Contagious Sundays

Welcome to the new Sacredise Lectionary Worship Resources blog!

After years of providing worship resources linked to the Revised Common Lectionary, I finally have a dedicated place for these resources to live. Each week, on this blog, I will post summaries of the lectionary readings and reflections on the themes that emerge from them, suggestions for applying these themes to our Christian walk on both local and global scales, and links to music, prayers, liturgies, images, videos and other resources that support expressing these themes creatively, and meaningfully in worship. My primary goal in offering these resources is to help you create worship services that are contagious – not just in the sense that they are attractive and draw people into church, but in the sense that what people ‘catch’ in worship on Sunday, they will carry with them into the rest of their lives.

I work about four weeks in advance, in order to give you lots of time to prepare to use these resources well, so you may want to subscribe to the email updates and then save the emails on your system for reference when you need them. Alternatively, the site is fully searchable, so you can just search for the week you need when you need it.

So, thanks for visiting. I hope you find this to be a place you come back to often. And feel free to spread the word to anyone you know who could use these resources.

Grace

John

Proper 14C / Ordinary 19C / 11th Sunday After Pentecost

It may come as a surprising thought that the ‘blessings’ we receive and enjoy have the potential to make us less Christ-like, but, depending on how we understand God’s promises and the goodness God gives, this can be the case. When we view wealth, success or power as unquestionable signs of God’s blessing, we are in danger of departing from the Gospel’s call to align ourselves with the least, and to find God’s blessing in community and sharing. This is the challenge of the readings this week in the Revised Common Lectionary.

My new book The Hour That Changes Everything – How worship forms us into the people God wants us to be is now at the printers, and is just weeks away from South African release. The international release on Amazon.com will follow shortly – watch this space for more information. If you’re looking for a resource that you can use as a congregational journey into a deeper understanding and experience of worship, then you will really want to check this book out. In addition to the main content of the chapters, there are fifty days of personal devotional guides, seven weeks of small groups guidelines and eight Sundays of congregational worship guidelines – making up a fifty day journey. For more information, check out the countdown posts on the Sacredise blog.

May your worship this week lead you into a new sense of connectedness with others, and a new generosity in sharing the grace and mercy of God.

READINGS:
Isaiah 1:1, 10-20: Isaiah prophesies against God’s people, expressing God’s displeasure at their worship and sacrifices while injustice remains among them. God invites the people to repent and confess, and if they do, God promises to cleanse and restore them.
OR Genesis 15:1-6: God promises that Abram will have descendants as numerous as the stars. Abram’s faith in this promise is considered to be the basis for his relationship with God (or is counted as righteousness).

Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23: God comes in judgement on God’s people, inviting them to offer genuine sacrifices of thanksgiving, and promising God’s salvation if they will do this.
OR Psalm 33:12-22: Strength, military might, magnificent horses cannot save people. Only waiting on God and trusting in God’s mercy is a safe refuge.

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16: Abraham is an example of faith, giving up his homeland and living as a foreigner in a strange land for the sake of a God-given inheritance.

