January 3, 2021
Epiphany Sunday Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song The First Noel COBRA’s Christmas Choir https://youtu.be/5C-nwNXMQ6I Announcements Sunday, 7:00 PM Zoom Advent Book Study – Chapter 5, Incarnation Here is your invitation: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdxhcclBuf *Call to Worship Have you seen the star of Bethlehem? Get up, people of God; let it shine in your lives. We have seen Christ’s star and have come to worship. We are ready to let God lead and direct us. Come from the shadows of earth to the light of God’s eternal purposes. We are here to be equipped by God to carry good news into the world. Amen. Song One Small Child First Call https://youtu.be/PRjXnENZpZs *Opening Prayer Glorious God, you are nearer to us than our very breath, yet often we fail to see you in our everyday lives. Grant us the courage to follow your light, wherever you would lead us. May we follow the kings of old, as they followed the star to find the infant Jesus. Help us give of ourselves, that we may forsake the glitter of things that do not endure, for the brightness of life eternal, found in Jesus Christ. Amen. Song One King Point of Grace https://youtu.be/e013hM0BRuA Scripture Matthew 2:1-12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Sermon Where is the King? WHERE IS THE KING? Matthew 2:1-12 “Where is the King?” It was a good question and it was a good place to ask it. The Wise Men had journeyed from the east to Jerusalem in search of the king whose star they had followed. Jerusalem was, after all, the capitol city of Israel, and was surely the place where the new king would be born. And Herod was the current king, so it made sense that the new king would be found in his palace. And so the Wise Men came, asking, “Where is the King?” It is said that their question caused Herod to be disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. I shouldn’t wonder. After all, apparently Herod had no new king in his palace, nor was he expecting one in the near future. And so he was struck with fear that a rival king might spring up at any time. And Jerusalem had known enough intrigue and assassination over accession to the throne to be wary at the first sign of new trouble. “Where is the King?” He was not where they expected to find him. Nor was he the kind of king they were looking for. I have been wondering, if I were to go looking for this King, Jesus Christ, in this time and in this world, where would I find him? Is he even here anywhere? It is a good question, an appropriate question. “Where is the King?” I thought about some of our fellowship meals before the pandemic put an end to social gatherings. We have gathered around the tables after worship or on a weeknight to eat and enjoy each other’s company. There has been laughter and good conver-sation, and at some tables we see the youngest members of the congregation sitting beside the oldest members. People enjoyed themselves so much! It seems like there is no fellowship like Christian fellowship. There are no friends like Christian friends. I never have a better time than when I am in a gathering of church family. I remember that Jesus loved to be with his friends for meals. And the first miracle took place when he attended a wedding. You remember, the hosts ran out of wine, a terrible social mishap in that day, and Jesus turned water into wine. You could say that Jesus enjoyed a good party! And I though about our times of fellowship around the table, and I knew the King was there. I thought about the Christmas pageant we had one year when I was serving a church in Columbia, SC. People had prepared for it for weeks. The children had been strictly drilled about what to do and when to do it, and what to say and who was to say it. One of the grandfathers worked many long hours cutting out and painting a wooden cow and donkey to be part of the set. I can still remember the gentleness in their eyes. The manger had been carefully rigged with a low watt light bulb, so as to convey the radiance of the Christ-child. The music had been rehearsed and learned, the costumes were made. And finally the big night arrived. The children came out onto the platform. The shepherds were wearing their father’s bathrobes, which, of course, were too long and dragging on the floor. At the last minute one of the angels refused to wear his wings, because he said it made him look like a sissy. One of the shepherds said she would wear them, because she had wanted to be an angel anyway. Lines were forgotten. It was hard to hear the ones that were said correctly. And right in the middle of the program, one little girl peered into the manger and announced at the top of her voice, “Hey, there’s no baby in there!” And yet, when it was all said and done, I am sure that the King was there, too. I remembered how he scolded his disciples when they tried to keep the children away from him. He took them onto his lap and held them. He said that the kingdom of heaven was made of such as these. Jesus liked to be with children, in spite of, or because of, the fact that they are loud and messy and unpredictable. Yes, the King was there. I thought about the months that my brother was serving in the Navy during the Persian Gulf War. Many of my colleagues loudly protested that we were even involved in the war. The media made it sound like a glorious effort to set people free. The CNN reporters seemed like old friends before it was all over with. But my brother and my family knew that there was not much that was glorious about being at war. There was fear and danger and the constant awareness that my brother, and other young men, could be killed serving their country. My brother wrote me a letter describing how his ship had come upon to body of a downed pilot in the Gulf, and he was in such bad shape that they didn’t even know whose side he was on. And I remember the thirty hours that it took after his ship struck an underwater mine before we knew that he was safe. I knew the King was with my brother. You see, Jesus didn’t dismiss or ignore those serving in the military, or tell them there was something wrong with them serving their country. In the two stories where Jesus had encounters with Roman centurions, Jesus praised their faith. Yes, the King was there in the Persian Gulf with my brother, and he is with all those who serve in the armed forces today. I thought about Anna. She had been married to “her David” for over forty years. She always called him that, “my David.” They were so dependent on each other. They seemed like they were one. One of them would start a sentence, and the other would finish it. They never argued, though they both had strong personalities. They would discuss, and usually they would do whatever Anna thought best. They loved each other in a way that is uncommon. Then one day “her David” died and Anna was left alone. It was hard to imagine one without the other. She wondered how she would make it without him. But the King helped her get through her grief. He was there when they buried “her David,” and he grieved with her, just as he had grieved with Mary and Martha after the death of their brother, Lazarus. Yes, the King was there with Anna. And he is with all those who are grieving today, the hundreds of thousands of those who lost someone to COVID, and all those others whose loved ones died of disease or accident. The King is with those who grieve. I thought about the man who lay alone in a hospital room dying of AIDS in the early 1990s. His family had disowned him years before when he told them he was gay. He didn’t even know if they knew he was dying. His friends had become more and more afraid to visit him, because they were afraid of catching the virus by being in the same room with him. The nurses who took care of him covered themselves from head to toe with surgical gown, gloves, shoes, hat, mask, and they performed the tasks that were essential as quickly as possible, then they fled. It was a lonely way to die, of a disease that killed not only the body but the spirit, as he was ostracized by society and by his friends. One night an older nurse happened to be on duty. She was different from the others. She would talk to him, and she seemed to really care about him. She came into his room that night and asked if there was anything she could do for him. He looked up at her, with tears in his eyes, and asked, “Would you just hold me?” Silently, she sat down on the edge of the bed, held his thin body next to hers, and began to gently rock him. He died in her arms. Surely the King was there. I remember that Jesus spent time with the lepers, even touching them, talking to them, and showing them that he cared. Yes, Jesus was there. And he is in every hospital room where COVID patients are lying tonight, and with every healthcare professional who takes care of them. “Where is the King?” He is in many places, some of which we don’t expect him in. When there is kindness being done, we can be sure the King is there. Where there is grace being offered, he is there too. Where someone is afraid and needs a hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on, and someone is there for him, the King is with them. Where the hungry are fed, where the prisoners are visited, where the poor are taken care of, where the outsiders are made to feel welcome, the King is there. Where God is worshiped in spirit and in truth, whether by two or three or by a thousand, whether in a crystal cathedral or a small country church, the King is there. Where there is one heart reaching out to touch another, the King is there. “Where is the King?” You can find him at gatherings around the table, whether we are eating together in the fellowship hall at church or serving in a soup