:1-6 Arise, shine; for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you…. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service. For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.

Ephesians 3:1-12 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose

that [God] has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

Matthew 2:1-12 "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  Tis’ the season of light,

let us step out of the darkness, repenting our sins. (pause)

  Turn us Lord, back to you…

C: We are your children.

  Baptized into the light of the world

    Yet we do not let our light so shine before others….

      We choose darkness over faithfulness.

We do not offer you our best: gifts fit for a king,

  but present our leftovers,

    and consider that, paying homage.

We speak of your royal rule and the kingdom of heaven

  and then do not hold our rulers to your standards,

    lest we ourselves be held to your standards.

We claim you as our king: a light for all nations.

  And then become exclusive in our claims of salvation.

    Attempting to possess truth in smaller corners,

      seeking differences instead of community.

Forgive us Lord, the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

    (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  Arise and shine for our light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon us. God carries out God’s own eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is through Christ’s faithfulness that we may have access to God. For Christ’s sake our sins are forgiven. Let us seek again to shine brightly to the glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!

Cycle ABC Christmas 2

1/5/2014 Confession

Sunday Title: Beginning Sunday

Sermon Title: Grace from the beginning.

Previously: 

Sunday Title: Cosmos Sunday

Sermon Title: From all that is to now.

Sunday Title: The Plan Sunday

Sunday Title: Redemption Sunday 

Sermon Title: "Twelve Days?"

Sunday Title: Again Still Christmas Sunday

Sermon Title: “live for the praise of Christ’s glory”

Scripture Cuttings:

Jeremiah 31:7-14 “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.” For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

Psalm 147:12-20 Praise your God, O Zion!  For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. He grants peace within your borders; he fills you with the finest of wheat.

Ephesians 1:3-14 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,

John 1:1-18 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  Knowing there are no places to hide from God, let us be honest in our confession. (pause)

  Lord you come into the world

C: and still the world does not know you.

  You are the true light and you enlighten our path,

    but we stumble.

You desire to make know to us the mystery of your will,

  yet we do our will

    and keep you a mystery.

Save, O Lord, your people.

Save us from the sins we know in our heart.

Save us from the sins we hide.

(pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God of salvation...

C: lead us back home. Amen.

P:  Our God freely bestows on us a glorious grace, in the Son: Jesus Christ our Lord. In Christ we have redemption through his blood. Our sins are forgiven. We also obtain an inheritance, that setting our hope on Christ we might live, live for the praise of Christ’s glory. To this purpose we are marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!

Cycle A Advent 4

12/22/2013 Confession

Sunday Title:  Love Sunday   Emmanuel Sunday  Children’s Program  

Sermon Title: “Please Welcome Pastor Linda Hilliard”

Previously:

Sunday Title:  Love Sunday  

Sermon Title: “Faith”

Sunday Title:  Love Sunday

Sermon Title: “Following Instructions”

Sunday Title:  Sign Sunday

Sermon Title: "Would You Really Like a Sign?”

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 7:10-16 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the virgin is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Romans 1:1-7 ...Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name....

Matthew 1:18-25 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  Let us speak honestly with God. (pause)

  Lord of our hope…

C: you have sent to us prophets,

  and we are not ready.

    You have sent to us a sign

      and we do not see your coming.

        While we are distracted with the worldly,

          will we know your Son when you send your Emmanuel?

Save us Lord from the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

    (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God of salvation...

C: let us see you with us. Amen

P:  The Lord is coming! His name is Jesus which means that God saves the people from their sins. He is the Messiah the Christ and for his sake our sins are forgiven. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit we may come to know the God who is with us. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!

-or-

P:  Together we confess, personally let us acknowledge our sins.

          (pause)

  Lord of mercy

C: we are in great need a savior,

  but we will only admit that here, publicly, together,

    in our hearts we still shake our heads no.

We fill our days with the busyness of the season,

  all the while you provide a sign of mercy,

    a babe named “The Lord saves.”

How more straight forward could you be?

  Yet we want to receive your grace

    without the charge of apostleship,

      and we claim to be people of faith,

        without the obedience of discipleship.

Forgive us for the sins we’re willing to name.

Save us from the sins we cover up.

       (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God of salvation...

C: come and save us. Amen

P:  Jesus saves! And Jesus is coming. It is for Christ’s sake that our sins are forgiven. God redeems God’s own people. That is us, you and me, and we are filled with the vigor of the Holy Spirit to proclaim this salvation to all. To the glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!

Cycle A Advent 3

12/15/2013 Confession

Sunday Title:  Joy Sunday   Greatest & Least Sunday

Sermon Title: “Imagine: Repentance: Just the Start!”

