Help to find For Yr. C Planning Advent-Epiph. Home Page About This Site  Contact Bob Bob's Storybook Biblical Index BOOKS Theological books  I read recently: -Brickner, Finding God in Garden Resources by Category: Click a heading below to go to a category. -Administration and Pastoral Relations: resolving conflict; -Children & Church School: Lit for start  of  sch term -discussion resources -Liturgical -movies reviewd -Mission cong's chaplain outreach Peace for churches -Sermon/Story -Social Comment Spanking, Liberal Muslims -Series for SUMMER

Original Advent, Christmas, Epiphany sermons,prayers, stories, plays and reviews of theological books and popular films. Search by category: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission To see an article, click on a title listed below. To return to this page click on the 'Back' button of your browser -----------------------------------------Yr. C. ------------------------------------ +A Theme Development for Advent yr. C  How will we prepare the way for God's realm? + Advent Yr. C Sermon suggestions Advent 1 sermon suggestion   Advent 2 sermon suggestion Advent 3 sermon suggestion Advent 4 sermon suggestion -An alternate way to read scripture in congregational worship during Advent Yr. C  A201 -Using the Hebrew Testament lessons (and other script) in worship during Advent Yr.C B202 Epiphany Yr. C, Sundays After - Eight Themes:    EpC1 through EpC8 1st- Redeemed; 2nd - Delight; 3rd - Holy Law; (see also "Cov. of Laws A415) 4th - Called; 5th - When God is Made Known to Us; 6th -Curses & Blessimgs; 7th - Generosity; 8th - Transformed and Transfigured. YR. A. Planning for Preaching and Liturgy  +Using Heb Test. lessons as basis for Yr A Advt - Epiph Preaching/ congregational worship +Advent Wreath closing ritual: After four weeks of lighting Advent Candles,  here is a ritual for taking the light from the candles, and into our lives. This year we suggest keeping the wreath alight until Epiphany 1 A205 +After Epiphany Yr. A. Planning guide, "Called to be Light." A207 Yr A. Advent Preaching/discussion material +Advent 1 Sermon: "My Faith and My Politics." A401 +Advent 2, We are a Branch of Jesus Aadvt2 +Advent 2 parable: "The Village - How the Market Place Became the Highest Good." A302 +"The Village, part 2, Joan Paul vists the village." A302cont. +Advent 3,  God Calls Us Home Aadvt3 +Advent 3 social comment: "The World is in a State of Chassis." A301 +Advent 4, God is with us in the Children -Advent 4, Use a Christmas Pageant (as per those listed below     SERMON RESOURCES FOR ADVENT, Yr. B -Lament, first of an Advent series B4advt1 -Called to Hope B4advt2 -Called to Active Hope B4advt3 - Being a Temple, the Body of Christ B4advt4 - Pakistani Jesus Pakistan Jesus PLANNING and SERMON WRITING or STUDY RESOURCES for AFTER EPIPHANY, Yr B. Epiphany 1- "8 Blessings," Notes for planning Sundays of Epiphany. B4ep Epiphany 1 - Baptism of Jesus B4ep2 A Litany for a Congregation's Reaffirmation of Baptism B204ep Epiphany 1 (alternative) Garden A405 Epiphany 2 - Blessing of Being Called B4ep3 A litany "Called"  Litep3 Epiphany 3 - On the threshold of a New Day B4ep03 A Litany  on a New Day Litep03 Epiphany 4 -"Blessings in and  By the Community of Faith B4ep4 Epiphany 5 The Blessing of Joining God in the World B4ep5 Epiphany 6 - God of Compassion B4ep6 Litany - "Compassionate God, Compassionate People Litep6 Epiphany 7, God Who Remembers and Forgets B4ep7 Epiphany 7, "God of Hope, " a litany Litep7 Epiphany 8, Enlightened Mind. B4ep8 Epiphany 8, "God Who reveals," a litany Litep8 Seasonal DRAMATIC liturgical resources -White Gift Sunday enactment of "Feeding the 500," according to John. Suggestions for involving the whole congregation, including children and youth. A 102 +Christmas chancel play,"Mary Remembers," intergenerational . A108 +Christmas pageant for adults and/or youth, "The Midwife's Letter." A203 +Christmas Eve, lessons and carols, "Stepping Stones to Christmas." A204 +On the Bus -An Advent play-writing and acting project for teens   B203 +Advent Wreath closing ritual: After four weeks of lighting Advent Candles, here is a ritual for taking the light from the candles, and into our lives. This year we suggest keeping the wreath alight until Epiphany 1 A205 CHILD'S WISDOM -Advent-Christmas: a child's unadulterated view. "Kaitie-ism." A103 -God Too! A child's faith A105 -Annual Meeting Sunday, "Children's Finger Play." A104 -White Gift children's story: "Smile." A101 -Children's place in the church A112 Steven Sees the Light -Epiphany Genesis 1:1-5; Mark 4:21; John 8:12, 9:4-5 ecclesicakes A111 Advent Social Commment +Advent parable: "How the Market Place Became the Highest Good." A302 +Advent Rant: "The World is in a State of Chassis." A301 Christmas -Smile - story for White Gift Sunday A101 -Hugging - A Toddler's view of Christmas A103 -Deaf Angel Sermon from the Church of the Deaf, "Angelo the Deaf Angel." A206 -Story from the Church of the Deaf, "Word"  Made Flesh.A403 -Sermon, "Now That We Have it, What Shall We Do With It?" A402 Epiphany -Magi -The Magi's Gift, sermon  A409a -Magi, telling it to children A110 -Travel, ecclesicakes A407 Epiphany - Baptism -Baptism sermon (epiphany 1) ecclesicakes baptsermon -Congregation's Reaffirmation of Baptism, a Litany  B204ep Epiphany -Planning  