Order of Service for December 24th (Morning)

4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT
GREETINGS / MINUTE FOR MISSION
ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: God chose an unexpected village as the birthplace for the Messiah
All: Our God is full of surprises!
One: God called an older woman and a young girl to be prophets.
All: Our God is full of surprises!
One: God calls ordinary people – you and me – to work for justice and healing in our land.
All: Our God is full of surprises!
One: Come, let us worship our surprising God.

HYMN # 64 O Little Town of Bethlehem

ADVENT CANDLE:
One: Turkey, cranberry sauce, mincemeat tarts, cookies!
All: We love to share good food with family and friends
One: in celebration of the gift of God’s child, Jesus.
All: Jesus is Emmanuel, God-with-us.
One: We live with love because we know that God is with us.
All: Today we celebrate God’s gift of love.

HYMN # 7 Hope is a Star

PRAYER OF APPROACH:
One: When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed
in a loud cry, “Blessed are you who believes!”
All: Sing praise to the God who brings justice and joy.
One: The God of Justice calls us together and looks with favour upon us
All: Sing praise to the God who brings justice and joy.
One: The Mighty One is doing great things among us.
All: Sing praise to the God who brings justice and joy.
One: There is good news for the hungry in this place.
All: Sing praise to the God who brings justice and joy.
One: The poor will be lifted up.
All: Sing praise to the God who brings justice and joy.
One: The promise of God is alive in us.
All: Sing praise to the God who brings justice and joy.

CHOIR ANTHEM: “Baby’s Born, Hallelu!”

SCRIPTURE READINGS: Micah 5: 2 – 5a
Luke 1: 46 – 55 (pg. 898 VU)

HYMN # 62 Once in Royal David’s City

ADVENT RESPONSE:
One: Into our world as into Mary’s womb…
All: Come, Lord Jesus.
One: Into the forgotten places, as into the stable…
All: Come, Lord Jesus.
One: Into the lives of the poor, bringing hope;
into the lives of the powerful, bringing caution;
into the lives of the weary, bringing rest;
into the lives of the wise, bringing restlessness;
and into our lives and longings, whatever our estate…
All: Come, Lord Jesus.
One: This is the good news:
Christ is coming, and blessed are those who wait on the Lord.
All: Therefore come quickly, Lord. Amen
CHOIR ANTHEM: “Servant of the Lord”

STORY STOOL

HYMN # 69 Away in a Manger

SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 2: 1 – 14

HYMN # 59 (vs 1, 2, 4) Joy to the World

SERMON

Today our Advent Journey ends … we have arrived at the outskirts of a little village called Bethlehem, nestled in the hills south of Jerusalem … we have come to be part of the Christ Event, the birth of the child King … But scholars and scientists tell us that it is unlikely that Jesus was actually born in Bethlehem, and it is even MORE unlikely that there is any historical truth to the Bethlehem story beyond the names of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus … It might be hard to hear, but it is very likely that there was no star, no shepherds, no angels, no wise man, no inn …

To be blunt – and perhaps Scrooge like – the Christmas story is a myth in the fullest sense of what myth means. It is not historical, it is not accurate, it is not what actually happened – but – and this is crucial and central – IT IS IMPORTANT.

To the pre-scientific mind, that is the people who first told and began to retell this story of Christmas, MYTHS were true. There was no difference drawn between what happened to you personally, and what happened in the stories you told. Myths were part of the oral tradition. They were told and retold because contained within them a truth that needed to be shared, and learned and retold. It NEVER occurred to anyone to ask – “did it actually happen?” That wasn’t a relevant nor an important question – in fact it was a question that never occurred to anyone, because they didn’t take this book (…) literally. Literalism is one of the sins of the modern era.

For the readers in the generations of the early Church these were stories told and retold not because they were true – but because Jesus was important – so important his birth was worthy of the creation and the telling of myths … So the stories started … His birth was special and unique.

So special that God wanted it to be noticed – hence the star and the angels … So special that it needed to be marked by the world – hence the shepherds who represent ALL people, and the Magi who represent the learned and the foreigners … So special that it had to fulfill the words of the ancient prophets …

This Christmas, our call of faith is not to pick apart the story of Christmas, but to tell and retell the myth and share the truth …

The Christ event is not about what literally happened or didn’t happen in Bethlehem. Such things are simply divisive. Instead, the Christ event is about the coming together of humanity under the God-given gifts of hope, peace, joy and love … The Christ event is about re-visioning the world and how we live and move through it … The Christ event is about seeing the world as God sees it …

For God so loved the world – that he sent a child, who grew into an adult, who challenged the way things are, and changed the way things would be …

This Christmas, do we have the courage and the faith to listen?