kitchen. You can find the King with young men and women go out to war, and where families are at home worrying about them. You will find him in the nursing home, where a lady who is blind and deaf will tell you she knows God is in charge and has a purpose for her life. You can find the King in Sunday School classes where teachers share the love of God with young hearts and minds. You can find him in carols around the piano after Christmas dinner, or in the flames of the candles on the church altar, or in the face of the baby Jesus in your Nativity set. “Where is the King?” He is confronting the hypocrisy of the religious and pointing out the faith of the sinners. He is confounding the wisdom of the philosophers with his simple statements of truth. The King is asking difficult questions that make you examine what you believe and why you believe it. He is pointing out the log in your eye that you missed while looking for the speck in mine. The King is hanging around with people I would lose my job for associating with, prostitutes, party-goers, and the kind of people who hang around in pool halls drinking beer. “Where is the King?” He is in the words of the Mass spoken at the Vatican, and he is in the melodies of the praise songs sung around the fire at youth camp. He is the voice of a child asking, “Why?” He is in churches and schools, houses and tents. He is in every nation among every people. The King’s face is white and black, bronze and olive. He speaks English, French, Russian, and Swahili. He is everywhere. When you look for the King, and I hope that you do, where will you find him? Will you see him in your home, in the faces who gather around the dinner table? Will he be in our Zoom worship services? Will he be in the hand we hold out to help another? Will he be in the faces of the children sledding down the hill? Will the King be found in your heart? “Where is the King?” I hope you find him. But remember – sometimes the King is where you least expect him to be. Song Carol of the Epiphany St. Edmundsbury Cathedral https://youtu.be/G7NMVqv-iOs Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer O God of wisdom, your voice calls to us as we wander. It thunders in the storms of the nightfall; it sighs in the mists of the morning. It laughs in the leaves at twilight; it sings with the sparrows at dawn. Your voice falls on the hearts of all who will hear. And where your voice is heard, the Word is born, and through the Word, all things are made new. Sometimes we do not welcome what is new. Broken, we do not want an in-breaking. We want to shut our doors against the world when you would have us throw them open. We want to clutch our treasures to our breasts when you would have us go on a pilgrimage to place them in another’s hands. We want to repeat our favorite proverbs when you would have us keep silent and kneel at the sound of a baby’s cry. The wise ones kneel before the Child, but Herod plots to kill him. What shall we do, Lord? Who are we that you would send the Child to save us? O Lord of the Magi, help us to be wise. Let us not, like Herod, try to destroy the new; lest we, like Herod, seek to silence the Word. (Everett Tillson/Phyllis Cole) We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication O God, from whom comes all the good things we enjoy, we offer our gifts in the spirit of those long ago who opened costly treasures before Jesus. We give in response to your generosity. May all who are in need experience the unsearchable riches of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, even as their physical needs are met. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Song Do You Hear What I Hear? Gentri https://youtu.be/bGxpxvWNADY *Benediction Radiant God, we have followed your star over “field and fountain, moor and mountain,” traveling far to find you. With great joy we have offered you our gifts. And now, having knelt before you, let us not return to Herod, but let us depart to our homes by a new way. Amen.
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December 27, 2020
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song Joy Unto the World The Afters https://youtu.be/Nu018_9wF7k *Call to Worship We stand at the beginning of a new year. We ask for God’s leadership in everything we do. We pray that this year may be a year of spiritual growth for us. And not for us only, but for the world in which we live. We want to walk in humility of spirit and to seek God’s guidance every step of the way. We want to pray and listen and wait upon God’s Spirit. May every moment be a moment of communion. May God bless the days that lie before us, so that we may experience a deeper sense of God’s presence. And may God bless our lives as we offer them to him now, so that we may be a blessing to others. Song Mary, Did You Know One Voice Children’s Choir https://youtu.be/F1H1-scfD1s *Opening Prayer In the stillness, O God, our hearts turn to you as the needle of a compass points to true North. Amidst all the tension of the world and the turmoil of our lives, you remain at the center, calling us to hope and clarity of purpose. Speak to us in our worship, in something heard or seen or felt, that we may go from this time with a renewed sense of your presence in our lives. Amen. Song Hope Was Born This Night Sidewalk Prophets https://youtu.be/Fok1h3p1sh8 Hearing the Word Scripture Isaiah 43:18-19a “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” Sermon Out With the Old, In With the New I can’t remember when I’ve been more ready to say goodbye to a year than I am now. When I think about last New Year’s Eve, and what I imagined that 2020 would hold, I never even came close to imagining what it has brought. Who would have believed back then that a worldwide pandemic would claim millions of lives, wreak havoc on national economies, lead to new practices like social distancing and mask-wearing, remote learning and Zoom meetings? Who could have pictured the social unrest and historic protests raising public awareness of the ongoing struggle for equal justice for people of color? And I’m sure no one would have believed the record-setting year for natural disasters, including wildfires, hurricanes, and floods! What a year this has been! Are you as ready to move on as I am? I find myself returning again and again to these two short verses in Isaiah 43. God speaks to the people through his prophet: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” God spoke these words to a people in exile, who had been soundly defeated in battle by the Babylonians, watched their capital city, including their Temple, burned to the ground, and been carted off to a foreign land. They didn’t know if they would ever get home again. They had wept by the river, trying to figure out how to worship God in this strange place where there was no Temple. They had experienced horrors beyond description. But finally God had a word of hope for them. Let’s take it apart a little bit. First, God says, forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. That is easier said than done for most of us. It is hard to forget what has happened to us. I know I will never forget what has taken place in 2020. First came the disruption of the pandemic. When we had to suspend in-person worship during Lent, missing being together for Easter, it never occurred to me that we would not be worshiping together in our sanctuary for Christmas. These months of remote worship and Bible study have been hard and tedious. It takes a lot of preparation to have worship materials available online, in the mail, and on Zoom. I have missed seeing your faces in person. I have missed coffee hour and UMW and Bible study and Christmas karaoke. I have not been able to visit parishioners when they have been in the hospital or rehab, due to COVID-19 restrictions. I have not visited in your homes out of an abundance of caution. And we have all watched in horror as so many of our fellow Americans have caught the virus and many of them have died. Some of us have family members who were sick or who passed away, while we were unable to be with them. This year has meant inconveniences, like toilet paper shortages and closed restaurants. But it has also meant economic ruin for many small businesses, who had to close forever. Millions of Americans filed for unemployment and many worried about what would happen if they couldn’t pay their rent. Millions have had to depend on food banks to feed their families for the first time in their lives. It has been brutal and devastating. And on top of all that, we have had social unrest unlike anything seen in a generation. Millions of Americans took to the streets to protest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police in Minneapolis in May. They marched, in spite of the risk of catching COVID, because people had had enough. This was a last straw in a long recent history of shooting of unarmed black people. There were even demonstrations in other countries, as people became aware of what was happening here. Confederate monuments were taken down. The names of buildings and streets and food products were changed. But it is not enough. The fight will continue into 2021 and probably beyond. How do we forget these things? How can we not dwell on them? We do that by remembering that God has promised to do a new thing. The New Year brings the promise of good things. There is hope. There is a reason for joy. For one thing, we now have more than one company producing a vaccine for COVID, and by the summer most Americans who want to be vaccinated will have had the opportunity. There is an end to this pandemic in sight. And I believe that the vaccine was developed so fast because of the hand of God; after all, who gave the scientists their