For the Advent season, we will be using the book Light Upon Light by Sarah Arthur as a guide. Each component of the service will be taken from that book.

Opening Prayer:

Deliver us for Thy descent

Into the Virgin, whose womb was a place

Of middle kind; and Thou being sent

To ungracious us, stayed’st at her full of grace….

Text:

Luke 1:26-38

Literary Selection:

Annunciation by Elizabeth B. Rooney

There was

Is

Has been

And will be

An everywhere

Fixed

And transfixed

Wherin

One single

Simple

Open soul

Received

The potency

Of the creative whole.

Benediction:

…And through Thy poor birth, where first Thou Glorified’st poverty,

And yet soon after riches didst allow,

By accepting King’s gifts in the Epiphany,

Deliver ,and make us, to both ways free.

Amen.

For the Advent season, we will be using the book Light Upon Light by Sarah Arthur as a guide. Each component of the service will be taken from that book.

Opening Prayer:

Of the Father’s love begotten,

Ere the worlds began to be,

His is Alpha and Omega,

He the source, the ending He,

Of the things that are,

That have been,

And the future years shall see,

Evermore and evermore!

Text:

John 1:1-18 

Literary Selection:

Conversion by Marci Johnson

How can word

become flesh?

Belly. Bone.

Tongue—the feel

in the mouth a word

rolling around. Word,

not a kiss not the thing

itself—a name. The arch

of a foot. Your face

in my hands, just

a name. Blue sky lolling

Beyond the window

frame—eyes open.

Just a way of looking.

Begin with a change.

Benediction:

Christ, to Thee with God the Father,

And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,

Hymn and chant with high thanksgiving,

And unwearied praises be:

Honor, glory, and dominion,

And eternal victory,

Evermore and evermore!

Invocation:

"All shall be well" from At The Still Point

And so our good Lord answered

 to all the questions and doubts

that I might make,

saying comfortingly:

        I may make all thing well, 

        I can make all thing well,

I will make all thing well,

and I shall make all thing well;

and thou shall see thyself

that all manner of thing shall be well.

Where He says, I may,

I understand it for the Father;

Where He says, I can,

I understand it for the Son;

Where He says, I will,

I understand it for the Holy Ghost

and where He says , I shall,

I understand it for the unity of the blessed Trinity:

three Persons and one Truth;

and where He says, Thou shall see thy self,

I understand the oneing of all mankind

that shall be saved unto the blessed

Trinity.

And in these five words

God wills we be enclosed

in rest and in peace.

Text:

Revelation 1:1-3

Revelation 3:14-22

Takeaways:

• What is different about me in the last year because of Jesus?
• What is Jesus asking to disrupt right now in my space?
• Have I let Jesus in at all?

Benediction:

And all shall be well and

All manner of thing shall be well.

Amen.

Text:

Matthew 15:10-20

Takeaways:

• Where have I become dull?
• Very soon, ask someone with whom you disagree to help you understand.
• Make a list of what is best about the political party you voted against.

Benediction:

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Text:

Mark 10:32-52

Takeaways:

• What do I want Jesus to do for me?
• Why do I want that?
• What are my blind spots?

Benediction: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Text:

Exodus 3:1-4:5

Takeaways:

• Take inventory: What am I holding onto that keeps me from the true self?
• This week, when I don't know what to say in a certain situation, practice waiting for the spirit.
• Take some time this week to look at some cattle or horses and just be still.

Benediction: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

On October 13, 2016 we hosted Q Commons: Engaging Our Divided Nation. During two-hour event , we heard 3 national talks via broadcast and 3 local talks on the Everyday Joe's stage.

Amy Lowe - senior editor & co-founder of Ruminate Magazine - kicked off our local Q Commons talks last week. She reminds us of what happens when we bear witness to each other's stories.

Text:

Genesis 2:25-3:10

Takeaways:

• Where am I now?

Benediction: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Text:

Genesis 1:26-31

Ephesians 2:1-9

Takeaways:

• Knowing "Whose I Am" changes my "Who Am I?" from a QUESTION into a STATEMENT of Who I Am - A Child Of God.
• Identifying the "wrong voices" telling me who I am will allow me to focus on the one true voice who ultimately tells me who I am, which is all I should care about.
• It is by grace I have been saved through faith. 
• Whose I am tells me who I am.

Benediction: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.