Previously:

Sunday Title:  Joy Sunday  

Sermon Title: “Managing Joy”

Sunday Title:  Joy Sunday

Sermon Title: “Practice Hope”

Sunday Title:  Joy Sunday

Sermon Title: "Waiting for Real Hope”

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 35:1-10 Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.”

Psalm 146:5-10 …the Lord… keeps faith forever… executes justice for the oppressed… gives food to the hungry…. sets the prisoners free… opens the eyes of the blind.

Luke 1:47-55 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors....

James 5:7-10 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Matthew 11:2-11 Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  Let us prepare for the Lord’s coming by repenting of our sins.

     (pause)

  Lord of our joy

C: we see your amazing signs and rich blessing for us,

  yet we question your authority in our lives.

We consider ourselves people of God

  but we do not travel in your Holy Way.

We hear your messenger preparing the way

  and we know that you mean to save us,

still we seek happiness outside of salvation,

  the salvation you bring to all your people.

Save us Lord from the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

    (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God of salvation...

C: open our hearts to your joy. Amen

P:  The Lord is coming! Jesus Christ is coming into the world. It is for Christ’s sake that our sins are forgiven. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit we may come to know the joy in salvation by the God who reigns and keeps promises forever. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!

Cycle A Advent 2

12/8/2013 Confession

Sunday Title:  Peace Sunday  (Prepare Sunday)

Sermon Title: “In your hearing….”

Previously:

Sunday Title:  Peace Sunday

Sermon Title: “Religion’s role in Faithfulness”

Sunday Title:  Desert Sunday

Sermon Title: "Dust and Water”

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 11:1-10 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.

Romans 15:4-13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea….

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  The kingdom of heaven is coming near!

Let us repent of our sins. (pause)

  Lord of all hope…

C: we allow our eyes and ears to deceive us.

We judge and decide by what brings us favor and pleasure.

  We turn our backs on the poor

    consoling ourselves that we are not rich.

We look down upon the meek for not having our strength.

  We rest upon our religion,

    instead of bearing faithful fruit worthy of our repentance.

Save us Lord from the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide.

    (pause for reflection and self-examination)

P:  God of righteousness...

C: make your path straight in our hearts. Amen

P:  The Lord is coming! A Son is given. It is for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ that our repentance will count and our sins are forgiven. This is the Son who fulfills all righteousness and baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. Let us walk in the paths of right relationship with our God. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!

Cycle A Advent 1

12/1/2013 Confession(s)

Sunday Title:  Plow Sunday

Sermon Title: “Learning Peace”

Previously:

Sunday Title:  Hope Sunday

Sermon Title: “Preparing or Waiting”

Sunday Title:  House Cleaning Sunday

Sermon Title: "Company’s Coming"

Sunday Title:  Preparation Week 1

Sermon Title: “the unexpected hour”

Scripture Cuttings:

Isaiah 2:1-5 Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.

Psalm 122 For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, "Peace be within you."

Romans 13:11-14 Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;

Matthew 24:36-44 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  The time is ripe, let us open our hearts to God...

     (pause for self-examination)

P:  Lord you call us to your house...

C: to the place we know you are present

so we may learn you ways

  and hear of your salvation.

But we would rather listen to the others,

  the ones who lead away from your light,

    the ones who say there is plenty of time,

      we can always change later,

        we can be faithful next week.

We hide in the darkness of our jealousy,

  and revel in quarrels of self-rightness,

    while ignoring the urgency of our faithfulness.

Lord forgive the sins we see,

Lord save us from our blindness. (Pause for reflection)

P:  Messiah is coming, salvation is near to us; for God is sending the Son into the world. For Christ's sake our sins are forgiven. Let us live honorably in faithfulness- wearing the Lord Jesus Christ in all we think do and say. This for the glory of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!

-or-

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  Let us take this time and be honest with God.

     (pause for self-examination)

  O Lord

C: our sin is obvious to you,

  yet we do not see our own works of darkness.

Only you can show us the light of salvation,

  but we are not ready to prepare for your coming.

Even with Christmas on the way,

  we still make provisions for our flesh and desires,

    instead of seeing the sign

      to put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Save us Lord from the sins we know in our heart.

Save us Lord from the sins we hide. (Pause for reflection)

P:  God of salvation...

C: rescue us from ours sins. Amen

P:  The Lord is coming! And what a salvation God will bring to us. Because we belong to God a Son will be sent to save us: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is for Christ’s sake that our sins are forgiven. And through the gift of the Holy Spirit we may again walk in the light of the Lord. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!