and Sermons +After Epiphany Yr. A. Planning guide, "Called to be Light." A207 +1st after Epiphany, Called by the Spirit + 1st after Ep. (alternative) Garden +2nd after Epiphany, +3rd after Epiphany yrA, Called to be Servants of the Reign of God Aep3 +3rd after Epiphany, "In the Picture." Aep3b +4th after Epiphany - Mica 6:1-8. What does the Lord  Require? A420 +Transfiguration Sunday -last after Epiphany <EpC8transfig>   YR. A. Planning for Preaching and Liturgy  +Using Heb Test. lessons as basis for Yr A Advt - Epiph Preaching/ congregational worship +Advent Wreath closing ritual: After four weeks of lighting Advent Candles,  here is a ritual for taking the light from the candles, and into our lives. This year we suggest keeping the wreath alight until Epiphany 1 A205 +After Epiphany Yr. A. Planning guide, "Called to be Light." A207 Yr A. Advent Preaching/discussion material +Advent 1 Sermon: "My Faith and My Politics." A401 +Advent 2, We are a Branch of Jesus Aadvt2 +Advent 2 parable: "The Village - How the Market Place Became the Highest Good." A302 +"The Village, part 2, Joan Paul vists the village." A302cont. +Advent 3,  God Calls Us Home Aadvt3 +Advent 3 social comment: "The World is in a State of Chassis." A301 +Advent 4, God is with us in the Children -Advent 4, Use a Christmas Pageant (as per those listed below YEAR A Search by category: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission         PLANNING FOR THE SEASON of EPIPHANY Epiphany. Yr.A. Ecclesicakes A207    During this season the lectionary invites us to be in touch with our call to servanthood; to reflect on it and to renew it. Sunday by Sunday we can lift up and open our hearts and wills to a different aspect of this calling, and ask the Spirit to transform us.  Most significant to me is the constant focus on justice, and both personal and communal faith, action and action..                                                                                                                                                               1st Sunday, Baptism of Jesus We are called by the Spirit Is. 42:1-9 This is my servant, on whom I put my spirit who will bring forth justice Psalm 29- God on throne over the waters Acts 10:34-43 - Holy Sp. Given to Gentiles Mt. 3:13-17 - Bapt. of Jesus, "My beloved" Theme: As envisioned by Isaiah, the Spirit calls people of every generation into justice- seeking servanthood Let us remember the call of Isaiah, Jesus, and other notables, and celebrate our own experiences of God's Spirit moving us ("my beloved") individually and in community. 2nd Sunday Calledto be Light Is 49:1-7 The nation is reminded of its call to be a light to the nations. Ps 40:1-11 I delight to do your will 1 Cor.1:1-9 The whole cong. is called to be saints John 1:29-42 Jhn B. names Jesus the "Lamb of God." Theme: We are called as community of faith to exercise our calling. Let's remember how we have been this, and take hold of the challenges and great adventures ahead for us in this time & place as a community of faith. 3rd Sunday Called to Name the Darkness Is. 9:1-4 People in darkness have seen great light; relieve bondage and bring justice. Ps. 27:1-4, 9 The Holy is my light. 1 Cor. 1:10-18 People, be united in mission. Mt. 4:12-23 Follow me & catch humankind.  Theme: Matthew quotes Is. To describe Jesus. What is the darkness today in which we are called to be the light? Do not let our infighting and jealousies snuff out the light we are capable of. What great things churches can do when they work together!  4th Sunday Call to be Wise Micah 6:1-8 in vs. 4, Miriam recognized as prophet. Creator requires: do justice, Love kindness, walk humbly with God. Ps 27:1-4, 9. Holding true to God, in midst of opposition. 1Cor.1: 18-32 Christ is the power of God and wisdom of God. Mt 4:1-12 Beatitudes.  Theme: being aware of the teachings of the prophets, take a selection of the beatitudes and invite worshippers to see how this. would apply as holy wisdom in our homes, and public life. Give examples from your own experience, reading and convictions. 5th Sunday  True wisdom is to fulfill the Law & prophets. Is. 58:1-12 True observance is to let oppressed go free Ps112 delight in God's law: Act justly, feed poor. 1Cor 2:1-16 follow not world's but God's wisdom. Mt 5:13-20 reading puts together being light, and observing Law & prophets teaching. Theme: How does popular wisdom, social and economic values, government legislation reflect the values set out by prophets & Jesus? What would constitute "family values" according to Law, prophets, teachings of Christian and other Scripture? 6th Sunday Decision time. Duet. 30:11-20 to choose God is to choose life. Ps 119:1-8 True happiness is to be blameless before the Creator. 1 Cor.3:1-9 Do our ways within the Church show us to be of this world or of the Spirit? Mt. 5:21-37 Jesus sets a standard of conduct higher than even the Law does. Theme: Starting with God's gracious acts toward us, how shall we choose to respond in order to intentionally create communities of faith that practice the highest levels of peace and reconciliation? Where do we, in the church, follow the values of the world or values of Christ?  Can the church elect to be one of the teaching places that contribute to a world of shalom?  