Meg Jenista Kuykendall

This is part of the worship series, "Be Not Afraid”Series Introduction and Prelude  Advent 1 | Advent 2 | Advent 3 | Advent 4 | Longest Night | Christmas Eve | Epiphany 1 | Epiphany 2  Advent 3Fear of RevisionCome and Worship!Advent Candle Lighting: Peace On the first Sunday of Advent, we lit the candle of hope and were reminded to put our hope in God’s promises of a peaceful kingdom. [Light first candle.] On the second Sunday of Advent, we lit the candle of love to represent God’s love for us through the incarnation of our Savior, Jesus Christ. [Light second candle.] This morning we light the candle of peace. We wait for God’s promises of peace on earth and good will to all. We pray that God’s peace would break through our restless hearts and lead us to Bethlehem, where we can celebrate our Savior’s birth. We light this candle of peace. [Light third candle.]Children’s Choir Pageant “Away in a Manger” 19th c. North American“Go, Tell It On the Mountain” SpiritualResponsive Call to Praise We have heard the story of Jesus Christ with joy and anticipation.We have come to worship. We open our hearts to prepare room for his coming.We have come to worship. We open our ears to hear the choirs of angels proclaim his holy birth.We have come to worship. We open our lives to God’s greater plans for us.We have come to worship. Through the grace of God’s Holy Spirit,we have come to worship Christ, the newborn King.Songs “Angels from the Realms of Glory” (st. 1, 4–5) Montgomery“Hark, the Glad Sound! The Savior Comes”(vs 1–2, 4) Doddridge  Restore Us, O God, and Make Your Face Shine upon UsSong “Meekness and Majesty”(st. 1, 3) Kendrick Prayer of Confession with Spoken Response There is mystery in the season of Advent and mystery in the story of Jesus’ birth. God works in mysterious ways, using ordinary people like you and me to accomplish God’s plan of salvation and kingdom work. But we gather for prayer to confess that we aren’t always eager to allow God to work in us. We prefer our own ways over God’s mysterious ways. We prefer darkness over light. So we pray using words from Mary’s song (Luke 1:46–55), and we ask God to make God’s face shine on us and to open our hearts to God’s will for our lives. When I say “Restore us, O God,” please respond with “and make your face shine upon us that we might be saved.”Let us pray.Our souls glorify you, O Lord, and our spirits rejoice in you, our Savior!For you have been mindful of the humble state of your servants.You have heard our cry and saved your people.We shall be called blessed because we are called by you to be a blessing to others.Your mercy extends from generation to generation.Your mercy called Adam and Eve into being.Your mercy kept vengeance from taking Cain’s life.Your mercy saved Noah and his family from the flood.Your mercy caused Sarah’s womb to be fruitful.Your mercy gave Joseph’s dreams the power to save a nation.Your mercy heard the Israelites’ cry and called Moses to action.Your mercy charged Mary with the most special of tasks.Your mercy strengthened Joseph to care for her.Your mercy sent Jesus Christ into the world to save us from the dark of night.We give you thanks for your mercy; may it continue to shine upon us!Restore us, O God,and make your face shine upon us that we might be saved.We remember this day thosewho crave your shining face,who long for the light,who need your power to drive out the darkness:For those who live with depression or other mental illnesses. [pause]For those who cannot bring themselves to forgive others. [pause]For those who cannot forgive themselves. [pause]For those who seek refuge, but have been denied shelter. [pause]For those who seek shelter, but have been denied a home. [pause]For those who have lost loved ones in the past year. [pause]For those who have lost physical or mental abilities. [pause]For those who care for aging spouses or loved ones. [pause]For those who have been living with cancer and other debilitating illnesses. [pause]Restore us, O God,and make your face shine upon us that we might be saved.We ask that you would strengthen us as a congregation:as we serve one another and those with whom you called us into fellowship,as we seek to bring hospitality and hope to our community,as we discern where you might be leading us,as we hold in tension that which we have been with that which you call us to be,as we seek to be the best stewards of the money and gifts with which we’ve been blessed,as we search for the truth of your word and do our best to live it out in our lives,as we wait, watch, and wonder in preparation for the coming of your Son.Restore us, O God,and make your face shine upon us that we might be saved.Gracious God, on this Advent journey,may we wait with Mary’s joyful anticipationas we prepare to welcome your Son, our Savior,into this broken world in need of his redeeming.Gather us, guide us, and keep us as your people.Send us into the world so that our hands might beChrist’s own, and his mind one with ours in all thatyou would have us do.Restore us, O God,and make your face shine upon us that we might be saved.Amen.“May Your Word to Me Be Fulfilled”Scripture Reading Luke 1:26–45Message“The Fear of Revision”Dramatic Reading “How the Grinch Learned the Magnificat,” by Rev. Emmy R. Kegler Song “My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout” (st. 1–3) Cooney Parting BlessingSong “My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout” (st. 4) CooneyRevised Common LectionaryYear B: Advent—Fourth Sunday of AdventYear C: Advent—Fourth Sunday of Advent