Luke 12:32-40: Jesus promises God’s kingdom to those who follow Christ, inviting them to give up temporary, material security and wealth for heavenly security and riches. He encourages them to stay awake and be aware of God’s coming.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
Much is made of the promises of God in some circles, but little is said about the ‘cost’ of receiving God’s promises. Essentially this cost arises because God’s promises are always offered to the community, not just to the individual. And so, Abram is promised innumerable descendants, but must give up his homeland to live among foreigners (as the Hebrews readings explains). In Isaiah’s prophecy, God’s people can be cleansed and restored, but they must embrace justice and mercy. In the Psalms, God’s salvation is offered to those who, like Abram, will trust in God’s mercy. Finally, Jesus promises the Kingdom to his followers, but they have to release their faith in human or material resoucres, and commit to remaining always awake and aware to God’s coming – which, if we read the verses following the set section, is strongly linked with how we view and treat others. A great ‘hook’ for this week is the phrase “descendants of Abram”, for Abram’s story is the model for the faith we are called to this week – a commitment to trust in God and a willingness to discover & share God’s promises of grace and mercy in and with the “other”, the foreigner, the ones who seek justice, the ones we are called to serve.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: There are so many ways that the idea of God’s promises and blessings intersect with the realities of our world. When we embrace a view (as so many do) that God’s blessings are given primarily to individuals, and that wealth, power and beauty are signs of God’s blessing, we will inevitably begin to strive for these “manifestations of blessing” for ourselves. The result, all too often, is that we grow selfish, self-centred, uncommitted to justice, and may even view poverty or suffering as signs of God’s judgement. When, however, we realise that God’s blessings are always given to communities, and that they are to be shared with the least – that the reality is that we have never really known God’s blessing unless it brings justice, mercy and provision to all, especially the poor and weak – our striving becomes sacrificial and generous. We begin to find our place among the “foreigners”, the impoverished and the marginalised, and we discover the richness of God’s reign within and among us as we share with all the blessings that come through us to all. How does this idea of “communal blessing” speak to the distribution of resources in our world? In what way can our commitment to receive God’s blessing in this way guide us as we vote, as we participate in civil processes, as we contemplate and petition the meetings of the powerful in our government, the G8 and the United Nations?

LOCAL APPLICATION: In so many ways we have developed a spirituality that hoards blessings, and keeps God’s promises to ourselves. Even the way we view salvation – as a personal escape from hell that requires no engagement with, or responsibility for, others, and that recognises no other possible avenues of grace – is a hoarding of God’s goodness and mercy for ourselves. And so, even within the church, we too easily hoard material wealth, facilities, people and opportunities, allowing our brothers and sisters in other communities, or other parts of our cities, to go without, to struggle and to suffer. How might our view and practice of Church change if we began to recognise that God’s blessings are given to be shared, that we are called to live “among the foreigners” and that it is here that God’s promises are fulfilled? How differently might we live if we chose to be “descendants of Abram” trusting God’s Kingdom promises whole-heartedly, and laying aside our usual human structures of security and comfort in order to recognise God’s coming through the least, the ‘other’, the ones who cry for justice?

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
Shared Blessings
Children of Abram

Hymn Suggestions:
Now Thank We All our God
Trust And Obey
Christ From Whom All Blessings Flow
Save Me
Take Up Your Cross
You Have Shown Us: Lyrics, Video (The song starts after the speaking part)
Freely, Freely (God forgave my sin) (Link to YouTube video)
God Of Justice (Link to YouTube video)
Lifesong (Link to YouTube video)

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for the Eucharist
A Liturgy of Compassion

Video Suggestions:
Blessing Others
Hebrews 11

Proper 15C / Ordinary 20C / 12th Sunday After Pentecost

It’s not a comfortable week, this week, but it is a significant one. This week we really have an opportunity to be confronted with the powerful implications of living a Gospel-centred life in the real world. The essential challenge this week has to do with seeing the world truly – seeing the signs, as Jesus put it – and refusing to ‘prophesy lies’ or pretend everything’s alright when injustice is being done. Being a “whistle-blower” on the world’s brokenness is never fun, and it won’t win us any popularity contests, but it is the cross-bearing work of God’s reign – if we have the courage to choose to do it.

Here’s quick reminder of the countdown for The Hour That Changes Everything – How worship forms us into the people God wants us to be on the Sacredise blog. There are only a few days left before the South African release, and a few weeks before the international one. Stay tuned!

May your worship this week inspire you to see clearly and live with ruthless clarity and honesty.

READINGS:
Isaiah 5:1-7: A metaphorical prophecy of judgement against Israel and Judah, pictured as God’s vineyard, for their lack of justice.
OR Jeremiah 23:23-29: A prophecy against false prophets who make up lies in God’s name, compared to God’s true word which burns like fire and smashes rock like a hammer.

Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19: A Psalm of repentance for abandoning God, and praying for God to once again tend and protect God’s people as a vineyard that is well cared for.
OR Psalm 82: This Psalm, picturing a ‘council of the gods’, has God speaking judgement over the gods of nations who oppress the poor and allow injustice to continue unchecked.

