December 12, 2021
Below, you’ll find the song lyrics and scripture readings for the live stream on December 12th (in the order they are needed).
O Come O Come Emmanuel
o come o come emmanuel
and ransom captive israel
who mourns in lowly exile here
until the son of god appears
rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee,
o israel
o come thou dayspring
come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here
disperse the gloomy clouds of night
and death’s dark shadow put to flight
rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee,
o israel
o come desire of nations,
bind in one the hearts of all human kind
bid thou our sad divisions cease
and be thyself our king of peace
rejoice, rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee,
o israel
Call to Worship
we have gathered to worship
the Eternal One
the Creator and Sustainer of all things
in whom all things are being made new
to enter the story of God
and find our own stories reimagined
to be formed by the Spirit
in the Joy of the Eternal One
which is and is to come
Amen
Brightest
is this fear or joy, and what is the difference
there’s a change coming on the wind
my god, it’s electric
and the skin on the back of my neck
is needles and stitches
like there’s a new light among the stars
just out of my vision
what joy could come from darkness
and not destroy the place we’ve made
like if the candle we called brightest
suddenly fell in the hay
is this love or death, and what is the difference
there’s a change coming to the scales
my god, it’s infectious
and the veins on the back of my eyes
are straining and pulsing
like there’s a new light among the stars
that I can’t behold yet
what joy could come from darkness
and not destroy the place we’ve made
like if the candle we called brightest
suddenly fell in the hay
this is the moment that everything changes
and all of our fears find the peace they’ve been chasing
and all of our comforts shatter like mirrors
caught in a light like has never been seen here
and the mountains, they crumble
chasms, they shade them
and all of our answers grow into questions
when the feeble, like lions, are freed from their cages
and the mighty are pulled from the places they’re saving:
this joy, unspeakable joy
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.
Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.
After the Dust Clears
after the dust clears and the newness is all
our feet will carve pathways down a familiar road
we’ll gather around a table for twelve
and struggle to find the anger we held
and just as the wine makes its third trip around
we’ll fail to remember what the fight was about
the details are faded, but the broad strokes remain:
we all chose a side, then we all walked away
now peering across into reddening eyes
we’ll find there a mirror of the passing of time
and wait for a beat, ‘til the silence is spent
then wonder aloud just where the time went
and raising a glass to the years that slipped by
we’ll conjure the memory of simpler times
and ignoring the fact that we cannot go back
we’ll wander the shores of our lives
and after it’s over, before we part ways
we’ll pick up the pieces with a final embrace
then linger a moment ‘round a grave dug for one
to bury our regret with joy on our tongues
see, joy is a song that you sing into strife
not to relieve it, but to keep you alive
and love is an anchor when the truth is laid bare
not to erase it, but to keep you there
Old Testament Reading
Today’s Old Testament reading, and Josh’s sermon text, is Zephaniah 3:14-20:
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
I will deal with all your oppressors
at that time.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you home,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes, says the Lord.
New Testament Reading
Today’s New Testament reading is Luke 3:7-18:
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
Giving
UBC relies on the generosity of the community. If you are a in place that you are able to give of your time, talent, and resources to UBC we would be grateful. If you want to make a financial contribution, the easiest way to do so is through our church center app.
Angels We Have Heard On High
Angels we have heard on high
sweetly singing o'er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing,
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the coming King.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise God, all creatures here below
Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Timeless, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen.
Benediction
As we approach this week
May we love God
Embrace Beauty
and Live Life to the fullest
Amen