Last Sunday, Transfiguration. The result of opening ourselves to God is Transformation Exodus 24:12-18, [34:1-42; 28-30] Moses meets God on Mount Sinai. Psalm 2 Political rulers are advised to acknowledge God's anointed as superior to themselves and their authority. 2Peter 1:16-21 Peter testifies that the transformation of Jesus was not a myth, but something he saw with his own eyes. Matthew 17:1-9 Jesus is transfigured Theme: Jesus' transformation is complete. The peasant wood worker who was once a disciple of John the Baptist, has been changed. The promise of his baptism is complete. Can we see this as true of ourselves? According to the Methodist teaching of sanctification, it is expected that the indwelling Spirit of God will transform us, so that we are more than a "Material Girl" or boy. Might this happen to us over and over again, so that each year we move through the expectation of Advent, the wonder of Christmas, and the call to servant- hood of the Sundays after Epiphany, to find ourselves transformed individuals and communities on this eve of Lent, so that we go into the weeks ahead as spiritually more mature, and better able to travel into the deeper waters of faith through these weeks before Easter. Search by category: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission A theme for Advent yr. C <Cadvnttheme> Based mainly on Gospel lections Overall theme for the season -  HOW WILL WE PREPARE THE WAY FOR GOD'S REALM inour hearts, church, and world? (Lk.3:1-6) Advent 1 - Luke 21:25-36. How do we know when the Realm of God is Near? Advent 2- Luke 3:1-6 How will we Prepare the Way for Realm of God? Advent 3- Luke3:7-18 How will we Bear fruits of God's Realm? Advent 4 -Luke 1:39-45 How will we identify God fullfilling promises? Development of these weekly themes Advent 1. How do we know the Realm of God is near? Dear Reader, In the following sermon suggestion I give some general illusions and leave it to you to give specific illustrations which fit your contect. [ Introduce the overall theme and the four questions, which can make this season of Advent a time to ponder what it is to be a citizen of the Realm of God to which Jesus calls us. Let us during this Advent prepare a way for the Realm of God to claim our hearts, our congregation and to influence the values of our world. ] The question for today arises from a verse of the gospel lesson for today. Luke 21:31 announces, "When you see these things you will know that the Kingdom of God is near." One question this verse can pose for us is: How do we know when the Realm of God is near to us? This is a good question for us to ponder over this next four weeks. All the gospel writers agree that Jesus' mission was to proclaim "the good news of the Kingdom of God" (Lk. 5:43). In today's reading from Luke, Jesus is quoted as saying that when we see the leaves of a tree starting to sprout, we know that summer is coming, then urges us to watch similarly for the Realm of God. So, what sprouts do we look for as announcing the nearness of the Realm of God? How do we know when this Realm of God is near to us.  What signs tell you that the Realm of God is with us; when is it as near as your heart, when is it as close your church, and when is it in the neighbourhood of your  world? This is not a question for me to answer for you. Yet I do have a role in giving leadership as we work together to identify the Realm of God among us and within us.     Search by category: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission A theme for Advent yr. C Based mainly on Gospel lections Overall theme for the season - (Lk.3:1-6) HOW WILL WE PREPARE THE WAY FOR GOD'S REALM inour hearts, church, and world?  Advent 1 - Luke 21:25-36. How do we know when the Realm of God is Near? Advent 2- Luke 3:1-6 How will we Prepare the Way for Realm of God? Advent 3- Luke3:7-18 How will we Bear fruits of God's Realm? Advent 4 -Luke 1:39-45 How will we identify God fullfilling promises? Development of these weekly themes Advent 1. How do we know the Realm of God is near? Dear Reader, In the following sermon suggestion I give some general illusions and leave it to you to give specific illustrations which fit your contect. [ Introduce the overall theme and the four questions, which can make this season of Advent a time to ponder what it is to be a citizen of the Realm of God to which Jesus calls us. Let us during this Advent prepare a way for the Realm of God to claim our hearts, our congregation and to influence the values of our world. ] The question for today arises from a verse of the gospel lesson for today. Luke 21:31 announces, "When you see these things you will know that the Kingdom of God is near." One question this verse can pose for us is: How do we know when the Realm of God is near to us? This is a good question for us to ponder over this next four weeks. All the gospel writers agree that Jesus' mission was to proclaim "the good news of the Kingdom of God" (Lk. 5:43). In today's reading from Luke, Jesus is quoted as saying that when we see the leaves of a tree starting to sprout, we know that summer is coming, then urges us to watch similarly for the Realm of God. So, what sprouts do we look for as announcing the nearness of the Realm of God? How do we know when this Realm of God is near to us. What signs tell you that the