First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
Worship for the First Sunday of Advent

November 28, 2021

Getting Centered

It may help to center yourself into worship by lighting a candle, as a symbol of God’s presence with you during the time of worship. You may also want to pay attention to lighting, the position of your body, and the availability of distractions.

Breath Prayer

“Show us your ways, Holy One.”
Breath prayers involve breathing in the first phrase, and breathing out the second.
You may wish to simply pray for a moment before starting, or you may wish to pray while listening to the prelude.

Prelude

Chorale Prelude on Hymn 720 “Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying”) by Johann Sebastian Bach

Call to Worship

One: The Christian year begins again,
Many: the yearning for life as it should be continues.
One: We enter together into God’s dreams,
Many: we name together the brokenness of reality.

Connecting in Prayer

Shared Prayer

God of justice and peace,
you rain down on us mercy and kindness.
You are awe inspiring,
you leave us wonder-struck.
Raise our heads in expectation,
that we may yearn for the coming of the kindom.
Amen.

Silent Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father (Creator) 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, for ever. Amen.

Word and Reflection

Hymn #202: People Look East

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16

Mission Moment: Alternative Giving: Heifer International

The Intersectional Justice Committee has 4 suggestions for you to consider for alternative giving this year. One is support for our missionary, Belinda Forbes, whom Bob Long highlighted last week. The others are the Church World Service blanket program, our Community Breakfast, and Heifer International.
Heifer International began in 1944 when a farmer in Indiana understood that it would be more effective to rebuild countries after World War II by donating animals than by sending milk. A family was given a heifer, a goat, or another animal along with education about how to take care of the animal. Then the recipient was expected to give away an offspring of that animal. So Heifer Project was known as the “gift that multiplies.”

Their current mission statement is: “We work to end hunger and poverty in partnership with the communities we serve. Our programs support entrepreneurs around the world, creating lasting change from the ground up. It begins with a seed investment of livestock or agriculture, followed by mentorship to help project participants build a business, and ultimately to gain access to supply chains and markets. These families are able to earn a living income and continuously lift up their communities as they train the next generation of leaders. By supporting and training the world’s farmers, ranchers, and female business owners, we”re investing in a new breed of success.”
Their projects are world-wide and include empowerment of women farmers in Nepal and Guatemala, dairy development in East Africa, and support of farmers’ cooperatives in Arkansas. The website, highlights many more projects and is very interesting.

Alternative gifts can be given by donating through the church online or with a check made out to FUMC with the designation in the notation. Or it is more fun to go to Heifer’s website and click “gift catalog.” Then you can choose an animal, bees, seeds or other product, which you are giving in honor of someone. My brother-in-law was really pleased when we gave a water buffalo in his honor! And I “received” a flock of chicks one year. If you give this way, you will be able to create an honor card so that the person you are honoring will know of your gift.

Children’s Time

Passing of the Peace

If you are worshiping with others, please pass the Peace of Christ.
Whether you are alone or with others, please take a moment to find God’s peace within, and then to share it with the world. You may want to reach out to speak peace to another during this week.

Scripture Reading – Luke 21:25-36

Sermon: “The Past. The Future. Grief” – Rev. Sara Baron

Responding

A Call to Advent Practice

Advent Song: Come and Find the Quiet Center

Advent Wreath Lighting

Offering

Photo by Larry McArthur
If you wish, you are welcome to use this time to make a donation to the church online, or to put a check in the mail.
The time of offering is not only about our financial gifts to the church, it is about offering our lives to God and the building of the kindom. This is a time for reflection: What is being asked of us? What is being given to us? What are we able to offer? What do we need?

Offertory: Meditation on Hymn 212 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” by Paul Manz

Prayer of Presentation

God, our hope, our home,
we bring our selves to you:
body, mind, and spirit,
cares and celebrations,
worries and delights.
Guide us to peace,
no matter how rocky the road.
Bless what we’re able to give,
and bless us when we’re unable to give.
Amen

Benediction

May you find God in the quiet, in the silence, in the grief, in the pain. Amen

Postlude

“Third Fugue” from the Fugue in E Flat
by Johann Sebastian Bach