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‘Well done! You are a good and faithful servant. You’ve been faithful over a little. I’ll put you in charge of much. Come, celebrate with me.’ Matthew 25:14 |
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your kids can Ring the Steeple bell!
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During Thanksgiving week, the pastors and Bert will ring the steeple bell for “each pledge” received by Thanksgiving (November 26th).
Turn in a pledge and the bell rings out! Ring the steeple bell yourself! Turn in your pledge and email [email protected] to arrange a time. |
listen 1:20 Chant Psalm 123
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Story Time watch 2:31
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Welcome Invite various persons to bring a designated item and use this liturgy to begin your time of learning together.
One: Come, let us gather around and see how the Spirit will nurture our faith today.
All: Who is with us?
One: Christ, the light of the world.
(Place a candle on a table in your gathering place and light it.)
All: Who is with us?
One: The Love of God, who came to meet us in the world.
(Place a cross on a table in your gathering place.)
All: Who is with us?
One: The Wisdom of God, who speaks through the Scriptures.
(Place an open Bible on a table in your gathering place.)
All: Who is with us?
One: The Grace of God, who proclaims we are children of God.
(Place a symbol of baptism – a bowl of water, a seashell – on a table in your gathering space.)
All: Who is with us?
One: Our risen Lord, who meets us at the table.
(Place a symbol of communion – a plate and cup, a loaf of bread, grapes – on a table in your gathering space.)
One: We are here, Holy Spirit, ready for your leading.
God sightings and prayer offerings
Invite each person to share where they saw or experienced God this week. Invite each person to share something — a person, community, experience, event, etc. – for which they want to offer prayer.
Good and gracious God, we thank you for all the ways you were and are present in our lives and in the world. [Invite each person to say aloud the sighting they named earlier.] We bring our prayers to you, prayers for… [invite each person to say aloud the prayer need they named earlier]. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
Connecting with Scripture: Psalm 123
Read the Scripture aloud the first time using the New Revised Standard Version or the Common English Bible.
For the second reading of the psalm, listen to it as in the ancient form of a chant.
Connecting through story
Watch this father and daughter read “You Nest Here with Me.”
Connecting with our livesEngage in dialogue:
Teaching points that can be incorporated into your discussion:
Prayer
Close your time together by praying for one another, your neighbor, community and the world.
- REBECCA DAVIS
One: Come, let us gather around and see how the Spirit will nurture our faith today.
All: Who is with us?
One: Christ, the light of the world.
(Place a candle on a table in your gathering place and light it.)
All: Who is with us?
One: The Love of God, who came to meet us in the world.
(Place a cross on a table in your gathering place.)
All: Who is with us?
One: The Wisdom of God, who speaks through the Scriptures.
(Place an open Bible on a table in your gathering place.)
All: Who is with us?
One: The Grace of God, who proclaims we are children of God.
(Place a symbol of baptism – a bowl of water, a seashell – on a table in your gathering space.)
All: Who is with us?
One: Our risen Lord, who meets us at the table.
(Place a symbol of communion – a plate and cup, a loaf of bread, grapes – on a table in your gathering space.)
One: We are here, Holy Spirit, ready for your leading.
God sightings and prayer offerings
Invite each person to share where they saw or experienced God this week. Invite each person to share something — a person, community, experience, event, etc. – for which they want to offer prayer.
Good and gracious God, we thank you for all the ways you were and are present in our lives and in the world. [Invite each person to say aloud the sighting they named earlier.] We bring our prayers to you, prayers for… [invite each person to say aloud the prayer need they named earlier]. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
Connecting with Scripture: Psalm 123
Read the Scripture aloud the first time using the New Revised Standard Version or the Common English Bible.
For the second reading of the psalm, listen to it as in the ancient form of a chant.
Connecting through story
Watch this father and daughter read “You Nest Here with Me.”
- Where were the places the birds could nest?
- With whom did they ultimately nest?
- Why did the parent bird invite the baby bird to nest with them?
Connecting with our livesEngage in dialogue:
- What experiences cause us to turn to God? To lift our eyes to the heavens?
- What are we seeking when we lift our eyes and hearts to God?
- What do you think the verses about servants and maids mean?
- What are those verses trying to tell us about our relationship with God?
- When you are anxious or need guidance, where do you turn?
- On whom do you depend for care, comfort and strength?
- With all the different places and people you could turn to for care, guidance and shelter, why do you look to (or choose) God?
- What does it look or feel like when God has mercy on us?
- What does it mean to trust God so completely?
- What does that look like in your life?
Teaching points that can be incorporated into your discussion:
- Psalm 123 is a “psalm of ascent.” This means it was likely sung as people made their way to the temple. Think of it as a psalm we might use as a “call to worship” or one we might use a “call to confession.”
- The psalmist is describing a sense of being separated or cut off from that which is most needed in life – community, home, shelter, freedom, economic security – and looks to God to restore and provide those needs.