The Christmas Season is that time of year where we simply must suspend our disbelief … we have to be open to the possibility that reindeer really do know how to fly, that at the stroke of midnight animals will talk, that shepherds and magi and angels did come to Bethlehem, that hearts can be touched and transformed, and even the coldest Scrooge can be recreated as a jovial, loving citizen …

That is the miracle of Christmas – that anything is indeed possible. The problem is, we get too caught up in our rushing about and running around, and we become Scrooge like and say – “Bah-Humbug …” too easily.

Christmas is about being open to the possibility of anything and everything … Christmas is about taking the time to stand in the Holy and simply letting it unfold and wash over us.

The best explanation of this comes from a newspaper man, a hard hearted man who had been covering life in New York City for too many years. He had witnessed first hand what people are capable of doing to each other. His idealism was long gone from his heart. Then one day a letter came to his desk from a little girl who asked – “Is there a Santa Claus?” The reply “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” is not a religious letter. It is a letter written by a newspaper man to one of his readers. But Francis P. Church opened his heart and poured out his thoughts, he offers us a courageous call to faith that reminds us of what this Season – this Holy Season truly is about … It’s an exchange worth revisiting from time to time …

Dear Editor—
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? - Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence.

We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

In the coming days – in the coming hours, may we have the faith to believe in the unseeable, and to be a people of the myths that tell us that it is about love, generosity, devotion, beauty and joy … may we have the faith to be people of the myths that celebrate and share Hope, Peace, Joy and Love … may we have the faith to be people of the myths that tell us again – that with God all things are indeed possible, and hearts will be transformed and changed because the world was invited to hear the words of this child named Jesus who was, who is, and who remains very important … though not in ways we may first think …

May it be so – thanks be to God …
Let us pray …

OFFERING
OFFERTORY AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION

HYMN # 73 The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE / THE LORD’S PRAYER (# 959 VU)

CHOIR ANTHEM: “O Holy Night”

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
One: In hope the universe waits:
All: God’s purpose shall be revealed.
One: Limited by mortality, yet destined for liberation,
In hope the universe waits:
All: God’s purpose shall be revealed.
One: Groaning as if in childbirth, sampling the fruits of God’s harvest,
All: God’s purpose shall be revealed.
One: Trusting in what is unseen, believing the best is to come,
In hope the universe waits:
All: God’s purpose shall be revealed.
One: In the shadows of a barn where the Maker of All will be born,
In hope the universe waits
All: God’s purpose shall be revealed.
SUNG RESPONSE: # 60 O Come, All Ye Faithful

The worship has ended….
…the work of God’s people has just begun.
Go in peace.

WE REQUEST THE CONGREGATION REFRAIN FROM SHOWING APPRECIATION IN THE FORM OF APPLAUSE FOLLOWING THE
CHOIR ANTHEMS. THANK YOU.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS SERVICES:
Dec 24th - Christmas Eve - 7:30 - Tanner’s Crossing Pit
Dec 31st - Hymn Sing Service with Elgin Hall - St. Alphonsus
Jan 07th - Worship led by Colleen Wallace, candidate for Lay Ministry

FALL APPEAL: Thank you for your response. Fall Appeal now stands at $17,800. With your continued support, we will meet the $20,000 target.

M & S FUND: The 2006 target for Mission & Service was set at $17,000. To date, givings have fallen short of this target by slightly less than $4425.

BIBLE STUDY GROUP will resume Friday Jan 12th at 10:00 am in the church office. All are welcome to participate.

CHOIR PRACTICE will resume Thursday Jan 4th at 7:30 pm at St. Alphonsus Church. New members and anyone interested in directing would be most welcome!

THE UPPER ROOM magazines are again available. Copies of the Jan/Feb issue are on hand at the back of the church or from the church office at a cost of $2.00 per issue.

“CIRCLE OF FRIENDS” is available at Minnedosa Flower and Gift. $5.00 from each purchase is being donated to the Rebuilding Fund cutesy of Minnedosa Funeral Service.

CHURCH CALENDARS – a few copies of the 2007 Church Calendar are available for purchase at the Church office at a cost of $5.00 each.

LOVED ONES REMEMBERED
In memory of past choir members from the Senior Choir
In memory of William & Elsie Kingdon and David Kingdon
from the Kingdon Family
In memory of Amar & Lois Iverson and Philip Iverson
from the Iverson Family
In memory of family and friends from Esther & Keith Robertson
In memory of family and friends from Jackie & Dennis Peckover
In memory Lydia McGuirk from Lori & Clayton Searle and
Judy & Blake Menzies
In memory of Muriel from Ed Meadows
In memory of Jack & Betty McNabb from their family
In memory of family and friends from Linda & Bob Bertram
In memory of family and friends from Denise & Bud Amy
In memory of Garnet Tolton and William & Margaret Sleep
from Lorraine McKay and David Sleep

POINSETTIAS FOR CHRISTMAS: Concern has been expressed about the survival of Poinsettias in a basically unoccupied building between now and Christmas. Therefore, you are encouraged, if you wish, to make a donation to the Rebuilding Fund in memory of your loved one rather than purchasing a Poinsettia for the church.