Realm of God is with us; when is it as near as your heart, when is it as close your church, and when is it in the neighbourhood of your world? This is not a question for me to answer for you. Yet I do have a role in giving leadership as we work together to identify the Realm of God among us and within us. It occurs to me that the first step we might take in this venture is to remind ourselves what the Realm of God looks like or feels like or sounds like. When we find ourselves ourselves encountering the Realm of God what do we see, what do we hear, what do we touch? Let's begin with our own person. Have you ever known the God in your life? When was that? When we experience the nearness of God in our own life, what is it that we are experiencing? What makes you think that that moment is a God-moment? Some might say we know God is near by our feelings; a time when we feel the love and compassion of God. A time when we feel loved by God and by our companions in life. When you feel very loving and warm toward those especially close to you. Or is it a time when you feel compassion for those who are suffering? Is it a time when you feel God's sorrow over injustice and oppression and our role in condoning injustice and unfairness? Or others may say they know God by their mind; a thinking time, a time when one understands what God is doing in the world; a time when your mind is engaged with theology? I know of people who are lifted in faith by wrestling in their mind with the great spiritual writers, or simply by sharing their views of spirituality with a neighbour. Again, it may be that we know the Realm God by what we do, by action. Do you experience the presence of God when you do something that contributes toward a world that is better for all? I know people who know the presence of God by knitting mittens for poor children, or baking a cake for a neighbour, or helping a neighbour shingle their roof, or volunteer in a church soup kitchen, or just listening to a child who needs to talk? These are least some of the ways we know that the realm of God is near us and within us.  During this season of Advent we are invited to open ourselves to the presence of the holy - to clear the way so that we may have lots of these experiences over the next four weeks. Now, let us think for a moment about seeing the Realm of God in our church - in our congregation and in our denomination. What are ways by which our church shows itself to be within the Realm of God? Can we see signs of God's Realm in our church? As we go through this next week let us become aware of signals of God within the church. As we notice them it would be good to share that with one another. I certainly would be glad to hear about your perceptions. Finally, during these weeks, I invite you to look for the presence of the Realm of God in the world; in our town, and in our nation; in our world. There is much in the world to make us despair, but this week let us be open to presence of the Spirit of God in the world - perhaps we will find God in the midst of the despair and also in all things that seem to be in keeping with the ministry of Jesus. When the leaves begin to turn colour we in Canada know that the time of harvest is upon us. When awaken to the first snowfall, we know that winter is near. Can we also see signs in our life, in our church, and in our world that tell us that God is near? Advent 2, How will we prepare the way for the Realm of God? ecclesicakes AdvtC2 Have you ever envisioned yourself doing something as a way to prepare for actually doing it? My youngest daughter, Margaret, works with paralympic athletes. These disabled skiers use envisioning as preparation for performing their event. Before they go down the hill they rehearse in their mind what they will ask their bodies to do as they speed down the ski run. When Margaret told me about this, I wondered, "Would envisioning would be an aid in preparation for living in the Realm of God?"  Today's topic is the second in a series for Advent. It is inspired by John the Baptist who urged people to "prepare the way  of the Lord." Could we prepare the way for the Realm of God by imagining what it would be like? Last Sunday we began by asking how we would identify this Realm of God - would we know it if we saw it in our personal lives, or if we met it in the church, or if we heard of it in the wider world? Some say they know the Realm of God is near when the Spirit moves them to feel loved and loving. Others tell us they identify the presence of the Realm of God by contemplation, prayer and study. Still others know the Realm of God when they are moved by the Spirit to do something good. Those were the questions for last Sunday. They are questions which lead us to to today's question: How will we let the Spirit Guide us in preparing the way for the Reign of God to come more fully into our lives, our church, and our world? Today's question, "How do we prepare the way for God's Realm," seems to assume that we want our personal living, our church and our world to be more fully within God's reign. It appears to be based on our desire for God. It begs the  further question, do we want more of God in our own hearts, in the life of our church, and in the wide world? Maybe we are hungering for more of God, and a fuller experience of God's Holy Spirit. Maybe we do desire a more intense relationship with Christ. Or perhaps, we already have as much God as we want. Maybe we do not really want to live more fully by the reign of God! In some way it doesn't matter what we want, what really matters is what God wants and what God wants is to draw us more deeply into God's Realm. God wants us, and God is coming to us. The biblical book of Revelations has a wonderful image of God's desire for us. The writer of Revelations tells of a church that is unenthusiastic in its mission. It is not  a people who want more of God. So, John pictures Christ coming to the door of that church, and knocking to be let in. