The First Sunday of Advent (November 30, 2014)

Lighting the Advent Candle

Deeply planted in the mystery of life
is God’s love
gracing the world with presence and purpose.

We wait, longing for the dawning of God’s new day.
We prepare, trying to make room,
expectant yet despairing, hopeful yet wondering.
God too longs for the world’s transformation.
God too prepares—making us into vessels of light and love,
getting us ready to receive anew the gift.

Deeply planted in the mystery of life
is a spark
holding back darkness with possibility.

Prelude

Call to Worship

The Lord has done wonderful things for us,

offering us new life when we were in the wilderness…

Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!  O my soul!

The Lord has done wonderful things for our community,

offering us the gift of new opportunities, new vistas in ministry…

Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!  O my soul!

The Lord has done wonderful things for us,

offering us the challenge of changing paths…

Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!  O my soul!

Praise the Lord!  Let us gather to praise our God!

Let us gather for worship in this Advent Season

of waiting, of preparation, of new life, and new possibilities!

Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!  O my soul!  Amen. 

Prayer of Adoration

Call to Confession

Prayer of Confession

We are unprepared to meet you, Gracious God.  We have pursued our own concerns day after day and night after night.  We scarcely know how to talk to you.  We have eaten well without being grateful.  We enjoy clothing and shelter, mindless of the multitudes who lack these necessities.  We take good health for granted, as our due.  Forgive our ingratitude.  Have mercy on us now... (Silent reflection). In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayers.  Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

People of God, declare the Good News!

In Christ, all wounds are healed and sins forgiven.

You are free.  Be at peace.


 PSALM 80:1-7, 17-19

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,

          you who lead Joseph like a flock!

     You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth

before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.

     Stir up your might,

          and come to save us!

Restore us, O God;

let your face shine, that we may be saved.

O LORD God of hosts,

          how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?

You have fed them with the bread of tears,

          and given them tears to drink in full measure.

You make us the scorn of our neighbors;

          our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts;

          let your face shine, that we may be saved.

But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,

          the one whom you made strong for yourself.

Then we will never turn back from you;

          give us life, and we will call on your name.

Restore us, O LORD God of hosts;

          let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Prayers of the People

Lord, you promise in Christ to make all things new.  Grant us hope, grant us peace, as we await the birth of your Son our Lord.  Renew our hearts today in prayer, as we lift up our needs and the needs of others.

For people who suffer from division because of race, class, age, gender, unite us in hope for a better world.

For those who suffer from illness, who strive with each breath, who struggle to move their arms and legs, hands or feet, give them strength and courage to face each day.

For those who struggle to make ends meet, those who are unable to work, those who are trying to find work, we ask you to bring them self-confidence, a means to make a living, and the hand up that they may need.

For those who writhe in addictions, facing the extra temptations of the holidays, grant them the resolve to face down their troubles in new and satisfying ways.

And for the people we know who are presently in need:

We now also take time to lift our prayers to you in silence…


For ourselves.  Grant us the peace and strength of this season.  For the griefs that wash upon us at otherwise joyful times.  For the challenges that some families face when they come together for holidays.  For those who face end of the year deadlines at work, or who feel overwhelmed with responsibilities.

God, you are our Creator and Redeemer in Christ, the newborn child.  Prepare the way in our hearts for his arrival.  Grant us peace in repentance, joy in our humility to receive him anew this season.  Through Him, Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray saying, “Our Father, who art in heaven…Amen.”

 Time out for Teaching: The meaning of Advent

Today we change the colors in the sanctuary from the green of ordinary time to purple of advent.  Have you ever wondered why advent and lent are the same liturgical color?

What do you imagine the purple symbolizes?

Christ's Royalty

Our Penitence

And combine those factors with a healthy dose of hope, we find ourselves in waiting mode.

Advent is a time of waiting.  Expecting greatness from our creator God, just as Mary did, quietly pondering in her heart all she had seen and heard, as the Son of God grew larger inside of her.

