The Welcome Table
A Free Universalist Christian Missional Community
Following the radical Jesus in deeds not creeds. Join us in service to our community throughout the week. Our Welcome Table of Worship is open to all who welcome all, regardless of belief or denomination, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, economic status, or political affiliations. We don’t think Jesus would have it any other way.
Free because we are non-creedal. We don’t give theological tests for admission but encourage you to test us and try us to see if this way is for you. Universalist because we believe God is Love and All who abide in Love abide in God for all time (1 John 4:16). Christian because the generous compassionate way and story of Jesus, while not exclusively so, is our primary pathway opening up to God. Missional because we are sent to serve others more than ourselves. Community because we are made not to be autonomous individuals but to be a people of God.
A Free Universalist Christian Missional Community
Following the radical Jesus in deeds not creeds. Join us in service to our community throughout the week. Our Welcome Table of Worship is open to all who welcome all, regardless of belief or denomination, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, economic status, or political affiliations. We don’t think Jesus would have it any other way.
Free because we are non-creedal. We don’t give theological tests for admission but encourage you to test us and try us to see if this way is for you. Universalist because we believe God is Love and All who abide in Love abide in God for all time (1 John 4:16). Christian because the generous compassionate way and story of Jesus, while not exclusively so, is our primary pathway opening up to God. Missional because we are sent to serve others more than ourselves. Community because we are made not to be autonomous individuals but to be a people of God.
Invocation
Today is the day which God has made: Let us rejoice and be glad therein.
What does the Eternal require of us? To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
Chalice Lighting Covenant
This is our covenant as we walk together in life as a people of God striving to make Jesus visible in the world: In the light of truth, and the loving and liberating spirit of Jesus, we gather in freedom, to worship God, and serve all.
Today is the day which God has made: Let us rejoice and be glad therein.
What does the Eternal require of us? To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
Chalice Lighting Covenant
This is our covenant as we walk together in life as a people of God striving to make Jesus visible in the world: In the light of truth, and the loving and liberating spirit of Jesus, we gather in freedom, to worship God, and serve all.
Response For The Hour
O Lord, let
my soul rise up to meet you As the day rises to meet the sun.
Fourth Sunday of Advent: The Candle
of Hope
Scripture:
Luke
1:39-56
39In those days Mary set out and went
with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,40where she entered
the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41When Elizabeth heard
Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with
the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.43And why has this happened to
me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?44For as soon as I heard
the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.45And
blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was
spoken to her by the Lord.”46And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the
Lord,47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,48for he
has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all
generations will call me blessed;49for the Mighty One has done great
things for me, and holy is his name.50His mercy is for those who
fear him from generation to generation.51He has shown strength with
his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.52He
has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;53he
has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.54He
has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,55according
to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants
forever.”56And Mary remained with her about three months and then
returned to her home.
Lighting The Advent Candles For
Peace, Joy, Love, and Hope
One: The Gospel of John speaks of Christ as the light coming into the world. In commemoration of that coming, we light candles for the four weeks leading to Christmas and reflect on the coming of Christ. Christ is coming. Christ is always coming, always entering a troubled world, a wounded heart. And so we light candles of peace, joy, love, and hope as the markers along our way in this season of Advent leading toward the manger in Bethlehem and the renewal of our spirit in the coming of Christmas.
All: Loving God, as we move through the days and weeks of this Advent season, We open all the dark places in our lives and memories to God’s healing light. Show us your creative power. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, That we may walk in the light of Christ always coming into the world.
One: The Gospel of John speaks of Christ as the light coming into the world. In commemoration of that coming, we light candles for the four weeks leading to Christmas and reflect on the coming of Christ. Christ is coming. Christ is always coming, always entering a troubled world, a wounded heart. And so we light candles of peace, joy, love, and hope as the markers along our way in this season of Advent leading toward the manger in Bethlehem and the renewal of our spirit in the coming of Christmas.
All: Loving God, as we move through the days and weeks of this Advent season, We open all the dark places in our lives and memories to God’s healing light. Show us your creative power. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, That we may walk in the light of Christ always coming into the world.
One: The light of peace, may it guide us through our hurts, away from
violence, grounded in justice and compassion, knowing that the deepest peace
comes not from goods for the self but from The Common Good. All: Blessed are
the peacemakers. Halleluia. One: The light of joy, may it surprise us with
the spirit of wonder and new creation, and may we find it in the simple things
of the Spirit all around us. All: We Rejoice in the Spirit of the Lord, that
brings sight to the blind and healing to the wounded, freedom to the captives,
liberation to the oppressed, justice to the poor, Halleluia. One: The light
of love, may it open our hearts and hands to the plights of others, reminding
us of the love of God for us unconditionally, renewing our lives, bringing all
together in the oneness of God. All: God is Love and all who abide in Love
abide in God. Halleluia. One: The light of hope, that even when we do not
feel the spirit of the season, even when God seems far removed from this world
and peace and justice and joy and love seem empty words, when fear is all
around and our own actions and thoughts have closed the door to the inn
shutting ourselves off from others and they from us, may this light of hope
still shine, and with every flicker grow stronger with the faith that God is
still present, still speaking, still giving birth to that which may save us
all. All: In peace, in joy, in love, and in hope, we pause and ponder and
pass on to others the ways of God. Halleluia.
