Prelude - “Away in a Manger” [by J. E. Spilman] - Sarah Park
Welcome to the Mantua Center in this Season of Advent. We are a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms.
From Generation to Generation we have gathered in this space…
We believe in a God who offers second chances
and does not hold grudges.
We believe in a God who opens the door to new life
and leaves the porch light on for us when we get lost.
We believe in a God who believes in us—
believes that we can make a difference,
that we can choose grace over comparison,
love over hate,
peace over war.
And so we strive to live our lives in love.
We strive to listen as Joseph listened,
and to be the people that God calls us to be.
It’s all that easy, and it’s all that hard.
This we believe. Amen.
Advent Candle Lighting - Katie Baird
Calvin Brant, Everett Baynes, Christina Brant, Paul Meeker
Surveys were sent out to over a hundred people, from the ages of two to 100 years old and each week in Advent we’ve heard some of the respondent’s answers. Our candle-lighters today will read some of the responses from those surveys. For the third week in Advent--the Sunday of Joy--those surveyed were asked the question, “What brings you joy?” From the voices of different generations, hear their answers:
Christina: A clean & tidied kitchen.
Paul: Sand between my toes.
Calvin: Running around outside.
Everett: Sitting by a fire at a campout
Christina: Having a camera in my hands.
Paul: My spouses’ laugh.
Everett: The smell of the great outdoors
Calvin: When my mom & dad pick me up.
Christina: Checking that last task off the to-do list.
Paul: Hugs from my grandkids
Everett: When a baby laughs really hard
Calvin: When my cat does funny stuff
Christina: Putting my hands in the garden soil.
Paul: Notes harmonized from the choir.
Everett: Stargazing with a friend.
Calvin: Reading books at bedtime
Christina: A warm cup of coffee with friends.
Paul: When a new grandkid arrives
Everett: After-dinner chats with the family
Calvin: Laughing with my dad
Christina: Today we light the candle of joy. May its light remind us of all the good news this season brings. May its light remind us of the many sources of joy in our lives, and may that joy not only draw us closer to one another, but closer to God. What brings you joy?
Paul Meeker: God of Good News, fill us this Advent season with tidings of Great JOY. Help us count our blessings and think of the joyful things in our lives as we await the birth of Jesus. Amen.
*Opening Hymn - O Come, O Come Emmanuel #119, v.3
O come, thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things, far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge of show, and cause us in her ways to go.
Refrain:
Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Prayers of the People - Pam Auble
Invitation to Generosity
Invitation - Katie Baird
Offertory
Music: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear ” [by R. S. Willis]
The Doxology #46
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below;
praise God above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Offering Prayer - Katie Baird
Children’s Moment - “Joy to the World” #143, v. 1-3
1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
2 Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3 He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.
Special Music
"10,000 Reasons / What A Beautiful Name" - Carli Delaney & Ryan Delaney
[Words and Music by Myrin Jonas Carl Gustaf, Redman Matt, Ben Fielding, Brooke Ligerwood]
Prayers of Preparation - Rev. Chad Delaney
A series of experiments by Princeton psychologists, Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov taught the world that it only takes a tenth of a second for us to form an impression of a stranger. In other words, it only takes a tenth of a second for us to look at someone’s face and determine a stereotype about who they are. With decisions happening that quickly, it is not hard to imagine why we might need this prayer today. Let’s reflect on the decisions that we’ve made this past week and we ask for God’s mercy to be in all of them--knowing how they can affect our present and future. Either way, we know that God wiggles God’s self into the cracks of our lives, and we are made better for it. Let us pray…
ONE: God of mercy, a million times a day we have the opportunity to be gracious,
ALL: to assume the best in others, to give the benefit of the doubt.
ONE: A million times a day we could choose the better way, and so often we don’t.
ALL: Fear and greed kick in. Assumptions and insecurities take the wheel. Comparison and critique lead the charge.
ONE: Forgive us for forgetting that we are descendants of Joseph.
ALL: Forgive us for forgetting that grace and mercy are in our blood.
ONE: Forgive us for forgetting that all belong to you.
ALL: Give us the courage to zoom out, to love even bigger than before, and the wisdom to choose a better way. Amen.
Communion
Meditation - Sue Wright
Communion Hymn - All Earth is Waiting #139, v.1-2
1. All earth is waiting to see the Promised One, and open furrows the sowing of our God.
All the world, bound and struggling, seeks true liberty;
it cries out for justice and searches for the truth.
2. Thus says the prophet to those of Israel: 'A virgin mother will bear Emmanuel,'
one whose name is 'God with us' our Savior shall be;
with him hope will blossom once more within our hearts.
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer - Sue Wright
Words of Institution - Rev. Chad Delaney
Music: “Draw Me Close/Breath” [Arrangement by Caleb + Kelsey] - Carli & Ryan Delaney
Scripture - Matthew 1:18-25
18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ 22All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ 24When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
Sermon - "We Can Choose a Better Way"
In the Spirit of our Advent theme this year--From Generation to Generation--as we meet up with Joseph in the Gospel of Matthew we might together reflect on how our choices can make a deep impact on the generations after us.
As the story goes, we read today about the life-bending choices Joseph is faced with. According to Matthew’s version of events of Jesus' birth, the virgin birth was (yes) amazing, but not without drama. Mary was pregnant and Joseph knew he wasn’t the father. There would be questions and skepticism in the family and community. What was Joseph going to do?