intelligence and skill? I also believe that some of the new things we have had to do in 2020 will continue in 2021 and beyond because they have been effective. For one thing, doctors who have been doing tele-health visits, as well as their patients, have found it to be a good system, and it will probably continue to be used. For another, Zoom meetings may have become tedious, but they do offer a way for people to get together, from any distance or location. We can see each other as we talk and we can include more people who may not otherwise be able to attend. Churches have reported an increased number of people accessing their websites during the past year, and I believe that will be a trend that continues, as well as posting worship materials or recorded services online. We can reach a much greater number of people through the internet than we ever could in person. We will also see a new government in 2021, as a new President takes office. It remains to be seen how well the President and Congress will work together, but we can hope that things will be less polarized and divisions will be less hostile. There are big issues and problems that need to be addressed, and it is important for the branches of government to cooperate with one another. There are many things we cannot even begin to imagine that will be new in 2021. But we can be confident of one thing: God will be with us. God will have a plan for us. And God will walk with us, as God has walked with us through 2020. Were it not for my faith that God is with me, I think this year would have just defeated me, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically. But because I know that God is God, and that God chooses to be in relationship with human beings, I can move forward with confidence and trust. We know that the New Year will bring challenges and failures and tests, as well as blessings and successes. But with God’s help, we will be able to meet those challenges courageously. Song When Love Was Born Mark Schultz https://youtu.be/aKSU9Dbxvrw Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer There is something completely magical about gateways, O God. It is hardly any wonder that the ancients often regarded them as pathways to blessing. We too have a sense of their mystery and intrigue as we begin another year. We are leaving behind one chapter of our lives and opening another. We remember the burdens we have borne in the past year – the illnesses and the pandemic, the losses, failures, and mistakes, the broken promises and disrupted friendships, the unfulfilled dreams. But we are also aware of the possibilities that lie before us – new relationships, new growth, new work to do, new experiences of ourselves. We pray for strength in the coming year. Enable us to live passionately and courageously, deeply energized by your Spirit. Save us from the temptation to direct our own paths, but lead us in your way. Let our companionship with Christ give us stability when the seas around us are rough, and a sense of gratitude when they are not. Teach us to serve you in ways that will make our world more loving and more just. Let this gateway, the beginning of a new year, be a passageway to a closer relationship with you. Through Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray: (John Killinger, adapted) The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Glorious God, all life has its source in you. Through you, the stars come into being, and the waters cover the deep. At your command, trees bear fruit, and the earth provides food for your creatures. Your steadfast love gives us everything we need. In thankfulness for your gifts, we offer you our love, our service, and our offerings. Amen. Song Hallelujah Chorus Virtual Chorus https://youtu.be/akb0kD7EHIk *Benediction Let go of yesterday. Embrace tomorrow. Live in the moment. Fear not. Amen. December 24, 2020
Christmas Eve Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us tonight! Gathering Gathering Song Go, Tell It On the Mountain Vanessa Williams https://youtu.be/G45ktb9JiBs *Call to Worship Long we have walked in darkness. The light of the world is coming. We have lived in a land of deep darkness. The light of the world is coming. We have borne a heavy yoke of burden. The light of the world is coming. We have been beaten by the oppressor’s rod. The light of the world is coming. The light of the world is here. Song Angels From the Realms of Glory Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/YYct9rpuVms *Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, on us who have lived in darkness, there shines this night a great light. We thank you for the incredible gift you have given us. We love you, and we thank you for saving us in Jesus Christ. As we kneel at the manger to worship the newborn King, pour out your Holy Spirit on every heart gathered tonight. Open our eyes to the true meaning of Christmas. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. Song The Friendly Beasts Cedarmont Kids https://youtu.be/fWWIBtVq6lI Hearing the Word Scripture John 1:1-5, 9-14 (NIV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Sermon “Heaven in the Real World” I can’t remember a darker Christmas Eve in my lifetime. This has been an extremely difficult year for people in America and around the world. Our nation has been ravaged by disease, natural disasters, and social unrest. And now we pause in the stillness of this moment to catch our breath, reflect on the past, ponder the moment, and prepare for the future. Certainly the COVID-19 pandemic has been the central story in the news this year. From January 21, when the first case in the United States was documented by the CDC, until December 21, when 18 million Americans had been diagnosed. We have seen suffering and death on a scale almost too big to comprehend. It took 5 months to reach the 2 million mark; and just 1 month to jump by another million cases. As of December 21, some 320,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, including 656 in New Hampshire. Just think about that for a minute. All those hundreds of thousands of families grieving the loss of a loved one, or more than one. With over 3 million total deaths in the US this year, this has been the deadliest year in our history, largely thanks to COVID. And in addition to the loss of life, there have been millions of Americans who have lost their jobs, as businesses were forced to close, either for a time or perma-nently. More people are struggling financially, even in need of basic necessities like food, and it has caused a lot of stress and anxiety. But we haven’t just been faced with a public health emergency. Many people in our country have also had to deal with natural disasters. It has been a record-breaking year in this category, also. Consider the occurrence of hurricanes. This is only the 2nd time in history that the alphabetical list of names has been used up. We had the most number of named storms on record, with 29. We had 12 named storms to hit the US, for only the second time in history. And in the middle of September, there were five named storms in the Atlantic at the same time, something that has happened only twice. There were also states in the western part of the country that experienced significant wildfires. The worst of these took place in California, where 4 million acres have burned, more than twice the previous record in one year. The August Complex Fire, which burned 1 million acres, was the largest ever in California. Five of the largest six wildfires in California history happened this year. And Colorado also saw the largest fire in state history, the Cameron Peak Fire, which burned 208,000 acres. We saw historic flooding in Michigan, where 2 dams failed after heavy rain. And in Arizona, the city of Phoenix suffered through a record number of days over 100 degrees, with 144. And then there were the protests that swept across the country in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by the police in Minneapolis on May 25. Within days, protests swept across the United States and the world. The National Guard was called into some locations, and by the end of June over 14,000 people had been arrested. While 93% of these protests were peaceful, there was billions of dollars of damage done by violent rioters. Estimates range from 15-26 million people who participated at some point in these protests, making them the largest in our nation’s history. And we are still struggling with racial injustice and inequality. I recall all of these things tonight, not to depress you or sound negative, but to remind you that if it has seemed like a horrible year, it has been one. It may seem like darkness has taken over entirely. It is only natural for us to feel afraid, discouraged, disgusted, and even angry. Some people have had to turn to assistance programs for food or rent or help with bills. Others have become lonely and isolated, as nursing homes went into lockdown and travel has been discouraged. Many of us are celebrating Christmas apart from our families, just as we did on Thanksgiving. Children have had to learn how to do remote learning, and teachers have had to teach remotely. Worship services have moved online, and Communion takes place virtually. Our lives have been thoroughly disrupted. We even went through a toilet paper shortage, for heaven’s sake! And cleaning products are just as hard to locate. It would be easy to give in to our feelings of sadness and grief and loneliness and despair. It would be understandable if we thought there was only darkness in our world. Except for one thing. Heaven has come to earth. Heaven is in the real world. God sent his Son Jesus into the world on that first Christmas, and nothing has been the same since then. The Gospel of John tells the story of Christmas in an entirely different way than Matthew or Luke. We don’t read about mangers or shepherds or angels; there are no wise men. Instead, John begins at the very beginning, echoing the words of the first verse in the Bible, Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning.” