Oceanview UMC | December 19 2021

Home Worship for the

Fourth Sunday in Advent December 19, 2021

Our Home Worship service is much like our in-person service. As you work your way through Home Worship, we hope it is meaningful for you.

Staying home is a form of loving your neighbor. You may be staying home for your own health but in reality you then become less of a carrier to others that you might come in contact with. If you are not comfortable attending socially distanced activities, please stay home and stay in touch! We hope you will feel close to God who is near even if we are far apart. May God Bless you and Keep you.

O Tannenbaum, O Christmas Tree

Traditional German Christmas Song

Call to Worship: Sing with Joy

Pastor: Come, joy, lighten our spirits.

People: Come, hope, lift us from despair.

Pastor: Come, peace, ease our frantic worry.

People: Come, love, shine in all we do.

Pastor: Come, Jesus, be born in us.

People: Come, Lord, set us free.

Pastor: Come, God,

People: Rule in our hearts and teach us to sing with joy!

Dr. Derek C. Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries,

Advent Candle: Joy

L: Today we light the candle of joy

P: We add the light of joy to the light of peace, and the light of love, and the light of hope

L: The light of joy is a celebration of aliveness

P: So let our light shine

L: We are looking for the coming of Christ

P: We want to follow Jesus

L: God sent his son to give light to the world

P: The light of the world is Jesus

L: In him there is no darkness at all

P: The night and the day are both alike

L: The lamb is the light of the city of God

All: Shine in our hearts Lord, Jesus

Angels we Have Heard on High #238

1. Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o'er the plains and the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains

Chorus
Gloria In excelsis Deo Gloria In excelsis Deo

2. Shepherds why this jubilee why your joyous strains prolong what the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heav'nly song

Chorus

3. Come to Bethlehem and see Christ whose birth the angels sing come adore on bended knee Christ the Lord the newborn King

Chorus

4. See Him in a manger laid whom the choirs of angels praise Mary Joseph lend your aid while our hearts in love we raise

Chorus

Advent Prayer For Us All

(inspired by Luke 1:39-45, Amos 5:24, Isaiah 57:7)

Lord our God,

you have revealed yourself as One

who wishes to bring about justice and true peace among people;

In a world that looks away from injustice,

You cast your eyes on the destitute, the poor, and the wronged;

You have called us to follow you,

to preach good news to the poor,

to proclaim release for the captives

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed

and to proclaim the time of your blessing.

Be present with your church, Lord,

as we respond to your call.

Open our eyes to the downtrodden.

Fill us with compassion for the plight of the alien,

the refugee, and the immigrant.

Lead us into ministries that help orphans and widows.

Give us courage to block the paths of the ungodly

who exploit the poor.

Set us free from pious exercises

that prevent us from the true worship you choose:

Sharing bread with the hungry,

Sharing homes with the homeless,

Sharing clothes with the naked,

Sharing hearts with our own kin.

So may your justice roll down like waters,

your righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Lead our footsteps to stand with the poor,

that we might stand with you.

Have mercy, O God:

Scatter the proud,

Put down the mighty,

Lift up the lowly,

Fill up the hungry,

And send the rich away empty-handed.

Amen.

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20 (CEB)

Announcement to shepherds
8 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. 9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, 14 “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

15 When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” 16 They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. 18 Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. 20 The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told.

Sermon: Surprising People

What happens to us when we are truly surprised? We have the opportunity to learn something new. Those shepherds were surprised by the chorus of angels lighting up the sky, and their presence at the birth of Christ is surprising as well. God keeps surprising people.

Let the World Sing, Gloria - Oceanview Worship

Be Blessed with Joy

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. Amen.

(ROMANS 15:13)