2021

Greetings!

This week we begin the four-week season of Advent, a time to prepare for God’s coming into our world. We mark this important season in many ways. We light Advent candles at the beginning of our service each Sunday. We have midweek services every Wednesday at 7pm. We have soup suppers every Wednesday at 5:30pm before worship. On the first Saturday of December we welcome the Nordic Fair to Streams, 9am-3pm. On Sunday, December 12, we will go Christmas Caroling and have a Sons of Orpheus concert in the afternoon. On Sunday, December 19, we will have the Christmas Cantata in the morning and the Youth Group Christmas Party in the afternoon.

On Friday, November 26, at 2pm there will be a Celebration of Life for Marvin Curtis.

On Saturday, December 4, at 4pm there will be a Celebration of Life for Ken McBride.

As our calendars fill up, let us remember the true reason for the season!

Pr Tom

P.S. And don’t forget that we are recoating some of our roofs on Saturday, December 11, so that it will be easier for Santa to find us!

Welcome

GATHERING SONGS EVERY MOVE I MAKE

Verse Every move I make I make in You.

You make me move, Jesus
Every breath I take I breathe in You

Every step I take I take in You. You are my way, Jesus
Every breath I take I breathe in You.

La la la la la la; La la la la la la. (repeat)

Chorus Waves of mercy waves of grace;

Everywhere I look I see Your face
Your love has captured me;

Oh my God this love how can it be?

La la la la la la; La la la la la la. (repeat)

(Repeat all)

PEOPLE, LOOK EAST ELW #248

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, and sing today—

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 flow’r may flourish.

People, look east, and sing today—

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, and sing today—

Love, the Star, is on the way.

4 Angels announce with shouts of mirth

him who brings new life to earth.

Set ev’ry peak and valley humming

with the word, the Lord is coming.

People, look east, and sing today—

Love, the Lord, is on the way.

Text: Eleanor E. Farjeon, 1881-1965

Text © Miss E. Farjeon Will Trust, by permission of David Higham Associates

COME, NOW IS THE TIME TO WORSHIP

Verse Come, now is the time to worship;

Come, now is the time to give your heart;

Come, just as you are to worship;

Come, just as you are before your God. Come

Chorus

One day every tongue will confess You are God;

One day every knee will bow;

Still the greatest treasure remains;

For those who gladly choose You now

Repeat verse and chorus

Come, now is the time, Come, now is the time, Come.

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WELCOME TO WORSHIP

ADVENT CANDLE-LIGHTING LITURGY

One: The Gospel of John speaks of Christ as the true 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. It is significant that the church has always used that language—the coming of Christ—because it speaks to a deep truth. Christ is coming. Christ is always coming, always entering a troubled world, a wounded heart. And so we light the first candle, the candle of hope, and dare to express our longing for peace, for healing, and the well-being of all creation.

All: Loving God, as we enter this Advent season, We open all the dark places in our lives and memories to the healing light of Christ. Show us the creative power of hope. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, That we may walk in the light of Christ.

(First candle is lit.)

Song: WE LIGHT THE ADVENT CANDLES

1. We light the Advent candles

against the winter night

to welcome our Lord Jesus,

who is the world’s true light;

to welcome our Lord Jesus,

who is the world’s true light.

2. The first one will remind us

that Christ will soon return.

We light it in the darkness

and watch it gleam and burn.

We light it in the darkness

and watch it gleam and burn.

TODAY’S BIBLE READINGS

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Upon Timothy’s report from the congregation at Thessalonica, Paul is exuberant with gratitude for them. In this passage from his letter, Paul voices overflowing thanks, joy, and blessings for the people of this growing church.

⁹How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? ¹⁰Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
¹¹Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. ¹²And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. ¹³And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION THY WORD

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet

and a light unto my path

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet

and a light unto my path

And a light unto my path; you’re the light unto my path

Luke 21:25-36

God will fulfill God’s purposes and, already, hidden signs of that fulfillment abound. On that great day there will be dismay, perplexity, confusion, and terror, but God’s people shall be given strength to stand boldly and receive God’s promised redemption.

[Jesus said:] ²⁵“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. ²⁶People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. ²⁸Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
²⁹Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; ³⁰as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. ³¹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. ³²Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. ³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
³⁴“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, ³⁵like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

SPECIAL MUSIC Joy Choir: “Bethlehem Wind”

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

ADULT MESSAGE 1 Advent – November 28, 2021 – Luke 21:25-36

MAYBE YOU’VE heard the story of the little boy who decided to write a letter to God one Christmas. He started out by writing: “Dear God, I’ve been a really good boy this year.” Unfortunately, he remembered that God was all knowing and all seeing and he decided that he could not lie to God. So, he crumpled up that letter and started over. This time he wrote: “Dear God, I know I haven’t done everything I should have, but I really tried to be good.” He stopped and crumpled up that letter, too. It was obvious that he was struggling with what to write to God this particular Christmas.

AS HE SAT there thinking he looked up and saw his mother’s favorite piece of sculpture on the mantel. It was a beautiful rendition of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ. The boy perked up and ran out of the room. He came back with a towel and a shoe box. He walked over, carefully picked up the statue of Mary, gently wrapped it in the towel, carefully put it in the shoe box and then hid it in the closet. He immediately went back to the table and wrote: “Dear God, if you ever want to see your mother again….”