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word is Jesus; Jesus is the Word of God. And Jesus is God. And then John proclaims, “The Word became flesh.” Jesus became a human being. God became one of us. Wow! Can you comprehend how amazing that really is? God – the One who created the universe and everything in it – somehow squeezed himself into human skin, into the skin of a tiny little baby, and was born into this world. And because of that, God understands everything about what it means to be human. We don’t have a God who is just out there somewhere, watching us from a distance. We have a God who is right here, who has felt what we feel, who has lived as we live and died as we will die. We have a God who has laughed and cried, played with children and gotten angry at hypocrisy, gone fishing and eaten feasts and attended weddings. Our God became flesh and blood in order that he can understand what it means to be human, and to show us what all humans are called to be like. Jesus started out in life the same way we started out, tiny, vulnerable, and totally dependent on his parents for his survival. He ate and cried and had to be changed. He cut teeth and learned to walk and went through puberty. He learned a trade and worked at it for most of his adult life. He had a family and had to learn how to get along with his brothers and sisters. He also had to take responsibility for that family as the firstborn when his father died. Jesus had friends and enemies, and was the same person no matter who he was with. And when one of his best friends died, he experienced grief as he wept at his tomb. Jesus was tempted and tested, and knew what it meant to make hard choices. And he knew how hard it could be to follow the will of God. Jesus knows what it’s like to be completely human. He can relate to anything we are going through, even the year 2020. The world Jesus was born into was experiencing a time of darkness, too. Not so much for the rich and powerful members of the Roman Empire, but certainly for all of their conquered peoples, including the Jews. Taxes were high. Wars were frequent. There was no protection of civil liberties for anyone except Roman citizens. Anyone who tried to resist was quickly subdued and put to death. The Jews had been hoping for a Messiah to come and rescue them for over 500 years, but so far God had seemed to be silent. But then God acted in a burst of light dawning on the world. John writes that, in Jesus, a light had come into the world, and the darkness could not overcome it. No matter how dark it might be, the darkness cannot extinguish the light of Jesus Christ. In Jesus we find our hope, our joy, our peace, and our love, even in the darkest of years. Jesus gives us hope that we will get through this time. Jesus plants seeds of joy in our hearts, as we feel the presence of his Spirit in us. Jesus grants us peace, a peace that transcends all understanding and that defies all circumstances. And Jesus gives us love, the love of God for us, and the love that we have for God and for one another. And Jesus also calls us to light up our world, as he lights it up. We light the world by sharing God’s love with others. We light the world by serving others in Jesus’ name. We light the world by donating food to the hungry, by giving generously to help those who are struggling financially, by working for racial equality and justice, by wearing a mask to prevent the spread of the virus, by reaching out to the lonely and the isolated, by lifting up the downcast and the downtrodden. We are the light of the world when we reflect the light of Jesus to others. This Christmas, I pray that you see the light and that you are the light. I pray that you will grasp the hope that is ours through Jesus Christ. And I pray that you will see signs of heaven in the real world as God’s people share the light of this holy night. Song What Child is This? Mormon Tabernacle Choir https://youtu.be/HTyuW1Q2oxU Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer Creating God, on this holy night we come to give thanks for your light. In spite of the depth of our darkness, in spite of the weight of our oppression, in spite of all the barriers we put in your way, still your light shines. You illuminate our darkness and you increase our joy. Tonight we celebrate the child born unto us, the one we call Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. This child confounds us, for in his humility you declare authority, and in his weakness you declare power. Open our eyes once again to your ways, O God. In the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Dear God, we cannot thank you enough for the gift of your Son. Through your grace, you have given us everything, including our very lives. On this night, we celebrate the miracle of Christmas. But when the candles are blown out, when the ringing of bells has ceased, when the angels and shepherds have gone home, may we continue to shine your light into the world through the giving of these offerings. Amen. Song/Candlelighting Silent Night, Holy Night Andy Williams https://youtu.be/UrZ5jzlkKhg *Benediction Go now in wonder. Go to bring light to those in darkness, joy to those who can find no joy, magic to a world steeped in realism. Go with the songs of angels in your ears, and the love of God in your hearts. Go and spread the word – Christ the Savior is born. Amen. December 20, 2020
Fourth Sunday of Advent Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song O Come, All Ye Faithful Mormon Tabernacle Choir https://youtu.be/z51apErmAuw Announcements Sunday, December 20 7:00 PM Zoom Advent Study Adam Hamilton, Incarnation Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kexaujTpNj *Call to Worship It is nearly time. Christmas is almost here. It can’t come too soon, for our troubled and weary world. We need to hear the song of the angels again, and know that God is still here in spite of pandemic and war and human failure. We pray that we won’t be too tired and busy to recognize the spirit of God when we see it, or to hear the song of the angels when it is being sung. We want to be part of God’s solution to the world’s problems by joining in the movement of love that began with the birth of Jesus. May love be the greatest ingredient in our Christmas this year, and let it fill our hearts to overflowing. We shall pay homage to Christ by loving others as God has loved us. Amen. Song In the Bleak Midwinter Virtual Choir Project https://youtu.be/VUw7BHpN608 *Opening Prayer O Lord our God, move among us one again. Open us to the work of your Spirit, that we might come to realize the power of your love as it seeks to embrace us once again. May your grace soothe our hurting souls and heal our wounded hearts. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. Song Away in a Manger SPC Choir https://youtu.be/Fd1-U2IL0g8 Hearing the Word Scripture Luke 2:1-7 (KJV) And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Sermon Heaven in the Real World “Where is the Love?” In some ways, love has taken a beating this year. For one thing, 2020 has been very hard on relationships. A WGN poll in Chicago found that 39% of couples reported having strain in their relationships; that number is going up by 2-3% a week. It would seem that being together 24/7 is not necessarily a benefit for couples. If there are any issues or problems in the relationship, all that time with each other can exacerbate those issues. Lawyers are expecting to see a significant rise in divorce cases when the pandemic is over. For another thing, 2020 has been hard for singles who want to find partners. While dating app usage has gone up, singles still say that it is very hard to meet someone under the conditions of social distancing or quarantine. According to that same WGN poll in Chicago, some 47% of singles broke isolation to get out and meet someone, either a date arranged on social media or just hang out at a local pub or bar. And social isolation has also meant increased danger for victims of domestic violence. Reports of domestic violence have risen across the country by as much as 35% in some areas. Abusers typically try to isolate victims from friends and family, and now that same behavior can be explained as trying to keep their partner safe. And added pressures due to lost jobs or reduced incomes, as well as fears about COVID-19, provoke more violent behavior on the part of the abuser. In general, it seems to me that people are more on edge, more stressed out, more angry and irritable. I have noticed a lot of what I consider road rage: people tailgating or honking their horns for no apparent reason. I have heard people being nasty to grocery store clerks or restaurant workers. It would seem that 2020 has brought out the worst in some people. Bah, humbug! Where is the love? When you look around, where do you see love? Well, perhaps it is in the form of a six-year-old girl named Naomi Williams. Naomi used to be a regular visitor at a nursing home, playing bingo and visiting with the residents. But COVID-19 restrictions put a stop to her visits. Naomi said, “My mommy said we couldn’t visit because a lot of people were getting sick and we have to keep them safe. So, I wanted to color them some pictures to make them happy.” Naomi has been coloring yard signs to put outside the residents’ windows. The nursing home director said, “The residents love the signs. It means a lot to them to know they are