We wait for the same thing. 

 So what do you truly hope God will bring about, when the time comes?  I hope for peace and justice.  I hope for a final healing of all hurts.  I hope to meet God one day, although I also hope that I will have measured up to God's expectations. 

 Go into Advent with your mind set to see God at work right now in your life.  I would also challenge you to take some time each day to do something - draw a picture, take a short walk, or read the Christmas story a little bit each day, to make sure you don't rush headlong into Christmas.  Advent is a process of preparing to receive the newness of life that is offered us in Jesus our Lord and newborn King.

Mark 13:24-37

24 “But in those days, after that suffering,

     the sun will be darkened,

          and the moon will not give its light,

25  and the stars will be falling from heaven,

          and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

26 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. 27Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Therefore, keep awake — for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Isaiah 64:1-9

Ron  Why don’t you tear the sky apart and come down? The mountains would see you and shake with fear.  They would tremble like water boiling over a hot fire. Come and reveal your power to your enemies, and make the nations tremble at your presence!

Sharon: There was a time when you came and did terrifying things that we did not expect.  The mountains saw you and shook with fear.

Barbara: No one has ever seen or heard of a God like you, who does such deeds for those who put their hope in him.

 Lou: You welcome those who find joy in doing what is right, those who remember how you want them to live.

Ron: You were angry with us, but we went on sinning.  In spite of your great anger we have continued to do wrong since ancient times.

Sharon: All of us have been sinful.  Even our best actions are filthy through and through.

Barbara: Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.

Lou: No one turns to you in prayer.  No one goes to you for help.  You have hidden yourself from us and have abandoned us because of our sins.

Ron: But you are our father, Lord.

Sharon: We are like clay, and you are like the potter. You created us, so do not be too angry with us or hold our sins against us forever.

All: We are your people; be merciful to us.

Sermon: Dawdling to Christmas

As we rushed about packing up the turkey, cranberries and sweet potatoes, my mom was feeling disappointed.  She couldn't find the little pilgrims.  The little pilgrims are candles, a little boy and a little girl, about 2 inches high.  For many years, the little pilgrims have had a place of honor amongst the Thanksgiving fixings.

But this year, it seemed like the little pilgrims were hiding from us.  And we were running out of time before we had to drive 45 minutes to my Aunt and Uncles house with all that food and a Labrador retriever.  My mom fretted over those little Pilgrims: "I wish we could find the little pilgrims.  They're always there at Thanksgiving. Your brother always looks for them..."  Of course, my brother IS 40 years old now!  I could tell she was kind of sad, but logically resigned herself to the fact that the pilgrims would be at Thanksgiving this year.

My mother, in her wisdom, understood what those little Pilgrims meant to her.  They weren't just cute decorations that only come out one day a year.  They were about family and the wonderful tradition of sitting at a special meal with dear loved ones. In spite of much we were running around getting ready to leave, she took a moment to put it all in perspective I think. 

I don't have to tell you how crazy life gets this time of year! Sometimes the holidays make us so anxious we can lose sight of why our even the littlest traditions mean so much.  So what do you do when you can no longer celebrate a favorite holiday tradition?  It's happened to all of us.  If we fail to acknowledge how much it hurts and why, we run the risk of becoming like a tree without roots.  We can very easily lose touch with the bigger picture: Our faith.  Not to mention missing out on the richness of the season. 

The ancient Israelites also feared what would happen to them.  The passage from Isaiah today is about when they returned from being in exile.  They lamented having lost so much.  Their traditions had been desecrated.  Buildings destroyed.  Places of worship broken down.  They had been struck down, disappointed.  No longer could they seek spiritual comfort in the same way that their fathers and mothers did.  They felt rootless. No wonder we hear these ancient voices crying out in anguish and anger.   We can relate to that.