- By its very nature, it is a psalm of hopeful request: that God will have mercy on us, that God will shelter, nurture and provide what we need.
- It reorients, or changes, our posture from looking inward, down or to ourselves to looking up or toward God who is the source of all mercy, care and all that we need.
- There is a sense in this psalm of waiting, of being patient because we trust in God’s unconditional love and mercy — “so our eyes look.” We know it is coming because God has promised it. We are in a position, an attitude, of waiting — however, it is not anxious or impatient waiting; it is a trusting and anticipatory state of waiting because we know, we believe and we trust God will provide what we need.
Prayer
Close your time together by praying for one another, your neighbor, community and the world.
- REBECCA DAVIS
2020 Living Nativity, December 13
Go to All Things ADVENT Page
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Worship Connection Content for this Sunday
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NOV 15, 2020
Judges 4:1-7 and Psalm 123 •
Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 and Psalm 90:1-8, (9-11), 12 •
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 •
Matthew 25:14-30
Story that connects - Read along with grover (early readers) 6:44
Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:14-30
The Monster at the End of this Book By Jon Stone
(Written for ages 3-7)
Comment: Fear can paralyze us. It keeps us from doing something we know we should, or prevents us from enjoying the moment. In There is a Monster at the End of the Book, Grover is overcome with fear. He learns there is a monster at the end of the book, and does everything in his power to get the reader to quit turning pages. As the book goes on, the fear becomes even more apparent. Grover is not able to be present in the moment because of his fear of what is to come. In the gospel reading for today, one of the master’s slaves is so overcome by fear that he does nothing. The master gave three of his slaves money, and expected them to do something with it. Two of them took what was given to them and used it. Each of them brought back more than what they started with. One of the men was paralyzed by the fear of coming back with nothing, so he just held on to his gift. Jesus has given each of us a gift and expects us to use them as we strive to participate in the life saving work of God. We do not get to allow fear to paralyze us. We must act.
Thank you to Elizabeth Boulware Landes, Associate Pastor for Children’s Ministry at Faith Presbyterian Church, Aledo, TX, for writing the Lectionary Links this week.
The Monster at the End of this Book By Jon Stone
(Written for ages 3-7)
Comment: Fear can paralyze us. It keeps us from doing something we know we should, or prevents us from enjoying the moment. In There is a Monster at the End of the Book, Grover is overcome with fear. He learns there is a monster at the end of the book, and does everything in his power to get the reader to quit turning pages. As the book goes on, the fear becomes even more apparent. Grover is not able to be present in the moment because of his fear of what is to come. In the gospel reading for today, one of the master’s slaves is so overcome by fear that he does nothing. The master gave three of his slaves money, and expected them to do something with it. Two of them took what was given to them and used it. Each of them brought back more than what they started with. One of the men was paralyzed by the fear of coming back with nothing, so he just held on to his gift. Jesus has given each of us a gift and expects us to use them as we strive to participate in the life saving work of God. We do not get to allow fear to paralyze us. We must act.
Thank you to Elizabeth Boulware Landes, Associate Pastor for Children’s Ministry at Faith Presbyterian Church, Aledo, TX, for writing the Lectionary Links this week.
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Something to See
Scripture to Read
Parable of the valuable coins 14 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was leaving on a trip. He called his servants and handed his possessions over to them. 15 To one he gave five valuable coins,[a] and to another he gave two, and to another he gave one. He gave to each servant according to that servant’s ability. Then he left on his journey. 16 “After the man left, the servant who had five valuable coins took them and went to work doing business with them. He gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two valuable coins gained two more. 18 But the servant who had received the one valuable coin dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. 19 “Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received five valuable coins came forward with five additional coins. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five valuable coins. Look, I’ve gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Excellent! You are a good and faithful servant! You’ve been faithful over a little. I’ll put you in charge of much. Come, celebrate with me.’ 22 “The second servant also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two valuable coins. Look, I’ve gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done! You are a good and faithful servant. You’ve been faithful over a little. I’ll put you in charge of much. Come, celebrate with me.’ 24 “Now the one who had received one valuable coin came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest grain where you haven’t sown. You gather crops where you haven’t spread seed. 25 So I was afraid. And I hid my valuable coin in the ground. Here, you have what’s yours.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You evil and lazy servant! You knew that I harvest grain where I haven’t sown and that I gather crops where I haven’t spread seed? 27 In that case, you should have turned my money over to the bankers so that when I returned, you could give me what belonged to me with interest. 28 Therefore, take from him the valuable coin and give it to the one who has ten coins. 29 Those who have much will receive more, and they will have more than they need. But as for those who don’t have much, even the little bit they have will be taken away from them. 30 Now take the worthless servant and throw him out into the farthest darkness.’ “People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth. 
Fourth and Fifth Grade Meets in Person Each Week
Click the picture for the latest on Justice Seekers 
See Pastor Kenny's Children's Time last Sunday! Hide and seek...
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