This is part of the worship series, "Be Not Afraid”Series Introduction and Prelude  Advent 1 | Advent 2 | Advent 3 | Advent 4 | Longest Night | Christmas Eve | Epiphany 1 | Epiphany 2  Advent 2Fear of DisappointmentPraise Be to the Lord, the God of Israel, Because God Has Come to His People and Redeemed ThemAdvent Candle Lighting: Love Last Sunday we lit the candle of hope and were reminded to put our hope in God’s promises of a peaceful kingdom. [Light first candle.] On this second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of love. Our God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). We light this candle to remember God’s love, which brings joy to the world and peace on earth. [Light second candle.]Choral Anthem“Joy to the World” arr. ProulxResponsive Reading Rejoice in the Lord always.I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.The Lord is near. We rejoice in the hope of Christ’s coming.Rejoice! Rejoice! —adapted from Philippians 4:4–5Songs “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 1–2, 7) Traditional“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (st. 1–3, 4) WesleyGod Shows Mercy to Our Ancestors and Helps Us Remember God’s Holy CovenantSong “My Soul in Stillness Waits” HaugenPrayer of Confession Emmanuel, God with us, we confess how hard it is for us to wait. Like Zechariah, we have a hard time waiting on you, and we lose hope so quickly when it seems as though you aren’t answering our prayers in the ways we hope. Sometimes your timing is mysterious. Sometimes you answer our longings and our prayers in ways we have a hard time comprehending. Take away all the barriers in our lives that keep us from being able to hear you, to know you, and to love you with all our hearts. And give us ears to hear your gentle voice saying, “Be not afraid.” Amen.God Gives God’s People the Knowledge of Salvation through the Forgiveness of Their SinsScripture Reading Luke 1:5–25Message “The Fear of Disappointment”Responsive Music “I Shall Not Want” AssadGod Shines on Those Living in Darkness to Guide Our Feet into the Path of PeaceSending Litany In this Advent season of waiting on the Lord,We trust in the Lord’s goodness.We rely on his mercy.We find shelter in his steadfast love. In this Advent season of waiting,Lord, we await your salvation.We await your leading,We await your coming. In this Advent season of waiting on the Lord,We walk in the Lord’s way.We keep our covenant promises.We follow his example of love. —Adapted from Harry Boonstra, Reformed Worship 9, © 1988 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission.God’s Blessing The same voice that speaks over the waters and calls us to follow and obey,the same voice that promises “I am your God, you are my people,”the same voice that spoke “This is my beloved Son,’now blesses the people with peace:“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”The blessing of Almighty God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is with you now and forevermore. Amen.—Based on Psalm 29:2, 9; Exodus 20:18; Matthew 3:17; Isaiah 41:10Song“How Firm a Foundation” (st. 1–3, 5)18th century