loved.” And Naomi added, “We have to let the grannies and grandpas know we love them. I don’t want them to feel sad and alone. I want them to be happy.” Maybe, just maybe, that’s the kind of love that Christmas is all about. God saying, “I don’t want them to feel sad and alone.” And so God sent Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. And it was out of his love that God did this. As we all remember from memorizing the verse in Sunday School, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” Love came down at Christmas in that little baby born in Bethlehem. And love was surely needed in those days. The Jews had been living under the thumb of the mighty Roman Empire for a long time. The vast majority of the people were poor, living hand to mouth, on the edge of becoming destitute. The only rich people were those who collaborated with the Romans, including some of the priests and members of the Sanhedrin. There were those who hoped and even planned for rebellion, but Rome quickly squashed any uprising and killed those responsible for it. The people were looking for a Savior. They wanted God to send the Messiah to lead a revolt against Rome, win freedom for Israel, and establish his kingdom on earth. They hoped and they prayed and they waited and they watched. The prophets had stopped speaking some 500 years earlier, and there had been no word from the Lord. It was beginning to seem to some people as though God had forgotten them. But finally, God acted. He sent the Messiah. But not the Messiah that the people were looking for. He was not born in a palace to a royal family, but in a stable to a peasant couple. He did not appear on the scene as a great warrior, but as a little child. He was small and weak and vulnerable. He was totally dependent on his parents to keep him alive and safe. Jesus was human; he was one of us. What better way to communicate love than through a baby? Babies are, usually, the result of love. And most people love to see babies, to hold them, to coo at them and talk baby talk to them, to tickle them and count their fingers and toes. People smile and laugh and relax when they are around babies. They, too, become vulnerable, because they let their guard down around babies. God sent Jesus because he loves us so much. God did not want to see people continue to miss the point in their religious lives, as so many of the so-called righteous ones in Jesus’ day had done. They were more concerned with the letter of the law and the ritual than they were about the condition of their hearts. They were quite willing to serve in the Temple, where they were seen by others and admired for their holiness, but not so willing to serve the poor, the sick, or the stranger. God wanted people to feel his love and to love him back. God wanted them to understand that faith was about how we live every day, how we treat each other, and how we worship in our hearts. And so God sent Jesus to show us what he is like and to show us how we are supposed to live. Throughout his life, Jesus showed love to everyone he met. He welcomed every one who came to him. He did not discriminate between rich and poor, Jew and Gentile, or men and women. He did not have a long list of requirements in order to follow him; just to love God and love each other. Jesus showed concern for the sick, and offered them healing. He cared about those who grieved and wept with them. He played with children and enjoyed dinner parties with adults. He spoke the truth, even when it was risky and unpleasant, but he also offered grace and mercy and forgiveness to everyone. Even when he was dying on the cross, Jesus forgave those who put him there. For those of us who follow Jesus, who have experienced the love of God through him, we are called to demonstrate that love to others, even during a pandemic. How do we do that? What can love do during COVID-19? Well, just like Naomi Williams, we can bring joy to the elderly. We can write letters or send cards to residents of nursing homes or assisted living facilities. We can call homebound people to check on them. We can offer to pick up groceries for elderly neighbors. It only takes a little effort to make someone’s day a little brighter. We can also bring comfort to the kids. Children are overwhelmed and scared by all the frightening events of this year. Their parents are probably tired and stressed out by having them home all the time. So record yourself reading a book and send it to them. Or drop off a box of goodies for a neighbor’s children. Hang hearts or teddy bears in the windows to cheer up kids who are out playing in the yard. We can show our love by supporting local businesses. We can buy gift cards to use later if we don’t feel safe shopping in person. Some stores let you order online and deliver the items to you at home or curbside. We can also support local restaurants by ordering take-out if we don’t want to go and dine in. Pennie and I love to order pizza from Pizza Chef and Chinese from the place in New London near Hannaford. We can also help local charities. You are always generous to support the local food banks, and this year they need us even more than ever. There are more people out of work or suffering financially, and the demand for food has grown significantly. We can also give to local crisis groups. We can reach out to people who are more likely to be lonely: singles, home-bound folks and widows or widowers. Give them a call. Send an email. Or write a card. Let them know that they are not forgotten, but that somebody remembers them and cares about them. We can show our love by reaching out to frontline workers. If you know a doctor or nurse, EMT, or first responder, thank them for all that they are doing to keep us safe. Send a tray of cookies or a tray of sandwiches. It doesn’t have to be anything big or fancy to let them know that they are appreciated. And finally, we can show our love by protecting others. For starters, we should all wear a mask. It is a fact that they save lives. The face mask is less about protecting yourself and more about protecting others in case you have the virus. What a simple act of kindness to just wear that cloth over your nose and mouth when you go out. It won’t kill you; but going without it just might kill someone else. Where is the love? It is the in the manger and it is beside the Sea of Galilee and it is on the cross. It is in the heart of a six-year-old girl making posters for her elderly friends. It is in all the acts of kindness that we do to show we care about others. And it is in feeling the love of God in our hearts at Christmas and every day. We love others because God first loved us. That is the heart of the Christmas story. Song Love Came Down at Christmas Ilonka https://youtu.be/g4o6gqwwhnU Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer It is almost Christmas, O God, and many of us are worse for wear because of it. We have shopped and baked and generally abandoned ourselves once again to the frenzy of the season. And those of us who haven’t mailed our Christmas cards or finished our shopping or wrapped our presents are filled with anxiety about getting everything done, while those who have done these things are probably tired and still a little anxious lest they have forgotten something. How did things get this way, O God? How did the simple, unpretentious birth of Jesus in a cattle stall near a tenth-rate little town in the Middle East grow into such a frantic, exhausting, and budget-busting occasion? We are not complaining. Christmas is one of the biggest joys of our existence. We love the colored lights, the evergreens, the hustle and bustle of the shopping malls, the frenzied baking and gift-wrapping, the stories of Santa and his elves and reindeer, the excitement of little children, the air of expectation. But we do pray, O God, that we shall not lose the real meaning of Christmas under all this blanket of cultural traditions and fevered preparations. Give us some quiet moments when we commune with you and say thanks for the true spirit of the season. Help us to pause at our desks or over the cooktop or in the traffic and have a sense of your rich and abiding presence that we might not have ever known if Jesus had not been born. Grant that Jesus will be a living presence whose spirit is here right now to encourage us with hope and remind us of a love that knows no boundaries. And we shall praise you, and sing carols about your Son, with a joy that will transform this time into a deep spiritual experience and a loving celebration. We pray in the name of Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray: (John Killinger, adapted) The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Gracious God, we are grateful for the gift of your Son, especially in this time of anticipation of the celebration of his birth. In return, we bring our offerings and our selves. May our giving reflect our acceptance of your love. Amen. Song Some Children See Him Andy Williams https://youtu.be/ifgnXSB4M60 *Benediction Go with the love of God, who extends mercy from generation to generation. Go with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, who prepares us for the coming of our Lord. Go with the peace of the Christ child, who comes to partner with us to bring the kingdom that will never end. Amen. December 13, 2020