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door I will come to you" (Rev. 3:20).  So, even if we are not enthusiastic for God, God is eager for us. Yet the biblical writers believed there is a role for us in  preparing the way for God's Realm. The gospel reading for today says that our role is similar to building a highway through mountains. When I was sixteen I worked on a road-building crew in the mountains of western Canada. Building such a road means clearing away rock, and building bridges over chasms.  If we build a road to our heart, to our church, to our community, God will come down that road and knock at our door, and as we open the door God will enter in, and embrace us. Perhaps we can build that road by envisioning it with our imagination. Can we envision a road leading to our own lives. Can we envision God's Realm moving down that road to claim us? Could we envision a road leading to the door of our church? Then, can we imagine the Realm of God coming in and enveloping every aspect of our life together? Finally, are we able to imagine a route leading to the centre of our town, and spreading out to all its streets? Could the people of our town build a highway that would make a clear path for the reign of God to come in and occupy it? May we , in our imagination, envision a the rocks that need to be cleared away in oder for these roads to be built? Can we see the chasms that would need to be bridged? As I think of this I realize it may be hard work. However, we do not build these avenues all alone. The scripture also promises us that God's Spirit will be with us, helping us to move those stones and build those bridges. Also, there are many others road builders already in the field; many persons who stand with us and partner with us as road-builders. May we be counted as being among that crew, moving boulders with our prayers, constructing bridges with our offerings of time and money, paving the way with love and grace. Search by category: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission Advent 3, Yr. C. Lk. 3:7-18 How will we bear fruits of the Realm of God? Everry Advent season local group asks for the donations of "lightly used coats" for poor children. This sounds a lot like our Gospel lesson for today. In today's Gospel reading  John the Baptist tells those who came to hear him that now is the time to bear fruit worthy of repentance." He goes onto explain that now is the time for those who have two coats to give one away. John believed that true faith in God would show in the generous behaviour of the faithful. Brian Perkins-Macintosh wrote recently for Mandate Magazine: "Any poll will tell you that belief in God is firmly embedded in the North American psyche. What is not so clear is the kind of God people believe in, or whether belief has any bearing on the day to day decisions and actions of those who believe." He goes on to quote the theologian, John Dominic Crossan who asks, "What kinds of actions or values does God sanction? Conversely, what kinds of actions and values does God reject?" Mandate 2003, "A Decade to Disarm: from violence to non-violence," United Church of Canada. Marion Soards asserts that our great "Protestant heresy" is our failure to see that "true faith generates godly actions." Preaching the Revised Common lectionary Yr. C, "Third Sunday of Advent." Abington 1994. Somehow, many people seem to have the idea that sole purpose and end of Christianity is to forgive us of our sins so that we can enter Heaven. I am not surprised that some see Christianity this way. Many of our hymns put forward this view. These hymns praise God that Jesus died for our sins, and opened for us the gates to Heaven. John the Baptist would have had trouble with such hymns. He would want them to have at least one verse more. He would want to add a verse that declares: Forgiveness of sin has made us able to love our neighbour with a glad heart! The Cross has set free to practise love and justice the rest of our days! (see Romans 6). I know too that most of us would agree. For instance, when you and I say that so and so is good Christian person, we mean that they are kindly, gentle, generous, forgiving, loving, gracious. When we say that a person is a good Christian, we mean that their life and their faith are congruent with one another; they are not hypocrites, saying one thing and doing another. I am sure that you can think of many people who are like that. I suspect that most such "good" people would not think of themselves as particularly good. They probably don't even think about being good. They simply accept the love of God, and they have let that love seep into their souls. God's love for them has made them loving and kind, and generous.  