This is part of the worship series, "Be Not Afraid”Series Introduction and Prelude  Advent 1 | Advent 2 | Advent 3 | Advent 4 | Longest Night | Christmas Eve | Epiphany 1 | Epiphany 2  Advent 1The Hopes and Fears of All the YearsWe Wait and We HopeChoral Introit “Comfort, My People” CallananAdvent Candle Lighting: Hope On this first Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of hope. [Light candle.] Isaiah gives us a vision of a kingdom yet to come where everything has been made new and where creation is at peace. “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:1–3). We light this candle of hope as a sign of our waiting and expectation for the coming Christ.Song “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” GermanResponsive Reading I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,and in his word I hope;my soul waits for the Lordmore than those who watch for the morning.We wait and we hope. O Israel, hope in the Lord!For with the Lord there is steadfast love,and with him is great power to redeem.We wait and we hope. Glory to God the Father, to Jesus the Messiah, and to the Holy Spirit.We wait and we hope. Amen. —adapted from Psalm 130:5–7, NRSVUESongs “Christ, Be Our Light” (vs. 1, 2, 4, and 5) Farrell“Here I Am to Worship” HughesPrayer of Confession We wait and we hope. For many of us, Christmas feels like a time in which we do neither. The season has become one of parties and extra activities, plans with family, year-end deadlines, and purchasing gifts. There is not much space for us to wait and feel hopeful. So this morning we begin our time of prayer by carving out some space for silence, for silent prayers to God or maybe just for silence before God.[Silence]Emmanuel, God with us, in this Advent season, we confess how difficult it is to slow down. We don’t want to wait patiently for anything, and instead we buy into the busyness of the season, leading many of us to feel a lack of joy and a lack of hope. When we look at the world around us, it’s hard to feel hopeful about the world, about our nation, about ourselves. We are surrounded by death, destruction, and pain, and we long for a day when your promised kingdom comes to make all things new. Give us hope that this day is indeed coming, and help us to rest in this because your promises are always true. Amen.Assurance of Pardon Our hope for a new creation is not tied to what humans can do, for we believe that one day every challenge to God’s rule will be crushed. His kingdom will fully come, and the Lord will rule. Come, Lord Jesus, come.—Our World Belongs to God, para. 55, © 2008, Christian Reformed Church in North America, Grand Rapids MI. www.crcna.org. Used by permission.Song “Eternal Weight of Glory” KimbroughWe Rest in God’s WordScripture Reading Isaiah 11:1–10Message “The Hopes and Fears of All the Years”Prayer of Response Eternal God, for whom all people wait and search, open our eyes, closed by fear and blinded by self-pity, that we may see clearly the anxieties and uncertainties that beset our days. These are the very circumstances that make us impatient for your return.—Adapted from John T. Ames, Let Us Pray; Reformed Prayers for Christian Worship. Edited by Martha S. Gilliss. © 2002, Geneva Press. Used by permission.Refrain: The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee, O Christ. (“O Little Town of Bethlehem,” adapted Brooks)For all those whose fears cause them to fight, who are caught up in conflicts or escalating tensions; for people and nations who bait and taunt one another, who threaten violence, who begin and perpetuate wars: teach us vulnerability to name our fears, to experience hope, and to trust in you.RefrainFor all those whose fears cause them to fly, who cannot name or feel or know the depths of their own sorrow or anger, who are so hidden they cannot even find themselves, who pretend when the work of holiness demands honesty: teach us vulnerability to name our fears, to experience hope, and to trust in you.RefrainFor all those whose fears cause them to freeze, who feel stuck in patterns and behaviors they know are not healthy or wise but do not know how to do or to be anything other than what they’ve always done and always been; for people and nations stuck in the way things have always been, who are afraid to imagine a new way forward: teach us vulnerability to name our fears, to experience hope, and to trust in you.RefrainRemember your church, O Christ; send your Spirit of unity, courage, and holiness. Give joy to all your faithful servants; have mercy on all who suffer persecution for your name’s sake; uphold them by your strong Spirit. Bring an end to divisions between Christians; gather us in one visible communion. Teach us vulnerability to name our fears, to experience hope, and to trust in you.—Adapted from an ecumenical prayer from France RefrainWe pray for all who are leading the nations. Give them a sense of what is right, that they may work toward peace, the common good, and human flourishing for all. Call each of us as we enter our workplaces, communities, and homes to bring your presence with us, bearing signs of your light in dim and dark places. Teach us vulnerability to name our fears, to experience hope, and to trust in you.—Adapted from an ecumenical prayer from FranceRefrainEternal God, ever faithful to your promises, the earth rejoices in hope of our Savior’s coming and looks forward with longing to his return at the end of time. Prepare our hearts to receive him when he comes, for he is Lord forever and ever. Amen.—Adapted from Baker’s Worship Handbook: Traditional and Contemporary Service Resources. Paul E. Engle. Baker Books, a division of Baker Book House Company, 1998. © 1998, Paul E. Engle. Used by permission. bakerpublishinggroup.com.Revised Common LectionaryYear A: Advent—Second Sunday of Advent 

This is part of the worship series, "Be Not Afraid”Series Introduction and Prelude  Advent 1  | Advent 2 | Advent 3 | Advent 4 | Longest Night | Christmas Eve | Epiphany 1 | Epiphany 2  We—pastors, worship leaders, congregations —are afraid. Recent years have seen the rise of a global pandemic, job loss and economic depression, and overwhelming prophetic anger at racial injustice, not to mention all of the uncertainties and losses of being human on a planet desperately in need of restoration and renewal. Advent is a season of waiting on God’s promises for a redeemed creation. As we wait, we offer up our fears to God and hear God’s comfort in angel voices: “Do not be afraid.”For Advent, Pastor Meg Jenista Kuykendall preached the instances throughout the Christmas story where the words “do not be afraid” are spoken. We dug into what each character’s particular fears might have been as they were told that they had been chosen for a greater purpose. We looked at the many ways God’s promises of God’s presence were steadfast even in times of doubt and confusion.Prelude to AdventFear as the Beginning of WisdomGod Calls Us to WorshipScripture Reading Psalm 111Songs“O God Beyond All Praising” (choir sings st. 1, all sing st. 2–3)Perry“Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” (st. 1, 3, and 4)Smith We Confess Our Fears and Are Assured of God’s Presence With UsSong “Still, My Soul, Be Still” GettyPrayer of Confession Lord, we are a fearful people. It is not easy to rest in you alone, and it is not easy to feel secure in a world that is shifting beneath our feet. We fear for our jobs, our country, our own health, our families, and all those we love. Fear is a language we speak fluently, and we confess this. Lord, we need faith in your wisdom and in your providence that, no matter what it is we fear, you in your wisdom are guiding us and walking with us.Choral Assurance of Pardon “Child of God” De VriesGod Speaks to Us a Word of Grace and Sends Us Out With God’s PresenceSong “Be Thou My Vision” IrishScripture Proverbs 1:1–7Message “The Fear of Wisdom, the Wisdom of Fear”Sending Song “God of Grace and God of Glory” (st. 1, 2, and 4)FosdickAdditional Services for This SeriesTwo previously published services that would fit well with this series, also by Pastors Kathryn Roelofs and Meg Jenista Kuykendall:- Longest Night: A Service of Christmas Mourning, RW 125:25- Be Not Afraid: A Service of Scripture and Song for a New Year, RW 133:30 

Responsive Call to Worship: Psalm 150