Initially Joseph was a prisoner of the moment and we can’t blame him at all. This was bad for him and for Mary. He likely couldn’t stop thinking about how this would impact them in the here and now. What would be best for their reputations and their livelihoods? Joseph had to decide: do I stay or do I go? Do I save my reputation and ruin hers? Can I do this as quietly as possible?
The reality of Joseph leaving Mary was so close and may have gone that way had not God sent the Angel to him in a dream. “But just when he had resolved to dismiss Mary quietly, an angel of the Lord appeared to him.” And what we see is God’s messenger calling on Joseph to zoom out. “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” This is far bigger than you, Joseph! This is a special call to something greater that will have a far greater impact than you can imagine.
God’s messenger came just in the nick of time and Joseph chose a different path. That considered a greater perspective. When the choice-points come for our households, our churches, our nation…to not just be a prisoner of the moment…to not just do what is expedient or convenient or easiest…will we choose the better way?
In 2015, thanks to our church, my family had the incredible opportunity and blessing of going to Yellowstone National Park while I was on Sabbatical. In Yellowstone there is every kind of landscape and geological feature you can think of -- mountains, valleys, cliffs, rivers, lakes, geysers, hot springs, bacteria mats, mud pots, forests, volcanic vents, waterfalls. Not to mention the wildlife-- elk, bald eagles, bears, wolves, moose, deer, and the Bison…my personal favorite. It is an absolutely extraordinary place. (screen blank)
There are legacies from the 19th century by our forefathers and mothers that were passed down that we would have been glad for them to keep. The roots of the pervasive racism and prejudice in our country are deep and passed down from generation to generation nurtured throughout our history. Yes, we’ve made progress but it is due to conscious and unconscious choices of continuing thoughts, ideas, actions, and policies that still have devastating effect today.
However, one of the beautiful things passed down from that generation of folks was the foresight of decision-makers and President Grant in 1872 to designate Yellowstone as a National Park. In the 1870s, they easily could have been short-sighted, selfish, and greedy… seeing the land as ripe for foresting and mining of gold, gems, coal. Instead, this beautiful land and its wildlife was to be preserved, enjoyed, and taken care of by future generations. Last year, they had 4.86 million people go through their gates.
Despite this, Yellowstone leadership knows this can’t be taken for granted and in 2022 they found a creative way to invite people to continue to always keep the future in mind. If you go to Yellowstone’s website you will see a link to purchase what they call an “Inheritance Pass.” This to the description:
We have preserved Yellowstone for 150 years, and now it’s your turn.
Help us preserve Yellowstone National Park’s future for the next 150 years by securing an Inheritance Pass. The Inheritance Pass is an annual pass valid for entry to the park 150 years from now—in 2172—making it a timeless legacy to hand down from generation to generation.
The only way it's gonna work is if they literally hand down the pass to keep it going. A challenge to be sure, but one worth undertaking. Talk about seeing the BIG picture and inviting people to make choices today to preserve that legacy.
We have no idea if Mary & Joseph knew what kind of impact their choices would make. But their choosing the better way has cascaded over the centuries so that this story continues to be told. God’s messenger (the Angel) who helped them see that it wasn’t just about them…but about the one they would raise and the impact he would make on all the people…on the world. Ultimately a story worth hearing and telling and passing down from generation to generation.
What choices can we make today that our families can be proud of 150 years from now? Can we Zoom out and see the big picture? What has brought us JOY that we want to pass down?
Our church has been around for 195 years telling the story of Jesus…will the story be told by our church 195 years from now? It is up to us.
What about the sacred traditions and values in your family around the holidays or in general that you want to keep going? That are important to you? To pass on to kids and grandkids? To family and friends? Maybe it’s something that has been lost and needs to be brought back. It’s never too late to start leaving a legacy with those we love about what is most important to us. I have provided in the pews….
So often we live in the day-to-day microcosm…especially in this BUSY season for many of us. We may just be trying to get to dinner time…and not thinking about the bigger picture of our lives or the legacy we are leaving. But aren’t those values and traditions and ideas that are most important to us…worth continuing? Let’s hear the angel’s call to ZOOM OUT and choose a better way. To leave a legacy of life and love. Of Justice and kindness. Of joy and peace. May it be so.
*Closing Hymn - How Great our Joy! #170, 1-2, 4
1 While by the sheep we watched at night, lo, there appeared an angel bright:
Refrain:
How great our joy! Great our joy! Joy, joy, joy! Joy, joy, joy!
Glory to God who reigns on high! Glory to God who reigns on high!
2 Born is the Child, in manger small, whom God has sent to save us all. [Refrain]
4 Jesus, the gift from heav'n above fills all our hearts with joy and love. [Refrain]
Benediction Rev. Chad Delaney
As you leave this place, may you go with JOY knowing that
from generation to generation,
we have been claimed and loved.
From generation to generation,
God has been by our side.
From generation to generation,
we are not alone.
The God of yesterday and the God of tomorrow
knows you by name, loves you, and calls you forth,
saying, “Go be the person you are called to be,
love wildly, do justice, and come back soon.”
May it be so. Amen.
Postlude - “There’s Sunshine in my Soul Today ” [by J. R. Sweney] - Sarah Park