Hebrews 11:29-12:2: A reminder of the “great cloud of witnesses” – people of faith who suffered for their message and stayed committed to God through great trial and heartache – who surround us. They encourage us to stay firm, and follow Christ – the one who endured the cross – faithfully.

Luke 12:49-56: Jesus grieves his coming suffering, recognising the conflict that will arise over his message, and challenging people to discern the true nature of the time they live in, in the same way that they interpret the weather.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
The Gospel reading this week is a difficult one, a deeply uncomfortable one, but a very significant one. The key is in Jesus’ call to discern the times – the division that Jesus speaks about flows from our responses to the times we live in, and whether we will do this discerning work or not. When justice is ignored, and the poor and vulnerable are oppressed, God is angered, and, as indicated in both Isaiah’s prophecy and Psalm 82, judgement is prophesied. The image of the well-tended vineyard that is allowed to be destroyed for failing to produce good fruit is a powerful metaphor for this judgement. In the face of such injustice, there will always be those who refuse to do the work of discerning the times that Jesus called for, and who will prophecy what is untrue (as in Jeremiah), comfortable and expedient. However, there will also always be those who will repent, as in Psalm 80, and who will embrace the sacrifice and rejection that comes from speaking the truth, confronting injustice and working for a more compassionate, peaceful world. Unfortunately, there will always be division between truth speakers and truth deniers, between defenders of justice and defenders of the status quo. This is the cross we are called to carry.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: The Gospel call of justice is bringing division to our world and even to the Church, as Jesus predicted it would. In the face of the economic crisis, there are those who are eager to ‘prophesy’ restoration, and that the worst is over. But, the ultimate, underlying causes have not changed, and the system remains broken. Those who insist on pointing this out, are rejected and scoffed at. In the face of climate change, there are those who are eager to ‘prophesy’ that there is no problem, and that the world is to be destroyed by God anyway. But, those who insist on challenging oil companies, energy companies and government, those who insist on calling attention to the danger of our consumption, are scoffed at, questioned or ignored – as with the warnings about offshore drilling before the Deepwater Horizon debacle. There are many voices in our world that want to ‘prophesy’ lies – to ignore the signs of injustice, poverty, excessive consumption, and health care and education failure. And those who insist on proclaiming the Gospel message of repentance, justice and simplicity will need to embrace the cross, for they will not avoid it in the divisive responses that result.

LOCAL APPLICATION: Every Christ-following community and individual is faced, daily, with a choice. We can choose to adopt an ‘escapist’ faith, ignoring the pain of the world while waiting for heavenly bliss after we die, or we can do the work of listening, watching and understanding our societies and neighbourhoods, and the times in which we live. We can prophecy what is easy, comfortable and expedient for us – what requires little sacrifice and work, what makes us feel good, but changes little – or we can draw attention to the signs of injustice among us, we can call out corruption and exploitation, and we can hold ourselves and our leaders accountable to care for the marginalised and vulnerable. Ultimately, if we take the latter course, we will face the suffering of getting involved, for we will have to actually do something about the issues we expose. We also, inevitably, face the aggression and threats of those who are invested in the status quo. We will find ourselves upsetting the peace, and being labelled “divisive”, “rabble-rousers” and other names. The question is whether we have the conviction and courage to follow the great cloud of witnesses in service of God’s reign, or not. This is a choice we will face every single day.

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
Seeing The Signs
Seeing
In Defiance

Hymn Suggestions:
O Young And Fearless Prophet
See How Great A Flame Aspires
The Vine
Christ Is Alive, Let Christians Sing
Forgive Us Now
God Has Chosen Me
How Long: Amazon Mp3 Download. Chord Chart.
God Of This City (Link to YouTube video)
We Won’t Stay Silent (Link to YouTube video)

Liturgy:
A Liturgy For The Celebration Of Sacrifice
A Liturgy of Compassion

Video Suggestions:
The Song Of The Vineyard

Proper 16C / Ordinary 21C / 13th Sunday After Pentecost

In today’s readings two significant ideas come together: “Sabbath” and “God’s Kingdom”. A true understanding of Sabbath (which links, of course, with the idea of Jubilee), must lead us into the justice, mercy, equity and inclusivity of God’s reign. In fact, one of the simplest ways to embrace a “Kingdom-lifestyle” is to begin to practice Sabbath well. That is the challenge the Lectionary offers us this week.

