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“Son of Mary”
Advent 3

GATHERING
Like the iconic figures gathered around the Christ Child in our nativity scenes, we gather together because we want to know Jesus more as we seek to bring his Reign of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love on earth.
 
Prelude
Cynthia Hibbetts
 
Welcome (and Announcements)
Rev. David Petty

We Gather at the Scene
(Threshold Moment)
 
Darlene Woods: This week in our Advent series of asking and answering the complex question “What Child IS This?”, we encounter another description of the Christ Child that will tell us much more about who he was destined to be.

What Child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

Darlene Woods: We often hear Jesus referred to as the “Son of God” and the “Son of Man.” But this carol points out his identity over and over as the “Son of Mary.” This equally powerful description points to his being reared by a woman who, upon hearing she would bear a child, said “yes” to one of the most difficult and precarious situations she could face. And then she sings with joy a song of justice for the ages. She goes on to guide and help form this child who would tend to the suffering ones.
 
Brandt Family
 
Reader 1: We light this candle of Joy for those who need it most.
Reader 2: For all whose despair feels endless.
Reader 1: For all who find little joy in daily living.
Reader 2: For all whose disappointment runs deep.
Reader 1: Our question for today at the scene of the nativity is this: “How can we proclaim a deep joy “in spite of” hardship in our time?”
Reader 2: What child IS this? This, this, is the Son of Blessed Mary who reigns with joy forever.

This, this is Christ, the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
 
Prayer of Invocation
Darlene Woods Leads
 
All: Here, at the nativity of your birth,
give us the courage to face this moment
with an uncanny joy.
Open us to new understandings of 
the unfolding story of your presence among us. 
Show us how to praise you even when songs and carols feel empty. 
We pray in the name of the Child,
the One Who Uplifts our hearts and lives.
Amen.
 
*“Bring Him Laud” – Opening Hymn/Song
 
Angels We Have Heard on High
v. 1-2 UMH #238
WORDS: Trad. French carol; trans. Crown of Jesus, 1862, alt. (Lk 2:6-20)
1. Angels we have
heard on high
sweetly singing
o’er the plains,
 
and the mountains
in reply
echoing their
joyous strains.
 
Refrain
Glo - - - - - ri – a,
in excelsis Deo!
Glo - - - - - ri – a,
in excelsis Deo!
 
2. Shepherds,
why this jubilee?
Why your joyous
strains prolong?
 
What the gladsome
tidings be
which inspire your
heavenly song?
 
Refrain
Glo - - - - - ri – a,
in excelsis Deo!
Glo - - - - - ri – a,
in excelsis Deo!
 
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
v. 1,3, 4 UMH #218
WORDS: Edmund H. Sears, 1849 (Lk. 2:8-14)
 
1. It came upon
the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending
near the earth,
to touch their harps of gold:
 
“Peace on the earth,
good will to men,
from heaven’s
all gracious King.”
The world in solemn
stillness lay
to hear the angels sing.
 
3. And ye, beneath
life’s crushing load,
whose forms
are bending low,
who toil along
the climbing way
with painful steps and slow,
 
look now! for glad
and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside
the weary road,
and hear the angels sing!
 
4. For low! the days
are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the
ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
 
when peace
shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world
send back the song
which now the angels sing.
 
*Signs of Joy/Passing the Peace
 
PROCLAIMING
We open ourselves to the full story of Christ’s birth, knowing that his story is the ground of our faith and the light for our path.
 
“Haste, Haste” – Mystery Box

We Hear the Story
 
Darlene Woods: We all have witnessed people who “rise to the occasion,” who bring energy and commitment, even and especially in the midst of the most unsettling times. From the book, The First Advent in Palestine, we read: “…without a doubt, [Mary] experienced the push and pull of war and resistance that shaped the villages of Galilee.” The situation for women in the time of Jesus’ birth was more difficult than we might imagine. In the scripture today, we hear that Mary will be perceived as an unwed mother, something that could have ruined her future forever. But she believes in the mission that God is laying out for her, and her role in it. Hear now this remarkable account:
 
Six months later, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a young woman named Mary; she was engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. Upon arriving, the angel said to Mary, “Rejoice, highly favored one! God is with you! Blessed are you among women!” Mary was deeply troubled by these words and wondered what the angel’s greeting meant. The angel went on to say to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You’ll conceive and bear a son, and give him the name Jesus—‘Deliverance.’ His dignity will be great, and he will be called the Only Begotten of God. God will give Jesus the judgment seat of David, his ancestor, to rule over the house of Jacob forever, and his reign will never end.” 
 
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have never been with a man?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you—hence the offspring to be born will be called the Holy One of God. Know too that Elizabeth, your kinswoman, has conceived a child in her old age; she who was thought to be infertile is now in her sixth month. Nothing is impossible with God.” Mary said, “I am the servant of God. Let it be done to me as you say.” With that, the angel left her. 
 