Third Sunday of Advent Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song Hark! the Herald Angels Sing/The Music of Christmas Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/ZxpQ7vPzEno Announcements Sunday, December 13 7:00 PM Zoom Advent Study Adam Hamilton, Incarnation Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kexaujTpNj *Call to Worship Sing aloud, sons and daughters! Shout with joyful praise! Rejoice in the Lord always! Again we will say, “Rejoice!” The God of our salvation is near at hand. Our Redeemer is in our midst. With shouts of hope, we sing to God. Again we sing, “Rejoice!” Make known God’s deeds. Proclaim Christ’s love for all to hear. With hearts of laughter, we love. Again we say, “Rejoice!” Song God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen First Baptist Church, Decatur, AL https://youtu.be/24dR-XbcfB0 *Opening Prayer With laughing hearts and joyous hope, we come to you, O God. With tired souls and withered dreams, we come to you, O God. In our joy and in our sorrow, we turn to you, O God. Renew us with your love. Gather us into your strong embrace, that we may know your presence and rejoice in your promised coming. With hopeful expectation, we pray. Amen. Song O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Danah Lee https://youtu.be/PfScS5l_t3w Hearing the Word Scripture James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Sermon Heaven in the Real World “Where is the Joy?” On the face of it, there was absolutely nothing in the situation that would cause me to expect joy. I was sitting in the living room of their home with Steve and Esther Jordan to plan Esther’s funeral. She had been battling a rare cancer since shortly after I had been appointed to serve the Timmonsville, SC church. As a matter of fact, I had accompanied them to Winston-Salem, NC to the Baptist Hospital when she went for surgery and chemotherapy. They had opened up her abdomen, filled it with liquid chemo drugs and left it for a period of hours, then suctioned it out. She had the procedure twice. But the cancer was persistent and kept coming back. There were no other treatment options left. And so, even though Esther was feeling okay at the moment, she had decided it was time to talk about how we would celebrate her life. That was the way she put it; we would celebrate her life. Even though she was only in her mid-40s, she assured me that she had lived a full, happy life. She had a great marriage to a man who had her back, no matter what, through the whole cancer nightmare. She had lived long enough to see both her daughters married to good men, and her first grandchild. She had a faith that was so strong and simple and visible. She knew where she was going and had no fear of death. And she didn’t want her family and friends to get stuck in grief after she was gone; she wanted them to remember her and smile. And her plans for the service reflected that desire. We would sing upbeat hymns, and the choir would sing her favorite, joyful anthem. It would be a true celebration. When I left Steve and Esther’s house that day, I realized that we had laughed more than we had cried, and that I had felt a powerful joy in the room. Esther’s faith and love and openness in discussing her future had created a space for joy in the midst of sadness. She wasn’t going to be depressed about her future, and she willed the rest of us to not be depressed either. For a Christian, joy is a way of life. It isn’t a feel-good sensation when everything is going our way. It isn’t the same thing as happiness, dependent on positive circumstances. Joy is deeper than that. Joy is something that is in our heart, but also in our soul. Joy has to do less with us and more to do with God. We have joy in our hearts because we are children of God, because we are in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, because the Holy Spirit lives inside of us. We have the joy that James wrote about in the first chapter of his letter. You might wonder at the sanity of a man who could write these words: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” I mean, think about it. When you’re in the middle of a tough time, when you’ve lost a job, or a family member has died, or your child is being bullied in school, you don’t usually consider it a reason for joy. When you are in the middle of a pandemic, and over 280,000 Americans have died, and you are waiting on a vaccine, you don’t think of it as a joyous period in history. What kind of person would put “trials” and “joy” in the same sentence? A man of great faith could write those words. A man who had experienced suffering and found God in the midst of it could write those words. A man who knew what trials could do to you and still held onto his faith could write those words. “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Where is the joy? The joy is in knowing that you don’t face those trials alone; God is with us, even in the trials, even in the suffering, even in the pandemic. Maybe God is with us especially in the trials and the suffering and the pandemic. And because God is with us, because we know the peace and love and grace of God, we have joy. Our joy is not based on our circumstances, or even on our feelings; it is based on that relationship. The apostle Paul faced about as many trials and sufferings as any one man could in one lifetime. He described some of the things he had been through in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28: I have … been in prison…, been flogged …, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep. I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Let’s just take one example of what Paul went through. He and Silas had traveled to Philippi, where a wealthy woman named Lydia had become a follower of Christ. She invited them to stay with her while they remained in the city, and they were glad to accept. While they were in Philippi, they encountered a slave girl who had a spirit which enabled her to predict the future. Her owners made a lot of money having her tell people’s fortunes. She followed Paul and Silas around for days, shouting at them and harassing them. Paul got really annoyed by this, and he ordered the spirit to come out of the woman. And it did. As soon as her owners realized that they would no longer be able to make a profit with her, they dragged Paul and Silas into the marketplace to face the authorities. They accused Paul and Silas of getting the city riled up by advocating customs that were illegal for Romans to practice. The leaders ordered Paul and Silas to be stripped and beaten with rods. And then, after they had been severely flogged, they were hauled away and thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to keep a careful watch over them, so he put them in an inner cell and put their feet in the stocks. You might think that Paul and Silas would be broken by this, not only in body, but also in spirit. You might expect them to pray to God to save them. You might not be surprised if they were weeping. But instead, Paul and Silas sang hymns. They sang hymns! Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song about this faith and joy of Paul. It’s called “What Kind of Joy is This?” and it goes in part like this: Anybody in their right mind would’ve given up their preaching and headed for home They’d been warned a hundred times but something inside them keeps giving them hope And just when you think they’d be crying instead of the tears, there’s joy in their eyes Anybody else with his pain would want to shake their fist at heaven and give up the fight ‘Cause trouble had been Paul’s middle name ever since he’d been captured by God’s blinding light But just when his hope should be dying you listen and hear him singing a song What kind of joy is this that counts it a blessing to suffer? What kind of joy is this that gives the prisoner his song? What kind of joy could stare death in the face and see it as sweet victory? This is the joy of a soul that’s forgiven and free What kind of joy is this? What kind of joy is this? What kind of joy is this the father has promised his children? What kind of joy is this that Jesus came to reveal? What kind of joy could give hope in this world to someone just like you and me? This is the joy of a soul that’s forgiven and free When I was home for Thanksgiving my freshman year in college, my brother got a beagle puppy. Her name was Boots, because she had white feet. I had Boots out in the front yard playing with her, when she took off towards the street. I didn’t realize she could move that fast. So I chased her and leapt out to grab her, and landed on my left knee. That knee had already given me trouble, since I was in the 8th grade and was diagnosed with arthritis. Now it really swelled up and was so painful that my mom had me see a doctor. He put me on crutches and a straight leg brace to see how it did with rest. It didn’t get any better. So I went back to college with the brace and the crutches, and had to look forward to surgery when I came home for spring break. In the meantime, the day before I was to go back to college, one of my best friends’ father died suddenly of a heart attack. He wasn’t very old, maybe 50 or so. I considered him a second dad. Because I had to go back to college, I wasn’t even able to attend his funeral, so I had to do my grieving on my own at school. It was kind of lonely in my sadness. One day, after spring break when I came back to school on crutches (still) following my surgery, I was hobbling from the dorm to the library, loaded down with a heavy backpack. One of my classmates caught up to me and we walked together. She got a serious look on her face, and said to me, “You know, I just don’t get it. You’ve been through so much this year, with your knee, and losing your family friend, and trying to get around campus on these crutches. But it doesn’t even seem to get you down. How do you do it?” I didn’t realize that anyone was paying that much attention to me. And her question kind of floored me. I guess I hadn’t been depressed about all the trouble I was going through; I just made a point to grin and bear it. After all, complaining about it wouldn’t have