Perhaps I can support this with a quote from my new book The Hour That Changes Everything – How worship forms us into the people God wants us to be:

A significant part of the practice of Sabbath is aligning ourselves with God’s rhythm. As rhythm organises a piece of music in time according to speed and pattern, so Sabbath organises our lives according to God’s sense of time – God’s tempo and pattern. This is more than simply giving ourselves a breather, or allowing ourselves time to rest so that we can launch back into our busyness with renewed vigour. Sabbath is about learning to recognise the significance of moments in time. It is about learning to recognise God’s tempo and pattern for us, our community and our world, and it is about matching our pace with these eternal rhythms.

The book releases in South Africa this week, and will be available for international purchase through Amazon.com shortly. More information will be going up on the Sacredise web site this week.

May worship lead you into a life of true Sabbath-keeping this week.

READINGS:
Jeremiah 1:4-10: Jeremiah is called by God to be a prophet, but protests that he is too young. God promises to put God’s words into Jeremiah’s mouth.
OR Isaiah 58:9b-14: God promises goodness and honour for God’s people if they will act justly and honour the Sabbath.

Psalm 71:1-6: A prayer for God’s protection and care.
OR Psalm 103:1-8: A song of praise and thanksgiving for God’s forgiveness, healing and goodness.

Hebrews 12:18-29: Unlike the people of Israel who were afraid of God’s appearing at the mountain, followers of Christ have been invited into God’s grace and the joyous community of worship in Christ. We have received an unshakeable kingdom, and must be careful to listen to Christ’s words, and worship God in thankfulness.

Luke 13:10-17: Jesus heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath, incurring the criticism of the synagogue leader. Jesus points out that everyone ‘works’ on the Sabbath, and that it is right and good that she should be freed.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
Although it is only specifically mentioned in two of the readings this week, the prominence of the Sabbath in the Gospel reading, and the underlying foundations of a “Sabbath way of life” provide exciting possibilities for worship. Closely aligned with this is the word “kingdom” which comes through in a number of the readings. These two biblical words are closely related. The Sabbath is one element of the whole Jubilee system of justice and equity that God gave to Israel, ensuring sufficient rest, and – arising from the Manna story – discouraging hoarding and accumulation. The Kingdom, as best represented by the “mission statement” of Jesus in Luke 4, is also about Jubilee, about justice and equity, and about ensuring “shalom” (peace and well-being) for all. This is the unshakeable kingdom of the writer of Hebrews. This is the call of Isaiah’s prophecy, and the message of Jeremiah that will bring down unjust kingdoms and build up just ones. This is the prayer and the praise of the Psalms. In healing this crippled woman on the Sabbath, and teaching that mercy is a Sabbath-activity, Jesus embodies the justice, grace and welcome of God’s unshakeable kingdom. The theme, then, this week could be titled “God’s Sabbath Kingdom”.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: In our “time is money” world, Sabbath has lost its essential meaning. It has become nothing more than a “day off” to restore energy to get back into the fray as soon as possible. However, this is far from what the Sabbath was originally intended to be. Rather, the practice of Sabbath – both the Sabbath day, and the Sabbath Year/Jubilee – is about realignment. It is about taking ourselves out of the human system of accumulation, self-protection and self-aggrandisement, and placing ourselves under the influence of God’s rhythms, God’s priorities and God’s direction. It is not about getting back into the fray, but about living with a whole different value system – that of justice, mercy and equity. The call to live God’s Kingdom’s values is a call to live as Sabbath people, and it is this gracious kingdom alone that is unshakeable – unmoved by the temptation to benefit by exploiting others, by the threat of economic collapse, or by the ‘competition’ for resources. When we scratch the surface of our world’s economic systems, we cannot help but see the destructive results of a Sabbathless existence. Exploitation of foreign workers in order to ensure cheap labour for producing everything from chocolate and coffee to cell phones and computers, Trade regulations and subsidies that favour the rich and powerful over poor farmers and labourers in third world countries, and political decision making that is more influenced by wealthy donors and lobbyists than by the needs of the most vulnerable all leave suffering in their wake. The drivenness and hyperactivity of those who chase wealth also wreaks havoc on marriages, families and individuals. If our world needs anything in order to become more just and peaceful, it’s a return to the Sabbath-rhythms of God’s reign. This alone will bring healing to the those who have been crippled by the Satan of our broken society.