But there is also something good in this reading, believe it or not. It is this image of a community of voices talking to God about their disappointment.  They cry out for justice, but they cling to God in spite of their sense of loss and confusion. They felt rootless, yet still found out when they appeared to have lost everything, they still had each other.  They took their time to still gather and petition God what was truly on their hearts.  This is very important.  It is the source of all worship, and the beginning of all things being made new, by praying to Him, particularly together as a community of faith. 

We often forget to take that time out for God during this busy time of year, and acknowledge the losses.  What's different this year for you?  The loss of a loved one? Another sort of painful loss during 2014?  Or perhaps you think your loss is small, but matters greatly like the little pilgrims? 

This Advent, take time out from the crazy and busy preparations for Christmas.  Dawdle a little bit to consider what Advent means to you.  What do you hope will come of this season?  Acknowledge the tragedy and darkness you have come through.  It is precisely the reason why Jesus was born, to be a beacon of hope for the nations. 

And you can have time for this if you consider practicing your traditions, perhaps not every single one but the best and favorite ones, savor them deeply as to why they matter to much to you.  And make sure that this season is rich with meaning.  Amen. 

Greetings, Saints!
Since we got snowed out of church today, I'm including for you a recap of what we were going to do.  
love,
Amy


Sunday, November 16, 2014, the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time  

Call to Worship

Gather us in, O God,

Your people are here to worship!

Hold us in faith, O God,

We are here to serve.

Send us in hope, O God,

We are here to follow.


Prayer of Adoration
Loving God, you call us to shine a light on you all the time.
And you call us to focus our love and energy on serving you and your will.
Renew us and refresh in our worship this morning. 
So our lights can shine!
In Jesus Christ our Lord, Light of the World.
Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Holy One, we have done what is evil in your sight. We have disobeyed your commandments and failed to trust your wisdom in the way it comes to us. Forgive us our sins, and restore us to right relationship with you.  Unstop our ears and open wide our hearts to hear and receive your grace. Let that grace flow freely through our lives, to renew our joy, hope, and service to you. Help us do better. Give us vision, strength and courage to follow wherever your love and leading takes us.  (silence)  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

PSALM 123:1-4

To you I lift up my eyes, 
O you who are enthroned in the heavens! 
As the eyes of servants 
look to the hand of their master, 
as the eyes of a maid 
to the hand of her mistress, 
so our eyes look to the LORD our God, 
until he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, 
for we have had more than enough of contempt. 
Our soul has had more than its fill 
of the scorn of those who are at ease, 
of the contempt of the proud.


MATTHEW 25:14-29

14“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.16The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents.17In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ 21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ 23His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

Sermon:  The Singing Sermon

In the year 45, the Apostle Paul cautions the Thessalonians, who are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Lord, “Keep awake, be sober, put on the breastplate of faith and love, and a helmet of hope of salvation…Encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.”

It’s hard for even us today to keep up that same hope in these anxious times.  We are also charged the same as those early Christians to stay awake, keep alert, and build up one another through our contributions of talents and gifts.  In the meantime, we can trust in God’s power to save.  And that God’s power is so great it stretches from beyond the grave.  Nothing stands in his way.  

So the watchwords of Paul’s day were “Keep Awake,” “Stay Alert” “Build up one another…”  Our watchwords come so often from the hymns we sing.  I once read “It is the hymns, repeated over and over again, which form the container of much of our faith. . . . As such, they have taken the place of our catechisms. . . . Tell me what you sing, and I’ll tell you who you are!”

Hymns reinforce the message of God in our hearts as we go through our week. 

So today you’re the preachers, invited to sing. 

How do you express the inexpressible mystery of God?  How do you describe in words, the one who is beyond all words?   Scottish minister Rev. Walter Chalmers Smith used his time and talents as a way to praise God, and as a retreat into peace from his busy day as a pastor.  Click play to hear "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise." 