I believe that this has happened and is happening to all of us who gather here each Sunday. I believe that you and I are progressively being changed by grace; week by week, month by month and year by year we being made=de more Christ-like. I believe that this is happening to us both as individuals and as a community of faith.  God's grace is changing us to be more more the Body of Christ. The true of this is expressed in what is probably the most popular of all Christian hymns, Amazing Grace. What is it that is so amazing about grace? Well, according this hymn, the amazing thing is the change that it makes in the life of the singer. The words to this hymn were written by John Henry Newton, who was changed by grace from being a slave trader to being an opponent of slavery. After Newton received grace he devoted his life to ending slavery. He describes this change as moving from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight.  By the way, the last verse which speaks of going to heaven was not written by John Newton. It was added later; obviously by someone who thought it needed some reference to Heaven. John Newton however was satisfied apparently with the effect that that grace made on him in this life. I actually like the last verse, and the praise I will give to God in Heaven is thanksgiving for the grace that made me into a loving gracious person. Whatever goodness there is in me is not my own doing, it is entirely the work of God's grace. This grace has worked on me through many people including my mother, and numerous other agents of God who showed me God's love. I will praise God for this and the effect it has had on me. This is not to say that I have nothing to confess, but only that all I am is due to God's grace in Christ. When I get to Heaven I will thank God for the change God made in me. So, the lesson about God's realm for today is this: God's realm is made up of people who have been made loving, generous, gracious, and justice seeking by God's work  in Christ. In God's Realm we are like trees that bear fruit that shows we have been changed. Praise GodAdvent 3, Yr. C. Lk. 3:7-18 How will we bear fruits of the Realm of God? ecclesicakes advtC3 This last week a local group were on television asking for the donations of "lightly used coats" for poor children. This sounds a lot like our Gospel lesson for today. In today's Gospel reading  John the Baptist tells those who came to hear him that now is the time to bear fruit worthy of repentance." He goes onto explain that now is the time for those who have two coats to give one away. John believed that true faith in God would show in the generous behaviour of the faithful. Brian Perkins-Macintosh wrote recently for Mandate Magazine: "Any poll will tell you that belief in God is firmly embedded in the North American psyche. What is not so clear is the kind of God people believe in, or whether belief has any bearing on the day to day decisions and actions of those who believe." He goes on to quote the theologian, John Dominic Crossan who asks, "What kinds of actions or values does God sanction? Conversely, what kinds of actions and values does God reject?" Mandate 2003, "A Decade to Disarm: from violence to non-violence," United Church of Canada. Marion Soards asserts that our great "Protestant heresy" is our failure to see that "true faith generates godly actions." Preaching the Revised Common lectionary Yr. C, "Third Sunday of Advent." Abington 1994. Somehow, many people seem to have the idea that sole purpose and end of Christianity is to forgive us of our sins so that we can enter Heaven. I am not surprised that some see Christianity this way. Many of our hymns put forward this view. These hymns praise God that Jesus died for our sins, and opened for us the gates to Heaven. John the Baptist would have had trouble with such hymns. He would want them to have at least one verse more. He would want to add a verse that declares: Forgiveness of sin has made us able to love our neighbour with a glad heart! The Cross has set free to practise love and justice the rest of our days! (see Romans 6). I know too that most of us would agree. For instance, when you and I say that so and so is good Christian person, we mean that they are kindly, gentle, generous, forgiving, loving, gracious. When we say that a person is a good Christian, we mean that their life and their faith are congruent with one another; they are not hypocrites, saying one thing and doing another. I am sure that you can think of many people who are like that. I suspect that most such "good" people would not think of themselves as particularly good. They probably don't even think about being good. They simply accept the love of God, and they have let that love seep into their souls. God's love for them has made them loving and kind, and generous.  I believe that this has happened and is happening to all of us who gather here each Sunday. I believe that you and I are progressively being changed by grace; week by week, month by month and year by year we being made=de more Christ-like. I believe that this is happening to us both as individuals and as a community of faith.  