Online Worship for November 29, 2020

Welcome to Church of the Holy Cross’s live streaming worship service for November 29th, 2020. Feel free to follow the service text by scrolling down, or you may download and print the service in PDF format below.

Online Worship, November 29, 2020
First Sunday of Advent

Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Welcome:                                                                                Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Prelude: The Advent                                                               Kayleen Yuda

Call to Worship                                                                      Woody Kita          

Leader: In our church and homes
we gather around wreaths
to pray our lost hopes,
broken peace, limited joys,
and love so hard to find and share,
in this season of coronavirus.  
We affirm that our candles mean
we claim the power to call this season Advent
when God’s light comes into the world
and nothing can overcome it.

Family at home:
We light the candle of hope
in the face of COVID-19,
hurricanes in Central America,
hard workers without jobs,
worship without seeing smiles,
sorrows without the ability to gather.

Leader: God’s hope shines on hopelessness,
and brightens the path toward peace.

All Sing:
In a season of distress,
God is present in faithfulness,
Hope eternal made manifest
in Jesus Christ, the blessed child of Mary.

Tune: JOSEPH LIEBER, JOSEPH MEIN 7.8.8.11

Lay leader:
Emmanuel, God be with us, in the week to come, lighting hope
on the wick of our lives so that we may shine on our world. Amen.    

Please join me in the Invocation: based on Isaiah 64:1-9        Woody Kita

Isaiah asked you to tear open the heavens and come down, O God. He wanted the mountains to quake at your presence. We know, perhaps, too much of shaking mountains. We know too much of fires along the hillsides. For centuries people prayed that you would come in majesty and power. Instead you came in compassion and in weakness. Come again to hear our longings, our confessions, and our love. Come once more as we worship you. Amen.

Hymn Duet #116 O Come, O Come Emmanuel                        Eric Anderson
                                                                                                Doug Albertson
                                                                                Movement led by Genie Phillips

Scripture                                                                                 Woody Kita

1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to myGod always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you—so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Mark 13:24-37
“But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
    and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then 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.
 “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. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that heis near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
 “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 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. 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, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Story/Sermon: Not Lacking                                                 Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Pastoral Prayer                                                                     Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into taemptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen

Anthem: Hard Season—by Eric Anderson                               Eric Anderson
                                                                                                Doug Albertson
                                                                                                Hula by Genie Phillips

Call to Offering:                                                                      Woody Kita
We dedicate today’s gifts to God today. We also dedicate the promises we have made to support the ministry of this church in the coming year. A promise is a small thing, but like an ohi’a seed it drives deep roots, raises up a stem, blossoms, and bears fruit. Let all your promises arise from the seeds of love and compassion. May all your promises grow beyond expectation.

As throughout this season, we invite you to send your gifts and your pledges through the mail to 440 West Lanikaula Street, Hilo, Hawai’i, 96720. You can also give, and create a monthly gift that acts like a pledge, on our website at holycrosshilo.com/donate. Let us dedicate our gifts and our promises:

Please join me in the Offertory Prayer  

Time, you have shown us, is a flexible thing, O God. In this moment, we dedicate these gifts to you. In this moment, some of those gifts are in motion. In this moment, other gifts lie ahead. Accept them all, O God, the gifts of now and the gifts of then, bless those who offer them, and guide their use so that they give glory to your name and life to your people. Amen.

Hymn Duet #103 Watcher, Tell Us of the Night                        Eric Anderson
                                                                                                Doug Albertson
                                                                                Movement led by Genie Phillips

Announcements:                                                                  Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Benediction                                                                             Rev. Eric S. Anderson

Postlude: Noel Nouvelet—French melody, arr: Wood               Kayleen Yuda

Permissions:
The Advent candle liturgy is adapted from the work of Maren Tirabassi, giftsinopenhands.wordpress.com. Used by permission of the author.

                                                            Dates to Remember
Today, November 29 – Stewardship & Mission meeting via Zoom

Minister: Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Moderator: Bob Smith
Lay Reader: Woody Kita
Chapel Decorations: Ruth & Sachi Ohata
Choir Accompanist: Kanako Okita
Choir Director: Doug Albertson
Organist: Kayleen Yuda
Hand Bell Director: Anna Kennedy
Childcare Coordinator: Evonne Shioshita
Movement Leader: Genie Phillips
Projected Imagery: Sue Smith
Web Master: Ruth Niino-DuPonte  

This week at the Church of the Holy Cross

• Bible Study with Pastor Eric: Tuesdays, 3:00 pm via Zoom
• Online Song — Wednesdays, 11:00 a.m. online
• Community Concert — 2^nd & 4^th Fridays, 6:00 p.m. online