LOCAL APPLICATION: Jesus spoke about his followers being “in the world but not of it”. This was not a call to “otherworldliness” or to check out of the world as we wait for heaven. It is a reflection of the reality that as individuals and churches we face the daily temptation to adopt the broken values and practices of the world around us. It is a call to live the values and practices of God’s Sabbath Kingdom within the societies and communities in which we find ourselves. It is all too easy for us to become driven by the same idols of success, wealth and convenience that the affluent sections of our global society embrace – and all too many churches and theological systems have done just this. But, if we are to be Sabbath/Kingdom people, we are to step out of this system, embracing rather the rhythms of justice – meaningful work, joyful rest, compassionate service, generous sharing, and a commitment to equity and compassion. In small but powerful ways we can change the world by living these values in our communities – by worshipping in venues of simple reverence; by adopting technology, practices and programs for their usefulness, not their “sexiness” or fashionable-ness; by sharing what we have with the people around us, rather than using our wealth to aggrandise ourselves; by using our influence in society to ensure protection for the most vulnerable and needy among us; and by working for a more equitable society using all the tools at our disposal, from votes to prayer. Who are those who have been crippled by the weight of the world’s unjust and inequitable systems? How can we allow the Sabbath to become a healing and liberating experience for them and us?

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
Rhythms Of Life
Sabbath People
Weak And Poor God

Hymn Suggestions:
Jesus Calls Us
Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind (I would prefer it if this hymn was more inclusive in its language – perhaps it could be sung as: Dear Lover of all humankind)
I Am Known
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
O Come, And Dwell In Me
Love And Justice
(Scroll down for preview and link to purchase the song)
King Of The Broken (Link to YouTube video)
Thuma Mina (Send Me) (Scroll down for
preview). Chord chart
Jubilee
(Link to Amazon.com Mp3 preview)
Chord Chart (Scroll
down for the link)
Your Grace Is Enough (Link to YouTube video)
Everlasting God (Link to YouTube video)

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for the Foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet

Video Suggestions:
The Sabbath And The Poor
Missing The Joy
We’re Alright Down Here

Year C – Advent Sunday

Below is a selection of resources and links for Advent Sunday for Year C, which, of course we celebrate on November 29. The readings speak of God’s constantly coming reign, and the need for us to be watchful to recognise it and receive it. In tough times like these, it’s good to have this reminder that God is at work even in the most tragic places in our world.

READINGS:
Jeremiah 33:14-16: God’s promise to raise up a descendant of David to reign in Israel & bring goodness, rightness & justice.

Psalm 25:1-10:  A prayer for God’s compassion, forgiveness and leading, that praises God’s righteousness, compassion & love.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13:  Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians that they may grow in love, and have strong and holy hearts when Jesus returns.

Luke 21:25-36: Jesus speaks of the signs that show the coming of God’s reign, and calls for his followers to be watchful & alert.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:
The coming of God’s reign is a central focus of this week’s readings. Through Jeremiah God promises a leader like David for God’s people. The Psalmist prays for such leadership and guidance. In his prayer for the Thessalonians, Paul asks them to place themselves under God’s reign, and to grow in love, able to show how they have lived as Jesus did when he returns. Finally, in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus calls for us to be watchful and aware of what is happening around  us, and open the the coming of God’s reign – and this does not just apply to the end, but to all times.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: The season of Advent calls us to remember the God who comes to us – past, present and future. In the light of God’s eternal reign, we cannot help but reflect on our own priorities. Our lives in this world are called to reflect values that last and that have universal value. This calls us to be aware of the signs of God’s reign that are already visible in our world – in places of peace, restoration and sacrificial service – and to be part of calling out God’s reign in other places – places of need, violence and self-interest. Projects like the Advent Conspiracy (http://www.adventconspiracy.org/) offer a great opportunity to live out our faith in God’s coming reign.