Morning
Songs of Hope and Advent: #95, There Is More Love Somewhere; #346, Come Sing A Song
With Me; #244 It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
Prayer of Confession:
Gracious and Loving God, we acknowledge to you, to one another, and to
ourselves that we are not what you have called us to be. We have stifled our
gifts and wasted our time. We have avoided opportunities to offer kindness,
but have been quick to take offense. We have pretended that we could make no
contribution to peace and justice in our world and have excused ourselves from
risk-taking in our own community. Have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and
help us to live our lives renewed in your Spirit. We long for peace within
and without, for harmony in our families, for the well-being of our neighbors,
and help us to love our enemies. Yet we have too often not made the hard
choices that love requires. Show us how to walk in your path of faithfulness,
hope, and love. Amen.
Please share prayers and blessings,
joys and sorrows
Now we join in saying the prayer Jesus taught for all those who would follow in his way of radical compassion, courage, conscience, and commitment.
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. 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.
Communion
Now we join in saying the prayer Jesus taught for all those who would follow in his way of radical compassion, courage, conscience, and commitment.
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. 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.
Communion
Prayer: O God, in
the loving and liberating spirit of Jesus, we gather at this welcoming table
open to all, remembering how Jesus gathered people from all the walks of life,
stranger and friend and enemies, gave thanks to you, offered all the bread of
life and the cup of blessing and proclaimed a covenant of love for all in your
name. We remember too the wonder of his life, as we remember the wonder of all
of Creation given unto us and how all are One. We remember the agony of his
death, and all the terrors and the tyrannies that oppress people today. And we
remember the power of resurrection, the mystery of faith in the everlasting
Spirit, the triumph over fear. Help us to remember to practice resurrection
everyday, as we remember all those who have given Love the ultimate trust and
the last word and who have worked to create the beloved community of renewed
and abundant life. Help us to remember with this meal especially all those who are
hungry, and may we treat all our meals as sacred and to be shared. Take us,
bless us, so that even in and with our brokenness we may serve others. Amen.
Jesus said I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. And they said, Lord, when did we do this? And he said, You did this for me when you did it for the least of these. Here is the bread of life, food for the spirit. Let all who hunger come and eat. Here is the fruit of the vine pressed and poured out for us. Let all who thirst now come and drink. We come to make peace. We come to be restored in the love of God. We come to be made new as an instrument of that love. All are worthy. All are welcome.
Let us Break Bread Together on our knees, let us break bread together on our knees when I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun o Lord have mercy on me Let us drink wine together on our knees let us drink wine together on our knees when I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun o Lord have mercy on me let us praise God together on our knees let us praise God together on our knees when I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun O Lord have mercy on me.
Prayers for Advent: by Kay Northcutt
Jesus said I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. And they said, Lord, when did we do this? And he said, You did this for me when you did it for the least of these. Here is the bread of life, food for the spirit. Let all who hunger come and eat. Here is the fruit of the vine pressed and poured out for us. Let all who thirst now come and drink. We come to make peace. We come to be restored in the love of God. We come to be made new as an instrument of that love. All are worthy. All are welcome.
Let us Break Bread Together on our knees, let us break bread together on our knees when I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun o Lord have mercy on me Let us drink wine together on our knees let us drink wine together on our knees when I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun o Lord have mercy on me let us praise God together on our knees let us praise God together on our knees when I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun O Lord have mercy on me.
Prayers for Advent: by Kay Northcutt
Passing the Plate and Cup of
Communion
1.We’re gonna sit at the welcome table, we’re gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days halleluia We’re gonna sit at the welcome table, gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days 2.All kinds of people round that table, all kinds of people round that table one of these days halleluia, all kinds of people around that table, gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days 3.No fancy style at the welcome table, no fancy style at the welcome table one of these days halleluia, no fancy style at the welcome table, gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days.
1.We’re gonna sit at the welcome table, we’re gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days halleluia We’re gonna sit at the welcome table, gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days 2.All kinds of people round that table, all kinds of people round that table one of these days halleluia, all kinds of people around that table, gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days 3.No fancy style at the welcome table, no fancy style at the welcome table one of these days halleluia, no fancy style at the welcome table, gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days.
Benediction
Let us go out into the highways and byways. Let us give the people something of our new vision. We may possess a small light, but may we uncover it, and let it shine. May we use it to bring more light and understanding to the hearts and minds of men and women. May we give them not hell but hope and courage. May we preach and practice the kindness and everlasting love of God. Amen
Let us go out into the highways and byways. Let us give the people something of our new vision. We may possess a small light, but may we uncover it, and let it shine. May we use it to bring more light and understanding to the hearts and minds of men and women. May we give them not hell but hope and courage. May we preach and practice the kindness and everlasting love of God. Amen
“Go Now
in Peace, Go Now in Peace, May the Love of God surround you, everywhere,
everywhere, you may go.
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