Mill Plain UMC Sunday December 11,2022
The Blooming Desert
Scripture:
Isaiah 35:1-10
Luke 1:46-55
Songs:
Joy Of The Lord
Dona Nobis Pacem
Blessed e your name
O Come o come Emannuel
Oh Lord You’re beautiful
How Great is Our God
God Of Wonders
Pass it on
give.millplainumc.org
Mill Plain UMC
Sunday December 11, 2022 9:30 am
Welcome Announcements
Song Joy of the Lord
Greetings
Lighting of Advent Candle
Leader: You know what time it is!
People: Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat.
Leader: Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord.
People: Do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged.
Leader: Christ’s coming is delayed. Hurricanes and earthquakes, fires and drought
devastate too many places.:
People: Grant us peace, O God.
Leader: On this third Sunday of Advent, we light three candles for peace.
People: Let the light of peace glow ever brighter within us.
(sing Dona Nobis Pacem as 2 purple and 1 pink candle are lit)
Song Dona Nobis Pacem
Opening Prayer
God of grace and glory,
sometimes our path takes us to thirsty lands and dusty ways, through thorns and
thistles. Open our eyes to see how by your grace even the desert shall rejoice and
blossom; unstop our ears that we may hear the song of the angels, and loosen our
tongues that we may join them in singing your glory. Strengthen our weak hands and
make firm our feeble knees that we may walk your roads in confidence to carry the good
news of the Bethlehem Babe to all the world. It is in that Child’s name we pray, Amen
Song Blessed Be Your Name
O come O come Emanuel
Young Disciple’s Moment
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
Song Oh Lord you’re Beautiful
Presentation of Offerings
Doxology How great is our God
Reading from the Hebrew Bible
Isaiah 35:1-10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like
the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of
Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the
glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm
the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here
is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and
save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then
the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters
shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall
become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall
become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for
God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor
shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed
shall walk there. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with
singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Reading from the Gospel
Luke 1:46-55
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for
he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all
generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and
holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He
has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their
hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he
has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his
servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our
ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Sermon The Blooming Desert
Prayer Our spirits magnify you, O God, and our spirits rejoice in you, our Savior. Grant
us the courage to bring down the powerful from their thrones (even when we are the
powerful!) Grant us the faith to lift up the lowly (even when we are the lowly!) Help us,
your servants, to remember your mercy and to know your glory. Amen.
Song God of wonders
Benediction
Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God who has come to save you.
Everlasting joy be upon your heads this day and forevermore. Amen.
The Postlude Pass it On
Walk out slides