God's grace is changing us to be more more the Body of Christ. The true of this is expressed in what is probably the most popular of all Christian hymns, Amazing Grace. What is it that is so amazing about grace? Well, according this hymn, the amazing thing is the change that it makes in the life of the singer. The words to this hymn were written by John Henry Newton, who was changed by grace from being a slave trader to being an opponent of slavery. After Newton received grace he devoted his life to ending slavery. He describes this change as moving from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight.  By the way, the last verse which speaks of going to heaven was not written by John Newton. It was added later; obviously by someone who thought it needed some reference to Heaven. John Newton however was satisfied apparently with the effect that that grace made on him in this life. I actually like the last verse, and the praise I will give to God in Heaven is thanksgiving for the grace that made me into a loving gracious person. Whatever goodness there is in me is not my own doing, it is entirely the work of God's grace. This grace has worked on me through many people including my mother, and numerous other agents of God who showed me God's love. I will praise God for this and the effect it has had on me. This is not to say that I have nothing to confess, but only that all I am is due to God's grace in Christ. When I get to Heaven I will thank God for the change God made in me. So, the lesson about God's realm for today is this: God's realm is made up of people who have been made loving, generous, gracious, and justice seeking by God's work  in Christ. In God's Realm we are like trees that bear fruit that shows we have been changed. Praise God Note: this article has been archived. If you want to read it, contact Bob who will email it to you in 24rs, usually. Search by category: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission Advent 4, yr. C. How Will We Identify God Fulfilling God's Promises? <advtC4> Luke 1:39-45, and 46-554 One of the qualities that I like best in a person is the keeping of commitments. For me nothing is so frustrating as having someone say they will do something, and then not do it. Of course there can be circumstances that prevent someone from doing what they said they would do, and in such cases we must understand. However, I have known people who will say yes over and over and not do it over and over - it is a pattern with them. On the other hand, how wonderful it is to have people in my life who always do what they said they would do. In the Bible God is portrayed as a model for all promise-keeping; God keeps promises to us, and calls us to keep our promises to God.         Today's scripture passages are rooted in this aspect of faith. They all either see God fulfilling God's promises or they look to the future and base their hope on God keeping God's word. This also is what Christmas is about - The birth of this child  in Bethlehem is is seen by Christians as God fulfilling a promise made through the prophets long ago. Now what about today? Is God still fulfilling God's promises today? If so, can we identify any signs that that is so? I suppose before we can respond to a question like that we need to remind ourselves -just what promises has God made? When I ponder this, three major promises come to mind. They are: 1. God promises that  we can trust Creation; 2. God promises us that the Realm of God is now and in the future; 3. God  promises to judge us with grace. You may be able to think of others. Let me review these three and perhaps you would consider how they relate to you and your life, and to the life of the world, and share with me other of God's promises which you experience in your life. In my list, God's primary promise is found in creation. This promise is written into every day of every season; it is to be noted in every blade of grass and every beating heart of every creature. I would be interested in the promise you see or hear in a clump of earth, or the cry of a newborn child. I find that the promise found in creation is many promises. For now, I will touch on just two; the promise of life and the promise of order.  In every breath I take there is the promise of  life and the promise of order in the universe. We all depend utterly on both these fulfilled promises. We modern humans are very much enamored by our creations of technology, but nothing we do would be possible without these two promises: life and order. If the promise of life were to be withdrawn, where would we be? What an empty life this would be without the new life in children! How lost we would be without order! In a disorderly universe, we could not even drive a nail or bake a cake, let alone build a computer. Thank God for the many promises of creation. So, the first promise is the manifold promise of Creation.  The second of God's promises which comes to my mind is the promise of the Realm of God. Where the promise of creation is the promise of life, the promise of the Realm of God, has to with how we live that life. This too is a many-faceted promise. It is a whole bundle of promises in one package. However, the basic promise is that one day, on the Day of the Lord, the Sun will rise on a world in which we live together in peace and harmony.  