IT’S TIME THE CHURCH TOOK BACK CHRISTMAS. And we do. Every year we take it back and bring back the meaning and the purpose. The world tries to hold it for ransom each year, with its multiplicity of gadgets and this year’s list of must have toys; the world tries to make demands and hold Christmas for ransom but it never works. The birth of the Christ child is just too powerful, even for Wall Street. The sight and the sounds and the remembrance of this child born so long ago changes all the rules. His very presence makes the glitter of our Christmas presents pale in comparison.

SO ONCE AGAIN we prepare to celebrate this incredible holiday. Today we begin the four week long season of Advent. This is supposed to be a period of quiet reflection and preparation for God’s coming into our worlds and our lives. How do we do this? How do we prepare for God to come again this Christmas? In our Gospel reading today, Jesus tells us not to get weighed down with the dissipation and drunkenness and worries of this life.

THERE’S AN OLD story about a bird who made a deal with a farmer. In exchange for a feather, the bird would receive a worm. Pretty soon the bird ate so many worms and lost so many feathers that he could not fly anymore. Though he recognized his real destiny was in the sky, the worms proved too tempting.

FOOLISH BIRD, we say. But sometimes we are like that bird. Though we realize our outlook is beyond this world and that we are “citizens of heaven,” how often do the worms get the best of us. How often do we center our lives on the temporary, short-lived treasures of this earth. How often do we give Mammon (that is, wealth and possessions) the feathers of service in exchange for worms and become hopelessly weighed down with the cares, riches, and pleasures of this world.

THIS YEAR WE WILL PUT MAMMON IN ITS PLACE. We will ask God to help us put him, and the birth of his Son, in the center of our Advent preparations. With God’s help we will get it a little more right than last year. We will focus our anticipation on Jesus’ coming and the difference he can make in our lives and in our world. Instead of looking down at the suffering and despair of our world, we will look up, for our redemption is drawing near. Pastor Dawn Weaks tells us how that can change our lives in this story.

I WAS AT THE VA hospital with a man awaiting surgery one afternoon when I heard a groaning sound coming from another area of the waiting room. I looked over and saw a badly scarred man lying on a bed, with a woman sitting beside him, soothing him with quiet words. The groans were impossible to ignore, so I acknowledged them to the man I was waiting with. “Yeah,” he said, “Sounds like someone’s worse off than me.”

ONCE THE NURSE came to take the man I was with to surgery, I tentatively walked over to the man and woman I had seen earlier. I felt drawn to them, though I had no idea what I would do or say. As I approached, the woman said, “I heard you pray with that man, would you pray with my husband and I?”

“SURE,” I SAID. “Tell me some about you and your husband.”

“WE’RE HERE because the doctors messed up his last procedure. See, he was almost killed in the Korean War,” she said. “He has seizures constantly and a skin disease. He has lost most of his mental capacity.”

I LOOKED AT THE man and could barely bring my eyes to really see him. He was a mangled human being. His body was bloated, his eyes were cloudy, his features were twisted in pain. “How long has he been like this?” I asked.

“SINCE THE WAR.”

SINCE THE WAR? I wanted to yell. That’s been what, nearly 40 years!!! Nearly speechless, I managed to say, “If you don’t mind me asking, how have you endured?”

SHE PAUSED and breathed deeply. “We have two great kids, and a very supportive church. And thankfully the government takes care of most of his medical needs.”

I PRESSED ON – “But you,” I said, “How have you endured?”

SHE LIFTED UP her head, stood up, looked me straight in the eyes and said, “I believe that one day, God’s gonna heal him, whether it be in this life or the next. And I intend to be there when He does.”

AND THEN WE prayed together, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come. Amen.”

WE ARE CALLED to be prepared for the coming of this same Lord Jesus Christ. And we do that through worship, through prayer, through remembering who’s birthday it is that we are about to celebrate.

THE GIFTS AND the lights and the decorations and the parties are all OK, if we just remember and honor the one whose birth we are preparing to celebrate.

PASTOR STEVE BROWN tells about a car he saw one day while driving home. It was the ugliest car he had ever seen. He said this car was not just ugly – it was ugly on top of ugly. If you looked up the word ugly in the dictionary, you’d find a picture of this car.

IT HAD A large gash on its side; one of the doors was held together with baling wire; and several other body parts were almost completely rusted out. The car’s muffler was so loose that with every bump, it hit the street, sending sparks in every direction. He could not tell the original color of the car. The rust had eaten away so much of the paint, and so much of the car had been painted over with so many different colors, that any one of them (or none of them) could have been the first coat.

THE MOST interesting thing about the car was the bumper sticker. It said, “This is not an abandoned car!” Steve Brown goes on to say, “A long time ago, in a manger, a baby was born. This baby was a sign to us. His very presence tells us, ‘THIS IS NOT AN ABANDONED WORLD.'”