Thomas Obadiah Chisolm was a Kentucky native without a formal education.  Yet, he became a teacher at the age of 16, and the local newspaper editor.  At his retirement, he had written more than 1200 poems, 800 of which were published in the Sunday School Times, Moody Monthly, and Alliance Weekly.  Great is Thy Faithfulness emphasizes God’s unchanging nature.  Sing along, or click here to listen to “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

Born in England in 1674, Isaac Watts was brought up in the home of a committed religious Nonconformist.  Nonconformists were the people who refused to conform to the Church of England.  Watts had a classical education, learning Latin, Greek and Hebrew and he had a propensity for rhyme.  Once, he responded when asked why he had his eyes open during prayers:

A little mouse for want of stairs
ran up a rope to say its prayers.

Extremely smart, probably to a fault.  Watts is one of the most prolific hymn writers of his time, ranking with Charles Wesley.  “I Sing the Mighty Power of God” (click to listen) 

Frederick Faber (1814-1863) was reared a strict Calvinist Anglican, who later converted to Roman Catholicism.  He was influenced by the rituals and tradition of Rome.

“There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy,” originally eight verses long, was called “Come to Jesus.”  The hymn touches a tender spot, because it encourages us, recognizing the troubles of life, and holds the promise of a final homecoming.”  Let’s join in the wideness of God’s mercy by singing it together.  “There’s A Wideness in God’s Mercy” (click to listen).

These hymn writers had enormous talent, wrote so many poems and hymns, even though we might only know a couple of them.  We have benefited from singing their words.  Music is the gift that keeps on giving, a message that sticks around even after he words of a sermon fade.  When you go, go with a song of Christ in your heart.  Amen. 

Announcements:

We need your Operation Christmas Child boxes back really soon!  Please bring them by the church no sooner than Friday/Saturday, November 21st/22nd.  The boxes will be shipped on Monday morning from the Methodist Church to Las Vegas. 

The Session has received two new members into our congregation:  Teresa Gallegos and Troy Brake.  They live north of town at 10455 Hwy 104, Tucumcari, NM  88401.  Troy is in poor health, so you might not meet them unless you go out and visit.  Let’s all send them cards to greet them with gladness.

Mark your calendar for next Sunday after worship.  Before we all run off to lunch, please stick around and help us decorate the sanctuary for Christmas! 

Also, join us at 11:00AM on Saturday, December 6th to decorate the rest of Fellowship Hall.  Presbyterian Women will be there to help, before they have their Christmas Party.  Help us deck the halls!  The party is potluck.

Dear Friends and Members of First Pres Church of Tucumcari:
Happy Birthday to Anna Randals and Amber Varsallona!

Yesterday was their birthday.  Send them a birthday message, even though the hour is getting late, to [email protected] and [email protected].

We had a lovely service yesterday, with special thanks to Ron Wilmot and Julie Sursa's extra worship leadership in reading.  Julie also sang a lovely song about God's constancy through the changing seasons.  How appropriate, as the weather has dropped about 30 degrees in the last 3 hours!  

So be safe everyone, keep your pets warm, be sure your outdoor plumbing is wrapped up.

• We will have yoga today at noon, if you can brave the cold!  See you there!
  
• Wednesday night we will have a movie night at 6:00PM.  The film is called "Whale Rider," a winner of 31 independent film awards.  It's about a Maori tribe in New Zealand trying to adjust to the changing world, and the tribe is in need of a new chief, but the chief's natural successor doesn't want to be the next chief.  For more information, you may check it out at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298228/?ref_=nv_sr_1  The acting and writing are exquisite.  (click for flyer)
  
• The Elders have a regularly-scheduled meeting Thursday night at 5:30PM.  See you there, Elders! 
  
• And don't forget that potluck is Sunday.  Don't forget also that we could always use several people helping to clean up.  I am not sure if Regina and Jenna will be able to host, so I might be looking for someone to help!
  

If you missed worship on Sunday, be sure to check this past Sunday's blogpost, where you'll find the texts and sermon.  We got creative with the Joshua reading!