Jesus and the prophets were sent to proclaim and to enact this rich promise. Our role as people of faith is to show by our living that we are the vanguard of that of that Day. Some would say that this also is the calling of every nation and people. In all aspects of our personal and social being we are to act out our membership in the the Realm of God. In this manner we prepare the Way for the Realm of God to come upon the whole earth. The third of God's promises that I am addressing to day is the promise to judge us with grace. This promise is God's response to our tendency to misuse the first two promises. Humankind tends to misuse the promises of creation and the promise of the coming of the Realm of God. That is, we tend to ignore the fact that our in our life and in our inventiveness, we depend on creation and on our neighbour. We forget that of ourselves we cannot create life, develop technology, or create humane societies. This leads us to not care about the Earth, and to poison it as if it did not matter. It also means that we will turn against our neighbour. God's response to this ruinous behaviour is to judge us, but to judge us with grace. [ click here to see also Be4ep7, God forgets our sin] In this context, grace means we get a second chance, a chance to change. God gives us a second chance and third chance and so on forever. It seems to me that the chances run out when we have polluted the earth so that no life is in it, and have ruined both our neighbour and ourselves. Until then, God judges us with grace. Our role in this is to accept the grace and repent. We prepare the Way of the Realm of God when we accept God's grace and take action to respect the promises of creation, and to live out the Promises of the Realm of God. Let us during  this week of Christmas embrace heartily all of God,s promises, and thus by our living prepare the Way for God's Realm to be seen upon the Earth. Search by category: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission Advent  Yr. C. An Alternate way to read scripture in worship  <A201> In my experience as a liturgist, I have noticed that many people's eye's glaze over when several scripture lessons are read back to back during the morning worship. Therefore, I have worked with worship committees to change that by finding other ways to present the bible in worship so that it has a better chance of being heard. On this page, I offer one of these ways, and look forward to hearing of your experience.  Scripture as Litany As we looked at the text of the lessons for each Sunday prescribed by the lectionary, we came to realize that quite often the message of the lessons was exactly what we wanted to communicate in the various parts of the service. So, we asked ourselves what it would like if we moved some of the lessons to the place in worship where their message fit with a particular movement in the liturgy. We found that very often the Hebrew Testament lesson called us to worship and the Epistle lessons could be read as powerful commissionings. We resisted forcing any passage into a place where it did not fit. We tended to leave the Gospel lesson to be read at its usual place in the service. The following suggestion comes from this approach to the reading of scripture in the Sunday Service. Using this method, the order of Sunday worship for Advent 1, Year C, might be a follows: Introit Call to Worship Announcing the Promise of Advent Jer 33:14-16 Congregational response Ps. 25:1-10 Prayer of Approach and confession Kyrie Assurance of Grace Doxology The Gospel Luke 21:25-36 Hymn Sermon Hymn Offering Announcements Prayers of the People Benediction Sending Forth 1 Thes. 3:12-13 To see this applied to all of Advent Yr. C,  Scroll down> Alternate Way to read Scripture in public worship for Advent Yr. C. ecclesicakes B202 The Heb. Testament readings for this Advent proclaim the Hope of Advent, therefore I am suggesting that they be used as a part of the call to worship. The other lessons may thne be read as folows ADVENT 1                     Advent 2              Advent 3          Advent 4 Musical prelude Call to worship Announcing  Advt,   Jer 33             Malachi 3:1-14             Zeph. 3:16-20       Micha 5:2-5 Congegational resp.   Ps. 25: 1-10          Luke 1:68-79           Is. 12:2-6             Lk. 1:47-55 Opening prayers Confession of sin,                                   Kyrie Assurance of Grace                         Gospel Reading of the day Sermon Offering Life and work of the Congregation Prayers of the People Benedic tion Commissioning  1 Thes. 12-13             Phil. 1:9-11        Phil. 4:4-9              Heb. 13:20-21* * not as per lectionary Search by category: Bible *Advt.-Xmas- Ep. * Lent -Easter * Pene. 1-14 * Pent 15f * Child + Story * Liturgy * Social * Pastor * Mission the Winnipeg Canada Free Press on October 12, 2005 This Photo of a Pakistani Father and child who were victims of the October 2005 earthquake, remind me of a well-known painting which represents Jesus bearing home a lamb. It also contradicts the view that people of the middle east always devalue girls and women. I would not want to contradict the experience of being devalues which women experience all over the world. As a father of two daughters and three granddaughters I much moved by this photo. Bob Kayes