changed the situation any. But I didn’t realize anyone else noticed how I was coping with things. I said to her, “I have gotten through all this because I depended on God. I knew that God was with me all this time.” She kind of nodded her head, and we walked on to the library. When we have joy in our hearts, joy that refuses to leave the premises even under harsh circumstances, when we face trials and suffering, people notice. They see the light of Jesus Christ in us. They see that we have joy that defies explanation, except for our faith in God. I look around me now in the midst of a national health crisis, in the midst of political turmoil and social unrest, and I ask, Where is the joy? But then I take another look. There is joy in the creative masks that people are wearing, from Christmas themes to dog faces to Disney characters, people are expressing a good sense of humor about things. There is joy in the faces of the children who are looking forward to Christmas, as they decorate Christmas trees and bake cookies and write letters to Santa Claus. There is joy in the way that we have been reminded of the precious gifts of family and friends, and that we will never take them for granted again. There is joy in the way that people have offered to help those who are vulnerable, by doing their shopping or just visiting them through the window of their home or assisted living facility. There is joy in the lights that people have put up in their yards to celebrate the season. There is joy in remembering that in all that we are going through, God has never left us and will never leave us. We are not walking through this valley of the shadow of death alone. We have a loving Parent, an intimate Friend, and a trusted Companion walking with us. One of my favorite hymns is “Joy to the World.” It gives the reason for our joy: the Lord has come! The joy that is embedded in my heart which no trial or time of suffering can ever remove is found in knowing that Jesus Christ is born. God has come into this world as one of us. And life has never been the same since that first Christmas night. I hope you find joy in this season, in spite of what is going on in the world around you. I hope that you feel the presence of God with you in unmistakable ways. I hope you feel joy as you spend time with family and friends (safely). Where is the joy? It is right here, in our hearts. Song Joy to the World Mormon Tabernacle Choir https://youtu.be/DLT9dSt8cwg Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer Holy God of birth and life, this season is alive with joy and blessing. The sights and sounds of Advent remind us of hope that is born into the world by your love. May that truth be more than merely a season but a daily reality. May Christmas be more than a time of commerce, but a period for renewed commitment. In living our lives, may we live large enough that grace is made real, that our service is sanctified, and that we realize we can never out-give you. We pray in the name of the Christ-child, our Savior, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Generous God, you have given us all that we have and all that we are. We thank you for the opportunity to respond to your love and generosity by sharing our gifts with others. Our hearts sing with joy as we work with you to bring true peace and justice to our world. As we prepare for the coming of your Son, may our lives proclaim your good news for all throughout the earth. Amen. Song Angels We Have Heard on High Josh Groban https://youtu.be/dtByTy_5jqI *Benediction Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, God, that we may joyfully receive and faithfully share the gifts of faith, hope, and love that are ours through Jesus Christ. Amen. December 6, 2020
Second Sunday of Advent Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song Hark! the Herald Angels Sing Martina McBride https://youtu.be/BvQeJnzdzKc Announcements Sunday, December 6 7:00 PM Zoom Advent Study Adam Hamilton, Incarnation Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kexaujTpNj *Call to Worship In this season of prophecy, promise, and preparation, we come to be renewed and refreshed. We come to be inspired by stories of a Messiah who will change the world – and change us. We come to listen for words of hope and peace, joy and love, promise and challenge. We come with open ears, open minds, and open hearts. We come to receive the blessings God has in store for us in this season of waiting. Song It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Montrose Baptist Church https://youtu.be/XQjpDKKPDK4 *Opening Prayer God of hope and encouragement, we come in the midst of this season of busyness and preparation to find a time and space to slow down, to reflect on what our true preparation should be. We need to prepare our hearts to receive the gifts of hope and peace, joy and love. We need to prepare our minds to focus on your promise that a messiah will come and nothing will be the same. We need to prepare our spirits, to praise God for prophecy, promises, and preparation; to find hope and encouragement; to find peace and joy. May we do so now, in this time of worship. Amen. Song I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/TguAMuAgK3A Hearing the Word Scripture Luke 2:8-14 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Sermon Heaven in the Real World “Where is the Peace?” I have long been captivated by the story of the Christmas Truce of 1914. Just five months into World War I, around 100,000 British and German troops had settled into trenches from the North Sea to the Swiss frontier, with no one making much progress. There were occasional unofficial truces, when soldiers ventured out into No Man’s Land to retrieve their fallen comrades, or even for the men in the trenches to shout greetings to each other and trade food supplies. But on that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, there was something much more going on. It seems to have begun on Christmas Eve, with the Germans putting candles on Christmas trees and singing carols. Soon their British counterparts began singing carols in response. Then on Christmas Day, soldiers came out of the trenches and approached one another, exchanging greetings and gifts, everything from cigarettes and alcohol to plum pudding, buttons, and hats. Some of the men even participated in a friendly soccer game. Henry Williamson was a 19-year-old private in the London Rifle Brigade. He wrote home to his mother on December 26: “In [my] pipe is German tobacco. Haha, you say, from a prisoner or found in a captured trench. Oh dear, no! From a German soldier. Yes a live German soldier from his own trench. Yesterday the British and Germans met and shook hands in the ground between the trenches, and exchanged souvenirs and shook hands. Yes, all day Christmas day, and as I write. Marvelous, isn’t it?” In this year of social unrest, riots, political demonstrations, and anti-maskers overrunning a state capital, I have wondered where is the peace? As we get closer and closer to Christmas Day, where is the peace? After all, the baby born that first Christmas was hailed as the Prince of Peace. And the angels who announced his birth to the Bethlehem shepherds promised peace on earth. So where is the peace? In 2020, we have seen multiple demonstrations and protests, some of them about not wanting to wear masks, and others regarding politics and the election. But the demonstrations have been chiefly in regards to racial inequality and police killings of black men and women. These demonstrations became particularly numerous and well-attended since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. But the root cause of these demonstrations and protests can be traced back years, decades. Just hearing the names makes it clear that the problem of the killing of unarmed black men and women is nothing new: Trayvon Martin in Sanford, FL, Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY, Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Walter Scott in North Charleston, SC, Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, LA, Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, MN, Stephon Clark in Sacramento, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, KY, Rayshand Brooks in Atlanta. Is it any wonder that people’s anger and frustration have reached the boiling point? And yet, to their credit, 93% of the protests in the US this year have been peaceful. And their most common cry has been “No justice, no peace.” (This probably comes from a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1967, in which he said, “There can be no justice without peace and there can be no peace without justice.”) How do we begin to understand the experience of black Americans? How can we come to a place where we understand their need to speak out, to march, to shout, to do whatever it takes to get the attention of white Americans? I recently read two books which have helped me to understand something of what it means to be black in America. The first was Austin Channing Brown’s book, I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. Austin begins by telling the story of how she got her name. She was told that it was an old family name, which was true, but it was only part of the truth. The other part was that Austin’s parents deliberately gave her a name that could be assumed to be that of a white man; they wanted her to have a chance to at least get job interviews when she was an adult. Austin learned as a child that being black meant playing by a different set of rules than white children. She had been following her dad through the toy section of a department store. She picked up a little trinket, but her dad told her to put it back. She did, and then stuffed