Mission Opportunity:  If you have a plain (no logos) tote bag to donate to the church that we could decorate and put the name of one of our local housebound members, please send it my way.  I need 2-3 of them, which we could keep in the church narthex as a "mailbag" for them.  Each week I could bring the bag to them with our church bulletin, sermon, and any special notes or gifts you bring for them. 

God be with you till we meet again.  And stay warm!
Love,
Pastor Amy

Sunday, November 9, 2014 

Call to Worship (from LiturgyLink.net)

Choose this day, whom you will serve

We serve the Lord with gladness!

God is good, all the time. God’s generosity extends far beyond our wildest imaginings.

We thank you God, with renewed gratitude.

With hands and feet, hearts and voices…

We serve the Lord with gladness!

We remember, O Lord, how you brought slaves out of Egypt, how you humbled yourself into human form, and how you bring this collection of people in to be your heavenly body on earth.

We pledge to live in witness to your legacy of freedom and in service to your holy name. 

Following the vision you have given us: of humble service and self-sacrifice, we boldly step out in faith.

We commit to you, O God, using our time, talents, and treasure, to serve with gladness. 

Amen.

Prayer of Adoration

Loving God, you call us to shine a light on you all the time.

And you call us to focus our love and energy on serving you and your will.

Renew us and refresh in our worship this morning. 

So our lights can shine!

In Jesus Christ our Lord, Light of the World.

Amen.

Call to Confession
We come before God confessing our faults and shortcomings.  Because we miss the mark, we need to come before Him to face him.  Because of his great love for us, we can trust him with our inmost guilt.  In faith and penitence, Pray with me this prayer of confession.

Prayer of Confession

Faithful God, we confess our own short-sightedness. Instead of placing all our trust in you and going forward in faith, we have given ourselves to other gods: proven results, quick fixes, and easy outs. Welcome us again into your loving arms. Be quick to forgive us and restore us to faith. Set our hope in you and remind us again of your mighty power and goodness. Help us to rededicate ourselves in your holy name. Amen. 


Assurance of Pardon:  
Friends, live and believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ!
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.  Thanks be to God!

Psalm 78:1-7  (from http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com)  This is a 3-part Psalm.  If you are a grandparent, please read the section labeled Grandparents.  If you are a parent, please read the section titled “Parents.”  Chances are, all of us will read the section called “Children.”  After all, we will always be someone’s children!

 Grandparents:

      Listen, my people, to my teaching,

and pay attention to what I say.

I am going to use wise sayings

and explain mysteries from the past,

things we have heard and known,

things that our ancestors told us.

 
Parents:

We will not keep them from our children;

we will tell the next generation

about the Lord’s power and his great deeds

and the wonderful things he has done.

      He gave laws to the people of Israel

and commandments to the descendants of Jacob.

      He instructed our ancestors

to teach his laws to their children,

so that the next generation might learn them

and in turn should tell their children.

Children:  

In this way they also would put their trust in God

and not forget what he has done,

but always obey his commandments.


Prayers of the People

God of love and light,

You formed us in your image so as you came into this world, a light to the nations, so you call us, to be the Light of the World.

Keep our lights burning bright for you, strengthen our resolve to shine for you.  Fill us up with courage and hope from which we can draw in our times of trial.  Help us be prepared and ready at all times to spotlight Jesus your Son.

And in our darkest times, we pray for help, for ourselves and others.

We lift up the needs of your people.  Those mentioned in our bulletin prayer list.

We lift up the needs of those we have mentioned this morning.

We lift up our needs for hope and strength.  Encouragement throughout the seasons of our lives, through the shifting sands of time.

Help us to stand on your solid foundation, as your light of the world, city on a hill, salt of the earth, so firmly planted in your word that those with eyes to see and ears to hear they more firmly believe in you.  This we pray in the one who came to save us, and taught us to pray, saying, “Our Father,…Amen.”

