"Hurting, Helping, and Healing"

Call to Worship   Remembering the light of the star which called the magi, we gather to give thanks to God, for God will turn our mourning into joy! God will comfort us, and give us gladness for sorrow. We can become radiant because of God’s goodness; we will rejoice and be satisfied with all God provides!

Opening Prayer

God of eternal hope, you place a light in every darkness and a star in every sky. Yet sometimes we still find ourselves walking in despair,  slogging through the slough of despond. Somehow we forget you are always and forever with us. Today we give you thanks for your Son, Emmanuel,    who is always and forever “God with us.” We pray, once again, you will shine your light on our paths    and walk with us through the mountains AND the valleys of our days.

Moment for Stewardship

What are the gifts you might bring, to honor the birth of Jesus?  Few of us would bring gold, frankincense or myrrh, but each of us is invited to bring our offerings as one way of giving thanks to God for the gift we’ve received in the One born to set us free.

Prayer

We are incredibly stubborn, O Lord. We have entered the season in which Your Light has been given to the world, your blessings have been poured out on the world, and yet all we can think about is our own problems, our own needs, our own desires. Help us to desire you, Lord. Help us to yearn for your presence. Again let us receive the blessings offered in creation, in the birth and baptism of Jesus, and in the ministry of the saints of light. We ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

Genesis 21:8-20 New International Version Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away 8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” 11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring[a] will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” 14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she[b] began to sob. 17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.

Benediction

Go forth joyfully. God is with you. Bring peace and hope to all you meet. And may God’s eternal love shine through you always. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.