her hands in her pockets. Her dad said, “Don’t do that,” rather sternly. “Don’t ever do that,” he said again. She was confused and didn’t know what she had done wrong. He told her, “Even if you put it back on the shelf, you can’t touch store products and then put your hands in your pockets. Someone might notice and assume you are trying to steal.” Austin shared some of what it was like to be black in a mostly white workplace. She talked about people who made comments about her hair; and one woman even touched it without asking Austin’s permission first. People would praise her for being “surprisingly articulate” or “particularly entertaining.” On the way to her office one day, she was asked three times if she needed help finding the outreach center. Her white co-worker walking behind her was never asked that question. People assumed that if she was a black woman, she must be poor and in need of help. When she went to the coffee shop next door one day, a woman she had never met insisted that she had emailed her and wanted to chat more. They did work for the same organization, but Austin had never met this woman. Several times she said, “I think you have me confused with someone else.” She finally figured out who the woman was talking about. When she told the woman, the woman got all embarrassed. It was as if she had implied that all black women look alike. Austin also talks about the impact of an act of violence done to others had on her. It took place on a June evening in 2015. A white supremacist named Dylan Roofe walked into Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC and took as many lives as he could with his Glock 41 handgun. Austin wrote, “The goal of terror attacks … is to inspire fearfulness beyond the target. It worked. Until June 17, 2015, I had never been afraid of walking into a Black church … My fear lasted through the night … I deeply resented that the next time I walked into my own church, I would be afraid to sit with my back to the door. That resentment turned into anger, and anger into defiance. I got up, got dressed, drove to a quiet church, and cried. I cried for the lost lives … I cried for the family members and friends who would miss them. I cried for the survivors who watched people they love die in front of them. I cried for the congregation members who would never be the same. But I also cried for me. I cried … because I still wanted to believe that America had become better than this … I had wanted to believe that some things were now off-limits. But I was wrong.” The second book I read was Wesley Lowery’s book, “They Can’t Kill Us All”: The Story of the Struggle For Black Lives. Lowery is a national reporter for the Washington Post who covers law enforcement and justice. He was the paper’s lead reporter in Ferguson, MO after the death of Michael Brown and has covered the Black Lives Matter movement. In the book, Lowery reflects on the events in Ferguson; in Cleveland, OH after the killing of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy; in North Charleston, after Walter Scott was filmed being shot in the back by a police officer; in Baltimore, following the death of Freddie Gray while in the custody of the police; and in Charleston, after the shooting at Mother Emanuel Church. Part of what struck me in his book were the words of people he interviewed after these killings and during demonstrations that followed. People were, for the most part, not in favor of violence or destruction or looting, but they could understand that others had been driven that far by the continued lack of response to the realities of racial inequality and injustice in our country, and particularly to the shooting of unarmed black men and women by the police. In Ferguson, Lowery spoke to Duane Finnie, who said, “People are tired of being misused and mistreated, and this is an outlet for them to express their outrage and their anger; everyone is looking for an outlet to express their emotions. This is a reason all the looting and w hat’s going on, but people want to be heard, and they don’t know how to do it. So that’s why they lash out.” In Baltimore, peaceful demonstrations following the death of Freddie Gray became violent, with residents throwing rocks and setting fires. One 18-year-old woman who came out to help clean up the next day told Lowery, “It shouldn’t take buildings burned for the people here to have a voice … Baltimore has been broken, it’s been broken all of my life. I’m not saying that all of our cops are bad, I’m not saying that everyone who was out here at night during the rioting is a criminal. I’m saying that this is a wake-up call.” In some regard, these protests have functioned well as a wake-up call. And Americans – white and black – have made changes. There has been increased support for the Black Lives Matter movement. There has been more acknowledgment of the existence of systemic racism. There have been successful campaigns to remove Confederate monuments and displays of the Confederate battle flag, as well as statues of American slaveholders. Whites have engaged in serious anti-racist self-education, with the purchasing of many books on racism written by blacks. There has been renewed support for black businesses. And even some brand names have been changed, including Aunt Jemima. Even an NFL team has agreed to change its name from the Washington Redskins to something as yet to be determined. But still I ask, where is the peace? Where is the peace we need as a society? Where is the peace we long for in our own souls? Where is the peace? Our peace is found in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. As individuals, we find peace through our relationship with God through Christ. We find an inner, spiritual peace that is unrelated to our outward circumstances. It is a peace that helps us feel calm and safe even when everything around is chaos and confusion. It is a peace that transcends all understanding. It is a peace that keeps us grounded and focused on what really matters most. The way to find that peace is through cultivating a closer connection with God through prayer, meditation, spiritual reading, worship, or something like tai chi or yoga. It is through being intentional about our spiritual growth. It is through talking with each other, encouraging each other, and reminding each other that what we see around us is not all there is to life. We also find peace by actively working for justice. There can be no peace in society without justice and equality and fairness for all. Whether or not we are aware of it, we are the beneficiaries of white privilege. We don’t have to have “the talk” with our sons: if you are pulled over by the police, keep your hands on the steering wheel, do not reach for your wallet until asked; be polite and respectful; and never, ever run away from a police officer. We don’t have our job applications rejected before the employer even gets past our name, because it sounds too black. We don’t have to endure racial slurs, or insensitive comments about the color of our skin. And we don’t see higher numbers of our children in prison or shot dead before they are 21 years old. Just as Jesus was the Prince of Peace, he also was a social reformer. Jesus turned the world on its ear, with his equal treatment of rich and poor, male and female, Jew and Samaritan. Jesus confronted the establishment and demanded that they repent of their hypocrisy. He stood unafraid of the power of the Roman Empire, even as it prepared to crucify him on trumped-up charges. Jesus calls us to speak truth, to love mercy and do justly, to care for those who are different from us. We cannot accept the realities of racism in our country as somehow being okay; we have to try to do something about it, in our own small ways. And when we follow our hearts, as led by Jesus, we will find true peace in our souls. This Christmas, I long for peace. I ache for peace. It may not come in America anytime soon. But it can come in my heart. Song At This Table Idina Menzel https://youtu.be/acRAIkV7QDc Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer O God, we come into your holy presence today anticipating the power of your love as it seeks expression among us. Help us slow our lives down, pause in order to wonder, be reclaimed by a sense of awe at who you are and what you are seeking to do in our broken world. Stir our imagination with images of your grace and fill our hearts with the reality of your incarnation. Forgive us for our insensitivity to who you are and how you are working in our lives and in our world. Pardon us for being so selfish that enough is never enough to quench our thirst and hunger for more. Direct our attention to the places that we are afraid to examine in our own lives. Make us realize the importance of this moment and all the moments that follow. Give to us today, in this season of giving and sharing, hearts that are humble and willing to give. Thank you for the birth of Jesus, to restore and redeem us all by your love. Give us joy that we might come to know and claim the reality of Bethlehem. May we be brought to our knees as we worship the Christ child, who even now seeks nothing less than our hearts and souls. We offer this prayer in his name, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Lord, we delight in your love and salvation; there can be no greater gifts than these. We will gladly serve you in holiness and righteousness. We offer ourselves. We offer all that you have provided us. May it be used to bring your light on those who dwell in darkness. Amen. Song O Little Town of Bethlehem Unvarnished Grace https://youtu.be/Kco60zat8Yw *Benediction 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. |
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