Time out for Teaching:  The P in TULIP

Perseverence of the Saints.  That is the P in TULIP.

I don’t have to tell this congregation that you should persevere.  I see it all the time in you.  You work very hard to serve God here. 

But sometimes we put our noses so hard to the grindstone we might not remember WHY perseverance is an important part of our faith.  It is a testimony of faith.  It lets others see our faith in action, doing our very best even though we are not perfect at what we do. 

And perseverance requires will and determination.  It means perseverance, setting our minds on the things of Jesus Christ, continuance in a state of grace.  We are not just Sunday people, for instance.  We are everyday people, persevering through each day we live our faith. 

Now, as I’ve said, most of you persevere because you are convinced that this is what God wants from you.  But the reason why we do it is so very important.  Because it is a way we are witnesses.  People need to see our faith lived out in order for them to believe in it too. 

Our perseverance should well up from a sense of joy for God’s grace in our lives, for it is not just working for no reason at all.  It is working to proclaim His goodness to us, so our faith can be a visible sign of God’s work in us.  It’s why we do mission, why we go the extra mile for a neighbor, why we ask for God to help us strengthen our resolve even in moments of doubt.  Perseverence is the fruit of our gratitude for God’s grace, our joyful response to all He has done. 

Joshua 24: 1-3a, 14-25

Narrator: Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God.   And Joshua said to all the people,

Joshua:   Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve God in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.   Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Person:   Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. The Lord protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed;  and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, who is our God.

Joshua:  You cannot serve the Lord, who is a holy God. The Lord is a jealous God; and will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.  If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then God will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good. 

People:  No, we will serve the Lord!

Joshua:  You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.

People:  We are witnesses.

Joshua:  Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.

People:  The Lord our God we will serve and will obey.

MATTHEW 25:1-13

1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Sermon:  “Spotlight on Jesus”

Light is the word for this morning.  Light brings us vision, focus for the eyes.  It helps transmit images to us to we can make sense of what’s before us. 

Usually we think of Jesus as the light, just as we confess with our hearts at Christmas time, “Light that shines in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it.”  But Jesus also says to us in the Sermon on the Mount, “YOU are the light of the world.”

We are the light of the world, meant to put a spotlight on Jesus, for the world.  But if we are not prepared to do it, then we might just miss our opportunity to do that. 

Our story of the wise and foolish bridesmaids illustrate this.  Those who are prepared.  Those who are not.  Those who come to the wedding prepared for the distinguished honor to walk with Jesus, lighting his way, but also illuminating him so he is seen in all his finery.  But those who are not prepared…they might never make it to the banquet.

Preparedness means remembering what you need to have for the occasion.  And it means paying attention to the moment when we are called to act.  Sometimes we are not prepared to meet him and illuminate him so he can be seen by the world.  We need a few things to be prepared:  the words to say, the spiritual heart to give us courage and conviction, and paying attention to the chances that come our way to…spotlight Jesus!  I made that mistake a couple weeks ago while standing in line at the grocery store.  It’s a great place to strike up conversations with strangers and learn about them.  One conversation began because I noticed the person was so talkative with the woman in front of her.  She kept talking about herself and the bad choices she made in her life.  If I had been truly prepared, I could have invited her to church.  I should have, since it seemed like the woman was willing to tell me all about herself.  I should have been more prepared to say the words, “Well, I know where you can go and find good friends,” or “Here’s a brochure about my church.  We love to have visitors…”

We all have opportunities like that.  Grocery stores, Laundromats, fitness centers, anywhere.  Shining the light on Jesus gives us the license to be a little bit nosy about others.  But how many times do we miss those chances because we weren’t paying attention?

Don’t worry.  Sometimes we regret the missed chances, and begin to think we’re terrible evangelists.  Just like it’s far easier for us to look at Jesus story and focus on how foolish those bridesmaids were, when it is better to keep looking at the wise ones.  And what did they do?  They saw the great honor of highlighting the groom and focusing on that, they made sure they were ready.  They had plenty of fuel for the lamps, considering the oncoming night.  And they had to pay attention to when those wicks were getting ragged and needed trimming.  After all, they had an important duty to perform. 