LOCAL APPLICATION: Advent reminds us that in the midst of our daily struggles and victories, there is another reality at work, one that, if we remain aware and connected to it, will fill every detail of our lives with greater meaning & purpose. As we enter this season, we are called to watch, and to look for the signs of God’s reign around us, and then to co-operate with those signs, calling them into the light, and offering our love and strength to make God’s reign even more visible in our families, churches and communities.

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
Watching
Expecting
O Come Emmanuel
A New World

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for Advent & Christmas

Hymns:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Creator Of The Stars Of Night
Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending
How Long We’ve Waited (New Hymn)
Longing (New Hymn)
Prepare The Way (Link to MySpace video)
Come Now Is The Time (Link to YouTube video)
Father, Spirit, Jesus (Link to YouTube video)
Marvellous Light (Link to album previews – scroll down for this song)
Advent Songs by Sojourn (A great album of new interpretations and new songs for the Advent season – and it’s available free or for a donation)

Images:
A Collection of Advent Candle Images from Worship Photos
Advent from Image Bank (and the same image without the words)
Church PowerPoint Backgrounds in Advent Liturgical Colour
Advent Backgrounds at ShareFaith

Video:
The Return Of Christ (The Work Of The People)
Advent – Christmas (SermonSpice)
Advent – He Comes (SermonSpice)
Other Advent Video Resources from SermonSpice

Additional Advent Resources & Reflections:
Sacredise Advent & Christmas Page
Advent (Taylor Burton-Edwards – GBOD)
The Text This Week

Year C – Advent 2

The work of preparation continues in the Advent journey this week. With a Gospel focus on John the Baptist, preparation for God’s work of forgiveness and restoration comes through as a strong theme.

READINGS:  
Baruch 5:1-9: A prophecy of God’s restoration of Israel in justice and mercy.
OR Malachi 3:1-4: God is sending God’s messenger to prepare for God’s coming, and God’s people and God’s priests will be refined and made pure.

Luke 1:68-79: Zechariah’s song of thanksgiving for God’s rescue of Israel, and his proclamation of his son, John, as the messenger who will prepare the way for God’s coming.

Philippians 1:3-11: Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving for the Philippians, his desire for them to grow in love and purity, and his assurance that Christ will complete the work begun in them.

Luke 3:1-6: John begins his ministry of baptism and preaching, preparing the people for God’s coming.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:    
God is always coming, always available to God’s people, and always working for restoration. But, receiving God’s coming takes preparation, and so God sends a messenger to do this work, to prepare God’s people for God’s coming. The challenge in these passages is for us to embrace the work of preparation for ourselves – opening ourselves to God’s restoring, cleansing and disturbing work, and making our hearts ready for us to be messengers of God’s restorative justice and mercy to the world.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:    
GLOBAL APPLICATION: In a world where measurement happens on a quarterly basis, effective preparation is often sacrificed on the altar of expediency and immediacy. We are all too keen to declare the current recession “over” without taking the time to make the necessary changes to correct the flaws in our systems. The same applies to climate change science, addressing poverty, AIDS and conflict. The prophetic message of Advent is that we need to reflect on our brokenness as revealed in times like these, and prepare ourselves to go forward and do the necessary, lasting work of true restoration. These thoughts could apply particularly to the Climate Change Conference which starts tomorrow (Dec. 7) in Copenhagen.
LOCAL APPLICATION: How much of the day do we spend in reaction? So much pain and injustice is caused simply because we react in fear, anger, self-protection or simply impatience. However, if we can develop a prepared heart, we can more easily slow down, reflect and then act with wisdom and grace. Preparation – particularly of the heart – is restorative. It’s a proactive stance that frees us from our selves and our destructive or unhelpful patterns of behaviour and moves us into a life that more easily considers, serves and brings restoration to others. We need John’s to call us to this work of preparation & then we need to be John’s for others.