ADVENT TELLS US THAT WE MATTER TO GOD. The Lord Jesus Christ did not come into the world so the world could stay the same. He came to ransom this world, to buy it back for God with his innocent suffering and death. But the only way that can happen is if we are prepared to receive him. Prepare your homes but also prepare your hearts and your souls.

JESUS SAYS WE should prepare by “Being on guard so that our hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life.” He says that we should “Be alert at all times” and that we should “Pray.” That’s what the preparation is all about, getting ready. Putting off the rags of our old selves; the torn and worn out rags of our past failures and sin.

THROUGH PRAYER and watchfulness we are called to put on the new pure white garment of our faith and forgiveness so we can make that journey to the holiest night of all where we will stand at the foot of the manger and meet the Christ child. Or we can stand ready when the trumpet sounds and we look up and see Christ coming in the clouds.

WE HAVE A great way to begin today, through the Sacrament of Holy Communion. As we share in the bread and the wine, let us remember the cost of our salvation, the cross. And let us remember that the cross would not have happened without the manger cradle. Prepare yourself. The one who is called “The Lord is our Righteousness” is coming. Let His light shine in your life and drive away whatever darkness there is in your life. Rejoice, look up, for your redemption is drawing near. AMEN.

SPECIAL MUSIC David Hernandez: Prepare the Way of the Lord by Mark Hayes

Respond

AFFIRMING OUR FAITH Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

P: As we await the coming of Christ, we pray in hope for the church, the world, and all of creation.

A brief silence.

P: Equip your church, merciful God. Secure our roots in the soil of your eternal word. Ease our worries and remove our shame. Grow our faithfulness and let your steadfast love blossom among us. Lord, in your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P: Feed the hungry, living God. Gather our harvest into a feast for our neighbors. Move us to nurture those who are bereaved and lonely. Empower all who are sick (especially). Lord, in your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

P: Confident that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, we bring to you these prayers and those unspoken, in the name of Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C: Amen.

WE WORSHIP GOD THROUGH OUR GIVING

PRAYER OF BLESSING Next, we will receive the gifts of forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation from our Lord Jesus, and respond gratefully with our offerings. Offering plates are next to the communion stations for your gifts. You may also donate online on the website, by text (the phone number is on the website), by mail, or personally deliver it to the office. Lives are changed through the ministry enabled by your gifts. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in the Gospel. Let us pray:

Leader: God, fulfiller of promises, we come to this warm and colorful season of Advent with expectant and thankful hearts. We welcome the renewed promise of your love, justice and righteousness breaking into our world. We offer these gifts and the witness of our lives in gratitude for all you have done, are doing and will do. This we pray in Jesus’ name.

People: Amen.

HOLY COMMUNION Holy Communion will be served to those present at this time and then distributed here in the sanctuary from 12 to 12:30 for those worshipping online.

LORDS PRAYER

COMMUNION SONG SING ALLELUIA

1. Sing alleluia to the Lord, sing alleluia to the Lord

Sing alleluia, sing alleluia, sing alleluia to the Lord

2. Jesus is risen from the dead

3. Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth

4. He’s coming back to take us home

5. We give thanks to God our King

6. He died for us, we’ll live for Him

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BENEDICTION SONG AS YOU GO ON YOUR WAY

As you go on your way may Christ go with you.

May he go before you to show you the way;

May he go behind you to encourage you;

Beside you to befriend you;

Above you to watch over;

Within you to give you peace.

In the name of the Father, Son and Spirit. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

STREAMS THEME SONG

See the streams of living waters,

springing from eternal love,

well supply your sons and daughters,

and all fear of want remove.

Who can faint while such a river

ever will their thirst assuage?

Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,

never fails from age to age.

SENDING BLESSING

Leader: Greet your worshiping neighbor. Go in peace and be Devoted to Generosity!

People: Thanks be to God!!!

Sunday, November 28

9:30 – 10:30am Bible Study, Room A

10:45 – 11:45am Livestream Worship in-person

11:50am – 12:20pm Building & Grounds, Classroom A

12 – 12:30pm Communion in Sanctuary

3 – 4:30pm Zoom Bible Study

Tuesday, November 30

9 – 11am Streams Food Pantry

9:30 – 11:30am Dorcas Circle

10:30am – 12pm Bible Study

11am – 3:30pm Charity Bridge

Wednesday, December 1

8:30 – 11:30am Workday

9 – 11:30am Quilters

12 – 1pm Via de Cristo Grouping, Room E

7 – 8:30pm Executive Meeting

7 – 8pm Advent service

Thursday, December 2

9 – 11am VdC Grouping

6 – 7pm Bells Angels practice

7:15 – 8:30pm Joy Choir Practice

Saturday, December 4

9am-3pm Nordic Fair

4 – 5pm Kenny McBride Funeral

Sunday, December 5

9:30 – 10:30am Bible Study, Room A

10:45 – 11:45am Livestream Worship in-person

12 – 12:30pm Communion in Sanctuary

12:20 – 1:20pm Worship & Music, Meeting Room A

3 – 4:30pm NO Zoom Bible Study

4 – 6pm VdC Reunion Ultreya, Resurrection Lutheran Church, 11575 N 1st Ave, Oro Valley, AZ 85737, USA