Bridesmaids had a different purpose in ancient weddings.  They didn’t follow the bride down the aisle.  They accompanied the groom.  Instead of carrying flowers, they had lamps.  The lamps were for the purpose of showing everyone there how handsome the groom looked in his wedding clothes. 

So, we, the light of the world, must be prepared to put the spotlight on Jesus.  Put Him in the spotlight.  We need spiritual fuel to shine.  We need to be ready to pray at any given moment.  Aligned with His teachings.  Attentive to little everyday opportunities to shine. 

So friends, we can all think of moments when we were the foolish bridesmaids.  Don’t spend much of your energy reliving past mistakes and missed opportunities.  Be like the wise ones, focused on the task at hand:  to keep the spotlight on Jesus.  Keep your wick trimmed, and keep your spiritual fuel on hand.  And you will have done your duty.

Amen. 

 

Hymns

This Little Light of Mine  (bulletin Insert)

#253  How I Love Thy Law, O Lord!

#231  Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers (joyfully!)

 

Announcements

Session meets Thursday evening at 5:30PM

 

Greetings, Saints!
Dear Friends in Christ,
I am told we had a lovely service on Sunday.  Between the harp prelude played by Kenna, the chance to call out the names of the saints who touched our lives during the sermon, and of course the service of Holy Communion.  If you haven't come lately, you ought to. The people ARE the church, and you make it happen.

Thanks to those who filled out a time and talent worksheet so far.  REALLy, it doesn't take much time.  Here is a link to where you can do it online.  Click Here.  Or, if you prefer to download and fill it out by hand, click here.  

• Today is the day!  Vote!

• Today at noon the yoga group meets.  Keep in mind that I will be coming from an 11 o'clock appointment at the hospital.

• Today, the Quilters show up for the afternoon/evening after yoga.
  

• Tonight, cheer on the Lady Rattlers at about 6:00PM at the Snake Pit as they take on Raton in the district tournament.  This is the road to the State Finals.  Come out and support our Kayla Cherry, an outstanding player.  It costs $4.00 to get in, definitely worth your while! 

• Tomorrow @ noon:  Presbyterian Women have their Fall "business meeting" - please bring a little something to share for lunch.  We will elect officers for next year, plan our Christmas party, and discuss our missions.
  

• Tomorrow night!  Free movie night at 6:00PM in Fellowship Hall.  The movie is "All the President's Men" starring Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman and Jason Robards.  Keep in mind that in 1976 it was rated R, but it was re-rated PG.  The rating was due to a few choice words spoken by those crochety old-school newspaper editors.  For more information, click here: All the President's Men  The movie traces the process by with newspaper reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein investigate the Watergate break-in, and eventually leads to the resignation of President Nixon.  Winner of 4 Academy Awards.  Share the flyer by clicking here:  Flyer   

• Friday, 2:00PM  Amy leads the Chi Alpha Campus fellowship at Mesalands...

• If you missed the chance, send Oran Watson a happy belated birthday.  His email is o[email protected]

The Deacons have tentatively set the date of Friday, December 12th for the Church Christmas Party.  Please mark your calendar.  You can view our live calendar at http://1stpreschurchtuc.weebly.com/calendar-of-events.html.  

May God bless you and keep you this week.  I look forward to seeing you around town!

Shalom,
Amy Pospichal
cell 575-708-0860

Happy All Saints Day and Holy Communion Sunday, Saints!

I am organized enough this morning to bring to you the sermon and worship liturgy.  So, click on the link below and you can preview it!

November 2 Worship Service

Also, here's this week's movie announcement:  All the President's Men

Don't forget to vote this Tuesday!

Now... be a saint!  Love and serve the Lord.  

Love,
Pastor Amy