God
Opens Our Hearts
Words
of Welcome
Opening
Prayer
God
of hope,
we
gather here today as those who have known both hope and despair,
knowing that hope is what we need.
God
of peace,
we
gather together for a time of quiet in the midst of the busy-ness of
the world.
God of joy,
we gather with hearts that are heavy, even as the world around us sings songs of joy and wonder.
God of joy,
we gather with hearts that are heavy, even as the world around us sings songs of joy and wonder.
God
of love,
we
gather together in a world where there is so much fear, seeking the
power and promise of love.
God
of light,
in
this time of worship and reflection, ease the heaviness of our
hearts, shine light into the shadows of our lives, renew our hope,
and fill us with the peace of Christ, in whose name we pray and whose
birth we await.
Amen.
Hymn
O Little Town of Bethlehem #64 Voices United
God
Speaks to Our Hearts
The
Cloud of Despair
Scripture
Psalm 22:1-2; Romans 8:37-39
Reflection
The
Candle of Hope
The
Haze of Busy-ness
Scripture
Psalm 46:1-5, 10-11
Reflection
The
Candle of Peace
Scripture
Isaiah 41:10, 43:1-2
Reflection
The
Candle of Love
Hymn
Hope is a Star #7 Voices United or A
Candle is Burning #6 Voices United (verses
1-4)
The
Darkness of Winter
When
Blue Christmas services first started to gain traction they were
often held on
the
night of the solstice, the longest night of the year (and many were
in fact given
names
like “Longest Night Service of Into the December Darkness). It was
a way
to
honour not only the reality of our days in this latitude but also the
darknesses of
which
we have spoken today.
Isaiah
wrote “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who
walked
in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.” There are
times
when
we are the people who walk in darkness. And so we come searching for
the
light
Scripture
John 1:1-9, Luke 2:8-14
Reflection
The
center of our circle, the center of the season, the center of our
hope. Christ the
Lord
is Born! The Light of the World is come!
We
have come to our last candle. We have come to the point when we are
reminded
of where the hope, the comfort, of the season. The angel speaks
across
the
centuries of faith and tradition to reach into our own hearts,
quelling the fear,
touching
the despair with words of hope. “Do not be afraid..for to you is
born a
Saviour,
who is Christ the Lord”
John
reminds us that the God who comes as a child is the God who has been
from
the
beginning, the Word that brings hope, light and life to a world.
Today we
remember
the promise of the Light that can never be overcome, no matter how
dark
the
world may get. Can we join with the angels, even if only with part of
our
being
or just for a little while, and sing Glory to God for the Christmas
gift?
The
Light of the Christ-Child
We
light this candle to remind us that though we are sometimes the
people who walk in
darkness
there is a light that the darkness can not overcome. We light this
candle to
remind
us that while there are times when we are filled with fear for the
future the angel
still
calls out “Fear Not” for there is Good News.
May
the light and warmth of this candle be a source of comfort to us. We
are not
alone.
Thanks be to God!
God
Moves In Our Hearts
We
Light our Own Candles
Invitation:
We
live as people of hope. We live as people whose hope lies in the
light that
shines
in the darkness, and the darkness has not, will not, and can not
overcome it.
During
these next few minutes, you are invited to come forward and light one
or more of
the
tea lights that are here on the table. These lights may be lights of
memory for what
was
or hope for what will be, or both.
Prayers
for the People
Lord's
Prayer
Hymn:
Silent Night # 67 Voices United
BLESSING
We
have gathered today to share our shadows.
Here,
in the shadow of God's healing love, we could name our griefs and
sorrows and struggles.
Here
we have lit candles to drive away the shadows cast by despair,
busy-ness, fear, and sorrow.
We
also have lit candles to remind us of what was and what could be.
Now
we prepare to leave this place and return to the world. We carry
with us the promise of light and warmth in the times of darkness and
cold.
And
may the light of the candles we lit this afternoon, shine in our
hearts to remind us of the Light of the World, that can not be
overcome.
Go
with God: Parent, Child, and Spirit, the one who lights our path and
shares our load.
Amen
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