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
New Days
Messengers

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for Advent & Christmas
A Liturgy of Creation and Communion (If you are picking up on the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen)

Hymns: 
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Love Divine All Loves Excelling
Hail To The Lord’s Anointed
Messenger (New Hymn)
Clear The Path (New Hymn)
Hark The Glad Sound!
God With Us (Link to YouTube video)
God Of This City (Link to YouTube video)
God Will Make A Way (Link to YouTube video)
Hear Our Praises (Link to YouTube video)
Over The Mountains And The Sea (I could sing of your love forever) (Link to YouTube video)

Video:
Recapturing Advent (The Work Of The People)
John The Baptist (SermonSpice)
A Voice In The Wilderness (The Work Of The People)

Additional Advent Resources & Reflections:
Sacredise Advent & Christmas Page
GBOD

Year C – Advent 3

The third week of Advent (December 13) continues the journey with John the Baptist, focussing on his preaching and the call to justice that he proclaimed. In worship services where we seek to have a strong justice orientation, we couldn’t ask for a better platform to work from!

READINGS:  
Zephaniah 3:14-20: God’s promise to bring the exiled people of Israel home, and to dwell among them, bringing them joy and healing, and including all the marginalised and oppressed ones.

Isaiah 12:2-6: A song of praise for the God “who lives among you”.

Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice, pray and give thanks, and God’s peace will fill you.

Luke 3:7-18: John prepares the people for the coming Messiah, denying that he is the one, and calling them to live justly and with integrity.

REFLECTIONS ON THEME:    
The journey with John the Baptist continues as he preaches, baptises and calls people to just and ethical living. All of the passages make a clear connection between preparing the heart for God’s coming and living out the righteousness, justice and joy of God’s reign. The call, then of Advent, is to embrace this internal and external spiritual work. In the run up to Christmas, this call is particularly prophetic, as we choose how to celebrate this season ethically, spiritually and in a Christ-honouring way.

CONNECTING WITH LIFE:
GLOBAL APPLICATION: It is ironic that the season of God’s coming to us has, in the wealthy West,  become characterised by inflated prices, increased profit-seeking, rampant consumerism and individualistic greed and excess, while in other parts of the world – notably Africa – the struggle for survival and for a meaningful place in the world’s decision making bodies continues. What might John the Baptist preach to us about this? How can we, who live among the wealthy and powerful, use our privilege to create opportunities and justice for our poorer brothers and sisters?
LOCAL APPLICATION: Who are the voiceless, excluded ones in your community? Who are the ones that a John the Baptist would call you to serve and include? What practices or ways of living would John challenge you on? What uses of your wealth might he question? Is there a way, this week, that your worship can overflow to the poorer communities and people around you? Can you use this Advent season to develop long term programs or strategies for embodying Christ’s coming to the people who most need to hear it in your neighbourhood, and perhaps the world?

RESOURCES FOR WORSHIP:
Prayers:
An Uncomfortable Vision
It’s My Problem, Too

Liturgy:
A Liturgy for Advent & Christmas
A Liturgy of Compassion

Hymns: 
A whole selection of hymns new and old for this week at “Singing From The Lectionary”
Advent Hymns arranged for Contemporary Worship from Dean McIntyre of the GBOD
Advent Hymn (David Beswick)
Hallelujah! What A Saviour
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
O Spirit Of The Living God
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
God Of Justice (Link to YouTube video)
Prepare The Way (Link to MySpace video) 
How Long? (John van de Laar) (Link to Amazon mp3 download)
Glory In The Highest

Video:
Restored Fortune (From The Work of the People, based on the Zephaniah reading)
John The Baptist (SermonSpice)
A Voice In The Wilderness (The Work Of The People)

Additional Advent Resources & Reflections:
Sacredise Advent & Christmas Page
GBOD