Within a few days Mary set out and hurried to the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why am I so favored, that the mother of the Messiah should come to me? The moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who believed that what our God said to her would be accomplished!” 
Mary said:
 
 “My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, 
      and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior. 
For you have looked with favor
      upon your lowly servant,
      and from this day forward
      all generations will call me blessed. 
For you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
      and holy is your Name. 
Your mercy reaches from age to age
      for those who fear you. 
You have shown strength with your arm;
      you have scattered the proud in their conceit; 
      you have deposed the mighty from their thrones
      and raised the lowly to high places. 
You have filled the hungry with good things,
      while you have sent the rich away empty. 
 
You have come to the aid of Israel your servant,
      mindful of your mercy— 
      the promise you made to our ancestors—
      to Sarah and Abraham
      and their descendants forever.” 
 
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home.
 
Sermon
Son of Mary
Rev. David Petty

RESPONDING
Our faithful response is to praise God for this story of Emmanuel, God-With-Us, even and especially in the midst of difficulty, for God is indeed with us even still.
 
“We Keep Watch” – Prayers
Rev. David Petty

Emmanuel
UMH #204
WORDS: Bob McGee, 1976 (Mt. 1:23)
© 1976 C. A. Music (div. of Christian Artists Corp.)
 
Emmanuel,
Emmanuel,
his name is called
Emmanuel.
 
God with us,
revealed in us,
his name is called
Emmanuel.

Rev. David Petty:  In this moment of silent contemplation, we lift up our prayers for the world, for its people, for the kind of kin-dom embodied by the child who was son of a strong and wise woman.

Time of Silent Contemplation
 
Living one, how will you lead us? 
“Not by scheming or by stealth, not with glamor, power and wealth,
but through Jesus, teacher, healer,
In a manger born, [joy] on Christmas morn.”
 
Holy Living One,
Child of Joy,
Spirit of Audacity,
we come to you today weary of the forces that make
joy such a difficult thing to hold,
weary of the effort it takes to birth something new
in a world bent on regressing away from
wholeness for all people.
We know you are with us,
for you came to our human story when we needed your message so much.
We still do.
We ask, “what child is this that we follow, and who are we
in the scene of this unfolding story?”
As the nativity begins to fill with the promise of new birth,
we again plead for your presence to break into our lives
and show us the light of joy.
And we ask for the courage to step into the scene,
preparing the way for fullness of possibility for all people.
 
The Lord’s Prayer
     
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.
Amen
 
Emmanuel
UMH #204
WORDS: Bob McGee, 1976 (Mt. 1:23)
© 1976 C. A. Music (div. of Christian Artists Corp.)
 
Emmanuel,
Emmanuel,
his name is called
Emmanuel.
 
God with us,
revealed in us,
his name is called
Emmanuel.

Darlene Woods: What gifts are adequate for the Son of Mary, the Bringer of Joy? Our theme song says, “so bring him incense, gold, and myrrh; come peasant, king, to own him.” Whether what we have to give is simply the gift of our presence and gratitude, or if we are privileged with coffers of precious resources, we give what we can. In this way we “take ownership” of our role in the scene, in the unfolding story of Joy.

Offertory
Sanctuary Choir

Prayer of Thanksgiving
Rev. David Petty
 
*Doxology
Praise God from Who All Blessings Flow
UMH #94
 
Praise God, from whom
all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures
here below: Alleluia! Alleluia!
 
Praise God, the source
of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ,
whose power uplifts!
 
Praise the Spirit,
Holy Spirit!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!

*Closing Hymn/Song
 
People, Look East
UMH #202
Words by permission of David Higham Assoc. Ltd.
 
1. People, look east.
The time is near of the
crowning of the year.
 
Make your house fair
as you are able,
trim the hearth
and set the table.
 
People, look east
(People, look east: )
and sing today:
  (People, look east: )
Love, the Guest,
is on the way.
 
2. Furrows, be glad.
Though earth is bare,
one more seed
is planted there.
 
Give up your strength
the seed to nourish,
that in course
the flower may flourish.
 
People, look east
(People, look east: )
and sing today:
 (People, look east: )
Love, the Rose,
is on the way.
 
3. Stars, keep the watch.
When night is dim,
one more light
the bowl shall brim,
 
shining beyond
the frosty weather,
bright as sun
and moon together.
 
People, look east
(People, look east: )
and sing today:
(People, look east: )
Love, the Star,
is on the way.
 
4. Angels announce
with shouts of mirth
him who brings
new life to earth.
 
Set every peak
and valley humming
with the word,
the Lord is coming.
 
People, look east
(People, look east: )
and sing today:
 (People, look east: )
Love, the Lord,
is on the way.
 
*Benediction
Rev. David Petty
 
May the Womb of Life,
the Child of Joy,
the Spirit of Resistance to Injustice
be with you now and as you go.
Amen.

*Postlude
Cynthia Hibbetts