Prayers 12 6 2009
*Welcome on this Second Sunday of Advent!
*MIT Ashang Lolly will be bringing today’s message as a requirement of his field education program
*Cassy and Dan Silva, Love for the Poor mission in China will be sharing for a few minutes today
*Lanna Coffee and Chinatown Books available for purchase after service today
*Membership Meeting at 1:30; elect 2010 officers, board and committee members, hear the update on our “Unshaken Worship” canvass and adopt the 2010 budget, hear testimonies of how God has changed lives in our midst from 4 candidates for Baptism and church membership
*EFG, this Saturday will be at Dick and Anna Wong’s home while Mary Lee is recuperating from her “micro-stroke.”
*Senior Center this Wednesday for their Christmas lunch and party; may be the last meeting unless someone is willing to step up to continue this important ministry; thanks to God for Gary Eng, Jimmy Yee, and Warren Lee for their long years of service
*Next Sunday is 9:30 Joint English Worship with Believers Baptism; sidewalk reception at 12:45
*Love Gift for Church Staff
Prayer Concerns
*Mary Lee’s recovering from her recent “micro-stroke.”
*Today’s Membership Meeting—4 persons sharing their testimonies
Prayer of God’s People
Dear God, we are listening to the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make these paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” Today, we pray that you would prepare the pathway into our fellowship. Help us to work hard to fill every valley and level the mountains so that all may feel welcome. Overcome the rough ways of our hardened habits to be made smooth as we trust in you to show us new ways to share together in fellowship. We pray to see your salvation for all people, all around the world.
Today we pray for peace on earth but help us to know the things that make for peace. While on the one hand, we understand and support the President’s decision to send more brave men and women into battle to strive for world peace, we are also troubled and saddened over the reality that enduring peace is far from being realized. We pray for the safety and protection of our troops as well as the many others whose lives will be affected when injury and death occur. Teach us Lord that peace cannot be cheaply bought so that we can sustain our lifestyle without making changes in our lives. Challenge us, God of justice and righteousness that we might follow in the paths of your prophets, difficult though it might be, so there might truly be peace on earth.
Lord Jesus, you keep surprising us, keep appearing in a way that we did not expect, keep saying things to us we did not expect to hear from you. This Advent, we can see that you met us face to face when you watched over Mary Lee as she is recovering from her minor stroke last Sunday. We met you when we decided to pledge toward the good work of this dedicated and faithful church. We will meet you again this afternoon when we hear and witness the transformation in the lives of four persons in our midst who will dedicate their lives to you as loving disciples.
We thank you, Lord, for opportunities we never expected that give us the chance to make paths straight, fill valleys, level mountains, and draw all people to you, God who draws us into one family. As we can see the salvation of God in Christ Jesus, we pray in his name who taught us to pray together, “Our Father…”
Offering
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Let us pray.
All we give, the best of ourselves, comes from you and lives in you. Our offerings are your offerings. Our lives are your lives. May we continue to bless each other through this time of giving, so that your name will be proclaimed everywhere. Magnify our offerings according to the spirit in which we give. These things we pray because you have shown us mercy and grace. Amen.
The Lord’s Supper
We all know that a good introduction of the guest speaker at any event prepares the speaker to make a good speech. That’s what John the Baptist was doing when he introduced Jesus by quoting Isaiah. The hearers of this introduction must have been uncomfortable in what they were hearing. John was saying that when Jesus comes, the world would be judged, criticized and made to feel uncomfortable. Paths will be made straight. Every valley shall be filled. Every mountain and hill shall be made low. The crooked shall be made smooth.
Now why would we want to come on Sunday to be introduced to Jesus who will change our world and make us feel uncomfortable? We come because we know that our world is out of kilter. We know that John tells the truth. At the Lord’s Table, we are once again introduced to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When Jesus met with his disciples in the upper room, he introduced a new meaning to the Passover meal by saying that this bread is now my body broken for you and that this cup represents the new covenant in my blood for the forgiveness of sins. It is only in Jesus Christ that we may truly find the world as God created it to be.
Benediction
There are still places in this word that has not heard the good news.
Everyone loves a baby who brings peace.
The coming of the Christ child is the best news we have ever heard.
Go forward with loud singing.
Rejoice with gladness.
God is in our midst and we are renewed in God’s peace.
Amen.